Selah...

 

 

Psalm 32:7 New American Standard Bible
You are my hiding place; You preserve me from trouble; You surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah.

 Selah - (subtitled…ahhhhh!) Breath In-Breath Out or, ‘I Googled- It’

I looked up this word...As it appears a lot in Psalms and I have heard of many different interpretations.  Back in the day I would have pulled out the huge Webster Dictionary that came with the encyclopedia set that my Mom invested in.  Now? Well things have changed, I can find the definition and I don't even have to really know how to spell the entire word.  Thanks to Google and/or Bing you start typing and it will quickly ask…Did you mean…What is Selah?  Why, yes, that's exactly what I wanted to know!  It's like the net knows my thoughts before I complete them.

Selah (Hebrew: סֶלָה‎, also transliterated as selāh) is:

-          A word used 74 times in the Hebrew Bible  

-          Mentioned 71 times in the Psalms and three times in Habakkuk and is a difficult concept to translate.

-          (It should not be confused with the Hebrew word sela‘(Hebrew: סֶלַע‎) which means "rock.")

-          It is probably either a liturgico-musical mark or an instruction on the reading of the text, something like "stop and listen".

-          Selah can also be used to indicate that there is to be a musical interlude at that point in the Psalm.^[1] The Amplified Bible translates Selah as "pause, and think of that".

-          It can also be interpreted as a form of underlining in preparation for the next paragraph.

 

Last week I took a vacation, wait, not so much of a vacation because I strongly feel a vacation should involve beach, sand and a lounge chair.  So I will call it” a Break".  A break from my normal routine of wake up, pray, wake up the child, send her off to school, and send myself off to work, (work really hard, like a hamster in a wheel going nowhere!) at the end of the day - pick up the child, put her to sleep, then myself and then getting ready to do it all over again the next day.

Instead, this past week I took work out of the equation.  Unfortunately I filled it with house-work like tons of laundry, cleaning, and running errands.  Don't worry, I still took care of my sunshine in the midst of it all, but I was still tired.  You ever take a vacation or a break and find yourself needing a break or a vacation from the vacation?  Well, that is right where I found myself, needing a break from the break.

Selah is a break in the song, a break in the music of life, a time to sit still and listen.  Not talk, but listen to the residue left of the song.  A time to reflect, it's a ‘no action required’ moment.

My prayer for you is to schedule in Selah moments.  I know you've got too much going on, but let me tell you, the Selah moments may just save your life and your soul and present the world with a better you. - The God you.

This blog is a little shorter than most, but it’s full of what God gave me to give to you.

Selah my friends, my family, strangers (aka future friends)

Sources: God the Father, Maker of Heaven and Earth! - And http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selah and http://biblehub.com/psalms/32-7.htm

Are you a kid?

Are you a Kid?  (No but I play one in my heart)

 

And he said: "Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.    KJV Matthew 18:3

 

“Are you a kid?”  The cute little boy about eight or ten years old asked me as we stood in line.  He had cotton candy around his mouth and his little eye glasses were in desperate need of a mother’s tissue from her purse.  “Excuse me?” I asked, as I smiled down at the child. Wishing I was his momma so he wouldn't be upset if I pulled my tissue from my back pocket, licked it and cleaned those lenses.  “Are you a kid?” he asked again, squinting to see through the dirty glasses and the bright sunshine on his face. “No sweetie, I’m not a kid, but I play one in my heart.” I replied.  He frowned or squinted, who knows at this point, as he asked...”What does that mean?” I just smiled and told him to move forward the line was moving.  He grabbed his sack and scooted forward.  Ok fine, let me give you some background, the little kid had a valid question since the line I was standing in was to get on a two story inflatable slide. 

 

There were about five us in line, bare feet, holding sacks and waiting in line for the ‘slide guard’ to tell us who could go next.  I was the tallest in the bunch and I trumped these kids in line by about 3 decades. We were all there for a really nice cookout that had all types of great activities for families and children.  My daughter was somewhere getting her face painted, being properly spoiled by Aunt Kay and Aunt Tee, while I had decided to ride the slide. The thought came to me to ride the slide while I was sitting on my metal chair in a circle talking grown folks talk and laughing about times past.  I glanced at the slide and thought I am too old for that, but wouldn't it be so cool to slide down the slide?  Then my spirit said, “No regrets, go get on the slide.”  I excused myself, headed down the hill and stood happily but awkwardly in line with the kids.

