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.

Life Interupted

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Jonah and the Whale in the Jami' al-tawarikh (c. 1400), Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jonah and the Whale in the Jami’ al-tawarikh (c. 1400), Metropolitan Museum of Art

Have you noticed that when life is going smoothly something happens to interrupt?  It can be something small like the phone ringing when you’re trying to finish a project.  It can be something much larger like a life-threatening disease or accident, severe weather (blizzard, tornado, earthquake), birth, death, loss of a job…  When you start getting a case of the ‘why me’ syndrome give some thought to these lives that were interrupted by God Himself.

Moses             2 forty year visits to the desert

Noah               Stop, drop and build a boat on dry land

Abraham         Leave everything and travel to an unknown location

Sarah              Baby at 90

Joseph            Dropped into a pit and sold as a slave

Mary                Suddenly pregnant

Dramatic and sudden interruptions happen all the time.  Case in point…Jonah.  He was living a great life but God wanted more for him.  So God told him to go to Ninevah.  Jonah wasn’t having any of that.  That city was known as the ‘Sin City’ of that era.  So, Jonah decided to run to another place.  Really!?  Did he really think he could hide from God?  Yes, he did.  While on that journey, in the opposite direction, the ship he was on was hit with a threatening storm.  Those on board determined it was Jonah who was causing the problem, so they threw him overboard.  We know the rest of the story…

Let’s look at this from a different angle.   This is a story of many miracles.  The first two are in verse one.

Jonah 11

First – God spoke!

Second – God allowed a person to hear His voice!

When He allows one of His creation to hear His voice it’s a huge privilege.  We often hear His voice and don’t recognize it.  The difference with us and Jonah is he knew exactly Who was speaking and choose not to obey.

Then, how do we know we’re hearing God?  How do we know He’s interrupting us?  Have you ever been listening to a speaker and the words seem just for you?  Have you been reading the Word and it’s speaking to your heart?  Henry Blackaby says we hear God through His Word, prayer, other Christians, worship, and life circumstances.  God talks to us often through the Holy Spirit living in us and He expects us to listen.

When we hear God what are we to do?  Easy answer, yet hard to follow through.  We’re to drop everything and listen.  He is saying I have a plan and I want you to be part of it.

The interrupted life is not always the big events I mentioned earlier.  It can be a crying child, a husband or wife’s attention, a new friendship, an unexpected phone call, a knock on the door….  God wants us open to His voice!  Anytime!  Anywhere!

He is calling.  Are you listening?

Blessings to you and yours!

Marie

Living A Long, Strong Marriage

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A couple of weeks ago our niece married her long-awaited prince in shining armor.  The one God had chosen for her before time began.  It was a beautiful wedding.  I thought back on it today as Ray and I celebrate our anniversary.

Being married is not the easiest thing you’ll attempt in life.  When you determine to walk with our Jesus during the years it makes the triumphs and the struggles much easier.  At the start of our marriage, though I truly believed in God, I hadn’t made Jesus my Personal Savior yet.  God’s plan was for Ray to lead me to this crucial decision.  Almost a year after we married I gave my life to Him.  I’ve never looked back.  He has led us through some amazing times both as a couple and as individuals.

With that thought in mind, I wanted them to know what I think leads to a long marriage.  Here are my words to them…

Abby and tyler

They chose these words to be read as part of the ceremony.

 

Psalm 1

1 Blessed is the one
    who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
    or sit in the company of mockers,
2 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
    and who meditates on his law day and night.

Interesting choice, don’t you think?  I’m not sure why.  Perhaps, because they wanted to remind themselves that there really is a world out there that will mock and think up all kinds of wicked things…I don’t know.  Without question, though, if they are honoring our LORD and his law (word) their marriage will be a great one.

Blessings to you and yours!

Marie

The Cross In Nature

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He is before all things and in Him all things hold together.  Colosians 1:17

Laminin is a molecule that structurally holds cells together.  It sometimes appears under the microscope in the shape of a cross.  Interesting that a needed part of cell structure fits a verse in Colossians 1. Verse 17 says ‘He is before all thngs and in Him all things hold together.

laminin

 

The Whirlpool Galaxy, also known as M51 has a black hole at its center.  The shadow of the Cross is evident in many of the pictures taken by NASA and the Hubble Space Telescope.

