Happy Friday, Friends! I hope you've had a wonderful week. Can you believe that this is the very last day of January? Here's to hoping that Punxsutawney Phil does not see his shadow Sunday. We have an Alabaster Al at the Birmingham Zoo. If Al doesn't see his shadow, yet Phil does, which pontificator should I believe?
Did you experience anything transcending as discussed in our lesson this week? Entitled "When Heaven Breaks Through," Farrell Mason explains how "transcendent moments hint of eternity, [and ] they offer a mystical awareness" (on page twenty-one). She also describes how the Celts believed in the existence of thin veils between our physical world and heaven. Ironically in my Bible class at church yesterday, we also discussed this same Celtic belief. We're studying Joyce Rupp's The Open Door, and this week's lesson was Chapter Five entitled "Standing On the Threshold." This chapter explores thresholds, or the liminal spaces "between our inner and outer space such as spirit and body." In Jubilee Time, Maria Harris reminds us that "the threshold is a place of the spirit, uniting the mundane with the mysterious, the commonplace with the awesome." It takes a willingness and sometimes courage to cross this threshold, and growth and wisdom will be waiting on the other side. I'm sure we've all experienced these transcendent moments, but I can't help but wonder how many we might have missed.
Farrell tells us that the secret to the art of transcendence is simple:
Seek God's face always. Fall in love with the life given and keep falling in love over and over again---with people, nature, food, new experiences, and music....Believe, believe, believe that a corner of heaven can be pulled down on your watch.Page 23
Here is this week's scripture:
I thought this was a very unusual translation of this verse. I also started reading several different translations, and I was fascinated by the differences. This one is my favorite version from the Modern English translation:
I called upon the Lord from my distress;the Lord answered me and set me in an open place.~Psalm 118:5
Farrell gives us a lovely list of music to nourish our souls in this chapter. I love Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons," and we all might be a little tired of Winter (plus it reminds me of Christmas), so I'm sharing Spring (La Primavera).
- Pray for our military and military families, and the Wisconsin National Guard deployed in Iraq.
- Pray for our military being sent to the 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 that God will extinguish the fires in California.
- Pray for the victims of the Nashville school shooting at Antioch High School.
- Pray for Carla's parents as they face health issue, including her father's blood pressure. Pray for Carla as she travels to help them (they live two hours away).
- 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.
- URGENT: Please pray for the victims of the tragic plane and helicopter collision in Washington, D.C. Wednesday night. I have no words!
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Happy Friday, Friends!
How was your week? Mine was busy with appointments, and I'm happy to report that I am doing very well, and I don't have any other appointments for about four weeks. :D
How did you like this week's lesson? I love its focus on hope. I have flagged it because I know I will want to revisit this one.
What does hope mean to you? To me, it means that even though we will have trouble in this world, Christ has overcome the world. Game over!
I enjoyed looking up and reading the scripture: What an encouragement it is to read about hope! Let's take a look at them:
"Hope"
George Frederic Watts
1886 (second version)
56" X 44"
oil on canvas
The subject in Watts' painting is playing the only string left on her lyre. She not only appears to be determined, but she also seems peaceful. I think hope requires determination, and it brings us peace.
Maintaining hope while suffering is a challenge, but it is essential to our spiritual growth:
Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.~Romans 3:3-5
This is what it takes to make the recipe. It's a lot!
The veggies and spices in the pot
I didn't get a good photo of the soup itself because I lost my light. It was a hit, and I do think chicken soup is so good for fighting colds.
Prayer Requests
- Pray for our military and military families, and the Wisconsin National Guard deployed in Iraq.
- Pray for our military being sent to the 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 that God will extinguish the fires in California.
- Pray for the victims of the Nashville school shooting at Antioch High School.
- Pray for Carla's parents as they face health issue, including her father's blood pressure. Pray for Carla as she travels this week to help them (they live two hours away).
- 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.
Coffee Time!
I hope y'all have a wonderful weekend and week. Please let me know if I need to update the prayer requests.
Until next time...
Blessings!
Ricki Jill
Ricki Jill
My rex begonia is blooming! I broke apart our Christmas living centerpiece and replanted it in a pot that drains.
Happy Friday, Friends! How has your week been so far? I've had a strange week because a few things have come-up that I wasn't expecting. We all have weeks like that, don't we! My week started out at the doctor's office where I had all my stitches taken out. Then things started to get a little complicated on Tuesday. I had to miss out on a few things, but that's okay. I'm not complaining....I'm just happy that I have the good sense to always write in my planner in pencil and not ink!
