joy

Be Glad

/ Being Woven / 31 Comments

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This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.  Psalm 118:24

שָׂמַח

samach

be glad

be cheerful, joyful

rejoice

make merry

be blithe, gleesome

Be glad…a way to praise my Lord

Be glad…putting a genuine smile on my face

Be glad…lifting my hands in glorious honor and praise to the One Who gives me joy in my heart and soul

Be glad…loving wholly the Holy One

Be glad…care about and loving those around me

Be glad…loving the ones we think are unlovable, although they are anything but that

Be glad…adoration

Be glad…in thanksgiving, I give to others with gratitude

Be glad…joyful rejoicing

Be glad…Jesus

Be glad…when I hurt, I find the joy of the Lord is my strength

Be glad…serving the Lord with gladness of heart

Be glad…honoring Jesus in all that I am and all that I do

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Rejoice in the Lord always.  Again I will say, rejoice!  Philippians 4:4

Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice: and let men say among the nations, The LORD reigneth.  1 Chronicles 16:31

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For the LORD will comfort Zion,
He will comfort all her waste places;
He will make her wilderness like Eden,
And her desert like the garden of the LORD;
Joy and gladness will be found in it,
Thanksgiving and the voice of melody.  Isaiah 51:3

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Then he said to them, “Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord.  Do not sorrow, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”  Nehemiah 8:10

The humble shall see this, and be glad: and your heart shall live that seek God.  Psalm 69:32

Father, I sing praises unto You.  I rejoice in Your Name.  My whole being shivers with joy, gratitude, and gladness.  My heart is Yours, Father, filled with You.  When I am overwhelmed with the Glory of You, I am filled with gratitude and know that no matter what this world looks like through my eyes, You are my Joy and my Strength, my Comfort and my Redeemer.  When my eyes focus upon You, beautiful You, the sadness, the sorrow, the fears, the unknown, the burdens flee away.  You know all.  You care about Your children.  You lift my head in Your hands and tell me I am Your creation…that I am beautiful…that I am all that You created me to be.  I am so thankful, LORD.  Forgive me when I forget, when I compare, when I cry about not being ‘good enough.’ 

I do find joy when I think of You.  I rejoice in my heart when I ponder all You are to me.  Thank You, Father, for giving us gladness…delight…JOY!!!  I pray in Your Son’s Name, His exalted Name.  With thanksgiving in my heart…Amen. 

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With Shouts of Joy

/ Being Woven / 26 Comments

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You visit the earth and water it;

You greatly enrich it;

the river of God is full of water;

You provide their grain,

for so You have prepared it.

You water its furrows abundantly,

settling its ridges,

softening it with showers,

and blessing its growth.

Psalm 65:9-10

God sends His rain to the earth…this place we call home now.  Earth.  He sends rain by His will, by the ways He so pleases.  We may experience drought or flooding for these are part of living on this earth.

Our spiritual lives sometimes suffer drought or flooding as well.  Too much input, busyness can leave us with little room for God.  Too little time spent with God can cause thirst for Him.  Sometimes we do not even know what we are thirsty for, yet we know that we are.  “Our hearts are dry and barren unless God Himself be as the dew to us and water us; and the plants of His own planting He will water and make them to increase.”  Matthew Henry

I recall searching hard and long for something that I was missing, yet I did not know what that was.  Years later, through many trials, through many seasons of drought and floods, I found Jesus.  Jesus was Who I needed.  I needed to know Him personally.  He would give me Living Water and I would no longer be thirsty.  The fruit of the Spirit could grow in me and then be harvested from me, from my field of new plantings.  This field becomes rich in nutrients and water from the One Who is the Living Waters.  I grow and pray I will continue to grow.

