December 5th, 2023

Welcome to Day 3 of Advent —

Today I want to share some thoughts on the people not so popular but are essential people involved in the Advent story. I want to shine a light on Elizabeth and Zachariah and how they are working “behind the scenes” in preparation of the birth of Jesus.

The Birth of John the Baptist Foretold

5 In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. 

6 Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly.

7 But they were childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old. 

8 Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, 

9 he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 

10 And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside. 

11 Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. 

12 When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. 

13 But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John.” —Luke 1:5-15

I love verse 6, “Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly.” Here are two people joined together as a married couple and were childless. It would have been a custom and a dream to have children, heirs to the family name within their community. I would venture to say that many gossiped about Elizabeth and Zachariah as to the causes for no children. Verse 6 tells us about the character of Elizabeth and Zachariah, they were “blameless” in observing the Lord’s commands and decrees. Zachariah served as a priest in the Temple and belonged to the priestly division of Abijah and Elizabeth was a descendant of Aaron. These two were faithful servants of and to the Lord.

There are three distinct individuals “behind the scene” that precede the birth of Jesus. You guessed it, Elizabeth, Zachariah and John, their son. God, the Creator of all things, and makes all things work together for good; and so, setting the stage, if you will for Jesus’ arrival into our broken world.

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

—Romans 8:28 (NIV)

As one can imagine, the news of becoming a father was quite surprising; in fact, the Bible tells us that Zachariah was “startled” and “gripped with fear.” This priest and faithful man of God, reacting in such a way! How many of us have had similar reactions to God’s power in our lives? God, loving Zachariah did not take the gift of having a son away, no but there was a price for his faith wavering, he became silent unable to speak. He was unable to speak until 8 days after the birth of his son while at the Temple for the circumcising and naming of the child.

Zechariah’s Song

⁶⁷ His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:

⁶⁸ “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel,
because he has come to his people and redeemed them.
⁶⁹ He has raised up a horn of salvation for us
in the house of his servant David
⁷⁰ (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago),
⁷¹ salvation from our enemies
and from the hand of all who hate us—
⁷² to show mercy to our ancestors
and to remember his holy covenant,
⁷³ the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
⁷⁴ to rescue us from the hand of our enemies,
and to enable us to serve himwithout fear
⁷⁵ in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.

⁷⁶ And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High;
    for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him,
⁷⁷ to give his people the knowledge of salvation
    through the forgiveness of their sins,
⁷⁸ because of the tender mercy of our God,
    by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven
⁷⁹ to shine on those living in darkness
    and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the path of peace.”

⁸⁰ And the child grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the wilderness until he appeared publicly to Israel.” —Luke 1:67-80

Pondering Thoughts

I believe that God is working through all circumstances of my life, no matter what. I know for certain that God has never given up on me, through all my mistakes, bad choices and even the good choices. Because, like Zachariah my faith has wavered, I’ve had to learn lessons the hard way and I’m better because of the lesson. How about you (?) is God giving you a gift of something dreamed for or wished upon and you are a bit fearful (?), my friend…don’t be fearful, trust in God and you will see just how awesome our God is! We are all special and significant in God’s plan. Some of us are minor characters “behind the scenes” while others may be major character; makes no difference to me as we are all children of God, created by God, and made for God’s purposes. This life is not and never was about us, it’s about God and His gift to us. This season is not about gifts and pretty trees decorated, no not at all, the reason for the season is the birth of Jesus.

See you all tomorrow!

May you experience Hope, Peace, Joy and Love this Advent Season ~Charlotte ✨

December 4th, 2023

Welcome to an Advent Journey ~

As promised today I want to talk about the nativity. Do you have a special nativity set that you like to display during this season of hope?

I used to keep my nativity set/scene on display year around. Unfortunately, I moved a year and a half ago and I have yet to discover the box the characters and animals are packed in. I do have the stable sitting out and it’s probably just as dusty as the one Jesus was born in was dirty. The nativity gives me meaning and assurance, the meaning that Jesus was born among us and experienced life as we do now. The assurance that God loves me, no matter my place in life. I am loved simply because God created me, on purpose! Below is a picture of my nativity from two years ago…

And, here is it now….

