Humility and Meekness

“Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent, and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.”  ESV Bible, James 1:21

Up to the minute, latest worldwide, nationwide, citywide, and even neighborhood news is on my fingertips on the internet. Usually it’s bad news because that’s what quickly grabs the attention of human beings. And bad news easily becomes the conversation topic of the moment...”Did you hear?!?!?...”.

Really, these kinds of news can become tools used by dark evil spiritual forces. Very sneakily and insidiously. I say sneakily because even though I read the Bible daily, what am I really implanting? What is taking priority over my thought life?

I have been feeling beaten down and discouraged by news of natural disasters and suffering, crime, dirty politics, celebrity gossip, etc. I’m sick and tired of it. I can’t kid myself...

Definition of “humbly” and “meekly”:

Humbly - Humble - low as opposed to lofty or great or magnificent. Like a humble cottage. Not boastful, not bragging or proud. 
Humbly - In a humble manner; with modest submissiveness; with humility. Without elevation.
.
Meekly - Meekness - derived from Hebrew (to melt). Attitude that is not easily provoked, frustrated, or bitter. Restraint. Forbearance (hold back, pause, even abstain in the face of sufferings and difficulties). Opposite of immediate impulsiveness or knee-jerk reactions.

Personal Appication
In modern American culture today, it is popular and even a compliment to describe someone as humble. In American culture, however, the word meek is not a compliment. It’s an insult. It connotes “wimpiness”, cowardice, etc. However, there are direct translations of the Bible which describe being meek or meekly as a virtue, especially describing Jesus, the Son of God and His teachings for us as followers. 

The definition of meek above to me describes a person trained, with self discipline under a Master. Like learning under a martial arts master. It’s a mindset coupled with exceptional power. 

So how I am going to apply this? Be aware that modern media is capable of becoming an attractive lure. Be wary. But don’t be a hermit and close off completely from the news, but be careful.  It is easy to be snared and drawn into a despairing attitude that kills the soul.  Combat this for with reading and meditating on God’s truth and Jesus’s words and life example. And, going to the Living, real God in prayer and worship. And God in turn promises to equip me with the Holy Spirit to empower me in daily life. 

Closing Scriptures:
“ The meek shall obtain fresh joy in the Lord, and the poor among mankind shall exult in the Holy One of Israel.”     (From the prophet Isaiah, in Isaiah 61:1, ESV Bible)

“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”   (Quote from Jesus’s brother James, in James 4:6 ESV Bible).

My Mom’s Char Siu Recipe

today, I’m posting “My Mom’s Char Siu” Recipe, or Chinese BBQ Pork. I’m Japanese American, and I’m married to a Chinese American.  Both cultures here in America love the Chinese BBQ Pork, which is sliced and quickly stir fried in a number of dishes. Or added to to dishes like Char Siu and Egg Over Rice.

My mother-in-law conveniently bought her delicious Char Siu at the Chinese deli just a couple of blocks away in SF Chinatown.

I usually buy it at the Ranch 99 grocery store chain nearby here. But it is close to $9 a lb now. This led me to remember that my Mom made wonderful Japanese style Char Siu when I was growing up, and I am now making this regularly.

I have tried countless Char Siu recipes online, and there are many variations, but there has been none as satisfying as my Mom’s recipe. So I’m posting it here for posterity and to share with anyone who wants to try it.

MY MOM’S CHAR SIU

2 lb. pork, boneless country style ribs
¼ cup Chinese dark soy sauce
2 T sugar
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp grated ginger or 1/8 tsp ginger powder
1-2 T Sherry wine or Shaoxing wine
2-3 drops red food coloring

I add a little Chinese five spice powder
Original recipe used Japanese soy sauce, which you can use.

Pork is in long logs, in a size like you buy char siu at a Chinese deli

Mix marinade in ziploc bag. Marinate overnight
Bake 350 degree oven for 1 hour, basting frequently.  Cool before slicing. You can wrap extra, unsliced, in plastic wrap and freeze.

Quilt Finished!

Finally posting this quilt! Actually I finished it back in July, but I was able to give it to my friend and Sister in Christ last week.

