Happy St. Patrick’s Day – Why I Love the Cross

Amidst all our attention to the C-virus, I want to give attention to the cross of our Savior who took on all our sins and diseases. Now, we can profess the Apostle Peter's words and claim them as true for us: "He himself bore our sins in his body upon the cross, so that, free from sin, we might live for righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed." (1 Peter 2:24)

I treasure this Celtic cross. It is said that the Celtic cross was introduced by St Patrick, who was attempting to convert the pagan Irish to Christianity. Some of the pagans worshiped the sun, so Patrick combined the Christian cross with the circular pattern of the sun as a way to associate light and life with the Christian cross in the minds of his converts.

My husband loved St. Patrick and his heart for evangelization. St. Patrick was his patron saint (a saint who intercedes for you). He wore this Celtic cross most all the time. Today, it’s one of my treasured possessions. I wear it often. I’m wearing it today as a reminder of St. Patrick’s and my husband’s love for Christ. I’m also wearing green and having my own St. Paddy’s Day celebration and having sweet memories -- especially those of St. Patrick whose great faith changed the lives of so many.

St. Patrick was born A.D. 389 in England. At 16, was kidnapped and sold as a slave in Ireland. Six years later he escaped and returned home to Britain, but became burdened for the spiritual condition of the Irish. He returned to their land as a missionary for 30 years where he established more than 200 churches and led more than 100,000 to faith in Christ. He used the 3-leaf shamrock to explain the Trinity. His death on March 17, 461 is remembered each year as St. Patrick’s Day.

Here we are – still reeling with all the concerns of the coronavirus. Most of us staying confined to our “safe place”. Can you imagine what must have gone through Patrick’s mind when he heard the Lord’s call to return to the land where he was once a slave? Instead of running to his safe place, he followed God’s plan for his life. And, isn’t that exactly what we are called to do?

Listen to how utterly consumed St. Patrick was in his relationship with God in his Breastplate Prayer: ”I arise today through God’s strength to pilot me, God’s might to uphold me, God’s wisdom to guide me, God’s eye to look before me, God’s ear to hear me, God’s word to speak for me, God’s hand to guard me. Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ on my right, Christ on my left, Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ when I arise. Christ in the heart of everyone one who thinks of me, Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me, Christ in every eye that sees me, Christ in every ear that hears me. I arise today through His mighty strength.” That prayer tells me St. Patrick wanted to be consumed by God!

And, that’s what I believe would provide 100% protection from any plague or disease. If we became saturated – through and through with Christ, and His precious blood that He shed for you and me, then we would be invincible and impenetrable.

St. Patrick boldly listened to God’s call for his life and achieved so much for God’s glory. His witness, his prayers, and his example should be celebrated today. This blog and the green I wear today honors him and honors the God he served. I’m in good company with him because I also desire to be consumed by Christ. St. Patrick’s prayer is my prayer, too!

A Big Return on our Investment

It is Sunday morning. After a month-long Tour de Texas, it’s good to be back home again – “home” home, and to my church home. I hear: “You’re back!” “Welcome home, Donna!” “We missed you, Donna!” I love those words: “Welcome home!” Can we even fathom what those words meant to the prodigal son when His dad welcomed him home? I’m in MY pew and MY seat. Well, it’s not really mine, but I get here early enough to claim my territory! Second row, first seat, middle aisle where those of us who are honored and humbled to be communion servers stand. Easy to get to my place from here.

There is no place like home with my “church family”. We are the ones who team up in volunteering, serving, sharing, loving and praying. A common goal – to let our little lights shine here and out there. Wherever I go, God goes -- so, actually, everywhere I go is home sweet home. But, I see Him loud and clear in my church family. We walk hand-in-hand in some tough times and in the over-the-top good times. We are family. We’re a part of the Family of God – we’re brothers and sisters.

As I kneel for a few minutes, I exhale all the busyness of my life and I inhale the One Who got this whole “church” thing started in the first place. He wanted us to come together in one accord. He wanted us to bear one another’s burdens. He wanted us to be Him to our world. I sense my Lord here. In this place and in my heart. I know Him intimately. He knows even more about me – even those annoying fly-away hairs that I have to keep licking my fingers to make them stay down. I express gratitude, with all this journeying I do, for getting me safe and sound back here.

