Posted in cross, God, holy, Jesus, life, love

I Owe All To You, Jesus

My favorite worship song for this Holy Week …
There’s a place where mercy reigns
And never dies
There’s a place where streams of grace
Flow deep and wide
Where all the love I’ve ever found
Comes like a flood
Comes flowing down
At the cross, at the cross
I surrender my life
I’m in awe of You
I’m in awe of You
Where Your love ran red
And my sin washed white
I owe all to You
I owe all to You, Jesus
There’s a place where sin and shame
Are powerless
Where my heart has peace with God
And forgiveness
Where all the love I’ve ever found
Comes like a flood
Comes flowing down
At the cross, at the cross
I surrender my life
I’m in awe of You
I’m in awe of You
Where Your love ran red
And my sin washed white
I owe all to You
I owe all to You
Here my hope is found
Here on holy ground
Here I bow down
Here I bow down
Here arms open wide
Here You save my life
Here I bow down
Here I bow
At the cross, at the cross
I surrender my life
I’m in awe of You
I’m in awe of You
Where Your love ran red
And my sin washed white
I owe all to You
I owe all to You
I owe all to You
I owe all to You, Jesus, Jesus
Your love ran red
Your love ran red
At the Cross (Love Ran Red) by Songwriters: Matt Armstrong / Ed Cash / Chris Tomlin / Matt Redman / Jonas Myrin
… visualize, meditate, and know… “God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power.” Acts 2:24 New American Standard.  Thank you, Father!  Thank you, Jesus!
Posted in children, Family, friend, God, husband, Jesus, life, loneliness, love, People, poverty, prayer, redeemer, world

Kin

Mr. & Mrs. Dean Anthony GallThere are so many people in this world, but it is a small world at times.  Based on the 1920’s concept “Six Degrees Of Separation”, we each are six or less connections away from one another in this game called life.  This concept is used with Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and other social media.  Based on genetic studies, for most of us if you go back 10 generations, you  probably share a grandmother with your neighbor.  What makes someone kin to you?  Birth?  Blood?  Spirit?  Relationship?  Bonding?  Association?  Adoption?  “One touch of nature makes the whole world kin,” according to William Shakespeare.

This word “kin” reminds me about the biblical story of Ruth, Naomi, and Boaz.  Boaz became a “kinsman redeemer” when he married Ruth after her husband (Naomi’s son) passed away.  A “kinsman redeemer” is the relative who restores or preserves the full community rights of disadvantaged family members.  Boaz was not the likely choice, an older man.  But Ruth listened to what Naomi told her about Boaz, a good man.  Ruth was a blessing to Boaz.  Ruth and Boaz would give birth to Obed, who was King David’s grandfather.  And King David is a descendent of our Lord Jesus, Who is the ultimate “kinsman redeemer”.  With my Savior Jesus, God’s covenant relationship with Israel was completed with the redemption of humanity in Jesus Christ.

Like Boaz was for Ruth, my husband, Dean is for me.  Although 3 months younger than I, he is related to a friend, my former supervisor who introduced us.  Funny thing as we learned after we met, we were very close to meeting each other in our younger college years right after high school as we attended the same university and knew mutual people.  My friend, now sister-in-law told me Dean was a good man, and that he is.  And I love him dearly, so very thankful for Dean and the completeness and joy he brings in my life.  We have a great relationship, not perfect but work things through.  There are differences in how we were raised, and how we raised our children.  We differ in opinions on some social and society issues, but come back to our foundation, Christ. Dean redeemed me from emptiness, loneliness, and small living as a divorcee and an older single parent.  A late-bloomer, I sought out a new career in my 40’s after raising my two daughters and while my son was still in school.  After a rough first marriage I gave up on the thought of marriage for a long time.  Then I began to pray for a good forthright Christian man for a couple of years before I met Dean.  Perfect timing, jobs, friendships, open hearts, like-minded on important matters, and love that were aligned by God.  So happy I ended up with Dean. From what Dean tells me, he feels the same towards me.  He calls me his rock, solid foundation.  And his queen, not pretentious, his “all natural girl”. “Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same” ~ Emily Bronte.

 

Posted in children, father, forgiveness, friend, gift, God, husband, Jesus, love, mother, quote

Gift

The gift, a friend, a child, a grandchild, your spouse, your parent, or a pet.  Unconditional love.  That is the gift.  Sent from God.  Who in your life represents God’s heart and love?  Who have you shared God’s heart by loving them?  Who needs to know that love?

