Happy Friday, Friends! We have entered the solemn season of Lent, and I hope that you are finding time to draw close to God.
Y'all, I absolutely loved this week lesson because I, too, love bees. I have two books about how to plant to attract bees, and what to do in your garden to feed and water them. Farrell's lessons she's learned as a beekeeper and how they can be applied to anyone's life are instructive and inspiring. Getting involved with any new activity takes courage. The imagery of finding "inner calm in the tension" while tending bees is a perfect lesson for how to approach and respond to situations in everyday life.
She shared one of her favorite salad recipes utilizing honey, "Sweet Nectarine, Pistachio, Basil, and Honey Mozza Salad." Did you try it? I assembled it for us earlier in the week, and it was a big hit! I found Chilean nectarines at Publix, and they were surprisingly good (I was concerned because they aren't in season).
Cherry tomatoes, nectarines, and fresh basil
I had to giggle at the recipe because it called for a bushel of tomatoes, and I substituted that for a pint.
Here is the scripture for the lesson:
I want to share a reflection this morning from my inbox written by Boltz Weber. It's a meditation about the beginning of Lent.
On Ash Wednesday we read from the prophet Joel:"Yet even now, says the Lord,return to me with all your heart."~Joel 2:12Which I take to mean, You mortal, you will die, you belong, heart and soul, to God.This is Lent to me. Lent is about spiritual exfoliation. Lent is about returning to God with all our heart.
I think this is a sweet lesson to focus on during Lent because I have always found Ash Wednesday a little disturbing and upsetting.
Do you have any thoughts about Ash Wednesday, Lent or the lesson you'd like to share?
Prayer Requests
- Pray for our military securing and protecting our southern border.
- Pray for Kitty's son Mike to get a job that uses his talents.
- Pray for the Americans displaced by the derailment (East Palestine, OH), fires (Maui and California) and Hurricane Helene (East Tennessee and Western North Carolina). Pray that they will receive the help they need to rebuild.
- Pray for Kitty's grandson Connor, that he will find a path to follow and good relationships.
- Pray for our daughter Shanley Belle as her post doc is coming to an end. She is in the midst of a job search. Please pray for God's guidance in her next step. UPDATE: She has had two job offers so far. Please continue to pray for guidance and discernment for her.
- Carla is running for Trustee for her local Village Board. The election is April 1st. Let's be in prayer that Carla can continue to be the change she wants to see in her village.
- Rita's daughters need our prayers. One is finishing up her masters this semester, and the other is having an especially hard time balancing work/school/home life. Pray for God's strength, patience and guidance as they each navigate their own course.
Until next time...
Blessings!
Ricki Jill
Ricki Jill
As promised, the above is a photo of daffodils on our street. They are so pretty this year!
Happy Friday, Friends! How has your week been so far? Can you believe that this is the last day of February?
We had the best weekend in New Orleans, and I truly appreciate your travel mercy prayers for us.
I love the title of this week's lesson: "No Mud, No Lotus." The title comes from calligraphy art of Thich Nhat Hahn. You can order some of his art on his site HERE.
The point of this quote is that something beautiful, the lotus flower, emerges out of something not so delightful, mud. We all experience losses, heartbreak, meanness, and brokenness. These experiences allow us to appreciate the mountaintop moments, and they strengthen us.
I was particularly moved by this quote from the lesson:
You will discover an inner courage and an expansiveness of your faith in "the pits." This is rich ground for finding "our people"--those who truly love us and willingly enter the dark and messy to help us resurrect.~Page 44
You, Dear Friends, are "my people."
We have all experienced disappointment in fair-weather friends, those who weren't there for us when we needed them most. Instead of wasting our energy dwelling on them, we should focus on those who were there, who lifted us up. They are the balcony people in our lives.
Farrell also walks us through a meditation lesson based on her favorite verse for meditation, Psalm 46:10. Did you try the breathing/meditation?
I think my biggest obstacle to hearing God is being still. What about you?
Below is the other scripture from our lesson.
Please share your thoughts about the lesson and any prayer requests you may have in the Comments Section.
