A MIRACLE HAPPENED TODAY

Elohim spared my life today – apparently, He still has Plans for my life 😊

Everyone just did what I asked - they prayed for a healing.

The definition of a miracle is: deliverance from imminent danger.

I was glad Elohim put these people in my life, at the right time – and I’m glad they sprung immediately into action to do what I asked … no one questioned my request; they just gathered around me and got busy praying with me, without treating me like I’m a weirdo; or giving me a lengthy discussion on why I needed to call 911. And I was thankful for that: that’s the kind of faith I want to be surrounded by. Those are the type of people I want in my immediate tribe circle.

We were standing around visiting on that porch for 5 hours following that sting – and prayer. And at no time did anything happen that was supposed to happen; and that’s because Elohim is faithful.

I’m still kicking. I’m still here. And I give all the praise to Elohim.

The sting did not exhibit toxic reactions.

Elohim was faithful this afternoon … and for anyone who didn’t have that kind of faith – they saw a real miracle in action today. By rights, I should not be here.

The last time I was stung was the summer of 2016: I was dinking around in my front yard flower garden when a yellow jacket got trapped in my sweaty bangs and stung me several times across my forehead before I realized what was happening and yanked it out of my hair. By then, nausea was setting in and I could feel my face ballooning up on the left side. My tongue was tingling and swelling; and I thought, ‘I’m in trouble.’ (I’d never been allergic to stings before. Ever. But Bob was allergic, so I recognized what was happening). I dropped my gardening tools and went into the house, and said to Bob, “I’ve been stung – I need prayer. Unless you want me in Heaven, right now, I need you to pray with me and ask Elohim to heal my body.”

My face was looking like the elephant man’s face at this point; and my throat was swelling. My tongue was so swollen that I could barely talk. And my heart was beating like a trip-hammer … like it was gonna come out of my chest. My body was going into shock. But Bob prayed with me, and for me, and within a matter of minutes, all but the facial swelling started to dissipate. The facial swelling was still apparent for about 2 to 3 hours – but, I didn’t have to go to ER: then, or today 😉

NONE of those symptoms showed up this afternoon, and I’m gonna give all the glory to Elohim, because He honored our prayers.

((((Thank You, Yeshua!))))

I serve a good God.

A miracle happened this afternoon 😊

"Heal me, Lord, and I’ll be healed. Save me and I’ll be saved, for you are my heart’s desire." (Jeremiah 17:14)

"If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you." (John 15:7)

Elohim was faithful today to honor our prayers of protection & healing.

BE A BETTER PERSON ~ An Example: Keanu Reeves

He was abandoned by his father at 3 years old and grew up with 3 different stepfathers.

He is dyslexic.

His dream of becoming a hockey player was shattered by a serious accident.

His daughter died at birth. 

His wife died in a car accident.

His best friend, River Phoenix, died of an overdose.

His sister has leukemia.

Keanu did not break: he donated $5 million to the clinic that treated his sister, he refused to shoot (to be with her), and created the Leukemia Foundation, donating significant sums from each fee for the film.

And with everything that has happened, Keanu Reeves never misses an opportunity to help people in need. When he was filming the movie "The Lake House," he overheard the conversation of two costume assistants; One cried because he would lose his house if he did not pay $20,000 and on the same day Keanu deposited the necessary amount in the woman's bank account; He also donated stratospheric sums to hospitals.

In 2010, on his birthday, Keanu walked into a bakery and bought a brioche with a single candle, ate it in front of the bakery, and offered coffee to people who stopped to talk to him. He can just eat a hot dog in the park, sitting between ordinary people.

Actor, film director, film producer and musician Keanu Charles Reeves (Keanu Charles Reeves), missed the first 20 minutes of the party dedicated to the end of filming of his new film in one of the clubs in New York. He waited patiently in the rain to be let in. No one recognized him. The club owner said: "I didn't even know Keanu was standing in the rain waiting to be let in - he didn't say anything to anyone."

After winning astronomical sums for the Matrix trilogy, the actor donated more than $50 million to the staff who handled the costumes and special effects - the true heroes of the trilogy, as he called them.

He also gave a Harley-Davidson to each of the stunt doubles. A total expense of several million dollars. And for many successful films, he has even given up 90% of his salary to allow the production to hire other stars.

In 1997 some paparazzi found him walking one morning in the company of a homeless man in Los Angeles, listening to him and sharing his life for a few hours. "He easily communicates with homeless people on the street and helps them".

Most stars when they make a charitable gesture, they declare it to all the media. He has never claimed to be doing charity, he simply does it as a matter of moral principles and not to look better in the eyes of others.

