lenten reflection

phone keeps crashing whenever i touch shift button. no cursor to guide my way. frustrating. a lot like life without faith. no guidance, no idea of where you are in universe. as i sleep with the newbulldog in the room where i last saw the old bulldog,i am thankful for my hopes of ressurection and the afterlife. memories are strong here for me. at cabin all just seems more homey, more complete. i hope everyone has a great easter. prob wont post tomorrow aw this is ridonculous. i love you all and happy easter.

Lenten Reflection: March 30

I am at the cabin. I forgot my Lenten reflections booklet. I am typing this on my phone, and no "cursor"

Lenten Reflection: March 29

Hebrews 4:15-16

New King James Version (NKJV)

¹⁵ For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. ¹⁶ Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

My Reflection: I like how this scripture points out that the people who become our religious leaders, are exactly that...PEOPLE. They are tempted just as we are. However, they are often chosen to be our leaders because they have been able to somewhat resist the temptations a bit better than the rest of us. This leads us to hold them to a higher standard, so they fall a bit farther when they do succumb to temptation.

Lenten Reflection: March 28

John 13:12-15

King James Version (KJV)

¹² So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you?
¹³ Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.
¹⁴ If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet.
¹⁵ For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.

My Reflection:

When you thought I wasn't looking

Author: Mary Rita Schilke Korazan

When you thought I wasn't looking,
I saw you hang my first painting on the refrigerator,
and I wanted to paint another one.

When you thought I wasn't looking,
I saw you feed a stray cat,
and I thought it was good to be kind to animals.

When you thought I wasn't looking,
I saw you make my favorite cake for me,
and I knew that little things are special things.

When you thought I wasn't looking,
I heard you say a prayer,
and I believed that there was a God to talk to.

When you thought I wasn't looking,
I felt you kiss me goodnight,
and I felt loved.

When you thought I wasn't looking,
I saw tears come from your eyes,
and I learned that sometimes things hurt,
but it's alright to cry.

When you thought I wasn't looking,
I saw that you cared,
and I wanted to be everything that I could be.

When you thought I wasn't looking,
I looked....
and I wanted to say thanks for all the things
I saw when you thought I wasn't looking.

Lenten Reflection: March 27

1 Corinthians 11:23-26

King James Version (KJV)

²³ For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread:

²⁴ And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.

²⁵ After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, this cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.

²⁶ For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.

My reflection: The Last Supper. Probably the most famous of meals EVER on this earth. When I was looking for a picture of Leonardo Da Vinci's painting, I came across this little tidbit. I have no idea if it is true, but it certainly is compelling. 

Da Vinci's 'The Last Supper'
- Story Of A Face

From Robert Hampton

5-30-00

 

