Ruminations from the Temple

I'm grateful for a new website I found that really was uplifting - I think you will like it, too. I'm grateful that my husband fixed the broken light in the library.  Now I don't have to sit in a cave while I'm on the computer! I'm grateful that my daughter has good friends. I'm grateful for the little bit of cash I have in my purse. I'm grateful that my daughter is a trusted babysitter, and for the sweet, little 3 year old voice that rang through the house for a bit this week. I'm grateful that my hubby is supportive and can always tell when I'm hurting. I'm grateful for the escape of sleep...and dreams. I'm grateful for good friends that I've made online - they are invaluable to me. I'm grateful that everything passes in time.  (It really does, right?) This morning I'm grateful for the ability to get my thoughts out in words, either written or spoken. I'm grateful that Rob has the week off and that he i...

Could we see when and where we are to meet again,  we would be more tender when we bid our friends goodbye. ~Marie Louise De La Ramee It is my experience that too often life takes a strange turn and we end up in a strange place, a place we never expected or planned.  Whether good or bad, changes are wrought and people come and go out of our lives. I hate goodbyes.  You, too? In the midst of inter-personal upheavals, I always consider the fact that we only have today to live, as we are certainly not guaranteed tomorrow.  I guess I have to admit that I arrogantly don't want to fear anything, but I definitely do fear this; that something unalterable might happen to those around me and I won't be afforded the opportunity to make things right.  Harsh words are spoken, things ignored, feelings disregarded...and then the unthinkable happens.  The diagnosis.  The accident.  The last day. The lost opportunities. Selfish, I suppose, to fear that I...

Perhaps the greatest charity comes when we are kind to each other, when we don't judge or categorize someone else, when we simply give each other the benefit of the doubt or remain quiet.  I Corinthians 13:4-8a, 13 - Love is patient, love is kind, and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth.  Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.  Love never fails. Now abide faith, hope and love, these three; but the greatest of these is love. Charity is accepting someone's differences, weaknesses, and shortcomings; having patience with someone who has let us down; or resisting the impulse to become offended when someone doesn't handle something the way we might have hoped.  Luke 6:36-38 - Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. ...

With my ever-expanding do-list today, I almost forgot to post Grateful Friday!  Oops!  I'm grateful it's not snowing. We are grateful that we got to hear a good friend play with his band this week - they were awesome.  I wasn't so grateful for the residual headache the next morning, however. I'm grateful that I have gotten to spend so much time with my friend Cherrie this month - what a treat! I'm grateful that life goes on. I'm grateful that I have been able to keep my commitments and still minister to others despite my feeling rather numb. I'm grateful that my kids were excited about the lunar eclipse even though the moon clouded over right before the main event.  Oh well! I'm grateful for a lovely lunch with a dear friend - she is one of the gems the LORD has given me though this time of difficulty. I'm grateful that we are got to try Zumba for the first time - it was an absolute hoot!  My cheeks (facial cheeks, that is) were hurt...

[Author's note:  Padawan has also written an interesting article on this very topic, as it has been heavy on our hearts as of late.  Find her article HERE .] For my own edification and to get things straight in my own head, I would like to ruminate a bit on lashon hara , which is gossip for all us non-Hebrew speakers. A good friend noted the wiki definition and I believe it is worthy of pondering.  "Lashon hara (Hebrew לשון הרע; "evil language/tongue") is the prohibition in Jewish Law (Torah) of telling gossip. Lashon hara differs from defamation in that its focus is on the use of true speech for a wrongful purpose , rather than falsehood and harm arising. By contrast, motzi shem ra (spreading a bad name) consists of untrue remarks, and is akin to slander or defamation. Speech is considered to be lashon hara if it says something negative about a person or party , is not previously known to the public , is not seriously intended to correct or improve a nega...

Sometimes things just don't turn out the way we would like.  Circumstances are created, decisions are made and hearts break before anyone even has time to make it stop. It is through these oh-so-difficult times that we learn the most.  I wish that weren't so.  But, even with knowing it is true, I'm hoping that I don't need to learn anything more for a while so I can recover from this, um...learning experience. I know that my character has been, and continues to be, called into question because of my hobbies.  I know of no way to resolve these things.  I also know that I can choose to listen to the LORD above all else, and He proves His care for me daily despite the opinions of men. I know it didn't have to be this way. I know that I enjoy yoga stretches.  Let me clarify; I do not believe that a position of your body determines what deity you are, or are not, worshiping.  I know it is the position of the heart, not the body, that is crucial in m...