I had been feeling quite wish-washy about my work. It is an African-American themed quilt and she being an African American, I wasn’t sure if she would like it.....well, she LOVED it! I was so relieved. And now that I think about it, my African American friends in my quilt group have made beautiful Asian themed quilts that I love so much, so why stress?!?!

My friend had kindly taken me to a Flea Market (or what some call a Peddlers’ Market) in nearby Berkeley a while back. I loved it and had a great time looking through so many choices, and they were priced quite good too. She showed me around to the sellers who had wonderful fabrics imported from Africa and I incorporated most of them into her quilt. I also found some of the African fabric as little remnants picked up from Thrift Stores or second hand shops nearby in town.

Below is the back of this quilt and you can see my attempt at free motion quilting. I’m quilting on my small domestic Brother and I’m pretty inexperienced at this.  But I’ve heard that it’s just a lot of practice before the stitching flows well. It’s a leaf or vine motif. I didn’t tuck the thread ends good, but rather back-stitched. Now I know how to hide the loose ends into the quilt from a YouTube video I found on YouTube with Leah Day: https://youtu.be/4_yMzN970Qc

Oh well...next time. I guess that’s what quilting is about for me - learn as I go.

And this is the Bible Scripture I embroidered on it...

Til next time - Happy quilting!

Quilt Progress

I’ve been slooowwly going forward on this quilt. We had a couple of heatwaves, and when that happens, it’s too hot upstairs to sew.

Then doubts creep in, and I need to keep praying. I start wondering if my friend will like this quilt, etc., etc.

When this is finished, I will have my hubby hold it up so I can take a full pic. Until then, here are portions of it... I am still not confident nor skilled yet at free motion quilting on my little domestic machine. But I guess practice will give good results over time. At least my machine is cooperating this time!

And here is the view from the back of our townhouse. It faces a field and trees of a property owner across the street... 

  I’m grateful to have such a peaceful view to look at while I sew and quilt!

Volunteering

We are blessed that here in our hometown, which is the County Seat, there are many volunteering opportunities for young and old alike.

A couple of Tuesdays ago, I met with the Courtside Ministries Group for the second time. There were 8 of us this week, from different local churches. We are out there for just a couple of hours. This group, did I mention, has received written permission from the local authorities.

I was still a little nervous, but my conviction is that there ARE people out there that would appreciate someone to be available to help pray for them. I can imagine there are many who are in distress, and may feel anxious or helpless prior to a court hearing etc.

Here is the main table setup. A pastor and his wife bring the table, offering encouraging handouts available for people too.  After a group prayer, we are divided off to locations at nearby buildings.  No one is allowed to be pushy, just discreet and available. We each have name tags on, and are just available to passers by.

(I blurred the photos for privacy purposes).

I was sent with a couple of others to the Family Law Courts. I don’t know all the types of court business is done there, but I do know there are divorce cases, child custody cases, maybe adoption cases?  I think there are many sad and stressed people coming and going.

I was surprised how many people stopped and asked for prayer.  I am glad we were available to go to God and give mercy and hope on their behalf.  We are ALL humbled to go to God in these times of need.

Quilt in Progress

Here is a quilt flimsy I just finished. Next I’ll add an encouraging Scripture, and sandwich it together, and quilt it.  It’s an African print themed quilt. I visited the Berkeley Flea Market on Ashby Ave. and there were a few vendors selling African cloth at great prices. So I bought a little to finish the top, which had been on the back burner for a while. I also HAPPENED to find a perfect African remnant at a local thrift shop in town called ARF... Animal Rescue Foundation for just 25 cents!

I’m making this quilt for a dear friend who has been sick for a long while, but doctors are still trying to find out what spccifically it is....

So as I’m sewing, I pray for her. I hope to give it to her in a couple of weeks, and encourage her. I’ll post the finished quilt with you all, I hope!

I got the idea for this quilt on the JoAnn Fabrics website. I took the trouble to go to a local plastic shop and they made a plexiglass template for me with my requested dimensions, and plan to make additional future quilts with it.