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with Whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.  James 1:17

“…; we must lift up our eyes above the hills, lift them up to the heavens, where the original springs of all blessings are, out of sight, and thither must our praises return, as the first-fruits of the earth were in the heave-offerings lifted up towards heaven by way of acknowledgment that thence they were derived.  All God’s blessings, even spiritual ones, are expressed by His raining righteousness upon us.”  Matthew Henry

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You crown the year with Your bounty;

Your wagon tracks overflow with abundance.

The pastures of the wilderness overflow,

the hills gird themselves with joy,

the meadows clothe themselves with flocks,

the valleys deck themselves with grain,

they shout and sing together for joy.

Psalm 65:11-13

Everything in His world rejoices over the bounty of His harvest…the pastures, the hills, the meadows, the valleys.  There is abundance in all He is and does.  He rains down upon this earth.  He sends His Love to us in His Son.  He grants mercy upon these souls and bodies from on high.  He whispers grace through His wind, through His Holy Spirit.

He crowns all He is and does, encompassing on every side, as a crown surrounds a head; as when something is completed, it is crowned.  The fruitfulness of His world is in His hands, in His power. 

How grateful I am, LORD.  May You adorn Your world with the riches of harvest, both in fruit of the tree and the fruit of salvation.  I shout my praises and honor to You, oh God.  I am so very heartbroken in the broken and breaking shape of this world, of this nation.  I know this is Your world and You know each and every one of Your creations.  I may feel saddened by so much right now, yet I truly can rejoice in the love, the tender care, the peace, the hope I find in You.  I look up to where my bounty and blessings come from.  Hallelujah!

I will lift up my eyes to the mountains;
From where shall my help come?

My help comes from the LORD,
Who made heaven and earth.

Psalm 121:1-2

Let all these common gifts of the divine bounty, which we yearly and daily partake of, increase our love to God as the best of beings, and engage us to glorify Him with our bodies, which He thus provides so well for.  Matthew Henry

Father, I am humbled by the beauty of Your Word, by the bounty of Your fields, by the benevolence of Your mercy, by the balance in all that surrounds.  Father, in this season of giving thanks, I am reminded that offering my thanks daily is my desire and hope.  I lift up my hands in praise to You, the Giver of my soul.  You are my All, LORD.  I love You and sing with joy as I ponder the sun rising, beginning each day anew, or watch the sun set, leaving the brilliance of pinks and oranges across the sky.  You are Magnificent, Father.  I see You all around me.  Praising You and praying in the Name of the Bright Morning Star.  Amen. 

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Photo:  kangbch  —  https://pixabay.com/en/barley-field-sunrise-morning-solar-1684052/

Photo:  Hans — https://pixabay.com/en/wheat-spike-wheat-field-cereals-8762/

Green Wood or Dry Wood?

/ Being Woven / 22 Comments

But turning to them Jesus said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.  For behold, the days are coming when they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren and the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’  Then they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us,’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us.’    Luke 23:28-30

For if they do these things when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?  Luke 23:31

 

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ὑγρός

hygros

wet (as if with rain), i.e. (by implication) sappy (fresh):—green

 

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ξηρός

xēros

(through the idea of scorching); arid; by implication, shrunken, earth (as opposed to water):—dry land, withered.

Pilate has turned Jesus over to the people to be crucified.

The innocent, the unblemished Lamb, the Holy One, the One without sin…if they crucify this One, Christ Jesus, then what will they do to the ones who have sin, are guilty, are the withered ones?

In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water.  John 5:3

Those who are less than perfect, which is all of us…

Those who are withered as dry wood, the man with the withered hand, those with withered, old skin, those who are less than physically whole…

Where do we stand in this scenario?  We are not the green, new wood of Jesus. We are, in ways of our own, the ones who are less than He is, by far.  Yet, there are ways to remain near to Jesus and return to Him where He sits at the right hand of God.

