good medicine...

Laughter dulls the sharpest pain
and flattens out the greatest stress.
To share it is to give a gift of health
because, as someone pointed out,
“Ulcers can’t grow while you’re laughing.”
~Hunter “Patch” Adams

Now, I don't know if the bit about ulcers is true or not, but I do know God tells us having a cheerful heart is good for us... So, I'm sharing the gift of health with you by bringing you some funny faces for a few smiles...

A cheerful heart is good medicine

~Proverbs 17:22

All the days of the oppressed are wretched,
but the cheerful heart has a continual feast.
~Proverbs 15:15

A cheerful look brings joy to the heart,
~Proverbs 15:30

accent from "home"...

Yesterday at work I was talking with our auditor, whom I had just met, and a few hours into our day, the subject somehow turned to where we were originally from-- where was "home"? I am originally a Michigander (as we would call ourselves!). I was born and lived most of my childhood in the lovely state of Michigan. Two years ago, however, I reached the "equal time in both states" point and have now lived in California longer than I have in Michigan.

The reason she asked me the question, however, was because of the way I speak-- my "accent," if you will. Now, we Michiganders say we have no accent, but, well, we must begrudgingly admit that we do. It mostly has to do with the pronunciation of the short sound of the letter "O." It's a Midwest thing, and it definitely sets us apart from the West Coasters. There are also words or phrases that are part of the "accent." Words like "pop" (yes! that IS what it is, folks! no matter how many of you call it "soda"!!!) and ways of pronouncing words like "eggs," "bag," "measure." (or so they tell me!)

Now, after living almost 23 years in California, I've lost the pronunication accent. I go home to my family in Michigan, and they tell me I talk funny. I do, however, still use (at least in my head!) the word "pop" and I guess some other phrases or mannerisms in speaking that peg me as "not Californian." This was what started the whole conversation about it yesterday.

It made me start thinking, though, about my other home. Heaven.

It is said "Home is where the heart is." And, heaven is where my heart is. It is where my future lies. It is where my Father is waiting for me. And though I miss my home state of Michigan, the place for which my spirit grows most homesick is my true home. It is this place for which my heart truly longs.

That makes me a stranger here. Oh, not just in California, but in this world, period. We who hold our citizenship in heaven are strangers and aliens in this world (Hebrews 11:13b), and as a stranger, I would expect that I may look and sound like a stranger. There must be some kind of an "accent" from my homeland which sets me apart, by which those who encounter me can identify me as "from somewhere else." Something about my way of speaking and living--the words I use, the mannerisms, the attitude and ideas, how I behave--should set me apart from others here. For I am not of this world. (John 17:16)

I hope that my accent here on earth is not just the left-overs of my Michigan upbringing but first, and foremost, that of heaven, my true home. I pray that others, right from the first moment of meeting me, will "hear" my accent of heaven--that they will be curious and intrigued by it and will ask me where I'm from and what's it like to "live there." And I pray that as I speak and live, they will see the beauty of my homeland and the wonder of my Father... and will desire to live there, too.

So, I don't mind having an accent--a heavenly accent. I hope I keep it always and that it stays fresh and real. I hope it will always clearly identify me as from another place-- a lovely place, a joyous place, one I'm proud to be from, and one about which others want to know.

contentment...

In this time of world-wide economic strain and financial stress--when we tend to look at our LACK rather than at what we HAVE-- let us remember that we have all we could ever need when we have Jesus! And, though that may sound trite or cliche, it is TRUTH! We who have Jesus are RICH, indeed!

"But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that." ~1 Timothy 6:6-8

Lord, we ask that you would make our hearts content....

reaching upward and outward...

On my recent trip to Arizona, I snapped quite a few photos. One that I really like was a photo of an Acacia tree blossom. I loved it's tiny little fingers reaching up to the sky.



As I was looking at the tree blossom photo on my computer, I kept feeling as though I had seen another of my photos that gave me the same feeling. I dug through my aquarium photo archives and pulled up the photo below:

Two photos.

Two very different subjects-- one a tree blossom and one a sea star.
Both born of the same Creator.
Both reaching upward, outward...reaching for something...

Reaching for sustenance--
one for miniscule sea creatures to eat,
one for sunshine with which to photosynthesize and make food.

Both reaching upward and outward... for life.

We, too, are born of the same Creator.
We, too, reach upward, outward...reaching for something...

Reaching for sustenance... reaching for LIFE.

Hear my cry for mercy as I call to you for help,

as I lift up my hands toward your Most Holy Place.

~Psalm 28:2

I will praise you as long as I live,

and in your name I will lift up my hands.

~Psalm 63:4

I lift up my hands to your commands,

which I love,

and I meditate on your decrees.

~Psalm 119:48

Lift up your hands in the sanctuary

and praise the LORD.

~Psalm 134:2

May my prayer be set before you like incense;

may the lifting up of my hands

be like the evening sacrifice.

~Psalm 141:2

Let us join with creation as we reach upward, outward...

Let us lift our hands and reach out for LIFE...

the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

thank You, God, for answered prayers... and baby smiles!

A great big THANK YOU, GOD! for Isabella's happy smile!!

And a great big THANK YOU to you who were/are praying for her... She is doing miraculously better, and I thought I would give you a quick update from her parents:

March 9: Out of ICU!
"Thank you, thank you for all your prayers. Isabella has shown marked improvement over the last 24 hours, and this afternoon was transferred out of ICU and into a regular pediatric unit. Her body seems to be responding to the antibiotics, her fever is down, her vital signs are fairly stable, and she even smiled and played a bit this morning. We are so grateful to you for your prayers, and to God for hearing and responding. "

March 10, 2009: All Better!!
"Well, it is quite a miracle, but little Isabella is suddenly very well. The power of prayer is amazing! We were given a private room at the hospital yesterday, and last night she slept peacefully with her head on my (Daddy's) forearm.I snapped this picture (top photo above) when she woke up this morning - the first time she has smiled in two weeks. They tell us she may be able to come home tomorrow if the can switch the intravenous meds to oral. Welcome back, Bellaboo!! "

the intention of flowers...

Flowers seem intended

for the solace

of ordinary humanity.

~John Ruskin

celebrate the Sabbath...with rest...

“Six days shalt thou labor and do all thy work (Exodus 20:8).

Is it possible for a human being to do all his work in six days?

Does not our work always remain incomplete?

What the verse means to convey is:

Rest on the Sabbath as if all your work were done.

Another interpretation:

Rest even from the thought of labor.”

~author unknown