Bible Marginalia- Everlasting Covenant

Bible Marginalia Series- #167

Sometimes in Bible Journaling

 I have started a page 

and come back to it way later.

Like wayyyyyy later.

More than a year later.

I had tried the process of a 

Stampin' Up ink roller pattern

 on tissue paper.

Added it in to the margin of my Bible.

Just wasn't ready to journal the page.

Been thinking about baptism,

covenant, and promise.

Now was the time to finish this page.

Somehow right now- 

meditating on the words-

 everlasting covenant-

is a blessing.

Supplies:

Stampin' Up ink roller flower design

Micron pens

Washi tape 

colored pencils

Rhythm Cycles

Nothing makes me want 

to take a break more than-

weeding in the garden.

I tire much quicker now.

Can't really tolerate high heat or humidity

 I often weed from dusk to dark.

Daylillies here- just love the color.

The start of the garden phlox.

Queen of the Prairie.

 Filipendula- such a soft pink.

 Dwarf balloon flowers and feverfew.

Acanthus- royal and a bit regal.

Had to take out a shrub 

(tired of fighting the scale)

and now a vintage garden chair waits.

I like mid morning garden strolls.

and sometimes just plunk right down here -

 to clear my mind a spell.

I give thanks-

 and wonder if this is

 already counted in my journal.

Time to stay and  breathe deep in my

 very own garden hideaway.

A Servant's Heart

The Blessing Prayer

 for the 24th day of the month.

 Any month.

 Every month.

 "God, please help my children

 develop servant hearts 

that they may serve

 wholeheartedly,

'as to the Lord,

and not to men.' "

Ephesians 6:7 KJV

Servant hearts take time to be nurtured.

Sometimes we are just better

 at that than other times.

Often, our selfish, 

sinful nature wins the battle.

And then the dawn breaks,

 and we once again, 

start new and afresh.

Seeking to serve others- First.

Oh, how thankful I am for do-overs.

Resting Place

A few days ago we had an evening 

for some time on the water.

Water always refreshes our hearts.

Tumbling water down to water's edge.

Beautiful landscaping- carefully tended.

Lush blooms highlight in the dusk light.

And we are reminded 

of the necessary call to soul-

come sit awhile.

Breathe deep.

Without agenda.

The koi pond-

 resonates both movement and quiet.

Do you have a spot

 to sit and just contemplate?

To give yourself a "time-out?"

To watch the leaves 

on the nearby tree flutter?

God gives us His day -

 SUNDAY- the rest stop day.

Sometimes there are seasons 

when this is challenging.

So we take an evening

and watch the lightening bugs 

and push back and forth on the glider.

So that we may not be people 

who forget "their resting place."

Jeremiah 50:6

A friend gave this book 

to me in the last few days-

and as I read- 

and find "spiritual retreat"

here and now, now and then,

I see the sunset over the water.

Resting-Place-Personal-Spiritual-Retreats

And for friends that open their hearts

 and home for weary travelers-

Thank YOU.

Bible Marginalia-Here I am! Send Me

Bible Marginalia Series- #166

Worship into the Week

Sermon notes from June 12, 2016

Ordination and Installation Service 

for Ben Micheel

One of the readings was

 from Isaiah 6:1-13

The seraphim called to another:

Holy, Holy, Holy

is the Lord of Hosts;

the whole earth is full of

His Glory!

And though the foundations shake-

my predicament is the same-

Woe is me!

For I am unclean.

But the news arrive-

my guilt is taken away, 

and my sins atoned for.

And then the Lord asks-

Who will go? Who can I send?

Decided to add a yellow

 background to the left margin.

I make some notes during the service.

Noting where I am for worship.

(We travel much and are often 

NOT at our home congregation.)

Sermon notes.

Maybe some beginning
 lettering in the margins.

During the week is more reading,

perhaps numerous times,

praying over this section of Scripture.

Lectio Divina style.

Or really in this form, it is-

Visio Divina.

The Holy Spirit forming ME.

Spiritual Formation.

