As thy days so shall thy strength be

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> Why do anything other than work to make the world a better place, especially with the amazing benefits we've been given? (Howard Buffett) - and this is something every person can do at any time and any place - to begin the day with this thought in mind sets the stage for wonder-full living and unexpected opportunities to do good. and, "as thy days so shall thy strength be."
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Living in the Temple of the Holy Spirit

Living in a temple of The Holy Spirit————(some gleanings from one of my notebooks in which I write when thoughts start flowing and I don't want to forget them.)

Pause pay attention. What is it to live in your body? How does it feel? When you don't feel well what is it like? I wonder what it feels like for a person who lives in a sick body.- A body that doesn't function well? I remember how I felt when I was recovering from cancer surgery. I did not like living in my body unable to move around and go like I wanted to. I was impatient. 

Not feel good when can't take care of yourself. When someone else has to help you get up. Feels bad when the helper is impatient and irritable. Probably upset seeing you in this condition. 

Persons all across the globe are in diverse conditions of living. Some live in affluence enjoying the benefits they can afford. Including the best medical care. Others barely survive and die for lack of adequate care. And prior to medical services as we know it today persons lives were carried on until illness or accident took them down. Which context of living was best?  There must be another level of experiencing life. 

A persons life is more than food, clothes, medical care. There is the invisible spiritual life that is the core of ones human experience. This is not finally dictated by freedom from disease and disability. 

There persons in various un desirable states of physical being who manifest attitude in living that is positive and healthy despite the condition of their body. Maybe such persons have some how come to a state of contentment/grace that enables them to transcend illness. 

There comes a time when one focuses on living and allows the body to run its course to death without superficial interference. i e medical contrivances that keep the heart beating when the rest of the body is ready to die. 

"…..don't you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you?……(1 Corinthians 6:19)

Balance

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> Don't be obsessed with getting more material things. Be relaxed with what you have. Since God assured us, "I'll never let you down, never walk off and leave you,"…(Hebrews 13:50 - For the person who is starving this may not make much sense for all they want is food to keep them alive now. For the person who is so emotionally and spiritually bankrupt this may be a threat because they think if they had enough wealth they would have self-worth and be important; yet the billions they have still does not satisfy their inner hunger. These thoughts may or may not make sense. I think at the end of the day it is a matter of balance or the simple truth that things are nothing more than that, "things". What is important is a sense of Providence and gratitude such that whether we have much or little we are able to be generous and helpful to one another.
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Affluence

Some notes from a Rick Warren and Pierce Morgan conversation on TV.  Warren: The stewardship of Affluence and the stewardship if influence—Worry reminds me that I am taking on responsibility God does not intend me to have—Love is a choice—Takes more than love to make a marriage….Money is a tool——Every person comes to see and understand values that work for us in the daily experience of living. Butting up against the realities of life we find out whether something is really worthy…."You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free."

Relax and listen to the Holy Spirit

HOW IS HOLY SPIRIT HELPING YOU DEFINE YOUR PLACE IN THE WORLD NOW? IN WHAT WAYS ARE YOU AWARE OF HOLY SPIRIT WORKING IN YOU? BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD. The Natural North Pole of creation draws us into the Heart and Presence of Holy Spirit all through day and night, even when we sleep. Relax, let it happen. Holy Spirit is always and everywhere at work in you and all creation. THEREFORE, WE ARE NEVER HOPELESS AND LOST IN DESPAIR.

LET US MAKE MAN IN OUR IMAGE AND LIKENESS...

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> THEN GOD SAID, 'LET US MAKE MAN IN OUR IMAGE AND LIKENESS...' -- "There is only one man in the world therefore being true to our nature in the image of our Creator let us treat one another with compassion, love, kindness, respect, smile,
> and his name is All Men. generosity, a helping hand in times of weakness and trouble....and the Lord bless and keep you now and always......
> There is only one woman in the world
> and her name is All Women.
> There is only one child in the world
> and the child is All Children."
> -Carl Sandburg-

WORDS ARE THINGS, AND A SMALL DROP OF INK

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> "WORDS ARE THINGS, AND A SMALL DROP OF INK,
> FALLING LIKE DUE UPON A THOUGHT, PRODUCES
> THAT WHICH MAKES THOUSANDS, PERHAPS MILLIONS, THINK."
> -LORD BYRON-
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> Tools of communication to be used wisely, skillfully, productively in the service of all creation. Words, ink, computer, sound.......can move us forward into greater discoveries of Creation or they can be used to put us back into being cave dwellers afraid of our shadow.
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Fwd: thought

"Being comfortable with strong emotions means relaxing into uncertainty and ambiguity in relationships." Another way of saying it is accepting raggedness in relationships sets us free to find the worthwhile in one another and grow in grace. And another way of saying it is, "Love is patient and kind, not jealous, arrogant or rude, does not insist on its own way, does not give up..."  Well, I thought this might shine a little light along the way today.

