 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace.” John 16:33
If I live to be a hundred there are some things I will never understand. Why do some people live, and some die? Why do some people have debilitating diseases and others, perfect health? Why do some have loads of money and others struggle to survive? Why do some get caught and others go free? Why do some people recover and get well, others don’t? Don’t we all wonder about these questions? I do, from time to time, and my answer is always the same, “I don’t know.” I don’t know much, and even less the older I get. My list of questions I want to ask when I get to heaven is pretty long. In this life, there are a lot of mysteries. We will not humanly understand many things. Yet underlying all the unknowns is the one great thing we do know: God is still on his throne. He is still sovereign, still in charge. He knows what is going on. He doesn’t just wake up one morning, look down, and say, “Oh wow, look at that!!” We may not be able to trust in the system, in people, in circumstances or luck. But we can trust in the Lord God. And the promise is that one day, every tear shall be wiped away. Every sickness, every injustice, every heartache. Jesus said we will surely have troubles here on earth, but to be undaunted and confident because He has overcome the world’s power to harm us permanently. Bottom-line, the answer to all these questions really is- hang onto the promise, and hold onto the Lord.  And just as they were telling about it, Jesus himself was suddenly standing there among them. "Peace be with you"; he said. Luke 24:36 This past spring when our lone gardenia bush was in glorious full bloom I was so enjoyed seeing it each day. Mornings I would cut a couple to bring indoors, and the lovely fragrance would fill the room. And then the rains came. Overnight every single flower was washed away. They had a beautiful marriage for sixteen years and two sweet children. Late one afternoon, coming home from the grocery store, she was hit broadside by a truck that ran a stop sign and killed her instantly. And then the rains came. He was 28 years old with a promising future. One drizzly afternoon they found him. His parents were devastated. It was the day the rains came. She went into work, business as usual, when her superior walked in and said, “Clean out your desk; I’m sorry but we are cutting back”. And then the rains came. The rains don’t last forever although when we’re in the midst of a storm it surely feels like they will. It’s a fact there is always a rainbow when it rains, even when we don’t see it. The sun/Son is always shining behind the heavy rain clouds. The loss of the flowers on the gardenia bush was no big thing, just a minuscule blip on the radar, as was the lovely crop of wild sunflowers that were drowned and flattened by a flash flood. They did serve as an illustration, however, and a reminder that when we have our hopes and plans dashed we have a God of the ‘suddenlies’ who can turn things around (Genesis 50:20). The Lord will redeem what has been lost for you (Joel 2:25). It’s a promise, we can count on it. Thank you, God. That is good news.  "You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence." Psalm 16:11
A few years back, my husband and I, along with some family members, were going away over Spring holiday. First morning while everyone was busy and bustling around, I set out for a short walk. Light snow was flurrying, and even against a grey sky it was beautiful. Not too far away was a church. I eased into a small back pew. Communion was being celebrated during the service. As I made my way up front, I looked out across the people. So many different faces, so many different reasons that might have brought them there. No doubt many had come to simply worship our Lord. Others, though, perhaps out of desperation, or with a faint hope. I thought, so many different cries of the heart, yet God hears them all. I have since been able to return to this peaceful place a time or two. It has always been a safe, sheltering place to pray. It is wonderful to have the opportunity to go to a church or place of worship to seek God and meet with Him. However, we can do that anytime, anywhere. No matter what is on our minds or our hearts, no matter what our needs or desires are, Jesus is always available to us. Anytime, anywhere, He is waiting to listen and speak with us. That is good news.  .....and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. Revelation 5:8
