Memorial Day

Enjoy your Memorial Day my friends. And our prayers go out to those who gave their lives in service to our country. And let us remember that they died for the promise of a nation ruled by laws, led by accountable leaders, and dedicated to justice. 

“Memorial Day must be more than a moment of quiet reflection. It should be a civic reckoning. To truly honor those who gave everything, we must recommit ourselves to the principles they fought for: competence over cronyism, justice over personal gain, and a government that serves all—not just the privileged few.” (Thank you, Laura Armstrong)

Sabbath Moments

Psalm 23:1-3 God restores my soul and I am forever thankful!

 John 10:11

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. 

God will take the very things that were meant to destroy you and turn them into a life that brings Him glory. I am forever thankful for turning my life over to Him. Thank you God for loving me!  I know the plans that God  has for us and they are good! Carla

Psalm 23:1-3

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures;

He leads me beside the still waters.

3 He restores my soul;

He leads me in the paths of righteousness

For His name’s sake. NKJV

The word pictures David uses for God come from his own life and experience. He had been a shepherd in his youth (1 Samuel 16:19). 

Any disturbance or intruder scares sheep. They are very fearful animals and cannot lie down unless they feel totally secure. David uses eloquent language to express his view of the abundant care God gives to His people. Sheep are afraid of fast-flowing streams. God’s provision of still waters has a soothing effect and calms the sheep. God refreshes His people with His quiet voice and gentle touch. For this reason, the sheep know the Shepherd and are known by Him (John 10:14). For The loving actions of the Shepherd proceed from His nature. The NKJV Study Bible

Yahweh is my shepherd. The psalmist portrays Yahweh as a shepherd, a common depiction throughout the Old Testament. The metaphor emphasizes His care for and protection of His people (28:9; Isaiah 40:11). He is also called the shepherd of Israel (Psalm 80:1). Several times, the title is specifically applied to His care of Israel in the wilderness (77:20; 78:52–53). Grassy  pastures emphasizes ideas of nourishment and abundance. As shepherd, Yahweh cares for and provides for the psalmist (Ezekiel 34:14–15). The Hebrew word used here for quiet, menuchah, emphasizes rest and security. Yahweh provides for all the psalmist’s needs (Isaiah 32:20).

He describes a quiet path of life (Proverbs 12:28). To be led on these paths is to enjoy Yahweh’s protection (Psalm 1:6). Yahweh’s protection and care of the psalmist is not only for the psalmist’s sake, but for the sake of Yahweh’s name (or reputation). Faithlife Study Bible

Psalm 31:3

For You are my rock and my fortress;

Therefore, for Your name’s sake,

Lead me and guide me.

Psalm 5:8

Lead me, O LORD, in Your righteousness because of my enemies;

Make Your way straight before my face.

Revelations 7:16–17

They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat; for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

Philippians 4:19

And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

This isn’t about what I “believe”—my theology, or creed on paper. This is about where my heart grounds itself—and the choices I make consciously or not, from that grounding. (And yes, often without me “realizing” or owning it.)
We do indeed live in a world where it is easy to be swept up—and consumed or hooked—by social media, or the hype from viral buzz.

“It's easy enough to see why so many people seem to be losing heart,” Jon Katz writes. “Watching the news, I feel confused and powerless and sometimes, angry. The forces against what I perceive as good sometimes seem to be growing stronger by the day—greed, consumerism, racism, militarism, the corporate monster running lose, the fight for individualism. This was precisely the challenge St. Francis faced hundreds of years ago, in a time much darker than ours. He had to figure out his true self, what it meant to live a life that was generous and meaningful. He learned that the antidote to confusion, division and paralysis was a return to simplicity, one step at a time, one person at a time, one good thing at a time, the right-in-front-of-you idea of searching for the light and living with the darkness. His genius was that he saw what was hidden in plain sight. It was so simple it is almost impossible to see. The deeds you do may be the only sermon some people will ever hear, he wrote. ‘We have been called to heal wounds,’ Francis wrote, ‘to unite what has fallen apart, and to bring home those who have lost their way.’”