 

Some pine trees form crosses as part of their new growth each spring.  It’s interesting that trees we use for the celebration of Christmas send up crosses on the end of their branches just before Easter.

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The Agiope spider bears a small cross on its belly.

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God can and does use all of His  creation to remind us of His presence.

Watch for Him.  He’s everywhere!

Blessings to you and yours!

Marie

 

 

Be You. Do Good. – Book Review

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bookEveryone who wants to make a difference during the time they have on this earth should read this book!  This is not just another self-help book.  Using the life stories of many people, some famous, others not, and his own experiences, Golden shows how to build a life, a career, a ministry, that focuses outwardly, on others.  In the Forward to this book, Bob Goff says, “…not only is God up to something here and something now, but God’s instrument of choice happens to be you.  If you’re feeling flattered, you should be.  As unlikely as it seems, God has chosen you and me to be  divine agents in the world today.  When you own that, everything changes.” (pg. 12)

The basic premise is to take one step at a time, some small, some large, in pursuit of your personal passion, your calling, always working toward God’s plan for you.  Many throw their hands up to heaven, begging God to tell them what to do.  Golden says God has given you a specific talent and skill set for His purpose.  To discover that one must ask such  questions as, “What do you want me to do? What are you good at? What makes you come alive?” (pg. 89)  He will give you a word, an inkling, a thought, an affirmation that you can know with certainty He wants you to pursue.

The concept that resonates and runs throughout this book is that of bahora bahora.  These are the Rwandan words for ‘little by little’.  It’s all about not rushing through life.  It’s about taking the time to build relationships with God, one another, and the world around us.  Slowly and carefully.

“Little by little we become more holy.”

 “Little by little we craft lyrics to entire songs.”

“Little by little we become proficient at our callings.”

(pg. 12)

I highly recommend you take a small step a read this book, cover-to-cover.  It could by the one small thing you need to discover God’s purpose for your life.

You can learn more about Golden and Be You, Do Good at http://www.BeYouDoGood.com.

Blessings to you and yours!

Marie

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Baker Books/a division of Baker Publishing Group.  I was not required to write a positive review.  The opinions I have expressed are my own.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

 

 

 

 

Why Did Jesus Fold The Napkin

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Why did Jesus fold the linen burial cloth after His resurrection? I never noticed this….


John 20:6 tells us that the linen cloth covering Jesus face was neatly folded, and was placed separate from the grave clothes. Early Sunday morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. She ran and found Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved. She said, ‘They have taken the Lord’s body out of the tomb, and I don’t know where they have put him!’ Peter and the other disciple ran to the tomb to see.. The other disciple outran Peter and got there first. He stooped and looked in and saw the linen cloth lying there, but he didn’t go in.

Then Simon Peter arrived and went inside. He also noticed the linen wrappings lying there, while the cloth that had covered Jesus’ head was folded up and lying to the side.

Was that important? Absolutely!

Is it really significant? Yes!

In order to understand the significance of the folded napkin, you have to understand a little bit about Hebrew tradition of that day. The folded napkin had to do with the Master and Servant, and every Jewish boy knew this tradition.

When the servant set the dinner table for the master, he made sure that it was exactly the way the master wanted it…

The table was furnished perfectly, and then the servant would wait, just out of sight, until the master had finished eating, and the servant would not dare touch that table until the master was finished. Now, if the master were done eating, he would rise from the table, wipe his fingers, his mouth, and clean his beard, and would wad up that napkin and toss it onto the table.

The servant would then know to clear the table. For in those days, the wadded napkin meant, ‘I’m done.’

But if the master got up from the table, and folded his napkin, and laid it beside his plate, the servant would not dare touch the table, because……….. The folded napkin meant, ‘I’m coming back!’

He is Coming Back!

Blessings to you and yours!

Marie

Here’s the URL for the article.  https://www.facebook.com/ShermontBaptistChurch/photos/a.218560688159850.66837.207115885970997/1280041892011719/?type=3&theater