UNQUESTIONABLY LOVED

So ... it's been a busy couple of days 😉

Our Plan was to get married Christmas Day after Christmas Supper at Holland's brother's house - the Redmill Family would gather ... and his nephew, who is a Pastor ... would be available to marry us in our home following Supper: the nephew came down sick. He sounded awful on the phone.

Needless to say, no marriage happened. But we did have a great Holiday, anyway - we aren't hormone-driven teenagers that were devasted by an unforeseen delay 😊

The next day, when Holland came to visit, he said: "How about we drive to Reno the first week of January? You said you like long drives, and this way you would get a honeymoon, too." Isn't he the sweetest guy?!

So, that is what we will be doing in a few days. We have spent the past 3 days getting ready to share our lives together: I've been freeing up space here .... and he's been hauling stuff from his place to here ("our" place). Hopefully, by the 5th, every lose end will be successfully 'tied-off', and we can turn the car's nose towards Reno.

I am still more than a little surprised to have found love again. I truly never believed it possible - Bob was my whole world most of my life; I loved him with all of my being (and then some); and was nearly undone on every level when Elohim called him Home. Love, for me, died when Bob's physical body died. It took a loooooong time for me to heal, and start getting on with "getting on". I wasn't interested in another man - men, in general, didn't interest me. I wasn't watching men. I wasn't encouraging men. I laughed off flirtations, and flat out told them to look elsewhere.

I.w.a.s.n.t.i.n.t.e.r.e.s.t.e.d.

But Holland was persistent.

He was a fast friend - and I felt comfortable around him: he knew my feelings about my husband, because I talked about Bob nonstop. He also flirted for 12 months, and I held him off: I wasn't interested. My heart still belonged to my husband, and I couldn't see that ever changing: I didn't WANT that to change. 14 months into our friendship relationship, Holland gambled with a text he sent me: he flat out told me how he felt ... and I agreed to "a coffee" around Thanksgiving time. Then, we went for a drive to his old stomping ground area, in Vader - and it was an enjoyable afternoon. But it spooked me. I didn't want to feel anything for Holland: I wasn't ready to let go of Bob's memory. I told Holland to "look elsewhere - I'm not the one you want". He said, "I know what I want; I'll wait for you. You'll get comfortable with the idea of Me." Cocky thing, wasn't he 😉

Then Holland ended up in the hospital, and I was more than spooked - I was downright scared: I knew then that I had true, and deep feelings for Holland. I couldn't imagine life without him, if the thing that landed him in the hospital, spiraled out of control. So, when he was back home and texted me: "We need to talk", I agreed. We needed to talk. And that was {IT}; December 5th changed everything, we were both "in deep". That Coffee Date morphed into planning a lifetime together 😊

My heart is big enough to hold the memory of Bob's love ... and the implantation of a new love. The "unimaginable" suddenly became my future focus. And sometime in the first week of January, that future focus will become a reality. Holland loves me - there's no doubt whatsoever about that (he told me he's been waiting 35 years for me)! He is a good man. He is a Godly man. Elohim, personally (against my express wishes/I wasn't looking), put him in my life (everything but neon arrows pointed to him, saying, "this is HIM - the one I've chosen for you"); and I know Bob would like him. Holland tells me I'm good for him, and I know he's good for me (he checks ALL the boxes): we are a good match. Our 15 month friendship has become sweeter, and more lovingly intimate.

So, NO: 15 months is not "moving too fast". Elohim & Holland think it's too long, since we are both Senior Citizens living on limited time. I started dating Bob in April, and married him in August; 4 months is a lot shorter than 15 😉

I am greatly blessed, and highly favored. THANK YOU, FATHER!!!!

