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Tuesday, April 21, 2015
Monday, April 20, 2015
A RADICAL SABBATICAL
The other day, I noticed Tiger, the Alpha male in our family of pets was lounging in an office chair. Sprawled out and looking cozy. He hadn't a care in the world. I thought to myself, "Oh to be a cat". Tiger doesn't worry about whether the stock market is going to drop, or if the rent is going up. He could care less if the Kardashians are splitting up, or if Syria is splitting hairs.
Tiger is perfectly content with laying in that chair and resting. Oh to rest. What would it mean to actually take some time to relax, and to stop and smell the roses? Yet, we often find ourselves so busy with our to-do's...we don't.
Resting has many meanings. Rest is something I am having to learn. I think since I was a child, I've been in "production mode" with the exception of a few unconscious teen years. If I am not moving, then I'm wasting time, I often thought. Always thinking there isn't enough time left, got to get 'er done now mentality, "why put off tomorrow what you can do today".
I think this is where the A-type personality comes into play. The perfectionism that drives people insane! I can blame it on the month I was born in, my parents, school teachers, or perhaps even Sunday school...yet, the truth is...I have no one to blame but myself.
You may ask yourself, how did I get here? When did I stop enjoying life? Who busted the bubble of blatant laughter? Who stole my happy? At what age were we told to be all grown up and take every moment so serious we choke the life out of living? Seriously, how do we get to that place....the place of rest? What does rest mean? Is it to nap, vacation, meditation, or just to have unadulterated fun?
Out of curiosity, I began digging into the meaning just a little further.
The Webster's dictionary defines it as:noun \ˈrest\ REST : repose, sleep; specifically : a bodily state characterized by minimal functional and metabolic activities, freedom from activity or labor, a state of motionlessness or inactivity, the repose of death.
verb: to stop doing work or an activity : to spend time relaxing, sleeping, or doing nothing after you have been active or doing work : to give rest to (someone) : to stop using (something) so that it can become strong again
Yes, part of it speaks of actual sleep, but notice something here. I loved the meaning in the verb sense where it states: to stop using (something) so that it can become strong again
Recently, I had developed a condition with my vocal chords, unlike I had ever experienced. I had been practicing much for our upcoming worship service. In practicing, and then singing for service that following Sunday, I managed to strip my vocals, causing much pain, and swelling. It was so bad I had to go to ER. I am not a "run-to-a-doctor-every-time-I-get-an-ache" type of patient. I like to handle things as best naturally and when all else fails run like Forest Gump for care.
Unfortunately, I couldn't treat this one. I was having difficulty swallowing, couldn't talk, and certainly was not going to be able to sing again, if not taken care of. So I bit the bullet and went in to be put on steroids, and antibiotics as a secondary issue set in when I had caused the vocals to bleed. The doctor said to let my voice rest! It needed to recover to produce the ability to sing and talk again. No yelling deafening demands at the kids, Hubby, or pets....and certainly NO SINGING for a few days.
I was mortified because I had an upcoming Women's Bible study to lead and only a few days to get the voice back. Fortunately, the meds and rest worked. And I am able to sing again.
In Leviticus 25, it speaks of the Sabbath year, and following with the year of Jubilee. During this time God had instructed Moses to speak to the Israelites regarding rest. He commanded them to take a sabbatical. There was a period of time in which they were commanded to allow the land to rest as well. He assured them, that during this resting period the land would still provide plenty of nourishment for consumption.
4 But in the seventh year the land is to have a year of sabbath rest, a sabbath to the Lord. Do not sow your fields or prune your vineyards. 5 Do not reap what grows of itself or harvest the grapes of your untended vines. The land is to have a year of rest.
It had to rest so it could produce more!
So often, people get too busy trying to climb the ladder, produce children of productivity, run a ministry marathon, or push the plate to plenty...they miss the joy in the journey. We catch ourselves running from one sports activity to another, or racing against the traffic and clock to meet the demands of a job, family, or a community of needs that leaves us breathless. Zombied out on lack of sleep, caffeine, and dangling nerves, leads to NO JOY, and NO REST! And it makes us cranky Christians!