Courtside Ministries

Last month, I was notified to serve on jury duty in Richmond.

I really wasn’t too thrilled, because it meant reporting to the local courthouse at 8 AM and sitting in a sort of holding room or “bullpen”along with about 150 other people, and and waiting and waiting to find out if we were needed to serve on one of the juries for the court cases scheduled that week. This takes all morning, and meanwhile you have to sit in a stiff chair, along with others seated in row after row of chairs. There is one TV program set up for us to watch, magazines, or you can read your own material or read the magazines provided.

You have to stay in the room unless you need the restroom. And since everyone is seated in this one vast room, it is pretty awkward to talk with someone, since EVERYONE can hear you, so people on the whole keep to themselves. And it’s very QUIET.

(Internet photo)

Knowing that is is our civic duty, and knowing that someday, if any of us had to go plead our case, we would surely appreciate 13 impartial people listening and deciding, versus instead of just one judge..it does motivate one to serve. And to many, it’s a way to get out of work.

So in light of Acts 17:24-28...that, I paraphrase, God “sets our appointed times” and that “in Him we live and move and have our being”, I thought that I was here for an intentional reason. With all these people, I thought I was here to strike a conversation with someone God had in mind.

I’d assumed.  Because I prayed several times for God to lead me to someone, and I couldn’t make it happen. Was I too chicken? Did I shrink back because it was so quiet and that everyone (I kid you not) could hear our conversation? I started to beat myself of up about being a coward. But I couldn’t make it happen. Who knows?

Then the lady in charge, the one clerk behind the counter called out a selected 30 peoples’ names and they were escorted out to the courtrooms. I prayed again.

I went to the outer hallway just outside the bullpen room, where the restrooms were. There were a dozen or so chairs with more people scattered about and sitting in a row, their backs facing a large picture window. I gazed out and saw an information table set up. A small group was there. The banner on the table said “Courtside Ministries”.  I saw that those people were volunteering to pray for/with anyone who wanted prayer before entering or after leaving court.

I thought that that was very touching. Most people are really stressed or sad at the courts. So I said to a kind-looking lady right by me, “That’s a nice thing....it’s nice that people can help pray for people if they want it.”

Boy, did that lady react! Her attitude changed and she got rather angry, saying, “They shouldn’t have people out there “in your face” and bothering people, etc., etc.”.

I sure rubbed her the wrong way. Surprised, yet not surprised, I was a little caught off guard. I didn’t say “Sorry”, so that was good. I did reply, “Well, they really don’t seem to be bothering people. You have a choice whether want to stop and have prayer.”

The next thing I knew, immediately, everyone as dismissed by the clerk. No further jurors were needed. Everyone hustled out of there, relieved to get out.

I stopped to find out about the Courtside Ministries table. They were people from local churches, and this was an organization to simply be there for people. Not to be judgmental, or find out about all their business but just to call upon God to support them. Very impartial and very kind and loving.

...I thought it was a wonderful idea and Ministry. It really touched my heart. Then I found out there was a group right in my hometown too.  I stepped out in faith and gave someone there my contact info. And went home to pray about it....

Where I Sew My Quilts

This is my “Girl Cave Retreat”. We live in a two bedroom townhouse, and Jerry so graciously allowed me to use this second bedroom for quilting (and with roll-up futons, it is a guest room too.) One wall is dedicated for storing mostly his things, books, and photos—behind the white curtains on the right. It is a mess right now, and anything but calm and restful! An elderly couple in the nearby valley just moved into a senior living facility and their daughter and son were holding an “estate sale” of everything in the house, liquidating years of belongings....their mom was a locally known quilter and crafter. She had a HUGE room full of fabric, quilting supplies, sewing machines, etc., etc., up for sale at “everything must go” prices. I came home with yards and quarter cuts of quality fabric (like Moda and Japanese fabrics).  She had tons of plastic storage drawers, so I also bought two sets (seen on the far left in photo.)

I decided to incorporate my existing stash of fabrics with my new haul. Well, NOW I’m in the midst of taking everything out and resorting. What a domino effect!!!. But I’m so grateful to be unexpectedly provided with fabric and storage which is such a surprise gift from God, and within the budget of our fixed income. So hopefully I will get to show you my “after” photo, and record the progress of some of my current quilt projects.

