Day 14 - Chapter 14 - All are Welcomed

Chapter 14

It is easy to read a message of “don’t be arrogant” into Chapter 14, and it is in that text.  However, the most important message is that Jesus is teaching his followers … and there are many followers at this point … to go out and encourage all people … regardless of their place in society … to come to Christianity.  He uses parables again to make this message clear.

Jesus doesn’t make up parables just to be telling a story.  I have heard lots of people ask the question, “Why did He speak in parables that were hard to understand?”   Actually, they weren’t hard to understand because He used everyday occurrences that people understood and knew about. 

I love the analogy to the dinners or banquets and where you should sit.  I love this because I have had friends who were guilty of assuming they were to sit at head tables, only to find themselves asked to move to another seat!  I have had friends who jumped in to make sure they were in a picture, even though they didn’t have a place in that group.  We call that photo bombing now and it is done in fun, but I’ve had colleagues who would make sure they got in a picture that a newspaper photographer was taking!  I had a friend who threw a big party and invited a bunch of ‘hot shots’, many of whom didn’t show up.  She was devastated, but if she had invited her ‘common’ friends … she would have had a crowd.  I’ve also had the experience of hosting public functions where people show up who had not made their reservation.  They were rude … yes … but also waiting for the best invitation to come along.

All of these things are discussed in this chapter, in the examples from Jesus.  Isn’t that funny? 

The Parable of the Dinner is an important message.  The host invites people who don’t show up and he sends his servant out to the streets to bring in anybody who will come … the poor, the crippled, those in need. After all, there is a banquet prepared and somebody needs to eat it.  The servant brings in as many as he can find, yet there is still room for more.  We are to see through this story … that there is room for all ... and always more … in the Kingdom of God.

Jesus also tells his followers that they need to be ready to give up everything in order to follow him.  They really have to be ready to leave a lot behind.

My take-away from this chapter is pretty simple.  Salvation is open to everyone.  There is no ranking order for those who accept Christ. Our life should be lived this way.  We should be open to everyone, when it comes to sharing our faith.  I remember an instance in my church when two little children walked down the aisle to profess salvation.  Their family didn’t have much, and it was apparent by the clothes they were wearing.  They had been coming to church on the bus and their parents were not attending church.  I knew … as did my parents … exactly what people were thinking.  The answer to the question was … “of course they could join our church” … it didn’t matter how they looked, that their hair wasn’t combed, or that their family was dirt poor.

My mother and father made sure those children were welcomed.  My daddy was a deacon and never discussed what was said at the private meetings of the deacons, but I can just imagine what he had to say on this subject!  Both those children grew up to go to college and they have now raised families and remained in church.  We need to avoid arrogant ways!

 

Let’s Cook!

I’ve stopped having my annual Christmas open house gathering.  Without my husband, it is just not any fun!  I want to share one of those gatherings, so follow this link to see it on my blog!  

Christmas Open House

Persimmon Bread is one of our favorites, and if you are lucky enough to have access to a persimmon tree, you can pick the fruit right off the ground after the first freeze.  Otherwise, most fresh produce markets carry a hybrid variety of big persimmons during the winter months.  The flavor is the same!  Sticky and delicious.  Here’s my recipe for this delicious bread.

Persimmon Bread

2 eggs

1/2 cup vegetable oil

3/4 cup white sugar

1 cup persimmon pulp

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Mix together the eggs, oil and sugar until creamy.  Add the flour, salt, cinnamon and baking soda and continue to cream the mixture.  In the last step, fold in the raisins and the chopped nuts.

Bake at 325 degrees in a 9x4 inch bread loaf pan for about 70 minutes.  This is a slow, low bake.  The bread is done, when a pick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Let it cool before removing it from the bread pan.

Chapter 13 - Mustard Seeds all Over the Place!