 

When it was my turn I screamed all the way down!  It was amazing, all the stress of life went away as I was on a huge sliding board and I was free.  I dragged Kay over later on and our grown selves slid down side by side laughing all the way.  Sometimes it's great, beautiful, and joyous for a brief moment to experience the world through the heart of child even if it's your own adult heart!  Innocence is sweet, cherish it!  By the way if you’re over a certain age...I do not recommend getting on the swings...I don't remember needing motion sickness medicine as a child, but I sure did this time. Even in your adulthood, may God bless you with the ability to see, love and laugh through the heart of a child

 

Mr. Buddy swallowed an acorn..

Mr.  Buddy swallowed an acorn (When I was a child...)

 

1 Corinthians 13:11

New King James Version (NKJV)

¹¹ When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

God, all glory to you...May these words be delightful (full of joy and make you laugh out loud) in your sight my source!

Well, I have written about my Grandma Esther in the past.  And depending on how you receive this blog by social media or email, you will notice that I sign my emails - Grand of Esther.

My grandma was a huge part of my childhood. She contributed to the funny, colorful, character I am today.   There is one funny conversation that I hold onto all these years later and I can even see it vividly in my mind's eye, it's Mr. Buddy and the acorn.

Mr. Buddy was a friend of the family and a part of the 5th Street Washington DC family I grew up around.  Back when neighbors raised children.  That was when you shared plates of food, sometimes plastic cups of gin and my world was a one block island, 5th & 0 Street North West Washington DC.

There were not a lot of trees where I grew up in DC, here were little five foot plots with these huge trees growing out of them.  The trees produced acorns that would fall all over the sidewalk.  Back then kids were creative.  Acorns could be used for so many fun things, ammunition for home made sling shots, whistles, or a fine imaginary meal when we were playing house.  I use the word imaginary loosely because I was always tempted to put one in my mouth.  One day while I was holding an acorn in my hand and sitting on the stoop, the thought came to me about Mr. Buddy.  Grandma, why does Mr. Buddy use that voice box machine on his throat to talk?

Let me explain, Mr. buddy had an eight inch rectangular shaped machine (trachea machine/voice box) that he had to hold up to his throat and press a button so he could talk.  His voice sounded like a machine.  It didn't scare me at all it was just a part of the characters in my neighborhood, just like Mrs. Mary's crooked wig. 

Quick as lighting my Grandma said "Mr. Buddy ate an acorn and they had to cut it out of his throat and now he has to use that to talk."  I wasn't shocked by this information, heck, in my young mind it made perfect sense.

Now fast-forward oh, say 25 years.  My Grandma and Mr. Buddy have passed on and I'm talking with my Mom, reminiscing about the old days on 5th Street.  My Mom said it was so amazing that Buddy lived such a strong and healthy life after the throat cancer.  What throat cancer? I never knew he had throat cancer!  My mom looked at me in an odd way and said, well, why do you think he used that trachea  machine to talk? 

In all seriousness I looked at my mom and said, because they had to remove the acorn from his throat!

Apparently that wasn't the case and Grandma had told me this so that I wouldn't eat acorns (For the record it worked!)

As it says above - when I was a child I thought like a child!!!

I'm all grown up now...

I pray you have wonderful memories of the past and wisdom in the now!

 

Beats by Dr. Dre' (Yikes they cost HOW MUCH?)  

 

Ephesians 4:29-32
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Thank you God...I apologize for being late.

One day I was hanging out with my family and I noticed that one of them had something that I felt cost way to much, so much that I never even attempted to try them out.  She was holding a pair of  Beats by Dre headphones.  If you don't know what they are, these are head phones that cost more than all of my 20 pairs of dollar store head phones combined.  They usually start at around $100.00.  (correction I just looked it up, the pair I want cost $168 - don't judge me yet until the end LOL)  I quickly judged her purchasing such an extravagant item and told her that headphones are headphones and they can't be that great!