The story behind painting of the Last Supper is extremely interesting and instructive. Two incidents connected with this painting afford a most convincing lesson on the effects of sin in our lives.   As you know, the Last Supper was painted by Leonard Da Vinci, a noted Italian artist. The time engaged for its completion was seven years. The figures representing the twelve apostles and Christ himself were painted from living persons. The live model for the painting of the figure of Jesus was chosen first. When it was decided that Da Vinci would paint this great picture, hundreds and hundreds of young men were carefully viewed in an endeavor to find a face and personality of unaffected by sin.   Finally, after weeks of laborious searching a young man, nineteen years of age, was selected as the model for the portrayal of Christ. For six months Da Vinci worked on the production of this leading character of the famous painting. During the next six years Da Vinci continued his labors on his sublime work of art. One by one, fitting persons were chosen to represent each of the eleven apostles, space being left for the painting of the figure representing Judas Iscariot as the final task of this masterpiece.   This was the apostle, you remember, who betrayed his Lord for thirty pieces of silver, worth $16.95, in our present day currency. For weeks Da Vinci searched for a man with hard calloused face, with a countenance marked by scars of avarice, deceit, who would betray his best friend. After many discouraging experiences in searching for the type of person required to represent Judas, word came to Da Vinci that a man whose appearance fully met the requirements had been found. He was in a dungeon in Rome, sentenced to die for a life of crime and murder.   Da Vinci made the trip to Rome at once, and this man was brought out from his imprisonment in the dungeon and led out into the light of the sun. There Da Vinci saw before him a dark, swarthy man, his long shaggy and unkempt hair sprawled over his face, a face which portrayed a character of viciousness and complete ruin. At last the painter had found the person he wanted to represent the character of Judas in his painting.   By special permission from the king, this prisoner was carried to Milan where the fresco was being painted. For six months the prisoner sat before Da Vinci, at appointed hours each day, as the gifted artist diligently continued his task of transmitting to his painting this base character in the picture representing the betrayer of the Savior.   As he finished his last stroke, he turned to the guards and said, "I have finished, you may take the prisoner away." The prisoner suddenly broke loose from their control and rushed up to Da Vinci, crying as he did so, "Oh, Da Vinci, look at me! Do you not know who I am?" Da Vinci, with the trained eyes of a great character student, carefully scrutinized the man upon whose face he had constantly gazed for six months and replied, "No, I have never seen you in my life until you were brought before me out of the dungeon in Rome."   Then lifting his eyes toward heaven, the prisoner said, "O God, have I fallen so low?" Then turning his face to the painter he cried, "Leonardo Da Vinci, look at me again, for I am the same man you painted just seven years ago as the figure of Christ!   This true story of the painting of the Last Supper teaches so strongly the lesson of the effects of right and wrong actions of an individual. He was a young man whose character was so pure and unspoiled by the sins of the world, that he represented a countenance and innocence and beauty fit to be used for the painting of a presentation of Christ. But over a period of only seven years filled with sin and crime, he was changed into a perfect picture of the most notorious character ever known in the history of the world.   What kind of picture are you painting today?

Lenten Reflection: March 26

Isaiah 58:10

King James Version (KJV)

¹⁰ And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noon day:

My Reflection: It sounds like, if you do good things for other people, God will notice, which is fine. But I don't know how I feel about my light rising in obscurity...does that mean it gets MORE obscure??? Either way, I'm not sure I want to be "focused on" for doing good things. I don't even like being the center of attention at my own birthday party. I can imagine the yearly awards ceremony at St. Peter's Palace:
"And this year the nominees for the most giving human are...."

Lenten Reflection: March 25

Matthew 5:45

New International Version (NIV)

⁴⁵  He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

My Reflection: Tomorrow is our girl scout winter awards ceremony. In order to prepare for this event, I have been going through the attendance records and calculating attendance/participation for each girl, so I can know which girl earned what badge. Sometimes, this is more difficult than it sounds. For example, if a badge is earned over a two week period, and the girl only participated one of the weeks, does she still get the badge? For cookie booths, I have some girls who sold cookies for 9 hours total and some who sold for one hour total. This year I even had a few teenagers who showed up to their cookie booths, but either played with their phones or sat and sulked the entire time, and didn't sell a single box. Do they still get the badge? Sometimes the issue of "fairness" can get muddled. Is it fair for some girls to sell cookies for 9 hours, and some just show up and still earn the same badge? Maybe not. It seems life is anything but "fair." P.s. I gave everyone a badge. :-)

Lenten Reflection: March 24

Luke 19:38-40

New King James Version (NKJV)

³⁸ saying:

“ ‘Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!’^[a]
Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

³⁹ And some of the Pharisees called to Him from the crowd, “Teacher, rebuke Your disciples.”

⁴⁰ But He answered and said to them, “I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out.”

My reflection: Have you ever been so excited you felt as if the hills were shouting for joy? For me, it was the day JB was born. When I was 19 years old I was told I would never be able have a child. Then, at 30 years old, after a few surgeries, many failed fertility treatments, and a touch and go delivery, she was here. For Real. She is a 1% odds breaker many times over, and 100% miracle. 
What was your most joyous occasion?

Lenten Reflection: March 23

Romans 14:2

English Standard Version (ESV)

² One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables.