And I say, “Yes. And Amen.”
So. One step at a time, one person at a time, one good thing at a time.
In a world that prizes status, power, monetary dominance, and prestige, let us not lose track of, or forget, those left behind.
And let us pause, and say “thank you” to those who say “No” to lies and falsehoods, and say “Yes” to compassion and kindness, investing in matters of the heart and soul and spirit, creating places of sanctuary and healing.

“But if I live and take no stand,
My weapon is ambivalence.
So peace be what I live and breathe
and plant within my children” Sarah Hart

I’m a storyteller. And when I hear a good story I ask, “What is the invitation? And what am I too easily pretending not to see? And what are the resources at my core, that I may have forgotten?”
You see, great stories make space. Because great stories are not just about finding a moral, or an invitation to take sides. Except to take the side of life. And Wholeness. And Wellbeing. And Compassion.

Whenever we forget that everyone is a child of God, who begins with unique divine DNA (“an imago Dei that begs to be allowed, to be fulfilled, and to show itself,” writes Richard Rohr), we lose sight that we are wired to care. Wired to give a damn. Wired to not let anyone fall through the cracks of distrust or hatred or suspicion.

Bottom line? I need to take Elie Wiesel to heart. “We must take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. Sometimes we must interfere. When human lives are endangered, when human dignity is in jeopardy, national borders and sensitivities become irrelevant. Wherever men and women are persecuted because of their race, religion, or political views, that place must—at that moment—become the center of the universe.”

There is a lot of talk today about “radical” politics on both sides. The word raises eyebrows and ire. And creates FB prattle. But did you know that radical comes from the Latin word radix, meaning “root”? In other words, to be “radical” is to cut to the root of the issue, to deal with causes, not just symptoms.

So. Back to St. Francis. He lived with the very radical idea to choose weakness instead of strength, vulnerability instead of righteousness, truth instead of practicality, honesty instead of influence.

We cannot change the world except as we have changed ourselves.
We can only give who we are and what we are.
We can't just pray, we must be the prayer.

Sabbath Moments

Romans 10:14-15 Spread the Word!

 Isaiah 52:7

How beautiful upon the mountains

Are the feet of him who brings good news,

Who proclaims peace,

Who brings glad tidings of good things,

Who proclaims salvation,

Who says to Zion,“Your God reigns!”

Jesus is the truth of the Good News of the love of God for His creation. We have the privilege  to spread this Gospel of peace to the world…that the world through Him can be saved. Jesus came with shouts of peace to the people of earth. Where the love of God resides there is peace…it is the grace and mercy of God manifested in Jesus. Without showing God’s love in our words and actions we are just making noise. Carla

Romans 10:14-15

14 How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written:

“How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace,

Who bring glad tidings of good things!”  NKJV

This series of questions suggests that Israel had opportunity to hear the gospel message, yet rejected it (Romans 10:16).

Paul quotes Isaiah  52:7 to emphasize the importance of spreading the gospel. This verse is just prior to the Servant Songs of Isaiah 52:13–53:12 that find their fulfillment in Jesus, which Paul alludes to throughout this letter. Faithlife Study Bible

There is not one God to the Jews, more kind, and another to the Gentiles, who is less kind; the Lord is a Father to all men. The promise is the same to all, who call on the name of the Lord Jesus as the Son of God, as God manifest in the flesh. All believers thus call upon the Lord Jesus, and none else will do so humbly or sincerely. But how should any call on the Lord Jesus, the Divine Saviour, who had not heard of him? Matthew Henry Commentary

Titus 1:3

but has in due time manifested His word through preaching, which was committed to me according to the commandment of God our Savior;

Acts 8:31

And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he asked Philip to come up and sit with him. 

Ephesians 4:21

if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus:

In many Muslim cultures, when you want to ask them how they’re doing, you ask: in Arabic, ‘Kayf haal-ik’? or, in Persian, ‘Haal-e shomaa chetoreh’? How is your haal?  What is this haal that you inquire about? It is the transient state of one’s heart. In reality, we are asking, “How is your heart doing at this very moment, at this breath?”

