Colors

God must love colors.  

Consider creation.

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. . . And God said, "Let the water under the sky be gathered into once place, and let dry ground appear."  . . . And God said, "Let the land produce vegetation:  seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds."  And God said, "Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky . . . "


And, then, imagine the following explosion of colors--

And, so the waters teemed with living creatures, 
     the birds flew above the earth, 
           the land produced living creatures and wild animals.. . .

and, then He said, "Let us make man in our image". . . male and female
he created them.

Color?

 Consider human beings...

hair color, eye color, skin,

the blood running through our vascular system.

Color?
Consider nature.

Color is everywhere.

The sky, any body of water--
large or small--, 
rocks, plants, and animals 
from the showy zebra 
to the rare species of fish at the bottom of a sea.

In fact, everything in the world has color.

Scientists study it.

There are thirteen pages in The World Book Encyclopedia, ancient edition.

and I'm not counting the pages from Wiki....

covering "color in paint, color in light, how the eyes see color,

how color fools the eye, color blindness," and more...

We think that apples are red.

However, try looking at one in a dark room.

(It will appear to be dark gray.)

If you look at an apple under a blue or green light,

it will appear black.

When we look at something,

we see it in terms of the light reflected from it.

We understand that our eyes see color when light strikes them.

**** 

Color and Scripture?

Blue describes the sky, Heaven and the Holy Spirit.

Green is associated with the meaning of growing.

Red, the color of blood, symbolizes life.

Scarlet, on the other hand, refers to blood atonement and sacrifice.
Black symbolizes sin, death, and famine.

White portrays purity, righteousness, joy, light.

Purple symbolizes kingship and royalty.  
Our churches are draped with purple cloths during Lent.  
It was the color of the robe placed on Jesus before his crucifiction.

Purple was the most difficult

color to make in Jesus' day;

because of this,

only royalty wore it.

 ****

If you live in the Midwest, the days have been dreary.

We note that the sky is often over-cast this time of the year.

The ground is sparsely covered with dirty snow-patches

a top a ground that is a gray/brown/green.

Spring is still weeks away,
and there's still a chance of a snow storm blasting us. . .
... but we are hopeful.

****

Lent is Latin for spring.
Although a sad period,
we can always be hopeful.

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for

and certain of what

we do not see.

Hebrews 11:1

Praise God always.

May your week be colorful.
May you color others' lives
   with cheerful thoughts.

Four Faces

Dr. Henrietta Mears wrote that everyone has four faces--


1) The one the world knows

2) The one our friends know

3) The one we know ourselves

4) The one God knows





Lent--a period of penitence and fasting observed on the forty weekdays from Ash Wednesday to Easter in Christian churches--started last Wednesday, February 13th.  Various churches participate in Lent in a number of ways.  For some of us--with an opportunity to attend church more than once during the week--it offers time for additional reflection into our personal and spiritual selves.

We hear the expressions. . .

I have no life.

Get a life.

That is no way to live.

We each have times when we are over-whelmed, exhausted, mistreated or feel we are living without purpose--nothing is happening or too much is happening.  What difference does it make?  Sometimes, we adorn masks, a facade, so nobody knows who we really are or how we are really feeling.  We can kid others; we can even fool ourselves.

But God always knows.

We are often troubled, but not crushed;

sometimes in doubt, but never in despair;

there are many enemies, but we are never without a friend;

and though badly hurt at times,

we are not destroyed.

At all times we carry in our mortal bodies

the death of Jesus,

so that his life may also be seen in our bodies.

2 Corinthians 4: 8-10

With God, there is always hope.

We are always being made new because of Jesus, the Christ.

***

Leo Buscaglia wrote. . .

     Starting each day I promise myself not to try to solve all my life's problems all at once . . .

     Starting each day I will try to learn something new about me and about you so that I may continue to experience all things as if they had just been newly born.

     Starting each day I shall listen to you and try to see your point of view and to discover the least threatening way to offer you mine, remembering that wherever we are now we need not be there tomorrow.

     Starting each day I shall not insist that you be perfect until I myself am perfect.

     Starting each day I shall seek out the beautiful things that fill our world like flowers and blades of grass and dew drops on leaves, and people, and faces, and share my new-found beauty with you.

     Starting each day I shall reach out and touch you gently with my mind, my eyes, and with my hands, for I don't want to miss you.

***

You may not see the connection--

but connections are always there--

in the following poem 

written by one of our new Alpha writers.  

It is powerful.  

I wait for you

where the black leather seats of the diner

are no longer plush

and stuffing oozes like mashed potatoes

from stitching cracked like the rear view mirror

of the aged silver bus that carries your soul.

I walk to you

along fields of clover; thumb out

waiting for flower paint and peace sings

and you in beads and braids

hanging from the window

mellow and warm; swaying to old freedom songs.

