The Other Side of the Cross

As I began to think about and prepare myself for the celebration of Easter Sunday tomorrow, I was immediately flooded with poignant childhood memories of finding Easter baskets filled with all kinds of yummy tasting delights in our living room, the pageantry of Easter morning service at our Catholic church and the festive, fun, and sometimes loud, extended family gathering that followed in the afternoon that captivated all of your senses… as soon as you walked into the door of my Grandma and Grandpa’s home… with the over-powering fragrance, flavor and warmth of exquisite, lovingly cooked Italian masterpieces.

But Easter had always meant more to me than just the tangible holiday family traditions.  I wasn’t really sure why… but I knew it had special significance to my church and faith life.  Today, I will whole-heartedly confess that I didn’t really understand the nitty-gritty religious mechanics, doctrine and over-all significance of the event until I started dating my wife-to-be in high school. 

She knew from the start, that I was hungry to know more of the things of God and with great insight, she gently and VERY patiently began to share the understanding of her faith with me, by both precept and daily example…  And she accomplished it in such a way that it quenched my thirst… but yet… left me with a huge appetite for more!

So, this week, with quite a few years of deeper study with both practical understanding and experience under my belt, I thought about Easter Sunday and found myself… once again… going back to my childhood days and picturing the big crucifix that always caught my attention as it hung at the back of the altar at St Eugene’s Cathedral.  And it dawned on me that Easter Sunday isn’t about Jesus on the cross… It is all about what happened after He was taken off the cross.  Easter or what many of us refer to as Resurrection Sunday, is the remembrance and celebration of the empty tomb and what happened (and is available to all of us today) on the other side of the cross!

Therefore, it was with that revelation that I opened up my Bible to the gospels and began to read the initial reports of that morning’s events, as recalled by Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.  As I read these news reports that were captured for us to read over the centuries since the events, I felt the Lord instructing me to write down the words and phrases that seemingly jumped off the page as I read from the different writers.

So, I did and those words and phrases which were used repeatedly by many of the four writers of the gospels were*:

“Suddenly”

“Don’t Be Afraid”

“Don’t Panic”

“Bright As Lightening”

And that both the angel and Jesus encouraged the women who came to anoint Jesus’ body, that they “Remember What Jesus Had Told Them” before his death.

I’ve always been taught that as Christians, we should spend the majority of our Bible reading and study time in the epistles, as these books were written specifically to YOU and ME… THE CHURCH! So, as I thought about the words and phrases that stood out to me while reading the various chronicles of what the disciples experienced on that morning - on the other side of the cross… and facing an empty tomb… I realized that those few words give us an outline of how we are to approach our Christian faith on a daily basis.

As Christians, the epistles tell us who we are, what our rights and privileges are as adopted sons and daughters of the Almighty God, and of the power and authority we have in this world, that has been delegated to us by Jesus**

Therefore, there is never a good reason for us to be afraid or react in panic.  For as we study and remember and then act upon what Jesus tells us in His Word, we will have many suddenly moments where the revelation and truth of God’s counsel will shine forth in our darkest times and be the bright as lightening revelation and answer that our hearts are crying out for.

And you know?  It is ALL available to us on THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CROSS!

 

I pray that your celebration of Resurrection Sunday this year will bring new confidence, enthusiasm, peace, joy and a fresh personal commitment to your daily adventures in Christ!

 

… And while you’re at it… Save a See’s Bordeaux Egg for me!  (Oooooh!  Now, that brings back a TON of childhood memories to me! – My mom got one for us 3 kids every year – through adulthood!)

 

*Matthew 28:1-10, Mark 16:1-11, Luke 24:1-12, John 20:1-18 - As read from my favorite God’s Word © Translation

**See: The Great Commission scriptures in Mattew 28:16-20 and Mark 16:14-20.

 

Do You Know What TIME It Is?

Have you ever pondered the importance of TIME in your life?  I heard something the other day on a conservative talk show about how much people depend on their time pieces.  From wrist watches, to smart phones, to pendants and clip watches… it seems like we just can’t make it through the day without regularly checking the TIME.

Many people… maybe most people… like me… have a permanent tan mark outlining the shape of their wristwatch on their right or left wrists.  Mine’s a smart watch… that basically measures almost everything in my life, including my personal sleep patterns… which means that it tends to only come off when I shower in the morning!  It’s kind of like my ankle socks tan lines just above my ankles that doesn’t even fade out during the few months of the year… when I don’t wear shorts! --- But that’s a whole nother story which has given my kids many opportunities of laughter… the few times I go barefoot each year!  (But I have to laugh at the payback… as my older son is now going through the same ridicule from his kids!)

I was thinking about the importance of TIME in my own life on a recent walk and realized that I have purchased at least 7 wrist watches over the past six years… starting with a quick stop at Walmart for an inexpensive time piece as my younger son, my dog and I got on the road to Oklahoma following my wife’s and my five years stay in North Carolina… and lastly, with the new smart watch I bought just last month.

Come to think of it... I also went through a period of TIME when I had a thing for unique wall clocks after we bought the house in North Caroliina… Let’s see… I have a Mustang clock that sounds off with the engine sound of every Mustang year from 1964 ½ to 2013, an illuminated, bar-style Chevrolet clock, 2 San Francisco Giant’s clocks, a kitchen clock advertising home-brewed coffee, a “Dad Can Fix It” workshop clock, a big multi-colored plaque H-O-M-E dining room clock that I bought for Piper, a round brass ship’s clock and a few more.  But you get the idea… TIME is important to me… maybe too much so at times!

As I studied my Bible this week, I also discovered that TIME is important to God.  Among many other examples, in Psalm 59:10 we’re told that God “shows up on TIME.”  Psalm 107 declares on 4 occasions just how “He gets us out of trouble in the nick of TIME.”  While Proverbs 6:4 warns us not to “procrastinate, for there’s no TIME to lose.” 

The New Testament begins talking about TIME with the story of the 3 Wise Men in Mark 2:10 who,

“Could hardly contain themselves: (for)They were in the right place! (and)They had arrived at the right TIME!”