Have you ever been around one? They walk around without any expression on their face, or looking like some kind of an ogre.
Or they are too busy being busy for God, and your just in the way....as they rush past you to get to their mission. Boy, that sure makes me want to know more about their loving God. Not good. (P.s. apologies to my Pastor's wife as I have side-swiped her at least 3 x's), ugh God forgive me.
There is so much more to the meaning of rest. Sometimes resting means to just stand still, be silent, wait (as on the Lord), stop striving, lay it down, STAND FIRM, to RELEASE! Let it go...as the theme from "Frozen" proclaims.
Lay down your anger..."GIVE IT A REST", cut-off jealousy, resentment, bitterness, and unforgiveness as it only causes "DIS-EASE"...literally!
Just read below:
Negative Health Effects of UnforgivenessWhen unforgiveness persists, the prolonged anger involved heightens a person’s medical risk. In fact, prolonged anger can make people 500% more likely to die before the age of 50. Anger triggers the body’s "fight-or-flight" response, creating hyper-arousal in the body in order to cope with a perceived crisis. The resulting stress on the body mimics amphetamine intake, raising blood pressure, speeding heart rate, and depressing the body’s immune response in order to focus on the threat of the moment. Over time, these responses cause negative health effects in the body, as these natural responses exist for too long when unforgiveness lingers. As a result, those harboring grudges experience increased risks of heart disease, cancer, and stroke. The negative health effects of unforgiveness can also have negative effects on the brain. Studies have shown that even low-level resentment and anger tend to lower cognitive function and problem-solving capacity. Additionally, unforgiveness can lead to anxiety disorders, depression, and shame.
http://soberplace.com/negative-health-effects-of-unforgiveness/
So as you see, rest isn't just about taking a physical sabbitcal. It is a spiritual one as well.
Proverb 18:14
"The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear?"We must learn to forgive, set aside, put down, and relieve our hearts of harboring resentments. Give IT a rest!
Mark 11:25-26
And when ye are praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.
For a moment, just close your eyes, plug into some ocean wave sounds. This is a site I use, and let the stress of the roll off my shoulders.
Don't be a Martha (Luke 10:38-42).
God is calling us to sit in His presence and learn of His ways and rest on Him. He wants us to be confident in His ability to handle whatever may come. When we don't rest, we are basically saying to God, "Sorry, guy...your just taking too long, and quite frankly, I don't believe you can handle the job"... Oh dear God, forgive us! What a total slap in the face of the Almighty! The one who created, pre-orchestrated, and sacrificed SOOOO MUCH for us! He wants us to have the peace that passes all understanding, and the only possible way to do that is to, abide, trust, depend on, rely, and REST IN HIM!
It means choosing a radical Sabbatical! Be purposeful in your time, but take the time to REST, RELAX, and be RESTORED! If need be, watch video at end and let the kid in you sing your way into rest.
It means choosing a radical Sabbatical! Be purposeful in your time, but take the time to REST, RELAX, and be RESTORED! If need be, watch video at end and let the kid in you sing your way into rest.
-Brenda A. Graff
Founder
Here are a few Hebrew meanings of REST:
After searching further the meaning of rest in Hebrew I found the following:'abah aw-baw': be willing.dmiy dem-ee' or domiy {dom-ee'}:cutting off, silence.damam daw-man': quiet self, be silent, be (stand) still, tarry, wait.hanachah han-aw-khaw': release.chadal khaw-dal': let alone, be unoccupied.
chanah khaw-naw': to pitch a tent; to encamp.marge`ah mar-gay-aw': refreshing.nuwach noo'-akh: set downcamak saw-mak':stand fast, stay (self), sustain.sha'an shaw-an': be at ease, be quiet.shabath shaw-bath': desist from exertionshalowm shaw-lome' or shalom {shaw-lome'}: well, happy, friendly; health, prosperity, peace
Tuesday, April 14, 2015
CLICK BELOW TO READ HOT OFF THE PRESS TODAY!
