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Blog postThe Pharisees aren’t giving up. They believe Jesus is unbalanced, emphasizing the last six commandments, and disregarding the first four. They keep urging a noted lawyer to question Jesus. Cautiously, he finally agrees to go with them. They arrive just in time to hear the discussion Jesus is having with the Sadducees. The lawyer is impressed with what he hears and spontaneously says, “Well said, Master,” recognizing Jesus mastery of the law. Surprised with his knowledge of scripture, he now wan
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Blog postWhile the Pharisees are legalistic and concerned with controlling all things external and behavioral, the Sadducees are intellectuals and all about science. Forerunners of the first Deists and materialists, they believe God isn’t involved or interested in humanity. Having no use for miracles, they don’t believe in resurrection either, thinking God would need to reconstitute flesh and blood–an impossibility. Sadducees are wealthy and have the influence money brings. The High Priest is usually ch
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Blog postWhen King Solomon’s temple was being built, the stones were prepared for building at the quarry. No tools were to be heard on site. The stones were brought and fit seamlessly together in their places. One unusually large stone was brought to the site that didn’t seem to fit anywhere. It became annoying to the builders. It seemed always in the way, and they stumbled over it. It laid in the baking sun, the contracting frost, and the beating rain. Then when the builders were looking for the stone
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Blog postJesus has the Pharisees’ attention, and knowing his death is a few days away, he speaks boldly, trying with everything in him to open the eyes and hearts of the leaders of his nation. This is for them. A few Pharisees were baptized by John, but for the most part, the leaders rejected that he had come from God.* (However, the tax collectors and prostitutes responded and received John’s baptism.) “Listen to another parable,” says Jesus, “A vineyard owner sends servants to collect his share of th
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Blog postTuesday morning, after spending the night on Olivet again, Jesus and the disciples walk to the temple passing through the orchard and see the withered fig tree. Amazed, they comment, and Jesus gets to explain his “strange act.” Giving up on the Jews, accepting their rejection, is extremely hard for him whose nature is to bless and heal.* In refusing to give, they have become incapable of giving–or truly receiving. Pretentious self-focus is destroying them–creating closed systems.** The
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Blog postA crowd all but runs from the temple, meeting others who are looking for Jesus. Hearing the exiter’s accounts, some turn back afraid, but others press on to see the one they’ve come to as their last hope. Many had stayed in the temple also, hearts thrilling at the power of his majesty, so seldom shown like this. Jesus heals the sick and dying, and takes the children on his lap receiving their grateful kisses. Everyone, especially the children, shouts praises to God which come alive, bouncing o
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Blog postFrom the fig orchard, Jesus and disciples arrive at the temple Monday morning, and find worse mayhem than when he cleaned out the greed mongers three years earlier–a veritable cattle yard. It’s Passover week and the city is filled with travelers. Sellers are bickering over the high prices of animals for sacrifice, combined with priests arguing over exchange rates for temple coins. Animal cries add a din of sound and confusion. These dignitaries of the temple were so controlled by greed they wer
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Blog postJesus acts out a parable. Maybe it just happens. More likely Ruach set it up–its message is that important. The fig tree along their way on Monday morning is falsely advertising fruit because figs come on before the leaves. A tree full of leaves means ripe figs. Jesus, hungry and needing food, sees none, and says to the tree, “May no one eat fruit from you again.” God hates pretense. It was a barren tree–an accurate symbol of the nation God chose to be blessed with his message of saving lov
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Blog postAs Jesus’ procession enters Jerusalem, the priests and rulers react. They’re afraid the people will make Jesus king, so they stir up the Roman soldiers telling them it’s insurrection.
However, when the soldiers go to Jesus, he quiets the crowd, and calmly tells the soldiers that his kingdom isn’t one like theirs, and that soon he will return to his Father, and it will be too late for the Jews to accept their Messiah. He speaks with such power, sadness, and dignity that the Roman offic -
Blog post(continued) As the joyful procession from Bethany reaches the crest of Mount Olivet, about to descend into Jerusalem, Jesus stops. Breathtaking is the temple in the golden afternoon sun, white marble glistening like snow, gold-topped pillars glittering–a sight inspiring pride in the people, elevating their spirits more, and yet Jesus is bent over on the colt, sobbing! Those closest wonder, Whatever can be wrong? We are ready to crown him king and he is weeping as if brokenhearted! Sorrow ov
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Blog postI asked permission to share this experience with a friend who really reminded me of my brother when I met him. So much so that in the beginning I wasn’t sure I liked him.We became friends with him and his wife in the last year, and he had an edge to him. My charming older brother had that towards me. And it left me with huge scars its taken years of work to undo. (It took me 20 years to figure out where my attitudes came from.) But of course there was an affinity too, because he felt like fam
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Blog postI finally wrote again two months ago but didn’t get it posted. It needed editing, and I never got to it! Tonight I woke up three hours after going to sleep and felt God drawing me out to come be with Them! Yes! I did have the sense that both Ruach and Jesus were here! It was so sweet! I shouldn’t say was, They still are, but now my attention is on this. After talking for almost three hours, They took me to Isaiah 58 which I had been wanting to read again, it’s one of my favorites. And I’ve be
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Blog postThe following is a post from God-in-a-Box–Your inbox. It is short devotionals on Jesus life, covering his birth to death in a year.
