The Year We Came Together

If there’s anything we learned from it all -- it’s we’ll never take a handshake, a hug or a kiss for granted again. (That's why I can't help but kiss and hug you so much!)To my future grandchildren and great grandchildren:
WOW! What a year 2020 was! Before the BIG “C-Virus”, our world was so divided. There were literal wars and political wars beyond belief. So many people were selfish and talked so bad to and about each other. The heroes before the C-virus were the highly paid professional athletes, musicians, recording artists, politicians and movie stars. While in the quarantine of the C-virus, the true heroes became those in the medical field and grocery store shelf stockers and moms and dads teaching their kids at home and those who were near-poverty because their store or business was shut down. Can you even imagine this? Grocery store refrigerators and shelves were empty. We had to stand in line to get toilet paper and paper towels. There were no professional, college or high school sports games played. No March Madness – well, there was madness, but not with basketball. Businesses – big and small were either closed altogether or their employees were working from home. Food establishments stopped indoor dining and only provided drive-thru meals. We quickly ran in and out of grocery stores in a hurry. People even wore gloves and masks. When they got home, they took off the clothes they wore and washed them right away. Our churches were closed. Online worshipping was the norm. “Social distancing” was the main theme. We had to stay away from closeness in public. Online connectedness was the best way to stay close to each other.

But, that C-Virus did something to us and for us. It brought us together as families and friends. Technology helped with that because we couldn’t go to each other’s homes. We were connected by the internet. Thank God for the internet. Thank God for our phones. Thank God for a wise President who led our Country to wholeness again. Now, there’s a vaccine that stops the spread of the virus and a vaccine that we can take to keep us from ever getting it. Once again, we are free to go about our lives and businesses and friendships.

We’ll never take full shelves and refrigerators at the grocery stores for granted. We’ll never take for granted: a crowded theater, going to church, the taste of communion, a routine check-up, the school rush each morning, the stadiums roaring, taking each breath deeply, the reasons for washing our hands many times a day.

And, my precious grandchild and great grandchild, just look at us now. We have so much to be grateful for. Like in the story of Joseph in the Bible -- "What the enemy meant for evil, God meant it for good." Genesis 50:20. That’s how we came out of our C-Virus nightmare. God turned all of the chaos into so much beauty because we became more like the people we wanted to be, called to be, hoped to be and just look at us now. We are so much better because of the worst. God brought neighbors back together again. Our family units were restored. We ate together as a family. We slowed down our lives and appreciated what mattered most. Most of all, we learned that it is God who changed everything for us. We humbled ourselves, we turned from our wicked ways and we surrendered to His will and His ways. We trusted Him more than our money and our material possessions. We prayed. We cried out to Him and He heard our prayers and He healed our lands and our people. I'm so thankful I went through that experience so that I can tell you that living for Jesus, loving Him with all my heart and trusting Him kept me strong enough to tell you about it.
I love you so, so much, my beloved grands!
Nana

That Filet Knife Can Sure Slice and Dice

All that blood! On our fishing trips, I am the designated cook. It’s my pleasure. I love rustling in all the fisher-people for their next chow-down. My son, Larry, is the fish-filet-er. He uses the sharpest filet knife to get the perfect, boneless filets for our big fish-fry. It was that knife that was laying on the counter when I needed something sharp to open a plastic bag. I grabbed it and sliced open the bag AND the palm of my hand. All that blood! Fortunately, it wasn’t a deep cut, but still in an area where a band-aid just couldn’t keep the blood from flowing.

I thought about that "bloody" scene when I read my devotion scripture from Exodus. Imagining my scene with the filet knife was minor compared to all the bloodshed in those sacrificial offerings. It makes me squirm a bit, but I get it. Blood played such an important role in the everyday life of the Israelites. When Moses splashed the blood of animals on the altar and sprinkled it on the people, everyone saw it as a beautiful, moving gesture. Can you even imagine – ALL THAT blood? But, that blood, the substance that gave life, sealed their covenant with God. It connected them with the altar of His presence.

We know the rest of the story. God lived up to his part of the covenant by making the Israelites His special people and by giving them the Law. But they didn’t always live up to their part. Sure, they promised to obey God’s commandments, but they often failed. Nevertheless, in the face of their failures, God remained faithful to them. He wouldn't give up on his beloved people! But that just wasn't good enough to God. Over time, He prepared for them AND us a new, better covenant, one that would be sealed not with the blood of animals but with the blood of his own Son, Jesus. Now, Jesus’ blood, shed on the cross, has the power not only to cleanse us from our sins but to give us the grace to live in holiness and blessing. Through His blood, we are forgiven, healed, and protected. Thank you, Lord, for YOUR blood sacrifice for us.

