19 Jan 2024 Leadership

January 19, 2024 by saymber, posted in Home, Leading Life by Example, Spirituality and Religion, Veteran Affairs, Writing and blogging

What makes a good leader?

Good morning. As I write to you I’m full of gratitude. Yesterday my pastor and his son came by with a snow blower and shoveled me out of my driveway! It meant so much to me that they did that!

I think what makes a good leader is someone who won’t ask their people to do what they won’t do themselves. Also a good leader is one of action not just words. My pastor is a good example of leadership in action. As I get to know him better the more I respect him! It’s not easy being in his position but he does it so well.

Proverbs 3:13-18New International Version

¹³Blessed are those who find wisdom,
those who gain understanding,
¹⁴for she is more profitable than silver
and yields better returns than gold.
¹⁵She is more precious than rubies;
nothing you desire can compare with her.
¹⁶Long life is in her right hand;
in her left hand are riches and honor.
¹⁷Her ways are pleasant ways,
and all her paths are peace.
¹⁸She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her;
those who hold her fast will be blessed.

24 August 2023 Name

August 24, 2023 by saymber, posted in Bipolar life, drawing, history, Mental Health, Spirituality and Religion, Veteran Affairs, Writing and blogging

Where did your name come from?

Hello to you. I’m just back from the Thursday prayer meeting and getting groceries. We had Savanah, Pastor Jason’s daughter with us which was really nice. Apparently her school day started with the school smelling like gasoline! Jeannie was able to come again – she’s so sweet.

Last night I drew a couple pictures. They aren’t my best work but just what I had come through to draw:

So where does my name come from? My name was from Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. She was many years before I was born but still an inspiration to my parents I guess!

Matthew 16:13-20New International Version

Peter Declares That Jesus Is the Messiah

¹³When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”

¹⁴They replied, “Some say John the Baptist;others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

¹⁵“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”

¹⁶Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

30 July 2023 Perspective

July 30, 2023 by saymber, posted in Bipolar life, In the News, Mental Health, Politics and Government, Science (Keshe Foundation and other innovations), Spirituality and Religion, technology, Veteran Affairs, Writing and blogging

Hello to you! How has your weekend been? I’m just back from church – there was a good message and a good turnout. Pastor Jason emphasized perspective about life. He had a good way of sharing it. He had a spool of twine he wound through all of us and that symbolized our connection to the eternity of being in heaven with Jesus. He cut off a tiny sliver that symbolizes our individual life and he blew it away. Our lives are short compared to eternity! He also talked about us not really having control over what happens to us but we can control how we react to what happens. Old wisdom for current times! What I know about perspective is we are biologically incapable of all perceiving this world in the exact same way.

I’ve been processing more about the latest news about aliens. I was over at my Aunt and Uncles yesterday to spend some time with them and my cousin Laura. My Aunt is healing from her shoulder surgery. We all agreed that this news doesn’t change much for the average American. They were relieved to hear me say that as my blogs were pretty full of excitement about it lol. They were a little worried about me. I haven’t lost my perspective! What frustrates me and other UFO enthusiasts is when people say the extraterrestrials are demons. I don’t believe that. I believe they are of Gods making too. It’s all his design. My Aunt and Uncle don’t think they are here to help – they think we are like ants to them – observing.

My Aunt is doing well and enjoyed having my cousin and I over to visit. The boys went to see Oppenheimer – 3 hour movie! She wanted to watch Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga so we watched different performances of them together on YouTube. It’s funny how much of a bridge was built by those two with genres of music.

https://youtu.be/PcbJt0GqJJ4 – 60 minutes Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett

One the psalms we read today:

Psalm 37^{[a] NIV}

Of David.

¹Do not fret because of those who are evil
or be envious of those who do wrong;
²for like the grass they will soon wither,
like green plants they will soon die away.

³Trust in the Lord and do good;
dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
⁴Take delight in the Lord,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.

⁵Commit your way to the Lord;
trust in him and he will do this:
⁶He will make your righteous rewardshine like the dawn,
your vindication like the noonday sun.

⁷Be still before the Lord
and wait patiently for him;
do not fret when people succeed in their ways,
when they carry out their wicked schemes.

⁸Refrain from anger and turn from wrath;
do not fret—it leads only to evil.
⁹For those who are evil will be destroyed,
but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land.

¹⁰A little while, and the wicked will be no more;
though you look for them, they will not be found.
¹¹But the meek will inherit the land
and enjoy peace and prosperity.

¹²The wicked plot against the righteous
and gnash their teeth at them;
¹³but the Lord laughs at the wicked,
for he knows their day is coming.