My sewing table.

Rivers of Living Water

Healing Hands Ministry Quilt made in 2011 for recipient in  2011

As I mentioned in my May 28th post, Isaiah 58 really impacted me about what real worship is to God, and also how Jesus demonstrated love throughout his life. Also recently, James 1 and 2 also showed how God’s word, the Bible, is like a mirror into my heart. So when I read the Bible, I shouldn’t just read it just to read it and walk away. I look into the Bible just as I would look into a mirror and see what I look like (daily, I hope!) and make adjustments to my heart. In other words, examine how I can change and apply it to how I am living.

Isaiah 58 shows how getting in the habit of pursuing the whims of my own pleasure, and being aimlessly idle does not bring about the life God desires. This is the false allure of what retirement is about, which is tempting and misleading. It also means is that a worshipper of God is not all about fasting, being a good church-goer and going through the motions, but someone who is aware of others around him who are oppressed, hungry, suffering who are in need of justice and mercy and is responsive to those needs. And the call is to spend oneself in sharing what blessings we have to others who need it, being merciful and impartial. And in this country, right in my own immediate community, there are people who are suffering, whether rich or poor, Christian or not, who are going through hard times. By hard times, it could be financially, mental health stress, family divisions, homelessness, unemployment, health issues, loneliness, abuse...just to name a few. People also may be living the consequences of lawlessness, drugs and alcohol abuse, or just living irresponsibly.

My problem that I’ve been wrestling with is “How?”  Where and how does God want to use me? I want to be used by God, but I don’t know where to begin. This side of me gets very overwhelmed. I get shocked and numbed by all the bad news (like the shootings at schools), and I want to withdraw, shelter myself, and shrink back.  “They deserve it! Their problems are not my problems, their business is not my business.” And I get so low and tired, it’s all the more tempting to do what I want to do to ease the burden and pain.

This is the mirror I am talking about. Most of us want to live “a good moral life”, but a “good moral life” is not what Jesus was teaching us. Jesus said in Matthew 11:28-30, and John 7:38-39:

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

“Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’”[a] 39 (When he said “living water,” he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him.”

Jesus wants each of us to come to Him. God knows that being a committed follower of Christ is hard. He is understanding and merciful and compassionate to us. It is clear that EVERYONE needs to spend time with God regularly, receive encouragement and guidance through prayer with Him, from good friendships that God provides, and receiving daily forgiveness from God for our shortcomings. Only through Jesus, and nothing and no one else can I get true refreshment, rest, strength, guidance, and courage. God is my refuge.

And God, WILL show me where and how He wants to use me.

Isaiah 58

Isaiah 58 was our theme at a church retreat in the beautiful Santa Cruz Mountains about a month ago. And that passage keeps popping back in my mind. Isaiah was talking about his times, and really, it is applicable to today also.

Redwood Christian Center, Santa Cruz

Isaiah talks about an oppressed people in a sun-scorched thirsty land..yup, that is America. More and more desperate acts of gun violence erupt now. People don’t know what to do about themselves. Hit and run fatalities are commonplace on highways and even in city streets. Then the mental health issues cause people giving up on life. Homelessness, etc., etc....in a word, Oppression.

I would say I have read through Isaiah 58 two or three times so far in my 28-yr walk with Jesus. But this month God revealed something about myself.

The following in Isaiah 58:2-3 describes me, (substituting I for “we” )


2 For day after day I seek God out and seem eager to know God’s ways,
as if I were a nation that does what is right
    and has not forsaken the commands of its God.
I ask God for just decisions
    and seem eager for God to come near them.
3 ‘Why have I fasted,’ I say,
    ‘and you have not seen it?
Why have I humbled myself,
    and you have not noticed?’

Much has been given to me lately. But as I’ve been saying lately, “I’m feeling unsettled.” “I should be enjoying retirement, yet what is going on with me?”

Isaiah 58:9-10 speaks God’s solemn, sobering truth with a loving promise...an “If, Then statement.”

