Just a thought by coppi

Just a thought by coppi – written in 2015

A light house does not blow fog horns but it only shines.  

When I read the above I thought of our walk as Christians.  Does our life reflect the light  of Jesus.  St Mark 4:21: and he said unto them, is a candle brought to be put under a bushel, or under a bed? And not to be set on a candlestick?  A candle beams its flickering light so we may find our way in the dark as does the Lighthouse.  As Christians we should let our light shine & walk in the light of Christ.  We need not blow fog horns but just shine & let the Holy Spirit beam through us.  Proverbs 20:27 The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord……i grew up in a very legalistic religion & if we did have a little light, it was totally blown out with dos & don’ts & lots of fear. 1 John 4:7: Beloved, let us love one another; for love is of God….10: herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us & sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 1 John 4 is filled with scriptures of love.  The pendulum swings both ways but should be in balance.  I guess my desire is not to be a fog horn but a flickering light for our Lord.

Just a thought by coppi

But his death, (Bourdain) coming just days after the suicide of the beloved designer Kate Spade, is at least as noteworthy for another reason: how powerfully it speaks to the discrepancy between what we see of people on the outside and what they’re experiencing on the inside; between their public faces and their private realities; between their visible swagger and invisible pain. Parts unknown: That was true of Bourdain. That was true of Spade. That’s true of every one of us. (Excerpt taken from Apple news – June 9, 2018)

“Courage is fear that has said its prayers”.  Excerpt from:Hamlin, Rick, “pray for Me”

Where are you; full of fear, anxiety, depression, or hopelessness today? Know that the path to faith in those areas is paved with fresh revelation of God’s faithfulness. 2 Timothy 2:13 says, “If we are faithless, he remains faithful—for he cannot deny himself.” Your God will always be faithful to you. You can trust him with any problem you are going through. He longs to work in your favor.  (First 15 Greg Denison June 11, 2018)

I understand fear, anxiety, and when you think you are not enough.  Through my years  of adolescence and school years I could not speak and if I did I stuttered but yet I put on this “happy face” that all was okay when inside I wanted to run away and cry.  It took me years of praying, going to different programs geared for helping people face their fears.  “A Way Out” was one.  Learning to put my trust in God for help and guidance.  It was a journey but our God is faithful; He will help you.

Just a thought by coppi

“Gratitude bestows reverence, allowing us to encounter everyday epiphanies, those transcendent moments of awe that change forever how we experience life and the world.”  John Milton

“Anger is an acid that can do more harm to the vessel in which it is stored than to anything on which it is poured.” – Mark Twain

Gratitude and anger.  Two words – one will brighten your life and one will eventually destroy it.  I am fully aware that it is hard to be grateful when everything around you seems to be crushing, but I also know if you can muster enough energy to fine one thing that you are grateful for and dwell on it, you will experience a twinkle of light.  Anger on the other hand eats away at any joy you have.  It is like acid to your body and will eventually destroy you.  I remember years ago when I was taking a course in ‘A Way Out”, my counselor put boxing gloves on me and made me punch a pillow.  She said to me “coppi, you do have anger but you don’t know how to express it”.  Truly, anger to me was fear.  I was frightened of anger – mine and others so I squelched it.  I did feel silly standing there with boxing gloves on looking at a pillow to start expressing built-up anger on it, but with my counselor’s continuing coaxing, I finally beat it to sunder.  She said some anger is good and needs to be expressed.  Jesus express anger over the money changers in the temple (John 2:13-16).  There is also anger that hurts people. Kills people.  We have a lot of that in our world today.  The anger I am speaking of is the anger we have tucked way down inside our ‘temple’ because we are afraid to express ourselves because of fear.  I still deal with it, but being aware of what it does to my soul, I will journalize my feelings and ask Jesus to help me sort through it in a healthy way.  I have not purchased any boxing gloves – journalizing is the way for me.

“On the same day, when evening had come, He [Jesus] said to them, ‘Let us cross over to the other side.’ Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, ‘Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?’ Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, ‘Peace, be still!’ And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. But He said to them, ‘Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?’ And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, ‘Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!’” (Mark 4:35-41)

what got my attention was the words “Who could this be”!

The disciples saw the many miracles Jesus did and yet when he stopped the wind from sinking their ship, they questioned the miracle performed right before their eyes. “Who is this that even the wind and sea obey him”.  In my many years of walking on this earth, I too have seen the miraculous happen, but I too questioned some of them.  Why?  I guess I thought this could not happen in our world today – could it?  Yes, it could because the scripture says in “Both Malachi 3:6 and Hebrews 13:8 declare that God is the same always and never ever changes. He is always good, always loving, always all-powerful. No matter how this world changes around us, we can trust that God is consistent. “He is the same yesterday, today, and Forever!”  However, the fact is we have to believe.  If we doubt His existence or what is written in the Word, we are left with only what the world of unbelief feed us.  It’s a choice, I made many years ago when the God of my childhood entered my heart and I choose to follow Him.  All I can offer is that I know I made the right choice as the many times I needed Him, He was by my side.  He never left me, He carried me through the storms of my life and brought me through them to the other side.