Prayer Requests
- Pray for our military securing and protecting our southern border.
- Pray for Kitty's son Mike to get a job that uses his talents.
- Pray for the Americans displaced by the derailment (East Palestine, OH), fires (Maui and California) and Hurricane Helene (East Tennessee and Western North Carolina). Pray that they will receive the help they need to rebuild.
- Pray for Kitty's grandson Connor, that he will find a path to follow and good relationships.
- Pray for our daughter Shanley Belle as her post doc is coming to an end. She is in the midst of a job search. Please pray for God's guidance in her next step.
- Carla is running for Trustee for her local Village Board. The election is April 1st. Let's be in prayer that Carla can continue to be the change she wants to see in her village.
- Rita's daughters need our prayers. One is finishing up her masters this semester, and the other is having an especially hard time balancing work/school/home life. Pray for God's strength, patience and guidance as they each navigate their own course.
I had the last of my doctors' appointments this week. I am hoping to rest a little and cook produce from our local farmer's market this weekend. What are your plans?
This is a latte I enjoyed in New Orleans.
Today I'm going on a field trip to a super cool vintage shop and the new Ballard Designs shop in downtown Birmingham with my bestie.
Blessings!
Ricki Jill
Ricki Jill
Happy Friday, Friends! How are you? Did you have a good week? Mine was much better, and I'm so thankful that I'm healthy. God is blessing me! I posted the watercolor of the daffodils (above) because the real ones are loving our wet weather and are popping up all over our neighborhood. It has been too rainy to go outside and take photos, but I will do so next week and share them on next week's post.
This week's lesson is entitled "Your Life Is Your Prayer." It's a sweet little lesson, and I enjoyed how she encourages us to pray. She talks about being honest and vulnerable, that "speaking our raw truths are the first lesson on how to pray (p. 39)." She also writes about centering prayers, and gives a short little lesson on how to begin this practice. (I admit that our church has centering prayer lessons and sessions, but I've never participated in them. Perhaps during the next cycle I will.) Her introductory lesson involves a "One-Word Prayer" exercise. Did you try this? Did you chose a word? My word was "stand." Let me explain why I chose this word.
In the Book of Ephesians, we are reminded to pray for each other. Here is the verse:
...praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints...~Ephesians 6:18
This verse comes at the end of the Armor of God passage.
As many times as I've read this, it never dawned on me that once we are "armored-up," we are to pray for each other! Also in this passage, we are encouraged to "stand firm."
Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.~Ephesians 6:13
Here is another reason I chose the word "stand." Macina Wiederkehr writes about morning prayer in the prayer below. My Bible teacher Bettys sent it to me this week, and I want to share it with you.
I stand at my window and watch
one by one the stars leave me.
I am having tea with the dawn
the first ray of sun descending
into my teacup, into my heart.
The stream of the tea ascending
to the heavens, into God's heart.
The yearning in my heart
streaming to the heavens, into God's heart.
And God, standing in the heavens
watching the sun rise in my heart
leans down to breathe in
the rays of yearning
and names it morning prayer.
Sometimes my biggest challenge is enjoying our comfortable bed in the morning and not getting up when I should to pray. I definitely function better in the mornings, and mornings are quieter in our home than afternoons.
Below is the scripture for our lesson:
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Please share with me your thoughts about the lesson. Did you choose a word for the centering prayer exercise? Have you practiced centering prayers before?
Prayer Requests
- Pray for our military securing and protecting our southern border.
- Pray for Kitty's son Mike to get a job that uses his talents.
- Pray for the Americans displaced by the derailment (East Palestine, OH), fires (Maui and California) and Hurricane Helene (East Tennessee and Western North Carolina). Pray that they will receive the help they need to rebuild.
- Pray for Kitty's grandson Connor, that he will find a path to follow and good relationships.
- Carla requests that we pray for Trump's cabinet, and his picks will be confirmed quickly.
- Pray for our daughter Shanley Belle as her post doc is coming to an end. She is in the midst of a job search. Please pray for God's guidance in her next step.
- Carla is running for Trustee for her local Village Board. The election is April 1st. Let's be in prayer that Carla can continue to be the change she wants to see in her village.