We dance on lost highways and forgotten roads

haunting the American nights

where jazz is dead

and blues are the swirling neon

of too many bars pressed together in rows

pretending there's nothing wrong

with a place that says come in empty

and leave alone.

Chrystal

The poem is about the father she barely knew.

It could be about anyone once loved or--always loved.

Everyone has four faces--

1) The one the world knows

2) The one our friends know

3) The one we know ourselves

4) The one God knows

And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.  

              2 Corinthians 3:18

Therefore, since through God's mercy we have this ministry,

we do not lose heart.

2 Corinthians 4:1

The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body.  So it is with Christ.  For we are all baptized by one Spirit into one body. . . Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it . . .  

    1 Corinthians 12

Father, in the not-so-easy times of my life, help me remember that you are always near.  May I be mindful of your love.  May my face, my heart and my spirit reflect this love to others.   To God be the glory.
   Amen





Next week's blog:

Poetry from Alpha Writers

Poetry:

Writing that creates concentrated imaginative awareness?

Writing that creates emotional response through meaning, sound and rhythm?

The Alpha Writer's in Mitchell County had nine poets with their creations in Lyrical Iowa, 2012.  With over 2000 entries, these nine poems caught a judge's eye who felt them worthy to be published in The Iowa Poetry Association anthology.

From lighthearted and delightfully simple to a deeper reflective sense, these poets wrote their thoughts on paper and hoped someone would appreciate their words.

Enjoy:

OLD WASHINGTON SCHOOL

Old Washington School

The building is scheduled

to be torn down, leaving

behind visions of Emma,

her small hands trailing

the wide bannister from

second floor to first,

as she goes to the girls'

restroom with tiny sinks

and low-hung mirrors,

which reflect her winsome

beauty and the anxiety of

third-grade phonics.

              Ramona Morse

RIVER ROAD TALES

It's a great day for a walk.

Snow is almost gone

Ice is absent from the river

River Road

Sun is warm

Wind turbine faces southwest

Daisy digs in the ditch, dirt flies

She gets a drinkof clear water

A motorcycle vromms by

An eagle sits high above the water

We meet Dr.Ross, wearing shorts

"Rushing the season?" I asked

"I'm quite comfortable," he said

Fishermen are standing in the middle of the river

We meet James, also Dick and Dora

Everyone is enjoying the weather

The ditch grass is greener after the rain

Charlie is green but not yet creeping

Is this March?

Calendar says December

And its 47 degrees

   Mary Fisk

Haiki poem...

Dirty roadside ditch

Remains of rotten orange

Puppy sniffs, sneezes

      Carol Sisterman

Another haiku . . .

spiker crawls slowly

fearlessly it works its web

surprised by swift end

        Margaret Smolik

HOLIDAY JUNKIE

Holiday Junkie?

With a cherry nose
and a flush on cheek
he's eaten cookies
for over a week

The candy's gone
and egg nog too
you'd think his gut
would be churning brew

Yet there he goes
likely pushing fate
to the easy chair
with another full plate
      Marjorie Dohlman

FOLLOWING MUSIC DIRECTIONS

When I stopped my singing

Director thought it strange

But the music stated

That I must "refrain"

Steven Thompson

ODE TO A CAROUSEL

Who thought of building a carousel--

the merry-go-round--anchor

of amusement parks, fairs, carnivals?

Who dreamt of whirling, leaping lions,
tigers, unicorns, and horses?

Who unified those cams and gears

and shafts and levels, bolts and brackets

masked by mirrors and flashing lights?

What genius thought to so entertain us

then added the raucous, spinning sound

of steam calliope?

Did you realize you were creating

a dream machine for children of all ages--

a flying carpet that transports youthful imagination?

You are a wizard, a dream chaser

--the magic-maker.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Jed Magree

HER HUSBAND DID LISTEN

s

there was a lady
who had osmosis of the brain
her mind was like Velcro
she felt it her duty to 

share this knowledge

her husband did listen

day after day 

year after year

until his head could hold no more

he lifted his hand to his ear

and ever so gently

made a half turn

          Rita Smith

POPPYCOCK

They sit with potbellies

Cups of tepid coffee

And comrades

(they think)

Fellow soldiers

In the fight against apathy

Stirring emotions

With opinions about everything

Speaking nonsense

In blatant staccato

Babbling, gloating, swelling

With empty talk

Becoming contageious

Everyone expounding

No one listening

Blazing with blather

Kathleen Stauffer

There are five books of poetry in the Old Testament:  
Job 
Psalms
Proverbs
Ecclesiastes
Song of Solomon

None of them "poppycock"

Alfred Tennyson, 1809-1892, called Job "the greatest poem, whether of ancient or modern literature."  It  may be one of the most ancient pieces of literature in existence.  The theme of Job is "Why do Godly people suffer?" 

    In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job.  The man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil.  

Man born of woman

is of few days and full of trouble.

