Saturday Seeking Revisited - "The Chosen"

There is a load of blue jeans in the washing machine.  It needs to finish before the lights go out, so they can be moved to the dryer.  All day my mind has been processing a lesson God's Holy Spirit planted on my heart, so what better time than now to sit down at the computer and type away!

There was a period of years in my life, while I was employed as a bank teller, where I weekly shared "God Lessons" to first, a group of family and friends over email, and later through the "Notes" feature on  Facebook, eventually transitioning to this blog.

With retirement, I slacked off in writing, but eventually published a series of 52 of these writings in a book entitled "Teller Tales" in 2017.  In recent years, the writings have also been showing up in my "Facebook Memories".  With each re-read, I am challenged to start writing again.  Perhaps this will be the start. . .or at least the one for this particular Saturday!

Two hours of my day today were spent on the highway leading to and from the home of my daughter in Williston, ND.  She and her daughter joined me in a fun afternoon attending a production called "Nutcracker in a Nutshell" put on by one of the dance schools in the area.  Later, back at their home, we made our first attempt at making lefse without the assistance of more knowledgeable rollers and fryers.  It was a rewarding experience in more ways than one! (YUM!)

Many of my thoughts during the drive today seemed to revolve around the lives of Jesus followers.  Our local church has been sponsoring the showing of season one of the popular production called, "The Chosen" at our local theatre.  The episodes revolve around the lives of those Jesus chose to be His followers, using the Gospels recorded for us in the New Testament of the Bible as the foundation.  The creators then came up with "back stories" beyond what God's Word reveals, to help us visualize what may have happened leading up to the encounters Jesus had with each of His eventual followers.

One thing became clear in my mind. . .each one who followed Jesus first had something to leave behind.  Peter, Andrew, James and John had to leave behind their fishing boats.  Matthew left his job as a tax collector.  Thomas was the one who struggled with doubts, and needed to put them in his past.  Mary Magdalene walked away from the demons that plagued her after Jesus set her free.  In 2 Corinthians 5:17, Paul put it this way:

   "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new."

As we continue to follow the story of those who Jesus picked as His followers in Bible times, my mind also goes fast forward to the year 2022.  Indeed, because of the work of those first followers of Jesus, His story has been handed down through the generations, eventually working its way through a family tree that found its way to me.  Each one along the way at some point made a decision to say "Yes" to Jesus and "No" to the things they no longer needed if they were going to commit fully to following Jesus.

Do you consider yourself a follower of Jesus?  Are there things you are hanging on to that could be left behind?  A careful study of the Scriptures will reveal what may need surrendering.  Finding a Bible believing church to attend will surround you with those who have already aligned themselves with Jesus, and they can be helpful in pointing you in the right direction.  For me, the answers to all questions in life are there if we simply focus our eyes on Jesus and His ways. 

***If you get the opportunity, download the free "Chosen App" and experience Jesus and His followers in a new light.  Seeing their choices just may inspire you to make some new ones, too!*** 

The Curse and the Blessing

It isn’t often the exact same occurrence has the ability to provide first a curse, then several days later, a blessing.  Oddly enough, in my bipolar world, this occurrence just happened in the matter of a just over a week.  Last Thursday and Friday, I involved myself in conversation I should have simply “let go”.  But instead, I let my own desires be made known to the point it left me worked up mentally.  Add to this the fact it was full moon, and you have the perfect storm in my brain to create a sleepless night. . . to me a curse, as repeated sleepless nights, or ones with very little sleep generally set a bipolar cycle in motion.

By Sunday the sleepless nights were getting worse, and my behavior was quickly transcending into what we call a depression cycle.  We had been cycle free for 7 years up until last April when COVID-19 made it’s way through our house putting my husband in the hospital for 6 days, and myself into a month long depression.  Add to this the fact he recently had an issue with A-Fib in his heart, and we had a lot of the number 2 precursor to my bipolar down cycles. . .stress.  

Needless to say, we have not had a fun week.  A call to my doctor got us some sleeping pills to help, but at best I got sketchy sleep, with only 3-4 hour stretches.  Last night I was to increase the dose to two pills if I felt one wasn’t doing the job.  

Late afternoon my mood started getting a bit better, and by bedtime I was ready for a restful sleep after taking the two pills.  It wasn’t long before I realized the two pills were doing absolutely nothing to put me to sleep indicating the bipolar pendulum was changing from depression to the high side.

And so, once again, came a sleepless night, this time a blessing given to me by God saying “this cycle is over”.  I’m not sure if this is what happens for all people who deal with bipolar, but it is something that repeats itself with every cycle I go through.

Once I realized sleep was going to evade me all night, I pulled out a stack of CD’s I keep handy for these long nights.  It’s interesting how the music is of no help on the “going down” side of things, but on the “coming up” it provides blessing upon blessing as I listen to quiet music by some favorite musicians, some instrumental, and some with comforting words.

