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I have not written a word until just now since yesterday and since my beloved read something so good to me from Guidepost this morning, even though it is last year’s reading, I thought you would not mind if I shared it with you for our time at the screen this morning.

The writer is Mary Lou Carney. And she said:

I like gardens–not gardening. I am good at planting, usually in a rush of adrenaline brought on by seed catalogs with blossoms bursting off the page. But when the blush of the moment fades, I tend to forget about my flowers. And as time goes by, weeds grow and my garden begins to look, well . . . ragged.

My friend, Desila, on the other hand, likes gardening. Her beds are beautiful, her blossoms huge and richly colored. So I had to laugh the other day when she showed up with something for my flowerbed–a flat, gray stone that read ‘MY GARDEN WAS AT ITS BEST LAST WEEK, SORRY YOU MISSED IT.

I think the rock was meant to motivate me to take better care of my flowers. But it’s done more than that. It’s made me think about the way people perceive my actions, too. That moment when I’m short-tempered with a waitress, the times my driving gets too aggressive, the laugh I have at the expense of someone else. These things don’t occur often–but when they do, I want to say, “Wait, I looked better last week when I was doing church volunteer work. When I was letting that hassled mother go ahead of me in the grocery store line. You should have seen me when . . .”

My well-placed stone reminds me that life, like gardens, requires ongoing care. And you never know who’s looking to see just how well you’re blooming.

Master Gardener, weed from my life all that is ugly and selfish. Let me grow strong and tall in the beauty of Your love.  —- Mary Lou Carney.

I can and do amen that prayer! How about you?

Thank you for your prayers and expressed concerns for Sheila. The nausea is controlled now and she was able to take in some liquids – chicken broth and jello yesterday. We rejoiced!

1 Peter 2:23-25 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

23 and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously;
24 and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.
25 For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.
via 1 Peter 2:23-25 NASB – and while being reviled, He did not – Bible Gateway.

We have the God-given Right to do right in this wrong World,
Praying (PFT)!

Prayer Requests

A Priority Concern

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of mine this morning is Sheila.

Sheila is my Baby Girl’s Mother-in-law. We learned last week after a biopsy that Sheila has pancreatic cancer. Since the biopsy she has been so very ill; we are presently into our second hospitalization since the biopsy. We so very much covet your prayers as we walk this season.

My Journey this morning is about the suffering we are allowed to bear, that it is intended for His Glory. We are believing that.

This comes to mind:

Psalm 23: 4Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
via Psalm 23 KJV – The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not – Bible Gateway.

I will fear no evil; for thou art with me

I am noting that it does not say that evil will not come; most assuredly it will; it has! But David chose to fear not because THE SHEPHERD was with him. HIS rod and staff would comfort David.

What is true for David is true for us, for you.

Thank You, ABBA. Thank You, HOLY SPIRIT, for Your ministry of bringing to our remembrance, You said You would and You have and You will. Thank You. This pancreatic cancer we equate with evil, meant to kill and destroy but we look for YOUR GLORY in it and, HOLY SPIRIT, we ask and thank You in advance for every strength and good comfort that will come as You prompt dear ones to pray for Sheila, for the family. It hits hard; particularly the tender, tender heart of our Baby Girl. Thank You for Your comfort and strength and in this moment I ask You unashamedly and with boldness that You will remove the cancer and let Sheila continue to live here with us. And I must not stop with Sheila, there are others in this circle of dear ones that have burdens just as bitter and hard and for them we pray for healing as well. And I am reminded too of another kind of hurt; that needs wisdom and counsel; you know all the ends and out of it and I ask You to bring alongside people to help and bring information and means to get the job done. Thank You, ABBA. And for every one who comes here to read and pray, I ask that the minds of our hearts be enlightened and our knowledge and love for You increase mightily.  Amen and . . .   .

We have the God-given Right to do right in this wrong World,
Praying (PFT)!

Assurance - Promise, You Tubes

Quiet

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can be good.

At the reading of this I hope all of you have rested well; at the writing of this I am fading fast, looking forward to sleep. It has been a quiet Resurrection Sunday for us, albeit a long one. Sunrise service at 6:30; Sunday School, praise and message, lunch, a leisurely ride and a stop at the store for oranges before getting home a bit ago. And through it all has been the sense of His love and presence.  JESUS! Oh what a Savior!!

Psalm 68:
19 Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears our burden, The God who is our salvation. Selah.

35 O God, You are awesome from Your sanctuary. The God of Israel Himself gives strength and power to the people. Blessed be God!
via Psalm 68 NASB – The God of Sinai and of the Sanctuary. – Bible Gateway

Go forth into this new week trusting Him and receiving His strength through it all.