Chapter 13

Chapter 13 begins with Jesus telling his followers that they must repent.  After hearing their reports of Pilot killing Galilean worshipers who were making sacrifices and mixing their own blood with their sacrifices, Jesus warned that those people had perished like we all would perish if we don’t repent.  Jesus mentions the fall of the Tower of Siloam on 18 workers.  They were crushed and perished.  Jesus indicated again that we all would perish that way if we don’t repent.  However, Christ made the point that these people who were killed were not worse sinners than anyone else. Those two incidents are only mentioned in the Gospel of Luke, although history tells us that thousands of people in groups were killed during the rule of Pilot.  Pilot was brutal. These two incidents tell us that horrible things happen to people for no reason at all … and not because they have done anything to deserve being killed.  God doesn’t cause tragic situations out of spite.

Then we read the parable of the fig tree, which is described again later in this Gospel.  At this point, the fig tree is used to depict the Kingdom of God.  The tree is not in good shape, but the person caring for it asks for more time to fertilize it and eventually give it one more year to get healthy.  The followers of Jesus were given more time to ’get it together”!

Jesus has mercy on a woman who has been sick for 18 years with something that prevents her from standing straight.  He heals her on the sabbath and that makes the people talk. No work on the sabbath, not even healing. Jesus talks back to them and reminds them that they take care of themselves on the sabbath.  If they need to chase a cow and secure it, they do it.  That word hypocrite comes up again!

When I was a little girl, a nice gift to receive was a necklace with a little glass ball pendant and inside the ball was a mustard seed.  Jesus talks of the mustard seed.  They Kingdom of God is like that seed.  Plant it; it grows; the birds pick up more seeds and spread them all over. 

It is in this chapter that the word leaven is used again but in a positive way.  The mustard seed and the leavening in bread expand just like the Jesus movement is going to expand.

Jesus continues to teach in the towns, but He was making his way to Jerusalem for His final days and He knows it.  Pharisees approach him and tell him to get out because Herod wants to kill him.

Having said that life is short and when we are of an age of accountability, we need to get right and ready for our next life … My take-away from this chapter pertains to the horrible events referenced at the beginning.  Tragedies happen every day.  

Sometimes I think we might be living in the times of Pilate again.  Our 24/7 news coverage … on television and through social media … keeps us informed of all the devastating things that happen.  But when we look back through recent history, there have been Pilates ruling over and over again.  God doesn’t cause these horrible things to happen, but I hope God continues to help us deal with them.

Let’s Cook!

I like to prepare chicken for holiday meals.  Check out this link for one of my favorites ways to prepare it.  You can also just search “chicken” on my blog for lots of chicken recipes.  Enjoy!

Chicken Southwestern Style

Chapter 12 - Pharisees Said What?

Chapter 12

Dr. Luke baffled me in this chapter! I had to read it a few times and resort to some Bible commentary to decipher his text!

There is nothing more fun than sitting at the Sunday dinner table with your teenage siblings listening them laugh about the hypocrites you’d just left at church! The crooked banker that lead the benediction or the town drunk that sang in the choir! Mama used to shame us and make us stop, but every church body has those folks!

Chapter 12 begins with Jesus warning His followers about the leaven of the Pharisees. We know of leavening as yeast that makes bread rise or beer bubble! The use of that word in this context is that the Pharisees are growing their hypocrisy and poisoning the Jesus movement. Jesus teaches that nothing is hidden, that everything will be revealed. One of the commentaries I read referenced that nationally known evangelist, who in 1985 wrote a book condemning sexual sins and pornography … but was caught not too long after … having committed those crimes himself.

Nothing remains hidden!  I suspect that we have all been hypocrites at some time. I’m not suggesting that we have all committed crimes, but most of us have done something that we’d like to remain hidden!  Hiding it, but chastising others for having done something similar, is the leavening that we need not produce!  If you don't think you have been guilty of this, just think about raising teenagers.  You tell them not to drink beer, not to drive fast, not to sneak out of the house ... then Grandma tells them that you did the same things when you were a teenager!  Guilty!

 (It is important to note that leaven is used later as a word to describe the positive effort of growing the Kingdom of God.) 

Jesus also teaches us not to be afraid of persecution. It would be impossible to even begin to list the people who have been martyred for Christ. As Jesus was teaching this very lesson, he already knew that 11 of his disciples would die in martyrdom. He taught them that man can only kill our bodies. Our souls are secure!

