1 Peter 3:13-18 ~ alive in the Spirit

 

When glowing green glacier freshwater, with 400 years plus of earth encrustation, meets the salty Pacific Ocean. Actually, much more beautiful. This was the first time we saw this.

† 

1 Peter 3:13-18

Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? 

14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, 15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you

Yet do it with gentleness and respect, 16 having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. 17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil.

18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the Righteous for the unrighteous, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the Spirit

Yesterday, Edward and I returned home from cruising the Alaskan Inner Passage on a smaller cruise ship.  The pristine quality of sunrise, sunset, mists, the clarity of the sky even in cloudy days. The intense color of the green trees. 

We saw this the first time, not this time.

The ship had a 45-year Geologist Veteran of Glaciers.  Climate Change in Alaska began about 200 years before the invention of the first automobile. Hubbard Glacier is the size of Rhode Island and continues to grow consistently. Many Alaskan Glaciers do. And others shrink. Clusters are the name of small Glaciers at the top of rock mountains.  The earth will have Glaciers even into the next Ice Age, when most of the Glaciers will be gone and reform.

Alaska has 126 Volcanoes named by their Parks Department. And over 600 named Glaciers. 27,000 Glaciers is another estimate. 

Water! 

Green water, from glacier, being in an enclosed harbor, blue sky day. The grey water reflected in the grey skies, bringing to mind winter in Alaska. The blue water on a day seeming likely to stay blue forever. Reminds me of the world we glimpse in the Genesis beginning of the Word, Light, Life, and changes seen even in Genesis. 

This is our second trip. 

And the changes before the Pandemic and today? 150 Cruise ships in Alaska. Now, Post Pandemic, 352 Cruise ships. And the seasons have extended from May to September, becoming April to October. 

What changed in this visit? The internet capabilities are way down. Perhaps by the sheer number of ships.  But our smaller choice cruise company is putting in a whole new internet system as this season closes. 

If you missed our Posts... the ends of the earth found the internet was not as reliable.  And I came down with whooping cough during the Cruise.  I missed our Posts and the health of vacation.  Usually, mood falls when challenged to breathe.  I did not! I did really enjoy the vacation. Enjoyed seeing the sights, going back to hiking the Alaskan Rain Forest every stop we could take in hiking.  We saw a whale... while hiking. The noise is unmissable, unmistakable, of the Humpback whale. Edward is taller, he saw the whale through the 300-year-old Sitka Pines. I saw the water blow and heard the incredible breathing, the splash.  We saw Bald Eagles. Glaciers. Seals.  Salmon, salmon, salmon, salmon, salmon, you get the point. And an incredible number of huge Jelly Fish.  

We met friendly people from Arizona, Texas a few times. NJ. Boston.  Cruise ship workers. Bali. Europe. The kind of good people who hunt through the disembarkment gigantic crowd, on the mainland, to bring back Boise Headset left behind. We had tea over here, there and everywhere.  And to combat gaining weight, we took the 10 flights of lovely stairs about 95% of the time. And used 99 gallons of hand sanitizer to only get coughing and nose blowing. 

We saw plenty of people in their 80s making life move into the adventure with joy direction. Some had walkers. And up the gangplank they went forth. Facebook keeps saying Baby Boomers have houses. They also have get up and go, with an incredible number of hopeful and happy faces.  Very positive attitudes.  Really saw only a few people complain. One looked like me. Om.  (Fortunately, not in anyone's depreciation face!) Don't write off the older generation. There was plenty of dancing on the ship. 

We came home to a slumber party. 

I even took photos I won't share. The Standard Poodles had to get up on the bed. Then the Orange Cat, who complained for 8 hours in a loud, demanding voice.  Everyone jumped on the bed at once. Had to plaster up next to me.  And the tiny Orange Tomcat, about the size of a Yorkie smaller dog, found the pajama drawer was open and settled in for the night. The gang rejoiced. Oh, my heart!

We went up a little early for this cruise. Last time, we had been so confident all our travel plans would line up without delays. While we were there, hackers hacked into Alaskan Air and the Seattle Airport.  Those who want to govern by chaos, are not in our best interests. 