"He travels by public transport": 0 ego.

This man could buy everything, and instead every day he gets up and chooses one thing that cannot be bought: To be a good person.

HUGS

How many hugs have you given out today?

Did you know that hugs:

Can instantly boost oxytocin levels, which heal feelings of loneliness, isolation, and anger.

Lift one's serotonin levels, elevating mood and creating happiness.

Strengthen the immune system. The gentle pressure on the sternum stimulates the thymus gland, which regulates and balances the body's production of white blood cells, which keep you healthy and disease free.

Relaxes muscles. Hugs release tension in the body. Hugs can take away pain; they soothe aches by increasing circulation into the soft tissues.

Balance out the nervous system. The galvanic skin response of someone receiving and giving a hug shows a change in skin conductance. The effect in moisture and electricity in the skin suggests a more balanced state in the nervous system – parasympathetic (The parasympathetic nervous system predominates in quiet “rest and digest” conditions while the sympathetic nervous system drives the “fight or flight” response in stressful situations).

GOOD LIFE ~Shabbat Eve

I woke up this morning hankering for a nature walk – I decided to walk a portion of the Pacific Way Trail, downtown. As I was walking out the front door … I gave my SIL a jingle, and asked if she’d like to join me, and have lunch afterwards: she did 😊

Before I got into the Highlander, I grabbed that horrible book I’ve been suffering through – and threw it into the garbage bin. It was such a boring accounting of a boorish life; that I could not in all good conscience, pass it on to anyone else!

I crossed the highway to get a mug of flavored coffee … and got my funny-bone tickled when I read the window sticker of the pickup in front of me 😉

Into the garbage; I could not take another page of the dribble ...

Refreshed, relaxed, and enjoying the cooling river breeze, heralding the arrival of Fall.

My funny-bone was tickled - I laughed out loud.

I arrived at Merry’s house, and my eye caught a recurring theme that is running through my life this year – it was the perfect highlighting to the waning of Shabbat.

The 'still, quiet, voice' was loud and clear 😉

After our short walk, I drove to Castle Rock where we enjoyed a light Supper of a ham and cheese sandwich, with a large scoop of potato salad on the side; it {fit} the Fallish atmosphere – we had watched, and commented on falling leaves driving to … and leaving … Castle Rock.

We both love enjoy season of the year 😊

We had enjoyed a good time together, and made plans to spend more time together. We talked of family (and shared memories of Bob too, of course); and talked of ways we are both piecing a “new life” into the fabric of our “old life”. Merry has more experience at it, living a single life longer than me – and I am learning from her how to confidently move into the deep waters of my New Life.

I had a good ‘old’ life.

I have a good New Life.

When I got back home, I grabbed a new read from the top of my book pile. I smiled when I read the cover title: I love cowboy stories – even cheesy ones 😉

New Read; it's funny, and the storyline moves along at a quick pace.

My personal 'cowboy' in his Heyday; 1967. "Heyday is the period of adulthood strength, vigor, or influence – the expression apparently comes from the old Germanic word "heyda, which is similar to our "hurrah. It's also the word from which we get the exclamation "hey.

I’m going to kick back with a glass of wine to end Shabbat and welcome the new week; and bury myself in the storyline. I may even finish it before morning arrives 😊

DUST IF YOU MUST … I Prefer To Have Fun!

 

EPHESIANS ~ Chapter 1/Thursday Bible Study

This New Covenant Book of Letters (an *Epistle), was written while Apostle Paul was a prisoner in Rome around 62 AD – this would also be the same timeframe he wrote the Epistle to the Colossians, as well as the Epistle to Philemon.

In this particular Letter, Apostle Paul is addressing in writ, “**Elohim’s holy people in Ephesus”.

Ephesus was a large commercial port city in Asia Minor, located at the mouth of the Cayster River near the Aegean Sea. Today – in our time – the modern name for Ephesus is Selcuk: a small Turkish town located in western Turkey, which has a population of around 36,000 (about the size of where I currently live in WA State; a small, home-town ‘city’).

Apostle Paul’s aim with this dispatch is to strengthen those members of The Body who remain faithful, and to encourage the faithful to strengthen also the new converts to grow in spiritual knowledge of The Faith … and to admonish and reconcile (put to rights, settle, resolve) those in Church fellowship who were slipping down the slippery path of forsaking their original love for ***Yeshua Ha’Mashiach (Jesus Christ), and were fervently embracing personal power and egomaniac control, rather than to live in agape love through selfless service, agape sacrifice, and Christian love: rather than embracing the grace of Elohim through Christ’s sacrifice on Calvary, they were adopting a self-centered/self-serving theology of divisional hatred and narcissist anger as means of perpetrating ego-satisfying reign.