When I ask, “How are you?” that is really what I want to know. I am not asking how many items are on your to-do list, nor asking how many items are in your inbox. I want to know how your heart is doing, at this very moment.

So. Tell me. Tell me your heart is joyous or aching. Tell me your heart is sad or grateful, torn or hopeful. Tell me your heart craves human touch.

“Being in touch with the heart tells us the quality of our existence, tells us how we recognize the truth,” Russ Hudson writes. “The heart also is the place where we know who we really are.”

People have told me that pain will be my teacher. They just didn't tell me what I would learn. I can tell you this: with pain (or uncertainty or way-laid plans or fractures of the heart it is too easy to focus only on the fixing. Or the correct path. And in my urgency for resolve I can miss the spirit of life.

Those places where connections create sanctuary and connection and replenishment and healing and renewal. Sabbath Moments

In Jesus' day, religious leaders, especially the Pharisees, also secluded themselves from those who were sick or whom they labeled as sinners. Jesus, however, sat right down among the sick and the sinful, inviting them to receive His healing and teaching and to have a relationship with Him.

Specifically, Jesus "was eating with sinners and tax collectors" in Mark 2:16, and Jewish tax collectors were considered the worst of sinners and traitors in Israel because they collaborated with Rome, often stealing money from their own people. Yet Jesus chose Levi in his tax booth and said, "Follow me" (Mark 2:14).

When Levi threw a large banquet afterward and invited his friends, the religious leaders questioned Jesus' dining with them. Jesus replied, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners" (Mark 2:17). The truth is everyone is "sick" with sin ... so everyone needs Jesus' salvation. And He offers it generously! But the leaders thought their moral performance proved their spiritual wellness.

For example, God's law required fasting once a year on the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16:29-30; Leviticus 23:27), but the Pharisees tried to add to God's laws and commandments and fasted twice a week. When they asked Jesus why His disciples did not fast, Jesus replied, "Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them?" (Mark 2:19). By shifting the conversation to marriage, Jesus showed that holiness is not about adding rules but about abiding in relationship with God. Friend, the old system of ritual regulations and the Pharisees' endless list of imposed traditions is over. Jesus fulfills God's law, brings the fullness of grace, and invites us all to respond with joy. First5

Proverbs 29:27 God hears our cries.

 Micah 6:8 

He has shown you, O man, what is good;

And what does the Lord require of you

But to do justly,

•To love mercy,

And to walk humbly with your God? (NKJV)

God, in His infinite mercy and grace,  provided the way to reconcile mankind to Himself in the sacrifice of Jesus. He ask so very little of us in return. Equality, dignity and respect for others are the  commands of Jesus to love our neighbors as we do ourselves. The ability to forgives others as He has forgiven us leads the way to remaining humble, knowing that is not about our righteousness…it is all about His. The gift of reconciliation is offered to all people, all nations because God loves the world that He created. (John 3:16) Carla

Proverbs 29:27

An unjust man is an abomination to the righteous,

And he who is upright in the way is an abomination to the wicked. NKJV

God controls human affairs. Therefore it makes more sense to seek the Lord first before stooping to seek the favor of human rulers. The NKJV Study Bible

To fear a person is trusting in human power. In juxtaposition to Yahweh’s lasting security, people can only provide temporary security. Many are those who seek the favor of a ruler. Kings administer justice on earth, but ultimately, justice comes from God (16:11; 28:5). Faithlife Study Bible

Proverbs 29:10

The bloodthirsty hate the blameless,

But the upright seek his well-being.

1 John 3:13

Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you. 

Psalm 6:8

Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity;

For the LORD has heard the voice of my weeping.

Here’s what I believe: Every single one of us has the resources to feed and to nourish one another—even if we may not believe that to be true.
The resources to bring another back to life.
To make us all (and the world we live in) more, and not less human.