If anyone does not abide in Me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.  John 15:6

Let us…

come to Jesus as our LORD, our Savior

know that He died and rose again

abide in Him

obey Him

love Him

love others

be planted in the waters of the Lord

yield fruit that glorifies God

He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither.  In all that he does, he prospers.  Psalm 1:3

LORD Jesus, teach me Your ways so that when my days are numbered I may return to You for You have called me.  May I be steadfast in my walk beside You, obedient in Your way.  May I stand near and learn from You so that I may glorify our Father in Heaven.  LORD, I want to be planted in You, my Living Water, quenched in the richness of Your Word.  May this tree bloom, seed, and become the fruit of love and joy, of peace and patience, of kindness, goodness, and faithfulness, of gentleness, and self-control.  May the fruit of righteousness come through You, my Christ, to me so that I may give glory and honor and praise to God.  May I walk in Your light for this fruit is found in all that is good, right, and true.  I want to be pleasing to You, taking no part in unfruitful works of darkness.  Your Word is a lamp unto my feet.  It is a light unto my path, keeping me upright and on the narrow path.  I pray all of this, LORD.  This is not an easy road, but it is the one I desire for all the days of my life.  In You, the Bright, Shining Star, I pray.  Amen. 

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Photo:  One Tree Hill:  http://www.fanpop.com/clubs/green/images/19839104/title/one-tree-hill-d-wallpaper

Photo:  Black and White of Dry Tree:  http://www.wallconvert.com/wallpapers/photography/dry-tree-3475.html

The Way of Holiness – Isaiah 35

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God speaks to us through His Word.  I continue to ponder this highway that I am on.  I feel His nearness, His love for me, His joy as I learn from Him.  I walk the road with God.

Isaiah 35:1-10:

1 The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad; the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the crocus; 2 it shall blossom abundantly and rejoice with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, the majesty of Carmel and Sharon. They shall see the glory of the LORD, the majesty of our God. 

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in My name, He may give it to you.  John 15:16

Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them. …. So there was much joy in that city.  Acts 8:5, 8

I desire to abide in You, my LORD, being obedient and submissive to You.  I want to be a fruit bearer, honoring You with joy and song.

3 Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees. 4 Say to those who have an anxious heart, “Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.”

“But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.”  Luke 22:32

Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all.  1 Thessalonians 5:14

May I serve You, my LORD, with boldness and strength, acceptably, with reverence and awe.

5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; 6 then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy.  For waters break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert; 7 the burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water; in the haunt of jackals, where they lie down, the grass shall become reeds and rushes.

“…to open their eyes so they may turn from darkness to light, and from the power of satan to God. Then they will receive forgiveness for their sins and be given a place among God’s people, who are set apart by faith in Me.’  Acts 26:18

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High.  Psalm 46:4

Oh, LORD, You are my All in all.  You are the One Who turns me from darkness to light, from blind to seeing, from deaf to hearing.  You set me apart for Yourself.  I am so very grateful.  May the springs flow through me as I walk in this world…that I would be Your witness, Your light, Your salt.

8 And a highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Way of Holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it.  It shall belong to those who walk on the way; even if they are fools, they shall not go astray. 9 No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it; they shall not be found there, but the redeemed shall walk there.

Thus says the LORD: “Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls. ….”  Jeremiah 6:16a

This highway stands before me.  I ask for the ancient paths and walk upon them for this is the good way.  I know I shall find rest there.  Thank You, LORD.

10 And the ransomed of the LORD shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their Shepherd, and He will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”  Revelation 7:17

I praise You, LORD.  I sing and rejoice for I know You.  You are my Guide.  You are the Way of Holiness.  Hallelujah!  and Amen!