As I am reflecting, on the emptiness of my stable, I’m reminded that in this season I want to empty myself of all the tangles in my life, to be open to the Holy Spirit’s guidance. To seek hope, peace, joy and love within Advent and carry it with me all year long.

Most nativity scenes have the Holy Family (Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus), shepherds, magi/wisemen, angels, and an assortment of livestock. Some scenes/sets are rugged and plain, some are made of glass or marble and others may be made of gold and silver, shiny and bright.

How about you? Which kind of nativity brings meaning to you? Do you have more than one nativity scene?

Have you ever wondered why churches re-create the birth/nativity scene of Jesus? Do you or have you re-created any other historical figures birth or circumstances of their birth? The nativity is very popular during Advent and Christmas season for a number of reasons. There is definitely something about the nativity that draws people in. Maybe because it’s so relatable, people can see themselves in similar situations of just needing a little help and shelter.

Many places around the world even have “live” nativity’s where people can come and observe others playing the parts of Mary, Joseph, baby Jesus, angels, shepherds, wisemen, and live animals as well.

There’s no right or wrong answer to the kind of nativity you decorate, create and re-create. I can only share my experience and I love my set, it’s not necessarily made from quality craftsmanship nor is it shiny and bright, but it does remind me of life, specifically my own. It’s a work in progress, not perfection. I am thankful to have a personal relationship with Jesus, who is also my personal Lord and Savior. Without Jesus, I am nothing, I would not exist, as I was created by God. God’s grace is sufficient. The Apostle Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, “But he (Lord) said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. ¹⁰ That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

I have one more photo to share, it was a special gift from my friends, Greg and Margaret. It’s a beautiful figurine of Joseph, Mary and baby Jesus. Lucky for me, it is on display year around in my living room.

The Birth of Jesus – Luke 2:1-21 (NIV)

“In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. ² (This was the first census that took place while^[a] Quirinius was governor of Syria.) ³ And everyone went to their own town to register.

⁴ So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. ⁵ He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.⁶ While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, ⁷ and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

⁸ And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. ⁹ An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. ¹⁰ But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. ¹¹ Today in the town of David a Saviorhas been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. ¹² This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

¹³ Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

¹⁴ “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
    and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

¹⁵ When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

¹⁶ So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. ¹⁷ When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, ¹⁸ and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. ¹⁹ But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.²⁰ The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

²¹ On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived.

Thank you for stopping by, I hope you come back tomorrow. I will be sharing about the “B Players” in the story of Advent and the birth of Jesus.

May you experience Hope, Peace, Joy and Love this Advent Season ~Charlotte ✨

December 3, 2023

Dear Friends ~

Wow, December and Advent are here already! Where did the time go? I had hoped to be more prepared at this point; however, I am not. The past few weeks have been challenging, rewarding and exhausting and I have no regrets. Many of you may know that I had been caring for my father who is now in heaven. And, so in many ways this will indeed be an unlikely Advent and holiday season for me and my family. I have read several pages of Rachel Billups book, “An Unlikely Advent” and I’m very excited to continue reading and sharing my thoughts and ideas with you. My hope is to write daily and I pray that together we can learn, grow and discover something new during this season of hope and waiting.

This advent journey will give deeper insights to the less popular figures within the Christmas story, a closer look at the people behind the scenes, if you will. The first two individuals we will read about in Luke chapter one, Elizabeth and Zachariah. They would have been considered “unlikely” to become parents in their advanced years; however, our God is all about not sticking to the “likely” or “ordinary.” Read the story of Elizabeth and Zachariah then ask yourself these questions:

• Did Elizabeth and Zachariah have dreams of becoming parents that they had given up on?
• Did they have plans that had to be changed due to not having children?
• Think about your own life, your dreams…did they happen the way you planned?
• Often when our dreams and/or expectations change it’s because God has bigger plans in store for us. Has this happened in your life?