We can't wait to add his Name to mine ... which is a good thing, because we are acting like silver-haired teenagers. We are Christians – this wildfire needs to be Legal. ASAP 😊

 

Dan Seals – ‘I Saw You In My Dreams’ song: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWEoe9PSYWA)

Dan Seals – ‘Only You’ song: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHBx4AOY2HA&list=RDBHBx4AOY2HA&start_radio=1)

George Straight – ‘I Cross My Heart’ song: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihqEuk7PCU4)

Tracy Byrd – ‘Love Lessons’ song: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tqd5UAjEVXA)

Marty Stuart – ‘Till I Found You’ song: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQ9lgv015n8)

Marty Stuart – ‘Little Things’ song: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57nHU-giuMw)

Bellamy Brother’s – ‘I Need More of You’ song: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvMXBeF9f2c)

Exile – ‘I Can’t Get Close Enough’ song: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYUv3Rxw-sA)

Ronnie Millsap – ‘Daydreams About Night Things’ song: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CDybdzdoKw)

Exile – ‘Kiss You All Over’ song: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpiBdB6yJC8)

Marty Stuart – ‘Burn Me Down’ song: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4sW5J8fjzg)

MR. ICE PAID A VISIT ~Shabbat Eve

‘Mister White Christmas’ song:

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEbFfoBPfw4)

For a few weeks, I’ve joked off and on about Mr. Complication being put on ice … but today he really was put on ice: the roads here are all a solid sheet of ice – it is not {"the worst anyone has ever seen here!"}, but it is pretty bad. I’ve seen worst ice storms in this neck of the woods, but it is best to stay home if you can 😉

That said, when I woke up this morning with ice on the street … and chicken soup running through my thoughts, and I figured Holland could stop in for a bowl of hot soup if he was out and about. He lives 2 steep hills away, so I wasn't sure if he'd risk the drive into town or not, for anything. Still, I sent the invite so we could visit, and he could sample some more of my cooking if he was in town.

Morning text ...

I also returned a call David left on my phone around midnight last night: he’d been scrolling through his FB newsfeed and happened upon my upcoming wedding post – he’s like a big brother to me; he was curious and more than a little surprised. Me: “So, I see I missed your call … what’s up?” David: “Yeah; I was looking through my FB newsfeed and I see that Valeria Hargand is getting married (Uh-oh – he actually used my birth Name instead of Valerie), what the hell, Val! Who is this guy - what's his Name? Last time we talked, you said you had sworn off marriage. I’m kinda surprised, here.” Me - laughing: “I’m surprised too; believe you, me! The marriage may seem fast – and it is, but we’ve known each other for 15 months; so, it’s really not ‘that fast’. He really is a nice guy. You would approve. Bob would approve. This is a good match; he checks all the boxes. Bob was my {IT} Man: I never thought I’d ever love anyone but Bob … but I do; and I’m kinda surprised, too.” And then David listened while I talked about Holland. And he gave some encouragement, and big brother instructions 😉

I’m so lucky to have good people in my life, who love me in good ways.

Last year I was upset that I would be stuck in Longview for the rest of my life; and this year I am thankful that Elohim put on a stop on my plans so His Plan for my life could unfold. Last year I was bummed because I could not be where I wanted to be living – and this year I am looking forward to getting married, and staying put 😊

With a smile on my face, I got the soup ready to go …

==Kosher Chicken In The Pot ~serves 4

I make this meal in my crockpot – I just dump everything in, and plug the pot into the wall socket 😉

I also used chopped chicken breasts, and Christmassy noodles this year in place of the potatoes; I didn’t have any spuds on hand, the roads were a solid sheet of ice … and the noodles were ‘festive’ 😊

Festive bowtie noodles.

I have made this soup many times over the decades; it is a great soup to enjoy on days like today.

1 4-pound Chicken, cut into 8 pieces (or 8 flash-frozen chicken breasts, chopped like stew meat) * Kosher Salt & freshly ground Black Pepper, to taste * ¼ cup extra-virgin Olive Oil * 12-ounces dark Beer * 1 Onion, quartered * 8 whole cloves of Garlic * 2 cups green Cabbage * 3 large Carrots, peeled and cut in pieces * 4 medium Yellow Potatoes, quartered or 12 ct. new potatoes, whole (or 2 ounces bow-tie noodles) * 2 cups Chicken broth * ½ cup Parsley, chopped

Place all the ingredients EXCEPT NOODLES in a crockpot, set on LOW for 5½ hours; add noodles for last ½ hour. Serve and enjoy 😊

Kosher Chicken in the Pot Soup. Easy-peasy supper.

