Two words to chew on

April 30, 2020Blog, Encouragement, Personal Growthfruitfullness, movement, time well spentdebio7 Leave a comment

I just can’t shake these two words that have been rolling through my mind, heart, and spirit for sometime. They’ve been simmering there and over time have thickened and come to just below a boil. Now is the time to take them off the heat and share their nutritional value with you.

#1 Movement

Or more precisely, overcoming inactivity, staleness, laziness, idleness.

Movement – changing physical location or position.
Dictionary.com

Movement is so important to our body for so many reasons. It affects everything – our circulation, digestion, our metabolism and even our immunity. When we move, our bodies regulate our hormones, detoxify our blood stream and clear and strengthen our respiration. Daily movement stimulates our brain and neurons and thus boost healing and immunity. (oh my goodness do I see spiritual applications in all of these)

We have all been affected in one way or another by the restrictions placed on us by this virus and governmental authorities. But that is no excuse for any of us to become idle, inactive, lazy or stale in any way. We must move.

We must war against laziness and idleness that would seek to rob us of what our body requires, and our spirit desires.

We must beware of hours lost to swiping, video/TV/movie watching, or sitting or laying around – even reading.

Movement is vital for life, growth, health and even feelings of self esteem, value and worth. Who hasn’t felt terrible about “wasting a whole afternoon” doing “nothing”?

The key here is to MAKE TIME TO MOVE. Schedule it. Make it happen. If you’re one that has a watch that tells you to move, then listen to it and move when it reminds you. (Don’t just ignore it or turn it off.)

(Just today, I had to kick myself in the rear and make myself get outside and take a long walk. My desk had become a cement block around my feet, brain and spirit.)

Movement – your body and brain will thank you.

#2 Fruitfulness

The season of bearing fruit, showing evidence of what’s been planted.

” Fruitfulness – the fact that something produces good results”
Cambridge Dictionary

Many of us live in urban areas and loose site of the seasons of fruitfulness and harvest, unless we go into the market’s produce section. Yet, we still can see fruit growing on a tree and understand that tree is being fruitful.

Fruitfulness demonstrates for all what has been planted. It reveals the results of what has been going on underneath the surface; what seeds have been germinating, sprouting and now are blooming. Fruitfulness is show and tell time.

Seeds that are planted are programmed to be fruitful and will produce their fruit given the correct exposure to water, light and soil conditions. It sorta happens naturally, by their design. Plant an apple seed – get apples. Plant lemons – get lemons. Fruitfulness displays good results.

I once taught a lesson called, “When you’re squeezed, what comes out?”. This again, makes the point that whatever is planted within us, will eventually bear fruit in our life.

During this time, what has been planted in our lives is coming out. The seeds that have been sown into our hearts and thoughts are bearing fruit in our words and actions. The germinating process is now giving way to fruit dangling from our lives. (Side note, are you proud of what’s coming out, your fruit?)

Fruitfulness – seeing the results of what’s been planted in your life.

” Me thinks that the minute my legs begin to move my thoughts begin to flow, as if I had given vent to the stream at the lower end and consequently new fountains flowed into it at the upper.”
Henry David Thoreau

Perhaps there is a link you are seeing between these two words? Perhaps not.

I hope you too will allow these two words to simmer in your heart and mind. Let them reach that gentle roll of bubbles and then take from them anything you find nutritious.

At the very least, there’s something for you to chew on.

Cheers to you.

Giving Tuesday

April 27, 2020Blog, Encouragement, Personal Growthgiving, help others, servedebio7 Leave a comment

In this crazy world that we’re all dealing with, where we are looking for reasons to smile again, may I suggest – GIVING.

You know, looking for and planning opportunities to give. You can give things like time, goods, talents, strength, kindness, abilities and yes, money. You can give hope, happiness, a meal, thanks, letters, notes.

As a kid we loved receiving gifts but as we grow we discover the joy of giving – seeing some’s face when they open or receive a gift we gave is tremendously satisfying and rewarding. We actually made them smile, happy. Wow. What a thrill. And we too, are smiling now.

Giving makes us happier than receiving. But it also: helps others, makes a difference, cultivates self-worth, teaches responsibility, inspires giving and is easy.