As we saw Large cities, we saw people who looked unhappy. It was Seattle. We had breakfast in the window of a major downtown street.  Not so much in Victoria. The people there have arrived with an idea of improving whatever and however they land.  The people in Victoria were glowing.  As we ate, the waiter was interested in art in LA and heard us remarking on the unhappiness. He got caught up in the conversation and said since the Pandemic, he had seen this unhappiness in faces. Hard times. When media scouts for Downtown photos, they move cautiously. Even in NYC.  Downtown Seattle condos are full ish. But downtown buildings are not so full and need repairs. We should face what we have and see what needs to be done.  Embrace the idea of improvement instead of settling into grim.

As we sailed out of Seattle, a man took ropes and chains and climbed up 7 stores. He was on the balconies of Pier 66 Harbor Condominiums with large verandas and huge metal pipe railings. Prime and expensive and empty real estate. Suddenly, the climber disappeared. We had dire concerns. Had he fallen? As we returned, we saw he was a mid or lower graffiti artist and was defacing the condominiums.  We need to see what needs doing and embrace what can improve. 

During the Cruise, we ran into a patch of rainy days and the warmest temperature on land was 50'.  But so many took time, to read, to walk out, to enjoy their time to see the sights. The time was joyously used. 

And just as we reached ports we really wanted to see, the weather was perfect. Sunshine forever. Winds were steep. Everyone wanted to watch the water in the Harbor. How was the wind doing. 

Not using binoculars

And Finding the Gift, the Joy and the Pleasure in the Day The Lord Hath Made. 

2 Thessalonians 2:14-17

To this He called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter.
  
Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word.

Abba, Father,

Praise the LORD, 

O my soul; 

all 

my inmost being

Praise His Holy Name.

Praise the LORD, O my soul,

and 

forget not all His benefits -

Who forgives all your sins

and 

heals all your diseases,

Who redeems your life from the pit

and crowns you 

with love and compassion

The Crown of Life

is just revealed to be

Love and Compassion

Help us, Father,

Helper

and Comforter.

With Your Help, 

we will look to the Windows of Heaven in our life 

and see a blessing overflow 

believing all things work together 

for those who Love You.

With Your Help for ourselves and the ones we love, 

our prayer concerns. 

We will act justly

 and to love mercy

 and to walk humbly with You, our God.

Dwell in me,

Dwell in us,

Dwell in those we Love,

Help us to seek You first.

And we will finish well, in Jesus Christ. 

Help us find and bring

to become

 more Heaven

to this earth.

And the Nations of the world,

Your Good Creation,

Calling upon You.

In Jesus Christ is 

Our Love, Joy and Hope.

Bless those working for

Post Pandemic Healing

and Care.

Bless us all, 

worldwide

with Healing

Safety

Prosperity and

Peace.

Worldwide

Peace!

We ask healing

of Your Good Creation

The fullness of the earth is Yours.

The healing of those we pray for

in our heart and soul.

The safety of Your people.

The safety of those

helping the earth 

to heal.

Let evil and practicing evil

depart far from us

and our children.

The Healing

of the Nation.

Wholeness

Holy.

Goodness.

And in Jesus - this Hope, 

Faith and Love - we will rise up believing Jesus. 

Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

Yes The Lord Fulfills His Purpose

Thank You, Jesus

†

Matthew 6:25-34 ~ Sufficient for the day. Achieving gratitude

 

Matthew 6:25-34

25 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?[a] 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 

33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, 

and 

all these things will be added to you.

Nevah evah, thought I'd post about our Poodles. And then... you realize you have to make the Post.

It was February of 2019, we were in the emergency room. I had been sitting shoulder to shoulder with a man diagnosed with Pneumonia for about 4 hours. I was sitting, bleeding on the floor.  ER attendants had removed the careful wrap of our good GP Dr. hours earlier. The RN going past said, not to worry, the emergency room had seen blood before.  

