Illumination

“Then Jesus said to them, “A little while longer the light 🌠 is with you. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness 🌑overtake you; he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going. While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.” John 12:35-36

“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men,🌏 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.” Titus 2:11-14

Rhythms Of Grace

Tonight as I was singing my prayers I had an awakening of Grace! Grace is rhythm and rhythm is grace.

The Rhythms of Grace are for dancing, singing and adorning The Throne of The King with beauty, dignity and boldness of faith. The writer of Hebrews chapter 4 verse six writes an invitation inviting us to come to the happening at The Throne of Grace. “Therefore let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and find grace whenever we need help.” This gives me the faith to know there is wholeness at the feet of grace. For it’s there where mercy pardons our sins and grace purifies our soul. Aweee, where one sees grace one sees beauty and exactness.

I hope that some will join me in the dance of healing as our beauty adorns the King. Psalm 45; gives us the beat of the rhythm so let’s do as instructed in vs. 11 “Let the king be enthralled by your beauty; honor him, for he is your lord.”
And, response; “You are the most excellent of men and your lips have been anointed with grace, since God has blessed you forever.”

Dance my friends dance! The rhythm of grace is bidding for your love as the waltz of your wedding song gently plays while you vow all the words from psalm 45! Let’s make Christmas 2014 a wedding feast to honor Our King!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas in Art!

This blog as well as many others we share on the daily lily are such Christmas and daily fun as well as peaceful to me when copied, clipped ✂️ and pasted in a non-lined journal 📒 with art, (I use stickers) color pens, ✏️ crayons and highlighters. Finding all the peace, love, hope, words, how and where they connect and connecting them in action to others with words of encouragement, prayer, writing or just singing 🎵 them in the atmosphere and knowing they will fall like a snowflake ❄️ somewhere.

I count my blessings for being an artist 🎨 of words that penetrate 📡the atmosphere to change the atmospheric levels from gloom to bliss, sadness to joy, despair to Hope. My art will never hang on the walls of a NY museum 🗽 but 👀 🔎🔦 your 💜 and you just might find one hanging there! 🌈

Peace as part of Three

In the last few weeks we have blogged and joyed in Hope and Love. Now, we are going to, hopefully, make our Joy theme circle complete with Peace!

I have ever so enjoyed making a part of my devotional time in the last few weeks a creative art in drawing my three foot circle with deeds soaked in hope, love and now peace to ingnite the count down to lighting the JOY TREE! Earlier we have called our Joy Tree the Jesse Tree found in Isaiah 11. AKA The Tree of Jesus.

As I contemplate thoughts of Peace and pray to know and give peace I find myself in sensitivity training. I find among friends I am often time rebuffed with my new points of interest in my three foot circle. It’s a delight really to see and hear the rebuff. I seem to know I’m on the right round about.

To give peace I must have empathy in my quill and to have empathy I need to salvage sensivitity from a source? Thinking thoughts; need met with emotions! Not, pity, arrogance or pride. But, a sincere heart infusion of another’s plight. We so often hear of one receiving a heart stint to give better health to the heart. Great! But, we at times hear about one receiving a new heart. Awesome!  Now, a part of heart health is acquiring peace and it may be found when the mind is enjoying tranquility.

My Christmas Peace is taking me on a sensitivity journey. Why, should I give a man shoes when he needs food? Or, food when he needs shoes? A song of dance when she needs a song of rest? Words when one needs mute? Or, mute when one needs words? A big one, give what I want to give away for a feel good of having gotten rid of my clutter when they don’t need my excess but a new coat? An aging loved one cake when they need Boost? A pink dress, my taste, and frill and they love brown with no  frill?  I think I’m about to get my own point!

Yes, let there be peace on earth and let it begin in my three foot circle of hope, love, peace so others as well as myself will know JOY!  Have you experienced any peace heart changes in your thinking, giving, caring, sharing or being?

Christmas Sale for High School

By Debi Chaves…

Poinsettias are the most popular Christmas plant. Through extensive breeding, they now come in a variety of colors, pinks, white, purple, multi. There are extensive varieties named after their characteristics such as Jingle Bells, Marble, Monet, Strawberries and Cream, Tapestry, Winter’s Rose, etc. Yet red seems to remain the favorite. Perhaps, because it symbolizes the true meaning of Christmas. August’s green leaves, transformed by a succession of ‘totally dark nights’, are red by Christmas, reminding us of the cost of Christ’s blood shed for our sins. The bright yellow bloom in the center of the red opens into a star like burst helping to tell the story of the Wise Men who followed that star, the ByLight and Hope of the world.
If you are in the Leesburg, Virginia area, I would like to invite you to stop by the Monroe Technology Center’s Plant sale. There will be lots of poinsettias to choose from in addition to other flowering plants such as Christmas cactus and cyclamen. Fresh wreaths with custom bows are also available along with pine garland and other fresh greens and centerpieces. While you are enjoying the beauty, you can sample cookies made by the Culinary Department along with hot cider. The days and hours are: December 3: 10-7pm; December 4: 10-5 pm; and December 5: 10-4pm.
Merry Christmas. Debi

Love in action

Jesus Heals Bartimaeus:
Mark 10:51-52 “…Jesus said, “What do you want Me to do for you?” And the blind man said to Him, “Rabboni, I want to regain my sight!” And Jesus said to him, “Go; your faith has made you well.” Immediately he regained his sight and began following Him on the road.”

