Sunday, October 14, 2012
Friday, September 11, 2009
NEVER FORGET!!!!
9/11/01 Where was I? We landed at the airport on our way back from Hawaii, our wedding and our honeymoon. Walking in the house just as plane 2 hit, we stood in disbelief. What a stripping of innocence we experienced individually and as a country. So many returned to their spiritual beliefs and the churches filled. Many returned to patriotism and the flags flew. We were united and kinder to one another. Today, 9/11/09, is your kindness, patriotism, and spiritual life as strong as it was eight short years ago?
My prayer is for peace for the ones who have lost loved ones and friends involved in any way, prayer for courage for those who still sacrifice for our country at home and on foreign soil, prayer for wisdom for those who are designated as leaders of our government, our educational facilities, and our houses of worship, and prayer for healing our country of ignorance, poverty, and selfishness, and transforming us into what we can be, strong and united.
2 Chronicles 7:14 -15 “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered… “
"No coward soul is mine, No trembler in the world's storm-troubled sphere: I see Heaven's glories shine. And faith shines equal, arming me from fear-Emily Bronte
My prayer is for peace for the ones who have lost loved ones and friends involved in any way, prayer for courage for those who still sacrifice for our country at home and on foreign soil, prayer for wisdom for those who are designated as leaders of our government, our educational facilities, and our houses of worship, and prayer for healing our country of ignorance, poverty, and selfishness, and transforming us into what we can be, strong and united.
2 Chronicles 7:14 -15 “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered… “
"No coward soul is mine, No trembler in the world's storm-troubled sphere: I see Heaven's glories shine. And faith shines equal, arming me from fear-Emily Bronte
Sunday, August 16, 2009
The Sea, As I Have Come to Understand It
THE SEA
"I really don't know why it is that all of us are
so committed to the sea, except I think it's because
in addition to the fact that the sea changes, and
the light changes, and ships change, it's because
we all came from the sea. And it is an interesting
biological fact that all of us have in our veins
the exact same percentage of salt in our blood
that exists in the ocean, and, therefore, we have
salt in our blood, our sweat, and in our tears.
We are tied to the ocean. And when we go back
to the sea, whether it is to sail or to watch it,
we are going back from whence we came."
--Pres. John F. Kennedy, Australian Ambassador's Dinner for
the America's Cup Crews, September 14, 1962, Newport, R.I.
I do not believe I came from the sea, but I am drawn to it as surely as I am drawn to the oxygen in the air I breathe. Whether a blessing or a curse, I am obsessed with water and the ebb and flow of the tides. Why I was planted inland away from the shore is one of the questions I hope to have answered one day. Maybe it is because I would take it for granted if I was in such close proximity as a seashore town.
God called the dry ground "land," and the gathered waters he called "seas." And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:10
I DO concur with those findings. In fact, I hope to harmonize, sync, and be of the same mind as He is.
~~~~~~~~~~
1 The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him.2 For he laid the earth’s foundation on the seas and built it on the ocean depths. Psalm 24 – A Psalm of David
Traditionally, the creations were based on the pillars of the sea. Geologically, the cracks of the sea have pushed the dry lands into existence. Therefore, it could be said that the sea was the original mother of the land.
~~~~~~~~~~
2 Your throne was established long ago; you are from all eternity. 3 The seas have lifted up, O LORD, the seas have lifted up their voice; the seas have lifted up their pounding waves. 4 Mightier than the thunder of the great waters, mightier than the breakers of the sea— the LORD on high is mighty. Psalm 93
It is the sounds of the sea which never cease to worship Him who created them and their source that we can stand in awe and listen to the unending song and take a lesson on how to express our reverence, adulation, and love to the Lord of All. There is nothing stronger on this earth than the sea except for the Lord. He alone is the focus for the reason of the existence of everything and our worship, enjoying the essence and presence of God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.
