Lamentations and Martha Graham’s 117th Birthday

Lamentations and Martha Graham’s 117th Birthday

Did you see the Google’s doodle-ific doodle  in honor of Martha Graham, “the mother of modern dance”?

One of Ms. Graham’s most haunting performances was “Lamentation”.  Here’s a shortened version.  Writhing in agony within an all-encompassing garment, she seems to seek an escape until,  finally, she gives in, consumed by sorrow…

Been there?  Done that? Lamented?

Lament:  “to mourn aloud, wail…synonym: grief” (Merriam -Webster)

click pic for source

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” (Matthew 5:4)

Do you know “the God of all Comfort”(2 Corinthians 1:3)?

Click the pic below to be introduced:

picture source below

Martha Graham photo from:  http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/09/Martha_Graham_1948.jpg/144px-Martha_Graham_1948.jpg

Have you eaten your words today?

open mouth, insert foot...

You could say I have an eating disorder, speech-wise, I eat my words so often.

When we talk of “eating our words”, it’s an “oops!” statement. We regret something we’ve said, put our foot in our mouth, etc.

Well, instead of eating our words, why not gorge ourselves on God’s instead?

Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts. ~ Jeremiah 15:16

How sweet are thy words unto my taste! [yea, sweeter] than honey to my mouth! ~~ Psalm 119:103

O taste and see that the LORD [is] good: blessed [is] the man [that] trusteth in him.  ~~ Psalm 34:8

God’s words are perfect; no foot-in-the-mouth, wish-he-hadn’t-said-that statements.

Perfectly good words that he’ll never take back till they’ve accomplished all the good for which he sent them (Is 55:11)

And speaking of “all”, I’m about to serve you a plateful of “all” verses from the Bible.

They’re verses that remind us of all God’s done for us,

all He can do for and through us,

and all the reasons we should just love Him

even more than our daily bread...

or chocolate

or even an ice cream mocha!

No need to grab a fork or spoon, just dig in.  These verses are all calorie-free comfort food from the “God of all comfort”! (2 Corinthians 1:3)…

“ALL” verses:

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.  ~~ Romans 15:13

And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.  ~~ 2 Corinthians 9:8

Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,

Unto him [be] glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen. ~~ Ephesians 3:20-21

Whew!  That was a mouthful. I encourage you to write them all down and look at them all the times you feel hopeless, joyless, or powerless.

Do you have other verses that encourage you?  Share them with all of us!

Faith when your tires are flat…

my husband and son changing a flat on a windy day.

Why doesn’t life behave itself?!

I mean, getting a flat on a bike ride isn’t bad enough. Sometimes, like today, you have to get two!  That’s what happened to my poor little Lance-Armstrong-wanna-be husband this morning when he was out riding in the country, far, far from home.

And, sometimes — even worse –good people die horrible, agonizing deaths.

And, sometimes — whether we like it or not — and no matter HOW HARD we try, we have a bad hair day.  (Hey!  You have your tragedies, I have mine.  Don’t judge.)

That’s life.

Bummer.

BUT, like Chip Ingram ** (a pastor) reminded me on the radio yesterday, “Life is hard, but God is good.”

And, like the song says, “If you can’t trust His hand, trust His heart.”

God has a gooooooood heart:

God IS love, the Bible says. (1 John 4:8)

And who does he love?

people.

I don’t why, but He does!

He does!!

He does!!!!

Stop, Drop, and Pray!

Let’s pray:

Oh, Father, you so loved us that you gave your only Son so that whoever would dare to believe in Him would not perish, but have eternal life with you.  (John 3:16)

You comfort us when we’re down, and, not only are you compassionate toward us, but the Bible says you are “The Father of Compassion”.  ( 2 Corinthians 1:3)

You stoop down to make us great. (Psalm 18:35)

He strengthens the weak ( Ephesians 3:16) and You love children (Mark 19:14).

may we “have power… to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge-that we may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of [You].” (Ephesians 3:18-19)

You are able to do way Way WAY more than we anything we could imagine! (Ephesians 3:20)  In Jesus’ mighty, powerful, loving name, AMEN!”

“..to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” ~Ephesians 3:21

Do you know Jesus? Click on the pic below to be introduced…

HE LOVES YOU A CHOCO-LOT!

**(click on Chip Ingram’s  name above to hear what I was listening to.  See the audio list? Click the second one, June 10th, 2010)