” Immediately he (Bartimaeus) regained his sight and began following Him (Jesus) on the road.” As, I pause and think how Jesus is a reactionary in our relationships when we do our part by reacting to Him, I give praise! What do you do?

My praise goes something like this. “It’s all about you, Lord. Not me – but you. Before I get out of bed, I will lift my voice aloud and pray Your Prayer. Hopefully, I will respond to your words in doing my part for love in action to become a reality where my feet are planted today.”

Build us together in Hope

Thanksgiving Celebration and what is means to me. First, let me share my love of books with you. My latest interest, “ministry with the homeless,” in light of once again celebrating Thanksgiving. I love story and thoughts as shared and told by others. So, turn some pages with me:

– John Flowers and Karen Vannoy
“Not Just a One-Night Stand…”ministry with the homeless

“IN THE OLD TESTAMENT, hesed is a practice of welcome and hospitality among the Hebrew people. Hesed requires that the host and the sojourner eat together to signify welcoming and connecting with the stranger. It is clear to me that eating together is the sign of real community more than any other behavior named in the Hebrew or Christian Scriptures. …

It is not enough to feed persons who happen to be poor. If we are to be in community and have hope for our transformation as well as the transformation of those who happen to be poor, then we have to eat together.”

The latest daily news this week keeps repeating how many Americans are going to bed hungry and I hear figures like over 49 million? I’m not thinking on numbers to either confirm or debate. Why, one without food is one too many in my eyes. As, I celebrate and give thanks for a table overflowing with food this Thanksgiving may I include ways to implement the practice of ‘hesed’ throughout the year as well as today.

Thanksgiving for me is Building Hope whereever Hope is needed! I hope you will join me at this table in sharing Hope to all that will join us! Have a Happy Thanksgiving,

 

Message of Hope

James 4:8 offers us a message of HOPE!  “Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world.” (NLT)

KJV uses the term ‘Draw’ vs. ‘Come’ do you think it makes a difference in light of what you have to do in order to cozy up to God? If I stop and think of how many ways my loyalty is divided between God and the world, I freeze. Therefore, there is no drawing or coming because I’m just a cold stone lost in the soil with not a spark of hope until I rock ‘n roll out of the ‘world ways’ into the ‘holy ways’.

When  I hear and experience no presence of God I only have to look at my heart and see if I see any fear and trembling into my double minded antics. I read recently the way to wholeness is to call a comic act and belly laugh. The book of, chapter and verse will surely give you a belly laugh when you’re double minded.

Lets make our list of ways we are doubled minded, if in fact you are, divided between God and the world and then plunge off the fence on one side or the other. I would just love to read about your plunge!

 

Book Thoughts

Philip Yancey has written a new book, “Vanishing Grace.” One of his faithful followers writes, “…provocative, thoughtful book exploring thorny issues within our faith and church.” Philip, “tackles the diminishing popularity of Christianity in postmodern America over the past several decades and suggest ways believers can cut through today’s rampant cynicism to proclaim the gospel in word-much more important deed.”

I am reading very slowly with heart wide open as I am on a journey to follow St. Frances’s advice, “preach at all times and when necessary use words.” As I read, search and pray I find that I am not alone in looking to understand church. I am bicycling in tandem with Yancey that we are experiencing an awakening grace. I am thinking grace will awaken when our deeds are seen and people begin to rejoice in glorifying Our Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 5:16) I can just hear chorus of voice in unison singing a prayer, “Our Father Which art in Heaven…”

I do so desire Heavenly Father’s will be done on earth as in heaven.  I would like to hear your thoughts on the new today’s church that you are walking out daily.

How are we clothed?

“Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed. The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave properly as in the day,…”Romans 13:11-13

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary has these eye popping words to share.

13:11-14 “Four things are here taught, as a Christian’s directory for his day’s work. When to awake; Now; and to awake out of the sleep of carnal security, sloth, and negligence; out of the sleep of spiritual death, and out of the sleep of spiritual deadness. Considering the time; a busy time; a perilous time. Also the salvation nigh at hand. Let us mind our way, and mend our pace, we are nearer our journey’s end. Also to make ourselves ready. The night is far spent, the day is at hand; therefore it is time to dress ourselves. Observe what we must put off; clothes worn in the night. Cast off the sinful works of darkness. Observe what we must put on; how we should dress our souls. Put on the armour of light. A Christian must reckon himself undressed, if unarmed. The graces of the Spirit are this armour, to secure the soul from Satan’s temptations, and the assaults of this present evil world. Put on Christ; that includes all. Put on righteousness of Christ, for justification. Put on the Spirit and grace of Christ, for sanctification. The Lord Jesus Christ must be put on as Lord to rule you as Jesus to save you; and in both, as Christ anointed and appointed by the Father to this ruling, saving work. And how to walk. When we are up and ready, we are not to sit still, but to appear abroad; let us walk. Christianity teaches us how to walk so as to please God, who ever sees us. Walk honestly as in the day; avoiding the works of darkness. Where there are riot and drunkenness, there usually are chambering and wantonness, and strife and envy. Solomon puts these all together, Pr 23:29-35. See what provision to make. Our great care must be to provide for our souls: but must we take no care about our bodies? Yes; but two things are forbidden. Perplexing ourselves with anxious, encumbering care; and indulging ourselves in irregular desires. Natural wants are to be answered, but evil appetites must be checked and denied. To ask meat for our necessities, is our duty, we are taught to pray for daily bread; but to ask meat for our lusts, is provoking God,” Ps 78:18.

He had more to say! What say you?