And ends by warning us in Revelation 22:10 exclaiming,

"Don't seal the words of the prophecy of this book; (ie; our Bibles) don't put it away on the shelf (for) TIME is just about up.” (all TIME verses in today’s post are from The Message Bible)

But the verse of Scripture that really captured my attention with a joyful and personally challenging ring to it was from Psalm 33:1 where David encourages you and me with a word of poetic praise saying (or maybe even SINGING to us),

“It’s TIME to sing and shout for joy!  Go Ahead, all you redeemed (Christian) ones, DO IT!  Praise him with all you have, for praise looks lovely on the lips of God’s lovers.” (MSG) 

One reason I particularly like this translation of this verse, is that God always seems to draw… for me… a direct parallel between the tangible, heart-felt, united, covenant love that my wife and I developed and enjoyed over the 48 years of our relationship… with my tangible, heart-felt, covenant and ever-deepening relationship with Him.

I mean… I LOVE to talk about my wife… and tell the world about everything when she was here and maybe even more so now that she’s up in heaven with Jesus.  When I think of her, I want to SING out the praises of all that she meant to me and SHOUT for joy that I got to be with her from my teenage years through the beginning of the senior season of our lives.

And when it comes to my personal relationship with Jesus… Well… I want to do the same thing about Him… because He… and my life with Him… is exciting, powerful, rewarding… and soooo very satisfying! 

Wouldn’t you agree when it comes to your personal relationship with Him?

Then… TELL the WORLD all about it!  With all the topsy-turvy things that are going on in the world right now… the TIME is right and most people are in the right TIME of their lives to hear all about the only ONE who can bring real peace, joy, grace and hope to them… no matter what scary things the headlines are declaring in this day and TIME!

So now… when people ask you if you know what TIME it is… you can excitedly declare “YES I Do!” and then let His light shine through you… as you give them the TIME of their lives by opening up to them, Jesus’ message of LOVE!

Well… my smart watch woke me up a little after six this morning by telling me that it was TIME to be charged!  SO… after waking up with a wild look on my face wondering who was talking to me in the dark bedroom… I finally realized what was going on… plugged the phone into my computer and got it back up to a 100% charge…

And with that… I’m all charged up and ready to go for the day!  How’s your day going?

Are your TIME pieces talking to you?

The “Go-To” on Lookin’ Good!

Well… I’ve been in my new home city and state for about six months now and I am glad to say that I am finally beginning to feel fairly confident in finding my way around!  But while I can find them okay, I’m still getting used to the layout of the two grocery stores that I’ve been shopping at.  In Oklahoma, I was pretty much satisfied with the two Walmart’s near my home.  Turning left from my neighborhood was the Super Walmart where you could literally get anything from food, to clothes, paint, plants, garden supplies and hardware for the kitchen sink or turning to the right, there was the smaller Neighborhood Walmart which is basically just groceries and a pharmacy.  That was sort of my “Go-To’ store for quick in and out purchases.

Here in Tennessee, I have the luxury of a Kroger that is very close to my home (which reminds me of the Raley’s in Santa Rosa that Piper, the kids and I used to shop at) and then a Super Walmart about 10 minutes away… Oh… and don’t let me forget… there is a Dollar General which is literally just outside our gated community and works extremely well as my “Go-To” store for almost anything!  I’m constantly amazed at the variety of name-brand merchandise that they stuff into that store!

But… back to Walmart!  Each Walmart that I’ve been in from the West Coast to the East, is laid out a little differently.  My store here is more familiar to the store we frequented in Fuquay-Varina (NC) than the Super Walmart near us in Broken Arrow (OK).  But I still find myself, at times, walking in circles… like yesterday when I couldn’t find the pharmacy department!

So, while I was trying to get my memory re-centered on the particular layout of this store… in contrast to the other Walmart on the other side of town where my daughter likes to shop… my attention was drawn to a heavy-set, well and brightly dressed (and made-up) woman, wearing sunglasses, driving one of the motorized store carts while she spoke loudly to another lady on her cell phone… with the speaker phone on! 

She was a few aisles away from me, so I slipped in behind the Pepsi distributor who was restocking the shelves… shared a laugh with him and picked up a six pack of Coke Zero (he wasn’t pleased with my choice!) and continued on.  What I noticed pretty quickly was that the gal was totally oblivious to anyone or anything around her.  She was whole heartedly laughing and joking with the gal on the other end of the call and then in response to something that was said, broke out into… what sounded to me to be… a black, full of soul, jazz solo! (of which I have to admit… she was pretty good!)  What I also observed, was that the other shoppers weren’t necessarily turning away from her… but were actually smiling as the seemed to draw closer to her!

 

Well… I finally figured out where the pharmacy was (at the other end of the store) and pointed my cart in that direction… while the singing behind me slowly drifted away from my hearing.  But, the thought of the Gal’s boldness lingered on in my mind as I walked through the parking lot to my car.  When I moved the bags from the cart to the back of my car, I got to thinking what it would be like if we Christians were just as outgoing and confident as the lady in the store seemed to be.

What if we sang praise songs to the Lord… when we’re out and about on our daily activities… with the same heart and smile that that lady did with the music that emanated from her?  I came across a scripture yesterday, before my shopping trip, where the Psalmist declared,

“Good people, cheer GOD! Right-living people sound best when praising.” (Psalm 33:1 - The Message Bible)

Hummm… think about that… the Psalmist states that Christians “sound (and most-likely look) best” when their singing!  But… Ah-Oh… I know what YOUR thinking… “I don’t have a good voice!”  Hah… let me dispel that thought!  The word “CHEER” in this psalm is the word “REJOICE” in the King James Version which, according to Strong’s Greek and Hebrew Definitions, means “to creak or admit a stridulous sound!”  With “stridulous” defined in Dictionary.com as “making or having a harsh or grating sound.”  So, therefore, the melody that comes from your heart is of more importance than the tone of your voice.

My mom was very musical, loved to play the piano and sing and had a very nice voice… but her best friend Norma couldn’t… as they say… carry a tune in a bucket!  My mom would joke about how they would be standing together at church and when the music started Norma would sing out loud and to her heart’s content… totally off key!  But you know what?  My mom and the people at St Rose Catholic Church knew Norma.  They knew the goodness of her heart and her dynamic, caring and quite funny personality that she lived before the world 24/7… and they loved her and her voice… even the more!