Winston Churchhill said, ” We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give. “

There’s lots of research to support these statements and the feelings we get when we give. Let me just share a couple statements:

Our brains are hard-wired to serve. Giving activates the brains prefrontal cortex. When we place the interests of others above our own, our brain lights up.
When we help others, there is a “helpers high” or euphoric feeling that we receive that makes us stronger and more energetic.
Helping others is a door through which one can go to forget oneself.

I’ll tell you what, I could stand to forget myself and my circumstances for a while. How ’bout you? Looking for more energy? Perhaps the helpers high will help.

I had planned on writing about serving/giving for this blog. And then I stumbled upon this movement called

It’s a global generosity movement, with special emphasis this year on helping during the Coronavirus Pandemic. It is scheduled for next Tuesday, May 5, 2020.

On this day, people are encouraged to simply help others, to give of yourself in someway. Here are some ideas:

pay for a meal
express thanks (words, cards or signs) to first responders
express thanks (words, cards, or signs) to medical professionals
express thanks to “essential workers”
make a donation to a food pantry
help serve at a food bank
write letters to troops
do chalk art on sidewalks
paint rocks and leave them around town
make a poster to hang outside your home

I actually saw this on my walk a few days ago

Would you consider getting involved? Would you think about what you could do that would lift up someone else and bring a smile to their face(s)?

I really can think of no better door to go through to forget about myself for a while. And I’m in. The world needs a smile and so do I. Plus, my brain could use a good lighting up too.

Let’s do this. Let’s surprise someone.

Think. Plan. Gather materials. Do. Give.

Check out more at http://www.GivingTuesday.org and share it on social media with #GivingTuesday. You can even post a pic with hashtag #UNselfie and share what you did and why.

Cheers to you.

Are you hurting? Do you feel great?

April 25, 2020Blog, Personal Growth, Sunday Sermonsfeel great, hurting, pray, singdebio7 3 Comments

Sunday Sermon 4.26.20

Which ever side of the coin you find yourself on today, I have some solid advice and encouragement for you. But first, let me share a story.

Years ago, I was teaching in Pasadena, CA and at the time had to drive between 2 campuses during my day. On one particular day, while driving to the second campus, when passing through a quiet intersection, I was broadsided, driver side, driver door, by a Cadillac. I didn’t see it coming and when I did, it was pretty much at impact. All I had time to do was yell out in prayer, “JESUS!?!” – which I did. I don’t remember anything after that.

Witnessses say they saw my car flip over and fly through the air, landing on its roof. When they ran to find me, I was upside-down, in-shock, but very much alive. When I was removed from the car by first responders, witnesses told them there’s no way I should be alive because by what they observed, I should be a mangled wreck with severely damanged bones and organs.

I was not. I was taken by ambulance to hospital, treated for mild bruises, scratches and shock and released that same day.

I was definitely hurting, though. So, “Yes” would’ve been my answer to the title of this blog.

The only thing I could do and had time to do is let out that one word cry for help – “JESUS ! “.

The Bible says, in Ephesians 6:18 – ” Pray on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.” NIV

In James 5:13 – ” Are you hurting? Pray. Do you feel great? Sing.” The Message Paraphrase

Whether it is a one word prayer of desperation, a 15 minute prayer time in the car for your family/job, or a passionate request for help and wisdom- we are told to pray on all occasions with all kinds of prayers. They all count! No matter the length or position, if offered in faith they are heard.

Prayer changes us and often changes things. It is true. Prayer allows us to approach God with our requests and leave them in his care. Leaving it there with Him and trusting that He will take care of us and the request is often harder than praying itself. Right?

To that point – Not too long ago our son had planned an extensive backpacking trip on the John Muir Trail. For over a year he was thorough and a bit obsessive in his preparation for this huge trip. He had done his best and the day to begin had now, finally arrived.

My husband and I had been praying for him nearly daily for that year. No kidding. This was a ginormous undertaking and we were not without our concerns. So when that day came, and we took him to Yosemite to camp for the night and set out the next morning, we were doing our best to trust the Lord and leave it in his hands. That was hard. This was to be a 2-3 week hike of 221 miles!

Talk about all kinds of prayers. Our prayers then were not not one word prayers. This was pouring out petitions on a regular basis. Asking, seeking and knocking and then repeat – keep on asking, keep on seeking, keep on knocking.

In Luke 18:1, Jesus tells the disciples “they should always pray and not give up.” NIV

Here’s a verse you can easily memorize, “Pray continually.” 1 Thessalonians 5:17 NIV

Some prayers require persistence, not giving up, or loosing hope.