Just a thought by coppi

Just a thought by coppi

“And I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.” 2 Corinthians 6:18

My father died when I was very young.  I don’t remember anything about him.  My older sister, Ruth, will often tell me about him since she wants me to remember something about his character and love for his children.  Her words are nice, and I appreciate her effort in trying to relate to me something of my father to remember, but it doesn’t resonate in my heart of hearts.  They are only words.  I think all my life I searched for a father’s love.  Many times over I would read about God’s love for me and that He would be a father to me.  They were words to me for years, but only lately have they become to mean that He, God, will be and is my father and that He loves me.  I think I wrote about it before but it’s worth repeating – I was sitting on my bed praying when a very soft feeling of wind moved across the bed and I heard within my being “would I give you a stone if you asked for bread”.  If you read the entire chapter it will be talking about your earthly father not giving his children a stone if they asked for something.  These soft words I heard have brought tears to my eyes many times as they have given me the love of a father that I have searched for all my life.  God is faithful and he does hear the cry of our hearts.

Just a thought by coppi – written in 1920

“It’s one of those things people say. ‘You can’t move on until you let go of the past.’ Letting go is the easy part, it’s the moving on that’s painful. So sometimes we fight it, trying to keep things the same. Things can’t stay the same though. At some point you just have to let it go. Move on. Because no matter how painful it is, it’s the only way we grow.” — Meredith Grey

“We’re going to get older whether we like it or not, so the only question is whether we get on with our lives, or desperately cling to the past.” – Ted Mosby

Getting old.  I guess I relate old to going to a nursing home, which does happen when families can no longer give care to their love ones.  But whenever I visit a nursing home, l leave depressed.  I presume the depression relates to my own being “I don’t want to be there”.  My husband’s mother will be 100 this year.  She is doing well, and is blessed with 24/7 care, but there are many others that do not have that blessing.  In Dallas, I used to visit nursing homes to try and bring cheer to ones there.  It was so depressing and sad to see many who had no one – they were just there waiting to die.  Lonely and crying.  I am a Texan, and one of the ways we referred to it was “putting them out to pasture”.  Saying all of the above, I guess i have a hang up up with age!  I am one that does not broadcast my age, even though many of my friends are interested in how old I am.  All I can say is that I have lived a long, healthy life.  I have had many valleys in my life, but I have also been blessed with mountain top blessings.  My deceased husband used to say to me “Coppi, age is a number, but if you are healthy, have a good attitude, and are happy – you are young”.  When we are born, we start the process of aging.  It’s going to happen whether we like it are not so we might as well jump on the train and enjoy each wonderful moment of this beautiful creation we are blessed to live in.  We are going to get older whether we like it or not….accept it Coppi even if it goes against your “liking”.  

Just a thought by coppi 

What thlipsis (pressure , literally or figuratively):–afflicted(-tion), anguish, burdened, persecution, tribulation, trouble) are you bearing today? In the hard places of life, let us pray with St. Augustine:

“God of our life, there are days when the burdens we carry chafe our shoulders and weigh us down; when the road seems dreary and endless, the skies gray and threatening; when our lives have no music in them, and our hearts are lonely, and our souls have lost their courage.

“Flood the path with light, run our eyes to where the skies are full of promise; tune our hearts to brave music; give us the sense of community with heroes and saints of every age; and so quicken our spirits that we may be able to encourage the souls of all who journey with us on the road of life.

Peter writes in 2 Peter 1:16-21 NLT – You must pay close attention to what they (prophets) wrote, for their words are like a lamp shining in a dark place—until the Day dawns, and Christ the Morning Star shines in your hearts. Above all, you must realize that no prophecy in Scripture ever came from the prophet’s own understanding, or from human initiative. No, those prophets were moved by the Holy Spirit, and they spoke from God.”

When I open the Bible to read, my prayer is Jesus’, if it’s only one word or phase in this chapter, please shine a light of understanding on it.  I don’t want to read words, I want  Christ the Morning Star to shine in my heart and give me wisdom and knowledge of what he is saying to me so that in the dark places of my life, your words will guide me until the day dawns and together, you Lord and I, have walked through the thlipsis of the hard place in my life.

Just a thought by coppi

“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.”

Romans 12:2 NLT

“Then he said, “I tell you the truth, you will all see heaven open and the angels of God going up and down on the Son of Man, the one who is the stairway between heaven and earth. ”John 1:51

“That by the angels of God ascending and descending, is to be understood, that a perpetual intercourse should now be opened between heaven and earth, through the medium of Christ, who was God manifested in the flesh.”

Jacob’s  ladder is a ladder leading to heaven that was featured in a dream the biblical Patriarch Jacob had during his flight from his brother Esau in the Book of Genesis(chapter 28).

“Meanwhile, Jacob left Beersheba and traveled toward Haran. At sundown he arrived at a good place to set up camp and stopped there for the night. Jacob found a stone to rest his head against and lay down to sleep. As he slept, he dreamed of a stairway that reached from the earth up to heaven. And he saw the angels of God going up and Jacob said, “What an awesome place this is! It is none other than the house of God, the very gateway to heaven!”