It was kind of funny… as I was driving back home from the store yesterday morning, I found myself humming and even attempting to sing the song that the colorful lady was singing in the store!  I wasn’t familiar with the song… and in fact… hardly ever listen to any music that does not have Christian lyrics… but that song caught my attention… so much so that… I was thinking about it throughout the rest of the day!

What if a PRAISE song that you or I was singing in a store, walking down the street or waiting in the doctor’s office (where I was earlier in the week, listening to the receptionist singing along with the songs that were playing in the waiting room…) caught the attention of those around us… and got them thinking about having a relationship with Jesus?  What if someone came up to you and asked you about the song you were singing (or creaking from your heart!)? 

Wouldn’t that be COOL!

I sure think that it would be special!  Why let the world have all the fun!  So… what would I suggest?  Very simple… Fill up your heart with your love of God through the truth of His Word… and then sing it out!

Oooh!  What Fun!  I can’t wait to hear your stories!

Have a WONDERFUL weekend!  We are in the midst of beautiful weather in the mid-80’s with bright blue skies and soft breezes!  I’m hoping that this short’s wearing weather is here to stay (although we had a freeze last week!).  And there… wherever you are as well!

Weather Fluctuations and Instruments!

Welcome to Tennessee!  Whew… I feel like I received my formal christening into Tennessee citizenship this weekend… at least weather wise that is!  Saturday and Sunday were beautiful spring-like days.  Yesterday I wore my shorts and a light golf shirt throughout the day… but then around 9:00 in the evening a cold front came across the state and the calm of the last few days was destroyed in a moment as the cold air came into contact with the warm and what resulted was winds blowing up to 75 mph, torrential rain, bright cloud to cloud lightning and LOUD thunder… and you guessed it… Tornadoes!  I got my first introduction to the Tennessee tornado sirens (which are just like Oklahoma’s – no surprise) and their emergency broadcast system! 

I even got to spend some time in my saferoom (ie; the bathroom, which is the centermost room in my apartment).  The only throw back to my Oklahoma storm night adventures was that I kept finding myself calling out to Fiver with calming words - every time things got loud… only to catch myself with a pang of sentimental sorrow and a laugh!  And then on my early morning walk today… the temperature had a wind-chill factor of 28 degrees and there were snow flurries stinging my face with the 20+ mph wind gusts!

Like I said… WELCOME TO TENNESSEE!

My family and I came through the storm okay, but I read this morning that there was some storm damage in south central Tennessee.  At this point, they are not sure if it was due to tornado touchdowns or the strong straight-line winds.  That clarification will come out in the next few days as the storm experts go over the scenes.

Prior to the roller-coaster weather changes this weekend, though… I spent a fair amount of time contemplating the shocking reality of me celebrating my 73^rd Birthday on Saturday the 14^th.  This Birthday seemed to hold a higher significance than all the previous ones since Piper’s homegoing.

As most of you know, my move here six months ago, was to be a new beginning… a fresh start (or re-start…) to my life in this senior season of my life.  And… this birthday seems to be a trigger to what’s ahead!  Even my dog’s departure from my side looks to me, to be a part of the process… as 2 Corinthians 5:17 says in the Message Bible,

“…The old (familiar) life is gone; a (fresh) new life burgeons! Look at it (and jump in with both feet)!” 

And it wasn’t just me thinking about this birthday and the moments and opportunities of personal growth ahead.  I’ve felt that the Lord has been working to prepare the way during our morning Bible Study and fellowship times each day… Since Piper’s passing, I have hardly even picked up my guitars and played a chord… which is something I loved to do when we were ministering in the various churches together.  I don’t think that I ever serenaded Piper with my guitar (or even wrote a song about her!), but always played them… after our marriage… to the glory of God as a vital part of our ministry to the children, youth and adults at church.

So… it wasn’t necessarily her connection to my guitars that caused me to lose interest in them… but the radical turn in my life that occurred when the Jim and Piper ministry team (in operation since High School) and the plans we had to pioneer a church in northern California following Bible College in 2008… suddenly went up in smoke!

But then early last week, I suddenly had the urge one morning to turn to the book of Psalms (I usually spend a lot more time in the New Testament epistles than I do in the Old Testament portions of my Bible) and read from Psalm 33:3-4 where the author wrote,

“Compose new melodies that release new praises to the Lord. Play His praises on instruments (in my case, my guitars) with the anointing and skill He gives you. Sing and shout with passion; make a spectacular sound of joy— For God’s Word is something to sing about! He is true to His promises, His word can be trusted, and everything He does is reliable and right.”  (The Passion Translation)

So… without boring you with a lot of detail… I really began to sense as I’ve been reading these verses for the last week or so, that God wants me to go back to some of the things that I really enjoyed… things that brought meaning to my life and gave me an outlet of personal expression and ministry.  To pick up some of the pieces of ME… that I dropped somewhere along the way between North Carolina and my recent return to the south here in Tennessee… and to realize and depend on the fact… according to these portions of scripture… that He has given me an anointing and skill to play my guitars, write music again and sing to and for Him.

BUT YOU KNOW WHAT?

As I’ve been learning this and receiving the rekindling of the joy that playing music for Him brings me… I’ve also realized, as I write this post for you, that He isn’t just talking to me and my guitars as instruments to be used for Him… but also to you and the “INSTRUMENTS” that you have used in the past to minister to and for Him and/or just to give you pleasure, enjoyment and personal fulfillment.  And He is not just speaking of musical “INSTRUMENTS” but instruments… ie; giftings, talents, hobbies and activities that you’ve enjoyed in the past that you’ve… for whatever reasons… put aside, lost interest in or maybe… don’t think you’re worthy to do anymore!

You may not have ever thought of those things that you do as being given to you by the Father… along with a special anointing to do them well… but I’m here to tell you today… that He only has GOOD plans and desires for you!  And He wants you to live your ENTIRE life to the fulness of the abilities that He has blessed you with!

So… think about it… pray about it… and read this post a few times.  Print it out and make notes of the thoughts that pop into your head as you read it… Then follow your heart and do and/or go back to doing the special, anointed things that He has especially given to YOU!