Prayer is simple yet hard. When you’re hurting, pray. When you’re stressed pray. When you’re alone pray. Pray in every situation, every day, with every attitude, circumstance and battle raging. Pray with one word prayers, and extended, passionate cries. Pray.

Are you hurting? Pray.

Choose to pray. It is a choice made in advance of everything else. It is a decision made before the hurt, stress, lonliness. It is an act of the will, your will. And it will change you and may even change the situation too.

Let’s increase that stat that says 55% of adults say they pray daily. Not just for numbers sake either, but because prayer changes us. Learning to pray with regularity changes us. That’s why we want to pray.

Now to the second part of this blog title – Do you feel great? (And I hope you do.)

Let’s go back to James 5:13 ” Do you feel great? SING” The Message

I love this! I love music too. That is why it is so wonderful to hear scripture encourage us to sing. Music and singing should naturally flow from a full, happy, content, joyous heart. So if you’re feeling great, PUMP IT UP. SING IT OUT. CRANK UP THE VOLUME.

Matter of fact, singing changes your brain. Seriously. According to an article in TIME’s, Life and Style section, “Singing Changes Your Brain” by Stacy Horn, 2013 –

“Researchers are beginning to discover that singing is like an infusion of the perfect tranquilizer, the kind that both soothes your nerves and elevates your spirits.”

Whether it’s from those endorphins that bring pleasure to the brain or the oxytocin that relieves anxiety and stress; singing regularly contributes to quality of life. Even if you are a bad singer!

Psalms 47:6 – ” Sing … sing… sing… sing…” NIV

Singing however, is also a choice, a decision, an act of the will, and it is not dependent on a happy heart. It is always nice when the heart is happy and a song flows naturally from it. But, a song can also be sung by decision, in spite of circumstances.

Choosing to sing in spite of surroundings still releases those hormones on the brain and the same soothing, perfect tranquilizer effects occur. So SING.

Do you feel great? Sing.

With these two simple tools, Pray and Sing, one in each hand, all day, every day, we can face and conquer whatever the day brings, for in our hands we hold two very powerful weapons.

Have a wonderful week, and I wish I could hear you singing it LOUD and proud.

Blessings.

Bioluminescent Waves

April 23, 2020Blog, Encouragement, Inspirationbioluminesence, light, lyrid shower, shinedebio7 2 Comments

Bioluminesence on full display

Please take 13 seconds and look at this very cool and rare video

These lit up waves are the product of “red tide” and it indicates an algal bloom. It happens at sunset during these blooms by photoplankton releasing biochemical light. But not just phytoplankton release it, so do fireflies and deep sea fishes.

Bioluminescent tides are rare, red by day and blue by the darkness of night.

I remember being in Catalina sometime ago, and we were atop a hill on a night hike overlooking the ocean and shoreline. That is when I first saw the bioluminescence of those photoplankton as they lit up the shoreline.

It is a stunning display, almost eerie because you are surrounded by darkness yet you are seeing a brilliant blue-white light from the waves. then the waves crash and light is disperses.

At almost the same time these waves were on display on land, in Newport Beach, CA, the same skies were lit up as well. It is the season of the Lyrid meteor showers. In April, every year, around the 21st, these showers are seen in the dark skies and are also a stunning sight.

My son and I set our alarms many years ago to go out and watch them. (I don’t remember how many we saw, I just remember the alarm part.)

These lights show up yearly, yet still only in complete darkness.

The simple and encouraging pivot here, to me is this –

Each of us have been entrusted with a light. A light of hope, a light of positivity, a light of faith, a light that burns deep within us. It’s illuminated our own private lives, attitudes, needs, and even brought beauty and stunning vibrance to us, individually, and privately.

We are currently surrounded by dark times. Darkness has replaced many once well lit places. Darkness has replaced hope, faith, and even tried to extinguished our little light. (I hear a song in my head we sang as a kids…)

But I am here to tell you, it’s time to SHINE. It’s time to allow what’s been blooming within you – your algal bloom – to break forth on the shores of your life and spread beauty, light, hope and awe to those you touch. (metaphorically speaking, of course. )

YOU ARE THE LIGHT, you are the living organism that carries that biochemical emission of light into the darkness and hopeless areas of your family, your city your sphere of influence.