Hurriedly, I was trying to retrieve E-mail I had deleted by mistake. I thought, “Maybe, if I act right away!” No such luck. It was gone from that big E-mailbox in the sky. I was reminded of old science fiction movies where an outer-space individual would get zapped. One beam of light and he was deleted. Gone. This week my husband was sharing how much his spiritual heritage means to him. “Just think,” he said, “of all the prayers that have been said for me by my parents, grandparents, Sunday school teachers, and untold others. Who knows where I’d be if it weren’t for all those prayers!” Later, I thought about what Ben had said. None of the prayers offered in his name has ever been deleted. No prayer he has prayed has been erased, either. Nor mine. Nor yours. It says in the final book of the Bible that all our prayers are stored in a huge golden bowls in God’s throne room. All. What an honor privilege, and blessing to pray. Each and every prayer is heard by God himself. And not one of them will ever be deleted. Not even by accident. That is good news. ©Sally I. Kennedy The Best of Irish Thursdays  O LORD, what is man that you care for him, the son of man that you think of him? Psalm 144:3
And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. Matthew 10:30,31 Visiting with a friend the other day as she shared a deep concern, I casually asked if she’d prayed about it No, she replied, and went on to explain she didn’t think God was concerned about something like that. “I do pray about the important things but not anything as small as this”, she added. I could identify with this thinking, and at one time my thinking was similar; after all, God has a lot to do all the time! Then I ‘happened’ to visit a church one particular weekend while we were out of town. After the worship service the pastor asked if anyone would like to come up for prayer. Several people did. Clearly some had physical ailments; others may have had financial, family, or work situations they were seeking God’s help with. One woman had a cold, and she went right up for prayer along with the others. The pastors and prayer team prayed for each person who came, including the woman with the sniffles. No prayer request was too large, or too small. There is nothing under the sun that is not important to God. All we have to do is look at our solar system, the starry universe, how a baby is perfectly put together before birth, the cell structure in our bodies, right down to a perfectly and intricately made bumble bee in a minutely detailed single flower. He is most definitely and assuredly in details. And He is totally interested in the details of our lives. The Word of the Lord is truth, and it says that even the hairs of our head are numbered by God. That statement is extraordinary when you think about the fact that the average loss is 5-150 hairs every day, then new ones growing in, and God is still aware of the number at any given moment. He knows every single solitary detail about us. He IS interested and involved in our lives. No prayer request is too small for Him. He already knows what is in our hearts and minds, and longs for us to come to Him, our Heavenly Father, to ask and to talk things over. Through the Holy Spirit, we can come to Him, trusting and believing. What an awesome and amazing God we have, that HE would be interested in every detail concerning us. So let go and let God; “give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.” (1 Peter 5:7) How wonderful our Lord is a God of details. That is good news. ©Sally I. Kennedy The Best of Irish Thursdays  But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them; and suddenly there came a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison house were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were unfastened. Acts 16:25-26 It had been quite a while, maybe two or three years, since the little plants had been stuck in the sandy soil in our back yard area. Succulents are slow growing, so I wasn’t surprised they didn’t fill in quickly. And never had I seen these plants bloom, so it didn’t cross my mind that they might, one day, flower. One rainy morning I looked out and there were stalks springing up. One of them had a cluster of buds that were beginning to open. The tiny star shaped white blooms were so lovely. It was one of those small suddenlies. Didn't see it coming! We wait for things in our lives, some spoken desires and some kept secretly in our hearts. And one day God – who knows us completely inside and out – breaks on the scene and things are different. Suddenly. And you didn't even see it coming. “Don’t confuse your path with your destination. Just because it’s stormy now doesn’t mean you aren’t headed for unexpected sunshine” (tweet by Nicky Gumbel). Those ‘suddenlies’. The times you didn’t see it coming. God is faithful; He will show up and his timing is perfect. That’s good news. As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. Acts 9:3 Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. Acts 2:2 ©Sally I. Kennedy The Best of Irish Thursdays   He has made everything beautiful in its time. Ecclesiastes 3:11 What a beautiful large, plump rose! I cut the stem at an angle, under water, as the directions suggested. I placed it in a special bud vase, and set it on my husband’s washstand. In a day or so, the flower just wasn’t opening like I thought it should. “I’ll help it,” I thought. Carefully, I pried open the blush color petals. Perhaps you have tried to force a flower to open before it is ready? It didn’t work for me! Too often I am impatient with how things are going, and I get involved to try and “help” speed up the process. Forcing