My Reflection: HAHHAAAHHAAAA! I must be the weakest of them all! Since I had my gall bladder out, I have not been able to beef, or any type of beef stock. Fortunately I am OK with dairy still, but the actual meat proteins are just too much for me to handle. Lately I have had to be careful with any chicken I eat, and make sure I do not eat a lot of it. Likewise with fish and pork. I can eat it, but only in small amounts, and only if it is not prepared with any type of beef stock. Well, this little physical abnormality has made traveling interesting. Just after my gall bladder surgery and before I knew my situation like I do now, our family went with Clint to a business trip to NYC. We were headed to Ellis Island, and stopped at Grand Central Station for lunch. I had a salad, and JB had a grilled cheese sandwich with french fries. Well, she couldn't eat all of her fries, so I helped her out. About 1 hour later, I seriously regretted that decision. The fries MUST have been fried in some type of animal (and most likely beef)  fat because I became so so ill. I can honestly say I went to Ellis Island and didn't see a thing. Unless you count the bathroom, of course. So now, when I travel, it is green veggie only. No meat, no french fries, only vegetarian style soups. I will not eat meat unless I am in a position where I can prepare it myself, and know EXACTLY what goes into it.

Lenten Reflection: March 22

Psalm 105:41

King James Version (KJV)

⁴¹ He opened the rock, and the waters gushed out; they ran in the dry places like a river.

My Reflection:
Growing up in a desert climate, one certainly learns the importance of water. Without it, there are no crops. Animals die. Lawns turn brown. I think of Las Vegas, where truly NOTHING will grow unless you water it. The terrain there is dramatically different than what you might see on a Hawaiian Island, where it is very humid, and plants seem to grow out of the rocks.

Both are beautiful.

Lenten Reflection: March 21

"Give us this day our daily bread."
--The Lord's Prayer

My reflection: Each  morning, the alarm goes off at 6 am. I drag my carcass out of bed, let Lily outside and wander down stairs to say hello to JB. I then turn back around, go upstairs, let Lily inside, then lock her in the kitchen while I make JB some lunch. After JB gets sent off to school, is in Lily's mind, the best moment of the day, because it means she gets to eat breakfast. If I drive JB to the bus stop, Lily will wait with her tush on the air vent for me to return. She will then begin her bulldog happy dance. Prancing, and twisting and snorting, all in anticipation of the greatest thing ever, her breakfast. If I don't get to it right away, she begins to cry. Just a subtle little whine to remind me that I have forgotten to give her the greatest thing ever, her breakfast. The happy dance increases in exuberance as I pick up her metal bowl, scoop out her food and place it in front of her. She has learned that she must wait to begin eating until I tell her she can begin, because she has been known to try and eat all the food before I can even set the bowl down. So she waits. And she drools. And she waits some more, and she is trying so hard not to pounce the bowl, but waiting is soooooo hard. And she waits even loooonger, for what seems like an eternity (about 1.5 seconds) until I tell her "ok" and she pounces the bowl and inhales the food, and whew. that was the greatest breakfast EVER! And we repeat the happy dance at the greatest thing ever, dinner, and again in the morning for the greatest thing ever, breakfast......and so it continues. Eating is her most favorite activity, paws down.  In fact, there isn't much Miss Lily won't do for a bit of food. She is HIGHLY food motivated.

For most people, operant conditioning, and using food as a reward is just a simple part of our daily lives. When I was a child, we celebrated dance recitals with an ice cream cone, we continue to celebrate birthday's with cake, and hold barbecues and parties for graduations, weddings, holidays, etc. Food makes us happy. For Miss Lily, however, food is more than just something that makes her feel good when her belly is full. It is an obsession. She will do ANYTHING to get it. She has learned many "tricks," will walk on top of a four foot wall like a cat, she will even run a full mile on the treadmill, all for a handful of doggie treats.