You are that meteor of blazing light, hope, strength, soaring through the darkness, bringing hope and illuminating the foreboding skies.

It’s time to SHINE dear friends.

No longer consider the smallness of your light or it’s lack of wattage. In dark times, the smallest of lights brings illumination and dispels the darkness wherever that light burns.

So burn dear friends. Let your light shine. Illuminate the dark skies and shores and bring beauty, hope, awe and calm to every onlooker.

Your world needs your light now more than ever.

Cheers to you.

Low tide

April 21, 2020Blog, Encouragement, Personal Growthexpose, high tides, low tides, revealingdebio7 1 Comment

A few days ago, I went to Doheny State Beach, where this is what I saw.

What you’re looking at is the lowest tide I have EVER seen at this or any beach! I went to take pictures of the waves crashing on the shoreline (for a video I was making) and couldn’t even take them or shoot the video because the tide was so low.

there they are, the waves crashing waaaaaay out there

It seriously made me wonder if a tsunami was brewing, cuz, you’ll remember the tide goes out before the tsunami crashes. But no tsunami, thankfully.

Still I was left to wonder, why such low tide? Exceedingly low tide!

Going back to 6th grade Earth Science class you’ll recall that tides are caused by the moon’s gravitational pull on the Earth. These pulls cause bulges on Earth’s oceans. One bulge facing the moon and the other on the opposite side of Earth, away from the moon.

Every day (actually 24 hours and 50 minutes), there 2 high tides and 2 low tides.

Earth’s bulges, high tides. Low tides are on top and bottom of Earth in this graphic.

When I returned home from my low tide experience, I read an article that declared The Thames River as being “liquid history”, because at low tide “the Thames becomes the largest open air archaeological site in London.”

At low tide, the Thames River reveals all sorts of things. Coins, keys, clay pipes, love tokens and thimbles to name a few.

In Oregon, low tide reveals “Ghost Forest” – the ancient remains of a forest that is now small stumps. Low tides in Oregon also reveal Sujameco shipwreck, wreckage from a 1929, 324 ft. steamship.

In England, there is a castle (of course there is!) called St. Michael’s Mount that has been there since 495. But for much of the year it is inaccesssable, EXCEPT for at LOW TIDE when a pathway is revealed briefly, until the tide covers it again.

This last one is my favorite!

In South Korea, about 5 hours from the capital of Seoul, 1.8 miles off of the coast is an island called Jindo Island. For 1 hour, 2 to 3 times a year, low tide reveals a 1.8 mile path from Jindo Island to Modo Island.

Even though I haven’t told stories about animals here, I am going to allow my inner Aesop to come out.

High tides cover things. Low tides reveal things

Let’s start with the high tides of life. When our lives are full, to the max, sufficient – we tend to cover over or cover up what’s hidden below; the small things, lost things, broken things. Things like old habits and patterns. They can’t be seen and are therefore often ignored and not addressed.

How about the low tides of life. Times of want, lack, or emptiness tend to expose what’s underneath, and inside of us. Low tides are low times and are very revealing. They expose our foundation and reveal the bottom line of our life.

However, let’s take this point too. Hidden below those low tides could be brand new discoveries. Brand new ways, roads or paths even. Things we never knew were there. Ways we never thought of before.

And remember St. Michael Mount and Jindo Island – the new ways, paths will only be revealed for a brief period before they are covered over again. Low tides are temporary, but can be very revealing.

Sometimes it takes low tides in our life to reveal something better and expose hazards.

Cheers to you.

Birth Pangs

April 19, 2020Blog, Inspiration, Sunday Sermonsbirth pangs, give birth, new lifedebio7 2 Comments

This will be the first of a weekly series, that I feel impressed to share called “Sunday Sermons”. It will be intentionally Biblical and decidedly spiritual in nature, meant to feed your Spirit.

I trust you will find nourishment and encouragement by it and will check in each Sunday.

Sunday Sermon 4/19/20

Romans 8:18-28

The Apostle Paul, the guy who once tried to kill Christians, imprison them, torture them and stop their preaching of “The Way”, has had an about face, and is now just as fervent in his defense of “The Way” and in his efforts to spread its message.

He is speaking here, at the height of the Roman Empire to believers, mostly Gentiles (like me, not Jewish), who live in Rome and are trying to make their way through persecution, misunderstanding, strong secular influences and crazy heresies. (weird and false teachings).

