Author Archives: Marie

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About Marie

Happily married to the same awesome guy for many years. Love God, reading, cats, and travel. Avid crafter especially counted cross stitch and crochet.

WHATEVER

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There are many who resolve to make life changes on New Years Day then fail within the first week to keep them.  I used to be among those people.  I no longer do this.  Instead, I choose and memorize a scripture that will guide me through the year ahead.  Often, during the selection, I am led by life circumstances to the one I will need.  This year’s selection is Philippians 4:8.

Think on whatever is true, honest, just, pure, lovely, virtuous, praiseworthy, and good.

What is true?  Is it something that has been scientifically proven?  Perhaps.  Real truth is in the Word.  The more familiar we are with the Bible and what God says there the more we are able to deal with truth in life on an every day basis.

What is honest?  Integrity is the character trait I desire to be remembered for.  It is so important that we model a life style of no hidden agendas.  One of the problems I had as an elementary principal was children and adults lying.  There seems to be a cultural decline in this area based on the models we have around us.  The attitude of many politicians, actors and actresses, and those involved in sports is – – ‘if I don’t get caught there isn’t a problem until I do’.  Oh my friends, teach your children well as the old song says.

What is just?  This legal term is about judging what is right and wrong.  We need to be constantly aware of what we say and do and keep it under the umbrella of fair and righteous (making right choices).

What is pure?  A life that is pure filters itself in ‘the fire’.  Like melting gold or other precious metals what floats to the top or sinks to the bottom is the impurity in the metal.  What is left is the pure and real thing.

What is lovely?  We have such a ‘thing’ in our culture for beauty.  We place body image, age, monetary worth and a long list of other things in this category.  For me, thinking on what is lovely has more to do with reality than culture.  When I see a handicapped person or one bent with age or one extremely ill I wonder what life circumstance put them in this position.  True loveliness is the life that is and has looked upon the face of Jesus and now reflects that on the world around them.

What is virtuous?  This word can also be translated as moral excellence or goodness.  This is not a fluff word because it can also be used to speak of strength.  Morality is personal to each of us.  It is how we filter all the stuff that enters our mind.   Do we have the strength of character to dwell on that which is good and forget the rest?

What is praiseworthy?  Some of my day is spent thinking on the people and events around me.  Too often these thoughts lead to others and I’m entering the mindset of negativity.  That is where this verse and many others come in.  As soon as I go there I start mentally reciting verses that will bring me back to reality and a more positive frame of mind.  Deliberately having praise in the heart helps offset the negativity that creeps in.

What is good?  It is about the things we do for others.  It is about seeing a need and doing something about it.  It is about genuinely wanting what is best for those around us.

Let me close with this…I once heard a speaker say that people are thinking less about us and more about themselves.  When I get into a mindset of what is that person thinking of me I remember that 75% of the time they’re really thinking of themselves.

Father in heaven, Mighty, Holy, and Just God, my Counselor and Savior hear my prayer in the Precious Name of Jesus.  Forgive the times I start thinking of the negativity and meanness around me.  Grant me the joy of seeing the world through Your eyes of love.  Let me live each day basking in Your love and sharing it with others.  Amen and make it so.

A Candy Cane Messiah

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Is Christmas to commercialized?  I think so.  Yet, if we take the time to use the “eyes to see and ears to hear” (Deuteronomy 29:4) we can find the Spirit of Christmas in a lot of things and events. 

While creating a devotional for the Spirit Sisters Bible Study based on the symbolism in the Candy Cane,  I was also preparing to sing in the Defiance College Community Chorus/TSO production of The Messiah.  As I read through the origins of the Candy Cane, and what it stands for, I was struck by the choruses in The Messiah that match the symbolism of the Candy Cane.

As the story goes an Indiana candy maker wanted to create a candy that would be his occupational witness.  He wanted the birth, ministry, and death of Christ to be easily discernible.  So…

He used pure white candy to symbolize the purity, the sinlessness of Jesus.  In the Messiah the chorus – “And He Shall Purify” (Malachi 3:3) reminds us that our offerings to the Lord are to be righteous, without sin. 

The J represents the Name.  Isaiah 6:6 and the words of the chorus “For Unto Us A Child Is Born” resound with the names Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Prince of Peace.  When turned upside down the J becomes a staff.  The shepherd’s staff was crooked so the sheep that had fallen could be rescued.  Isaiah 53:6, and the matching chorus “All We Like Sheep”, helps us remember that we are just like sheep.  We go our own way, every one of us, but we can be rescued.

The stripes are symbolism of the beating He took so we could be healed.  Isaiah 53:5 says “And with His stripes we are healed”.  His blood was shed for our sins, hence, the red coloring.

As we celebrate this season let us remember the reason for the season is all around us.  HE is everywhere.  Look and listen.

