SoulFull Week Nine

 

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 2:12

Which 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