It is in this context that he says:

“I don’t think there’s any comparison between the present hard times and the coming good times. The difficult times of pain throughout the world are simply birth pangs.” v. 18, 22 The Message paraphrase

Birth pangs? What?

He was saying, the signs they were seeing were actually birth signs. Signs of birthing, signs of new life forming and getting ready to burst forth. Just like a pregnant Mom, facing labor pains before the birth of that precious new life.

He was encouraging them, that hey, what you’re going through now, the pain, uncomfortableness, the stretching, etc. is nothing compared to what is coming! I promise you. It will be worth it. Hang in there. Then he says –

“But it’s not only around us; it’s within is. The Spirit of God is arousing us within. We’re also feeling the birth pangs.” v. 22-23 The Message

Not only is something getting ready to burst forth in their present hard times, but something within them was being formed and it was about to burst forth too.

He identified it as a spiritual life being formed in them. The Spirit of God was actually forming new life in them. Awakening them, arousing them, stretching them, preparing them as individuals to bring forth this new life. What they were feeling was the preparatory birth pangs of what the Spirit had been developing in them and was nearly ready to deliver.

“Waiting does not diminish us… We are enlarged in the waiting. We don’t see what’s enlarging us. But the longer we wait, the larger we become, and the more joyful our expectancy.” v. 24-25 The Message

Here they were in the midst of hard times and pain themselves, carrying something inside of them, planted by the Spirit, that was growing and enlarging within them. As their wait increased, so did their growth and in kind, so did their expectancy of what would be birthed.

They were seeing within them, something of a spiritual dimension growing, increasing, enlarging and becoming bigger and bigger. As they saw it inside of them, their own excitement of what they were becoming grew! Their expectancy too was growing.

” The moment we get tired of waiting, God’s Spirit is right there alongside helping us along. If we don’t know how to pray, it doesn’t matter. He does our praying in and for us.” v. 26-27 The Message

Just like that weary Mom, after nine looong months of carrying that bundle of life grows weary in the wait – so too do the believers. But God’s promise here is that His Spirit, will be right there, helping them along as the birthing coach, even praying for them and helping them to pray!

Today, I see a tremendous similarity between those Roman believers and me and you. I hear Paul’s message to them, being perfectly suited for us. Don’t you?

Here are the take aways.

There’s no doubt the times we are living in are painful and there is suffering. It’s not good, but it will bring about good. They are birth pangs, signs that something new is about to burst forth in our world, across the globe.

And not just in the world/society – BUT IN YOU. The Spirit of God is growing inside of you, enlarging inside of you. Stretching you, preparing in you new Spiritual life, strength, vibrance, depth, and reality. The Spirit of God is growing inside of you and is about to burst forth from you.

It matters little where you’ve come from spiritually, whether this is old news or new news to you. What matters is that you are carrying a Spiritual seed that is growing inside of you.

Let it grow. Enlarge you, arouse you. Feel it kick inside you. Recognize the labor pangs.

And let your expectancy arise, for soon, the life of the Spirit will burst forth from you.

Birth pangs mean the time is near.

Get ready!

Life without…

April 16, 2020Blog, Encouragement, Personal Growthgoing without, withoutdebio7 2 Comments

It wasn’t until I was working as Chaplain at LA County Women’s Jail, that I became aware of LWOP. Life WithOut the Possibility of Parole. It was a dreaded sentence to receive and I spent many a weekend traveling to Merced, to visit with women who had received such a sentence and were truly without much hope.

They would NEVER, ever in their life, no matter their age, see anything but the inside of those prison walls and cells. NEVER. AND, they would NEVER see their families, friends, or loved ones unless they were allowed visitation rights and passed all security screenings. Then only inside of a very pubic and guarded room with dozens of others, and in most cases, without any physical contact allowed.

They would NEVER again go anywhere they wanted. NEVER eat what they wanted. NEVER shop for what they wished. NEVER again dress as they chose. NEVER be able to speak to whom they wanted. NEVER again work at the place of their choosing. NEVER drive a car. NEVER poop or pee in private. NEVER own what they wanted. Oh my goodness, I could go on and on and on. It was a grim and dreaded sentence and life. Life without…

To many, these days in which we live have been and are becoming a dreaded sentence. LIFE WITHOUT…

You fill in the blank. Life without__________

You could probably go on and on too. Life without freedoms… to shop, to work, eat out, to gather, visit, socialize, to go to church, baseball games, concerts… life without income…life without is grim you say. And no one in their right mind would disagree with you. It is not an easy sentence.

