Passover Meal

On Passover seder tables, you may see a partitioned plate containing small amounts of specific food.

This is the seder plate, and each food is symbolic for an aspect of Passover: A roasted shank bone represents the Pescah sacrifice, an egg represents spring and the circle of life, bitter herbs represent the bitterness of slavery, haroset (an applesauce-like mixture with wine, nuts, apples, etc.) represents the mortar used by the Jews in Egypt, karpas (or greens, often parsley) to represent spring.

Also placed on the table are three pieces of matzah — a cracker-like unleavened bread — that represent the bread the Israelites took with them when they fled Egypt, and salt water to represent the tears of the slaves. At your seat, you may see a specific wine glass (or kiddish cup). The Torah commands that (at least) four symbolic cups of wine be consumed during the Passover seder.

1. "I will take you out…" 

2. "I will save you…" 

3. "I will redeem you…" 

4. "I will take you as a nation…" 

There may also be one extra kiddish cups at your table: One is a cup of wine for the prophet Elijah whose spirit visits on passover. 

 

 

Easter

To Love

Reading several translations and commentarys on this verse. These two SPOKE TO ME most  !

The first is from the ESV Bible and we are most familiar with. It has been used in many weddings and referred to in many Sermons. 

The second one is from the Message Bible. It breaks it down and gives you another way to look at it. The terminology is everyday language and speaks to us personally. 

The Apostle Paul describes love as a way of relating to each other that is more than just a feeling its spiritual.

Paul says that even if he has all the spiritual gifts but no love , he is nothing.

The Message is simple love is the common thread in how we relate to other.  When you choose to love each other in this way many problems can be solved.

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.

Corinthians 13:4-8a

1 Corinthians 13:4-10. The Message

3-7 If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don’t love, I’ve gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love.

Love never gives up.

Love cares more for others than for self.

Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have.

Love doesn’t strut,

Doesn’t have a swelled head,

Doesn’t force itself on others,

Isn’t always “me first,”

Doesn’t fly off the handle,

Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others,

Doesn’t revel when others grovel,

Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,

Puts up with anything,

Trusts God always,

Always looks for the best,

Never looks back,

But keeps going to the end.

8-10 Love never dies. Inspired speech will be over some day; praying in tongues will end; understanding will reach its limit. We know only a portion of the truth, and what we say about God is always incomplete. But when the Complete arrives, our incompletes will be canceled.
 

Great resources:

Walking with purpose.com

BibleRef.com

Shattered but not Discarded

Shattered but not discarded. 

When I was preparing for this tablescape I was looking at all the glassware, plate settings, napkins and other things that go into setting the table and thinking what beauty I see. Then I realized I purchased most of these items from the Goodwill, Salvation Army or just out thrifting. These are the places that people discard items they no longer have use for. They are often broken, damaged and cannot be repaired or no longer be used by the person tossing them. 

We often discard items when they are broken instead of finding the possibilities or their usefulness in their new condition.  When something is broken, we often think we can’t use it for anything it must be trashed are thrown away. We soon forget that there is beauty in the brokenness there is usefulness in the discarded. If we threw away people for being broken are past their usefulness for us then we are not living out Gods will for us as his children. Satan often comes to collect the broken and the discarded for his use when we are not in the word or not surrounded by people who are praying for us or with us, we can fall victim to his words and become seduced by his evilness. We must keep ourselves guarded with Gods promises in His word.   

When you have fallen into the trap of, I am no good for anybody, I'm not good to anybody, who would want me and feel broken and discarded by the ones you love. It is then we are open for the pull of the Evil One. This is why we must surround ourselves with the word and people who are in the word not the world. If we would just remember that nothing is past God's usefulness, he used liars, thieves and he used people who society deemed useless and broken to do his best and greatest works. He chose them to come alongside him to save souls and bring many into his Kingdom. Our job is to at all times to remember not to look at the brokenness but look at the possibilities with a love, compassion and most definitely God's mercy 

What we have to remember is God wants you when you're broken, he loves you when you think you're at your lowest then and only then are you willing to listen with your heart and not your head when you're so far down there is no other place in life but up is when God is working.  

 

 

True Love

• 1 John 4:19. We love because he first loved us.
• 1 Corinthians 13:1-13. If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. ....