~~~~~~~~~~
2Then I saw another angel coming up from the east, having the seal of the living God. He called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm the land and the sea: 3"Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God." 4Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel. Revelation 7
The notion of harming the sea brings a burden to my soul and a pain to my heart. I realize we, humanity and the world, have damaged the sea beyond repair. Only God can repair and renew what we have destroyed. My love for the beauty and flow of the water is surpassed only by my love of God. I rejoice in the fact that He will one day make all things new.
~~~~~~~~~~
The New Jerusalem
1Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. Revelation 21
Take the word and image of the sea in each of these excerpts and replace it with the term man or mankind or humanity. It will bring a vision of the responsibility God has for His children to be His hands and His feet before there is “no longer any sea.”
Just a thought, but now I have the answer to my original question of why I have such a love for and have always been so drawn to the sea. God has blessed me with this love to serve Him and walk in His love and will. As Isaiah answered “Here I am, Lord, Send me."
"I really don't know why it is that all of us are
so committed to the sea, except I think it's because
in addition to the fact that the sea changes, and
the light changes, and ships change, it's because
we all came from the sea. And it is an interesting
biological fact that all of us have in our veins
the exact same percentage of salt in our blood
that exists in the ocean, and, therefore, we have
salt in our blood, our sweat, and in our tears.
We are tied to the ocean. And when we go back
to the sea, whether it is to sail or to watch it,
we are going back from whence we came."
--Pres. John F. Kennedy, Australian Ambassador's Dinner for
the America's Cup Crews, September 14, 1962, Newport, R.I.
I do not believe I came from the sea, but I am drawn to it as surely as I am drawn to the oxygen in the air I breathe. Whether a blessing or a curse, I am obsessed with water and the ebb and flow of the tides. Why I was planted inland away from the shore is one of the questions I hope to have answered one day. Maybe it is because I would take it for granted if I was in such close proximity as a seashore town.
God called the dry ground "land," and the gathered waters he called "seas." And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:10
I DO concur with those findings. In fact, I hope to harmonize, sync, and be of the same mind as He is.
~~~~~~~~~~
1 The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him.2 For he laid the earth’s foundation on the seas and built it on the ocean depths. Psalm 24 – A Psalm of David
Traditionally, the creations were based on the pillars of the sea. Geologically, the cracks of the sea have pushed the dry lands into existence. Therefore, it could be said that the sea was the original mother of the land.
~~~~~~~~~~
2 Your throne was established long ago; you are from all eternity. 3 The seas have lifted up, O LORD, the seas have lifted up their voice; the seas have lifted up their pounding waves. 4 Mightier than the thunder of the great waters, mightier than the breakers of the sea— the LORD on high is mighty. Psalm 93
It is the sounds of the sea which never cease to worship Him who created them and their source that we can stand in awe and listen to the unending song and take a lesson on how to express our reverence, adulation, and love to the Lord of All. There is nothing stronger on this earth than the sea except for the Lord. He alone is the focus for the reason of the existence of everything and our worship, enjoying the essence and presence of God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.
~~~~~~~~~~
2Then I saw another angel coming up from the east, having the seal of the living God. He called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm the land and the sea: 3"Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God." 4Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel. Revelation 7
The notion of harming the sea brings a burden to my soul and a pain to my heart. I realize we, humanity and the world, have damaged the sea beyond repair. Only God can repair and renew what we have destroyed. My love for the beauty and flow of the water is surpassed only by my love of God. I rejoice in the fact that He will one day make all things new.
~~~~~~~~~~
The New Jerusalem
1Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. Revelation 21
Take the word and image of the sea in each of these excerpts and replace it with the term man or mankind or humanity. It will bring a vision of the responsibility God has for His children to be His hands and His feet before there is “no longer any sea.”
Just a thought, but now I have the answer to my original question of why I have such a love for and have always been so drawn to the sea. God has blessed me with this love to serve Him and walk in His love and will. As Isaiah answered “Here I am, Lord, Send me."
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Step-Up America!