But as I sit at my comfortable desk, and look out a dirty window, I still see the sun. (So glad it’s not raining today.) I see blue sky. I can actually go outside and feel the wind on my face, blowing my hair and feel the heat of the sun on my skin.

Within in my house, my fridge is full, as are my cupboards and pantry. (Thanks to my husband who always goes above and beyond in providing for our family.) Our bills are paid. We are not in debt or headed there. Our children are healthy, secure, and being provided for.

Our closets are full. Cars running. (well, one out of two ain’t bad.) We live in a home, not on the street or in a cell with another person. We enjoy the privacy of the bathroom and shower anytime we choose. (unless you count Gunner breaking in occasionally.)

Do we have it all? No. Do we need it all? No. Are we really doing life without? I would answer, “No”.

Have we had to GO without? Yes. Is it easy? No, but it’s not as hard as we make it sound either. For us, it mostly amounts to more inconveniences than anything else.

We are retired. Yes. So our income is not dependent on our ability to earn. I get it. We are blessed. I get it. Not everyone is in the same place. I get it.

But what I also get is this – I don’t believe any of us are truly doing life without what is really important. We may be “going without”, but it is temporary. Although we don’t know the end date, we know there will be one. It is temporary. It is not, NEVER.

It is not LWOP. Life without the possibility of parole.

It is life, temporarily without…

So, yes, Sister, perspective does matter. 🙂

Cheers to you.

Debbie’s Parable of the Weeds

April 14, 2020Blog, Encouragement, Personal Growthdistractions, grow, prune, weedsdebio7 Leave a comment

For weeks now, every time I sit down at our kitchen table and look out the window, these weeds are all I see. And they’re not really in our backyard. They are just beyond our retaining wall. But they are oh, so ugly, and now so blooming tall!

I actually didn’t even notice them for a while, we were keeping the curtains closed during the cold and rainy weeks. Then, when we opened the curtains, I still didn’t notice them, cuz they were of course smaller. But now, and for the last couple of weeks they are so obvious. I must do something about them.

Today was the day of their doom.

Weeds you know, are not intentionally sown, they grow where they’re not wanted, and grow automatically. They are considered opportunistic and will grow in any moist soil, tiny crack or thin layer of turf. “Weeds are competitive, persistent and interfere negatively with human activity.” (Dwight Ligenfelter, Dept. of Agronomy Penn State)

Weeds choke out life, rob soil and other plants of important nutrients, water and sunlight. Weeds are plants whose undesirable qualities outweigh the desirable qualities.

Farmers have said that weeds left unchecked can cut the harvest 40-60%.

So BAM! Away with them! Up from the roots they go. Bye, Bye Bye. (hear NSYNC in background)

Have you picked up any symbolism here?

Weeds are the things in our life that keep us from being productive. Things that steal away the important from us. Distractions that eat up our vital nutrients and exposure to light. Weeds are the things that make us unfruitful. Often too, weeds are a sign of neglect and perhaps even laziness.

If I think of weeds as distractions that keep me away from what is important, then the top of my weed list is my phone. Although I use it for everything and a lot of it is needed, useful, and good, not all of the swipes are, nor all the time on it is. It does distract me, steal my focus and eat up valuable time.

I don’t want the weeds in my life to be left unnoticed or unchecked but I want them UPROOTED! I am seeking a productive life, not overgrown with nonessentials and harvest hinderers.

I’m choosing to uproot and remove those pesky distractions before they flower and produce more seeds! I’m also searching for those dormant weeds in the soil of my heart, those that have been there for years to get rid of them, at the root.

I am only interested in good fruit from my life and want to prune away the small, insignificant, and barren branches. I want to feed the good and healthy and keep distractions from choking off their continued health and growth.

Because weeds grow so fast, pro gardeners recommend pulling weeds weekly. I’m in, I’m game. I know I need it. And, there’s such great joy that comes after you spend time in the garden, weeding, cleaning and pruning. Then you wash it all down, and sit back and enjoy it with a tall, cool glass.

I trust that you will join me in uprooting any unnecessary distractions in your life so that you, too, may be 100% productive.