I look around. I see Him in the etched glass reaching His arms out to His disciples. I get chills just thinking He’s holding His arms out to me in the same way. After all – I, too, am one of His disciples. He says: “Follow Me!” And, I follow. I see Him in the stained glass above the altar – the hand of God symbolizing the Father, the Lamb symbolizing the Son, the Dove symbolizing the Holy Spirit. I’m familiar with the Trinity: the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. I know them well – not as casual acquaintances but as MY never-failing, always-present, Holiest of Holy team.

Maybe you don’t have a church family – those who go toe-to-toe with you in good times and tough times; those who see you and come with a hearty hug for you. I have an investment in this place – my time, my talent and my treasure. The return on my investment is peace, joy, comfort, stability, hope, love and long-term (lifelong and beyond-term) pay-offs. Here’s my humble advice: If you want the best return on investment (ROI), there is nothing like investing in the Kingdom of God, investing in people. People will endure through time and eternity.

We don’t have a mission. God has a mission and has invited us to become part of His mission. We are the people to accomplish that mission. Someone said, “Keep the main thing the main thing.” The main thing is the mission of God. If you want real ROI, be a part of a team of people who make you better because their interests are beyond themselves. Their interests are Kingdom-based, people-based. Together we’re strong and stalwart with eyes on the prize. So, onward, Christian soldiers! Marching as to war, with the cross of Jesus going on before.

Awestruck at the Awesomeness of God

The longer I live and the places I get to go, the more awestruck I am by the majesty of God. What a genius He is! I bask in His meticulous handiwork everywhere. This last week I found myself in awe of Him even more while at the Sea of Cortez where all kinds of driftwood, shells, extraordinary plants and birds are everywhere. I even found 3-leaf clovers on a rock wall and had the opportunity to talk to my grandson about St. Patrick and how he used the 3-leaf clover to describe the Trinity: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. Thank you, God, for your brilliant way of helping me teach a good Bible lesson!

Bryson and I are the beach scavengers. The many varieties of seashells are the most amazing to me -- washed up from the sea or ocean and are scattered all along the beach. They certainly pull on our imaginations. Intrigued, we pluck them up from the sand to gawk at their colors, shapes, and sizes or hold them to our ear to hear the echoing sea.

My Bryson is the animal-of-any-kind lover so he was very bothered when I pulled a very-attached shell off a rock! “You’ve killed it, Nana! How could you?” My ignorance of shell life, as well as my sympathetic whine, helped my plea for forgiveness! He forgave!

To this gal, growing up on the prairies, seashells represent just about the most exotic and attractive natural objects on earth. But, what is most impressive is God, our Creator, Who came up with the idea of these seashells that offer marine animals some protection from predators with that rigid thick support that enables them to eat (and avoid being eaten), move and reproduce. The diverse forms, sizes, patterns, and colors reveal so much about the creative, imaginative, all-powerful, all-knowing, God we love, know and serve.

Laura Story, composer, and Chris Tomlin, recording artist, put this song on the map -- and its words explain how I felt in God’s vast domain this week:

"From the highest of heights to the depths of the sea
Creation revealing Your majesty.
From the colors of fall to the fragrance of spring,
Every creature unique in the song that it sings.
All exclaiming!
Indescribable, uncontainable,
You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name.
You are amazing God!
All powerful, untameable,
Awestruck we fall to our knees as we humbly proclaim
You are amazing God!

Incomparable, unchangeable
You see the depths of my heart and You love me the same
You are amazing God!"

Going GREEN on St. Patrick's Day!

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Do you have your “green” on? After all, it’s St. Patrick’s Day and who wants to get pinched? I’m told I’m 1/16th Irish so I’m wearing my Claddagh Irish ring and I’m wearing my sweetheart’s St. Patrick’s cross necklace that he wore almost all the time. He loved St. Patrick and what he stood for, and so do I. Hmm! It makes perfect sense on this special day to travel with my family to Ireland, but no, we’re on our way to Mexico — a great place to celebrate God’s green earth, His sweet blessings and to celebrate the true meaning of St. Patrick’s Day!

We always enjoyed corned beef & cabbage, Irish Stew, and Celtic music on St. Patrick’s Day. With all the good-hearted fun, I know, like other religious holidays, this is another “watered down, rather, beered down” day where we get distracted from the true story behind the day. The true meaning is about St. Patrick, and, in case you didn’t know, I’m giving you a little history lesson about why this man should be honored. Whether we’re in Mexico, Ireland, USA or anywhere in the world, he is worthy of celebrating and giving thanks for His example of great faith!