He calms the Disciples about worrying. First, He lets them know that when they are taken before the authorities, God will put the right words in their mouths. They will automatically know what to say, because God will be with them. Later in the chapter, Jesus teaches that we should not worry about anything. Trust God to handle it all. I have to say that has always been difficult for me.  I want to fix everything myself.

Jesus addresses a man who has asked Him to get involved in a dispute he is having with his brother over their inheritance. Jesus refuses to get involved but uses the account to teach us not to covet material possessions. He uses the parable of the rich fool to say that all our material possessions won’t get us into Heaven! I flunk that category, too … since I have three storage units of stuff … material possessions! Jesus connects worry with greed. We worry about getting all these things we think we need, when in reality, all we need is God.

This chapter is filled with text telling us to stay ready for the second coming of Christ. Jesus is right there, but He is trying to prepare his followers for what is going to happen and wants them to base their ministry on the fact that we need to always be ready. He uses the analogy of servants ignoring their responsibilities if they think their master isn’t coming. They only act right and do their jobs, when the master is arriving. Jesus discusses the notion that if people can tell when strong winds or rain is coming, we should be smart enough to see the signs that He is coming! That was true then, and it is true now. We need to be “right with God” and ready … always.

My take-away from this chapter is all about worry. When I was diagnosed with cancer 21 years ago, I tried to teach myself to not worry. Worry causes stress and stress can kill us. However, eliminating worry is easier said than done. It is so hard to just say, “let God handle this.” That is really the way we should live our lives, but that is difficult.  I think we are expected to do everything we can do to resolve issues. My mother used to line the shelves in the basement with home-canned vegetables and fruit. She resolved her worry about feeding her family by working all summer to put up the garden harvest! That is a simple example of how we should live, preparing as best we can, then giving it to God! That concept takes us back to blind faith. Simply believe.

Let’s Cook!

I’ve had this recipe for over 30 years. It came from a friend who hosted a weekly Bible study at her house for ladies in the neighborhood. I was able to attend that a few times and when she served this, I asked for the recipe. She was one of the most humble people I have ever know, so I’ll share this recipe from my friend Evelyn.

Hawaiian Cheesecake Bars 

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup butter
16 ounces cream cheese
4 TBS sugar
4 TBS milk
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
16 ounces crushed pineapple, drained
2 cups flaked coconut
2 TBS melted butter

Combine flour, 1 cup sugar and 1 cup butter.
Pat mixture into ungreased 9 X 13 pan.
Bake at 350 oven for 14-19 minutes.
Cool slightly.

Mix together
cream cheese, 4 TBS sugar, milk and eggs.
Fold in vanilla, and drained pineapple.
Spread over baked crust.

Combine coconut and 2 TBS melted butter.
Sprinkle over pineapple layer filling.
Bake 350 for 15-20 minutes.

Luke: Chapter 11 - Let's Pray

This chapter begins with Jesus praying.  The Disciples asked him to teach them how to pray.  Christ’s prayers were powerful, and it was obvious.

At this point, we learn the Lord’s Prayer.  More to come on this topic!

It is in this chapter that we begin to see accusations toward Jesus from the scribes and the Pharisees.  They questioned his abilities to cast out demons and suggested that he was of Satan when he did that and not of God.  Jesus made it clear that he was battling Satan every time he battled a demon.  Jesus was stronger than Satan.

The Pharisees are finding all kinds of things to accuse Jesus of doing … or not doing.  Many of those accusations were based upon ancient rules Jesus had answers for all their grievances, and that just made them angrier.  What we are seeing here is the beginning of the end, so to speak, of Christ’s ministry on earth.  As sad or frightening as it seems, it was all determined at the beginning of time.  These happenings were discussed in Old Testament texts, and it was all meant to be.

Back to the topic of the Lord’s Prayer.  Jesus didn’t teach his Disciples exactly how to pray, but He did teach them how to pray.  It was important for them to know how to talk to God.  Among the specifics:  Jesus told them to use the word “Father”, because we have that special relationship with God.  Old Testament texts don’t suggest that we can be that intimate.  We are to ask for forgiveness, as we acknowledge that we will forgive others.  We are to ask to be spared from temptation. 