“If you do away with the yoke of oppression,
    with the pointing finger and malicious talk,
10 and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry
    and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
then your light will rise in the darkness,
    and your night will become like the noonday.
11 The Lord will guide you always...”

“Because of the increase of wickedness, the hearts of many (my heart) will grow cold.” 
I am guilty of “the pointing finger”, the blaming and malicious talk (mostly in my head). I’m in the habit of looking the other way, and think the problems are too much for me to make much of a difference. Yes, don’t deceive yourself Julie. It’s easier to be a bystander, or retreat into safe self protect mode, than to put myself out there in faith, and make an effort to be there for people. 

Isaiah 58:13-14
13 “If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath
    and from doing as you please on my holy day,
if you call the Sabbath a delight
    and the Lord’s holy day honorable,
and if you honor it by not going your own way and not doing as you please or speaking idle words,
14 then you will find your joy in the Lord...”

I have been contemplating lots of options, none of them seemed clear. Should I work again just to spend more? Then there is temptation to compare myself with other retirees, which does not lead to inner peace but mostly to envy. Travel beckons strongly, though we really don’t have that strong a desire, and to do so would mean living beyond our means. I can nap whenever I want. Yes, the allure of idle aimless selfish pleasure-seeking has been SO STRONG.

I have to say also there a sense of entitlement in me that makes me justify to myself that it’s now time for ME. Another word for self-centeredness with no room for God. How can I arrange MY time? 

Sadly, that is not true for the majority in this world. Much has been given to me, much is expected.

James 1:22-25 says God’s word is a mirror. I’m glad that God is right with me to help point my path. To help me keep in step with Jesus and not run ahead or away from him. It says in Isaiah 58:10 says “The Lord will guide you always.”  I’m so grateful that my Lord starts with my heart, clears up any confusion, and promises to guide and navigate this complicated world. And if I make a wrong turn, He opens my eyes, forgives and reassures His Love for me, and helps me learn and grow. 

    

World View

Romans 11:33   “Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!”

Deuteronomy 29:29      “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.”

Proverbs 21:1 “The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will.”

I try to keep abreast of current events in the world. The verses above keep me from feeling overwhelmed, and keep me humble before God, who alone is good and sovereign over all. I don’t have to know all the details. It’s not necessary for me to worry, fear, or figure out how things will work out. That is for God to know and decide...and for me to trust in Him. However, news is important to me so that I would know how to pray for others, even if they are from another culture and country different from mine. ( I.e. the survivors of the Japan Tsunami, Syrian refugees, etc.)

The American Retired Life

Relaxing afternoon in front patio with Mayumi

We are now experiencing retirement. Wonder-hubby was the full-time Dad and breadwinner. He worked as a engineer and business partner. Like many of us here in the SF Bay Area, working meant long stressful commute hours. Despite unselfish sacrifices, Jerry always insisted on family dinners every evening, just like his parents did. Jerry always made time to encourage and support the kids... from T-Ball to Little League, from awkward preschool ballet recitals to The Oakland Youth Symphony, from Spelling Bees to SAT exams.  We have been blessed to have owned homes, cared for our aging parents, raised five Guide Dogs puppies, and... (despite some unfortunate and poorly made financial U-Turns) got our kids through the end of college (barely, by the skin of our teeth!).

I was the “CEO of Household Management”. Duties included Mom, Car Pool Driver, Short Order Cook, Personal Shopper, Scheduler, Housekeeper, Errand Runner, Dog Groomer and Pooper-Scooper.  Also to supplement the family income, my duties included various and sundry full and part-time jobs.

This is really not anything to brag about. We are a typical middle-class family, as far as this area goes. Though we like to think that we carefully planned this life, “Mercy me!” we really didn’t, and couldn’t have imagined all that we went through together. These were many fruitful years, filled with laughs, adventures...along with life’s painful losses and griefs, and sprinkled in with some financial mistakes and disappointments.