Thank you to my family and friends for putting up with the challenges of the “me” that comes from the first curse of “sleepless nights” and for the prayers that have once again brought me through the sleepless night we see as a blessing.  Through it all, God is faithful, and for that, we give Him praise.

What Season Is It, Anyway??

According to our calendars, the first day of spring is March 20.  In North Dakota it is typically the season of warmer temperatures after the cold days of winter.  The added heat in the sun wakes up the sleeping tulips, and soon they begin to break through the soil.  Looking through my Facebook memories today, there was a reminder of what a typical spring day looks like, with blue skies and grass starting to turn green.  According to the post six years ago, it was nice enough to inspire a walk around town, soaking in the sunshine.

Today, however, was not one of those typical spring days.  Instead, we woke up to the sound of the wind howling.  One look out the window verified what the weatherman had been telling us. . .for the next couple of days, we would be blasted with a storm and likely receive more snow than we had all winter.  

So what does one do in the midst of such a storm?  A lifetime of living in North Dakota has taught me the best thing to do is cancel any plans, and “hunker down” until such time the nasty weather subsides.  You know it is a bad storm when the drug store doesn’t open and the grocery store closes early!  The combination of winds and snow made for some pretty good sized drifts by the time the sun went down.  Despite what the calendar was telling us, it certainly was NOT a spring day today!

There is another day marked on our calendars coming up in a few days. . .Easter Sunday. While the first day of spring stays constant in March, the date for Easter fluctuates, and is always the first Sunday after the first full moon following the beginning of spring.  Seems almost as confusing as a winter blizzard hitting a month into spring!

As I thought about the fluctuating weather of spring, and the changing dates of Easter, my mind was thankful for one truth that doesn’t change with either the season or the day. . .three days after Jesus was crucified on a cross and laid in a tomb, He was resurrected and left the tomb empty!  Because of this, we, too, have the promise of life after death if we put our trust in our Risen Savior.  We may have to wear our snow boots to the Easter service this year, but the truth remains. . .He is Risen!  Hallelujah!  He is Risen Indeed!!

Don't Give Up On Me!

Amaryllis plants do not bring me back to my childhood.  If my mother had them, they obviously didn't leave any lasting impressions.  Later in my life, however, when my grandmother was in the local nursing home, I do remember her receiving one. On my [most often] daily visits, we watched as the stem shot up out of the bulb and produced beautiful reddish orange blossoms.  In her younger years, she had a yard full of flowers, and it brought her joy to have something blooming in her room!

Last year, my next door neighbor gave me an amaryllis plant for Christmas.  I, too, enjoyed the beautiful flowers it provided in the midst of the cold winter months.  On the box it was packaged in, there were instructions as to how it could be cared for over the year ahead to make it bloom again.  Once the blossoms were spent, the stem was to be cut off, leaving the long leaves to grow until spring, when they could be moved outdoors and kept over the summer.  Then in the fall, the leaves were also to be cut off, and the bulb stored away in a cool, dark place until November when it would be brought to light once again to start the whole process over.

Following these instructions, my Christmas gift from last year provided me with the gift of more blossoms this year!  Technically, they didn't show up until the end of January, as I forgot to take the bulb out of the basement until the first part of December, so it took a bit longer for the blooms to develop.  

What a blessing it was, and now the leaves are growing in my sun room until the weather is nice enough to return them to the outdoors for the summer.

As I shared my amaryllis story with a friend, she told me she had been given one but had no idea you could save them for the next year.  And so it was I came into the possession of yet another amaryllis bulb.  This one, however, was different.  It had been marketed as a "no water" bulb at Christmas, and came bundled in a sock.  The company said it was for "one season only" and should be discarded after the blooms were done.  This is where the German side of me kicked in!  "Let's see if I can't make it bloom again!"

When my friend brought me the bulb, the first thing I noticed was a waxy coating on the outside of the bulb.  I removed this, as well as the metal stand at the bottom.  My thought process was to attempt to get some roots growing from the bottom of the bulb, so I placed it in water.  Sure enough, the roots started growing!

Shortly after this, my husband and I took a week long trip to see family in Colorado and Texas, and to attend a 40th anniversary concert put on by our singing friends of Acappella Ministries.  Upon our return, I found the roots had grown even more, and there was another bonus waiting. . .a new shoot of blossoms had started to form!  

Eventually it provided four more beautiful blossoms!  I am still enjoying the last one, and soon it will find a spot next to my amaryllis in the midst of my summer flowers.  Time will tell if we will see more flowers next Christmas season!

The more I thought about these amaryllis bulbs, the more God spoke a lesson to my heart.  In them I saw a picture of many people who come across our paths on a daily basis.  Some are blooming brightly, and others are in a state of darkness.  It seems they all are in need of one thing. . .some loving attention to either keep them "blooming" or to bring them out of their dark state back into another season of beauty.