Jesus loves children, finding their pure openness and unaffected love refreshing. Little hearts are tender and impressionable, open to Spirit and strong to remember his stories–the kind of people he wants in his kingdom.
If parents give them every opportunity to learn of God’s love while they are young and their characters still adaptable, they wo -
Blog postI love it when things come together from five different places and make a whole clear picture. It happened this week.
I was writing about David, and marveling again that someone who seemed to know God so well could just lose it and go off the rails, steal someone’s wife and kill her husband!
Suddenly words from my journaling on John 15 this week came to mind, “I no longer call you servants, I’m calling you friends…” coupled with my own experience of God’s friendship plus -
Blog postI love my Saturday morning Bible study. The questions go deep. You can ask anything, challenge anything. We will go back to the beginning if we need to. Nobody has to feel bad saying “I don’t get that,” or “Can you say that another way?” Or “This is the first time I’ve understood that!”
This morning my close friend and co-leader said, “I just don’t understand how we have a dual nature. Is there some other way you can describe it?”
I immediately went to Romans 7 so everyone wou -
Blog postEustress is good stress. The kind that makes you feel alive and alert–excited about life. I’ve been experiencing both kinds of stress lately, but recently have been reveling in the good kind. Aging is not fun, one of my friends recently said, “Aging is not for the faint-hearted,” and I agree, but I wouldn’t trade the time I’ve been having for anything.
I think when you say to God, “Make me know You,” like French renegade– turned devoted priest, Charles de Focauld said, life gets reall -
Blog postProbably not a lot of step-fathers get honored for being great fathers, but some do and my son-in-law deserves it. I’m so glad he has taken on the task of fathering his three step-sons seriously.
And they respond.
Some of his notable acts have been taking the middle one to the hospital when he broke his arm clean off, and staying with him there all night long to make sure he was ok.
Another is selling his own ATV to put the money into the pickup truck and fix it up for -
Blog postI thought I might skip the confirmation of last week’s blog. It makes me feel so vulnerable, but I know vulnerability is a precious quality, and one I need. So at the risk of sounding crazy I’m sharing my journey–the experiment in making God real. Mother’s Day was a fabulous day.
I spent the day with Ruach (my name for the Holy Spirit if you are new to me). It may have been the best Mother’s Day ever–certainly the most different MD I’ve ever had. My husband and I were in an unresolved -
Blog postWhen your kids are far away or not in close relationship with you, Mother’s Day can be a hard day. Maybe even a day of regret and sadness. Today is one of those for me on all counts and I choose to be happy because I can. We can do that! We can choose happiness! It’s a gift God has given us–the choice to be happy and grateful when there seems to be no reason to be happy, or even evidence not to be happy!
This morning, this Mother’s Day choice is heightened for me becaus -
Blog postWhen your kids are far away or not in close relationship with you, Mother's Day can be a hard day. Maybe even a day of regret and sadness. But today is one of those for me on all counts, and I choose to be happy because I can do that! We can choose happiness! It's a gift God has given us--the choice to be happy and grateful when there seems to be no reason to be happy, or even if you have evidence not to be happy!
This morning, this Mother's Day choice is heightened for me because m -
Blog postI often say to people, “No one will ever love you like Jesus.” (And Abba and Ruach.) And I mean it, but my experience of it waxes and wanes like all love relationships. There is always an ebb and flow. That’s how I know love is more than feelings. It is a commitment. But it does have wonderful feelings at times, and this week I got to experience the true sweetness of God’s love.
One of the sweetest things about God is that They know when you really need some encouragement.