BE INSPIRED - READ APRIL ISSUE OF FOOD FOR SOUL MAGAZINE
The featured guest writers, and speakers from all over the U.S. will inspire you much! Be inspired and pass it on!
Thursday, April 9, 2015
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Tuesday, April 7, 2015
Resurrection on the Road
-Brenda Graff
The day before Easter, we had
been scheduled for a road trip to College Station, Texas to celebrate my
father-n-laws eighty-fourth birthday. We
live quite far, but the scenery on the way up there can be breath-taking when
the bluebonnets are in full bloom. In
anticipating to see a display of splendor, I made sure my camera was ready to
grab some pics. Not only were there some
bluebonnets, but another favorite of mine are the side-roads covered with the Castilleja
flowers, also known as Indian paintbrush or prairie-fire.
The flowers of Indian paintbrush
are edible, and were consumed in moderation by various Native American tribes
as a condiment with other fresh greens. The
Ojibwa, or Chippewa, a large group of Native Americans used a hair wash made
from Indian paintbrush to make their hair glossy and full bodied, and as a
treatment for rheumatism. Nevada Indian tribes used the plant to enhance the
immune system.
But before you go out and pick a
hand full of these to consume, read up on them.
They can be very toxic if eaten in large quantities or consuming the
root.
Anyhow, back to the road
trip. As I was enjoying the breeze
through the window, and ironically listening to one of my favorite Christian artist, "Third Day", and viewing
patches of these beautiful displays here and there, I was overcome at the
timing that these flowers begin to bloom.
Remembering that Sunday was the very next morning where families
would gather in great numbers all over the world to celebrate our risen Savior, Easter. It brought what I call an “ah-ha” moment.
I thought of the magnitude of how God, our
Creator in heaven and earth had planted flowers all over creation. He chose the colors, shape, size, and timing
for blooming.
I am always amazed as I experience the display of artistry with each passing byway.
Just months before on a Thanksgiving trip
through the area it was dry, and barren, with the whisper of bitter, cold, and lonely
winds blowing through the hills. Here it
is spring, the rising up of the dead, the buried, and sleeping...singing in full
bloom the praises of our Eternal King.
The trees in the fields clap their hands to him, birds in the sky sing
their praise to Him, the flowers in the fields bloom with passion towards their
Creator for all the world to witness as they celebrate the living, One and Only
Begotten Son of God, the King of Kings, Lord of Lords, and our Savior. That on that third day HE arose!
It was no accident the petals were displayed
in spender the weekend of the crucifixion and the rising of the SON!
God wasn’t
placing flowers on the graveside of this sinful earth in the mourning of His
sacrifice, He was planting LIFE through HIS sacrifice as a sign to NEVER be
forgotten, while giving ours back. LIFE ETERNAL.
Isaiah 55:12-13 (NIV)You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. 13 Instead of the thornbush will grow the juniper, and instead of briers the myrtle will grow. This will be for the Lord’s renown, for an everlasting sign, that will endure forever.”
Wednesday, March 18, 2015
The Plights of Plungers, and Patience
"Oh Lord", I said...as I sat up in the bed, wondering if I was going to be able to do much today. I pulled a muscle in left shoulder, you know the kind...that hurts with every breath.
My ankle was aching badly from overdoing it the past couple of days, and the fybromyalgia soared off the charts with inflammation, suddenly! It had been an overwhelmingly difficult past few weeks with design deadlines on magazine, internet dysfunction, daughter in ER, a scare of one of my adult sons possibly missing, plumbing, plungers,
and biting gnats
with a plight of near insanity.
I just didn't want to deal with my own impatience today. I wanted to crawl back under the covers where it was safe, where I could hide from today's duties and drama.
I wanted to stay there until I got my "Yes" The yes from God on all my concerns...Yes, today is the day I will be pain free, Yes, today sponsors will be beating my door down to fund the ministry...Yes, today my son will be excited for school work and actually follow through without grumbling.
Yes, someone will pitch in and take care of a few chores...so I can heal up quicker...so I can continue ministry. Yes, all my adult children will be functioning happily and receive the desires of their heart with loved ones, and ALL at the same time.