I must admit, I don't think there is anything I would run a mile for every.single.day with the pure excitement of getting it, as Lily does for a 3 calorie dog biscuit. I love yarn, but would I happily run a mile every single day for a new ball at the end of it? Nope. Not a chance. For Lily, "Give me my daily bread" is  her heart's honest plea. Receiving it is her greatest joy. When she does something for a treat, she is "all in." Focused, enthusiastic, and delighted with the result. Sometimes, I wonder, how much happier my life could be if I even put half of the enthusiasm into a project as Lily does into her work of obtaining food. If I focused on today's knitting project as being the greatest knitting project ever, or folding today's laundry as the best laundry folding day, ever, I bet things would feel a little brighter at the end of the day. It 's worth trying for a while. And if it doesn't work, I can always drown my sorrows in a tub of Aggie ice cream.

Lenten Reflection: March 20

John 13:34-35

King James Version (KJV)

³⁴ A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

³⁵ By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

My Reflection: Growing up, these words were part of one of my favorite primary songs.

Love One Another

As I have loved you,
Love one another.
This new commandment:
Love one another.
By this shall men know
Ye are my disciples,
If ye have love
One to another.
(© 1961, renewed 1989 by Luacine C. Fox. Used by permission.)

 I liked it then, and still do now, because I really think if people loved each other with a true love, a lot of the "bad stuff" on earth would disappear. But like Sister S pointed out, without the bad stuff we couldn't really appreciate those moments when we see the "good stuff."

Lenten Reflection: March 19

Ecclesiastes 8:15

King James Version (KJV)

¹⁵ Then I commended mirth, because a man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry: for that shall abide with him of his labour the days of his life, which God giveth him under the sun.

My reflection:

Today I stuffed over 5 dozen Easter eggs for the church Easter Egg hunt. For my home egg hunt I have stuffed even more. Sometimes, I look at all of it and wonder what I have gotten myself into. I often over plan, and have been known to seriously over do it...but in my defense, I LOVE throwing a great party. I love to hear my guests talking about the event months afterwards. This scripture is giving me some validation. To me it means it
it's ok to party it up every once in a while, because those memories stick with us, and may give us joy when we are toiling at our daily lives. Besides, plastic Easter eggs are just fun. End. Of. Story.

Lenten Reflection: March 18

The early chapters of Genesis...are...a revelation...of God's view of the universe and of His intentions for man...God made the world as a garden in which he Himself took delight. He made man, and gave to man the task of sharing in His own divine care for created things. He mad man in His own image and likeness, as an artist, a worker...the gardener of paradise.

---Thomas Merton in "The General Dance."
New Seeds of Contemplation

My Reflection: Well... We've done a great job of messing that up.
Sometimes it amazes me the amount of evil man can inflict on himself and other creatures. People killing each other, abusing animals, stealing cookie money from Girl Scouts...It often weighs me down. I can't watch the news anymore because it just makes me too sad. I listen to a few radio stations that may bring me the "disaster of the day" but for the most part, I try to hide from the world's evilness. I often pray that Jesus will hurry it up and come back sooner rather than later. I am ready for no more babies getting beat up, and no more animals starving, and no more daddies leaving too soon. I am ready for everyone to just play well together. Man..."the gardener of paradise".... sigh.

Lenten Reflection: March 17

Luke 22:19-20

King James Version (KJV)

¹⁹ And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.

²⁰ Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.

My Reflection: I hear these words almost every Sunday, during communion, and most of the time, they are background noise to the thoughts in my head. Important thoughts about what to plan for girl scouts next week, or did I remember to ask Bill to feed the dog, or Oh, yeah, I need to talk to  so and so about whatever... but when I actually sit and THINK about these words, it hits home a little bit more for me. I know we hear these words as part of the holy sacrament, and they celebrate Christ as he prepares to die and be resurrected... I get it. But I also have to think of these words from a purely human point of view. Jesus knew he was headed for death, and wanted to have just one more meal with his friends. Just one more glass of wine with his mates, before he heads out to what he knows will be his last earthly adventure. Often, the dinner table is a great place to rehash the events of the day and share stories and memories  Especially when you are with people you haven't seen for awhile, or may not see for a while. I think of our big family reunions. We each get a plate piled high with food, and take a seat and chat about the good times. We share photos, and stories of our memories and share our goals for what we hope to do in our future. But, what would we say if we KNEW that this was our last family reunion? What if we KNEW that this was it? We KNEW we weren't coming back again? I can imagine that I too, would want to be remembered at these family gatherings, and say "Hey, the next time you get together, do me a favor and don't forget about me. When you eat together, next time, tell that story about that one time when I stuck my tongue to the railing. The next time you watch a parade, don't forget to tell the story about when Dad sent Sister S and me on a wild goose chase all over town looking for the parade that never existed. I may have only been with you for a short while, and even though I am no longer with you, please, just don't forget about me."