The only things I accomplished on my original weekly chore list were feeding and caring for our houseplants and laundry. But we're expecting the coldest weather of the season next week, and we might have another winter storm. The timing of the precipitation is unclear at this point, so I'm planning on spending lots of time at home next week (the Good Lord willing). During last weekend's winter storm we lost power for about four hours. I hope we don't lose power next week!
What did you think about this week's lesson? The title is "Finding Eden," and I loved her story about the village in Southwest France where all the cottages are named rather than having house numbers. Her favorite was named "Eden," and there was a White Scottish Terrier who was the boss around there. Maybe it was a Westie like my sweet babies.
Finlay after his nap yesterday
At the end of the lesson we are invited to access our personal Edens by praying with beads. Do you pray with beads? I know many of y'all are Catholic; do you pray the rosary? I'm Episcopalian, and we don't pray the rosary, but I do know of people who pray with prayer beads. I admit that I have not tried it yet, but I want to this weekend. I did pray Farrell's prayers, and I thought they were so well-written. My favorite one of the seven is the last one:
"Loving God, I pray that today You would help me live a life that matters, one that increases love in the world and radiates joy."page 14
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Below is this week's Bible verse.
I love this verse! The Holy Spirit indeed dwells within us.
Jesus promised us the best helper, and he keeps his promises!
Please share your thoughts about this week's lessons in the comments section.
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Prayer Requests
- Pray for our military and military families, and the Wisconsin National Guard deployed in Iraq.
- Pray for Kitty's son Mike to get a job that uses his talents.
- Pray for a peaceful inauguration. I have friends traveling to Washington D.C. for it and a ball. Please pray travel mercies for those attending the rally, inauguration, and parties/balls.
- Carla asks that you pray for her Florida friends that lost so much during the hurricane and are still cleaning up and rebuilding... sadly they miscarried December 11th. They are devastated. They do have the blessing of family, friends and their sweet little girl who is 1 1/2 years old to help them during this time. I thank our prayer warriors to lift them up in prayer as well. Thank You!
- URGENT: There has been a shooting in a Christian school in Madison, Wisconsin. Please be in prayer for the victims, their families, and the school community. UPDATE: Carla's friend Elena's son attends the school that the shooting happened. They were reunited later that day.
- URGENT: Pray for the victims and their families of the terrorist attack in New Orleans. Pray that the enemies' plans for future attacks will be thwarted, and that God will help Patriot law enforcement who want to protect our country and her citizens.
- URGENT: Pray for fire victims in Southern California.
- With all the terrible things in the news, let's pray for each other's hearts, too.
- Pray for Carla's parents as they face health issue, including her father's blood pressure. Pray for Carla as she travels this week to help them (they live two hours away).
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Stay warm, friends!
Until next time...
Blessings!
Ricki Jill
Happy Friday, Friends! We are expecting a snow day today. It's dark, and I can't really tell what's going on weather-wise this morning. I hope we have a cold rain and everything clears-up soon!
What did you think about our first week of study? This week seemed to be a bit of an overview, and Week One focused on building your nest with six Nest-Building Tips. I hope I can explore all six over the course of the year, but my main focus will be Number 1: Spend Time in Nature. Speaking of nature, I enjoyed reading about bald eagles and how they continually build and enlarge their nests.
This week I can't help but think about all the people in Southern California who have lost their "nests" due to the crazy fires and disastrous response to the fires. It breaks my heart! I have also been thinking about the Hurricane Helene victims in Eastern Tennessee and Western North Carolina, as well as the fire victims in Maui. (I've also been thinking about Carla's friends in Florida. See prayer requests, below.) I cannot imagine losing everything; these people have to be so courageous to even begin to start over again by rebuilding or, if they can afford it, relocate. Anyway, my heart and head have been pondering these people. Will you join me in praying for these areas and the affected people?
Did you do anything to feed your soul this week? I finished taking down Christmas decor, and the last thing I did was take down the Christmas tree with Shelley's help on Wednesday. Everything seems so sparse and clean; there is literally nothing on our breakfast room table. It's almost like having a clean slate for a new year, and that feeds my soul. I also started a small group study at church yesterday, but unfortunately my book hasn't come in yet. I ordered it from a local, independent book store, and it should've been in at least a week or two ago. I felt badly going to class unprepared, but I enjoyed class, and I think it's going to be a lovely study.
What are your thoughts about this lesson? Is there a particular Nest-Building Tip to Create a Soulfull Life that calls to you?
Here is this week's scripture:
Prayer Requests
- Pray for our military and military families, and the Wisconsin National Guard deployed in Iraq.