He springs up like a flower and withers away;

like a fleeting shadow, he does not endure.

Job questions God because of his troubles. 

. . .

His friends try to tell him why he is suffering,

but in the end

Job realizes

he could not "see" himself

until he "saw" God.

Therefore ending with these trusting words --

I know that you can do all things;

no plan of yours can be thwarted.

You asked, "Who is this that obscures my counsel without knowledge?"

Surely I spoke of things I did not understand,

things too wonderful for me to know.

If you like poetry, try Job.

It's poetic.

It's a story about hardship and endurance.

It's a story about trust, God's love and blessings--

   in spite of hardships that may come.

If you like to write poetry, check out www.iowapoetry.com   

    

..and start writing!

Next week's blog?
Email your suggestions
kathystauffer@hotmail.com

Old Wives' Tales

Honey, you need garlic around your neck.

It's bad luck to walk under a ladder!

Feed a cold; starve a fever.

Don't touch that frog, sweetie; you'll get warts.

An Old Wives' Tale

is a belief

or superstition

not necessarily based on fact.

Plato, well-known Greek philosopher, first used this phrase around 300 B.C.  It first appeared in English in the 1300s.  The "old wives" refer to people in the olden days who gave advice based on superstitions.

Other tales include:

*drinking warm milk makes you sleepy {make mine chocolate}

*an apple a day keeps the doctor away {does apple pie count?}

*long labor?  must be a boy {true in our family}

*eat carrots to see better in the dark {do I need to be up that late?}

*gain a child, lose a tooth {I don't know about losing a tooth, but my dental bill was astronomical}

*chicken soup fights a cold {and makes you feel good no matter what}

It seems that the "old wives"

from generation to generation

continue to come up with "tales."

For example, I don't believe that elderly wives from Plato's era
picked at their daughters-in-law to--

never open the door when 
baking a souffle or  
watch out for foods with mayonnaise--they
spoil faster.

I wish my own mother had know the old-wives tale of
chocolate relieves menstrual cramps.
It would have eliminated much suffering.

I used to brush my hair 100 strokes before bedtime, that is, until I got tired of counting-- and washed it until squeaky clean.  With wisdom comes age, sometimes, and I now know that washing your hair until it squeaks strips the hair shafts of essential oils.


Just recently, I over-heard a lady with long spirals state that she rarely uses shampoo--only conditioner.  And, get this, she only "finger-combs" so as not to cause split ends.

No shampoo?  You are kidding, right?

And while we're on the subject of hair-care, you CAN go outside when your hair is wet and NOT catch a cold.  The researchers tell us that getting chilled does not cause a cold--at least not under laboratory conditions.



Out of all the afore-mentioned "old wives' tales," it seems that the only ones with validity are--

Chocolate helps relieve pre-menstrual cramps.

{It contains mood-boosting chemicals--dark chocolate works best.}

Chicken soup will cure your cold.

{Maybe not cure but does reduce inflammation in lungs.}

Fish IS brain food.

{Fish oils are are critical for lots of things including brain function.}

Unless you do not care for chocolate, chicken soup or fish, you're in luck

The most recent "tale" I've heard is... drum-role, please.... this may be a new one to you:

Take me to bed with you...

Soap, at the foot of the bed, cures night-time leg cramps.

The medical community says no.
However, it seems to work for some people.
If you're a believer, replace the soap bar every few months
   or rejuvenate by shaving some of it off.
If you're a skeptic... the believers feel there is a yet unidentified molecule present in the soap...

This takes us back to "old wives" tales and their definition:  a belief not necessarily based on fact....

Hmmmmm.... 

One of the phrases my parents often used was 

The Golden Rule:

Do unto others as you would have others do unto you. 

This is not an "old-wives"tale, however.

It is found in the scriptures of nearly every religion and is in straight-forward language.

You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 

Leviticus 19:18

Whatever you wish that men would do to you, do so to them.

Matthew 7:12

One going to take a pointed stick to pinch a baby bird should first try it on himself to feel how it hurts.

African Yoruba Proverb, Nigeria

When asked "Teacher which is the great commandment in the law?"

Jesus said to him, 

"You shall love the Lord Your God. . . 

This is the great and first commandment.  

And a second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself." 

Peter M. Marty in his article, "Passing the Peace," in LUTHERAN magazine shared the following story....

 

I have a pastoral friend in the Baptist tradition who established a delightful liturgical practice in his congregation.  When passing the peace, worshipers enjoy a weekly ritual.  Instead of saying, "Peace be with you," worshipers turn to one another and say:

I love you.

And there is nothing

you can do about it."

Gutzy!

                                                    This week--enjoy your dark chocolate, 

your chicken noodle soup, 

your favorite fish, 

stick a bar of soap in bed with you,

and treat others with love...

every day....
just like you would like to be treated.

Next week's blog:
poetry?