While the soup was cooking, I checked my FB Page, then started getting ready for Holland’s arrival …

All brown palette today – ‘Gentle’ browline, ‘Gold-brown’ eyelid color & liners, & ‘Focus’ eyelid accent; Lash Primer, “Glam Brown’ Mascara, ‘Soft Brown’ Eyebrow Gel; ‘Coral Ember’ Crème blush; Tinted Lip Balm & ‘Candy Cane’ Chapstick.

I used the lash primer today because the eye makeup is all browns - I wanted to plump up my lashes, so they stand out ;-)

Bauble bracelet.

And as I was stirring the soup, a text came in:

Afternoon text ...

Rats! I’m thinking Christmas Supper in Kelso will be called off, too, if the icy rain continues.

I consoled myself with watching the chickadees at the birdfeeder … and the neighborhood kids sneaker-skate down the icy streets.

And after supper, I lit the Hanukkah candles, and enjoyed a glass of red wine. Old Man Winter is not going to ruin what’s left of my day; I'm going to relax and play text-tag with Holland 😉

POT ROAST FOR 2

I was craving corn on the cob when I woke up this morning … so, after getting ready to meet the day, when I grabbed them from the freezer, I also pulled a pot roast (half a regular roast because that is ‘widow size’ and leftovers for a sandwich 😉).

Sparkly 'Lt. Lilac' eyebrow, 'Plum' eyelid, 'Brown' liners & glittery ‘Lionheart’ accent lid color; 'Deep Violet' Mascara; & 'Nude Burn' Creme blush.

'Auburn' Eyebrow Gel & ‘Primrose Lipstick.

Glittery 'Sparked' Nail Polish, and a wooden bead & painted driftwood bits bracelet.

My old, comfortable, worn moccasins felt good on my feet today.

As I was putting the lid on the crockpot, Holland called and asked: "How does 2 months from now, sound to you?"

From that 1 question, I'm thinking February will be the "I DO" month; as soon as that ring is paid for – he wants it on my finger asap.

I told yu'all my life happens FAST: the men in my life just want me in theirs as soon as the wedding rings are seen, sized, and bought.

My 1st fast marriage gave me 44 wonderful years – there's every reason to think my 2nd fast marriage will give me a good run of wonderful memories, too.

Obviously, I agreed to wear their rings and their Name, so both of the men in my life were/are "one hell of a man" ;-)

Johnny Paycheck – ‘Someone To Give My Love To’ song: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXV3yR80d5w)

Tracy Byrd – ‘For Me, It’s You’ song: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=REQky5WAMwY)

Before we ended the chit-chat, I invited him to join me for supper; he might as well sample my cooking now, before the deal is sealed 😉

Pot Roast Supper for 2.

I haven’t cooked for a man in four years … but apparently the meal passed inspection because nothing was wasted 😊

Holland left an hour after supper though, because snow and freezing rain is in the forecast tonight; and through the weekend – and he lives on a hill that should see some of that prediction: but, he arrived an hour before supper was finished, and we spent time together; so, he didn’t eat and run 😉

After, he texted to let me know he’d made it home without incident, I lit the Hanukkah candles. And after they burned down, I burned off the fatty pot roast with in-house exercises while waiting for the forecasted snow to fall here (if it actually falls in the lowlands).

Colossians ~Chapter 1/Thursday Bible Study

Before my laptop went on the fritz a couple weeks ago, we finished up the Book of Philippians. This Thursday we are starting the Book of Colossians 😊

Paul’s purpose in writing this epistle is to show that Christ is preeminent – first and foremost in anything and everything; and that the Christian’s life should reflect that priority.