Jesus initiated this new covenant at the Last Supper when He said, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which will be shed for you” (Luke 22:20). Every time we receive communion, we relive the Last Supper. God reminds us: “I have made an eternal covenant with you. I have given myself to you, all of myself, so that you can live with me forever.” What a GIFT!

This is our God, a God who continues to pursue His people, even when we stray. This is our God, who renews His covenant with us every time we receive the Body and Blood of His Son. What a gracious Father we have!

This is the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you. (Exodus 24:8)

Thank You. Thank You. Thank You.

I'm starting this Thanksgiving week with so much gratitude to God for His love and His many blessings -- far more than I could ever deserve! I am not lucky, fortunate, or merely disciplined – I am the recipient of God’s grace – His unmerited favor because I am His and He is mine. It's not enough to just say “Thank you!”, but to do something with the grace and blessings I’ve been given. And I know there is a responsibility that comes with privilege. I am blessed to bless. Gifted so I can give and that giving may come as just being a bright light that someone else may need.

Case in point. While in Tulsa, it was hammer down getting Mom’s things packed up for her move to my sis-in-law, Karen’s home. Mom isn’t moving fast these days, so we realized, neither should we. We’re giving her time and space to make these many easy AND difficult decisions. After all, she has an accumulation of many years of living -- 95 to be exact. She needed rest from her decision-making on Saturday morning, so I decided to go visit Karen’s husband’s Mom, Margaret, also 95 years old and who lives in a long care facility here in Tulsa. I was powered up to "make her day".

I drove just a few miles up the road to Inverness Village, her home for many years now, and tiptoed into her room because I could see she was dozing. George and Karen warned me that she has some memory loss now and may not recognize me. I gently tapped her leg and her drowsy eyes opened wide, and the biggest smile appeared on her face as she said, “Donna, you are here. I’m so glad to see you!” She was dressed to the nines, as usual. She was warm and welcoming and I could tell I made her day, but, more importantly, she made mine with the brightness in her eyes and the joy overflowing coming from her. I said, “Margaret, you look beautiful as always, but just look at your hair – it is so full and long!” With the humor I’ve always known her to have, she said, “I know. It’s because I’m ‘on the pill’” I laughed so hard and she said, “I love to say that to see people’s reaction. But, seriously, I’m taking a pill that has made my hair come back and it’s thicker than ever!” Then she went on to tell me about how much she loves living at Inverness. "They take such good care of me. The people (nurses, nurse’s aides, etc.) are so helpful and kind. I love the activities -- just look at the paintings I've done. I just love doing that." Me: “Margaret, you’ve got your Christmas up already!” Margaret: “Oh, no. I keep my Christmas up all year. It makes me happy all year.” She had so much enthusiasm and energy that it made me tear up with gratitude for her gratitude.

When I lived in Tulsa, I took communion to her on Sundays. I asked if anyone was bringing her communion and she said there is a lovely lady who brings her communion regularly and then she wanted to show me the chapel. "If you’ll push me in the wheel chair, I’ll show you!” So we took a stroll down the hall to see this beautiful little chapel, and as we rolled along, she waved and spoke to everyone we passed.

After spending about an hour with her, as my typical routine before I would leave, I had prayer with her and as I prayed, I thanked God for this precious bright light that blessed me more than I could have ever blessed her. I thanked God for caring so lovingly for her. I thanked God that her gratitude and heart of Thanksgiving made me even more grateful for my life.

When it comes to the understanding of the value of gratitude, sometimes it helps to look at the wisdom of others. Margaret has learned to count her blessings – a wheelchair that carries her to her next activity, a “pill” that’s made her hair grow, the ability to paint some pictures, her home – be it a room with many family mementos everywhere, her clothes, her children that come to see her, her beautician (she was emphatic about her hair appointment at 1 o’clock). Maybe her simplified life is far from where you and I may be, but oh that we can be as thankful for all that we have in our lives.

“Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.” – Oprah Winfrey

"In everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Merry Christmas from Bethlehem in June!

We were enroute to Bethlehem yesterday morning when we took the Hebron Road and just to the North of us was where David fought the Philistines in 1004 BC. Does that even compute when I say those words? It seems inconceivable to be in the places I've only read about all my life. God has blessed me way more than I deserve to be in this place of so many victories won by our God Almighty.

Today was the first time we were given time to shop, but it was intentional because this is a spiritual journey of increasing our faith and seeing all these holy places, and it has certainly has done just that. Our guide took us purposely to a Bethlehem shop where Christians run it, and what we purchase there feeds their families. Christians have had a tough time making it here and so many have evacuated from this sacred city. It was a joy to buy presents on our Merry Christmas Day in Jerusalem. After our shopping excursion, we headed to Church of the Nativity for our Christmas Day mass and communion. How memorable it was to sing "Oh Come All Ye Faithful", "Angels We Have Heard on High" and "Silent Night". So in tune with the spirit of Christmas, were the children's choir (kids accompanying their parents on this trip) that led us in singing. Presents, Christmas Carols, children, and worshipping the King here in the actual cave of Christ's birth -- made for a heavenly Christmas in June!