My take-away from this chapter is all about prayer.  I believe in prayer and I believe in the power of groups of people praying for the same thing.  I have experienced the positive impact of that kind of prayer.

I had an experience not long ago that reminded me of why I pray the way I pray.  I accidentally walked up to a couple in the dining room of our nursing facility … to deliver their iced tea.  I walked up as they were praying, and I interrupted them.   I apologized, grabbed their hands and said that I’d join them in their prayer.  I prayed, and I talk to God like he was sitting at the table with them!  I pray in a simple way, and later a nursing assistant came up to me and told me she liked the way I prayed!  I laughed and told her that if we make prayer complicated, nobody will want to pray!

When my granddaughter was attending Catholic school, she was learning about prayer.  When I prayed before one of our meals, she told me she liked the way I pray!  That is because I pray so a child can understand, and I learned that from my father.  He believed that using “grandiose” words and long, drawn out prayers was totally unnecessary and inappropriate. I explained to Phoebe that all we have to do when we pray is be sincere, have a real purpose and talk to God ... don't talk for the people that can hear us.   Simple people use simple words. Talk to God just like you are talking to a friend … the friend that God is.

Let’s Cook!

One of my blogging friends posts a monthly blog about her Rosary Prayer Brunch.  I love the concept of doing that.  So, I’m sharing a brunch post with you, but you can also search my blog for "brunch" and find lots of other menus, pictures and recipes.

Birthday Brunch

Chapter 10 - The Good Samaritan

Chapter 10 – Be Kind

Jesus answered the call of God to send out seventy more disciples. These disciples were sent to a much wider geographic area than the first Twelve, but they were given the abilities to heal and cast out demons … just like the Twelve.  When they returned to report to Jesus, all the reports were good.  They reported that the demons ran from them, when the heard the name of Jesus.  Old Testament scriptures tell us that God had planned for these 70 well in advance of the time of Jesus’ ministry.

Luke retells the story of the Good Samaritan in this chapter.  Jesus was tested by a legal expert.  He asked Jesus what he had to do to to find eternal life.  Jesus answered him and also told him the story of the Good Samaritan as a way to say that we have to love all people, even our enemies.  Jesus essentially said that even our enemies are to be considered neighbors and we are to be kind to neighbors.

The Samaritan stopped to help a Hebrew after two other Hebrews had passed him by.  What isn’t always stressed when telling this story is that Samaritans and Hebrews were culturally enemies.  This story has deeper meaning than just telling us that we should help somebody in need.  We should love all people, even our enemies.  In our family, we call this “taking the high road” when it might seem easier to smack somebody!  I refuse to “get in the gutter” with people who want to fight over things, and this has happened to me in my professional life more than a few times.

The story of Martha and Mary is told in this chapter, too.  I laugh every time I read that story because it reminds me of something my mother used to say!  She was one of two girls in a big family, so lots of cooking and cleaning fell on her!  When it was time to do the dishes after a big meal, her sister would have to go to the bathroom, and she would stay long enough for the dishes to be done!  I hated helping with dishes and Mama would tell me I was just like her sister … or just like Mary!  Mary found a place at the feet of Jesus, to listen to his message, while Martha did all the work getting a meal ready.  She was doing the housework!  Martha asked Jesus why He didn’t tell Mary to help her … why did He allow Mary to sit and listen instead of helping her sister prepare for the meal.  Jesus told Martha that what Mary was doing was more important … to absorb the Word was more important than preparing to entertain people.

My take-away from this chapter:  Love your enemies!  Ha!  My dad used to tell me that if I didn’t get along with somebody or didn’t enjoy somebody’s company, to simply stay away from them.  That is easy when you are in 5^th grade and there is a meanie on the playground.  It isn’t so easy when you have an ugly family member, an awful neighbor or a less than professional co-worker or colleague to deal with.  Take the high road.  It is that simple.  We have to look at ourselves in the mirror every morning … and we have to be able to sleep at night.  We have to be true to ourselves.

Let’s Cook!