 
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Photo 1:  Patricio Hurtado from Chile:  https://pixabay.com/en/hills-flowering-desert-flowers-960126/  CCO Public Domain (from Pixabay)

Photo 2:  Stas Kulesh, a Russian travel photographer living in Auckland, New Zealand.  https://hd.unsplash.com/photo-1451817045432-8c40f15299f9; https://unsplash.com/@kulesh; licensed under Creative Commons Zero

A Highway

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And a highway shall be there,
and it shall be called the Way of Holiness;
the unclean shall not pass over it.
It shall belong to those who walk on the way;
even if they are fools, they shall not go astray.  Isaiah 35:8

A voice cries:
“In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD;
make straight in the desert a highway for our God.  Isaiah 40:3

Father God, I want to walk in Your ways, the highway of holiness.  You are Holiness that I seek and desire.  You are Love and Righteousness.  You are Holiness.  You make me whole.  When I walk on this highway, I walk toward You.  I so want to be wholly Yours, and walk the remainder of this life on earth in holiness. 

But my people have forgotten Me;
they make offerings to false gods;
they made them stumble in their ways,
in the ancient roads,
and to walk into side roads,
not the highway,  making their land a horror,
a thing to be hissed at forever.
Everyone who passes by it is horrified
and shakes his head.  Jeremiah 18:15-16

I do not want to wander from this highway yet I am human.  I have; I do; I will.  I have made and will make mistakes and I do error.  Yet, LORD, I do not want to.  You have forgiven me of my many past wrong steps.  I seek Your face, asking forgiveness for these paths I walk down when they are not Yours.  Thank You for loving me back into Your arms, my Precious Father. 

“Set up road markers for yourself;
make yourself guideposts;
consider well the highway,
the road by which you went.
Return, O virgin Israel,
return to these your cities.”  Jeremiah 31:21

I read Your Word, Father, as It is truly filled with the road markers that You have set before me.  I may wander off the highway, yet I want to be able to find You and Your way no matter what happens, no matter which way I turn.  I seek You and am learning to be quiet so that I may hear Your still and small voice, for I want to know You in the beauty of Who You are.  You are my God.  In the dark of night when the highway is black and there is no moonlight, I want to know that I am on Your path for me, for my life.   

But according to His promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.  Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by Him without spot or blemish, and at peace.  2 Peter 3:13-14

With anticipation, with joy, and with expectancy, I continue taking step after step.  Today, I desire to stay in this very moment with You, my LORD.  Tomorrow, I want to walk beside You on Your road for me. 

But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.  Romans 6:17-18

God, You have transformed my heart, beginning with my conversion to be Your daughter in Christ Jesus.  I walk as closely to You as I can.  I hope to stay near You from this moment on.  When I stray, LORD, please draw me near.  I sense Your strength as I am drawn under the shadow of Your wing, into the cleft of the rock.  I want to grow in love and righteousness, live according to Your Word, and be pleasing to You now and for always.  In the Powerful Name of Jesus, I pray.  Amen. 

But this command I gave them: ‘Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be My people. And walk in all the way that I command you, that it may be well with you.’  Jeremiah 7:23

Amen and Amen. 

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Photo 1: http://www.flickr.com/photos/7895628@N03/2807135427; “Endless Road” via http://photopin.com;  licensed under https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/

Photo 2:  Stas Kulesh, a Russian travel photographer living in Auckland, New Zealand.  https://hd.unsplash.com/photo-1451817045432-8c40f15299f9; https://unsplash.com/@kulesh; licensed under Creative Commons Zero

Joy

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Therefore with joy you will draw water
From the wells of salvation.  Isaiah 12:3

שָׂשׂוֹן

sasown

cheerfulness; specifically, welcome:—gladness, joy, mirth, rejoicing

Therefore you will joyously draw water
From the springs of salvation.  NASB

Joyfully you will draw water from the springs of deliverance.  NET

The same Hebrew word is used here for joy:

Your words were found, and I ate them,
And Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart;
For I am called by Your name,
O LORD God of hosts.  Jeremiah 15:16

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“These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.”  John 15:11

In Greek, joy is…

χαρά

chara

cheerfulness, i.e. calm delight:—gladness, greatly, (X be exceeding) joy(-ful, -fully, -fulness, -ous)

“Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you.”  John 16:22

 So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.  NIV

The same Greek word for joy is used many times over in the New Testament.  Here are two verses:

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.  Galatians 5:22-23

 

The dictionary.com definition of joy:

noun
1.  the emotion of great delight or happiness caused by something exceptionally good or satisfying; keen pleasure; elation

2.  a source or cause of keen pleasure or delight; something or someone greatly valued or appreciated

3.  the expression or display of glad feeling; festive gaiety

4.  a state of happiness or felicity  [verb (used without object)]

5.  to feel joy; be glad; rejoice [verb (used with object)]

6.  Obsolete. to gladden.

 

Walking in the Spirit, with the Lord, in obedience…the fruit of the Spirit grows on the branches of our lives.  We walk more and more in the image of Christ as we come in contact with the world around us.  Joy is one of those fruits and it can surely show on the outside.  The fruit also grows within us, opening our hearts to be more and more like Christ.  The fruit overcomes the hard roads we walk or the roads which loom ahead.  Joy can bring smiles when circumstances might take us down to heavy places.  Joy can overwhelm the dull.  Joy can depress the depression.  Joy can be the joy of the Lord in our lives.

Father, You are my Joy that lightens my load, lifts my burden, relieves my stress, changes my sorrow into joy.  You bring me near to Your side that I will know Joy, the Joy that You are.  You are my Salvation, my delight, my exceptional satisfaction because You are You, my LORD.  May I rely on You and know Your Joy so that my joy may be complete.  In Your Son’s Name, I pray.  Amen.

 

“And do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”  Nehemiah 8:10

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Rejoice in the LORD

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Isaiah 35

The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad;

the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the crocus;

it shall blossom abundantly

and rejoice with joy and singing.

The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it,

the majesty of Carmel and Sharon.

They shall see the glory of the Lord,

the majesty of our God.

Strengthen the weak hands,

and make firm the feeble knees.

Say to those who have an anxious heart,

“Be strong; fear not!

Behold, your God

will come with vengeance,

with the recompense of God.

He will come and save you.”

Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,

and the ears of the deaf unstopped;

then shall the lame man leap like a deer,

and the tongue of the mute sing for joy.

For waters break forth in the wilderness,

and streams in the desert;

the burning sand shall become a pool,

and the thirsty ground springs of water;

in the haunt of jackals, where they lie down,

the grass shall become reeds and rushes.

And a highway shall be there,

and it shall be called the Way of Holiness;

the unclean shall not pass over it.

It shall belong to those who walk on the way;

even if they are fools, they shall not go astray.

No lion shall be there,

nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it;

they shall not be found there,

but the redeemed shall walk there.

And the ransomed of the Lord shall return

and come to Zion with singing;

everlasting joy shall be upon their heads;

they shall obtain gladness and joy,

and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

 

The Way of Holiness is surrounded by waters, plants, and animals that reveal the glory of the LORD.  All of creation shouts.  Redemption has come and we, the people, sing with rejoicing.  Healing and forgiveness make way for gladness and joy.  The hard things of this world fade away, leaving sorrow and tears to be no more.

The LORD your God is in your midst,
a Mighty One Who will save;
He will rejoice over you with gladness;
He will quiet you by His love;
He will exult over you with loud singing.  Zephaniah 3:17

Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice,
and let them say among the nations, “The LORD reigns!”  1 Chronicles 16:31

Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices;
my flesh also dwells secure.  Psalm 16:9

Father God, I rejoice in Your Holy Name.  I sing to You and worship only You as I continue to learn of Your ways.  Your highway to holiness is the only way I want to be journey upon.  Your Way is the Truth.  May I walk steadfastly along that highway, remaining close to You, precious LORD.  As I ponder these and other verses about rejoicing, my heart lightens.  The heaviness of this world, all the heartaches and soul aches I see and hear about me seem to fade into the background as You stand strong and faithful beside me.  You come before me and are my way.  I follow You.  May I be in Your will in this world, and may I be strong in You that my heart would not grow faint.  