The Gospel reading was from John 1: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it."

Just think of it -- the God from the beginning of time that created everything and His light was born here in this cave. Fr. Paul gave us a beautiful Christmas message: "May we allow THE WORD to resonate within us. Plant the seeds of peace. Celebrate Christmas everyday. We've been to many holy places, and those holy places are wonderful to remind us of the past. But there is nothing to compare with Jesus Christ Himself as we receive Him in communion."

At the Church of the Nativity, Christian pilgrims from around the world come to pay tribute and honor to God for the birth of His Son, Jesus. We were among many on this day. also. Truly a STAR was born when Christ was born, and we made our way down to the grotto via narrow stairs to get inside the cave. There above that holy place is a star that marks the location. In our deepest humility and thanksgiving for the Star of all Stars, we touched or bent low to kiss that star. It was a profoundly emotional and spiritual experience, to say the least -- the birthplace of our Savior over 2000 years ago. Our guide said, "Say thank You, Jesus, for my salvation!" He went on to tell us that lambs were swaddled in cloths when they were brought for sacrificial offerings. In our Lord's case, He was the perfect lamb, and as scripture reads, "He was wrapped in swaddling cloths and laid in the manger." The manger was just a short distance from the star.

After that moving experience, we headed to lunch at an Arabic restaurant, Abu Shanab (The Father of Moustache) and had the most delicious lamb and chicken kabobs, hummus and other lovely veggies with baklava for dessert. Our meals have been so yummy! Here I am in a photo with Father Moustache himself. LOL!

After lunch we headed to the Shrine of the Visitation. -- where Mary, now with child, went to visit her cousin, Elizabeth at Gabriel's insistence. We read in Luke 1 that Elizabeth and her husband had dearly longed for a child. They had prayed for one and the culture of the day had demanded they needed one. Yet no child came. Zacharias was a priest. One day as he was serving in the temple the angel Gabriel appeared to him and announced that his wife would have a child. Although Zacharias was moved by the awesome presence of the angel, he could not accept that his aged wife could still give birth. Could you blame him? In order to stop him confessing his unbelief, the angel struck him dumb. The angel's promise eventually happened and a pregnant and rather embarrassed Elizabeth hid herself for 5 months. She would have hid for longer if the angel had not intervened again.

Angel Gabriel alerted Mary about the pending birth of Elizabeth's child. Mary hastened to her place to see her. By this time Elizabeth was 6 months pregnant. On arriving at Elizabeth's place, the moment Mary spoke, the baby (John the Baptist) in Elizabeth's womb moved. The Holy Spirit came upon Elizabeth and she blessed Mary with these words: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!” Then Mary's magnificat began -- her song from verse 46: “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for He has been mindful of the humble state of His servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me -- holy is His name. His mercy extends to those who fear Him; from generation to generation. He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; He has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. He has brought down rulers from their throne, but has lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. He has helped His servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and His descendants forever, just as He promised our ancestors.”

Those were the words that Hannah said when she gave birth to Samuel. Mary must have been an "honor student" of God's Word. We made our way up 115 steps to the Church of the Annunciation to see the place of the annunciation. How alive the scriptures came to us in this place.

Then we went back down and up another hill to St. John the Baptist Church that marks the spot over which Elizabeth gave birth to him.

Elizabeth had a vital role to play in the plan of God. If she had 'given up' on God because of her barrenness she would have forfeited her "God given role". We may not always understand God but we should never cease trusting him.

We have continued to be stunned by the reality of our heritage. History speaks for itself and it sure has been speaking loud and clear to us about our beloved saints and their roles in our own journeys of faith.
Stay tuned for the excitement of our day tomorrow....Jerusalem, Mt of Olives, Palm Sunday, Gethsemane -- I almost lose my breath.....just at the thought of being in those sacred places! Shalom, my beloved friends and family!

Do You Have a Rich Family History and You Don't Know It?

When my mother was up in years, I realized I didn't know much about her history -- stories about her 12 siblings, what it was like living in a large family, how their parents were able to support them financially, how she met my dad, and what it was like for them to have children, etc. What a shame it was that I waited so long to find out. I realized that I was so "me" focused that I didn't treasure and appreciate where I came from, so I took my camcorder and set it on a tripod and spent many hours (a few at a time) and days interviewing her. Oh, how precious and dear were her stories. Fortunately, I finally stopped to spend quality time with her that resulted in VHS tapes that I could give out to my siblings and their kids when mom passed away at age 94 in 2004.. I was able to pass on to my kids and siblings the rich (not in money, but in faith and fortitude) family history.