So, Jerry draws from his pension (U.S. Social Security) now going on 2 years and for me it’s been one year. Jerry is a very easy going and content guy. He is fully enjoying this season of life. We gave ourselves new titles. He is “The Chauffer”👨🏻‍✈️.   I don’t know why he is uncomfortable with me driving ?!? 🚗🤷🏻‍♀️. I got promoted to “Jerry’s Personal Chef” 👩🏻‍🍳 (I’ll keel over and faint from waiting if he is cooking! Ha ha).

But me, I am not used to all this extra time! Do I look for a part time job again? Friends are traveling, so we can use the extra spending money. But, since we traveled in our younger years, we just don’t have the travel bug. Besides, we have comfortable living room front row seats to any country, any Warriors game, any SF Giants team, etc, courtesy of our big screen TV.

Let’s see, how about volunteering? Well, I am trying out many of the numerous volunteer opportunities around this community, and that has been really great. Plus I’m meeting some interesting people.

Hobbies? Yes! Still quilting and reading. How about getting fit and healthy for those future grandkids!?!  Yes! We just joined the YMCA.

....Whereas Jerry has been content, and truthfully “de-stressing” from all those years of hard work, I am still wrestling with what do to with time at my disposal. I realize I am very privileged to even be at this point.  It’s very easy be just content, comfortable, and (hate the word)...complacent...

Hmmm...I’m beginning to think it’s more of a heart issue...so I will be exploring this further in the coming posts.

Sabbath Day (cont.)

Trying to navigate Blogger...not easy but will be patient and persevere...

Remember...Part 1

So, this past week I visited a small store in Pleasant Hill, and was served at the counter by a boss guy, and a young guy. In my mind I was still impacted by Isaiah 58. The young guy, who was black...didn’t look happy to be working there.  While I was placing my order, I casually shared that I was going to jury duty the next day.. The boss asked, “Where at?”  I replied, “Martinez”.  (Where I live now is Martinez, a nice small city in Contra Costa County, the county seat, or headquarters.)  The boss retorted and snorted, “Well, at least it’s not in RICHMOND!”  (Reference: Bible, John 1:46, Nathanael saying of Jesus, “Nazareth! Can anything good come out of Nazareth ?”.  Richmond is another city in the County, notoriously known in the press as crime ridden, full of gangs, poor, etc.

I just laughed along, but noticed the young man’s face grow quietly angry. Was this a clue why he didn’t look like he liked working there? I left the store, conscious that I was being a “nice” and “don’t rock the boat”Asian hypocrite, by laughing along with the boss and not being truthful. Yes, my conscience told me that I was a full blown hypocrite, just the type that would more than irk Jesus.  The “little laugh” shared by me and the boss, caused a lot of damage. and Jesus was witness to it all.  The truth is, I lived and worked Richmond for 10 years.Went to Hilltop Community Church for 15 years and have many dear friends in the area. I delivered a careless stab that probably wounded the young guy, regardless of where he truly lived. Yet my heart was exposed by committing the sin of cruel racial profiling. It’s sobering, and forgive me Jesus, I want to change.

Remember,..Part 2, and Refreshed

Ironically, the next day, getting ready to go to jury duty, I realized that it was not in Martinez like I assumed, but in Richmond! Ha! God gets the last laugh on me!

I was late.  Hurrying into the courthouse entrance, I sort of noticed a table with books and leaflets, and some people standing there promoting something...

I check in, and find myself in a large room, some 100 people, all sitting row by row in stiff chairs. Dead silence....Everyone, it seems, including me, not glad to be there, though perhaps proud of doing their “civic duty”.

After brief instructions, the clerk clicks on the big screen TV, and “Undercover Boss” starts to play...a very benign “do-good” reality show that is captivating and not likely to ruffle the diverse audience in this waiting room. People snap into their “private mode”, either watching the TV, reading, or silently working remotely on their laptops. No one wants to be bothered...just left alone so they can endure the tedious wait until they are either selected or excused from jury duty.

I think, “All these people. There must be someone I can strike a conversation with, like Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well!”    I pray, “God, I’m not here by accident, but by your set purpose and design like in Acts 17:26-27.  Because my word for 2018 is “Anticipate”, I will anticipate that you will act, and I will meet someone and share my faith and all this will not be in vain.”