Lenten Reflection: March 16

1 Corinthians 10:31

English Standard Version (ESV)

³¹ So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

My reflection:

Lenten Reflection: March 15

Luke 5:29-32

New International Version (NIV)

²⁹ Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them. ³⁰ But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect complained to his disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”
³¹ Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. ³² I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”


My reflection: Today, I am caught by the words "great banquet" as today is sister K's 30th birthday. I seriously hope she is the guest of honor at a great banquet that celebrates her awesomeness. I remember the day she was born, and how excited we all were to bring her home. I remember how red her hair used to be, when she was just a wee little ginger. She has always been very artistically minded, and a few days ago I found a bunch of sweet letters and pictures that she had sent to Bill and me. One letter describes how she recently just lost her two front teeth, and another contains a drawing of a princess, made especially for Bill. I was in college before she even started kindergarten, so her growing up years were all without me around much. I think I know her better now as an adult than I ever did when she was growing up, and I still don't know her as well as I would like to. I am proud of the wonderful woman, and fantastic momma she has become. Happy Birthday, Roo. I love you.

Lenten Reflection: March 14

 Today's reading is discombobulated...What my Lenten Reflections book says: 

"You send forth your Spirit, and they are created; and so you renew the face of the earth.--Psalm 104:31"

But when I looked up this Psalm on the internet so I could cut and paste it to share with you, I saw these:

Psalm 104:31

King James Version (KJV)

³¹ The glory of the Lord shall endure for ever: the Lord shall rejoice in his works.

Psalm 104:31

English Standard Version (ESV)

³¹ May the glory of the Lord endure forever;
    may the Lord rejoice in his works,

Psalm 104:31

Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)

³¹ 

May the Lord’s glory continue forever!

    May the Lord enjoy what he made.

My Reflection: The reference is messed up, and now, so too is my column formatting. Do you ever have days where it easier to give up and just call it a day, rather than fight your way through? 

Wordless Wednesday

Lenten Reflection: March 13

Numbers 11:4-6

King James Version (KJV)

⁴ And the mixt multitude that was among them fell a lusting: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat?
⁵ We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick:
⁶ But now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes.

My Reflection: This, to me, is a lot like the month of February. I am so tired of the grey days.  (Yes, I spelled grey G-R-E-Y just because I wanted to. You can read all about it by clicking here.) I need a change from grey air, grey sky, dirty grey snow. I remember the joys of summer, and the sun, and the heat, and the kids playing outside. Knitting on the hammock and taking naps in the sun. I think it is very human to tire of something and want something different. We are constantly changing, "needing" the newest latest thing in technology, wanting this years model of Mustang, hoping that next year will be better for us. I can imaging after 40 years of gathering Manna in the desert I would want for something a little different, too.

Lenten Reflection: March 12

1 John 3:17

King James Version (KJV)

¹⁷ But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?

My Reflection: It is not uncommon for people who are in financial need to approach the church for aid. I know that. But I was taken aback a year or so ago when I was at my knitting group and went into the church office to make a photo copy. On the receptionists desk was a bright red note that read "Please DO NOT give (name with-held) any more money. He is NOT eligible to receive any more funds from us." I knew the person, and was a bit concerned. I knew he had some mental health issues, and I was worried for his welfare, so I asked Pastor Susan why he was being cut off. In my mind she had no right to cut him off, he was a mentally ill person in need of assistance, and she, as Pastor of the Parish, had the obligation to see to it that he was cared for. I was troubled, so I asked her about it. Patiently, she explained to me that when this person came to get a check to pay his rent, and buy groceries, he would often cash the check, then purchase weird things like new hats, and video games. The money they were giving him was NOT being used for its intended purpose. So, she told him he could not have any more money. Then she contacted the landlord of his apartment building, and had arranged for the church office to pay his rent directly. He was referred to a mental health agency that would be given grocery gift cards to help purchase his meals for him, but he, himself was not to be given any more money.