this flower to open clearly brought home the message to me that, even though it is ok to be an action person, it is also wise to be patient. There is a rhythm, and a time (key words: His time), for everything. Thank you , Lord, You make everything beautiful, in Your time. That is Good News. Ecclesiastes 3  I will answer them before they even call to me. While they are still talking about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers. Isaiah 65:24 Literally, I had no agenda. Many things had been on my mind, though. Several situations I’d been mulling over, a few people that had been especially on my heart, perhaps unresolved issues stewing in the back corners of my brain. So, I had no agenda when we went to this church for an evening service of refreshing and renewing. I just know that there would be a time to be quiet and be still before the Lord. With beautiful music in the background, I began to zone out, let my mind wander. As I was still, sitting there, I felt so thankful to be in the presence of the Lord. God began to whisper softly to me, not in an audible voice, but ever so gently. He began addressing one by one the concerns of my heart. Gradually I began to be aware that He was sharing with me direction and answers to these unspoken concerns. Later, I thought about how amazing God is. Amazing God! Amazing grace! How good to remember that God knows our deepest needs and desires before they are even fully formed in our minds, or on our lips. And, that in His time, the perfect time, He will answer the concerns of our hearts. Even if we have ‘no agenda’. Thank you, Holy Spirit, for sharing the Word, the wisdom, the love of our heavenly Father with us. In the name of Jesus! Amen. ©Sally I. Kennedy The Best of Irish Thursdays   The Lord is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not
fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed. Deuteronomy 31:8 On a family vacation, our youngest grandson proudly wore his new western hat that was nearly half the size of him. He was so thrilled the day his dad took him over by the horses. He’d never been this close to a horse before. I watched Tommy struggling to reach through the fence and stroke the horse’s nose. He was holding his ‘B’ In his left hand, the blankie that went everywhere with him. Even on the airplane and out to see the horses. Only thing is he couldn’t quite negotiate getting his hand through the fence hole, without dropping the ‘B’, and he wasn’t about to do that. I couldn’t help but think of how many times there is something good out there, I want to move forward, take the next step. Yet I want to hold on to the security of the past. I just can’t let go of something for fear of how I would be able to manage without it. Kind of reminds me of a story I heard once about a daddy and his young daughter who had a strand of pink plastic pearls. God asks us to grow in our Christian walk. We don’t have to do it alone, in fact we can’t. 1 Peter 2-3 says, Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good. The ‘meat’, more of God, is a blessing, Our ‘B’s’ are wonderful for a season, then comes a time we no longer have to hold onto them. May we have the courage and grace to let go and trust our Heavenly Father to take care of us in the next step He has for us. He is already there anyway; I had a friend that used to put it this way, “you can’t go anywhere that God is not already there.” That is good news.  There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven. Ecclesiastes 3:1 Things can change in a hurry. On Labor Day, the skinny white-trunked aspen trees were very green due to a long wet summer season. Three days later, they were tinged with yellow. In less than a week, they were solid gold. What a majestic sight! Maybe you, or someone you know, is in a not-so-great place, and can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel. It seems to go on forever, like it’s never going to change. Change it will, though. Everything has a season. Nothing is forever, except the love of God. The bible tells us, in the book of Psalms, the love of the Lord endures forever. While waiting for things to change, reading the Psalms can give us comfort and assuredness that there is a God who loves us and does have a good plan for our lives. Never give up! It’s said that it’s always darkest just before dawn. Hang in, and hold on to the Lord. We may get in a rush. But when everything is ready, all things will come together and there will be change, likely in a hurry. ©Sally I. Kennedy The Best of Irish Thursdays   God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1 Lucy was one of my husband’s favorite relatives. She was a gentle person. Exactly the kind of mother, grandmother, aunt, or neighbor you would want. Her hair was white and curled, and patted down to cover the balding thinness. She walked bent over from the great hump on her back from osteoporosis. Lucy always had a ready and listening ear. She always had something kind and encouraging to say. You just felt better being around her. She stayed busy with friends and family, but