- Rita's daughters need our prayers. One is finishing up her masters this semester, and the other is having an especially hard time balancing work/school/home life. Pray for God's strength, patience and guidance as they each navigate their own course.
- PRAISE: All of my tests have been fantastic this week. I am the healthiest I've been in many, many years. :D
- Please pray for travel mercies for Trip and me. We are in New Orleans for the weekend.
Whatever you're drinking standing at your window, I hope you are also praying for the saints in your life!
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Ricki Jill
Happy Valentine's Day, Friends! How was your week? Mine was not the best. I think I need a do-over. I rarely say that, but that's how I feel. I enjoyed this week's lesson entitled "The Two Stones." Farrell shares with us about the Ionian tradition that Pilgrims do involving two stones: one stone that represents something we need to throw away in order to "continue successfully on the life journey." Friends, I am clearly doing something wrong in this life because I need a whole bushel of stones, it seems. Maybe it's because of the challenges I've encountered this week. Viewed individually, none of them are that big of a deal....but it's like a death of a thousand cuts: They have all added up to almost push me over the edge. Almost.
Two stones, one representing things we need to let go of, and one that represents something we would like to take with us.
Two stones, a life transformed.~Page 34
The second stone represents something that will enrich our lives. Maybe it's a dream, hope, or any other desire. Farrell says she keeps hers displayed in her home as a reminder. I think it sounds like a great idea. Unfortunately, I did not have the time to find my two stones before the rains hit Central Alabama.
But I will not be thwarted. I will find them, keep one, and throw the other one into the lake in our community.
Stay tuned!
Farrell also talks about cairns she sees while walking on the Snake River levee in Jackson, Wyoming (one of my favorite places on Earth). There is a neighborhood about a mile from ours, and we have friends who live there. This community also has cairns to mark the community's walking trails that meander through the pretty trees and parks. Cairns are a Scottish tradition, a place where people stack stones usually as a memorial.
Cairns located in Mt. Laurel
So basically the gist of this lesson is finding something to live for, and once you find it, live it! Farrell chose a verse from Hebrews for this lesson, and it's perfect because it challenges us to rid ourselves of things that weigh us down, thus hindering us from running with endurance the "race" or life God has planned for us.
Another verse from this chapter in Hebrews is below, and I think it's an appropriate verse for our lesson and for Valentine's Day.
This lesson also included a recipe for meatballs. Did you try it? I usually don't make meatballs because my family prefers meat sauce. I made Farrell's recipe, and everyone loved it! It was an easy recipe: The sauce came together easily. The hardest part was making the meatballs. We had it last night, and there was plenty left over to freeze.
The sauce is bright in color because I took Farrell's advice and used a variety of cherry tomatoes, especially yellow and orange ones.
Did you enjoy this week's lesson? I would love to read your thoughts in Comments.
- Pray for our military securing and protecting our southern border.
- Pray for Kitty's son Mike to get a job that uses his talents.
- Pray for the Americans displaced by the derailment (East Palestine, OH), fires (Maui and California) and Hurricane Helene (East Tennessee and Western North Carolina). Pray that they will receive the help they need to rebuild.
- Pray for Kitty's grandson Connor, that he will find a path to follow and good relationships.
- Carla requests that we pray for Trump's cabinet, and his picks will be confirmed quickly.
- Pray for our daughter Shanley Belle as her post doc is coming to an end. She is in the midst of a job search. Please pray for God's guidance in her next step.
- Carla is running for Trustee for her local Village Board. The election is April 1st. Let's be in prayer that Carla can continue to be the change she wants to see in her village.
- Please pray for me because I'm having my mammogram next week and all my check-ups with my cancer team.
- Rita's daughters need our prayers. One is finishing up her masters this semester, and the other is having an especially hard time balancing work/school/home life. Pray for God's strength, patience and guidance as they each navigate their own course.
Do you have any plans for Valentine's Day or any special plans for the weekend?
We're going to our club tonight for dinner.
Until next time...
Blessings!
Ricki Jill
Ricki Jill
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