Musings and Marvelings on my Jesus Journey

 I am musing.... about trick or treat So it is that time of year. This is not really about the holiday. That would be for another post. But as this day approached a thought occurred to me of a spiritual nature. Satan is a deceiver. He wants to trick us. Each one. He wants us to mask ourselves with non authenticity. He wants us to try to be somebody we are not. He wants us to try to impress others. He wants us to live a life of lies and deceit. He wants us to hide under the mask of denial (of sin), rationalization and subtle idolatry. He wants us to wear a mask. To live life as a meaningless and dangerous masquerade. He wants to trick us. But God on the other hand wants us to take off that mask and to allow Him to create in us a new person. He wants us to be real, open, repentant and vulnerable. To come to Him, face to face and heart to heart. To allow Him to have His way with us, day by day....to form us more and  more into His likeness. And in that He will delight. And he will treat u

  I am marveling at Our Creator's Creation! No words needed!

 I am musing about this: Can we love our country too much? Is to love America to not love the world? There seems to be those who think that it is wrong to be nationalistic; to really love and care about one's country. First, are they right? This is something we must all consider and evaluate. Are we "worshiping our country"? Do we have it on too high of a pedestal? Are we valuing our nation above other nations in a way that somehow indicates that we do not genuinely care for the good of other nations? Let us think about that. (Pause) (Ponder) (Pray) As I consider, I realize that God had a special love for His "chosen" people, His nation of Israel. He desired their obedience and wanted to bless them (to even gather them to Him as a Hen with her chicks). He had a plan for them. It was His hope, His desire, His plan, that ALL nations would be blessed through them. So...do we acknowledge that we, in this beautiful blessed USA, are also  BLESSED BY GOD THAT WE MIGHT

  I am marveling at  how God BlessED America!! Oh the wonderful freedoms we have enjoyed! God BlessED America! Oh the way we could come and go as we pleased! God BlessED America! Oh the way we could worship however and wherever we chose! God BlessED America! Oh the way we could speak our minds and share our thoughts freely! God BlessED America! Oh the wonderful inventions, resources and material processions we had available to pursue and consume. God BlessED America! Oh the amazing, unique, breathtaking and glorious natural beauty, from "sea to shining sea" that we could experience and enjoy! God BlessED America! Oh the public education made available to all. Education that did not misalign with the principals we were learning at home and at church. God BlessED America! Oh how we have been able to unleash our creativity, to work hard, to dream big and to make "new" and "better" happen.! God BlessED America! Oh the opportunities we had been given to elect l

  I am musing about Prayer chairs and other chairs This morning it occurred to me to write about my chair. It is a shade of earth tone green. It is big and soft and comfy. It is where I often tend to start my day. In that chair. With God's Word. And then in prayer. Sometimes I am on my knees, and other times just sitting there. But there is something special about the "Prayer chair". I used to slide out of bed and onto my knees. For years I did that and it was a good thing. To start a day in communion with God. On my knees. By my bed. But then we got this really big mattress and it was, well, kind of  awkwardly tall and honestly uncomfortable to kneel beside, thus proving to not be the best place to have my morning prayer. So, that is when I started going to my Prayer chair. God meets me there.  What a blessing we all have to be able to come to Jesus, every morning, wherever we opt to meet Him and know that He is there waiting to commune with us and to join us in our day.

  I am musing about.... It is just not like being there. Picture this. You have a precious (dream like) opportunity to talk with your great grandpa. He asks, "So how was church on Sunday?" "It was good" you respond.  "We watched online."                                                                                      Can you imagine his response??  "WHAT is online "?? In this Covid world, online church has become a reality for many. I admit that it is a WONDERFUL  option for those who need or desire to stay away from crowds, who are ill or at risk. How many times this year have I thanked God for the blessings of technology. Providing a chance to "almost feel like you are there".  But you aren't. And it is not the same. There is just something about sitting in God's sanctuary under the tutelage of a Spirit led teacher/preacher. There is just something about being able to lift voices, in harmony and corporately, masked or unm

