Purple Day – Spaces of Beauty, Grace, Prayer, and Mercy

Today is Sunday, March 26, 2017. EIGHT more days until Opening Day!

“If you wish to be loved, show more of your faults than your virtues.” ~ Edward G. Bulwer-Lytton

Perpend ~ to reflect on carefully : ponder. Also, to be attentive : reflect.

What is the “holy see?” (Answer at the end of the blog.)

Today is Purple Day. Besides being a pretty color (C’s favorite color, in fact), it’s a day set aside to increase awareness of epilepsy, ” a condition that affects over 65 million people globally.” Apparently, lavender is the international color for epilepsy, and also symbolizes solitude.

We had a nice day of not doing much of anything yesterday. It’s always good to have a day of rest.

This morning, we are getting ready for our worship gathering at The Exchange. We meet at 10:15 at the Northpark YMCA, at 9100 N. Beach Street in Fort Worth, TX.

I shall now perpend on some scriptures.

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL AND PRAYERS

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever!
Psalm 111:10
that they may know that you alone, whose name is the LORD, are the Most High over all the earth.
Psalm 83:18
Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who alone does wondrous things.
Blessed be his glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with his glory! Amen and Amen!
Psalm 72:18-19
The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.
Psalm 118:22
In you, O LORD, do I take refuge; let me never be put to shame!
In your righteousness deliver me and rescue me; incline your ear to me, and save me!
Be to me a rock of refuge, to which I may continually come; you have given the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress.
Rescue me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the grasp of the unjust and cruel man.
For you, O Lord, are my hope, my trust, O LORD, from my youth.
Upon you I have leaned from before my birth; you are he who took me from my mother’s womb. My praise is continually of you.
Psalm 71:1-6
“Almighty God, you know that we have no power in ourselves to help ourselves: Keep me both outwardly in my body and inwardly in my soul, that I may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body, and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.” (The Divine Hours)

(From Living the Message)

“The Christian’s interest in Scripture has always been in hearing God speak, not in analyzing moral memos.”

That’s all there is to the reading. One sentence. But what a great sentence it is. I know people who pride themselves on their biblical knowledge. I used to be one of those. But that’s not why I read the scriptures any more. Don’t get me wrong . . . knowledge is good; knowledge is necessary. But it’s not the primary reason for reading the Bible. The primary reason for reading the Bible should always be to hear God speak.

The words that I speak to you aren’t mere words. I don’t just make them up on my own. The Father who resides in me crafts each word into a divine act.
John 14:10B (The Message)

Father, help me listen for your voice when I read your words. Guide me more frequently into the “divine acts” that you have crafted in the words of Jesus, so that I may walk in his steps and do the things he says; that I may walk in his easy yoke. Teach me your ways, that I may walk in your truth. Unite my heart to fear your name.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

And for anyone who might stumble upon this blog today, I offer this sincere blessing:

The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.

Grace and peace, friends.

Today’s trivia answer: The Vatican, jurisdiction of the Pope, etc.

Good morning. It is Wednesday, March 26, 2014.

Today is Purple Day, a day founded by a nine year old from Canada in 2008, Purple Day is designed to raise awareness of epilepsy.

Yesterday was a whirlwind of activity from start to finish. I hurried through my morning tasks at work so my manager and I could drive up to Carrollton to the CEVA facility up there. We toured the facility, where I got a good look at what they do. It looks like that is where I’m going to be going and, honestly, I am okay with that, in spite of the longer drive. I like the environment, and I think I like what I will be doing there (if it turns out being what I was told, which is, essentially a job in the receiving department). We were there until mid-afternoon. There was quite a bit of work to do after I got back, so I didn’t get away from work until close to 6pm. I got home, changed clothes, and headed right back out the door to drive to southwest Fort Worth to meet up with my old seminary roommate, James, who is in town for the week with a youth group from his church in Birmingham, Alabama. I picked him at up their hotel, and we went to Chili’s for dinner. We spent the next three hours catching up with each other, remembering old times, and generally having a blast. It has been almost 30 years since we have seen each other. We were very close friends back in the day. I got home close to 11pm and went straight to bed. Needless to say, I’m a little groggy this morning.