Luke 1:5-80 (NIV)

The Birth of John the Baptist Foretold

⁵ “In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron.⁶ Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly. ⁷ But they were childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old.

⁸ Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, ⁹ he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. ¹⁰ And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.

¹¹ Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. ¹² When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. ¹³ But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid,Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. ¹⁴ He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, ¹⁵ for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. ¹⁶ He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. ¹⁷ And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

¹⁸ Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.”

¹⁹ The angel said to him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news.²⁰ And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time.”

²¹ Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the temple. ²² When he came out, he could not speak to them. They realized he had seen a vision in the temple, for he kept making signs to them but remained unable to speak.

²³ When his time of service was completed, he returned home. ²⁴ After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. ²⁵ “The Lord has done this for me,” she said. “In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgraceamong the people.”

The Birth of Jesus Foretold

²⁶ In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, ²⁷ to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. ²⁸ The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

²⁹ Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.³⁰ But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid,Mary; you have found favor with God. ³¹ You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. ³² He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, ³³ and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”

³⁴ “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”

³⁵ The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most Highwill overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called^[b] the Son of God. ³⁶ Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a childin her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. ³⁷ For no word from God will ever fail.”

³⁸ “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.

Mary Visits Elizabeth

³⁹ At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, ⁴⁰ where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. ⁴¹ When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. ⁴² In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! ⁴³ But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? ⁴⁴ As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.⁴⁵ Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”

Mary’s Song

⁴⁶ And Mary said:

“My soul glorifies the Lord
⁴⁷     and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
⁴⁸ for he has been mindful
    of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
⁴⁹     for the Mighty One has done great things for me—
    holy is his name.
⁵⁰ His mercy extends to those who fear him,
    from generation to generation.
⁵¹ He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
    he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
⁵² He has brought down rulers from their thrones
    but has lifted up the humble.
⁵³ He has filled the hungry with good things
    but has sent the rich away empty.
⁵⁴ He has helped his servant Israel,
    remembering to be merciful
⁵⁵ to Abraham and his descendantsforever,
    just as he promised our ancestors.”

⁵⁶ Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.

The Birth of John the Baptist

⁵⁷ When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. ⁵⁸ Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy.

⁵⁹ On the eighth day they came to circumcisethe child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah, ⁶⁰ but his mother spoke up and said, “No! He is to be called John.”

⁶¹ They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who has that name.”

⁶² Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child. ⁶³ He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s astonishment he wrote, “His name is John.”⁶⁴ Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue set free, and he began to speak,praising God. ⁶⁵ All the neighbors were filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things. ⁶⁶ Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, “What then is this child going to be?” For the Lord’s hand was with him.

Zechariah’s Song

⁶⁷ His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:

⁶⁸ “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel,
    because he has come to his people and redeemed them.
⁶⁹ He has raised up a horn^[c] of salvation for us
    in the house of his servant David
⁷⁰ (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago),
⁷¹ salvation from our enemies
    and from the hand of all who hate us—
⁷² to show mercy to our ancestors
    and to remember his holy covenant,
⁷³     the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
⁷⁴ to rescue us from the hand of our enemies,
    and to enable us to serve himwithout fear
⁷⁵     in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.

⁷⁶ And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High;
    for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him,
⁷⁷ to give his people the knowledge of salvation
    through the forgiveness of their sins,
⁷⁸ because of the tender mercy of our God,
    by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven
⁷⁹ to shine on those living in darkness
    and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the path of peace.”

⁸⁰ And the child grew and became strong in spirit^[d]; and he lived in the wilderness until he appeared publicly to Israel.”

Life seldom works out the way we plan or dream it to be. In the story of Elizabeth and Zachariah, similar to Abraham and Sarah, God blessed them with children in their old age. The plans that God has for us often differ from our own plans. If we will but trust in God, He will bless us in unexpected and extraordinary ways.