I w -
Blog postYou and your partner formed a relationship likely for many reasons. One of the strongest might have been the desire for a deeper and ongoing connection with another human… a connection that allows you to be spontaneous, real, supported, sexy, and adventurous.At the time, you hoped you had created a connection that would lead to a richer life.But it’s possible that you and your partner might have lost your way after the initial euphoria of being together. Many factors are involved in getting lost
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Blog postis written on a tiny piece of wood on my dresser. I gave it to Mom a few years before she died.
It seems appropriate to continue my joy-writing on my mother's birthday. She was a person of joy even though she had a difficult life and didn't get what she really wanted. In some ways I think she got more.
She so wanted an education. They couldn't afford it. She needed to work to help the family. It was still the Depression.
She wanted to become an artist and a writer -
Blog postI'm sure you've noticed who sets you off. It seems to happen again and again. And somehow there's always one or two up close.
Have you ever wondered why they get to you?
If you're like me, you've analyzed it with respect to what they do, how they misunderstand, how they "have to be right", etc.
But have you ever wondered if it's because you two are alike? (It's not a common thought, or a welcome one.)
There's a saying from way back, & -
Blog postIt doesn't happen often, but it did again yesterday. I intervene, help heal someone's false beliefs, and the entities behind them push harder, the feelings growing huge, as if they're there and refuse to leave.
I recognized them and used the authority I have in Jesus, but it was unnerving because the client struggling was a child under 12. Fortunately, the parent didn't think I was crazy. It made me angry that sweetness and innocence should be taken over by evil. Yet I know we live -
Blog post(This was written and scheduled the end of February to publish March 7--it still shows that on the side--but the schedule function didn't work, so that's why it sounds Lentish and Eastery.)
My computer hard drive crashed on Monday. So badly that it can't be rebooted. I have to buy a new one. I had already decided that I would give up negativity for my version of Lent, which seemed impossible, given my personality, so I was practicing when it crashed.
I was already sad a -
Blog postA request to God and one of my goals for the past three or more years is to be more tuned in to God's voice...more able to hear him and be confident that it is Him.
This scares some people, and I get that. My personality is fear-based and I have worked hard to heal it--asking God to show me what anchors it, in all its myriad forms. I am much less fearful today, but it is true that not every thought we have comes from God. So awareness is good.
However, I really believe God want -
Blog postI try to write here once a month. And today I came here to post, and noticed that February's post was still up! But didn't I post last month? I was sure I did...and then I remembered. I'd written about my hard drive crashing and scheduled it to post later that day. Guess it never did.
Oh well, April fools! Post it next month--tomorrow's is already written, and it's about God speaking to us. -
Blog post"Why do I need God?" she asked me. "I know people who don't have God and are happy."
I have a love/hate relationship with this question. On one hand I love giving the answers, and clearing people's misconceptions and misinformation about God. On the other hand, it's a huge responsibility, and while I love it, I feel the weight of responsibility. It is that important.
So I said, "Well if you are thinking about reality--you need God because He is. -
Blog postChristmas magnifies differences. Different regions and cultures, and even extended family have different traditions, different ways of celebrating, different foods that are special to them-- all within the same religion!Today we watched Rick Steve’s “Christmas in Europe”—featuring beautiful and lovely differences—all celebrating the same event. The spirit of the subject kindles acceptance, but food widens the chasm.I was surprised one Thanksgiving with my husband’s extended family. I always thin
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Blog postChanging your perspective may be easier than you think.
It actually only takes saying thank you to another person, yourself, or God.
Here's how it works: When you decide to be thankful, instead of worried, it stops the drip of CRH (I call it Critical Ruminating Hormone because it makes you worry.) That stops the adrenals from secreting ACTH which is your depression hormone. (I call this one Actually Creating Threat Hormone because it makes everything look black. It make -
Blog postI hate messy!
So why am I a therapist?
That's different. I'm good at professionally helping people find themselves and fix their issues.
But I don't like it when my kids are messy, or my friends are messy. They don't come to me asking for help. They don't show me their vulnerability. They want me to think they have it all together. Shoot, they don't even know they have issues! Don't even know they live in hell.
And yet I'm called to love them. -
Blog post(You remember I said her intimacy with God makes me jealous? Now you'll see why...)
InvitingYou Whisper it quiet. These words that feel liquid with the weight of Your love."you are my home"
I wonder if maybe I misunderstood. I ask what it means. And You dismantle me with Your words.
"I feel wanted, welcome, comfortable. I feel loved, desired in you. You invite Me into your moments, your feelings. You choose Me."
And th -
Blog postI don't want to change this blog this month. The one posted is too good, too complete, so well said and so true. It sums up the essence of being you--finding your authentic s,elf.
