The deepest need of each of us

Eternity in the heart

"The deepest need each of us has, even if we are not conscious of it, is that of eternal life."

-- Christoph Blumhardt

Whether we are aware of it or not, eternity is our only joy. It strengthens us in our earthly life, which is ephemeral without eternity. Anything we might hope for in life, everything we have that brings us joy, is connected with the name of Jesus, the heavenly jewel sent us by the Father. And so, in the measure that we share in his name, the years of our life will be enfolded in heavenly things.

Selah.

Christoph Blumhardt, Now Is Eternity, 8.
Reprinted from www.bruderhof.com. Copyright 2002 by The Bruderhof Foundation, Inc. Used with permission.

The Florida Crackers movie trailer

This documentary is pure Okeechobee. Watching it helps understand the culture and development of the county. Great stuff! Real people in this film! You can watch a larger, clearer version here: Vimeo Florida Cracker movie.

Watch more and buy the movie here: Florida Cracker Movie site.

And a link to a classic song that captures the ethos of Okeechobee: Seminole Wind.

Easter confession: God in every tomorrow

GOD IS IN EVERY TOMORROW

God is in every tomorrow
Therefore I live for today;
Certain of finding at sunrise
Guidance and strength for the day,
Power for each moment of weakness,
Hope for each moment of pain
Comfort for every sorrow,
Sunshine and joy after rain.

God is in every tomorrow,
Planning for you and for me,
Even in the dark I will follow,
Trust where my eyes cannot see,
Stilled by His promise of blessing,
Soothed by the touch of His hand,
Confident in His protection,
Knowing my life-path is planned.

Selah.

Happy Easter!

I ask’d the Lord that I might grow

I ask’d the Lord that I might grow

by John Newton

I ask’d the Lord that I might grow
In faith and love and every grace;
Might more of His salvation know,
And seek more earnestly His face.

Instead of this He made me feel
The hidden evils of my heart,
And let the angry powers of Hell
Assualt my soul in every part.

Lord, why is this? I trembling cried,
Wilt Thou pursue Thy worm to death?
“‘Tis in this way,” the Lord replied,
“I answer prayer for grace and faith.

These inward trials I employ
From self and pride to set thee free;
And break thy schemes of earthly joy,
That thou mays’t seek thy all in Me.”

Selah.

Father tricks son with Bugs Bunny tactic!

Simply one of the best videos ever! Click and smile, lol.

Have a super day -- ok? No! Yes! No! Si! No. Si! No! No! Si! Ok... great! lol

:-)

Quotes from today -- heaven, vision and Way

A leader's breakfast and quotable quotes:

All the way to heaven is heaven, because Jesus said, 'I AM the Way.'

-- St. Catherine of Siena

A vision without a task is but a dream,
A task without a vision is drudgery,
A vision and a task is the hope of the world.

-- From a Church in Sussex, England c.1730


Selah.

A large source of human misery

No one who loves and chooses a secret can be pure in heart

Half the misery in the world comes from trying to look, instead of trying to be, what one is not. I would that not God only but all good men and women might see me through and through. They would not be pleased with everything they saw, but then neither am I, and I would have no coals of fire in my soul's pockets! But my very nature would shudder at the thought of letting one person that loved a secret see into it. Such a one never sees things as they are – would not indeed see what was there, but something shaped and colored after his own likeness. No one who loves and chooses a secret can be of the pure in heart that shall see God.

George MacDonald, “Mrs. Day Begins the Story,” Flight of the Shadow, 2.

The relation of lonely places to the true self

The calling of the secret place

There is a great need for community in faith, and this in vitality and integrity; however, there is not much said about silence and the lonely places, and the role they play in developing our true self [or, in exposing the lack thereof]. When Jesus sought refreshment of soul, He also sought the secret place, silence and communion with the Father. It's not surprising then that He links real faith development and answered prayer with "the secret place." He takes it as a matter of fact, for life in the kingdom, that each kingdom participant will dwell richly in the secret place, 'praying to the Father who sees in secret and rewards in open.'

Along that line, MacDonald talks about nature as exposing the true self: she or he who cannot enjoy nature alone will not enjoy nature more in company of others... unless this company helps to hide what s/he sees inside, in light of nature. It is a provocative thought:

There is a good deal counted social which is merely gregarious. Doubtless humanity is better company than a bare hill-side; but not a little depends on how near we come to the humanity, and how near we come to the hill. I doubt if one who could not enjoy a bare hill-side alone, would enjoy that hill-side in any company; if he thought he did, I suspect it would be that the company enabled him, not to forget himself in what he saw, but to be more pleasantly aware of himself than the lone hill would permit him to be; -- for the mere hill has its relation to that true self which the common self is so anxious to avoid and forget.

Selah.

George MacDonald, "The Girls' First Walk," What's Mine is Mine, 12.