Isn’t God Good!

God Save the Chili!

I spent a good portion of the evening last night keeping track of the powerful storms* that were making their way through my former home state of Oklahoma.

My older daughter, who only lives a few buildings over from my apartment, and I had been texting back and forth with her two younger siblings that live in Oklahoma throughout the afternoon as the bigger storm began its journey into the areas of the state in which they live.  My younger son lives near Oklahoma City while my younger daughter lives a couple of hours northeast of him near Tulsa where my older daughter and I also used to live.

The storm passed through my son’s area pretty smoothly, but seemed to build in volume and velocity as it moved northeast.  By around 7:30 my younger daughter reported that the sirens in their area were just sounding… right as she was cooking some homemade chili… So of course, my immediate word of wisdom and encouragement was,

“God save the chili!”

I have always found that a little bit of humor helps to dispel thoughts of anxiety and stress… but I am also well aware… that if my wife taught our kids anything… it was to boldly, confidently and peacefully stand on the Word of God for His faithful protection of their family and property.

Well, the exceptionally strong wind, damaging hail and various manifestations and occasional touchdowns (ie; tornados) of circulation sent its havoc across the greater Tulsa area but… PRAISE THE LORD!... it passed south of where my daughter lives and literally came within a block of where I used to live near southeast Tulsa.

I will admit that watching the local Tulsa news station app on my smart TV brought back a lot of memories of Fiver and I hunkering down in the center of the house when tornado threats came near our neighborhood while living back there.  But I had to laugh and text my older daughter after the immediate threats had passed by… and tell her that I had a image of my dog Fiver sitting on a couch somewhere in heaven, watching the reporting of the Oklahoma storm through some kind of intergalactic internet, as he lay warm, calm and quiet next to my wife… with a clearly defined smirk on his face knowing that he’ll NEVER again, have to go through the anxiety that overtook him whenever the storms came by our earthly abode!

Another thought that I had last night was of how I am captivated and maybe even mesmerized a bit, by the sheer magnitude of the power and force that can be displayed by a severe thunderstorm as it generates excessive winds, hail and tornados that can leave behind a swath of destruction and mayhem all along its path.

Conversely, I guess I could kind of say the same thing about the positive way in which I am drawn to, captivated and definitely mesmerized by the name of Jesus and the power of His Word that leaves a wide swath of love, life, joy, peace, grace and wisdom in the hearts and lives of those of us, who make the daily decision to enfold their lives into Christ.  2 Corinthians 5:17 tells us that,

“Now, if anyone is enfolded into Christ, he (or she) has become an entirely new creation. All that is related to the old order has vanished. Behold, everything is fresh and new.” (TPT) 

WOW!  If you’re anything like me… that particular verse of the truth of God’s Word should thrill you from the top of your head to the bottom of your feet!  But you know what?  I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the thrill of God’s Word working in my life and have finally come… through my own thick-headed thinking… to the realization that not everyone thinks on or about the Word of God in the same way that I do.

Like “DAH” Right?  I’ve discovered that I tend to share a lot of the Word with people and suggest certain verses of scripture for them to read…especially here in my blog posts… and expect them to understand it just like I do.  But many times, I’ve seen some folks who will look at the recommended verses and not really gain the conceptualization of the points being made.  I remember my early years in my Christian walk as I excitedly sat down to read in my Bible only to turn away disappointed and thinking hummm… that’s all Greek to me (and I was reading an English translation)!

So, my point?  The scripture above tells us that as Christians, we HAVE become an entirely NEW person and that the old ways of sin that we may or may not have lived and seen as common place to us… the old habits, thoughts. words, tempers etc… are GONE!  VANISHED!  And BEHOLD!  ALL things have become new!  Like WOW, RIGHT?  But is it really possible?  Well… according to this verse IT IS?

But how do I do this, one might ask?  How do I start living the NEW life?  Well… First of all, it takes an ever-increasing knowledge of the Word!  So… you want me to read my Bible more?  Yes… BUT… you need teaching to go along with the personal reading of it!  So that’s another area that I am going to venture out into with this blog.  Along with the weekly posts, I am going to start suggesting some study aids in the forms of Bible Study series, Christian teaching books, videos and other helpful aids that you can study your Bible with when you are alone or with family and friends!

It looks like I’m getting a little too windy here… so I’d better wrap this up!  But I am excited to hear about each of you growing in your excitement with the tangible changes you will begin to experience as you learn more and more of God’s will (ie; His Word) in your lives!  And just to wet your whistle (as my mom would say…) a couple of my favorite Bible Study series are the “LifeChange Bible Study Series”** from the Navigators and the Warren W. Wiersbe “B” Series of Bible Study books.***

As I look out the window right now, I can see and hear that our Tennessee series of thunderstorms have moved into the area… and although there is a forecast of strong winds and heavy downpours… the chance for tornados is minimal with this storm!  PTL!  Have a great rest of your weekend and when the storms of life come to your neighborhood, REMEMBER…

God Save the Chili!  - (ie; chill and trust in the Lord!)

 

 *There were three different fronts that made their ways across the state throughout the day and night.  The most consequential coming across Oklahoma from the southwest in the early evening hours.

** https://www.navigators.org/resource/life-change-series/

*** https://wiersbe.com/books/series/be-series

The Sounds of the Morning...

One of the things I have come to enjoy in the early morning hours of the day, since moving into my apartment here in Tennessee, has been to step out on my balcony with a freshly brewed hot cup of coffee and enjoy the sun rising above the trees… and then over the apartment building across from mine.  I don’t know what it is… but there is nothing better than that first sip of java in the quiet still of the morning, before most people are up and out for the day!

The weather both yesterday and today has been gorgeous and muchly appreciated after another stretch of cold and wet weather.  So, as I stood near the open doorway to the balcony yesterday, I suddenly found myself being totally captivated by the Sounds of the Morning that seemed to encase and be clarified in my hearing like a quality set of noise cancelling stereo headphones.  After a few moments, I went back inside and grabbed my notebook so that I could write down the various sounds that were auditioning for me.