When deciding to decorate for Valentines I pictured this day being  about sweethearts and physical love. What if we thought about it as a heart love where we begin to love one another as Christ loved us. 

What if we lived out 1 John 4:19 and loved like Jesus pure and simple.

We often associate Valentines with finding love or sharing love with another human. What if we decide to celebrate Valentines by remembering all the times God loved us. When we were truly unlovable but yet He poured out His  love and gave us Himself. He stood with us through our dark and lonely days and brought His light. 

Yes we can make this day about love for others and also extending the same love given to us by God. Take the time to speak kindly , to bring peace and to be the light wherever you go. 

Taking Inventory

 Inventory - To make a complete list.

There are 11 occurrences of the word Inventory In the Bible....

• Genesis 24:10
• Exodus 38:21
• Numbers 11:22
• Numbers 31:26
• Numbers 3:16
• 1 Chronicles 9:28
• 1 Chronicles 25:1
• Ezra 1:9
• Ezra 1:11
• Ezra 8:3 
• Job 14:16

One stands out to me - Job 14:16 (ISV)- “ Then you’ll certainly count every step I took, but you won’t keep an inventory of my sin.

This is comforting to know that unlike me when I inventory my thrift items and count them God does not keep a record or count. Each day is a chance to get it right. So you didn’t read your Bible, you didn’t pray  for someone or simply you didn’t treat someone nicely. Understand it is not the end waking up daily gives you another chance to do things differently or the same. 

God is not sitting somewhere writing down or taking inventory of your sins, failures or even your successes. what he is doing is waiting on you to accept and come to him with out reservations. He is wanting you to commit your life to him and live in the greatness of being in his family.

We should take personal inventory of our lives and look at how we are living . Can we say that we are living in  Gods words and promises to us? Can we say that we are spending time studying, and meditating on His word ? Do we treat others with the same love and compassion that God shows us? Do you extend Grace and Mercy to others? Use these questions to start your on inventory and begin to repent, repair and release those things that do not fall under Gods word.

https://www.dianagruver.com/blog/personal-spiritual-growth-inventory

The above Blog post was a great read and gives great questions to begin your Inventory Work.

Blue

"Blue represents both the sky and the sea, and is associated with open spaces, freedom, intuition, imagination, expansiveness, inspiration, and sensitivity. Blue also represents meanings of depth, trust, loyalty, sincerity, wisdom, confidence, stability, faith, heaven, and intelligence."Jan 15, 2011   www.bourncreative.com 

When I began this journey I thought it would be fun and a way to clear my head. I truly thought I would use this blog as a dumping ground for my vast thoughts about thrifting, decorating and how I feel it all has a spiritual connection.

What I have found is a peace and an enjoyment in discovering why I love a piece or why that color speaks to me. I am finding that I am not just arranging a pretty table or buying a random item but what I am doing is expressing a God given talent that must be released.

This tablescape was created because of a mix up of months and a certain holiday. It does not make it less special or meaningful but what it does provide us with is a glimps into a lot of things mentioned in the defintion given above. 

The weather was cool and silent almost melancholy I could almost see the color blue in my imagination. I had faith and believed this was the correct direction to take the table from a mistake to a masterpiece. 

I find myself dreaming about how to use items I have aquired to bring out the joy they bring me. To have others feel the emotions when they see a tablescape I have prepared. To me it is not just a bunch of pretty things out on display often there is a story or an emotion attached to the entire setting. Inspiration comes from what I see and feel when out thrifting or creating in my little notebook. Yes, I sometimes draw 

out a tablescape before it ever hits the table or I blog about it just to get the emotions out if my head.

There are times when I just want to use a color, or a certain piece to highlight. Often that piece was a great find or I feel a story or emotion attached to it. I often research an item to go deeper in to the feeling I have of being connected in some shape or fashion to the item. 

I feel God speaks to us when we are quiet and He gives us inspiration from things that others have discared.

Thrifting is my way of looking for items that deserve a second chance or at least to be displayed. 

Do we look for the good in others like that or do we often buy into the theory that their time is up and the usefullness has gone. Do we offer second chances when we have been hurt, disregarded or simply overlooked. Give the Grace you received from God to others extend that second chance and find the beauty often overlooked.