‭‭Genesis‬ ‭28:17‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“Stairway that reached from the earth up to heaven.  The very gateway to heaven.”and “The Son of man, the one who is the stairway between heaven and earth.”  Reading both these quotes from scriptures –  one from the Old Testament and the other from the New Testament, I became excited over both scriptures speaking about the ladder to-heaven.  I have seen different artist’s paintings depicting Jesus as the ladder to heaven and always was intrigued by them.  And when I read John 1:50 I immediately related the scripture to Jacobs ladder in Genesis 20 and the reality of the scriptures became alive in my heart of hearts.  God leaves nothing unsaid in scriptures.  What the prophet Isaiah prophetically proclaimed in the Old Testament (Isaiah 53) regarding Jesus is probably the most famous example claimed by Christians to be a messianic prophecy fulfilled by Jesus. It speaks of one known as the “suffering servant,” who suffers because of the sins of others. Jesus is said to fulfill this prophecy through his death on the cross.  He, Jesus, is our ladder to heaven and Jacob saw that ladder years before that prophecy was fulfilled in Jesus.  In my simple and humble belief that excites me.

That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;

And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.  (Philippians 2:10-11)

Years ago while living in Dallas, TX, we were good friends with a couple who worked in the same office as my deceased husband.  Ken, the husband, knew I was a follower of Christ, and would constantly bombard me with questions he had regarding the Bible.  He was an atheist and would let me know many times in our frequent visits.  Truly, I did not enjoy being with him that much, but I did like his wife.  As time moved on, and as sometimes life will do is throw us a lemon; it did in Ken’s life.  He was diagnosed with the big “C”, cancer.  He let us know up front not to sneak around afraid to confront him with his illness, but to act normal around him.  And, me, not to spout any of my religious beliefs in his presence.  I never did before or after, his problem was he knew my beliefs, which annoyed him.  As many who have cancer, they succumb to the angry cells eating up the good ones – their life here is taken from them. Ken did.  At the end of his journey with cancer,  He was in the hospital with all his family gathered around him, when I got a call from his wife asking me to come be with them,  and would I pray for Ken.  I went.  I entered his room where he was fighting like a tiger to stay alive. He knew who I was and I don’t know if he was glad to see me or not, but I walked over to his bed; he finally gave up his fight, and relaxed.  All i said was the name of Jesus several times, and noted Ken’s life here on earth was over.  I left his room – his family all rushed inside to be with him.  I do not claim to know God’s ways, and I know I am just a-sojourner  here on earth.  I know something about the Bible as I try to read it daily, but God is the mighty force of earth and humanity; and me, as I said, I am a sojourner , trusting God.

Just a thought by coppi

“The Bible is not a script for a funeral service, but it is the record of God always bringing life where we expected to find death. Everywhere it is the story of resurrection.” – Eugene Peterson

Back to my days in Dallas: Those days I truly was a roadrunner.  I was trying to do everything and not miss a beat on accomplishing the world and what it offered.  I look back on that time in life, and it makes me tired just thinking about it. Lol

I played golf among all the other things I was doing and as in every gathering of humanity conflict happens.  Conflict and different ways of engaging in interaction happens. One day I was in our locker room talking with the lady who took care of the ladies locker room when she said to me:  “Coppi my husband is in Parkland Hospital (Charity hospital and where John F Kennedy was taken when he was shot) and would you mind going there and talking to him”.  Sure, I said.  I drove over to Parkland Hospital and was amazed how much space it covered and how expansive it was.  I sat in the car praying to God just what was I to say to this individual who was an alcoholic among other things. I looked down and saw a Bible I had inadvertently taken from the church I was attending.  I had plan to return it, but I thought I would give it to this person and that surely would be an outreach from the church.  I made my way to his room, which was not a room but a dormitory of humanity.  I walked over to his bed and introduced myself to him and told him his wife ask that I pay him a visit.  We had a nice conversation, and then I handed him the Bible.  You would have thought I gave him a bucket of gold from his actions.  He was overjoyed to have it and kept saying how proud of it he was and that he would definitely read it.  I left the hospital feeling great joy. I got to my car and realized I had given the church’s Bible to him; I called the church to tell them what i did  expecting them to be pleased as I was – not so.  The secretary of the church told me to go back up there and retrieve the Bible and bring it back to the church.  The Bible’s are for the church and not to be given out.  Needless to say, but I was crushed and disappointed, but I told her I would get the Bible and return it.  I immediately went to a bookstore and bought another Bible and made my way back to Parkland hospital  to the room of my friend’s husband.  I told him the truth about giving him the church’s Bible and I needed to return it, but I bought him another one.  He graciously gave me back the Bible and took the one I bought, but the same joy and glee was missing in the transaction.  I was  disappointed and wondered why in the world would a church be more interested in a Bible sitting in a pew than in the hands of someone who needed a word of life when around him was so much death.  But, I guess they had their reasoning and I was to abide by them even if I disagreed. 

“The Bible is not a script for a funeral service, but it is the record of God always bringing life where we expected to find death. Everywhere it is the story of resurrection.” – Eugene Peterson

Just a thought by coppi