Hickory Nut Cake

Cake Ingredients

2 cups sugar

2/3 cup butter

3 eggs

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup hickory nuts, chopped (reserve a few halves for garnish)

Penuche Frosting Ingredients

1/2 cup soft butter

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup half-and-half cream

2 cups confectioners' sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Cream together sugar and butter for cake. Add eggs; beat on medium speed of mixer for 2 minutes. Mix dry ingredients together lightly with fork. Add dry ingredients alternately with milk. Mix well. Stir in vanilla and nuts. Pour into greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan or 2 or 3 round 8 inch pans. Bake at 325° for 45-50 minutes.

Day 9 - Chapter 9 - Feeding the Multitudes!

The 9^th chapter of Luke is filled with important actions.  Jesus fed 5,000 and that is a story we should be telling over and over, but I’ll save that for a few paragraphs later!  It is in this chapter that we learn that Jesus instructed the Disciples and gave them the power to heal people and to cast out demons.  Those demons were a big thing, weren’t they?  Remember that Christ is laying the foundation for a whole mankind saving religion while Satan is in control of the earth.

Jesus also learns that it is time to let his journey to the cross come to play out.  He takes Peter, James and John to the mountaintop to pray and something incredible happens.  Jesus is transformed with lightening like light.  He is joined by two Heavenly bodies … thought to be Moses and Elijah.  The ancient alien theorists love this story, because they can turn Moses and Elijah into aliens so quickly, it isn’t even funny!  Them men carried the message from God that it was now time to go to the cross.  Jesus knew what was going to happen and exactly how it would happen.

When Jesus sent the Disciples out to deliver his message, He told them to take nothing with them … just the clothes on their backs.  He told them not to take money or anything from anybody for their journey’s work.   When they came back to report to Jesus, he asked them what the people were calling Him.  The Disciples were his social media, and he needed to do a little research.  He wanted to make sure that the Disciples were spreading his name as the Son of God.  

During these conversations, one of the Disciples told Jesus that he had encountered another who was trying to cast out demons in Jesus’ name.  He had told the man to stop, because he wasn’t a true believer.  Jesus corrected him and said that anybody trying to do their work should be accepted.  To me, this is an important concept.  I tell one of my Jewish friends that he and I are going to end up in the same Heaven!   Is any religion better than another?  Is any minister better than others … or better than the least active member of his/her congregation?  Church bodies can be torn to shambles because a “given few” assume that they are the “given few”.  That is not what Jesus intends for us.

I want to go back to the fish and the loaves, though.  I’ve told this story zillions of times and most recently as part of a presentation I make in senior citizen centers.  My father was a hoop net fisherman, and there were times that he and my brothers would pull up a truck bed load of fish from the Big Muddy River.  Those were times when they would drive all over town and give fish away to people who needed it.  (He was also an avid gardener and gave produce away!)  My husband’s grandfather was the same way.  He lived in a tiny coal mining community that was close to a river’s bank.  He fished for the whole town and on a regular basis delivered fish to families that didn’t have enough food.  

Some scholars surmise that Jesus didn’t literally multiply the food, but that the mere fact that the little boy gave what he had caused other people to give the little that they had.  In the end, all combined, there was enough food for everybody.  I’m not sure it matters which really happened.  I like the miracle of multiplying the amount of food, but the other concept makes me giggle, too!  The notion that a little child started the whole thing is important, too.  Sometimes the little ones see needs and solutions before adults do!

Hunger is very real, and we don’t have to look at third world countries to see it.  There are communities within a 100-mile radius of my home that do not have grocery stores.  Grandmothers are raising little children and they have to send them to the gas station quick shop for food and milk.  There is no fresh produce.  Other communities don’t even have that much.  If these communities are lucky, they have a food pantry … or a food pantry delivery system.  Children go to bed hungry all over the world, and sometimes in places where we least expect this to be true.

Jesus knew that people could not comprehend His message, if they were hungry.  We know that children don’t learn in school if they don’t have breakfast.  I’m so proud of school systems that are now packaging leftovers for children to take home for weekend meals or evening meals.  In most of the communities around this university town I live in, there are such large numbers of impoverished that school food programs are free … but I also read stories on a regular basis about school employees who will pay for a child’s nutrition program, if they cannot pay for it themselves.

