Category Archives: somethin’

mind and heart

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sometimes we treasure things within our heart.
when we think on something, it can easily go to the heart and take hold.
we can sit with something on the heart for many reasons.
yet, perhaps it is best to think on something that is good for our heart to hold onto.
something that will dwell there and make it’s way into our life,
and perhaps into the lives of those around you or me.

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from Philippians 4:

Rejoice in the Lord always.  I will say it again: Rejoice!  Let your gentleness be evident to all.  The Lord is near.   Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things.  Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me-put into practice.  And the God of peace will be with you.

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The passage above is part of a letter from Paul to the group of believers in Philippi, while he was probably under house arrest in Rome (A.D. 61).
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When i read words like…gentleness, the LORD is near, prayer, petition, rejoice, thanksgiving, present your requests to God… true, noble, right, pure, lovely admirable, excellent, praiseworthy, seen in me, heard from me… well, i think of GOD ( the Father, Jesus the Christ and the Holy Spirit).

I like the ‘idea’ of peace guarding my mind and heart.
And i ‘think’ that GOD gives us the best kind of dreams and ideas; that are sometimes to be treasured in our heart, and sometimes to be used and shared in reality.

What such things are you thinking on?

continued reading

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Hope

i am given Hope.  in life received and given.  in the dance of relating.  it is Jesus.  Jesus is…where i came from.  Jesus is…holding my hand in the journey.  Jesus is already before me.  Jesus is alive, He exists, He is real.   Jesus “created” real.  He is Life…our Life.
Hope is not a theological virtue.  Hope is not a philosophy of christian doctrine.  Hope does not exist because i talk about it.  Hope is where Jesus is.  Hope is in Jesus.  Hope is from Jesus.
we use the word hope, carelessly, everyday, for our own wishful thinking.
yet, it is not the same Hope that is Jesus.
just as our use of the word love is not the same Love that is Jesus.
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continued group-reading of “mere christianity” by c.s.Lewis
links are submitted with our co-facilitators jason or sarah

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the daughters and i went to hawthorne street, on the east side of portland, the other day.  we parked around 37th and walked a few blocks up and down hawthorne, going into a few of the shops.  this photo was taken from inside of a little cafe called bread and ink.  the bread and ink has been in business since 1983.  peter and i use to go there when we did saturday food shopping.  and one of our food stops was pasta works, which still has the store on hawthorne.  the girls and i enjoyed lunch, and i thought that this was a very colourful view, through the side window, with the blue and magenta building across the street along with the red and yellow awning on the cafe window.
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the table

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i went to a dinner.  there was much.  the ugly table was covered in fine white cotton.  the dishes were clean.  there were more forks and spoons than any one person really needs.  stems of flowers were cut and put into containers.  the petals became hidden as the stems holding wine surrounded them.  the chef and crew worked very hard to please.  i talked with people that i would not usually meet.  i met a neighbor couple that has lived up the road from us for seven years.  we see what is in front of us.  do we see what is hidden within?  do we see what God places before us that is within the world?  hearts, souls and petals.

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the flag

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it was a driving shot.  i was driving down the main street through town, and several blocks ahead i could see the giant american flag in the spotlight.  it was flying at half staff just over a little rise in the road, so it looked like it would cover the cars going by.  i was going to turn left for a shorter route, but the flag kept my steering wheel from turning.  it was late at night, but there were still plenty of cars on the road.  as i came closer to the flag the traffic light, next to it’s display, turned red.  i grabbed for my purse and pulled out my camera.  as i was hitting the power button the red light turned green, and i had to step on the gas…so i aimed the lens over my shoulder and clicked.  red.  white.  blue.  and lights.  i shot the flag at night.
July 28, 2011 – Oregon Governor Kitzhaber has ordered all flags at public institutions to be flown at half-staff from sunrise to sunset on Thursday, July 28, 2011, in honor of the Honorable Betty Roberts, whose memorial service will take place in Portland on that date. “Betty Roberts’ distinguished career as an educator, politician, lawyer and judge broke down barriers,” said Governor Kitzhaber. “Her work on issues of gender equity and access to justice changed the political, social, and legal landscape in Oregon. She was and will continue to be a role model, mentor, and inspiration to many.”

flag status archive







article on betty roberts from the university of oregon news

Sweet Light

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Continued reading of “Mere Christianity” by Clive Staples Lewis.
I was wondering about the word “charity” and, actually, words in general.  They tend to change meaning over time with use.  Such it is with theology.  Everyone has there own idea about each word.  Meanings also get changed in translations.  Yet, i think, even though words and meanings change, the main message of the gospel will never be changed by anyone.
Charity is the title of this week’s chapter.  And i can not even begin to express the different meanings that people might put onto this one.  In Christian theology, it’s an unlimited loving-kindness toward all others, and should not be confused with a more modern meaning of benevolent giving.
We have been shown, to some extent, what we are, and what we could have been.  In looking at our self, we can see our selfishness.  And in looking at our self and comparing our self to others, we can see other people’s selfishness.  On one hand we may despair, and on the other hand we may feel a need to prove our self better.  If we spend too much time looking at our self…that is all we will see.
But, we have been given a gift in Jesus Christ.  “Relationship” with our God.

We have been given the one place too look that is beyond our self.  In this place of relating with God we can see that there is more for us and for others.  There is mystery in the workings of God within this gift.  And within the mystery of relationship we are given faith, hope and Love.
And this is something that no one but God can change.

We must look at our self to a degree.  Then we can look past our self
in thankfulness,
at our God.
He is the Sweet Light of Grace for us all.

frames

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i stayed in the house of a friend of my sister-in-law
the first week that i was in indiana.

this is a photo of a wall display that was there.
it’s comprised of one mirror and several unfilled frames
that are mainly antique.

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