So happy to know God’s unconditional love, His forgiveness, His Son, Jesus my Redeemer and Savior as our example, role model.  No one else is the Perfect role model.  My Jesus.  Your Jesus, too.

Posted in forgiveness, God, jealousy, Jesus, love, patient, scripture, sinful woman

White As Snow

I watch the snowflakes flutter softly from the gray clouds while the deceptive sun rays warm through the window. It is very cold outside this January Sunday.  The way the song birds are feeding this afternoon, the flakes will grow in size, and accumulate to become a white cover.  I suspect to see a pure white landscape by early morning.  I love snow, the subtle uniqueness of each snowflake in contrast to the energy and excitement it generates.  Our 13-year old Labrador prances in this white fluff, old bones and all.

 

Snow also reminds me of what Jesus has done with my sin, and yours.  Isaiah 1:18 says “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow…” and the Psalms tell me “… wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.”  There has to be a time to recognize sin for what it is, in order to be washed whiter than snow.  Anger that is out of control is sin.  Jealousy towards those seemingly more favored with a relationship, talent or possessions, unforgiveness towards another, disbelief in God’s promises, sex thoughts that linger beyond the marriage vow, impatience with the simple-minded, and using food, alcohol, uppers, downers, or whatever rather than listening and obeying God’s Word is sin.  Anything that separates us from God is sin.  Exam oneself.  Take the time now … Today am I right with my God and His people?

Those gaps in life, my shortcomings and downfalls are bridged with Jesus.  I can pray to God with confidence because of Jesus.  Jesus, God’s Son is the only example of the life without sin.  And the Gospel message “He who is without sin cast the first stone”, Jesus scolded the crowd surrounding a “sinful woman”.  Jesus could have cast the stone, but He did not and does not.  He chose to love.  Have you been that woman feeling the stones hit with the gossip, rumors, lies, judgement, abandonment, assaults, or disassociation?  Or are you the one throwing the self-righteous stone? For each, Jesus is there to make you “whiter than snow.”  The saying “pure religion is love in action,” reminds me to smile at all people who cross my path no matter if they smile back, be faithful to the faithless, give without expecting in return.  Be the one that goes beyond the dirt and finds the gold inside the unlovable.  Be Jesus’ hands and heart to those placed in your life.

 

Posted in brother, conquer, die, Emotional, insecurity, jealousy, Jesus, live, Physical, Rejoice, weep

A Single Seed or Many?

As a gardener, I understand the need to let some of my herbs go to seed in the autumn season.  The once green, edible plant produces seeds, then becomes brown, and dies with the winter chill.  But that seed or seeds have the kernel inside, drops to the fertile soil, and with the right conditions will produce another herb plant.  Every year I have voluntary lettuce or basil emerge from the cold soil.  Sometimes seeds are intentional gathered to be sown into the fertile soil.  Burkee, Seed Savers, and the like make a profit with seed gathering.   Yes, undesirable weeds survive with the same process.  But the point is something has to die to produce more life, plentiful life.  “Unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed.  But if it dies, it produces many seeds.” John 12:24

Oh The Berries

Jesus Christ is our example for the Christian life.  He lost His life, so that all of us could live eternally.  So what have you lost?  What have you lost to only gain more later?  Sometimes much later, maybe in the next life.  “I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things.”  Philippians 3:8.

Can you be happy for those who win, even if it is like all the time?  At some place or season in your friend’s or brother’s life, they lost, too.  “Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.” Romans 12:15.  This is how we conquer our insecurities and jealousy.  Don’t compare your life to your brother’s.  “To everything, there is a season.” Ecclesiastes 3:1

Lost & Win

Posted in faith, fear, forgiveness, grace, hope, insecurity, Jesus, love, prayer, quote, resources, Spiritual, strength, trust, Women in My Life

Invest In Yourself

Invest In Yourself

Time, energy, money, and prayer spent on yourself is not a waste.  We women spend so much of our resources and reserves on others. “If your compassion does not include yourself, it is incomplete,” quoting Jack Kornfield. Our granite strength can crack underneath if we neglect yourselves.  With our Rock foundation, our lives are built with love, accented with care, and yet at times splats of doubt, insecurity, and fear appear on our walls.

We each are a treasure to behold and admire. “Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also vessels of wood and of earthenware”, 2 Timothy 2:20.  The vessel holds nourishing water until a leak forms.  “Not that I have already obtained, or am already made perfect: but I press on, if so be that I may lay hold on that for which also I was laid hold on by Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:12.  Seal that leak with your Maker’s salve of mercy, forgiveness, grace, trust, hope, faith, and love.  And your cup will overflow again …


Cup Overflows