This letter is still very pertinent today, as much of the same problems flourish in today’s Church Body, no matter the global locale ☹

And the solution is still the same: crucify the flesh – live in Christ, not chase after worldly pursuits!

**********

Ephesians ~ Chapter 1/Thursday Bible Study

“Paul, Apostle of Christ Jesus, by the will of Elohim, to the saints at Ephesus, faithful followers of Yeshua Ha’Mashiach. Grace be to you, and peace, from Elohim our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ! (vv. 1-2)

The Church Planned Before Creation

Blessed by Elohim, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing that Heaven itself enjoys. For even before the world was made, he chose us in Him to be holy and blameless before Him in love. By His good plan and purpose, He persuaded us to become His children by adoption through Jesus Christ. And so we praise His glorious mercy, by which he has made us the objects of His favor through His beloved Son. For it is in Him, and through His blood, that we have redemption and obtain forgiveness of our sins. It is all done in accordance with the riches of His grace. This He has lavished upon us in all wisdom and intelligence. Furthermore, He has given us an insight into the mystery of His Will – showing what He planned in Christ was His own good purpose. His Plan was that in the fulness of time all things in Heaven and Earth should be headed up in, and by, Christ. (vv. 3-10)

The Believer Sealed by The Holy Spirit

In Christ we have obtained an inheritance that was predestined for us according to the Plan of Him Who in everything carries out what He wants done. His Plan for us was to manifest His glory, for we were the first to believe in Christ. The same applies to you. You have listened to The Word of Truth – the ****Gospel of your salvation – and you have been sealed by the *****Ruach Ha’Kodesh, Who was promised. He is, then, a guarantee of our inheritance until we shall receive full possession of it, to the praise of His glory! (vv. 11-14)

The Believer Strengthened by the Knowledge of Yeshua Ha’Mashiach

I have been told of your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and of the love you have shown to all your fellow Christians. Because of this, I do not cease to give thanks for you, and I make mention of you in my prayers. I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is ******Elohei Ha’Elohim, will give you the Ruach Ha’Kodesh – the Spirit of wisdom and revelation through a knowledge of Him. And that your minds may be enlightened so that you can see and understand the hope to which He has called you; and how gloriously rich is the inheritance promised the Christians.

And I pray, too, that you may realize how surpassingly great is His power, available to us who believe, shown in the mighty working of His power when He raised Christ from the dead and seated Him at His right hand (the place of ultimate honor and status = total and unquestionable equality: Hebrews 1:3 & 12:2; 1 Peter 3:22; and Acts 7:55-56) in the highest Heaven. Yes, Yeshua Ha’Mashiach is above every ruler, authority, power, and lordship … and above every name that is named – not only in this world, but also in the world to come. The Father has put everything under the Son’s feet, and He has made Him the Head over all things for the Church (Universal Body of Believers in Christ Jesus). The Church is His Body, filled by Him, Who in every respect and everywhere, is perfect.” (vv. 15-23)

Selah – ‘Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow’ song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQUTvMtUhw4

*Epistle = (/ɪˈpɪsəl/; Greek: ἐπιστολή, epistolē, "letter") is a writing directed or sent to a person or group of people, usually an elegant and formal didactic letter. The epistle genre of letter-writing was common in ancient Egypt as part of the scribal-school writing curriculum.

**Elohim (Hebrew: אֱלֹהִים, romanized: ʾĚlōhīm: [(eloˈ(h)im]) is a Hebrew word meaning "Gods – Father, Son, & Holy Spirit". Although the word is plural in form, in the Hebrew Bible it usually refers to a single deity “Behold, the Lord – the Lord is One”, particularly the at God of Israel.

***Yeshua Ha’Mashiach: is Hebrew for “Jesus the Messiah”; the name Jesus is the Greek form of the Hebrew name Yeshua.

Christ (from the Hebrew word, Ha’Mashiach ישוע המשיח & the Greek word, Christos/khris-tos) = The Anointed, Yeshua the Messiah, in both languages.

****Gospel = teaching or revelation of Christ.

*****Ruach HaKo’desh: In Hebrew, the Holy Spirit (רוח הקודש, Roo-ahk hah-Koh-desh) refers to the divine force, quality, and influence (aka, power) of God.

The Holy Spirit (Luke 3:16 & 11:13; 1 Corinthians 6:9; Ephesians 1:13 & 4:30; 1 Thessalonians 4:8; Titus 3:5; and Jude 1:20), is referred to more than 90 times in the Brit Chadashah.