Ah Lord God, bless us with the ability to see You in the trappings of this season.  Remind us that You are the greatest gift giver of all.  Help us experience the Reason in all we do.  You are the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, and Prince of Peace.  Let Your Glory be seen in us.  Let Your Light shine through us.  You alone are worthy!  Grant these petitions in the Name of Jesus.  Make it so.

THE HOLLY AND THE IVY

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I would be hard pressed to name one Christmas song or carol that I really don’t like.  As a vocalist there are some that are hard to sing or are written in keys that are not good for me.  I could listen to Christmas music all year long.

As a student of Music History I learned that the a carol was originally a Greek word that meant a circle dance with flute accompaniment.  Later on the dance was accompanied by singers.  Somehow those singers began using songs with religious meanings and these became carols. 

There are very few known Christmas Carols before the 1800’s.  One of these is a favorite of mine called “The Holly and the Ivy”.  The religious reference in this early carol is “…and Mary bore Lord Jesus Christ to be our Sweet Savior…”  (Luke 2:6)  The chorus of this carol is a reference to everyday life and the God-created world around us.  “The rising of the sun and the running of the deer the playing of the merry organ sweet singing in the choir.”

Heavenly Father open our eyes to the mystery, beauty, and miracles of this Holy Season.  Thank You for the greatest gift of all, Jesus. 

Keep Your Lamps Burning

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Mother Theresa once said, “To keep a lamp burning we have to keep putting oil in it.”  The same applies to life.  Unless we continue to learn, to grow, to excel, to know, we will stagnate and become just an empty lamp waiting …

There are several Bible verses that refer to lamps.  Proverbs 31:18b tells us ‘her lamp does not go out at night’.  This is not a reference to the night-light we use to get us to the bathroom in the middle of the night because our bladders are shot from childbirth or our bodies are aging.  The night lights of ancient times were kept lit so a weary traveler would know a welcoming home.  The use of lamps in this verse suggests we are not only to be hospitable but ready to be hospitable.

Psalm 18:28 tells us we do not keep our own lamps burning.  God does.  That is a truly interesting statement.  When we have reached some maturity in our life walk with Jesus, we start to learn that our lives are all about Him.  He is not only the Light of the World but the individual Light of our lives.  As we grow, more wicks are added to our lamps making us a brighter and brighter light.  (Ancient people added more wicks to their lamps to create a brighter glow.)

The Parable of the Ten Virgins is another well-known lamp story (Matthew 25:1-13).  The point of this parable is obedience.  The virgins who were not prepared, had to go and get more oil.  When they returned they could not enter the feast because the doors to the banquet were closed. (I really doubt anyone could have heard them knocking with the celebration that was going on.) Had they followed the instructions to keep their lamps trimmed and full they would have been attending the feast of a lifetime.  So will we, if we continue filling our minds with His Words and Ways.

Heavenly Father, how humbled I am when I realize You are the One filling the lamps.  Oh Lord, fill mine to overflowing with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control.  Let my lamp continue burning brightly until I am finally admitted to the Wedding Supper of the Lamb.  In His perfect Name make it so.

WAVES OF THANKS

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Giving thanks for what God is, has, and will do for us should be as natural as breathing.  Yet, we often have to be reminded to do just that.  In every book I’ve read on prayer the author makes a point of suggesting thanksgiving be part of every prayer.  That includes the Bible.  Such verses as Colossians 2:6-7 and 1 Thessalonians 5:18 remind us to give thanks for everything.

In our worship service this week we did a ‘Wave of Thanks’.  Wave offerings are mentioned in Ex. 29:23.  Although not the same concept as an arena ‘wave’, we were still giving thanks for what He had done and given us and ‘waved’ them with our words before the altar.  The usual thanks were given like family, new babies, new homes, Jesus and salvation (in no way usual), friends, the church, and more.  We have faced cancer in some of its ugliest forms and God has intervened with His healing touch. One offering of thanks stands out – – The Miracle of Life.  We have had life threatening Traumatic Brain Injuries, one resulting in a coma, and both men not only survived but are living life to the fullest. 

On this special day, set aside to give thanks, let’s not forget to give thanks for life. 

Let all things now living a song of thanksgiving  To God the Creator triumphantly raise, Who fashioned and made us, protected and stayed us, Who guideth us on to the end of our days.  *

Ah, Lord God, Creator of Life, you have not only caused us to live and breathe but have also given us the choice of eternal life.  Thank YOU!  Give us all the desire  and courage to live our lives to the fullest, totally for You.  Don’t let us forget the greatest LIFE of all.  Thank YOU for Jesus in whose name I lift this prayer.  Make it so!

*(Katherine K. Davis set these words to the melody Ash Grove in the early 1900’s.)