Blog Summer Vacation

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Readers, I am taking a summer break from blogging until September.

Please explore the blog and enjoy previous posts.

Any new comments you share will be answered in September.

Your readership and support are appreciated!

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Declaring Yourself "Blessed and Highly Favored"? Slow Down A Bit...

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--spreadshirt.com I used to speak regularly with someone who often declared herself to be "blessed and highly favored." When I telephoned her and would ask "how are you doing"? or "how is it going with you"?, the instant answer was always "I am blessed and highly favored!" Her answer came too quickly, almost as if no thought went into the response. I understand what many people teach about speaking only those words that reflect the reality you wish to experience. I think I have a least a little bit of understanding regarding why this type of thinking is so popular. I am not sure it's a good idea, or even biblical, but it is popular. I suppose we all like to think we are blessed of the Lord, but what does it mean to be highly favored? I reflect upon two persons from Scripture (Mary, Jesus' mother and the Apostle Paul)  I would consider to be "blessed and highly favored" of the Lord, but their lives were challenging,...
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Higher Ground; Heaven's Tableland

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(image from wikiwand.com) A hymn I grew up with--one  I seldom hear anymore--was titled "Higher Ground." In the chorus of the hymn, we sang these words: "Lord, lift me up and let me stand, by faith, on heaven's tableland, A higher plane than I have found, Lord plant my feet on higher ground." What is a tableland? A tableland is a plateau, a mesa, or an elevated flat ground. Often sheep would graze on tableland. What is heaven's tableland?  Many commentators have said it is the afterlife, when we all live in the heavenly kingdom of God's goodness. Not so fast. Heaven's tableland is not for the future; it is for now. It is for us to live on now. We won't need faith in heaven. It is only in this world that we need faith. Note carefully what the hymn writer wrote: "Lord, lift me up and let me stand, by faith , on heaven's tableland." In this world, we need faith. We need heaven's tab...
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The Spiritual Lessons of Locs, Or Dreads, Or Dreadlocks

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Here's a view of a couple of strands of hair. I am now growing my second set of locs. There are some deep spiritual applications in the process. I am not Rasta, so I am not growing true organic dreadlocks. I twist my hair, style it, condition it, etc. I understand there is a large debate in the locked community about how this hairstyle is labeled. Some insist this twisty style be called dreadlocks, others insist it is OK to use the abbreviated term locs, others use the term dreads, African locks, etc. There are a lot of myths surrounding this style. It's untrue you can't wash your hair if you have locs. It's untrue you must add all types of "stuff" (peanut butter, heavy gels and creams, etc.) to facilitate the locking of the hair. I have viewed youtube videos by those who claim to "make dreads" by using some pretty bizarre methods. Anyone with a camera and internet access can put their views out there. If you have kinky, African-type hair, y...
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