lived alone. Awhile after her husband of forty-five years passed away, I asked her, "How are you doing…. really?" She paused, then said, "It's hardest in the night. Everything is worse at night." Lucy's peaceful and pleasant demeanor covered her real feelings of ongoing loneliness and anxiety. In the book of Samuel, it says we look at what we can see (physically, in the natural), but God looks at the heart. Sometimes we look all "together" when really we are in our "night." God alone sees into our deepest heart of hearts. He knows what is written there. He is always about the business of comforting us. He actually provides us with His very presence. That word of hope is real good news. Especially in the night. ©Sally I. Kennedy The Best of Irish Thursdays   Call to me and I will answer you. I'll tell you marvelous and wondrous things that you could never figure out on your own. Jeremiah 33:3
The air was thick with the annual lovebug phenomenon. My windshield was practically covered with splattered bugs pelting the car like driving rain. I pulled into a gas station to clean off the window. A nearby cellphone rang, and a booming voice called out, “Can you get it?! It’s probably one of the kids!” She was outside her car, pumping gas, but she didn’t want to miss a call from one of her kids. I try to take my children’s calls anywhere I am, any time. You never know. Could be just a call to say hi and chat, or it could be a call concerning some type of emergency. At any rate, I just like to hear their voices. I thought about how prayer is like ‘heavenly’ mobile phones. Sort of a ‘hot-line’ to our Father. And whether His kids are calling to say hello, and have a simple prayer conversation with the Lord, or calling with a serious situation that needs a listening, compassionate ear and/or wise counsel and direction, He always answers that phone, “I’ll get it! It’s one of the kids!” That’s good news. ©Sally I. Kennedy The Best of Irish Thursdays  ..since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders… let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. Hebrews 12:1-2
Keep your eyes on Jesus Hebrews 12:2 I the Lord do not change. Malachi 3:6 Sports has never been my strong suit but in our family we have some good athletes. While taking lessons over the years, one thing I did learn was to “keep your eye on the ball”. Whether you’re playing ping pong, golf, tennis, football, basketball…..whatever it is, it’s imperative you keep your eye on the ball. If you become distracted while playing, for example by someone coughing or calling out, you can lose momentum and focus. You tend to go in the direction you are looking. If your focus is on your circumstances, that’s not going to get you very far. I heard a pastor once say he asked a fellow how he was doing, and the guy said, “Pretty good, under the circumstances”, to which the preacher replied. “Well what are you doing under there?!” The wisdom of the Bible encourages us to keep our eyes on the Lord, not on circumstances. Circumstances change, but the Lord does not. That’s good news. ©Sally I. Kennedy The Best of Irish Thursdays  In the morning, oh Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation. Psalm 5:3
Some people seem to be born “morning people”, and others not. I’m in the “not” group. So even though I kept meaning to walk over and take a photo of the morning glory vines nearby, it was noontime before I got there. I had seen them earlier, from the car, and they were in full color array. Vibrant periwinkle blue on bright green leaves, stretching from the planter box downstairs all the way up to the second story. In the heat of mid-day, the vines were still there, but the flowers had closed. The glory of these lovely flowers was in the morning. The book of Psalms has always been a source of inspiration and comfort to me. Something in my spirit and soul begins to calm down and become serene, when I take time to read words that David penned so long ago. I thought about what the Bible says, in the Psalms, about praying in the morning. Of course you can pray anytime – which is great! But there is something about praying in the morning that is special. Even before getting out of bed. This timeless confession, by David, the “man after God’s own heart” (Acts 13:22, 1 Samuel 13:14), is good for me to heed, each and every morning: “In the morning, oh Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.” ©Sally I. Kennedy The Best of Irish Thursdays  Be still, and know that I am God. Psalm 46:10 The hike up Stagecoach Trail was worth it. We were rewarded with a spectacular at over ten thousand feet. Still, we weren’t above the timberline. ‘Older than dirt’ towering pines and spruces dotted the landscape. A little ways beyond, a symphony of rushing waters beckoned us. The Cascades water flowed down so dramatically. It pooled, poured out. Pooled, poured out. We all pour out in one way or another. We give of ourselves at home, at work, in our churches, communities, everywhere we are we give or ourselves. Could be something big or could be something as seemingly insignificant