“Weeds are stubborn. Weeds are independent. Weeds aren’t tolerated.” Marty Rubin

Cheers to you.

Incomprehensible

April 8, 2020Blog, Encouragement, InspirationEaster, incomprehensible, unbelievabledebio7 4 Comments

It all started with a discussion about the size of 2.2 trillion (dollars).

While listening to and trying to digest it all, I realized, I had no real understanding of the number 1 trillion. Much less 2.2 trillion. So I did what every serious scholar and academically driven researcher does, I googled it. 🙂

After much mind numbing reading about zeros, exponents, and viewing diagrams of stacking bills on pallets, here are my 2 take aways:

1. If you spent $1,000 a day, it would take you 2.7 million years to spend 1 trillion dollars. And you would still have lots left over!

2. If you stacked $100. bills to equal 1 trillion, the stack would be 789 miles high. That is equal to 144 Mount Everest’s stacked on top of each other.

Bottom line for my mind, a trillion is incomprehensible.

But it really got me thinking about other things that are incomprehensible.

The universe, for example.

part of our universe. we’re in there somewhere

Scientists don’t even use the term universe. It’s been more accurately described as the “observable universe” because there is more than what we actually see. It’s size, they say, is 93 million light years in diameter. (For those that slept through Science class, remember, a light year is the distance light travels in a year or about 10 trillion km! (Really 9,500,000,000,000 km!) There’s that trillion again… Incomprehensible!

We live in a galaxy we know as The Milky Way. And to us, it’s really big. But geesh, we live on ONE of it’s 4 arms, called Orion, in a system called The Solar System, on a planet called Earth, on a continent called North America, nation called America, state called _____, county called _____ , city called _____, on a street called _____, and finally to OUR house at _____ . The size of all that is incomprehensible.

Consider too, our galaxy is but one of 350 billion large galaxies in the Milky Way! It houses 30 billion -trillion stars. (30,000,000,000,000,000,000,000.) To put this in perspective, if you were to go out of the city and look into the sky, you would maybe see 2,500 stars. But there are actually 80 million times MORE STARS in the Milky Way and beyond.

There are actually 28 times more stars in the galaxy than the 7.2 billion people on the Earth. Another comparison, there are 1 billion cars on Earth – for every car there are 200 galaxies in the observable universe. Plus, there are 40 billion, Earth sized planets that could sustain human life. (Maybe we’re NOT alone in the universe???)

Again, all of these numbers are incomprehensible! My brain hurts.

One last incomprehensible thing for you to think about.

GOD’S LOVE

The very Creator, who made all those galaxies, stars, planets, universe, both observable and beyond; the One who gives man the ability to deal with trillions of dollars and understand what he is doing; that God – LOVES YOU and me. I’m floored that he even notices us, with how small and insignificant we are compared to the details of a universe. But he does notice us, knows us and loves us. THAT is unfathomable, inscrutable, and yes, incomprehensible.

” …I pray that you be able to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ…”
The Apostle Paul

Other writers have described God’s love this way:

everlasting
caring
slow to anger
never ending
affectionate
will never leave you alone
no barrier can separate us from God’s love

God’s love for us is so unimaginable, incomprehensible that He sent His only Son into the world, that we might have life through him, who was our sacrifice. I John 4:9-10

Jesus coming to Earth was a demonstration of God’s love for us. Jesus’ living here and brutal death on the cross was a demonstration of God’s incomprehensible love for us. Who would do that?

The suffering Jesus endured before crucifixion and later suffocating as he hung on that cross was pure and simple torture! It is incomprehensible.

When you have time, check out this video I made, about just that. (9 minutes)

Jesus’ crucifixion

God knows you, everything about you; strengths, weaknesses, good, bad, likes, dislikes, ups and down – AND HE LOVES YOU. Without measure, everlasting, carefully, caring, patiently, completely and unconditional. THAT blows my mind and is truly incomprehensible.

So, this weekend, as we celebrate Easter, I hope that you will celebrate the incomprehensible love that God demonstrated for you by sending Jesus to Earth; who lived, died and returned to life after three days! Who spent 40 days after the resurrection on Earth, was seen by over 500 people and after that was taken back up to heaven, (which was also witnessed by hundreds) where He is to this day.

Yet, to those who trust in Him, He comes to reside in their hearts as well.

Talk about incomprehensible???? My brain is exploding but my heart is overwhelming with gratitude.