First there was the soft drone of distant traffic, then the gentle melody of wafting music, followed by the muffled sound of people talking somewhere below my room on the third floor and then off to the west, I could barely make out the familiar report of the commuter train whistle while its diesel engine crossed an unseen intersection on one of its morning runs to Nashville.  But my quiet symphony of calming music was suddenly interrupted by the uncomfortable discordant clash of loud, squeaky automobile brakes to my right.

The dissonant note was so incongruous to me that I had to break away from the orchestration outside and briefly return to the respite of my small apartment living room.  Once the irritation in my ears subsided, I took a calming breathe and stepped outside again.  This time around, all the other sounds melted away and I was drawn to the sweet, calming and gentle singing of the birds from their perches in the trees around my building.

As I leaned on the railing and absorbed the differing tones of the various melodies the different species of birds sang, I suddenly became aware of a song softly drifting through the open door from my computer on my desk.  When I stepped back in and sat down, I realized that the sound was emanating from the Southern Gospel channel I had clicked on earlier.

When my eyes focused in on the Sirius XM page opened on my screen, I understood what I believe the Lord was trying to show me!  It became like a moment of worship at church as the Southern Gospel group, Brian Free and Assurance sang the words:

“Behind my praise, there's a valley, God has brought me through

Behind my praise, there's a mountain I never thought I'd move

Behind my praise is a wilderness in bloom & I can't hold back

'Cause I've seen what God can do...

Because of God and His amazing grace

I live to tell the story behind my praise.”*

And then it all made sense to me.  You and I are able to enjoy and be gloriously mesmerized by the serendipity of the Sounds of the Morning that God broadcasts each and every day… right outside our front doors (or back door in my case)… because of the song that is in us and plays behind everything we hear, think, say and do.

As active and ever-growing Christians, the song that is in us… that is behind us… should be motivated and established by our Praise of God and His amazing grace that we can consistently experience in our personal lives!  Psalm 2:6-8 teaches us that,

“The Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth comes knowledge and understanding.  He stores up sound wisdom for the upright (that’s speaking of you and I), and is a shield to those (of us) who walk in integrity.  He guards the paths of justice and He preserves the way of His godly ones (& once again – that’s you and me).” (NASB – Ryrie Study Bible © 1976, 1978**)

From the WISDOM that He gives us through the regular personal study of His Word, attendance at a good Bible preaching and teaching church, sound Christian teaching books and fellowship with other believers, we gain the KNOWLEDGE and UNDERSTANDING we need to develop and amplify the song in us that is able to back us in every endeavor, challenge and situation that we face on a daily basis.

I really enjoy the Sounds of the Morning that greet me on my balcony every day… They encourage me to tell of the song that is behind my praise…

How about you?

Have a great weekend and listen closely for the Sounds of the Morning in your neighborhood!

 

*See: https://texasgospel.ca/2025/11/11/the-journey-of-faith-in-brian-free-and-assurances-behind-my-praise/

**Published by the Moody Bible Institute of Chicago

Listen!

It’s almost been two weeks since the somewhat sudden loss of my favorite, four-footed companion, Fiver.  I still think about him a lot, but the most difficult times seem to be in the late afternoons and evenings when I prepare and eat dinner and then relax for the night watching a little TV, followed by reading a good book while lying on the bed.  I can’t help but to remember the way he followed me around the kitchen whenever any food came out… be it his or mine… and then sat somewhat patiently at my feet… with the occasional whimper to remind me know that he was still there… while I are dinner. 

After the meal was completed, he would almost always suddenly disappear into the bedroom to rest on the loveseat in the corner, on the floor in front of the couch or right smack in the middle of the bed… many times pawing the decorative throw blanket on top of the bed into a comfortable pile for him to sleep on. 

When I finally retired for the night, got ready for bed and then laid on top of it to read, he would move up close to my face and not let me take one peek at my phone or Kindle until he was satisfied with the amount of petting and scratching that I would indulge him with.  Then he’d turn around and move to the end of the bed to sleep some more or to jump from the bed over to the nearby couch.

All of those activities in the quiet solitude of the evening… many that he also did previously in Oklahoma… just seem to be so engraved in me that I can’t easily forget them!  Not seeing them now, continues to bring the reality of an empty apartment and the sadness of the lack of his presence to my heart.

But… it’s going to get better… and you know why?  I bought me a plant!  So, while I can still come and go… pretty much as I please now (which is really weird to comprehend after 51 years of always having others to care about and coordinate with in the house…), I still have a living organism to see and care for when I walk in the door.

And with that… let me introduce you to JED, my new buddy Jade Jewl Dracaena house plant!  My daughter and I have been talking about getting some house plants for a while and are planning to go to a large nursery located just down the road from our apartments… but I needed something else sooner - that’s physically alive in my abode… and my new Walmart’s limited house plant section met the need.  So… who knows… future blog posts might occasionally tell about some new adventures that JED and I experience together!

But back to Fiver… While I really haven’t had many opportunities to tell his story to the folks around the apartment that we used to see on our daily walks, I have to told different people and their reactions were both expected and curious at the same time!

The expected reaction is the look of shock on their faces and the genuine sorrow that they express.  The curious part is how many of them will say how sorry they are and then immediately go into a long story about how they lost a pet and the tremendous emotional pain and stress that they endured.  And don’t get me wrong… because I know that their experience is their way of trying to connect with my grief and somehow consol me in the knowing that they’ve been through a similar ordeal.

What got me to thinking was how these conversations eventually changed from the discussion of my recent loss to theirs… and then onto their life story of unfortunate events.  When I contemplated on this during my Bible study time this morning, I was reminded of similar conversations in the past, when I would share about the loss of my beautiful wife.  And my first thought was that,

“They were not really listening to me and therefore not able to comprehend nor assist me with MY need at that moment in time.”

But that thought was quickly overshadowed by the personal revelation wondering… how many times did I do the same thing… when people told me about the needful times in their lives?  And Ooooh!  That hurt… because I was instantly flooded with memories of my guilt in that identical situation!  Hummm… I wonder if I am alone in this?  Have you ever considered the possibility that you’ve responded in a similar manner as me?