My take-away from this chapter:  Feed the hungry.  I had the privilege of receiving a federal grant a few years ago that allowed me to teach people how to cook with locally grown produce.  A friend and I had over 1,000 students in our program.  The youngest was 3 and the oldest was 87.  When we taught about using blueberries, every student received a quart of blueberries to take home and share.  When we cooked with corn, every student received a dozen ears of corn to take home.  I had never been so close to seeing hunger as I was that summer.  Jesus expects us to address this problem in our communities.

Let’s Cook!

I’m sharing a recipe from our cooking project. It can be served chilled or warm and is delicious. Big purple Daikon radishes are great to use in this recipe. In our cooking classes, we found that children loved this soup! In fact, they loved it more than the adults did. Never underestimate the taste buds of our kids … and never hesitate to try new ways to encourage them to eat their vegetables! One little boy loved this soup so much that he took what was left over home with him. I will never forget him cradling a plastic bag filled with his soup. We double-bagged it so he could get home with it!

Chilled French Radish Bisque

                      

4 cups of sliced radishes, Daikon are brest

1 medium sweet onion, thinly sliced

2 Tablespoons butter

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 big sprig of fresh Rosemary

2 Tablespoons flour

3 cups chicken or vegetable stock

1 teaspoon artisan’s salt

½ cup sour cream or buttermilk

Fresh Mint Leaves for garnish

Clean the radishes but save the tops for a salad or flavoring other vegetables.  Slice the radishes and the onion really thin.   In a heavy deep pan, melt the butter and olive oil; and add the onion, radishes and Rosemary leaves.  Gently sauté the vegetables for approximately 10 minutes, until they are soft.  Don’t let them turn brown.   While cooking, the radishes will lose their color, but the flavors are enhanced considerably.  Add the flour and stir it until it blends into the oil.  Add the stock and the salt and bring the mixture to a simmer, cooking for 15 minutes. 

Use an immersion blender and puree until the soup is smooth.  This soup should be chilled overnight.  Add the sour cream or buttermilk just before serving and garnish with freshly ground black pepper, julienne strips of additional radish and mint leaves.

Day 8 - Chapter 8 - Were there Women Disciples?

Women followed Jesus?  Yes, Luke tells us that in addition to Mary Magdalene, Joanna and Suzanna were a part of the group following Jesus.  Joanna was the wife of Chuza, who was a steward of Herod Antipas.  Interesting?  Jesus had pulled some evil spirits from her, and she became a believer and followed him.  Jesus had commanded seven evil spirits to leave Mary Magdalene.  

Suzanna is only known to us in this chapter.  We know that she also had evil spirits.  All three women became faithful followers of Christ, and Joanna and Suzanna used their own financial resources to support the cause.  They are called generous donors.

Jesus was being followed by multitudes of people.  What number is a multitude?  We don’t know!  His ministry was growing, and although I have difficulty understanding the parables sometimes, the fact that Jesus spoke in parables makes sense!  Jesus tried to explain the Word in a method that correlated to daily life.  If people cannot comprehend what is being said, why say it?

The parable of the seeds is all about what happens to (the seeds) people who learn, but don’t carry through with their faithful beliefs.   The Devil carries them off, or they revert to their old ways.  The good seed takes root and grows.

Jesus also talks about not hiding the light.  Remember that song, This Little Light of Mine?  It was actually written in the 1920s by Harry Dixon Loes, a student at the Moody Bible Institute.   Yes, it was adapted during the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s and mistakenly thought to be a Negro spiritual. 

Jesus calms the storm while in the boat on the Sea of Galilee. The disciples are amazed at that power.  He pulls numerous demons from a man.  There are so many demons, that they call themselves “Legion”.   Jesus raises a little girl from the dead, and by merely touching Jesus’ garment, a woman who had hemorrhaged for 12 years was healed.  Scholars believe this was menstrual bleeding, because for 12 years, the woman was considered unclean.  Wow. 