We had been taking care of our eldest son's dog, Jackson, who was 14 and dying. We had turned the den into a giant dog playpen. And sat with Jackson to get him comfortable at night and sleepy with the medication.  Our other dog was sad and depressed, too. Beau, the beautiful 7-year-old Springer Spaniel. About 1 AM, I came in to get my slippers and Beau was awakened with Springer Rage. I had been his favorite person, but the next thing, I was calling to Edward, asleep in bed, to rescue me 3 rooms over, quickly, because Beau was shredding my right upper arm and literally hanging from the upper arm muscle. Beau was surrendered for biting and shredding my upper arm, a hip deep bite and a punch on my thigh from his jaw that took 6 weeks to go from black, to purple, yellow and gone.

And that afternoon, I looked out over the parking lot, with pretty trees, from the ER waiting room and went from misery (at my IV needing injury and the shock of loss of my beautiful, beloved Springer) to a glimpse of something far away, bringing great joy.  Something was stirring, God was telling me.  Misery fell far behind, and I noticed how beautiful the trees were.

I told Edward we were not waiting 5 more minutes, of the 4 hours, for an IV and I was going home. We exited.  I wondered what was stirring, as we gladly came home.

In a few weeks, a friend had told me I was just made to have Standard Poodles. And the first dog, who overcame my 4-year-old self fear of dogs, was a Standard Poodle, Springer mix. Sadie. In about March, I was looking for a brown poodle. And discovering this could be a 70 lb dog. 

Then, in Tyler, Texas, a well-known Poodle breeder had 8 puppies. 50 lbs. We were on the road, and time seemed to drag, forever, as we drove there. In came 3 white Poodle Puppies. I knew I wanted all 3. Edward said no, but was most concerned to find this was a Birthday Present from my mother, and I got to say how many Poodles came home. We flipped a coin and I got to pick out the boy and a female. I was surprised to find, on the way home, we had the fraternal sister and not the twin. But the fraternal, was a thrill. She loves everything that is life and seeks fun continually. Yes, God was right, something big had happened. Edward and I were now singing to dogs. The baby dogs slept on our Jackson. Jackson didn't mind.  Big, and hugely, furry Husky meets two small, white Poodles. 

And the Poodles have my father's Birthday. There you go. Smile with me.

When I wake up in the morning, the first thing, after prayer, is to meet Lily. Who is in my face, and has to have her eyes cleared of the gigantic morning goo. 

Now, this is the reason for the Post:

After this small, for a Standard, Poodle has her eyes gently cleaned out, she begins to let me know by kissing both of my hands, how grateful she is. 

She is grateful to see, she is grateful for the day, she is glad for her good life, she loves me, she loves Edward. She kisses me because she has her own Big Brother Poodle. Her Brother Poodle kisses her, since meeting the two, kissy orange, adopted kitty cats. She kisses me because she knows we will play fetch the Tennis Ball.  The kisses flow from gratitude for the daily walks. And the veggies and yogurt with Kibble.  She knows Gummy children vitamins. She kisses me because love flows from her heart. She is the most grateful and happy dog, who finds even when having separation anxiety, that she has her Brother Poodle to have love.  This is a very loving and grateful Pup.

2011 Photo I took on the San Diego Plane Ride

Many people took a photo when I showed Edward. Screaming Poodle.

It was a blurt.

Wooley Booley, Wooley Booooooley

Yes, I cut their hair. 80s Hair Band. And there is always a mistake,

but, hey, in 7 days, Voilà.

This is an everyday event. And on Monday, what struck me, if my sweet Poodle can have so much Gratitude, I should practice this. 

And so, Monday, I began to pray Gratitude Blessings as my Poodle displayed her heart. And I found out, Lily is much more experienced finding Gratitude than I have been practicing.

 

Proverbs 3:3-4

Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; 

bind them around your neck; 

write them on the tablet of your heart.

 So you will find favor and good success 

in the sight of God and man.

 

Abba, Father,

Hello, today I discovered my

pup has a lot of Gratitude.

In fact, I was surprised to consider,

prayerfully, how much gratitude she has.

And I hope to grow my Gratitude,

Thanks ability

and notice Gratitude more

often.

Thank You for showing me

how much Gratitude really abounds.

And this month, I will be 

saying Thank You a lot more.

Bless You for

Giving us

Jesus Christ.

We certainly need Jesus.

Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

Thank You Lord Jesus