That's the message I received yesterday as we continued on our Day 4 Rome pilgrimage. The more we have delved into the rich history of Christianity in our tours that explained so many of OUR "God's" family history, the more I realized how much I need to be living everyday with great appreciation and gratitude for what our forefathers and foremothers gave us. How can I do that unless I make the effort to know that heritage?

Our day, yesterday, started out with Holy Communion in St. Peter's Basilica before the crowds started. The songs we sang were heaven-on-earth with the spectacular acoustics in that magnificent Holy Place that took 120 years to complete. The scriptures we read came alive in that place of history that is dedicated to keeping the Church alive and the Gospel message declared. It is arguably the greatest achievement of late-Renaissance architecture. I assure you that my Christian walk has become richer because of the traditions and symbols that opened my eyes to the reality of God's incredible plan to perpetuate His word to the world.

It is like that "city on a hill" that Christ talked about when He was speaking about letting our lights shine. Peter the Apostle, now St. Peter, is buried in a tomb under St. Peter's. Remembering St. Peter moves us to remember the earliest days of the church. After the Council of Jerusalem in AD 49, Peter returned to Rome. There he served as the bishop of the small Christian community, holding mass in homes. During this time, he also dictated the Gospel, ascribed by name to his secretary, St. Mark, and his two letters are included in our New Testament.

Tradition holds that when the Roman Emporer, Nero, arrested Peter for his faith, Peter protested that he was not worthy to die as the Lord and so was crucified upside down. After his death, the faithful recovered St. Peter’s body and buried it in what is the present site of St. Peter's Basilica.

St. Peter's Basilica houses the grandeur of the magnificent marble sculptures, one of which is Michelangelo's statute, the Pieta (Mary holding her son at his death), the solemnity of the many chapel areas where you can hear pilgrims from all of the world in their native languages praying, praising and bowing before our Holy God.

The message that resonated with me is "The Lord is the same yesterday (the Church's history), today (continuing today the purposeful sharing of the good news of Christ's love for us), and forever (loudly communicating that the Lord really is the same yesterday, today, and forever more).

In Rome, you hear the bells echoing through the ancient streets with a crispness of joy and thanksgiving. The bells somehow ring in our hearts that He is alive, and that we are His people, coming forth in the name of the Lord. The art in the church — enveloped in paintings, stained glass windows, sculptures, and the like — caused me to meditate and bring to life the birth, life, death, and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I find myself observing others prayerfully taking in these images, which so vividly remind me of Jesus. To me this experience is not even close to becoming boring or a ritual, but instead breeds life. He is far from boring.

I started this post with talking about my own family history and how it has affected my life for so much good. But on this faith journey and pilgrimage, the history of our faith isn't OLD NEWS. It is the yesterday, today and forevermore news and if we continue to review it, rehearse it, and make it known to our children and our children's children, we will all be living in the plans and purposes of God's great love for mankind.

Much more to share about yesterday, but for another day. Today we're heading to Assisi to the Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi. Love to you, until tomorrow!

Holy Week -- a Time for Remembering

Just look at those amazing signs of Spring that celebrate this marvelous Holy Week aka Passion Week, the week just before Easter. Yesterday was Palm Sunday, the sacred day that commemorates the entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem, where He rode into town on a donkey as crowds of people joyfully lauded him and spread out palm branches in his path to honor his kingship. Unfortunately, those same crowds would, later in this same week, cry out “Crucify Him!” This is the week of remembering His love and great sacrifice for you and me.

On Palm Sunday, our congregation, symbolic of those crowds in Jerusalem, meets together in our Fellowship Hall and then we all process into the sanctuary carrying our palm branches as we sing praises to our Lord. This day marked the start of Christ's journey to the cross, and ultimately, His glorious resurrection. The very least we can do this week, in the midst of our daily activities, routines and responsibilities, is to make room for the magnitude of what this week means to us.

We ponder with heart-felt gratitude He Who knew no sin, He Who loved so unconditionally, He who paid the price for our salvation and enable us to live a life of abundance, and He Who offers live-everlasting to each of us. Over 2000 years ago, He went the distance and finished what His Father set out for Him to do. His arms are still open wide for us to come to Him, to know Him, to receive Him and for us to live our lives in honor of such great sacrifice.

I snapped these photos as I left Inverness Village where a dear friend is in Skilled Nursing care there. I took her one of the palm branches from the service earlier, and I also took her communion. She cried when she saw the palm branch. I cried with her. Though she couldn’t be at the service, she remembered what this day meant, and humbly, she embraced receiving the Body of Christ in communion. As I left her and witnessed the beauty of this Spring day that represents newness of life, I also rejoiced because of such love from my Savior. Our Lord is no longer riding a donkey facing a horrific death. He is our risen Lord and Savior, soon coming on a white horse as our King of Kings and Lord of Lords. (Revelation 19:11-16).

"You were worth dying for." -- Jesus