I was surfing last night and came across a blog, which was very interesting. The best comment of the entire writing was as follows: “The real owners of the country will never allow any real change anyway.” When you read this it is particluarly interesting to consider our country and the situation we are in today. Where did the “by the people for the people” group depart to, and when did they go? The general public is so bogged down in the political quagmire we now face that there is no attention being paid to those “behind the scene” individuals and groups, which actually are controlling us by limiting our travel, by controlling our economy, by publishing/broadcasting biased views (not what’s actually happening), and our lives have become someone else’s “game”, not our own. I did express my thanks for the stimulus to the writer, but still, I am keenly aware that our country is at a juncture. We will either make it through as Americans have always done and be stronger for the trial, or we, as Americans, will be forever changed into something much less than the founders of this country envisioned. It is my prayer for all of us that voters in this election will be educated and get involved in the process. We must force issues to be dealt with and not just side-stepped.
Monday, July 28, 2008
A few words on a sub-culture
There are beings among us which go unnoticed. They are small but make a huge impact on the environment. They pay no taxes yet have the resources to build homes and support large families. Not just small residential dwellings, these individuals construct huge condos, skyscrapers (for their size). Their families are matriarchal as well as communal. They are not “socializers” by nature, wanting to be with their own kind. Their communities are self-sufficient and function with no outside support. However, the survival of their entire “empire” is reliant on living on what our society would consider garbage or stolen provisions. They answer to no one and have no leader. They will defend their home to the death. Their wisdom is referenced as a model to be considered.*
We are urged to study this society as an example of energy and productivity. These creatures cost our civilization millions, $236.5 million to Texas Cattlemen alone. It is just a drop in the bucket compared to the pain and suffering they inflict on humanity. BUT, we must respect their culture, tenacity, and creativity of the fire ant.
*Proverbs 6-11 You lazy fool, look at an ant. Watch it closely; let it teach you a thing or two.Nobody has to tell it what to do. All summer it stores up food; at harvest it stockpiles provisions.So how long are you going to laze around doing nothing? How long before you get out of bed?A nap here, a nap there, a day off here, a day off there, sit back, take it easy—do you know what comes next?Just this: You can look forward to a dirt-poor life, poverty your permanent houseguest!
Proverbs 24-25 There are four small creatures, wisest of the wise they are— ants—frail as they are, get plenty of food in for the winter;
We are urged to study this society as an example of energy and productivity. These creatures cost our civilization millions, $236.5 million to Texas Cattlemen alone. It is just a drop in the bucket compared to the pain and suffering they inflict on humanity. BUT, we must respect their culture, tenacity, and creativity of the fire ant.
*Proverbs 6-11 You lazy fool, look at an ant. Watch it closely; let it teach you a thing or two.Nobody has to tell it what to do. All summer it stores up food; at harvest it stockpiles provisions.So how long are you going to laze around doing nothing? How long before you get out of bed?A nap here, a nap there, a day off here, a day off there, sit back, take it easy—do you know what comes next?Just this: You can look forward to a dirt-poor life, poverty your permanent houseguest!
Proverbs 24-25 There are four small creatures, wisest of the wise they are— ants—frail as they are, get plenty of food in for the winter;
Monday, June 30, 2008
e-mails - Wanted or ?????
I received the following e-mail this morning.
'To get something you never had, you have to do something you never did' When God takes something from your grasp, He's not punishing you, but merely opening your hands to receive something better... 'The will of God will never take you where the Grace of God will not protect you.'
It was quite thought provoking and made me want to step into something new, exciting and impossible. I was once told that the meaning of impossible is "untried".
Chew on that one for a moment.
'To get something you never had, you have to do something you never did' When God takes something from your grasp, He's not punishing you, but merely opening your hands to receive something better... 'The will of God will never take you where the Grace of God will not protect you.'
It was quite thought provoking and made me want to step into something new, exciting and impossible. I was once told that the meaning of impossible is "untried".
Chew on that one for a moment.
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