Half the people are called and leave to room to go to court rooms. “I can’t talk to people in here”,  I say to myself....”Everyone doesn’t want to be bothered, and it’s so quiet, the whole room can hear what our conversation will be.”

Restless, I walk outside in the hallway, where there is a row of chairs, backing up to a large picture window. There are about 4 ladies sitting there, looking approachable, not reading, etc.  I pray and think of a way to be friendly and talk to one of them.  I look out the window, and realize that the table I passed by so hurriedly are manned by Christians who are there to help encourage anybody who feels overwhelmed and has a need for prayer before going into court trials, etc.  The table has a blue banner that says “Courtside Ministries”.

Without thinking, I softly say, “That’s a really nice thing going on out there. Offering to pray with anyone who needs it before going to court.”  

A lady right near me immediately bristles up and gets really angry. “I don’t like people like that who get in your face and start talking about Jesus. They don’t belong out there!”....and so on, blah blah blah. So I say to her, “Um, they sure don’t look like they are bothering people, just standing there. And people have a choice to walk up to the table or not.  It’s encouraging and comforting.”  So then, she stands up and stomps away.

“Well, that went well,” I say to myself. “So much for that.”  Soon we are all excused and I leave.  I pass by the Courtside Ministries Table to encourage the Christians there. And a couple of them tell me how wonderful it is to help the sad people that walk by and ask for help. I find out that they also meet a couple of Tues. mornings a month right in Martinez too. We talk, and I realize maybe this is why I am here for jury duty. This may be a way to serve hurting people and do what God is calling me to do as in Isaiah 58.  I’m going to keep praying and look into this.  Time (and God) will reveal and tell....maybe...the person I was supposed to meet and talk to was Jesus.

Sabbath Day

I challenged myself to have a Sabbath Day for the second time this month. Grateful to be blessed to have the time to focus on God, using the suggestion from the retreat...Rest, Reorientation, Remember, Refreshment.

Rest...  It’s good to be still. After complaining (sorry God) for the last few months about being retired and bored, God in His mercy, opened my perspective, and now I am praying to stay in step with Jesus. God has enabled me to see new options so I pray to use the time He has granted me with His wisdom and His discernment. God knows I need to pause to praise and inquire, or else I will just become selfishly ambitious.

Reorientation... Impact Scriptures: 

Deuteronomy 9:4-10 New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

4 The Lord your God will drive them out to make room for you. When he does, don’t say to yourself, “The Lord has done it because I am godly. That’s why he brought me here to take over this land.” That isn’t true. The Lord is going to drive out those nations to make room for you because they are very evil. 5 You are not going in to take over their land because you have done what is right or honest. It’s because those nations are so evil. That’s why the Lordyour God will drive them out to make room for you. He will do what he said he would do. He made a promise to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. 6 The Lord your God is giving you this good land to take as your own. But you must understand that it isn’t because you are a godly nation. In fact, you are stubborn.

Isaiah 55:8-12 New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

8 “My thoughts are not like your thoughts.
    And your ways are not like my ways,”
    announces the Lord.t
9 “The heavens are higher than the earth.
    And my ways are higher than your ways.
    My thoughts are higher than your thoughts.
10 The rain and the snow
    come down from the sky.
They do not return to it
    without watering the earth.
They make plants come up and grow.
    The plants produce seeds for farmers.
    They also produce food for people to eat.
11 The words I speak are like that.
    They will not return to me without producing results.
They will accomplish what I want them to.
    They will do exactly what I sent them to do.

12 “My people, you will go out of Babylon with joy.
    You will be led out of it in peace.

Week with Friends

Busy and fun last week.  Jury duty, new YMCA membership.

New friend Terri took me to first visit to SF Botanical Gardens...

Sharing with Renee on Thurs....

 Mother’s Day date lunch w Jerry at Fat Maddie’s in Pleasant Hill on Fri.

And Mother’s Day lunch after church Sunday w Jeff at Dosa By Dosa Indian food in Oakland.

DosabyDosa.com