As I pondered the process of making an amaryllis bloom, I found the most important elements are sunshine and water at the appropriate times.  In the same way these bulbs need sunlight, people require a different kind of light. . .the Light of God's only SON, Jesus.  Without Him in our life, it is impossible to bloom our brightest.  

Throughout the Bible, we also read about the "Water of the Word" God has blessed us with.  In Ephesians 5:23-24, Paul writes about Christ loving the church, giving Himself up for her to make her holy, and cleansing her by the "washing with water through the Word".  One resource I found provided 100 Bible passages which referred to God's Word being like water.  It seems we need to drink deeply by reading the Words of the Bible in order to grow and produce fruit as believers.

So, which stage of life do you find yourself in?  Are you filled with the Son, and watered by His Word so you can produce a beautiful presence in the world?  Or are you in the dark and seemingly empty state of the amaryllis bulb during the fall months, when no beauty can be found.  Not even the green leaves are there to offer any hope of a returning to a blossoming state.

Fear not, dear Child of the Heavenly Father!  It may be a dark season for you, but know deep inside God has placed within you the potential for another season of beauty, just as He does with the amaryllis! Surround yourself with the "Sonshine" of Jesus, and water regularly with His Word.  Before long, you will once again find yourself filling the world with your own kind of beauty.  Until then, know even in those "dark times", God is working to prepare your new season of growth.  

"Throw me away!" said my friend's amaryllis bulb.  At certain times of bipolar depression in my life, I have felt the same way.  There seems to be no point in going on. . .until the cycle is over, and I once again am able to feel the warmth of God's Son, and drink deeply of His Word.  I am so thankful for my friends and family who have never given up on me, and who patiently wait through the dark times for another season of beauty.      

Puzzling!

As far back as our relationship has existed, my husband and I have been fixing puzzles together.  In those early years of dating, he would drive out for a visit to our farm, and join me in tackling the puzzles always found laid out on the card table during the winter months.  Once married, we lived for five months in a basement apartment while I finished my schooling.  It was the middle of winter, and puzzles were a favorite distraction when school work was done.

It seems a person either loves fixing puzzles, or hates them.  Perhaps it has something to do with our personalities, or how our brains are wired.  For me, it is a relaxing past time, and a nice distraction during the cold season, when the gardening and tending of flowers comes to an end in North Dakota.  With my own personal quirks, it seems my brain is always looking to "fix things" when a problem arises.  With our current world situation, there certainly are lots of things in need of fixing.  Puzzling is my way of giving my brain something to fix, when everything else is far too overwhelming.

As a rule, the puzzles come out shortly after Christmas.  With our winter getaway scheduled in mid-January this year, it took a bit longer to get started.  The first puzzle tackled was gifted to me by a next door neighbor.  The box claimed it to be "The World's Smallest Jigsaw Puzzle", and opening it revealed the tiniest pieces I had ever seen!  234 pieces didn't seem like many, but it took longer than I expected to finish the 4" X 6" puzzle.

Next up was a 500 piece winter scene.  The pieces were a much better size to work with!  Starting in the afternoon one day, I worked diligently, and after our evening meal, my husband joined me to finish it. 

Also completed this winter was a LEGO puzzle gifted to us from our daughter's family.  The picture consisted of the typical LEGO pieces in a rainbow of colors.  Although I originally thought it would be difficult, the variety of colors actually made it quite easy, especially using our rainbow colored puzzle piece sorting trays.

Two more puzzle found their home on our card table this winter.  Another winter scene featuring a pair of cardinals followed the LEGO puzzle.  

Finally, there was a "family puzzle" with three different sizes of pieces.  It was a map of the United States made out of license plates on the backdrop of an American flag.  The border pieces were all about 2" in size, just right for child size hands.  The next ring of pieces were around 1 1/2" and the central pieces were a more standard 1" size.  Between the color varieties of the license plates, and the size differences, the puzzle came together quickly.

As I was working on puzzles this winter, I was reminded of a saying I once read.  "If you can trust a puzzle company to make sure every piece is in the box to complete the puzzle, why can't you trust God that every piece of your life is there for a reason."  Multiply this by the number of people in the world, reported to be quickly approaching 7.9 billion, and we become aware of the vastness of God's "puzzle" on this planet He placed us on.

Many times I find myself questioning what is happening in our country and around the world.  It seems so much doesn't fit the picture I'd like to see coming together.  It is at times like this I must remind myself God already knows the completed picture, and is somehow "working all things together for good". . .at least for those of us who love God and are called according to His purposes.  Romans 8:28 is a verse which reminds us of this fact.  