My take-away from this chapter? Thank God for giving modern medicine the ability to resolve Menorrhagia. As I read about women, from whom Jesus pulled demons, I have to consider the various kinds of mental issues women face related to the hormonal changes in our bodies. Think of the horrible events in modern times of women taking the lives of their little children.

Certain medical conditions can cause mental issues, and sometimes that condition has an easy fix. In the work I do now, I am frequently learning of the horrible impact a seemingly simple urinary tract infection can have on the elderly. A UTI can cause agitation and confusion; hallucinations; delusions; and paranoia. It is amazing.

We are living in a world (or perhaps we have always lived in this kind of word, but 24/7 media coverage makes us think it is a new thing) where mental illness is being ignored all too often. If you see the signs, do something about it … in the young and the old.

That is certainly part of my take-away: God has given us the knowledge and the abilities to deal with mental illness, and we need to be attentive to that. Jesus cast out demons, but he didn’t destroy them. Scholars question that, but many say it was simply to prove the point that the demons continued to tempt the people. They continue to tempt us today.

Let’s Cook!

Everybody knows about Angel Food Cake and Devil’s Food Cake! I want you to make this Root Beer Chocolate Cake! Follow this link for the recipe.

Root Beer Cake

Luke Chapter: 7 Mary Magdalene, Who?

The 7^th chapter of Luke may seem to be just filled with more stories of Jesus healing people and bringing some back from death.   He heals the servant of a Roman soldier – the Centurion. If that seems strange, it may seem even more strange that Luke describes the soldier as one who is a good man who believes in the things Jesus is doing.  He brings a widow’s only son back to life right from his funeral procession!   The ministry of Jesus had already included lots of similar events.  Those were miracles to all who observed them … and told the stories over and over. 

In this chapter, though, Luke puts heavy focus on the sinful woman who came to wash the feet of Jesus.  It is possible that this woman was Mary Magdalene.  Many believe that Mary Magdalene was a prostitute, which made her approach to Jesus even more important.   She goes to him in complete humility, admitting her sins, attesting to her love of Christ.  Jesus forgives her sins.  There is no Biblical text that defines Mary Magdalene as a prostitute.  This is something that was “created” long after she walked with the disciples, following Jesus.  Here again, Luke recognizes the significance of a woman. 

Luke leaves us with a big question in our minds, as we read this chapter.  John the Baptist sent a couple of his followers to question Jesus.  They told Jesus that John wanted to know if He was in fact the Messiah.  The implication is that John questioned the fact that Jesus hadn’t bailed him out of his mess with Herod and his imprisonment.  There are Bible scholars who believe the timing of John’s beheading and Jesus’ crucifixion is misrepresented in the Gospels.  Had Jesus already been crucified and resurrected prior to John’s death?  Other scholars suggest that God doesn’t always relieve us from our misfortunes, therefore John had to deal with his.  This is a question I will have when I get to Heaven, unless Daddy sends me an answer sooner!  He and I certainly had this debate more than a few times … just as we debated the notion that Mary Magdalene was more to Jesus than a follower! 

I’ll leave you with those two tidbits!

My take-away from this chapter is that it is absolutely ok for us to not understand everything that happens during our life’s journey.  I’ll mention again that I was taught from early childhood that everything that happens in life was planned by God at the beginning of time.  That is a huge concept, but I don’t doubt it.  I was also taught that everything that happens in life, happens for a reason.  If I ever doubted that, and I don’t remember a time when I doubted that, I certainly believe it now.  I have lived long enough to become wise and it is clear to me that some of my experiences that might not have been perfectly comfortable … have led to things that were indeed incredibly positive.  I also believe that I still have time to have experiences that will further confirm that concept.

Let’s Cook!