Prayer ~ Heavenly Father, thank you for the person reading this and I ask for your blessings upon them. I’m thankful for the freedom and opportunity to share your words of hope. Open our hearts and minds to your plans for our lives. Help us learn and grow through your word and in your ways. All that I am is because of you, Lord. I ask all these things in Jesus name. Amen.

TOMORROW

LET’S TALK NATIVITY SCENES

May you experience Hope, Peace, Joy and Love this Advent Season ~Charlotte ✨

November 18th, 2023

Dearest friends and family ~

The Advent season is quickly approaching and I wanted to share a video of the book I am planning on reading this season. Advent begins on December 3rd and goes through December 24th, 2023. I look forward to journeying with you as we discover new and beautiful things during this season. I discovered a book several months ago that peaked my interest based upon the title, “An Unlikely Advent” written by Rachel Billups. I hope you will consider joining me as I look to God’s Word to experience God in new and different ways this season. The older I get, the more people, memories and emotions mean too me than any possessions. My heart is full and I want to share my heart with you. Below are a couple of preview videos from the author. See you all real soon.

~Charlotte, Seeker of Unexpected Comfort, Happiness, Joy and Patience.

The Greater Glory of the New Covenant

2 Corinthians 3:7-18

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Corinthians+3%3A7-18&version=NIV

“Now if the ministry that brought death,which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, transitory though it was, will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? If the ministry that brought condemnationwas glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness! For what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory. And if what was transitory came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts! Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold. We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to prevent the Israelites from seeing the end of what was passing away. But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”

November 14th, 2023

Hello friends & family~

Over the past twelve years I have found solace at this gravesite . Anytime I needed to share my thoughts out loud to my mom, this was the place. I know the grave only holds the remains of my mom’s earthly shell of a body. Truth is I know and have the ability to have a conversation (sort of) anyplace or anytime. In a sense it’s like praying, talking things out. The “talking” things out is an outlet for me. Over the years, my need to do this has lessened and lessened. This is in part that I live over an hour away from the cemetery. The truth is, I have no way of knowing if my mom can hear my verbal cries for help or my words of excitement and joy. I do know that God does, and that’s enough for me. I do like to visit the cemetery and place new flowers and decorate for holidays. This is another way of caring for my parents. I just shared with a friend yesterday, (I know this sounds silly), but staying true to who I am being authentic, I said to her, “I’m going to feel a bit uneasy going to the gravesite to talk with mom now that dad will be there too.” (My dad passed away on Saturday, November 11th). See, silly…right! He’s not going to be there anymore than my mom is there. I love my parents equally; however, there are times when a girl needs her mom, some conversations are simply meant for “mother/daughter.”

Truth may be that I have been just holding onto my mom’s memory, not wanting to let go. It’s difficult to lose the physical presence of a loved one, there’s a void that feels like emptiness. Is it really, though? I have a lifetime of memories of both my parents that fills me with overflowing joy. That joy will sometimes be seen through tears, happy tears expressing the love that endures.

I am not the first person to grieve the death of a parent, what’s happening to me is no different than anyone else that must say “goodbye” to a parent. I’m at an age where many of my friends have had to say, final goodbye to their parents. And, though it’s not something one wishes for but it is so comforting to share in this natural grieving of losing a parent. I am enormously blessed with amazing friends that are choosing to travel alongside of me on my grief journey, my heart is grateful and thankful. Grieving is a natural response when losing someone important to us. For even believers whose faith and trust is in God, will grieve. We grieve because we miss the physical presence of our loved one and know all the while that our loved one was a believer in Jesus Christ and are in heaven. So, allow yourself some grace, time to process and a time to weep.

“…weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.”

—-Psalm 30:5b

Remember, Jesus wept! He wept at the tomb of Lazarus. Below are three Bible passages in which, Jesus wept.

Jesus Comforts the Sisters of Lazarus

On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days.  Now Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem, and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother.  When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home.

“Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died.  But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.”

Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”

Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

“Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”

After she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside. “The Teacher is here,” she said, “and is asking for you.”  When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to him.  Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him.  When the Jews who had been with Mary in the house, comforting her, noticed how quickly she got up and went out, they followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn there.

When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”

When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. “Where have you laid him?” he asked.

“Come and see, Lord,” they replied.

Jesus wept.

Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!”

But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?” ~John 11:17-37

Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King

After Jesus had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. As he approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here.  If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it.’”

Those who were sent ahead went and found it just as he had told them.  As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?”

They replied, “The Lord needs it.”

They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it.  As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road.

When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen:

“Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”

“Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”

“I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”

As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes.  The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side.  They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.” ~Luke 19:28-44

“Every high priest is selected from among the people and is appointed to represent the people in matters related to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins.  He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray, since he himself is subject to weakness.  This is why he has to offer sacrifices for his own sins, as well as for the sins of the people.  And no one takes this honor on himself, but he receives it when called by God, just as Aaron was.

In the same way, Christ did not take on himself the glory of becoming a high priest. But God said to him,

“You are my Son;
    today I have become your Father.”

And he says in another place,

“You are a priest forever,
    in the order of Melchizedek.”

During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission.  Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek.”      ~Hebrews 5:1-10

“The Lord bless you
and keep you;
the Lord make his face shine on you
and be gracious to you;
the Lord turn his face toward you
and give you peace.” ~Numbers 6:24-26

Thank you for your support and encouragement, I appreciate YOU!

~Charlotte, Seeker of unexpected Comfort, Happiness, Joy and Patience.

References:

https://christ.org/life-of-jesus/jesus-comforts-mary-and-martha/

https://dcmuirigo.org/palm-sunday-when-jesus-wept/

https://www.preceptaustin.org/hebrews_57-8

November 11th, 2023

Dearest Friends and Family ~

Today, my dad ended his mortal journey on this earth. He passed peacefully from his earthly body into his eternal home in the presence of God. I recently read an article and I love how the author explained life and death.

“From the moment you give your life to Christ, you will never be separated from the presence of God or the love of God ever again. If you live, his presence goes with you. When you die your faith becomes sight and though you will be absent from your body you will be present with the Lord.”

—Clarence L. Haynes Jr. (Contributing Author at crosswalk.com)

Awaiting the New Body

“For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. For we live by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.” — 2 Corinthians 5:1-10 (NIV)

I know that my dad loved the Lord. He was a faith servant of Jesus Christ and he shared the love of God with anyone who would listen. My dad would read his Bible every morning and read a devotional. When he was unable to attend church services in person he would watch a religious program on the television. My dad was a “good guy!” He never shied away from work, no job ever seemed too big or too small for him. Due to medical reason my dad was not able to work outside of the house when my brother and I were in our teens, and my mom work both outside the home and owned her own beauty salon. My dad immediately learned how to cook meals, do laundry and do house cleaning. He also continued to maintain yard work and light auto maintenance. Dad never let his medical disability keep him from providing for his family in any manner possible. My dad spent countless hours working with me on my softball skills and my brother’s baseball interests and was even the Scout Master for my brothers scout group. My dad and my brother shared many activities from hunting to fishing and an overall need to never meet a stranger. They could make friends no matter where they went.

My parents married in July 1963 and were baptized in a local country creek not far from where I grew up and attended the church just up the road from our house. My dad always did what was right no matter the cost. He always thought of others before himself. He loved my mom dearly and was extremely proud of me and my brother. And, we are proud of both our parents and thank God for giving them to us. What a gift!

As the events of today have unfolded, I am forever grateful for all the loving and caring people in my life. At one moment today, when the house was filled with friends and family I paused and realized we all loved this man. Our love is shared but it is also uniquely individual; our relationships vary on many levels, and our grieving will be similar yet different. The one absolute fact that I know deep in my heart is this…He is LOVED.