Of course this comment by me was followed with, can I try them please?  She found one of my favorite songs on her mp3 then handed me the headphones.  I only wanted to try them so I could laugh at the money she had thrown away. 

I put these large headphones on my head that reminded me of my first Walkman headphone/radio combination from back in the eighties that had the radio built in, however, I was suddenly transformed into another world.  I was at a gospel concert, I mean seriously, I was in the front row.  I could hear every instrument and every note...It was insane.  I opened my eyes because the bliss of the music had caused me to close them and enjoy my vision.  And it got even better when I opened my eyes because there before me stood my daughter.  She was talking, but I couldn't hear her.  I mean I couldn't hear a single word, but her lips were just moving.  I could only hear the beautiful music.  She was pointing at candy or something, not now...because I had a beautiful symphony a private concert going on in my ears. 

 Dollar store head phones, no way! I had been put in touch with something that was worth the cost.  I officially began planning my budget for Beats by Dre headphones (FYI, if I am on your Christmas list - Amazon gift cards would be appreciated because I sure know what I want for Christmas).

This is not an advertisement for fancy headphones, but it did make me think of the value and beauty of quality.  Are you giving quality?  Are you loving with quality or are you giving dollar store love, just enough so that if it breaks you can quickly replace it with something else that is cheap.  Are you giving the best? Remember God gave His very best, His most qualified, His perfect heart beat.

My will...thank you for Thy Will

My Will (It is written)

 

John 6:38-40

"For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. "And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day. "For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him, may have eternal life; and I Myself will raise him up on the last day."

I talked about my visit home, last week.  There were so many lessons I learned while I was home.  Like Washington DC heat is so different from Charlotte, NC heat.  I learned that my mother's smile and hugs still bring me joy and peace like I am a five year old.

I also learned that life is short and long and amazing all in one second.  While I was home I saw a news report about a lady who was I choose to believe, having a regular day...Maybe she had gone to work (where someone got on her nerves and she questioned why she even started this career)  and maybe she talked to her family and told them she loved them (I hope) and that she would be home soon.  She got into her almost paid off car and began her regular path to home (she grumbled about the traffic) and THEN HER LIFE CHANGED!

An unknown vehicle struck her vehicle and caused her to fall off of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge (pictured above) into the water below.  Now you know we all think about what we would do if we were driving across a bridge and our car fell off the bridge.  Some of you may crack the windows to be prepared, so that you can stabilize the pressure and be able to easily break the window when the power goes out because of the water.  Fortunately, I have an earlier model car that does not have power windows, because of this I am convinced I would be "a rolling the window down fool" for those few seconds the car was in the air. 

I have no clue what this woman's plan was, but she sure as heck had a good one, because she survived. She didn't survive because someone jumped in and got her out of the car, she survived because she got out and with broken bones, swam and held on.  She also had  enough common sense to swim to the closest piece of ground (a beam under the bridge) and not to the shore (which she most likely would not have reached due to her condition and the strong current of the river.)

Her WILL to live is amazing.  It wasn't her time.  She wasn't going out like that and she took action.

My prayer for you is that you take ACTION.  Not just letting life drive you around but, by faith love and the WILL of God, you do amazing things in this life!

 Here is a link to the article:

http://www.somdnews.com/article/20130724/NEWS/130729716/1103/Dunkirk-woman-survives-35-foot-fall-from-Chesapeake-Bay-Bridge&template=southernMaryland

There is No Place Like home

There's no place like home (subtitled - Ruby slippers are so in right now)

 

 

Romans 12:2
Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect 

God thank you that where ever you are I know I'm home!!! 

This weekend was an amazing world wind of a weekend.  It was a road trip weekend and I was heading back to my home state of Maryland.  To celebrate a wonderful baby shower for my friend who is having twin boys who I lovingly call Beta and Alpha. 

Traveling home is a love hate adventure that I have been dealing with for the past 11 years, since I moved over 400 miles away.  I love to get there but I hate the drive, the packing, the shoes and things that I forever forget.  I do love eating at Biscuitville as I race to get to one before they close at 2pm (and if any BIscuitville representatives happen to be reading this - really would closing at 4pm really kill you?)