Often I wish I could do a better job of "fixing" the problems I see.  It is then I am reminded of the many chats I had with a dear lady named Louise Aalund.  She was in her 80's when I first took the time to get to know her, and I was blessed by her friendship until she passed at the age of 90.  We would often discuss the issues of the world, and in the end acknowledge the fact we had no power to change the world.  We could only change who we were as an individual, and hope to start some type of ripple effect in our own sphere of influence.  Only when more and more people start changing their lives to pattern the life of Jesus will we see a better world.        

In essence, God has made each of us into a "piece of His puzzle", uniquely designed to fit the exact place He has planted us.  The picture may not look quite right now, but it will eventually make sense when we get done living out the days foretold in the book of Revelations.  We've already been assured it will be a beautiful picture in the end.  And if things don't look so beautiful right now, I guess we can conclude it's not yet the end!    

AZ Getaway - Day 7

It was a short drive to Wayne's church, Broadway Christian Church, and we found there was a full house for the 9 o'clock "Classic Service".  We enjoyed the hymns and worship songs reminiscent of our early days as a married couple in the late 70's.  The sermon was given by one of the associate pastors, and was a message which featured a chess game.  His emphasis was, no matter what you are currently facing, God is already several moves ahead of you, and has a plan to "work all things together for good" in your life.  That wording is found in one of my favorite verses, Romans 8:28.

For lunch, we returned to "Nana Dee's Diner" and a 20 minute wait before enjoying another good meal. 

For the afternoon, JoAnn directed us to a place called the "Boyce Thompson Arboretum" where we spent several hours exploring lots of plants from all over the world.  One of my favorites was an African sumac, since we have a variety of sumac growing in our front yard.  They grow them bigger in Africa!

Another meaningful plant was the "Crucifixion Thorn", which made me appreciate all Jesus endured prior to enduring the cross.  There were also so many interesting succulents, cacti, and flowers, which made for an enjoyable afternoon.

Back at Wayne's there was time for one last walk before we ventured off to find a steak place for our evening meal.  Then it was time to pack the bags.  We had to be ready to leave for the airport at 5:15am for our flight back to North Dakota.  They say "all good things must come to an end", but it is nice to know Wayne will be ready to host us again for another visit whenever we get tired of the cold!    

AZ Getaway - Day 6

While waiting for Kent to arrive for our breakfast date, JoAnn and I decided to take a walk.  She has a one mile route she uses that includes a stop at the koi fish pond, and today we had the bonus of a couple of geese that wanted in on some of the food we had to offer.  (There is a machine next to the fish where you can get a handful for 25¢)  It was fun to watch both the fish and the geese.  

We arrived back at Wayne's house to find Kent and Bert ready to venture off to a place called "Over Easy", which was recommended by their brother, Doug, who has spent quite a bit of time in Arizona with their uncle.  It was such a fun place!  Quaint, retro decor, great food, and the best fresh squeezed orange

Bert and Kent took off on a venture of their own, leaving Wayne, JoAnn & I at the house.  Wayne was relaxing in his favorite reading chair, and JoAnn snuggled on the couch for a nap, so I ventured on another walk.  Originally, I planned to do the Calle Grande Circle, but then decided to explore another part of the complex.  I found a music room, which was locked, another pool, and lots of turtles to remind me of Ryan!  Of course, there were lots of flowers, plants, and fruits that caught my attention, too!  Taking another route back, I zigzagged the streets until I found the sign "Calle Grande Circle" and knew it would take me where I needed to be!

Back at Wayne's I found Bert and Kent had returned, bringing with them some fresh oranges they had purchased along the way.  I had also picked up a couple of lemons from a bag along the sidewalk which had a sign, "Take Some!"  Fresh lemonade is a real treat.  

We took time out for some pictures by Wayne’s “Bison” [he’s a graduate of NDSU and a huge fan of their football team!] before Kent left us for his flight back to Dickinson.

On another walk to the koi pond, we also saw a pair of ducks nearby.  They were so fun to watch! Checking out the bulletin boards, I found lots of things I would enjoy being involved in.  For now, however, walking seemed to be the best choice of passing the time!  And, of course, finding time to do some more reading!  

It was decided our supper tonight would be at "In & Out Burger" in honor of our son, Ryan.  Ever since he traveled the US with a rock band, it has been his favorite burger place.  Too bad they don't have them in the Midwest!  We found one not far away, and discovered it was a popular place.  There must have been at least 25-30 cars lined up at the drive-up!  We opted to go in and sit down instead!

Back at Wayne's, the guys watched football, and JoAnn and I found a program to watch on the other TV. . .a "who done it" kind of lawyer show, "McBride" on the Hallmark channel.  We must be good detectives, as we both had it figured out before the show was over!

Decided to shower this evening, as we needed to be up early for church in the morning!  Our days in Arizona are quickly coming to a close!