We see this ("heart closing") on a global scale in our world, as last year, overall humanitarian funding has dropped substantially. And cuts are continuing.
“The system has been eviscerated,” said Kate Phillips-Barrasso, who heads global advocacy at Mercy Corps, an American aid group that runs relief and development programs around the world. The organization led journalists from The New York Times on a reporting trip in Somalia.
“This is the era of indifference,” she said.

So. What is it that allows us to live from our heart, to contribute, to mend, even in a broken world?
Speaking words of courage in frightening times with her column “My Day,” Eleanor Roosevelt spilled light. And she admitted that her indefatigable service for us to be our better selves was an antidote to loneliness, anxiety and the periods of depression she called “Griselda moods.” (Smiling, knowing that I’ll be borrowing that expression.)
So yes. Wholeheartedness flows even from the broken places, from places where we may feel fragmented and vulnerable.
True, my mood often tells me otherwise. My mood tells me to guard my heart.
But what I’m learning is that the easiest way to take care of your heart, is to give it away. Taking off my scarf, to bind wounded paws. Go figure.

Today I am glad for any reminder that “It is in the shelter of each other that the people live.” (Irish Proverb).
Today, in a world where cruelty is unmistakable, I am glad for any reminder of the capacity to be fully human, tender, vulnerable and kindhearted.
Today, I am glad for any reminder that the human world of helping is larger than our fear or anxiety or our ego.

There is a difference between “guarding my heart”—choosing not to share or give, and “caring for my heart”, which is another way of saying, “being gentle with yourself.”
It is from that place, honoring self-care (and mindfulness, down-time, strengthening), that we let go of our own anxiety, and can readily see places where we can make space for those around us.
Space for healing and restoration.
Space for sanctuary.

Sabbath Moments

Easy optimism vs durable hope with Sharon McMahon

 https://youtu.be/p6RuIIm4irc?si=6NSjkxS8WzOTlaaj

52:11 - Commencement Speech Cancellation 1:12:14 - Durable Hope

Sharon McMahon is back to explain how political backlash and violent threats canceled her commencement speech at Utah Valley University, and why the message she planned to deliver is more relevant than ever.

Holy Post Media

Redicating America to God: What Could Possible Go Wrong?

 https://youtu.be/SC0DNVTajUE?si=sLbNYhatBjgMJ54j

Holy Post Media

Trump allies gathered on the National Mall to “Rededicate America to God” ahead of the nation’s 250th anniversary. Skye, Phil, and Esau unpack the theology, politics, and guest list behind the event, wondering whether this was a serious act of national humility or another example of revival language being used for political theater.

Galatians 5:19-26 If we boast let it be in the fruit that Holy Spirit has sown into our lives.

 2 Corinthians 12:20–21

For I fear lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I wish, and that I shall be found by you such as you do not wish; lest there be contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, backbitings, whisperings, conceits, tumults; lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and I shall mourn for many who have sinned before and have not repented of the uncleanness, fornication, and lewdness which they have practiced.

We will know followers of Jesus by the love they show, not only for their  families, but for all the families of the world. The love of God, in the sacrifice of Jesus, reunites us with God. By the values of God evident in our lives others will be drawn to Him. We do not overcome good with evil, we overcome evil by good. It is the will of God that we do good works to show others the power of God to transform lives. Carla

Galatians 5:19-26

Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like•; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another. NKJV

The works of the flesh include, but go well beyond, the destructive contentions and jealousies portrayed in verse 15. Where there is such behavior, it is positive proof that the person is not living in the power of the Holy Spirit (verses 16, 18, 22, 23) but is being energized by Satan and his hosts (Matthew16:23; Acts 5:3).

There is a question here whether Paul means specifically the works done by a person’s regenerated human spirit, or works done by the Holy Spirit Himself in the believer’s life. The fruit analogy is reminiscent of Jesus’ teaching on the vine, branches, and fruitful harvest (John 15:1–5).

