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.

Quit Gloating

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Have you heard this? “I knew that would happen!” “S/he got what s/he deserved!” “Told ya!” There’s a word for enjoying another person’s consequences.  Epicaricacy means ‘delight in another person’s misfortune’.

God has plenty to say about this and when that happens we can know where He stands on the issue and what He wants us to do about it.  So let’s dig in…

Do not gloat when your enemy falls

God knows everything, every thought, every moment of our lives.  He knows what we’ve done, said, or thought.  You cannot hide from Him.  Sure, we know when someone has failed or worse, sinned.  God says, “Let Me handle it!”  The writer, Solomon, is saying that if we dish out disapproval  He will turn toward us instead of the person it’s aimed at.  Trust me, I’d rather have someone fail miserably than have God point His finger at me.

If I have rejoiced at my enemy's misfortune...

Job 31 is a list of the ways Job could have sinned and hidden in it is the verse above.  Read the whole chapter and you’ll discover that Job understood, totally, what God wanted him to do and he practised it.  He was not a gloating, self-centered person.  He had a very clear picture of what God wanted and he followed through.

Since God chose you to be the holy people whom He loves

And so, what does God want of us?  We are to be merciful.  We are to choose kindness and gentleness.  We are to model patience.  We are to forgive like God has.

Marie

One Word for 2016 – CONTENT

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Each year I select a word that I will focus on for the coming year.  Last year it was ‘stillness’.   This year it will be ‘content’.  I will be focusing on 1 Timothy 6:6-7 and Philippians 4:11.

OneWord 2016

 

My concept of being content is in knowing that I truly have all I need and God will provide for the future.  My goals include simply learning  to trust and rely on God, choosing a more simple lifestyle, and always making Him the center of my decisions and relationships.

If you’d like to join me on this journey, perhaps choose your own word for the year, hop over to OneWord 365 and let’s do this together.

Blessings to you and yours!

Marie

Red and Green

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The Holly and the Ivy - Olde English Carole

The Holly and the Ivy – Olde English Carole

It is not entirely happenstance that Red and Green are the colors of Christmas. They are often mentioned in the Bible.  Red is often used to refer to blood and can be interpreted as both life and death (i.e., Jesus blood gives life, Leviticus 17:14 tells us the life of a creature is in the blood).

Red is often used to refer to blood and can be interpreted as both life and death (i.e., Jesus blood gives life, Leviticus 17:14 tells us the life of a creature is in the blood).

Red and scarlet most often symbolize sin.  For instance, check out Isaiah 1:18 and Joshua 2:18. Notice that in both of these scriptures the use of red also points to grace.  In Isaiah sin will be washed whiter than snow and in Joshua the red cord keeps Rahab and her family safe, forgiven of her sin.  Exodus 12:7 tells us that God told the Israelites to spread the blood of a lamb on the doorpost so that when the Angel of Death came by they would safe.

In the sacrificial system of the Old Testament, the blood was a large part of the ceremony.  Offering the blood of the animal stood in the place of the sins of the person.  This was a temporary solution to the sin problem.  Jesus’ blood (life) was required for the final sacrifice.  At that point in time, the sacrificial system was no longer needed.  Red now is a symbol for life through the blood of the Lamb.

Green often describes life and rest.  Psalm 23:2  tells us He gives us rest in green pastures.   Psalm 52:8 says, “But I am like a green olive-tree in the house of God: I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever.”

Green trees often refer to nations. “And all the trees of the field shall know that I, the LORD, have brought down the high tree and exalted the low tree, dried up the green tree and made the dry tree flourish; I, the LORD, have spoken and have done it.” Ezek 17:24.  All nations and peoples will recognize God.

A green tree is also used in Jeremiah 17:8 to describe a righteous man.  “For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, that spreads out roots by the river, and is withered by heat or draught.” 

Green as it is first used in Genesis, is the Hebrew word ‘yer eq’ and is used in verse 30.  God is telling us that He provides all that we need for life by giving us the food we need.

As you ponder these words in your heart I wish you love, joy, and peace during this beautiful, meaningful season.

Blessings to you and yours!

Marie

 

 

 

Thematic Thursday | Thoughtful Songs of the Season

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As I said in the last post, I love Christmas music.  I can listen to it all year around.  I often have it in the CD player in my car and sing while I drive, even though, I get some pretty strange looks from oncoming traffic.

Would I Know My SaviorToday we’re going to focus on some Seasonal Music that is very thought provoking.  Let’s start with Would I Know My Savior?  The song asks some great questions.  Would I know Him at the manger, without previous knowledge of Him?  The Shepherds trusted the angelic message and knew Him.  The Wise Men trusted their knowledge of the stars and knew Him.  Joseph trusted God and knew Him.   I’m sure I would know Him, but it’s certainly worth the inner search.

Do You Hear What I HearWere you in your High School Choir?  I remember singing Do You Hear What I Hear? for the first time in that group.  It has remained among my favorites since then.

I Wonder As I WanderBarbara Streisand nails it …  I Wonder As I Wander.  This hauntingly beautiful song had an interesting story behind it.   The writer, John Jacob Niles, was leaving a fundraiser when a very dirty, ragged, and unwashed girl came to the stage.  She sang only one line of the song.  Niles took that fragment and turned it into this thought provoking piece.

Silent NightNo Christmas ‘list’ would be complete without Silent Night.  Add Celtic Woman to that and you have Christmas Music perfection.

Musical blessings to you and yours!

Marie

 

Thematic Thursday | Advent Music

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Banner for Thematic Thursdays

It’s our first Thematic Thursday and I’m so excited about getting this started.  So, here we go…

I majored in Music Education and Performance in College.  It was an awesome time of life for me.  I spent every day immersed in music…practise, classes, harmony, theory, history, composition, conducting, musicals, opera…

In music, a theme is the melodic phrase that a composition is based on.  It is often repeated throughout the piece.  A  theme can also be the idea behind a set of compositions.

It’s Advent and were going to look at that theme and some of the music associated with the concept.  What is Advent?  It is celebrated in many churches during the four weeks before the Holy Birth.  The word itself means the arrival of a person, thing, or event.  It is a double entendre in that it refers not just to the actual birth of Jesus but His return to Earth.  Music is a huge part of this celebration and has been for hundreds of years  as Christians around the world look forward to His coming.

Cradle and CrossMy favorite of all Advent Hymns is Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus.  Charles Wesley wrote this piece and as is often true of his hymns a scripture reference can be found in nearly every phrase.

 

Every valley

Christmas/Advent music would not be complete without The Messiah.  My heart jumps for joy when I hear the opening notes and I am transported as I listen to not just the beauty of the music but the heart and soul within it.  This rendition is more contemporary in nature, in fact, a lot more.  I love the joy I see in the faces of the singers (First Call).

There are many more songs of Advent than these.  Take the time to listen to some great music during this season.

Blessings to you and yours!

Marie