Parable of the Bags of Gold

“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’”

—Matthew 25:23 NIV

Song Lyrics For Dad

Go rest high on that mountain
Son your work on earth is done
Go to heaven a-shoutin’
Love for the Father and the Son

—Go Rest High On That Mountain written by Vince Gill

There’s a land that is fairer than day 
And by faith we can see it afar 
For the Father waits over the way 
To prepare us a dwelling place there

In the sweet by and by
We shall meet on that beautiful shore
In the sweet by and by
We shall meet on that beautiful shore

—In The Sweet By And By written by Ben Webster

Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found;
Was blind, but now I see.

Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.

—Amazing Grace written by John Newton

~Charlotte, Seeker of unexpected Comfort, Happiness, Joy and Patience.

References:

https://www.biblegateway.com/

https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/bible-study/what-does-absent-from-the-body-present-with-the-lord-mean.html

November 10th, 2023

Hello friends ~

I want to share with you today, some of my “comfort” things.

What Brings You Comfort?

When I am in need of comforting I have a fairly big list of things I can do or seek to do.

• Go for a drive, typically some “off the beaten trail” but I’ve been know to just pick a direction and drive.
• Go to a park or nature preserve and take pictures of “stuff.”
• Curl up with a blanket and lay in bed and watch TV. Sometimes classic cartoons (The Flintstones; The Jetson’s; Scooby Doo), crime drama (Any Law & Order), sci-fi (Star Wars; Star Trek), classic westerns (Gunsmoke, Wells Fargo, Gene Autry); Historical/Documentaries.
• Eat some “comfort” good. Homemade Mac & Cheese, cheesecake, chips & salsa, pizza.
• Call or text a friend
• Write
• Pray
• Sit or drive in silence

COMFORT

We all have individual things that bring us some level of comfort. I want to share with you the truest thing we all can cling to for “comfort” and it is found within Jesus. The deeper and more personal the relationship, the more one is able to traverse through whatever this world throws at us.

My dear friends, as you read the verses below it is my prayer that you are comforted. If I could I would hug each of you and tell you that you matter, you are loved, you are enough and you are a child of the living God.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” —2 Corinthians 1:3-4 ESV

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” —Psalm 23:4 ESV

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” —Matthew 11:28-30 ESV

“Let your steadfast love comfort me according to your promise to your servant.” —Psalm 119:76 ESV

“Of David. The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” —Psalm 27:1 ESV

A Prayer for YOU…

Heavenly Father, in times of trouble and sorrow, let us turn to you for comfort. Your love and presence bring peace to our hearts. Wrap your loving arms around us and grant us the strength to endure. Help us to trust in your divine plan and find solace in your unwavering care. In Jesus’ name, I pray. ~Amen.

~Charlotte, Seeker of unexpected Comfort, Happiness, Joy and Patience.

References:

https://www.openbible.info/topics/comfort

November 3rd, 2023

Hello Friends & Family,

My Lighthouse/Lyrics

In my wrestling and in my doubts
In my failures You won't walk out
Your great love will lead me through
You are the peace in my troubled sea, oh oh

You are the peace in my troubled sea
In the silence, You won't let go
In the questions, Your truth will hold
Your great love will lead me through
You are the peace in my troubled sea, oh oh
You are the peace in my troubled sea

My Lighthouse, my lighthouse
Shining in the darkness, I will follow You
My Lighthouse, my lighthouse (oh oh)
I will trust the promise,
You will carry me safe to shore (Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)
Safe to shore (Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)
Safe to shore (Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)
Safe to shore

I won't fear what tomorrow brings
With each morning I'll rise and sing
My God's love will lead me through
You are the peace in my troubled sea, oh oh
You are the peace in my troubled sea, oh oh

You are my light
My Lighthouse, my lighthouse (Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)
Shining in the darkness, I will follow You (Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)
My Lighthouse, my lighthouse (Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)
I will trust the promise,
You will carry me safe to shore (Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)
Safe to shore (Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)
Safe to shore (Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)
Safe to shore