St. Patrick was born around A.D. 389 in England. At the age of 16, he was kidnapped and sold as a slave in Ireland. Six years later he escaped and returned home to Britain, but became burdened for the spiritual condition of the Irish. He eventually returned to their land as a missionary for 30 years where he established more than 200 churches and led more than 100,000 to faith in Christ. He used the 3-leaf shamrock to talk about the Trinity. His death on March 17, 461 is remembered each year as St. Patrick’s Day. Patrick was sold as a slave, and like Joseph in the Bible, “what the enemy meant for evil, God turned for good”. Genesis 50:20.

Can you imagine what must have gone through Patrick’s mind when he heard the Lord’s call to return to the land where he was once a slave? Instead of running to his safe place, he followed God’s plan for his life. And, isn’t that exactly what we are called to do? Jeremiah 29:11 says “For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.”

Listen to how utterly consumed St. Patrick was in his relationship with God in his prayer:”I arise today through God’s strength to pilot me, God’s might to uphold me, God’s wisdom to guide me, God’s eye to look before me, God’s ear to hear me, God’s word to speak for me, God’s hand to guard me. Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ on my right, Christ on my left, Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ when I arise. Christ in the heart of everyone one who thinks of me, Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me, Christ in every eye that sees me, Christ in every ear that hears me. I arise today through His mighty strength.” That prayer tells me St. Patrick wanted to be consumed by God!

St. Patrick was a man who boldly listened to God’s call for his life and achieved so much for God’s glory. His witness, his prayers, his passion, and his example really are something to celebrate today. The green I wear today honors him and honors the God he served. I’m in good company with him because I also desire to be consumed by Christ. St. Patrick’s prayer is my prayer, too!

Who Was St. Patrick?

Do you have your "green" on today? After all, it's St. Patrick's Day and the most important thing about this day is that we wear green so we don't get pinched!! NOT! There will be celebrations all around the world, which includes drinking endless pints of Guinness while wearing green and Ireland's flag colors like this wig on the little guy in the photo.

Tonight, I'll be attending our community's St. Patrick's Day Party, and, yes, I'll be wearing my "green" in celebration of this fun holiday. We'll enjoy corned beef & cabbage, Irish Stew, Celtic music, and just maybe, I'll win the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. ;-) It will be good hearted fun, but I know, like other religious holidays, this is another "watered....er' beered down" day where we get distracted from the true meaning of this day, but I want to honor St. Patrick by sharing who this man was -- just in case you may not know.

St. Patrick was born around A.D. 389 in England. At the age of 16, he was kidnapped and sold as a slave in Ireland. Six years later he escaped and returned home to Britain, but became burdened for the spiritual condition of the Irish. He eventually returned to their land as a missionary for 30 years where he established more than 200 churches and led more than 100,000 to faith in Christ. He used the 3-leaf shamrock to talk about the Trinity. His death on March 17, 461 is remembered each year as St. Patrick's Day. WOW -- like Joseph, St. Patrick, was sold to slavery, and like Joseph in the Bible, "what the enemy meant for evil, God turned for good". Genesis 50:20.

Can you imagine what must have gone through Patrick’s mind when he heard the Lord’s call to return to the land where he was once a slave? Instead of running to his safe place, he followed God’s plan for his life. And, isn’t that exactly what we are called to do? Jeremiah 29:11 says "For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future."

Listen to how utterly consumed St. Patrick was with his relationship with God in his prayer:

"I arise today through God's strength to pilot me, God's might to uphold me,God's wisdom to guide me, God's eye to look before me, God's ear to hear me, God's word to speak for me, God's hand to guard me. Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ on my right, Christ on my left, Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ when I arise. Christ in the heart of everyone one who thinks of me, Christ in the mouth of every one who speaks of me, Christ in every eye that sees me, Christ in every ear that hears me.I arise today through His mighty strength."

Let's take a few moments to honor and be inspired by St. Patrick -- a man who boldly listened to God’s call for his life and achieved so much for God's glory. His witness, his prayer, his passion and his example really is something to celebrate today. The green I wear today, honors him, honors the God he served and HE is also MY Lord, and MY God!