as a smile. We each have a sphere of influence whether we are aware of it or not. God plants us precisely where He wants us, for our good ad for the greater good of others. He always intends to bless us and at the same time there is always a bigger picture. Just as in the natural, where the waterfall pooled and poured out, so do we need to ‘pool’ in order to pour out. We can run on our steam for awhile and then – we need time alone with God to refill. We can’t run on empty, although I have to admit I get caught up in things and then find that I am actually trying to do that very thing. It just doesn’t work. We are designed for pooling and pouring, then pooling and then pouring. Thank you, Lord, that when we are ‘still’ with you, we are refilled and renewed for pouring again. That’s good news. ©Sally I. Kennedy The Best of Irish Thursdays   'I will restore you to health and heal your wounds,' declares the Lord. Jeremiah 30:17 Thick dust covered the hand-hewn ridges along the sides of the cupboard. Just an old piece of furniture. Nothing fancy, simply storage on the bottom and three old wooden shelves on top behind glass doors. Flimsy, warped plywood barely held the back together. Probably worthless as an antique yet priceless to me. My dad's grandfather handcrafted this cherry cabinet for his bride when they married in the 1800's. It was created with functionality to hold their dishes and linens. When we moved it from my folks' home to ours, a big chunk of molding was missing from the front and the hardware needed replacing, too. I was reluctant to give the job of restoration to just anyone. Finally we found someone, in whom we had confidence, to refinish it. The carpenter craftsman was amazed at the incredible work on the original cabinet, and how my great-grandfather had handmade the beautiful grooves. Such detail! How painstakingly he must have worked on this, carving row after row of fine ridges. And obviously, with such love. I thought of how this cupboard resembles each of us. The Lord, with great love and amazing detail, created us. There are times we need a touch-up, some restoration. Who better than the creator to go to for this? There are many ways and many places that offer restoration for us and for our souls, however it is best to go right to the top. As a friend of mine says, “There is only one of you, so take good care of yourself”. Fortunately there is One we can trust for the outcome…. every time, our heavenly Father. That is good news. ©Sally I. Kennedy The Best of Irish Thursdays   This is what the Lord says, he who created you, he who formed you: Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. Isaiah 43:1
On the side of our house, my husband has a small rose garden. He plants, prunes, fertilizes, and sprays the bushes. We so enjoy the beauty of the blooms, as well as their wonderful fragrance. A few months ago, he set 2 or 3 of the rose bushes, still in plastic pots, aside. They were nearly dead and he planned to throw them away, but he forgot. So they stayed there, and they became overgrown with tall grass and weeds. Today when I opened the shutters, I immediately noticed this tiny rose bud outside the window. It stood out because of the bright color, in contrast to the dark shades of green all around it. The stem was about a foot high, and the little flower a beautiful pinkish-orange hue. There it was, rising out of the midst of the stubble and weeds. It's amazing what God can grow out of an overgrown cast-off pot. HE is the One who can grow something beautiful out of anything, and in everyone. In fact, He is just waiting for the chance for us to let Him. That's good news! ©Sally I. Kennedy The Best of Irish Thursdays  I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing John 15:5
It was a wonderful snowy day. You could hear that wind whistling, and the lone, spindly tree just outside the living room window was being seriously blown about. All the leaves were gone from this tree except a single tiny reddish-brown one connected near the top. It clung tenaciously as the wind whipped it about. The little leaf was enduring the hardship of a mountain winter. Spring would soon arrive and the tree would bud and fill with new leaves. It looked like the little leaf would make it. It would survive and enjoy the new spring and lazy summer before autumn and another winter would come. Winter storms come into all of our lives, even when it’s not winter. If you haven’t experienced one, you surely will. Sometimes our personal winters cause us to abandon or turn our backs on whatever, or whomever, we are connected. When we suffer the pain of divorce, job loss, miscarriage, or any number of things that come our way in life’s journey, there are times when we don’t feel like hanging on. It simply seems too hard. In the Bible, book of John, Jesus tells us He is the vine (tree) and we are branches. If we stay connected to the tree, we can weather any storm. That’s a hope we can hold onto, and a promise we can claim. That is good news. ©Sally I. Kennedy The Best of Irish Thursdays  Finally, 