Because Believer’s are rooted in Him. Alive in Him, hidden in Him, and completed in Him … it is utterly inconsistent for them to live life without putting Him first in their lives. Clothed in His love, with His peace ruling in their hearts, they are equipped to make Christ first in every area of their life.

The external testimony to the Pauline authorship of Colossians is ancient and consistent – and the internal evidence is also very good: it not only claims to be written by Paul (vv. 1:1, 23; and 4:18), but the personal details and close parallels with Ephesians and Philemon make the case even stronger.

Colossae was a minor city about 100 miles east of Ephesus in the region of the 7 Asian Churches of Revelation 1 – 3. Located in the fertile Lycus Valley by a mountain pass on the road from Ephesus to the East. Colossae once was a populous center of commerce, famous for its glossy black wool. By the time of Paul, it had been eclipsed by its neighboring cities, Laodicea and Hierapolis, and was on the decline.

New Testament Churches; Colossae

Apart from this epistle, Colossae exerted almost no influence on the early Church history.

It is evident from vvs. 1:4-8 & 2:1, that Paul never visited the Church at Colossae, which was founded by *Epaphras. On his third missionary journey, Paul devoted almost three years to an Asian ministry centered in Ephesus (Acts 19:10; 20:31), and Epaphras probably came to Christ during this timeframe – he carried the **Gospel to the cities in the Lycus Valley, and years later, came to visit Paul in his imprisonment (4:12, 13; & Philemon 23).

Epaphras’s visit and report about the conditions in Colossae prompted this epistle. Although the Colossians had not yet succumbed, an encroaching heresy was threatening the predominately ***gentile Colossian church.

Paul details the preeminence of Christ as “Lord of creation”, “Author of reconciliation”; He is the “basis for the Believer’s hope”, the “source of the Believer’s power for a New Life”, the “Believer’s Redeemer and Reconciler”, the “embodiment of full Deity”, “the Creator and Sustainer of all things”, the “Head of the Church”, the “Resurrected God-Man”, and the “all-sufficient Savior.”

**********

Colossians ~ Chapter 1/Thursday Bible Study

Introduction and Thanksgiving

“From Paul, an apostle of ****Yeshua Ha’Mashiach, by Elohim’s Will, and from Brother Timothy; to the *****saints at Colossae, our faithful brethren in Christ. Grace be to you, and peace, from #Elohim our Father and ##Lord, Jesus Christ. (vv. 1 – 2)

When we pray for you, we always thank Elohim, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, because of you. For we have heard about your faith in Christ Jesus, and about your love for all the fellow-Christians. We thank Elohim also for the hope that is stored up for you in ###Heaven. This you first heard about through the Gospel, which is the Word of Truth. The Gospel came to you, even as it is reaching out to the rest of the world. And it will bring forth fruit everywhere, just as it already has among you from the very day that you first heard it and came to know the truth about the grace of God. Since then, you have also learned the same from Epaphras, our beloved co-worker, who is an honest and faithful minister of Christ. It is he who has told us about your Christian love. (vv. 3 – 8)

Paul’s Seven-fold Prayer

We have, therefore, from the day that we first heard about you, never ceased to pray for you. We have asked that you may be filled with the knowledge of His Will and that you may have wisdom and spiritual understanding in every way. We pray, too, that your lives may be a credit to the Lord and pleasing to Him, and that you may be fruitful in every good work you take hold of and that you may increase in your knowledge of God. And we ask that you may receive strength for every task, drawn from His might and glory, and that you may hold out with patience and good cheer.

We give thanks to the Father for having made us fit to have a share in the light which is the inheritance of the saints. We thank Him for having rescued us from the powers of darkness, and giving us a place in the kingdom of His Beloved Son. And because though Him we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins, for this we are thankful. (vv. 9 – 14)

The Seven Superiorities of Christ

Christ is the image of the unseen God. He existed before creation began. For by Him everything was created, both in Heaven and on Earth; things visible and invisible, also thrones and dominions, principalities and powers – all things were created through Him and for Him. He existed before all things, and all things exist and hold together through Him. He is the head and the body, that is, the Church. He is the beginning of everything. He is also the Firstborn from among the dead and so He stands first in everything. It was the Father’s pleasure that all fullness should dwell in Him. (vv. 15 – 19)