“Excellence is not a singular act, but a habit.  You are what you repeatedly do.” These words spoken by the basketball great Shaquille O'Neal , is a paraphrase of a much older quote by the Greek philosopher Aristotle himself, “ We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”  In reading this, I had to stop and think about what kind of statement I send by my habits, the things that I repeatedly do in my everyday life...and whether or not it accomplishes the excellence I desire to exhibit. I could start with the rather mundane repetitions of my life.  I shower every day which could say that I am considerate of others by keeping myself clean, or that I'm somewhat vain because I don't want to appear dirty or smelly.  I eat the same old things everyday, which could shout that I don't really care about food except for sustenance (no, I'm most definitely not a foodie!), or it could say that I'm just not very imaginative about my foo...

Of all the voices calling out to me... I will choose to listen and believe the Voice of Truth.

my favorite PostSecret, artist unknown I know God will not give me anything I can't handle.   I just wish that He didn't trust me so much.   ~Mother Teresa I'm thankful again for the opportunity to serve others - the LORD brings these souls into our lives, and I'm always honored to be able to be His hands and feet, even if I'm flawed. I'm grateful that when I couldn't breath this morning, early, that some tylenol and emergen-c was helpful, along with sitting up for a bit.  (I'll be so grateful when this cold passes!) I'm grateful that no trees came down in the torrential rain that hit Monday night.  I'm grateful for the constant companionship of my cats...yes, constant. I'm grateful for encouragement. I'm grateful for the talents that the LORD has given me. I'm grateful that Padawan bought us a new toy - a tomtom GPS!  Fully equipped, no less, with the voice of Darth Vader!  That makes this Jedi very, very happy.  (....

Good, a few coins for parking...we'll need that. I wonder how long he will remember that one? It's all about Kaaren! Hahaha!  OK, this is just not right. “A thing long expected takes the form of the unexpected when at last it comes.” ~Mark Twain Antiques have so much character. Old Railroad Cart wheels for sale...need one?  Me neither. What a classic - I can almost hear the static... "To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket- safe, dark, motionless, airless--it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable.” ~C.S. Lewis

"Fear comes from trying to live someone else's life  or live up to the expectation of the crowd." ~a Facebook status What caught my eye in these few, rather pithy words was the idea of 'expectation of the crowd'.  Do we, or more importantly, am I, trying to live up to the expectations of others?  Much to my chagrin, I have to say yes on so many counts.  I make every effort to avoid disappointing those around me, especially those that are closest to my heart.  I'm not sure I would use the word 'fearful', but I certainly don't want to fail anyone who is depending upon me for support, care or service - in any way.  Perhaps I by-pass the initial indicators of being fearful (panicky feeling, cold sweat, nervousness) and skip directly to survival-mode by doing whatever it takes to make sure I succeed in making happen whatever is expected of me. I wonder about those expectations.  I suppose I could give a pretty good guess at what may be expected:  a...

When relationships die, do we ever really give up the ghost, or are we forever haunted by the spirits of relationships past?  Haunted.  Haunted by the familiar voices and well-rehearsed conversations echoing through thoughts, daydreams.  Taunted by triggers of memories, everyday sights and sounds mocking the wretched demise of what was held so dear. Dreams. Locked in blessed slumber we once again enjoy relationships damaged beyond repair in reality; in the shadowy dreams, though, we laugh, talk, make music just like when...  And waking is a tearing once again. Damaged. Hopes of future history...goals, plans...crumble as if the moisture was suddenly sucked away into a mist that easily floats on a breeze.  Grasping is futile, meaningless, as what is left is dusty remnants of what could have been. Memories. These are the true ghosts.  Ghosts have no evil intent, no agenda.  They just are, visiting heavily at some times, when we can't compl...