In discussing His reasoning for teaching in parables, Jesus explained to His disciples that,

“This is why I speak to them this way. They see, but they’re blind. They hear, but THEY DON’T LISTEN. They don’t even try to understand.” (Matthew 13:13 – God’s Word ©) 

Jesus’ words kind of stung to me when I read this today.  I will admit though, that my personal experience with the years of caring for my sick wife and then her eventual departure to heaven and most recently, of the loss of the last dog that we shared together, has definitely helped me to understand what it feels like to be on the other end of reactions like these.  But has it cured me from only thinking of myself and my needs at times?  --- NO!

I guess if I was honest… I’m glad that it took a recent difficulty in order to get me more focused again on the needs of others around me.  As Christians, I believe that is a responsibility that we all carry into our individual worlds that we experience on a daily basis.  In Philippians 4:5 the Apostle Paul instructs us to,

“Let gentleness be seen in every relationship, for our Lord is ever near.” (The Passion Translation)

The word “gentleness” in this particular verse is translated “moderation” in the King James Version and is defined in Strong’s Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries as “being appropriate” or as I like to say, “letting your thoughts, speech and actions always be appropriate in every situation that you find yourself involved with in your life.”

And for me… that entails me keeping my mouth shut long enough to make sure that I really LISTEN to and hear what the other individual is saying… and then… and only then… make a reply that meets the need at hand and ministers to the heart and life of the person.

Another familiar scripture in this regard, is found in Colossians 4:6 where Paul once again, encourages us to

“Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.” (King James Version) 

Well… that makes it pretty clear to me… How about you?  At the least… It’s most definitely something for all of us to consider… pretty much every day!

My stomach is telling me that it’s time for lunch… so I’d best feed my new buddy JED and me… (actually I fed him some fertilizer and freshened his soil yesterday when I got home from the store?)

Have a terrific weekend, be BLESSED and then pass that BLESSING on to others by the way you LISTEN and then respond as a BLESSING back to them…

Genesis

This has been a difficult week for me with the unexpected loss of my favorite four-footed, furry friend, Fiver, on Tuesday.  I won’t go into detail as I wrote another post covering the details of the ordeal*… but to say the least… I feel like I’ve been in a fog for the last few days.  I guess that it is not too surprising, but I find myself constantly looking for him in all his favorite resting places around the house, or calling out to him before I realize… “Oh Yes!  He’s not here anymore!”

The blunt truth really hit home a couple of nights ago when I was sitting in the living room and suddenly thought that… “I’m the only one in the apartment now!”  Ever since my sweet wife went to heaven several years ago, I have regularly awoken in the morning, thinking in my slumber-soaked mind, that Piper is laying next to me with the dog curled up at her feet… only to fully awaken with the disappointing reality that “Nope… it’s just me and Fiver!”

This week I have found myself waking up and swinging my feet out and over the side of the bed, but pausing with the well-rehearsed reaction to make sure that I wouldn’t step on the dog… as he occasionally liked to lay on the floor next to the bed… only to have it dawn on me that he won’t be there anymore.  So… that’s another change that I’ll need to get used to!

I rehearsed all of these “realities” over and over again, in my mind’s eye this morning, when I automatically woke up around five when I would have normally taken Fiver down stairs for a quick, “wet stop” before hopping back in bed for another hour and a half before rising for the day.  As I stared at the ceiling through the dim of the nightlights in the room, I suddenly had the personal revelation that “This is where I am at… so, what am I gonna do about it!”

And without much contemplation… even surprising myself… I immediately spoke out… “Well, I am not a quitter and I going to continue moving forward to fulfill God’s plans for me here in Tennessee!”

My theme scripture for 2026, that I have personalized and have been writing down at the top of my Bible Study note page each and every morning since January first, is from Philippians 3:13-14, where I declare,

“Brothers and sisters… This is what I am doing TODAY:  I am not looking back as much as I was before, but instead – I am lengthening my stride and running FORWARD… STRAIGHT AHEAD… to fulfill the prize of my calling by God through Jesus Christ.” (combination of God’s Word © and The Heart of Paul, A Relational Paraphrase of the New Testament by Ben Campbell Johnson © 1976)

So… you can see that my early morning statement really shouldn’t have surprised me after all… since I’ve been confessing that fact for about a month and a half already!  Another similarly themed verse that the Lord just drew me to on Thursday, is found in Psalm 51:10 and is translated in The Message Bible as,

“God, make a fresh start in me, shape a GENESIS week from the chaos of my life.” 

It is interesting to note that the word “Genesis” in the Hebrew means “origins” which as defined in our modern dictionaries relates to “The point or place where something begins, arises or is derived.”  Dake’s Study Notes calls the book of Genesis “The Creative Ages” which speaks to my heart, telling me that “God’s wants to create something specifically for me, in this new season of my life!”

And so yes… I’ve had some traumatic events thrown at me over the past few years, but through it all… my heavenly Father keeps reminding me of His loving faithfulness to me and mine… and with that experiential TRUTH in my daily life… I can’t help but to see joy over and beyond the tragedies that I may face.  Hebrews 12:2 reminds us that,

“We must focus on Jesus, the source and goal of our faith. (for) He saw the joy ahead of Him, so He endured death on the cross…” (God’s Word ©)

And don’t forget Ephesians 5:1 where the Apostle Paul encourages us to,

“Be imitators of God in everything you do, for then you will represent your Father as His beloved sons and daughters.” (TPT) 

Are there places or opportunities in your personal lives where you could use a fresh start?  Places where God would love to shape a Genesis, new beginning in the midst of the chaos, or confusion or changes in your life?

Well… He’s ready to make changes if you and I are willing to allow Him the freedom to move in us, with us and for us.  And how do we accomplish this?  By being an imitator of God in everything we do… By spending time with Him in His Word on a regular basis, in order to see how He does things… and then begin to slowly… but surely… imitate Him in how you handle the daily affairs of your life!

I’m excited about the Genesis that God is shaping in my life… and as I am not a quitter… I’m in it for the long haul… and will do whatever it takes to receive and then BE all that He has for me!

How about you?