The people at UTSW are supposed to have a meeting on Thursday to talk about the next step for Christi, so hopefully, she will hear something from them tomorrow or Friday. She has two appointments for her pain: one with a chiropractor today, and then one with back and hip doctor on Monday, March 31.

(Source: History.com)

It was on this date in 1997 that 39 members of the “Heaven’s Gate” cult were found dead by suicide in a mansion in Rancho Santa Fe, California. They were all found wearing matching dark clothes and Nike sneakers. The leaders of the cult had taught them that “suicide would allow them to leave their bodily ‘containers’ and enter an alien spacecraft hidden behind the Hale-Bopp comet.”

Today’s birthday is Leonard Nimoy, who turns 83 years old today. Nimoy, of course, played Mr. Spock in Classic Star Trek. Here is a clip of some scenes featuring him.

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL

(From The Divine Hours)

With my mouth I will give great thanks to the LORD; I will praise him in the midst of the throng.
For he stands at the right hand of the needy one, to save him from those who condemn his soul to death.
Psalm 109:30-31
Send out your light and your truth; let them lead me; let them bring me to your holy hill and to your dwelling!
Then I will go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy, and I will praise you with the lyre, O God, my God.
Psalm 43:3-4

The LORD is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made.
Psalm 145:9

Today’s reading in Reflections for Ragamuffins is “Judging Others.”

We each live in a separate world, that of our own minds. “What a thickly populated world that can be! And what an unkind one!” I know this to be true, because I live in mine. It has a history of being very unkind. I have past of being “narrow, cold, haughty, unforgiving, and so judgmental!” In face, James and I talked about that last night over dinner. We have a tendency to shove Jesus off of his “judgment seat” and sit in it ourselves, “to pronounce on others though we have neither the knowledge or the authority to judge anyone!” Have you ever seen a motive?? Of course not, and neither have I. Therefore, you and I have no clue what was behind the actions of anyone else (unless, of course, they come right out and tell us). “Thus, we are told not to judge.” However, should we be presumptuous enough to pass judgment on others, we are warned: For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. (Matthew 7:2)

Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God;
Romans 14:10

Father, I thank you that you have led me away from this horrible habit, over the past years. It took a while, but you have gradually brought me into a beautiful place of grace, where my tendency is less to judge others and more to extend grace, with an understanding that, no, I don’t have the knowledge or authority to judge anyone! I don’t have it quite down all the way, yet, as occasionally, my flesh revolts and casts judgment on someone. But my spirit (and brain) are quick to check this tendency with the truth that I don’t know motive; I don’t see inside a person’s heart to know what drives the action that they did. You have also helped me to be more aware of the fact that, whatever was done was not personal, even though I might take it that way. I pray that your Spirit continue to work within me to further diminish this all-too-human habit of judging others. You have extended me grace. May I be quick to do the same toward others.

I pray for this day. I pray that Christi’s visit to the chiropractor today would yield some positive, healing results. I pray desperately that her pain be reduced. I also pray for those who will be meeting together at UTSW, that they will come up with a job offer for her. Lead us in your path, Lord, protecting us from spiritual and physical trials. Yes, there will be trials, but we know that you are with us through those. I pray that you give Stephanie wisdom and understanding, and show her a path for her life. I thank you that I will have a job after this account is over. I also thank you for the chance to catch up with James last night. He is doing well, and I pray for your continued favor in his life and his family’s life. May your blessings fall on him.

Your grace is sufficient.

When we lean toward judging, we need to step back and remember . . . there is always something we don’t know. Always.

Grace and peace, friends.

Tag: Purple Day

Reading To Hear

On Judging Others