  I am musing on a story that begins like this.... There once was a fly. There once was a fly. It lived in Salt Lake City. More specifically, in Kingsbury Hall on the campus of the University of Utah. Kingsbury Hall is the Performing Arts Center. So that fly had the opportunity to view many productions. Last night, that fly was viewing a televised production that likely millions were watching. As that fly buzzed around, it decided to land on a nice head of white hair. And stay there awhile. Little did he know, that he was sitting on the head of the Vice President of the United States. Little did he know how important the role of Vice President of the United States is. Little did he know how important the upcoming election which was being debated is. Little did he know how much of that country's future was at stake. Little did he know how many prayers were being offered for that man upon whose head he sat... and  for those he works with Little did he know of the challenges that coun

  I am musing on.... Falling on the Maker of Fall! Let us fall on the Maker of Fall! This beautiful time of year! A time of color, cozy, crispness and gathering. A time to gather in the fruits after a season of growth. A time to glean, prune and prepare for the oncoming of cold. Of short days. A time to gather with friends, around a fire for fellowship and warmth A time to reflect on the Creator's magnificence and His ability to beautify the world around us with His touch; painting the trees in glorious hues, the barren fields in pretty tones, the sky in  vibrant blues against the pure white floating clouds. A time to recognize that with the coming reality of decay and stagnant growth, that surely, as He wills, Spring will come again and the land will once again blossom and be rebirthed in new Glory. Oh the analogy this provides of our life here and our eternal hope in all that awaits! So let us fall on Him each and every day. Leaning on Him for strength, renewal and perspective. H

  I am marveling at... "to the moon and back"! How many times of late have we heard the phrase "I love you to the moon and back"! Wow. That sounds like a lot of love. And it is meant to.   But what about the love of our Heavenly Father! The love of Jesus, His Son! His love is beyond measure! It is as far as "the east is from the rest". It is infinite and oh so real. It is made real to us in so many ways.  But mostly in the way our Heavenly Father paved a  means for us to bridge the gap of sin; to find personal relationship with our loving Creator God. To find a place of deep and ultimate peace. To have  an invitation extended to spend eternity in the glories of Heavenly Splendor in the presence of LOVE itself. For our Jesus, left the glories and the beauty, not to mention His place in Heaven and came to this deplorable earth. He experienced the pain and heartache of mocking men, of  total misunderstanding, of dealing with this world's sin and anger. Of

I am musing about... My "accu" or I should say my "acc-me" weather report                                What a funny, mixed up day! Cloudy. Sunny. Sunny with clouds.  Cloudy with rain. Raining while shining. Do you ever have days like that in your own inner life? Happy. Sad. Sad but joyful. Happy but crying. Oh the fun of emotions. Changing. Down on its way up. Up on its way down. Effected by news and events and sleep and diet and, yes....weather. Our God. The same. Yesterday, today and tomorrow. Always there. Always caring. Through rain or shine; His peace and presence and powerful grace are constant. On that we can rely:) He is the source of an inner peace that can help control our emotional barometer. So rain on world! It is all okay because my God reigns on! By God's grace, I will shine on because His Son is always shining inside of me! Some days I may shade it, not allow it to shine out in it's full glory. I let "me" get in the way. Actually,

                                            Our Certain God in this Uncertain World   I do not know. I just do not know.... How many times have you heard this phrase since March of 2020? I many times have you said it yourself? Why? Because there is just so much we do not know. There are just so many questions.   When will this virus go away?  Is it really all that bad? Are the numbers skewed? What if my loved ones get it? What if the nursing home gets it and I am the one that brought it in? Should I take the vaccine? What are those rioters thinking?   Who will win the election? Is it best to home school or send my kids to school? The list goes on and on. All with the same answer. "I just don't know" If we have ever lived in uncertain times, it is now. If we have ever needed a certain God who is the source of all Truth it is now.  Praise God! He is certain. Unchangable. All knowing. All powerful. He has got this! Period. He has had this from day one. And in that I find com