 

*You can read Fiver’s blog post here:  https://pjberruto.blogspot.com/2026/02/fiver.html

FIVER

It is with a heavy heart that I have to write that Fiver, my faithful shadow, confidant, and joy-giving dog over the last ten plus years, has gone on to join his earthly mom and three four-footed sisters that preceded him into heaven.  He had been having difficulties with his joints and hips over the last few years.  A recent set of X-Rays showed that he had arthritis in his hips and lower back but we were able to reduce the inflammation when things flared up with some prescribed meds from our Vet.  After a recent flare up last week, I noticed that although he was regaining the flexibility in movement, that he was getting more and more lethargic and beginning to refuse food.  

So, I brought him into the Vet on Monday where the examination discovered that he was bleeding internally and more than likely dealing with some tumors.  We immediately scheduled explorative surgery for Tuesday morning and when the Vet went in, his diagnosis was confirmed as they found a tumor and nodules on his spleen and nodules on most of his organs.  And while they could have removed some of the problems, they wouldn’t have been able to get them all… and therefore the outlook of his quality of life was not very positive.  So… I made the heart-breaking decision to let him go because I did not want to have him suffer anymore. The Vet administered the euthanasia while Fiver was still on the table under anesthesia, so he never felt a thing.

I can’t explain the moral support that Fiver gave me over the years since my wife passed in 2018.  He became a member of our family towards the end of Piper’s fight for life and he immediately took the roll of being her protector, sticking by her side and not allowing anyone to examine or care for her unless he was present in the room… many times standing between the medical personnel and Piper.  Once he sensed that they were not going to harm her, he would step aside… but keep a watchful eye on them!

After Piper’s passing, he and I became almost inseparable.  He stuck to me like glue and always seemed to know when I needed a shoulder to cry on or an attentive ear to listen to my ramblings.  We became well-known in our neighborhood in Oklahoma and for the short time we’ve been in Tennessee, for our daily walks, both early mornings and mid-afternoons… in any and all kinds of weather… and for him… the COLDER the BETTER!

I realized earlier last year that my entire daily schedule functioned totally around his needs.  So, to say that he was spoiled… would be absolutely correct!  As I sat at the table this morning, I enjoyed the luxury of being able to eat all the bacon on my plate… but, at the same time, kept waiting for him to appear… as he did every morning… put his head on my knee and look at me with those big brown eyes of his that just sort of said… “You weren’t going to eat all that bacon by yourself, were you?

And so… the stories could go on and on and they will, as I will always treasure this special guy in my heart.  I’m not sure if angels can take the form of a dog… but if they could… I would declare that Fiver was definitely an angel of the Lord sent to me in my most desperate time on need!

I see his passing as another new chapter for me in this new season of my life here in Tennessee.  I’m still excited as God’s plan unfolds… but I do wish that my favorite, four-footed furry friend could have spent a little longer of his time with me.  He would have turned eleven this month.

And like I told him as I squatted down on my knees in the Vet’s office yesterday morning and began to gently pet him… as the tech moved to bring him in back for the surgery prep… “Everything is okay buddy… I will see you real soon!”

FAITH has a Face

As I sat at my desk earlier this morning, I found myself wrapped up in the scriptures that  I was studying when the dog came in from the bedroom and gave me a funny look…  When I glanced over to him and then back to my desk… I realized that I had been tapping my colored pencils (one in each hand – like a drummer) to the rhythm of the upbeat Southern Gospel songs that I was listening to on Sirius XM’s Southern Gospel channel enLighten.

I also became aware that I was actually singing… rather loudly… “Scooby, Doobie, Doo…” repeatedly in syncopation between each measure of the music.  And with all of that, I began to laugh and turned back to the dog and declared “What can I say… I can’t help but to be happy and groove along with the JOYFUL music!”

But you know… that’s not the way my morning had begun.  After all the slipping and sliding that Fiver had done during our recent snowstorm, his hips and lower back became inflamed again and I had to put him back, temporarily, on his anti-inflammatories and muscle relaxers… which tend to do the job of bringing him back to his normal flexible and active self… but also have certain side-effects that cause me concern.  So… when I took him out at 4:45 this morning and he wasn’t as sharp, steady and vigorous as he usually is... I definitely had to deal with some anxiety and a lack of JOY first thing!

Once we returned to our apartment and I got him settled in one of his favorite sleeping spots in the bedroom, with a treat, I climbed back into bed, picked up my little, first edition, 1945 Berkeley translation New Testament, that I have been enjoying lately, and dove into many of the familiar “JOY” scriptures in both Paul and James’ writings.  If I’ve learned anything over the many years of my Christian walk… I’ve discovered that the different fruits of the Spirit like “love, JOY, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, and faithfulness” * don’t always manifest themselves automatically in times of need, but that we must endeavor to stir them up in order for them to take effect in our lives. 

Well… with that task completed… my mind and my heart were switched back from potential worry and refocused on the power of God’s love and JOY, and I fell back asleep for another hour and a half, got up around 6:30, brewed some coffee and began my daily Bible Study (on the subject of JOY, no less) with Southern Gospel playing softly in the background… or at least that’s what I thought… and somewhere during that time the dog came in and I guess my silly JOYFULNESS was caught!

Fiver was walking a lot slower than normal on our afternoon walk today, so it gave me a lot of time to think about the events from this morning… and I was reminded of something I believe that the Lord had shown me earlier in the week… on another walk that the pooch and I took.  I had been having a conversation in my head about some of the different aspects of FAITH, when I suddenly had the thought that: “Faith Has a Face” (or a look) and that Face or look is JOY!

And if that be true… then Paul’s writings in Philippians 3:1 take on an even more powerful meaning and charge to our lives, when he steadfastly declared:

“My beloved ones, don’t ever limit your joy or fail to rejoice in the wonderful experience of knowing our Lord Jesus! (and) I don’t mind repeating what I’ve already written you because it protects you—” (TPT)

That no nonsense command was so important to Paul in his life and ministry, that he made a point to tell his readers that he needed to repeat what he had already wrote to them (and demonstrated in his life – as he was in prison at the time he wrote this letter), because faith-based JOY was an important force of protection for them, in their personal lives.  He was and still is today… telling us that JOY has a direct effect of our daily walks of faith, where we are standing on His Word for the various situations we encounter.