Thank You, ABBA. You are forever faithful to us. It has been a beautiful day; thank You. And now I pray for all who come here to read and pray that each will receive Your strength for every challenge. Amen and . . .   .

We have the God-given Right to do right in this wrong World,
Praying (PFT)!

Celebrations, Passion Week

Resurrection Sunday!

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Some time before dawn the stone was rolled away! Not so JESUS could get out but so we could see that He had!!

Matthew 28:2 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

2 And behold, a severe earthquake had occurred, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled away the stone and sat upon it.
via Matthew 28:2 NASB – And behold, a severe earthquake had – Bible Gateway.

And so the Women who loved Him so much went to the tomb while it was still dark.  Would anything  but a powerful love send a woman to a cemetery in the dark? 

John 20:1 New American Standard Bible (NASB) The Empty Tomb
1 Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene *came early to the tomb, while it *was still dark, and *saw the stone already taken away from the tomb.
via John 20:1 NASB – The Empty Tomb – Now on the first day – Bible Gateway.

See Matthew 28:1-8; Mark 16:1-8; Luke 24:1-8; John 20:1 for the details of the women’s visit to the tomb.

See Luke 24:9-12; John 20:2-10 as Mary Magdalene reported to the Disciples that JESUS’ body was missing from the tomb. Peter and John immediately ran to the tomb to see for themselves. 

There were a lot of going(s) to the tomb that Resurrection Morning and it was Mary who was first privileged to encounter JESUS after His resurrection.

Mark 16:9-11 specifically identified this Mary but it is John’s account in Chapter 20 that is my favored account. It’s the one I identify well with.

John 20:11-18 New Century Version (NCV)
11 But Mary stood outside the tomb, crying. As she was crying, she bent down and looked inside the tomb.
12 She saw two angels dressed in white, sitting where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and one at the feet.
13 They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?”
She answered, “They have taken away my Lord, and I don’t know where they have put him.”
14 When Mary said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know it was Jesus.
15 Jesus asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Whom are you looking for?”Thinking he was the gardener, she said to him, “Did you take him away, sir? Tell me where you put him, and I will get him.”
16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.”Mary turned toward Jesus and said in the Hebrew language, “Rabboni.” (This means “Teacher.”)
17 Jesus said to her, “Don’t hold on to me, because I have not yet gone up to the Father. But go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am going back to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ ”
18 Mary Magdalene went and said to the followers, “I saw the Lord!” And she told them what Jesus had said to her.
via John 20:11-18 NCV – But Mary stood outside the tomb, – Bible Gateway.

As surely as Mary heard JESUS speak her name, I have heard Him speak mine.  To be sure Mary heard His audible voice with physical ears and I have not (yet). But just as assuredly the ears of my heart heard Him call, ‘Kathie’, and I answered! There have been many great days in my life but no day (so far) compares to that one!But there is a day coming that will far exceed that lovely day in November 1975! Verily, verily without this Resurrection Sunday we are remembering today there would be no great days for any of us.

JESUS also appeared to the other women: Matthew 28:9-10.  And to the two men on the Emmaus Road: Mark 16:12-13; Luke 24:13-32. And in the evening, He ‘popped in’ on the Disciples :) : Mark 16:14; Luke 24:36-43; John 20:25. And for 40 days JESUS at various times and places met with His disciples teaching and preparing them for His Ascension to Heaven and His Commission to them and us to carry on His work: Acts 1:3; Matthew 28:19-20.

Many passages, many happenings we have read this week, ABBA, every Word true and faithful. Thank You, LORD. Thank You, LORD, for Your mercy, Your grace and patience as You wait for souls to believe. Thank You, HOLY SPIRIT, that we are not left on our own to believe; that You call us, help us and empower us to believe You. Thank You. For without You we surely never would.  You know I am thinking particularly of one near and dear to me, You know the diagnosis, it scares us and we cling to You for peace and ask You to heal her. And there are others, many others with illness and diseases; and as scary and hard and life altering as these things are You defeated death and hell so we proclaim what our brother Paul said, “we are afflicted, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; struck down, but not destroyed by these things; we trust You and we desire first and foremost that You be glorified in us. HOLY SPIRIT, pour out upon us as we gather to worship, anoint Your Messengers in worship centers and Sunday School classrooms, exalt JESUS and draw men, women, boys and girls to worship HIM. Amen and . . .   .

We have the God-given Right to do right in this wrong World,
Praying (PFT)!