I’ve mentioned my dad in a couple of my blog posts about Luke!  My parents were good Bible teachers, but my dad was especially good with children.  He taught junior high boys in Sunday School for many years, and in the opening of each Sunday morning, all classes spent some time together.  I was proud of my dad always, but one of the best things I ever heard him tell was this story:

“We want you to come to Sunday School no matter what.  If you think your clothes aren’t nice enough, know that we don’t care and we’ll help you get some new clothes.  If you don’t have transportation to get here, tell us and somebody will pick you up and bring you.  If you think you need a hair cut, tell us and we’ll get you one from our church member barber!”   The best part of his brief message was this, “When I was a little boy, my family didn’t have any money.  I was invited to Sunday School and the first time I went, I had a nickel to put in the offering.  The second time I went, I had another nickel to put in.  The third Sunday I went, I didn’t have any money to put in the offering and the teacher asked me where was my money.  I didn’t go to Sunday School for the 4^th time.”   Daddy went on to tell all the kids that they didn’t need money to put in the offering … they should just come to Sunday School.   I have inherited his story-telling gene, and I am blessed! 

He loved pie … all kinds of pie!

Easy Impossible Buttermilk Pie

Please follow this link to the recipe on my blog!

Buttermilk Pie

Luke: Chapter 6 - Blessed are ... Woe to ...

Sermon on the Mount - Carl Bloch

Most of us have learned the Beatitudes, presented by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount.  Luke presents them a little differently than Matthew.  Luke includes the good things, then he mentions the not so good … the “haves and the have-nots”!  In the first four, he addresses those who are without. 

Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied.
Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.
Blessed are you when people hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man.

When we are without, we are most likely to seek God’s word.  When Joe died, I looked to the scripture to find solace.  I honestly didn’t find it, and I certainly was not blessed by the knowledge that even though I was weeping, I would laugh later.   What I did find was the instruction to get back to normal and continue to do what I was supposed to be doing.

Then Luke mentions the next four in a little different way.  In these second four, he addresses the people who already have plenty. 

Woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort.
Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will go hungry.
Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep.
Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you, for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets.

We’ve all known people who fit these categories.  Sometimes we fit these categories ourselves and have to remind ourselves that life is filled with hills and valleys.   We often talk of Karma, but we are usually talking about Karma hitting somebody else, not ourselves!  Maybe we should rethink that!  Don’t laugh now, unless you are ready to weep later!  Your time will come.  That is simply life.

If we are lucky, our friends who fit these second four categories share their good fortune!  I have a good farmer friend who shared his abundance of garden produce with me last summer.  I found myself passing it forward by delivering it to a senior citizen center in a town where there isn’t a grocery store.  I have another friend who is considerably wealthy.  She gives plenty of her money away to take care of family and friends.  My daddy always said that “charity is silent” meaning the gifts we give should be given anonymously.  She is that way.  People who are constantly praised, need to share that praise with the folks who helped them along their life’s journey. 

This 6^th chapter of Luke is filled with instruction on leading a Christian life.  “Love your enemies.”  “Don’t be judgmental.”  One of the scriptures reminds me so much of my husband, Joe.  “Lend and don’t expect repayment.”   Joe used to say that he never made a loan of money to an employee, especially never to student workers!  He would give them the money they needed and tell them not to worry about it!  His philosophy was based on the experience that you never get that money back anyway … but just as much upon the fact that the borrower doesn’t need to be burdened with the need to repay!

Jesus had chosen all twelve of his disciples in this chapter.  He makes a statement about students not being above the teacher, but once they have learned the lesson, they are equal to the teacher.  He is instructing his disciples to get out on their own and teach the lessons they have learned.

My take-away from this chapter is so simple.  If we all followed the instructions of the Beatitudes, the world would be a better place.  I want to always surround myself with friends and family who live their lives that way, but I never want to miss the opportunity to reach out to folks who don’t live that way.  People can change.  They don’t always, but they can.

I continue to grieve for a lost husband, and that is a burden that after eight years, I deal with daily.   At the same time, I do my best to be positive and share happiness with others.  I am super glued to a grand daughter ... and I seize the opportunity to work with groups of senior citizens (am I one of those people now?) and spread a little goodness in their midst. 

Let’s Cook – And Share It!

This time of year, people share food gifts.  We should really do that all year long, but it is more common during Christmastime!  I’m not sharing a recipe with you, but instead, encouraging you to search my blog for “cookies”.  You’ll find a few recipes that you might want to try!  Spread some kindness by sharing a cookie try with friends and family!