Supplies:

Micron Pens

Colored Pencils

Washi tape

Faith of our Fathers

Father's Day 2016

Today in worship we sang this song:

1. Faith of our fathers, living still,
   In spite of dungeon, fire, and sword;
   Oh, how our hearts beat high with joy
   Whene’er we hear that glorious Word!
   • Refrain:
     Faith of our fathers, holy faith!
     We will be true to thee till death.
2. Our fathers, chained in prisons dark,
   Were still in heart and conscience free;
   How sweet would be their children’s fate,
   If they, like them, could die for thee!
3. Faith of our fathers, we will strive
   To win all nations unto thee;
   And through the truth that comes from God,
   We all shall then be truly free.
4. Faith of our fathers, we will love
   Both friend and foe in all our strife;
   And preach thee, too, as love knows how
   By kindly words and virtuous life.

   
   

   A bit of the history:

   Faith of our Fathers is an English Catholic hymn, written in 1849

    by Frederick William Faber in memory of the Catholic martyrs

    from the time of the establishment of the Church of England by Henry VIII.

   Faber wrote two versions of the hymn: with seven stanzas for Ireland 

   and with four for England. The Irish version was sung at hurling matches until the 1960s.

   In England and Ireland it is usually sung to the traditional tune Sawston; 

   in the U.S. the tune St Catherine by Henri Hemy is more commonly used.

   
   

   I would believe that for just about all of us-- 

   the dungeon part went right past us.

   We weren't thinking about

    martyrs of the faith.

   We were singing in a sanctuary  

   without thinking about the freedom

    of gathering and

   professing our faith.

   And on this Father's Day 

   in the United States-

    I give thanks for the faith of my father,

   and for the faith of his father.

    I give thanks for the faith of the

   father of our three daughters.

   My husband- John,

   who by God's rich grace

    lives out the faith of his father,

    and his grandfather.

   And by this gift of grace,

    this earthly father 

   may have the blessing of

   sharing stories of faith 

   and the love of the heavenly Father

   with three sons-in-law and

    these three young grandsons.

   

   Griffin

   

   Levi

   

   Jackson

   

   So that faith of our fathers

   is not just some passing phrase of a song-

   that it might be the very essence of

   EVERYTHING.

   
   

   
   

   
   

Deployed Digital Missionaries- VRSLY APP

Sharing the images for internet JOY.

For PINTEREST, and other visual social media.

Vintage Storage- Essential Oils

This was purchased a couple of years ago-

thinking it might help sort things

 in the garage redo.

Storage of small things.

A place for everything.

It was still empty.

SOOOOOO....

Cleaned it up,

set it out in the sun.

 No, I am NOT painting it.

 It is just the sort of chippy, 

worn and rusty-

that I love.

And paid for- just like it is.

 But the drawer bottoms 

could have a touch of update.

Scrapbook paper to the rescue.

The one divider comes out so it- 

so there weren't THAT many

 squares to measure and cut.

 So I have tried all sorts of ways

 to store the Essential Oils in the house. 

Need them close by- Easy to find.

 And not all over the place.

 Three little drawers.

 With Dividers.

And one full size drawer.

Measuring 6 inches wide.

6 inches high. 

And 9 inches deep.

 On the counter.

Hidden storage.

Perfect size.

And home for the Essential Oils.

Time for some lavender

 in the diffuser.

Bible Marginalia- My Words will not Depart

Bible Marginalia Series- #165

Isaiah  59:21-- Isaiah 60:1

Word into the Week

Part of the lesson from a Sunday Worship.

Thinking about these words 

and the HOPE.

The Lord says- this is a covenant.

And HE cannot break a covenant.

That is promise on steroids.

His Spirit and His Word that He gives us-

will not depart. 

 From ME,

MY Children,

and MY grandchildren.

A covenant that I cannot work

 to completion.

But, the Lord can.

From this time forth and

FOREVERMORE.

This verse goes right into

 the future GLORY.

ARISE SHINE!

Your Light has come!

Certainly much there to pray about-

Worship time brought

 into the hours of the week.

Supplies:

Illustrated Faith pen

Colored pencils