Musings and Marvelings on my Jesus Journey

I am musing about... feeling grove-y,  I mean.... groovy. Many of us who came of age in the 70's can relate to the lyrics from that happy,sappy song from Simon and Garfunkel about "feeling groovy" (The 59th Street Bridge Song). During this Covid season, I must admit that the words have gone through my mind more then once:) How apprapro.... "Slow down, you move too fast You got to make the morning last Just kicking down the cobblestones Looking for fun and feeling groovy Ba da-da da-da da-da, feeling groovy" "Hello lamppost, what'cha knowing I've come to watch your flowers growin' Ain't you got no rhymes for me? Doo-ait-n-doo-doo, feeling groovy Ba da-da da-da da-da, feeling groovy" Yep, we have slowed down. And it has been good. Watching flowers grow? Why not?:) Another way to "stop and smell the roses" right? And I get a kick out of noticing the iconic lamp-posts, or kicking down cobblestone stre...

I am musing..... about a day that is gray. Gray days. They come. Sometimes it seems, they stay. There is a difference in my book between a gray day and an array of gray days. One gray day means a day to slow down a bit, a day for maybe more reflection, to read a bit more, bask in the "cozy", to make a cup of tea. And that goes okay for maybe another day or two. But once the gray day becomes a gray week.... Well, if you are like me, it can kind of "get to me". So what's your go to? What distracts you? Helps you? What helps me? Reach out to a friend. Keep busy. Make goals/lists. Write. Read. Run to Bloomington/shop/study at a coffee shop (pre-Corona) Bake. Try to bring sunshine to others. There. Should we not always be about that? Bringing sunshine to others? If these gray days help to refocus me off my self and my own busy life, is there not great value in that? And then when God sends a glorious day of bright, beautiful sunshi...

I am musing about embracing As this Covid season lengthens, we find ourselves looking at a new landscape before us. There is talk of the "new normal". The scenes behind us are, well, behind us. This can bring sadness and a sense of loss. We need to acknowledge it and allow our hearts and spirits to grieve what is behind even as we look forward to what lies ahead. But, then, may we, with God in our hearts and at our sides, EMBRACE what lies before. May we step into it with a sense of hope and excitement and thankfulness. May we realize that our future holds gifts and blessings that we know not of. I have loved something that has been shared by one of our ministers, Bro. Dave, during this season. He spoke of that amazing story of when Peter stepped into the stormy sea...because he wanted nothing more then to be with His Lord! Dave also shared how Jesus "walks on our storms". Those things in life which we may fear most...He "walks on them"! ...

I am marveling at The Great Orchestrator.... Jesus is the great orchestrator of my life. He conducts the symphony. He cues in the sweet, melodic strings,     the blaring trumpets,     the pounding drums,     the soft flutes,     the clarifying clarinets,     the sliding trombones.   Sometimes the piece sounds chaotic and jumbled, But as the conductor waves His baton, it all comes together.... Into a glorious chef d'oeuvre,  a work of inspiration.... That can give chills of awe to the listener and fill the participant with welling joy~ So as the heartaches blare, disappointments pound,  dreams are softly subdued,  reality is clarified and situations slide and vary....play on! Keep your eyes on the conductor. Keep trusting that He is the great "orchestrator" who can bring forth the elements of the score into a beautiful symphony. He controls the intensity and the beat. He is not only the conduct...

I am musing.... About our Certain God These are uncertain times. I have never been more uncertain about our immediate future. Yes. It is May of 2020 and Covid is on the global scene. It is a household word, the number one news story, a daily reality. It has effected life in a very real way. Just yesterday I told my friends that "I miss my old life". And I meant it. I have an old life. It was the life before March 15th. The life before Covid and Quarantine. It was a life of freedom and innocence and well....honestly, bliss. Yes, I know. Spoiled. Blessed. I was thankful. Every day. I loved being able to go and connect and experience. But now we have a "new life". It is quieter. It is slower. It is less open. It is quarantined It is uncertain. But in this season, Jesus is saying.... "Child look to me. Draw on me. On my grace. My righteousness. My love. My compassion. My Word." I am Certain. "I am" Yes, God is certa...

I am marveling.... at being gifted I was gifted today... -by the stunning blue of the skies accented against billowy white clouds, -by the warmth of the sun upon my upturned face -by the welcoming music of the birds as they flew overhead -by a time in the garden pulling up weeds that was actually a breeze thanks to the recent rains -by the friendly little chat with the neighbor boy on his scooter -by the encouraging call from my friend -by the helpful man at the bicycle shop -by seeing my dear hubby hard at work well grooming our yard and feeling so thankful for him  -by the sign I saw along the way, reminding  me and all who passed by to "Trust Jesus" -by a walk around the neighborhood made all the sweeter by some sweet chats with sweet folks -by a zoom meeting with five faithful friends -by a new book that arrived in the mail -by a stop at my dear cousin's home to pick up some home made masks she lovingly made -by a wonderful video visi...

I am musing... About May Day! May Day! Today is May Day! 5/1/20! I love May Day. It symbolizes flowers and renewal and friendship. Fun and new beginnings!! But today I woke up with a realization. I felt like I needed to send out a distress signal. May Day! May Day! Why? I am feeling oppressed. It hit me. That word. Oppressed. We hear about praying for the oppressed. Fighting for the oppressed. Caring about the oppressed. It sounds good, noble and Christ like. It is what we are called to do. Yet, in my heart of hearts, I could not identify. I have been spoiled and blessed beyond blessed. I honestly have never felt the sting of a lack of freedom. Never looked at others and felt like they had it so much better then I. I was never made to feel that I was "less then" or "less blessed." Being honest here. That does not mean that I did not have a sense of compassion for the hurting and challenged. I do. Deeply. I cry when I read about their plights. I...