Yes, it will stop raining long enough for property to dry up to mow down the jungle...and repair septic issue. Yes, I will walk past a mirror and STOP counting calories! Yes, my no's will mean no's and be consistent. Yes, my husband will graciously understand the pain, concerns, fears, and impatience...I sometimes display when feeling weak.
Yes, you will be able to pay off all debts, and be free of financial worries. Yes, your house will function in total peace. Yes, you will never have to swat another pesky gnat in your face ever again!!! I could hear the sounds of the political debate in my own head shouting these Yes's as if to campaign for a peace treaty.
The "to-dos" and "to-don'ts" are like sticky notes on my brain, THEY ARE EVERYWHERE! Waiting...waiting...waiting. Waiting on answers, waiting on direction, waiting to exhale the sighs of relief.
I just wanted my yes. What do you do when you feel like you have been waiting for 40 years to reach the promise land? Waiting hasn't been my virtue. However, I know it is a necessary one. It is in the waiting that you discover a journey into a sometimes very necessary crucifying of your own soul, your thoughts, and plans. It is through the waiting you find that some things are not priority, and others are. It is when you wait, you start counting your very own heart beat to hear it continuously flowing life throughout your body, a life that even in the waiting...is blessed to still be in existence.
Waiting brings challenges of self-control, both in word and deed.
Sometimes we become so impatient we snatch back the very issue we turned over to God, believing He isn't handling it quickly enough or as we thought it should be. I know this too well. Sometimes I let ME get in the way and forget who really is in charge, and I try to take the world into my hands.
I am learning to wait in long lines without too much grumbling....keeping pulse steady. I've learned to breathe slow deep breaths while stuck in crawling traffic. I'm even learning to be patient with my children's shoes sprawled everywhere but where they belong. Now, if I could just master the art of patience with one of our cats, Holly, who has to walk a full length circle at least twice....before exiting the door she has been howling at, to be let out...I could almost swear this cat was birthed with a nag demon just to torture ME!
To wait. What does it mean?
In the Hebrew dictionary it means to:
yachal yaw-chal' -to wait; to be patient, hope:--(cause to, have, make to) hope, be pained, stay, tarry, trust, wait.
And there it is folks! (be pained)...Seriously? I know it means to trust, tarry, etc...but PAINED? I've been in chronic pain for eleven years! I think I would have learned to wait by now. No one ever said, it was going to hurt to wait...our Sunday school teachers never taught that lesson. Who would have ever thought to: WAIT = PAIN?
Then I found the Greek definition:
therapeuo ther-ap-yoo'-o : to wait upon menially, i.e. (figuratively) to adore (God), or (specially) to relieve (of disease):--cure, heal, worship.
Yet, to wait patiently on God...therapeutically, it brings healing, a cure, and relief from disease or DIS-EASE!
I realize that God may never heal my chronic pain, or I may have to function in the dysfunction of this life. I may never be blessed to be debt free. As long as I know my debt to God is paid...then I'm okay.
I know that in all of it, I must wait...I have to wait...I can wait while I worship, and continue while my weak eagle wings grow feathers of strength to soar above these circumstances. While my weary walk becomes a marathon on a mission, I shall run and not faint....as I wait...and wait on my God. The Maker, shaker, and motivator of my soul!
Isaiah 40:31(KJV)But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
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| Brenda A. Graff Founder FOOD FOR SOUL MAGAZINE |
Tuesday, March 17, 2015
Spirit Airlines ads often use distasteful marketing choices. For example, there is also their Bare Fare ad. The script for that ad goes: "Our fares are unbundled: no 'free' bag, no 'free' drink. From the start, it's just you're a_s + gas and a personal item." That included an image of a stick figure covering its privates as though not wearing any clothes. Yesterday, they went too far with their latest perversion and launched their "69" ad. It’s a shame an airline would advertise in such a way when families fly on their airlines. This time they have outdone themselves with a disgusting ad.
Read more at http://onemillionmoms.com/current-campaigns/disgusting-spirit-airlines-ad/#XlRSPTu6BMjxcA7Y.99
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