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. And the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:8-9 The guidebook said it was an easy hike around the lake, where the flat path hugged the water’s edge. It was going to take longer this day, because I had to stop every few feet, it seemed, for another breathtaking view in the late afternoon light. Rounding a bend, the path began to lean upward. Within minutes the fork in the road became visible. The low road? The known path, The easier, familiar one. The high road? The unknown path. The intrigue and mystery of what’s out there. I found myself whistling an old ballad, “Oh! ye'll take the high road and I'll take the low road, and I'll be in Scotland afore ye”. Decisions, decisions, hmmm….. I thought about forks in the road, spiritually-speaking. The Bible advises us to set our thoughts on things above, not below. I believe we need to set our goals high, rather than low; be challenged. We always have a choice; my way, God’s way. Seek the face of God, who gives us strength for the journey. Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always. (1 Chron 16:11) Taking the high road, God’s way, always the better path. That is good news. ©Sally I. Kennedy The Best of Irish Thursdays   He has showed you what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8
The children had a great sleepover and I was just getting around to making the bed and cleaning up. I thought I felt a pebbly bump under the sheet. Checking more closely, I found one lone Cheerio lodged about halfway down – a clue that our toddler grand-baby had crawled up in bed with the other kids sometime earlier that morning. A single tell-tale sign gave away the story of her presence there, just as the rainbow at the beach yesterday told us it was raining back to the east. There are a myriad of ways to share the gospel, the good news and love of Jesus Christ. Many of those ways have simple, ordinary tell-tale signs such as a smile, a listening ear, ready hands to help, joy. You may have heard the saying, “You may be the only Bible someone reads.” Mother Theresa said, “We can do no great things, only small things with great love”. In the early thirteenth century, St. Francis of Assisi said, “Preach the gospel at all times and when necessary use words.” St. Francis is also quoted as saying, “Lord, make me an instrument of your peace; where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; and where there is sadness, joy.” All tell-tale signs, sharing the Gospel and hope of Jesus. The cross of Christ comes to mind, the tell-tale sign of the immeasurable mercy and grace for all people. What incredible good news. ©Sally I. Kennedy The Best of Irish Thursdays  You are precious and honored in my sight, and... I love you. Isaiah 43:4 She was waiting for her mom there in the drugstore, standing near the cash register with her eyes glued to the candy shelves. She was maybe 5 or 6. For that little girl, paradise was just a few feet and a few dimes away. Different times, different things. When we are little we want our bottle. Grade school we want to only be with our friends. Teenagers want romance, and ... a car! Then we want a job, a home, a family. And a fulfilling life. Happiness. Security in a changing world. Retirement investments. Good health. Throughout all our ages and stages we want a lot of different things. But God always wants the same thing. Us. God created us for fellowship with Him. He relentlessly pursues us. We are restless in our spirits until we are in that personal relationship with Him. He won’t give up, and He won’t give in. He will continue to lovingly gaze upon you as if you, yourself, are those candy shelves. That is good news. ©Sally I. Kennedy The Best of Irish Thursdays   We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these things to the living God, who made heaven and earth and sea and everything in them. Acts 24:15 Has not my hand made all these things? Acts 7:50 When you were a child did you ever wonder how the ocean didn’t slide off the earth? How all the water didn’t spill out and then eventually there would be no more water? Often I’m reminded through nature how amazing is our God. Like how the ocean doesn’t….. Psalm 104 majestically tells of God, the greatest inventor. Who but God could design oceans teeming with unimaginable sea creatures from microscopic algae to gigantic whales and countless colorful marine life? Plus grasses and coral and sand and, well, the list is infinite. The worship song by Nicole C. Mullen (Redeemer) poses these questions: Who taught the sun where to stand in the morning, Who told the ocean you an only come this far? Who showed the moon where to hide 'til evening, Whose words alone can catch a falling star? And the lyrics answer perfectly: Well I know my Redeemer lives, I know my Redeemer lives; All of creation testify, This life within me cries, I know my Redeemer lives. The Greatest Inventor and our Redeemer, one. One God. That is good news. Praise the Lord , O my soul. O Lord my God, you are very great; you are clothed with splendor and majesty. He wraps himself in light as with a garment; he stretches out the heavens like a tent and lays the beams of his upper chambers on their waters. He makes the clouds his chariot and rides on the wings of the wind. He makes winds his messengers, flames of fire his servants. He set the earth on its foundations; it can never be moved. You covered it with the deep as with a garment; the waters stood above the mountains…….How many are your works, O Lord! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures. Psalm 104:1-6, 24 ©Sally I. Kennedy The Best of Irish Thursdays   "you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes." James 4:14 Morning dawned foggy and misty. It took us by surprise; we had expected bright, sunny and clear like it had been every day for the past week. The mist was beautiful, though, as it moved around, came back together, and slowly dissipated. It seemed to grow right out of the trees, huddle against the mountain and linger there; a beautiful yet eerie sight early in the morning. Usually the sun would have burned off the settled in fog by this hour, and the colors would be autumn vibrant. Eventually the mist disappeared altogether into the purplish haze of mountains, sunshine peeking through the giant trees. I watched it, caught up in its beauty. The Bible speaks of our lives being a mist or a vapor. How true, and yet when we are in the Lord our mist blends into a sweet fragrance in and for the Kingdom. We may be like the grass of the field, here today gone tomorrow, however our lives have meaning and purpose. So you’re not just a mist, here today and gone tomorrow. You have been made in the image of God; you are eternal. You were created special and unique; you have a loving Father who looks over you and watches over you as a loving kind shepherd. It’s good to let the mist of your life blend with the Lord; you will be blessed to be a blessing. And that's good news for sure. ©Sally I. Kennedy The Best of Irish Thursdays   "in everything give thanks." 1 Thessalonians 5:18 The ordinary, ho-hum everyday, something that’s so easy to take for granted. Mountain-top experiences are wonderful but life is lived in the plains and valleys. It’s practically impossible to overestimate the ordinary everyday. Perhaps among those might be a familiar scene out a window, or thick clouds and a gentle soaking rain, the glory of a sunrise or a spectacular sunset, a child's loud, joyous laughter. Or reading a morning newspaper, coffee in hand. A field of wild flowers, studying your Bible, making a sandwich. Washing dishes or doing laundry. Going through the mail. A phone call or text from a friend. The sound of city traffic. A warm smile from a cashier you don’t know. A tail-wag greeting from your neighbor’s puppy. Today’s the best day to come to a holy halt, slowing it down just a bit and enjoying the day. An attitude of gratitude will take us a long way, and ordinary is truly beautiful. Thank you, Lord, for the mountains and peaks, and thank you especially for the valleys and plains - the gift of our extraordinary ordinary everyday. ©Sally I. Kennedy The Best of Irish Thursdays   For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this. Isaiah 9:6-7
I first heard about Alex and his mom, Diane, from his first grade teacher, my daughter. She had asked me to pray for him, and it wrenched my heart as she explained the circumstances. Alex's mom had cancer and wasn't expected to live much longer. In early December the doctors admitted her to the hospital for what they considered to be the final time. A friend of mine took a small white lace angel to Diane's bedside, to remind Alex that his mom would always be in the presence of angels. Diane passed away two weeks before Christmas. Alex and his father took the tiny angel home and placed it on top of their tree. When Alex returned to his first grade classroom, he brought the little angel to show his classmates. He carefully put it in a small box and handled it oh, so lovingly. His classmates had known of Alex's mom’s serious illness, and as he showed them this little lace angel, he shared that his mother now resided in heaven. I happened to stop by their classroom that day, and Alex opened the box and showed me the angel. Tears ran down my face as I hugged Alex. Before I knew it, one of his classmates brought over a taped tissue, and as she handed it to me, she smiled shyly, "Here, this one is for you!" How very sweet, I thought, and leaned down to thank her with a hug. That evening I spoke with my daughter on the phone. She told me that shortly after I left the classroom, she looked around, and this little girl had made tissue angels for the entire class. They were everywhere- on desktops, backpacks, a few dropped on the floor, and some in the pockets or hands of the first graders. This child wanted to remind others about God’s love and His ministering angels. May we all have hearts like this, hearts ready to share God's love with all those who cross our path.
©Sally I. Kennedy The Best of Irish Thursdays |
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