- Please pray travel mercies for Shelley as she's traveling in Louisiana visiting her cousins and aunt.
- Pray for Kitty's son Mike to get a job that uses his talents.
- Pray for a peaceful and smooth transition of power between now and January 20, 2025.
- Thank-you for praying for my surgeries. I am doing very well! My post-op appointment is Monday.
- Carla asks that you pray for her Florida friends that lost so much during the hurricane and are still cleaning up and rebuilding... sadly they miscarried December 11th. They are devastated. They do have the blessing of family, friends and their sweet little girl who is 1 1/2 years old to help them during this time. I thank our prayer warriors to lift them up in prayer as well. Thank You!
- URGENT: There has been a shooting in a Christian school in Madison, Wisconsin. Please be in prayer for the victims, their families, and the school community. UPDATE: Carla's friend Elena's son attends the school that the shooting happened. They were reunited later that day.
- URGENT: Pray for the victims and their families of the terrorist attack in New Orleans. Pray that the enemies' plans for future attacks will be thwarted, and that God will help Patriot law enforcement who want to protect our country and her citizens.
- URGENT: Pray for fire victims in Southern California.
- With all the terrible things in the news, let's pray for each other's hearts, too.
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Stay warm this weekend, friends!
Until next time...
Blessings!
Ricki Jill
Ricki Jill
Happy New Year and Ninth Day of Christmas, Friends!
Do you celebrate all twelve days of Christmas through Epiphany? We do in our home. We love Christmas!
Do you have any plans, resolutions, or goals this year? The main thing I want to achieve this year is living a more discerning life. I want to do the things that brings joy to others and myself, and not participate in activities that don't. That's pretty much my main goal.
Have you had a chance to pick-up a copy of SoulFull yet? I think we will enjoy this study because we all are creatives in different ways. The subtitle of the book is "A Weekly Devotional To Nourish the Mind, Body, and Spirit." Each week includes a "Souljoy section that is meant to activate our connection to our bodies and physically live our the soulfull experience." Twenty-two of these are recipes, so I think our devotionals might spend a little time in our kitchens!
We obviously won't have the time to do all the activities in the book, but one of the features I like about it is the index in the back of the book for spiritual reflections. If you or someone you love has a specific need, this book is a lovely resource. I will probably use it as needed although it is my intent to read and post chronologically.
To get us started on our first lesson we will discuss next Friday, below is the Bible verse for Week One.
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How I'd like for you to participate:
1. Share your thoughts about the lesson.
2. Share your creative pursuits for the week, whether it was suggested by the lesson or not.
3. Share your prayer requests.
Remember that I will only post on Friday mornings. I think this will work better for all of us, and I want to write better, slightly longer posts as well.
Do you have any thoughts about this study you'd like to share?
Before we get to our prayer requests, I want to share with you a quote sent to me by Betty, our small group leader at church. I think it's wonderful advice for the new year!
A little planBe curious. Go outside. Get to bed on time. Hydrate. Breathe from the diaphragm. Eat happy. Get a routine baggy enough to live in. Be kind. Accept that not everyone will like you. Appreciate those who do. Don't be defined. Allow mess ups. Want what you already have. Learn to say no to things that get in the way of life. And to say yes to the things that help you live.~Matt Haig
Prayer Requests
- Pray for our military and military families, and the Wisconsin National Guard deployed in Iraq.
- Pray for Kitty's son Mike to get a job that uses his talents.
- PRAISE: Eric found out that he was hired this week and will start work on January 6th.
- Pray for a peaceful and smooth transition of power between now and January 20, 2025.
- Thank-you for praying for my surgeries. I am doing very well!
- Carla asks that you pray for her Florida friends that lost so much during the hurricane and are still cleaning up and rebuilding... sadly they miscarried December 11th. They are devastated. They do have the blessing of family, friends and their sweet little girl who is 1 1/2 years old to help them during this time. I thank our prayer warriors to lift them up in prayer as well. Thank You!
- URGENT: There has been a shooting in a Christian school in Madison, Wisconsin. Please be in prayer for the victims, their families, and the school community. UPDATE: Carla's friend Elena's son attends the school that the shooting happened. They were reunited later that day.
- URGENT: Pray for the victims and their families of the terrorist attack in New Orleans. Pray that the enemies' plans for future attacks will be thwarted, and that God will help Patriot law enforcement who want to protect our country and her citizens.
Other than the grocery store, I haven't been shopping in weeks.
Unfortunately today I have to go out and purchase a few things for art class and upcoming birthdays.
Have a great weekend and week!
Until next time...
Happy New Year!
Ricki Jill
Ricki Jill
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