This morning I'm grateful for breath in my lungs, hot coffee to drink and the opportunity for a new day. I'm grateful for the LORD, who never fails to be faithful and loving to me. I'm grateful for the festival of Hanukkah. Simple yet powerful. :-) I'm grateful that my husband can come home sick and not be penalized by his employer. I'm grateful for traditions that give us comfort, history and identity. I'm grateful for audiobooks - what a wonderful thing! I surely enjoyed listening to the book of Hebrews and James last night while carving at my craft desk. I'm grateful that we have such easy access to doctors in this time of history.  I'm also grateful for eye 'bandages' in the form of contacts - cool, eh?  Eye injuries are soooo painful (I'm so sorry, Cooper, but so grateful you feel better!). I'm so thankful for the unfaltering support of my son, Alex. I'm grateful for payday!  And that my dear hubby has a job - ...

Do not cast me away from Your presence,  and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.  ~Isaiah 57 Some of the best science fiction hinges upon an unseen force or entity that gives power and abilities that enable characters to accomplish incredible things against impossible circumstances.  Great heroes of our imagination and literature possess bravery, courage and super-natural tenacity that most of us can only dream of.  But, the Scriptures give us clear references to an unseen source of power and guidance; a force that is above any that we mere humans could possibly create in our imaginations.  That power, a true force to be reckoned with, is the Ruach HaKodesh - the Holy Spirit of the Living G-d. For most of us, the thought of the Holy Spirit is a mystery.  Somehow, G-d the Father, Yeshua Messiah the Son and the Holy Spirit is the holy triad of direction - the final decision makers in the life of the believer. We attempt to put the vastness of the g...

If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right. But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. For he who said, “You shall not commit adultery,” also said, “You shall not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker. Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment. ~James Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy. ~Matthew 5:7 He has showed you, O man, what is good;  and what does the LORD require of you,  but to do justly, and to love mercy,  and to walk humbly with your God. ~Micah 6:8

The best part of having access to the internet and it's vast storehouse of knowledge is the ability, with a touch of the keyboard, to search for wisdom long since buried in scholarly tomes.  Since I don't consider myself much of a scholar, much to my chagrin, I truly appreciate the ease and accessibility to the great writings of those intellects that have gone before me.  As I have investigated, slowly at first and working up to the fever pitch of the present day, I have found words of wisdom from all time periods through my inquiries of such a simple word as 'quotes'.  I have come to the rather interesting conclusion that Mr. Emerson may very well be on of my favorite thinkers and writers. Prior to my access to the internet, I knew absolutely nothing about Mr. Emerson.  It is only through close and personal contact with his words, as they are everywhere in cyberspace, that I have sensed a commonality with his thinking.  At least, some of it. Ralph Waldo Eme...

Stift Melk Staircase, Melk Abbey, Lower Austria I'm thankful for good worship and the faith that the LORD has given me. I'm thankful for ibuprofen when my head is splitting. This morning I was hoping to be grateful for sunshine, but no luck.  Oh well.  I'm still grateful that we don't have snow, especially on the roads. I'm grateful, although sad, that the last of my responsibilities and obligations to my former life have been successfully passed on.  I'm grateful that I can still maintain relationships despite unpleasant circumstances. I'm so very grateful for the people G-d has placed in my life. I'm grateful for hot showers, a great place to workout, and friends who want to hang out with me just because.  I'm so blessed! I'm grateful for insightful words that inspire me...like these: Look famous. Be legendary.  Appear Complex. Act easy.  Radiate presence. Travel light.  Seem a dream.  Prove real. I'm grateful for those...

Blessed are you, Lord our God, King of the universe, who wrought miracles for our fathers in days of old, at this season. Tonight is the first night to light the first candle of Hanukkah. The first night to remember those that stood up for righteousness in exchange for their lives. The first night to, once again, remember who we are and Who we serve. The first night to join with family and friends to enjoy each others company. The first night to remember all the other years we were blessed to celebrate Hanukkah. The first night to say the Hanukkah blessings and to thank HaShem for bringing us to this time once again. But this first night will be like no other first night for me. This will be the first night of Hanukkah that I'm not rushing around, getting things prepared for a community celebration. The first night that I am wondering how to get what is needed, and what it will all look like. This is the first year I'm celebrating without talking to my Mom...