This experience made me wonder how often I jump to conclusions, eager to pass judgement, when I don't have all of the information. It was very easy for me to conclude that the needs of this man were not being met by the church, but in fact, they were (and notice, I didn't exactly jump up to volunteer to take the guy shopping every week...)The older I become, the more I realize EVERYONE has their own  story, and I need to learn to judge less and love more. 

Lenten Reflection: March 11

A leader of a community asked Abba Poemen:
"How can I gain the fear of God?"
Abba Poemen replied:
"How indeed can we gain the fear of God when we have bellies full of cheese and jars of salted fish?"

--from The Sayings of the Desert Fathers

My Reflection: interestingly  it does seem that when I personally cry out to God the most, is when I feel I am in the most need. When I am lost, or in need, or feeling alone, that's when I end up praying the hardest. When I am happy and content, it seems God tends to fade into the background until I am in need of His help again. So, if all of my needs were met, blissfully fulfilled, all of the time, would I forget all about God?

Lenten Reflection: March 10

Mark 2:23-27

King James Version (KJV)

²³ And it came to pass, that he went through the corn fields on the Sabbath day; and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of corn.
²⁴ And the Pharisees said unto him, Behold, why do they on the Sabbath day that which is not lawful?

²⁵ And he said unto them, Have ye never read what David did, when he had need, and was an hungred, he, and they that were with him?

²⁶ How he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and did eat the shewbread, which is not lawful to eat but for the priests, and gave also to them which were with him?

²⁷ And he said unto them, The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath:

My Reflection: Here Jesus is explaining that the disciples picked ears of corn on the Sabbath, not because they were trying to break the law, but because they were hungry. This kind of reminded me of those morality discussions they used to make us do in high school. Is it morally wrong to steal if you are starving? Here Jesus wasn't necessarily stealing, but by "working" on the Sabbath, his disciples were, indeed, breaking the law. Then Jesus explains that the Sabbath was created to serve man, not man for the Sabbath. This made me think a bit. I was raised on the notion that you don't go grocery shopping, or out to eat, or do anything wild and crazy on Sundays. It was a kind of a quiet day, spent at home with family. I still agree with this principle.  I think Sundays should be a day of rest, spent at home with family or close friends. I still do not like to shop on Sunday, because if I am out shopping, that means somebody else has to work to be able to take my money. Since I would prefer they are at home with their families, it isn't right of me to ask them to be at work...so I just try not to do it. Sometimes though, it is a necessity. Illnesses may pop up unannounced, I may be traveling and need to purchase gas or food. Here, I think Jesus is telling us it's OK to be human. That sometimes life happens and there is really nothing we can do about it except keep in keeping on. It's like He's saying "Hey, I get it. Yeah, it's the Sabbath, but a man's still gotta eat."

What do you think?

Lenten Reflection: March 9

May the God of peace...equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in you that which is pleasing in his sight.

     --Prayer from an Order for Compline.
         The Book of Common Prayer

My Reflection:

Lenten Reflection: March 8

Psalm 147:8

King James Version (KJV)

⁸ Who covereth the heaven with clouds, who prepareth rain for the earth, who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains.

My reflection: First off, this passage is WAY cooler when read in the voice of Ian McClellan as Gandalf from Lord of the Rings. Secondly, It made me think of the great sunsets I can see from my back porch.

Lenten Reflection: March 7

Bless this food to our use
And us to thy loving and faithful service.
     --The Book of Common Prayer, Adapted.