Have a Happy Easter, because YOU ARE LOVED BY OUR IMCOMPREHENSIBLE GOD.

Cheers to you.

Standing at the hinge of history

April 5, 2020Blog, Personal Growthcall to action, history changing, holy weekdebio7 2 Comments

I actually had no intention of writing this blog on this topic, but as the prophet of old has said,

” But if I say, “I will not mention his word or speak anymore…”, his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot.”
Jeremiah 20:9

So here goes…

I cannot express the depth of the urgency I feel inside about the spiritual mandate upon us, our nation, for this next week in our history. This week, I believe is a turning point – HINGE – in our history.

What happens this next week, will mark forever how our history plays out.

I cannot escape this, I cannot downplay it. I cannot soften it. And I am not seeking to instill fear or have you consider me a weirdo-fanatic of some kind. It is burning in my heart like a fire and must be shared. That is my job. Results are not.

What happens this next week?

I beleive totally in the timing of God. All things are in his time and controlled according to his timetable. This has always been, through the ages – a meticulously designed series of events involving nations, people, kings and leaders has been woven and played out.

This week, starting today, is the start of “Holy Week”. Today peoples from all over the world celebrate Palm Sunday, the day Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey as they proclaimed him “King!”.

On this day as well, in 1270 BCE, Joshua and the Israelites had just successfully crossed the Jordan River, perched and almost ready to enter Canaan. But first, after 40 years of disregarding this covenant sign, there had to be a mass circumcision.

Tuesday, in Jewish tradion, is the “Formal Search for Chametz”, leading up to Passover on Thursday.

This search for chametz is when they thoroughly clean their homes of any and all leaven. All products containing leaven are burnt, sold or stored away in a special container. The understanding is not only diligently searching for that hidden leaven but diligently searching their hearts for hidden sins, pride, and hypocricy. Cleaning their heart of these things so they can enjoy The Passover.

Wednesday is The Fast of the Firstborn for the Jews and Christians celebrate Holy Wednesday, the day Jesus was betrayed by Judas.

Thursday is the first day of Passover. It is also known as Maundy Thursday, the day Christians celebrate Jesus’ Last Supper, or the day Jesus celebrated Passover with his disciples. Passover is when the Jews remember the miraculous deliverance from Egypt and the plagues, including the Death angel passing over them because of the blood of the lamb on their doorpost.

Thursday, of this week also marks the 40th day of a 40 day global fast that was called last year. It began March 1 and ends April 9. A fast that hundreds of thousands of people all over the globe have committed to. A fast who’s goal was to bring worldwide awakening in the spirit realm and turning of hearts to Jesus and His kingdom. (My husband and I have been so blessed to be able to join with those throngs. )

Friday, we know is Good Friday. The day when we remember Jesus’ horrible beatings, mockings, and crucifixion. The day the world turned dark, the Earth shook, the veil was torn and graves were opened. The day he was sealed in a tomb and attended by the Roman guard. The day the disciples fled away in fear.

Friday night passed. Saturday passed. But Sunday arrived! And with it the resurrection of Jesus, triumphant over death and the grave! Easter Sunday. Resurrection Day!

Please understand, the convergence of all of these events we’ve listed WITH the coronavirus pandemic and its astronomical effects are not by accident. Fears, ilnesses, deaths, fatigue, shut downs, economic collapse, loss of education, celebrations, freedoms, relationships, hope…

They are by design. God’s divine timing. We are standing at the hinge of history.

I believe what we personally do this next week will not only impact our lives for good but more widely impact our nation for good. This is the fire in my bones. This is the call to action for each and every one of us.

Where do we need to allow Jesus to enter our lives, ways, thoughts? Where do we need to declare his victory and not our own? What needs to be cut away from our life?
What “leaven” – hidden (or open) sins need to be found and discarded from our lives?
How can our communion with the Divine be closer and more intimate? How can we feed that spirit?
What does that resurrection power look like in my life? in my family? my city? my state? my nation? How can it arrest the dark plague that has gripped us?
How can my stand see these freedoms from the Divine One extended to all who are in need and affect our future?

What we do this week matters. Never has our nation stood at such a threshhold.

” If my people who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray… I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin and heal their land.”
2 Chronicles 7″14

If not now, when?

We are standing at the hinge of history.

Cheers to you.

I would love to hear your comments and thoughts. Please leave them below.