First things first

"LOOK TO SEE IF THERE IS ANY IDOLATROUS WAY IN ME, THEN LEAD ME ON THE ETERNAL PATH" (Psalm 139:24) - This is about priorities. The world is much with us. Marketing is skillfully designed to appeal to our feelings, desires, imagination, ego. It is and always has been humans must beware of investing meaning and value to the created at the cost of forgetting about the Creator. My meditation this morning calls me to keeping first things first and maintaining a wise sense of stewardship in all things.....

Seek and You Shall Find

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> "....seek and you will find......we are all Seekers...We all want to know why....Man is the asking animal.....it is the seeking that continues to bring us together, that makes and keeps us human." (The Seekers) -- People the world over are seeking meaning, purpose, value, anything that makes life worth the living and dying. Since none of us has all the answers but only partial knowledge of truth, we need one another. We need to talk, share what we see and understand thereby enlightening one another and pushing aside the darkness of ignorance and cruelty. One has said, "I have come that you may have life and have it abundantly.".. By example he taught us to respect one another, to listen to one another, to be open to the thoughts and seeing of the simple and the wise........
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Prayer

It is early morning and all is quiet. I reach for a book in my library. The title is "Prayer". As i read words I underscored in years past I came upon these words: "Prayer is a divine deed in the human soul...Through prayer God enters the soul, imparting to it His powers and forming it according to His will....". These words really speak to me this morning. Prayer is not about me, it is about God. I pray in response to Holy Spirit speaking, stirring me in my soul and vibrating through my whole being. I guess this is one reason the scripture teaches us to "be still and know God.." It is not a matter of me telling God anything, it is me being quiet and listening to what Spirit is saying, allowing myself to become aware of Presence. Thus I(you) am being in sync with the Nature of creation. ....add your own thoughts.....

Ever a Widening Thought

Subject: THOUGHT

"WHERE THE MIND IS LED FORWARD BY THEE INTO EVER-WIDENING THOUGHT AND ACTION---" (Rabindranath Tagore) - curiosity leads us to explore unfamiliar territory on land and in the heavens, questions that flow in our awareness and thoughts about the WHY that rises within us when life is perplexing. There is no beginning or end to our knowledge but what we know sets us up to know what we do not know. Our minds, emotions, bodies, beings thirst and hunger for insight, understanding, ever evolving truth. Creator has made us thus and all begins and continues in Thee in ever-widening thought and action.....

If I lose it All Tomorrow

".....if tomorrow I lose it all, I know that in God I still have everything.....Father....I hold tightly to Your hand, but lightly to what You give." ..... For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. --Psalm 50:10 --I ponder my assets to be sure I have enough to make it today and in the days to come. Wait a minute, I need to be a wise manager of what I have; yet, every thing could be wiped out in the blink of an eye be a tornado or a sudden illness I would have nothing more than the most homeless of persons. Thank You Lord for reminding me .....and thank You....all begins and ends in You.

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If I lose it all

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> ".....if tomorrow I lose it all, I know that in God I still have everything.....Father....I hold tightly to Your hand, but lightly to what You give." ..... For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. --Psalm 50:10 --I ponder my assets to be sure I have enough to make it today and in the days to come. Wait a minute, I need to be a wise manager of what I have; yet, every thing could be wiped out in the blink of an eye be a tornado or a sudden illness I would have nothing more than the most homeless of persons. Thank You Lord for reminding me .....and thank You....all begins and ends in You.
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Pray for Kings

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> Pray for kings and everyone who is in authority.....(1 Timothy 2:2) - does not matter what is our political agenda or bias we must pray for our government leaders. They need our prayer support and we need the balance and sanity that comes as we remember the One who broods over the chaos of life in the halls of government and all through the nation. And give thanks that these battles are verbal instead of riots and killings on our streets because anarchy is the only way the people can express their power. A million years from now the sun rises but the debates of church and state will be long forgotten. ---perspective---I chose not to despair........
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God does not disappoint

Could it be that spiritual suffering is more severe than physical suffering?  Could it be that spiritual un-wellness makes physical suffering more severe? Could it be that spiritual vitality and good health enables a person to live a powerful life despite the ills of the body?"...we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us." --Romans 5:3-5 -- I guess love, hope and Holy Spirit are the important factors in ourselves....

dad/papa

Bill Edwards

revwge@me.com