My Reflection: So simple, yet so complicated. Sometimes I forget how easy my life is, compared to millions of others on this planet. I have easy access to food. In fact, I have TOO easy of access to food. I am slowly out growing my jeans, adding a pound or two hear and there. I have easy access to food. I have a gym membership. I have a vehicle to get me to the gym. I also have NO willpower, No desire to exercise, and NO motivation to do anything but sit. It is sure easy to SAY  "God, here I am, use me for thy will" and another thing entirely to actually DO something. I can use this prayer in my life..provided it also includes the  addendum "And bless me with the motivation to get off my fat butt and get a move on."

Lenten Reflection: March 6

Genesis 8:21-22

King James Version (KJV)

²¹ And the Lord smelled a sweet savour; and the Lord said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done.
²² While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.

My reflection: Umm....well... duh...
As long as the earth is here, there shall be day and night, hot and cold, and seed time, and harvest time. But after the earth is hit by a big A asteroid, or is blown to bits by the North Korean's nuclear warhead, and all the little rock bits are just floating in the vastness of interstellar space, THEN there will be no harvest anywhere upon the earth.

Lenten Reflection: March 5

Matthew 14:16-17

King James Version (KJV)

¹⁶ But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart; give ye them to eat.

¹⁷ And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes.

My reflection: It is a tradition at the Episcopal church to have an Easter egg hunt for the children on Easter Sunday. One year, JB was having none of it. It was the first year after the building remodel, so I am guessing 2005 or maybe 2006...anyway she was in a full on temper and flat out REFUSED to hunt the eggs with the other kids. If any of you know me well, you know how I feel about Easter Egg hunts. They are one of my most favorite things on this earth! It made my heart so sad to watch her. MY KID, MY kid was missing out on the joy of an Easter Egg hunt. But sure enough, there she sat, crying miserably on the stairs of the church house's back porch, just watching the other kids having a good time hunting Easter Eggs. But then, what I did see, touched my life forever. After all the eggs were gathered up, the children began to come up the stairs, one at a time, right past JB. A few children walked right past her, but then one, who I will call "Q" reached into his basket and pulled out a single plastic egg and dropped it into JB's empty bucket. That started a chain reaction, and EVERY CHILD after "Q" dropped one egg into JB's bucket.  Soon, she had a full bucket, and a giant grin on her face. I had tears in my eyes and a very grateful heart. This scripture passage reminds me of this event, because it is the ultimate story of sharing with others. While I know that Jesus did not bless the Easter eggs to create more, I do believe there was a divine intervention that inspired "Q" and the rest of the children to share with JB. She was throwing a tantrum, and certainly did not "DESERVE"  to be rewarded with an egg, but through them giving just a little, she was able to receive the happiness that I had hoped she would receive, which honestly is quite a lot. 

Lenten Reflection: March 4

Matthew 5:6

King James Version (KJV)

⁶ Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

My Reflection:

When I read this passage, I think of goal setting, because if we are truly hungering after something, we are willing to work hard to get it. It is like setting a goal and working to achieve it. When I think of goal setting and working to achieve things, I think of girl scouting, and when I think of girl scouting, I think of JB. True, I was in Girl scouting as a child, and LOVED it, but did not get back into it as an adult until JB requested it when she was in 5th grade. She has been in scouting for 4 years now, and though she liked it at first, right now, she HATES it, and delights in telling everyone how I force her to attend against her will.  This morning, in an attempt to avoid cleaning the dishes, I sewed a few recently earned patches onto JB's girl scout vest.  According to JB, the girl scout program "Doesn't offer me anything." But when I look at her patch vest from the last three years, I am amazed at the opportunities girl scouting has granted her.

She has been to scout camp, and to a rally at the capitol. To Savannah Georgia to see the birthplace of Juliette Gordon Low, and to camporee. She has learned to teach children, how to rock climb, how to sell cookies, how to count money, and how to present herself to a large group of people. She has taken on ever increasing leadership roles, from leading a troop meeting to  most recently being the MC for our Leader Recognition event. She has been hiking, and swimming, and has learned many new skills from Architecture to Zoo-keeping. I think she has done fairly well participating in a program that doesn't offer her anything... I wonder what she could learn if she did WANT to participate, and used this opportunity to it's fullest? Girl scouting is a girl led program, that really lends itself to doing WHATEVER the girls want to do. If she wants to do it, girl scouting can make it happen. I think I will never know, because she is adamant about not wanting me to sign her up for next year. Maybe I will just FORCE her. I mean, in her mind I'm doing that now anyway, I can't see any reason to stop... (shrug).