Fire before us, You're the brightest
You will lead us through the storms

Fire before us, You're the brightest
You will lead us through the storms

Fire before us, You're the brightest
You will lead us through the storms

Fire before us, You're the brightest
You will lead us through the storms

My Lighthouse, my lighthouse (Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)
Shining in the darkness, I will follow You (Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)
My Lighthouse, my lighthouse (Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)
I will trust the promise,
You will carry me safe to shore (Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)
Safe to shore (Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)
Safe to shore (Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)
Safe to shore

Source: https://lyrics.lyricfind.com/

Songwriters: Chris Llewellyn / Gareth Gilkeson

My Lighthouse lyrics © Capitol Christian Music Group, Capitol CMG Publishing

https://lyrics.lyricfind.com/

I love Rend Collective…their voices and instruments! This song was released back in 2014, but it’s relatively new to me. I hope you like their unique sound.

What a great reminder, God Is Always With Us, just as a lighthouse provides a way for wayward ships at sea. Jesus is the LIGHT of the world, He’s the WAY, the TRUTH and the LIGHT/LIFE to all humanity. All that I am, everything in my life is ONLY possible because of God. God is THE LIGHT in my life. (John 14:6). In my previous post about my journey with my dad I mentioned “Season’s” in our lives; if not for God and the incredible people in my life, this journey would not be possible. My dad was released from a rehabilitation center on September 28th, and has been receiving hospice care in his home since then. I love my dad and would do anything for him. “It takes a village” I’ve heard it said, I believe it’s true. My dad lives in a small rural town where everyone knows everyone. Neighbors have brought fresh garden items, meals and even sat with dad when coverage was/is needed. My brother, his daughter-in-law and an aunt have been so kind to volunteer their time to sit/be with dad so I can go to work, at least part-time. I’m thankful my job provides FMLA and VLPT for its employees. I have friends that live far away from me and they provide frequent and much needed love and support as well. Just getting a text message from them helps lighten the load on my heart. It literally costs us nothing but our time to encourage one another. Just Be Kind!

All of these blessings & gifts in my life are ONLY POSSIBLE because of God’s everlasting love, mercy and grace. “Apart from Me you can do nothing.” —John 15:5b

“But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.” —Ephesians 2:4

Update on dads health, he’s stable, naps several times a day and insists upon doing some things on his own. He even tries to use a walker once a day to strengthen his legs. Through all these things, he remains to be the same strong, caring and kind individual that I have the privilege of calling “Dad.”

I cannot end this post without thanking “YOU!” Yes, you reading this. You provide encouragement and support simply by being a part of my life in this wonderful community. I also want to thank the Guardian Angel Hospice agency for their quality services they provide to my dad. https://guardianangelhospice.com/

This is found in a letter Lewis wrote to Mary Willis Shelburne on June 17, 1963. It’s available in The Collected Letters of C.S. Lewis, Volume 3.

Until next time, be good to yourself and love others. I’m honored you stopped by today.

~Charlotte, Seeker of unexpected Comfort, Happiness, Joy and Patience.

November 1st, 2023

Hello Friends, Followers & Newbies ~

I wanted to share my experience of participating in Pledge The Pink 2023 from Oak Island, NC. This was my second year being a part of this great event. October 31st ended the donations for the year. I am waiting on the final accounting but as of last night the donations were at $681,145.71 of our goal of $750,000. Wow! 🦩🩷🦩

I am part of Team Boo Bees and I am so very proud of the women (and men) I get to call family in this group. Each person has a personal story of why they are so passionate about breast cancer. I walked last year to support one of my dearest and oldest friend (Margaret) who is a breast cancer survivor. I really had no idea what I was signing up for when I joined Team Boo Bees. It’s not just a group of women that raise money for a cause. I was welcomed into a community, a way of life supporting one another. Our team has several women who are warriors and survivors of breast cancer. The love and care I received was/is beautiful, it can only be comparable (to me) to family love and faith community love.