Christians are spiritually “crucified with Christ” (2:20). They no longer have to follow the values or desires of the world (6:14). However, it remains difficult for Christians to apply this spiritual reality to the passions (affections) and desires (lusts) of the flesh (verse 16). Those who have mastered these sinful desires are those who have kept their focus on God (Jeremiah 9:23, 24; Daniel 11:32; John 17:3; Hebrews 12:1–3).

In these verses, Paul exhorts the Galatians to walk in the Spirit because they are already living in the Spirit. Such an action should be natural, but unfortunately we are at war with the flesh. Walk in the Spirit means to obey the prompting of the Holy Spirit. A believer following the Spirit’s lead (verse 16) will not become conceited, provoke others, or envy others. The NKJV Study Bible

More than half of the works of the flesh listed here denote forms of possible conflict among people. While this list is not exhaustive, it adequately represents life apart from the Spirit.

Deeds of the flesh refers to the sinful actions of human beings who put their own selfish needs ahead of others. The Greek participle here, prassontes, is used in the present tense, referring to people who continually orient their lives toward deeds of the flesh.

Kingdom of God refers to the domain in which God is king. In the Bible, believers extend God’s reign through obedience, loyalty, and love. Those who orient their lives toward the flesh will not inherit the kingdom of God because they have established a kingdom of their own.

This list of  the fruit of the Spirit (verses 22–23), which contrasts with the works of the flesh (verse 19–21), is not exhaustive but representative. These traits describe the desires and characteristics that God cultivates in believers through His living presence.

The phrase “fruit of the Spirit” in this context refers not to “spiritual fruit,” but to “fruit that the Spirit produces.” This latter translation best supports Paul’s argument that the production of godliness in the life of the believer does not require the law; it is empowered by God’s Spirit. When the life of the believer expresses these qualities, there is no need for the law. Those who “live by the Spirit” (verse 16) produce fruit reflecting the character of God that the law could not (3:21). However, this list shouldn’t be turned into a new kind of law (a replacement for faith in Christ and life lived by the Spirit).

Through faith, believers participate in Christ’s death and resurrection, leaving behind their orientation toward selfish desires (2:19–20). It is not enough to claim to have new life in Christ by the power of the Spirit believers must continually follow after the Spirit in the way they live while also resisting the flesh.

Provoking one another, envying one another, such actions represent a failure to live by the Spirit (verse  22). Faithlife Study Bible

Galatians 5:16–18

I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish…

Philippians  2:3

Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 

Colossians 3:12–17

Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do…

Some days, when I read the news, I wish I was made of stronger stuff—emotionally and mentally…And I don’t want to admit it, as uncertainty (disquiet) feels like a defect to be concealed. Okay, it’s just that some days, I don’t have the words.

But here’s the good news; even wounded or broken or frightened, I can still “show up”.

I can still say yes to the invitation to be here now.

I can still let my light spill to the world around me. To create safe places—for those wounded or left out. And to remember that the “script” we carry—of expectations and assumptions—does not get to say how the story ends.

We live in a world where, more than ever, it is easy to lose our way.

To feel derailed, disenfranchised, exasperated. Or just plain lost.

Bottom line, we are not at home.

And we want someone to show us the way, or at least, the GPS coordinates.

Yes, love brings you home.

Or, in the words of Henri Nouwen, “It means a gradual process of coming home to where we belong and listening there to the voice, which desires our attention. Home is the place where that first love dwells and speaks gently to us.”

Love (value or meaning) is not something you produce or achieve or acquire. It is not something that you even have. Love is something that has you. So, we surrender. And maybe, that surrender begins with an unforeseen journey across a long bridge.

Love brings you home. Now, grounded in humility (with no appetite to be somebody we are not), love will soften our hearts, shrinking rage and saying no to contempt. 

And here’s the good news: “When we are in touch with our blessedness,” Nouwen reminds us, “we can then bless other people.” And in that blessing, “…awaken from the illusion of our separateness,” Thich Nhat Hanh wrote.

Yes. We are not on this journey alone. Sabbath Moments