Lenten Reflection: March 3

Ezekiel 47:12

King James Version (KJV)

¹² And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow all trees for meat, whose leaf shall not fade, neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed: it shall bring forth new fruit according to his months, because their waters they issued out of the sanctuary: and the fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine.

My Reflection:

OK. I know this is probably inappropriate ...but I promised myself I would blog about the first thing that came into my head after reading the passage, no matter how painful or difficult to write about. So here it is. Sorry.

Lenten Reflection: March 2

Luke 10:27

King James Version (KJV)

²⁷ And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself.

My Reflection: I consider myself somewhat "bi-lingual" when it comes to religions. Being raised in the LDS Church has given me a good understanding of the LDS faith, and my attendance in the Episcopal Church as an adult has given me some insight into the Catholic world. I find it interesting that to my eyes both sides basically believe the same thing, yet if asked, they would both tell you they are vastly different from each other.  Both religions are based on belief in God, his son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost. Both believe in the Holy Sacrament of Baptism. Both believe in helping out your neighbor through the LDS Relief Society/Episcopal Church Women and the LDS Humanitarian Services /Episcopal Relief and Development, yet seldom do the two churches work together. I find that interesting... But one thing I do know, for sure is that JB and I have both commented on how living in Utah is a wonderful thing. I don't know what it is like in other states, because I've never lived out of state, but here, people really do look out for each other. In Logan alone, in the last 2 years we have seen bystanders pull a burning car off of the victim of a motorcycle crash, and others jump into a frozen river to rescue three children submerged in the back seat. Just last Wednesday night, it was snowing quite heavily as we came home from girl scouts. We saw a mini van pulled off on a side road with it's flasher lights going. We passed it, but JB felt like we really should turn around and go back to see if they needed any help. So we did. By the time I turned around, 3 other cars had already stopped. It turns out the road they needed to get up was too slippery, so they were trying to get turned around to head back the other way. But, the point is, four cars (including mine) had stopped to make sure everything was OK  within a 5 minute period. Nobody asked what religion everyone was, because it didn't matter. I know without a doubt that if there was a major disaster here in my town, and I needed to go to an LDS stake center for support, I would not be turned away because I am Episcopalian. Like wise, if an LDS person (or any one else) needed support from the Episcopal Church, they would be accepted with open arms. The older I get, the more I realize, for me, it's less about the religion, and more about the LOVE. Love, is truly "All I need."

Lenten Reflection: March 1

Proverbs 12:11

King James Version (KJV)

¹¹ He that tilleth his land shall be satisfied with bread: but he that followeth vain persons is void of understanding.

My Reflection:

Lenten Reflection: Feb 28.

1 Peter 4:10

King James Version (KJV)

¹⁰ As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

My reflection: I think this passage is basically telling us to serve each other with the gifts of God that we have received. Sometimes it is hard not to look at other people and wish we were like them. I for one am envious of all those families who have more than one kid. I so wanted to give JB a sibling, but it was physically impossible. I am envious of those people who can stand up in a great big room and captivate the audience through story telling without going all clammy and having heart palpitations. I am envious of those people who have beautiful singing voices and can belt out hymns in church, while I quietly whisper the words to myself, in hopes that I don't scare anyone. But then, I realize, I have been given gifts that others haven't. If we all had the same gifts it would be a very boring world. So, I will knit for those who cannot knit, and I will listen to those who need to be heard, and I will take pictures of babies being baptized, and I will sing crazy obnoxious songs as loud as I can with 25 squirrely Girl Scouts, and I will share what I can with whomever I can, and remember, I too, am blessed.