It's my daughter's words to her little boys. I just read it again, and thought how does she do it? It just pours out of her like that.
Perhaps she is so full of it because of the pain she has just gone through--is still going through. She has chosen to embrace it and it has developed her. The -
Blog postGuest post--My daughter's message to her three boys. For part one go to http://arlasoveralls.wordpress.comWed, May 29, 2013 [lovelycrumbs] three things -- part 2 You. You grew deep within me. A seed of Grace planted right into my Life.
The very existence of you is simply ridiculous Grace.
He creates only Good. You are Good.
You were born into a battle. We all are. This story is not about us. It's about Him.
And there is an ene -
Blog postIf you're a mother, you know how hard it is to watch your children suffer--to support them without directives, platitudes or judgment. But the worst is to watch and not bail them out--knowing that they need their suffering--it's how they learn and grow.
As a therapist, I am used to watching people suffer. Thank God, I know how important it is, how people need their pain, how they don't need platitudes or bailing out.
Thank God, also, that I have been over this road, hav -
Blog postthere is no moment of weakness that isn't wrapped in His strength http://lovelycrumbs.com I'm standing in a line. Seemingly unending faces stretched out ahead of me.
Clinging to folders that contain my life. My details.
The ground seems to tremble beneath my feet as though, in my weakness, it may swallow me up.
I'm fighting the tears. Biting my lip. Willing them not to boil right over and spill down my cheeks.
From the moment my feet touch -
Blog postCould you tell when you read the last post that my daughter was initiating divorce? She doesn't believe in divorce, is a product of divorce herself, wasn't going to ever get divorced, but here she is. Now she believes that she was physically dying in a marriage that didn't honor either one of them.
Should she have stayed for the kids? Some people think so. She believes they are already exhibiting less stress.
Having just spent two weeks there, I see they are doing well. -
Blog postwhen your Path becomes so narrow you have to let go My heart is ragged. The weight of walking through a sea of fear suffocating.Struggle. So deep in some moments, I wonder if I might simply explode. Become a mist, blown away by the winds of change.Mind so fragmented I fight to pin it down. To hold on to the Clarity as the moments whirl.This fight for worth. For my heart. It has Led me straight over the edge, falling far past safety. My comfort.And yet I am Real. It is in that moment tha
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Blog postOften the pain of becoming is like fire. As when a "sleeping" hand or foot begins to wake up. The blood supply has been cut off, and the rush that is life-giving hurts.
So it is when you begin to look at yourself and really face your situation. Face it and take responsibility for it. A mentor of mine used to say, "There is no pain like the pain of seeing yourself."
I have found that to be true, as has my daughter (whose posts appear every other month -
Blog postGuest Post -- Whole
I am weary.
Raw.
Forgotten.
All this living. This giving. Pouring out. Has left me weary.
There are lines of darkness curved gently across my face.
The evidence of little bodies grown, made, written across my belly. I am a canvas of motherhood.
A portrait with colors faded. The strokes of beauty cracked and dry.
There is quiet here. Not only this night, but most. The silence -
Blog postHow does someone become invisible?
In family therapy we often see that the middle child is invisible. They often feel unseen, not valued.
Interesting that my daughter, who was the only child of my first marriage, became the middle child of my second marriage. Could that have caused this feeling in her?
Yes, but there was more.
When she was in her twenties, she described the feeling of leaving her father behind at age two, when she and I moved to Calif -
Blog postRefining The dark of night is creeping across the sky and I feel the disappearing.
The anguish of the unseen. Heart wrenching and cracked. Writhing to be free of the desire for love. Free of desire.
I cannot stand carrying the weight of it. The crushing force of longing. The gravity of need.
Heart spilling out. Wounds bared open. The pieces of me thrown about the room. Muscle aching from the violence of lamenting. The agony of a soul crying out in complai -
Blog postIn a flash of insight I saw the irony of this thing we are all trying to heal. We all have it to a greater or lesser degree, this need to belong, to be loved.
We run around looking for someone to love us, "Are you my missing piece?" (Silverstein) "Will you love me?" " Can I merge into you?"
Even those of us who pretend not to be, the Narcissists--a growing contingent--are desperate for love.
Duh! We were made that way!
By -
Blog postThe ache burning in the darkness. The fire of my soul searing its way to the surface.
All this heaviness. This pain.
I'd like to pour it out. Open my hands and let it fall with boiling blame.
But I know it belongs here in my own hands.
This pain. Deep agonizing pain that comes from years of carrying this whole life. Years of holding it all together.
Years of driving myself into the ground pleading their happiness. With my own hands
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