I noticed something this trip, actually I noticed it a long time ago, but that was before I was blogging.  As I head up 85 north towards Washington DC, my attitude slowly changes.  I start off happily driving along admiring the sky, the trees, not even getting annoyed when someone cuts me off and then proceeds to drive slow (I assume God put them in front of me to save me from a misfortune)  I sip my sweet tea and enjoy my biscuit with ham and jelly.

About four hours of commitment into this trip though my attitude starts to change as I hit 95 north.  Now at this point I begin to notice that I'm sick and tired of being cut off and slightly annoyed at all the dag-on construction and I now desire Popeye's chicken and ice tea!

If you live in the South Eastern part of the United States of America but are from the North Eastern part of the United States of America you really get this.  If not, just imagine if you lived in the country, peaceful roads a few cows here and there and of course good biscuits...But at least twice a year you had to travel to the big city lights, pigeons, and more bagels than biscuits.  Well that's how it feels to me when I travel home and my attitude and mannerism change. 

I grumble in my Northern town, about how people aren't as friendly and they drive too fast and it's just so dag-on crowded (not too crowded to get crab cakes!) I found myself annoyed by the entire experience and longing for good old country living. 

Then it hit me!  I was the one who was changing.  I was the one who chose to ask for ice tea instead of sweet tea.  I chose not to speak and be the bubbly chick that I am known to be in the South.  I chose to let the energy around me conform me instead of brightening my light and possibly being a blessing to someone.  Yikes!  I conformed to the world!!!

 
So the points of this blog...1.  Biscuitville should stay open at least until 4pm and  
 2.  Just because you are in the world doesn't mean you have to conform to the world, because you just might lose an opportunity to be the GREAT YOU THAT GOD called you to be, no matter where your ruby slippers land

Peek a Boo...I see you

Peek a boo I see you (No, Seriously I see you)

John 3:15 (NIV)
that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.

Thank you God for the gift the love.  Bless the people that read this where ever they need a blessing at in.  See them personally and right where they are.  In  Jesus Name I pray


Avatar is one of my favorite movies…It crept up on me out of no where.  I never saw it at the movies, quite honestly I didn’t even have a desire to see it in theatres.  I thought hmm blue people versus humans sounds like adult Smurfs. 

About a year later I was surfing the RedBox (A Video Concession machine) and I thought  hey why not.  Got the popcorn and the mini butterfinger bars to go in it (don’t knock it tell you try it because it is Yummy)

So about one years after the great Avatar excitement...I caught up with society.  Avatar is an excellent movie not just the way it is filmed, but the script is pretty deep and well thought out.  I know I've said I'm not deep but every now and again I get the poem or the underlying meaning.  There was a line in the movie that sticks with my spirit even all these years later.  The female in the movie told the man as a greeting "I see you".  

I LOVED this greeting.  It wasn't just "Howdy or Hey".  The statement "I see you" moved my heart because it meant (at least to me) that you acknowledge and  that you appreciate my existence.

Later I heard a church service and the title of the service was the greeting "I see you."  I pondered if they too had watched Avatar and was using this as a part of the service.  But Father Scott was way deeper than me.  He explained that this greeting of "I see you,(put your name here)" and the response of "I am here"  is actually a beautiful Zulu greeting!  Way older than Avatar.

I'm a Googler so this is what I found out about this on Google.
My resource:
http://www.kaustschools.org/uploaded/Special_Events/Sharon_Harris_Grad_Speech.pdf


 .The African Zulu greeting, "Sawubona" means "I see you" and the response "Ngikhona" means "I am here". As always, when translating from one language to another, crucial subtleties are lost. Inherent in the Zulu greeting is not merely a literal “seeing” but rather a far deeper acknowledgment of the other person.
Sawubona means: I see you, I see your personality, I see your humanity, I see your dignity and I respect all that I see.
***
Alright back to me - The above was my google find***
I went to Boston several years ago and I'm a pretty Happy go lucky chick so I was walking up the sidewalk and there was just me and a man who was approaching me.  I didn't have my southern accent then, so I said Hello.  The man never looked up, no head shake, or a wave.  I was invisible to him and it SUCKED and stayed with me all these years later. 

We are granted the gift of communication to not only benefit ourselves but to acknowledge and be a blessing to others.
Sawubona my friends!