==B’rit Chadashah = The New Testament. B’rit Chadashah in Hebrew, means, “The New Covenant” (the word B’rit means “covenant” and Chadashah means “new”). The literal meaning of B’rit Chadashah is “a New Covenant By Blood” … aka Yeshua’s Blood.

******Elohei Ha’Elohim (Hebrew word: אֱלֹהֵי הָאֱלֹהִים)) = God of gods; above all gods.

**Galatians 6: https://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2022/08/galatians-chapter-6thursday-bible-study.html

3 RIVERS FRIENDS

The day started out sunny and bright … and continued into the night 😊

The temperatures were perfect to spend the entire afternoon at Willow Grove for the last day of August – so, I dressed casual/packed a light lunch/grabbed a new novel to read: and off I went.

The Doors – ‘Summer’s Almost Gone’ song: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRGm2JrsXAg)

My Wedding Anniversary date (the 27^th), and Bob’s BD date (yesterday) were all part of last week. Last week was a hard time. I wanted to bask in sunny vibes today.

I’m thinking this will be the last time I wear this sleeveless top. It's loose and comfy. It's denim; I like it … it does not like me. I look like I’m advertising a 1950’s maternity top!

Willow Grove really wasn’t that busy on the hiking trail end (the fishing and boating end was pretty full, though) – and I was thankful. Like I mentioned in the sentence above, I wanted to enjoy a peaceful sunny day watching the river flow. Less people on the hiking end meant less chance of some dumb ass drowning themselves by playing chicken with the dangerous waves kicked up by passing ships or recreational water toys.

I was surprised to see this ship still hanging around; it passed me yesterday while I drove along Ocean Beach Highway; NYKLine Hermes Leader; a Vehicles Carrier, enroute to the Port of Vancouver - United States (USA). Currently sailing under the flag of Bahamas.

There were 2 more ships anchored off Willow Grove: Ship 'Castlegate'; is a Bulk Carrier, enroute to the Port of Vancouver, USA - and currently sailing under the flag of Liberia, & Ship 'African Leopard' is enroute to KALAMA WA USA; a Bulk Carrier currently sailing under the flag of Panama.

This book is very b.o.r.i.n.g; the storyline is pathetic, and it d...r...a...g...s... from page to page.

The Columbia River was active today with several recreation vehicles, as well as passing ships.

I hiked the trail twice: once before lunch, and once after lunch (and before heading home).

I watched river traffic.

I watched a couple beachcomber couples walking the upper end of the beach sand.

I struggled through a few chapters of the new read I grabbed off the top of my book cache stack … and I’m not sure I’ll finish the book: it’s awfully boring. I haven’t decided if Kathrine Hepburn’s life was really that boorish – or if the author was a total drip; all I know is the book is hard to get through; page after tedious page ☹ Thank the Lord, I didn’t pay full price for it!

When I couldn’t force myself to struggle through one more page, I’d watch the river – and contemplate river nuances, and metaphors 😉

Bob Dylan – ‘Watching the River Flow’ song: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9slpbmSGNns)

Billy Joel – ‘River of Dreams’ song: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vPv3x9lTO8)

Joe Cocker – ‘Many Rivers to Cross’ song: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1cRd1Gn9XI)

Collective Soul – ‘To Where the River Flows’ song: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdm842CZNRc)

During one such contemplation; my thoughts were redirected, and lured to the three-rivers-region of Kelso. I decided to call it ‘a day’ at Willow grove (my face and arms had been sufficiently burned anyway 😉); go home and shower/change clothes, and then spend some time with friends in Kelso.

3 RIVERS JUNCTION at Kelso-WA

My regular coffee shack was closed … and so was it’s ‘sister shack’ downtown; so in desperation, I pulled in at the only coffee shack still open. My daughter and granddaughter like this brand of coffee, so I thought I’d give it a whirl. I will not be wasting $ on it again! The coffee flavoring is very limited (no caramel, no pumpkin spice, no French vanilla … ), and it tasted acridly bitter and strongly burnt – I know it wasn’t burnt because I watched the girl prepare it fresh (I was able to get ‘regular vanilla’). But it really was awful. Maybe it’s made with chicory roots.

The only Coffee shack open tonight.

It was a busy place for such HORRIBLE coffee! It tasted like it had been on the back burner all day long. YUK.

Aside from the coffee, I thoroughly enjoyed my evening 😊

There will definitely be repeat trips across the boundary line in weeks ahead.