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.” ~1 Corinthians 13:4-8a

I want to specifically recognize the Oak Island Senior Center for their support and welcoming of 1500+ FlockStars (that’s what we call ourselves in Pledge The Pink) to their beautiful island. In PTP, for every $100 a participant receives they can decorate and take home their very own flamingo 🦩. The Senior Center had been busy for months prior to our arrival making individual items to decorate flamingos. They had wings, hats/headwear, necklaces, neckties and do much more. They also sold 50/50 raffle tickets that will be decided later this month. They also were handing out homemade goodie with each purchase. I just can’t send enough love to their wonder people. Check out their newsletter by clicking link below:

Please click the link above to read all about Pledge The Pink. You will discover all the wonderful things it does for breast cancer awareness and the importance of annual mammograms. You will see sponsor information and volunteer information. I believe in the power of prayer and I would be tickled pink if you would consider adding this organization to your prayer lists.

The 4 day event was filled with laughs, tears, celebrations and shenanigans. This year the theme was “Pirates” 🏴‍☠️🦩🏴‍☠️🦩🏴‍☠️🦩🏴‍☠️🦩. One event that our team loves to do is the golf cart parade and this year we captured 2nd Place. I had such a great time decorating and driving the golf cart and shouting “Aaaarrrrgggghhhh” & “Walk the Plank” to all the locals and vacationers that lined the parade route in support. We passed out candy coins, bracelets and beads. It was awesome! 🏴‍☠️

Here’s some pictures of the house we stayed in while in Oak Island, NC. plus some shenanigans. 🏴‍☠️🦩🏴‍☠️🦩🏴‍☠️🦩🏴‍☠️🦩

Thank you —

I appreciate each and everyone of you for stopping by my blog today. Your support and encouragement are greatly appreciated. I’m grateful for YOU, my WordPress family!

~Charlotte, Seeker of unexpected Comfort, Happiness, Joy and Patience.

October 18th, 2023

Hello & Thanks for stopping by…

I took the above picture a few years ago and it’s a favorite of mine. The beautiful colors of fall and the bright sun shining in the background. I’m not sure if I have a favorite season, each have unique qualities and duties. Winter is my least favorite but I love Christmas and Christmas with snow is perfect. Speaking of seasons, I recently posted some favorite Bible verses from the Old Testament detailing seasons.

A Time for Everything

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: 

a time to be born and a time to die,

a time to plant and a time to uproot, 

a time to kill and a time to heal,

a time to tear down and a time to build, 

a time to weep and a time to laugh,

a time to mourn and a time to dance, 

a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,

a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, 

a time to search and a time to give up,

a time to keep and a time to throw away, 

a time to tear and a time to mend,

a time to be silent and a time to speak, 

a time to love and a time to hate,

a time for war and a time for peace.

—Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

What Season are you Experiencing?

The best way for me to describe my season is sort of a partly foggy sunrise. Moving forward cautiously and keenly searching for the light. Here’s a photo I took that looks like how I feel.

I love this photo, it makes me think of hope. It gives me the sensation of a cool crisp morning. Each new day, we each have the opportunity to share our best with everyone we come into contact with. Daily, we have reason to thank God for His unfailing love, grace and mercy. I have the privilege to spend precious time with dad. After four months of hospital and nursing home stays, he is back in his own home. Although, he would prefer that he could care for himself instead of hospice care; his outlook and spirits are high. He has the sweetest disposition and thankful to everyone who provides the smallest of kindness. My dad loves God, his family and his neighbors. I’m quite sure he’s never met a stranger, he would give you the shirt he was wearing if you needed it.

I’m so thankful to be able to share this time with my dad and sharing it with my brother is a bonus.

“Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” Ephesians 6:1-4

“Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.”Proverbs 22:6

“Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.” Colossians 3:20

“‘Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God commanded you, that your days may be long, and that it may go well with you in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.” Deuteronomy 5:16

In closing, caring for family is something I am very acquainted with and very proud to be a part of. My parents cared for my grandparents in the same manner that I am caring for my dad. I am rich beyond measure.

“But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” 1 Timothy 5:8

~Charlotte, Seeker of unexpected Comfort, Happiness, Joy and Patience.