Have you not known? Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He does not faint or grow weary;
his understanding is unsearchable.

He gives power to the faint,
and to him who has no might he increases strength.

Even youths shall faint and be weary,
and young men shall fall exhausted;

but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings like eagles;
they shall run and not be weary;
they shall walk and not faint.  Isaiah 40:28-31

May I wait upon You and sing praises of joy to You, only to You.   In the Strong Name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.

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Rejoicing in Trials

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Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth;
break forth into joyous song and sing praises!  Psalm 98:4

“Let us sing even when we do not feel like it, for this we may give wings to leaden feet and turn weariness into strength.”  J. J. Jowett

As I age, I sense losses of abilities…physically.  I have had three spinal surgeries and one hip replacement.  I will be having knee arthroscopic surgery at the end of May to repair a torn Meniscus and remove some arthritic growth…more physical therapy and using a walker or cane or both.  I am becoming limited in being able to do things I used to do with no thought.  I just did them.

But God and Mr. Jowett remind me that joy is a fruit of the Spirit and I have the Holy Spirit living in me.

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.  James 1:2-3

In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.  1 Peter 1:6-7

So I sing.

I remember Who placed song in my heart and Who gave me freedom to rejoice in all that I am and all that I am given, no matter what phase of my life I am in.

Last week, I played with color and the fruit of the Spirit.  I am still coloring in my heart and now I am singing, humming in color.  I don’t always feel colorful, yet my heart does because of the LORD.  He fills me up and gives me joy and loves me through these hard things, so He fills me up with colorfilled songs.

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Father God, You are the God of all creation.  You know the trials of my body, of my soul, and of my mind.  You know my heartaches too.   You also know that I want to be able to do everything I “should” be able to do.  Growing older is hard, Father.  I miss being able to bend with ease.  I wish I did not have to think about the way I pick up a book from the floor or the way I need to walk with extra care.  Father, I wish it would be easier.  But it isn’t and I am sad.  Yet, these trials are only for a time.  Even if I live many more years, I know…I KNOW…that one day, I will be with You in Heaven and will have a perfect body.  The heart and soul aches of this life, from loss of family and friends, from physical struggles of various kinds, from knowing that this world is not of You…seeing evidence every day on the news, even in nearby places, I KNOW that one day…ONE DAY…I will have only You to kneel before and praise.  So I begin NOW and sing praises to Your Holy Name.  I REJOICE and thank You for always being with me.

 “Listen to me, O house of Jacob,
all the remnant of the house of Israel,
who have been borne by Me from before your birth,
carried from the womb; even to your old age I am He,
and to gray hairs I will carry you.
I have made, and I will bear;
I will carry and will save.”  Isaiah 46:3-4

And I will remember –

The righteous flourish like the palm tree
and grow like a cedar in Lebanon.

They are planted in the house of the LORD;
they flourish in the courts of our God.

They still bear fruit in old age;
they are ever full of sap and green,

to declare that the LORD is upright;
He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.  Psalm 92:12-15

and that I am to … 

…fear not, for I am with you;
be not dismayed, for I am your God;
I will strengthen you, I will help you,
I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.  Isaiah 41:10

I pray in the Wondrous Name of Jesus.  Amen.

blue note

When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride….

BW sig dark blue

1st picture: Unknown

2nd picture: “colors, colours, crayons, music, notes, photography, pretty” by abigaylee @ http://favim.com/image/81928/

3rd picture: Musical Note: http://www.mouserunner.net/Spheres_Free_Musical_Notes

Fruit of the Spirit – Colorfully

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I am just in a pondering and color-filled mood.

By repentance, admission of my sins, and acceptance of Christ Jesus as my LORD and Savior, I have received the Holy Spirit.  As I abide in Him and He in me, the fruit of the Vine can grow in me.  I must stay close, receiving the life-giving sap from the True Vine so that I will live the fruit before the eyes and hearts of others.  May this be so, Father.   