The Reconciling Work of Christ

And, through Him, God would reconcile all things to Himself again, those here on Earth and those in Heaven, by making peace through the blood of His cross. You were at one time estranged (separated, apart) from Him. You were His enemies. You were busy doing evil. But you are now reconciled through the death of His body as a m an, so that you can stand before Him holy, without sin, and irreproachable (blameless, flawless, perfect, spotless, stainless). This reconciliation (reunion, bringing together) demands, of course, that you continue in the Faith – that you be stable (firm, constant, committed, settled, fixed) and steadfast (loyal, trusty, dependable, faithful, constant, devoted), and that you do not shift away from the Gospel hope that you have heard preached. It is the Gospel that was once proclaimed and is to be proclaimed to the whole creation under heaven, and I, Paul, have become one of His servants to do it. (vv. 20 – 23)

The Ministry of the Mystery

I find joy in my sufferings for your sake. In this way, in my own body, I undergo some of the trials of Christ; yet to come, for the sake of the Church, which is His Body. I am a minister in this Church. It was Elohim, Who appointed me to this office, and it was for your sakes. My task was to make the Word of God fully known. This Word was the mystery – or secret – that had been hidden from all the ages and generations of the past, but now is being revealed to the saints. It is God’s Will that this mystery shal be fully explained to all the nations in all its riches and glory. He is the One Whom we proclaim. We use all the wisdom we have. We warn everyone; we teach everyone, in order that we may present everyone mature in Christ Jesus. I am working for this end, using the strength I receive from him Who strengthens me with His might.” (vv. 24 – 29)

 

*Epaphras: One of Apostle Paul’s friends and co-workers, Epaphras was from Colossae, and founded the church in his home town. He was looked up to as a leader in the Church of Asia, and came to visit Paul in prison in Rome. Seized by the Romans, he was thrown into prison with Paul. Some of Paul’s deepest tributes are applied to Epaphras: “fellow prisoner”, and “faithful minister.” Colossians 1:7; 4:12; & Philemon 23

**Gospel = teaching or revelation of Christ.

***Gentile: a person who is not Jewish. The word stems from the Hebrew term ha-goyim, which means “the nations” … meaning nations of the world that were not Hebrew.

****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.

*****Saint = In its most basic sense, a saint is a “holy one,” someone who is set apart for Elohim’s special purposes. As a result, every follower of Yeshua Ha’Mashiach is a Saint. In most of his letters, the Apostle Paul refers to the recipients as saints, including the church at Corinth, where there were significant moral and theological problems! The New Covenant writers draw their use of the word saints (“holy ones”) from the Old Covenant (e.g., Exod 31:13; Lev 11:45, 19:2; Dan 7:18, 27). Particularly important is Exodus 19:5-6, where Elohim refers to Israel as “a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” 1 Peter 2:9 applies this same language to believers: “you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”

#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 God of Israel.

##Lord Jesus Christ (in Greek: Kyrios Iēsous Christos) = the most formal title for Jesus (Yeshua). It occurs often in the New Testament letters.

The word “Lord” has a wide range of uses; it can be a simple respectful “Sir” or a more formal, “Master.” But the New Testament also uses “Lord” of God. The word “Christ” is the anglicized form of the Greek word meaning “anointed one” or “Messiah.” “Lord Jesus Christ” reminds us that Jesus is both the promised Messiah and our God.

###Heaven: The Hebrews acknowledge three heavens – the atmosphere surrounding Earth; the firmament of outer space, in which the stars are placed; and the heaven of Heavens, or third heaven, which is he residence of Jehovah.

Among Christians, Heaven is the place where the omnipresent God of Gods dwells and manifests His supreme glory; this habitation of God is represented by the residence of angels and the blessed spirits of those who are rewarded eternal salvation.

 

**Philippians 4:  https://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2022/11/philippians-chapter-4thursday-bible.html