JOY radiating from our faces is something that people around us can’t help but to notice… and more than not… want to have for themselves!  But like I described at the beginning of today’s post… JOY doesn’t always get up with the morning sunrise!  Sometimes… okay… maybe many times… we have to give it a little push or encouragement!  The best method I have learned is to build my faith each and every day by reading and speaking aloud, the exact same things that God speaks in His Word… and although I’d love to say that this is something that I thought up on my own… I can’t!  For I learned this infallible practice from God Himself in His Word, where He tells us:

“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17 - KJV)

Therefore, faith comes to us and increases in us when we HEAR the Word preached and/or taught in Church, on the radio, on TV, online and also… and maybe most importantly… coming from our own mouths!  I find that when I speak the Word out loud, that I tend to take it more personally and find myself uniquely applying it to my specific daily life’s experiences.

So… take a moment and think about it.  Where do you hang your faith-based JOY?  After reading and confessing the Word each day… I can’t help but hang mine right on my face… for everyone to enjoy and get built up by!  Even if it is the dog (or my very close in proximity neighbors) wondering what all the noise and action of beating pencils on the desk and singing without constraint first thing in the morning, is all about!  Hummm… I have gotten some strange looks from a few of my neighbors when I JOYfully say “Hi!’ to them in the hallway… You think that’s why???

What is being portrayed on your face RIGHT NOW?

Have a great new week ahead… and let me know how your week goes with JOY written all over your FACE!

Watch Your Step!

I got my first introduction to a Tennessee snowstorm this past week… although, to be fair, I hear tell that this last storm was not a usual example of a normal snow event in the state.  This particular storm was a much more powerful experience from Mother Nature.  I’ve actually seen worse in Oklahoma, but the cold out here definitely seems to be colder to me, than the cold in Oklahoma!  I’ve been told that it is due to the higher percentage of humidity in the Volunteer State.  But anyway that you look at it, frozen snow and ice on the ground… is still a dangerous combination… especially if you don’t pay attention when you are outside!

Throughout the storm and its cold aftereffects, I’ve made a point to stay close to Fiver’s daily walk schedule, as both of us tend to get a little stir-crazy if we spend too much time in our small apartment.  The walks may not be as long or in the same areas, but just getting outside for a small amount of time helps immensely!

The main hazard that I’ve had to stay alert for are the various stages of the slick surfaces that we walk on.  The snow isn’t that bad, but as the temperature plummets downward it starts to harden and become slippery.  Then when you add a small layer of ice… well it can get quite treacherous out there!

So… I’ve learned to master the shuffle step, the slide step and the automatic toe tap where you touch the surface before your next step in order to discern its stability!  But above every other technique, the most important is to simply WATCH YOUR STEP… and I am talking about each and every STEP! 

I allowed myself to get distracted the other day when we had stepped onto the road and began to walk when I noticed a gal making a raucous as she was trying to get something out of her car.  Well in that quick moment, I stepped on some black ice, lost my balance and began to go over backwards… but thank God for a big dog… as I immediately pulled up on the lease and Fiver proved to be the unmovable force that steadied me and returned me to an upright position!  PTL!  Needless to say, he got an extra treat when we got home!

One of the habits that I discerned in my wife, early on in our dating relationship, was her uncanny ability to have a scripture for almost every event in her life.  The Bible was not only her source for the spiritual wisdom and direction in her life, but it also played a very tangible role for just about everything in her physical, day to day existence as well.  I can clearly remember the stunned looks on people’s faces (both in the church and in the secular world) when she would nonchalantly, but yet very positively, associate a particular verse that spoke into the present situation… in a very literal manner.  She’d say, ‘Well you know, the Word says…” and then encourage whomever she was conversing with to trust God’s specific Word on the subject… right then and there!  And they would say Huh? What? Well… Yea!  It does doesn’t it!

Well… I grabbed on to her revelation of the literal understanding of the scriptures and tend to do the same thing nowadays.  So… walking safely on the frozen snow and slippery ice was a prime candidate… and the verse of scripture that immediately came into my mind was Psalm 37:23 where the Psalmist declares:

“The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.” (KJV) 

I’m pretty sure that you can see why this verse was such an obvious choice for me.  The Baptist writer and theologian John Gill, wrote in his mid-1700’s Exposition of the Old and New Testament, that the man spoken of in this verse,

“… is blessed of the Lord; the steps which he takes in life are ordered by the Lord, both with respect to things temporal and spiritual: his good conduct is not of himself, it is a blessing of the Lord, who directs and keeps the feet of his saints, and inclines them to take such steps, and pursue such methods, which he succeeds and prospers;”

In other words, this theologian… a few years before my lovely wife, also caught the revelation of the scripture’s very tangible validity and usage in both our natural and spiritual lives. 

As I studied this verse, I came to understand that the man (ie; person) being spoken of (or to) is actually more than just a ‘good’ man but is, in particular, a ‘strong’ and  ‘valiant’ man whose is more on the stature of a ‘warrior!’  Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Definitions describes this individual as: “a strong man or warrior (emphasizing strength or ability to fight)”

The Message Bible calls this man a “Stalwart” which Dictionary.com defines as someone who is “strong, brave, valiant, firm, uncompromising and a steadfast supporter of an organization”– which in this case would refer to our Christian beliefs and personal faith.

The Psalmist is specifically talking about a man, woman, boy or girl who is strong and steady in their faith and valiantly stands firm when people or the physical situation around them is telling them that it’s not working and to give up! 

Yours and my job as that strong individual, is to be the unmovable force (like Fiver was to me on the ice) and allow the Lord to work in and behind the scenes in order to cause you to succeed and prosper… and by doing so… show Himself to be faithful to His Word that you are standing on!

Makes good sense to me… How about to you?

As long as we keep our eyes alert to the places He is directing us to STEP… as well as where NOT to STEP… we may SLIP and SLIDE and even occasionally FALL… but quickly find ourselves right back in an upward position…  And the very next verse in Psalm 37 tells us why

“We will not be thrown down headfirst because the LORD holds on to our hand.” (Psalm 37:24 - God’s Word ©) 

Have a great rest of your weekend… and wherever you may be… stay warm… stay alert… and Watch Your Step!!