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.  Galatians 5:22-23

Love

Joy

Peace

Patience

Kindness

Goodness

Faithfulness

Gentleness

Self Control

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say,  rejoice.  Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.  What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.  Philippians 4:4-9

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As I ponder the fruit of the Spirit, I want to live them as well as think upon such as these.  The words of my mouth should be true to You, LORD.  I pray that this would be so.  I thank You for gifting me with such lovely gifts that are useable for eternity.  I know that I will never receive a gift from You that I dislike and do not want to keep.   You bless me with each one.  I want to bless you by walking in Your Presence and clinging to You, my Vine.  Thank You, LORD.  I pray in Your Holy Name.  Amen.

 

befuschiasig

 

Is Giving Care Different During the Holidays?

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2 redchristmas

Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And Heaven and nature sing,….

Christmas is coming. This time of year can be joyous as we celebrate the birth of our LORD and enjoy family and friends. Holidays can bring stress too. Being the main caregiver can add additional stress, changing the entire dynamics of the traditions of your Christmas (and other holidays).

As caregivers, you may be wishing that the holidays were over or anticipate them with a dread because you just can’t handle the stress of all the “doing” that you find is expected. You may find that you have been alienated by your caregiving duties. Friends don’t call or come by as they once did. You can’t find anyone to watch your care receiver so you may go with your husband to his office party. You have family coming into town to see the parent you care for and you hold resentment towards one or more of them for their lack of support or for telling you how to do something even though they never offer actual help. You dread the encounter, yet do not want to start an argument. You just wish it all were behind you. Your care receiver struggles to recognize pictures accompanying Christmas cards, getting agitated for their lack of memory. Or they don’t recognize where they are because the Christmas tree is taking up the corner where a certain chair is the rest of the year. These issues may occur year-round, but with the added expectations of holidays, you almost would rather skip them. Know that you are not alone.

Many people laden with family expectations, caregivers or otherwise, go through the holidays hoping they will be over soon.  Rather than wish we could bury our heads in the sand, keep in mind that you can begin anew, set down parameters that work well for you, and remember what Christmas is really all about.  A Savior came into the world over 2,000 years ago.  He is our peace, our Prince of Peace.

For a Child will be born for us,

a Son will be given to us,

and the government will be on His shoulders.

He will be named

Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,

Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. 

Isaiah 9:6

Jesus is our all and worthy to be praised.  During these times, let us keep our eyes focused on Him.

The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in Him for eternal life.  To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever.  Amen. 1 Timothy 1:15-17

As Paul directed Timothy, Jesus reminds us that He is with us.  He is our “perfect patience,” guiding us through each day, through this time of year.

Ways to hold Jesus’ “perfect patience” during this holiday season:

  • Maintain a regular routine for both you and your loved one. The one being cared for must be considered of prime importance.  He or she may or may not know what time of year it is. If they are very sick, a holiday may mean nothing to them because they just don’t feel up to doing anything or being around crowds. Many need peace and quiet; others need to have the family gathered with the delight of children. Knowing their needs are a must. A person with dementia/Alzheimer’s usually needs to have little or no confusion or frustration in their environment.  Try to prevent loud noises, whether that be music or conversations.  Keep one room as a ‘quiet room’ for a nap or for a refuge from all of the hubbub.  Taking them to another’s home or a strange place can cause confusion.  Be conscience of the foods offered, making sure he/she eats/drinks properly.
  • Take care of yourself: staying healthy, both physically and spiritually, includes eating right and nourishing the soul.  The care receiver can often sense that you are tired, stressed, or burdened.  By caring for yourself, they see a loving, focused giver of care.
  • Allow yourself to say “No” to obligations or invitations.  You may have to limit just what you are able to do.  Decide early, letting family know.  Tradition often has to be exchanged for whatever is better for you and the care receiver.  Live up to the expectations that Jesus sets for you, not anyone else’s. 
  • Permit yourself to say “yes” to offers of assistance.  Don’t be shy to ask either.
  • Be positive and hold onto the beauty of Christmas.  Holidays are for memories, joy, and reflection.  Spend time talking about past times, special memories, looking through photo albums.  A care receiver may need this too.  Even if the care receiver doesn’t join in verbally, you may catch a smile or they may close their eyes to savor those moments.
    Memories affirm a sense of being valued and loved.
  • If the care receiver is able, involve them in decorating or making some of the food.  (Mama had special ornaments that she enjoyed seeing up every year so I made a point to have her tell me where to place them, letting her do what she could.  One year, both of my sisters were here for Thanksgiving.  Rather than have turkey and dressing, we made ravioli which Mama’s Italian father had made all of his life.  We three girls made it as Mama shredded up the spinach and directed us.  She loved it, especially the eating.  We were told it was “close to Grandpa’s.”  We have precious memories of that day.)  Play Christmas music.  Sing together.  Watch a Christmas movie from the era of their memory.
  • Depending upon the care receiver, friends and family visits can be important.  It is usually best if just one or a few at a time are with the person.  If the loved one lives in a nursing facility and cannot come to the place where the family is gathering, then small groups should go over and spread the joy out throughout the day.
  • Pray with or over your loved one.
  • If you have family members coming to your home and they have not seen the care receiver for a long time, sharing changes that have occurred since their last visit can be helpful if ongoing communication has not happened.  Sometimes we have estranged family members who are going to be there.  For some, nothing you could say will be heard or taken to heart so silence may be the best way to handle that.  They just need to spend time with the person. (My mother would often be so ‘together’ when my sisters would show up, but over their week’s stay, ‘the Mama’ I dealt would usually appear! If the visit was short, one sister would go away wondering what my problem was for she say nothing much changed.) My best advice would be to just let it happen as it will.
  • Gift-giving: If you are a family member or friend of the caregiver and receiver, visits and certain gifts can and should be given year-round.  Giving the caregiver a break is a wonderful gift: hiring a professional respite team to care for the loved one, or care for the loved one yourself.  Take meals from time to time, but often.  They can be prepared, frozen, gift certificates to local restaurants.  Asking if the caregiver needs anything often is answered with a “No,” but that usually is not the truth.  Offer assistance and then do it.  For the care receiver, gifts of music, comfortable clothing, bird feeders, photo albums, puzzles, games, are all possible gifts.  Think about the caregiver when giving a gift to the receiver for if a gift causes more stress on the one giving care, then it really is not a gift.
  • Sharing our faith with one another is really what Christmas and Easter are about.  Our stories of God’s saving grace should bring us joy no matter what the situation is with the one needing care.  He is the source of joy.  His river never runs dry.  The one with limits now needs to hear this beautiful story no matter how sad you may feel about their condition or impending death.  Our faith may have stemmed from them.  They need to hear how they made a difference in your life. If they do not know Jesus as their Savior, sharing your faith is the most beautiful gift you can give them.  You may never know if they accept Christ but God knows their heart and takes them Home if they asked Jesus into their lives.  Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Hebrew 11:1  We all need to be reminded of God’s forgiveness and His promises, especially the promise of eternal life.

Father, I pray for each one who is a caregiver facing the holidays with mixed feelings.  We are so very thankful that You sent Your Son into this world to bring salvation and love, forgiveness and mercy.  Please hold us close to You and remind us of why You came for us and why You have placed us as the giver of care to one of Yours.  We pray that we have Your words ready and accessible to share and that Your love shines into the outside world. We lift each other up for You know where we are this day. You know the price may be high in the task You have called us to do.  We also know that You give us the strength, the countenance, the ability and Your love to do the job set before us.  We thank You, Father, for going before us in all we do and in all we are.  We pray in the Powerful Name of Jesus.  Amen.

beblacksig