¹⁴The wicked draw the sword
    and bend the bow
to bring down the poor and needy,
    to slay those whose ways are upright.
¹⁵But their swords will pierce their own hearts,
    and their bows will be broken.

¹⁶Better the little that the righteous have
than the wealth of many wicked;
¹⁷for the power of the wicked will be broken,
but the Lord upholds the righteous.

¹⁸The blameless spend their days under the Lord’s care,
and their inheritance will endure forever.
¹⁹In times of disaster they will not wither;
in days of famine they will enjoy plenty.

²⁰But the wicked will perish:
Though the Lord’s enemies are like the flowers of the field,
they will be consumed, they will go up in smoke.

²¹The wicked borrow and do not repay,
but the righteous give generously;
²²those the Lord blesses will inherit the land,
but those he curses will be destroyed.

²³The Lord makes firm the steps
of the one who delights in him;
²⁴though he may stumble, he will not fall,
for the Lord upholds him with his hand.

²⁵I was young and now I am old,
    yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken
    or their children begging bread.
²⁶They are always generous and lend freely;
    their children will be a blessing.^[b]

²⁷Turn from evil and do good;
then you will dwell in the land forever.
²⁸For the Lord loves the just
and will not forsake his faithful ones.

Wrongdoers will be completely destroyed^[c];
the offspring of the wicked will perish.
²⁹The righteous will inherit the land
and dwell in it forever.

³⁰The mouths of the righteous utter wisdom,
and their tongues speak what is just.
³¹The law of their God is in their hearts;
their feet do not slip.

³²The wicked lie in wait for the righteous,
intent on putting them to death;
³³but the Lord will not leave them in the power of the wicked
or let them be condemned when brought to trial.

³⁴Hope in the Lord
and keep his way.
He will exalt you to inherit the land;
when the wicked are destroyed, you will see it.

³⁵I have seen a wicked and ruthless man
flourishing like a luxuriant native tree,
³⁶but he soon passed away and was no more;
though I looked for him, he could not be found.

³⁷Consider the blameless, observe the upright;
a future awaits those who seek peace.^[d]
³⁸But all sinners will be destroyed;
there will be no future^[e] for the wicked.

³⁹The salvation of the righteous comes from the Lord;
he is their stronghold in time of trouble.
⁴⁰The Lord helps them and delivers them;
he delivers them from the wicked and saves them,
because they take refuge in him.

7 May 2023 Heart

May 7, 2023 by saymber, posted in Art and Poetry, Bipolar life, drawing, history, human rights, Leading Life by Example, Mental Health, Movies, Spirituality and Religion, Veteran Affairs, Writing and blogging

Hello to you. How are you today? I’m just back from church – wasn’t sure if I was going but I did go. There are so many nice people that go and as I get regular with my attendance, the more people I get to know. The next event the ladies are having is a Ladies Tea on the 20th. My Aunt and I are planning on attending.

Todays message was more about the life of Abraham. The part we went over was when Abraham’s wife didn’t want to wait any longer for the God promised baby and she suggested Abraham conceive with Hagar the slave. The message about that was when we push our will instead of waiting can cause heart ache. The other message, and this has come up before, is how our hearts can’t be trusted. I wanted to put up my hand and disagree! One of my favorite sayings is from a 1920’s movie called Metropolis “the mediator between the head and hands must be the heart.” That silent movie was about how ruthless a business person can be without using their heart. As a woman and an empath I use my heart a lot! Sadly that’s probably why I have so many labels and mental health issues.! So much inner conflict between my brain and my heart.

I understand the intent of the message is to encourage us to get closer to God and not lean completely on our understanding but as I’m experiencing lately – God has been really quiet and without using my heart, I wouldn’t keep going to church and try to find a way to serve God and the community.

The world can be a heartless place – all you have to do is look at a news feed or talk to someone. It’s hard to find and achieve balance between using my heart and leaning on God. How can you love others as you should love God and yourself without using and trusting your heart?!

There is so much conflict for me with how we are taught to operate in this world. On the one hand we are taught to turn inward and find God and wisdom. There is emphasis on prayer and meditation which comes from within and then flows out. On the other hand we are taught that our inner selves are unreliable and inherently bad . We are taught to look outside ourselves for guidance and wisdom. This was what I learned in AA and all the church’s I’ve been to. I was taught I’m not trustworthy on my own. How can be turning inward to where the Holy Spirit is supposed to be bad? Where does the Holy Spirit within us reside? Where does our souls energy reside?

I am still learning and have to trust God will show me his truth.

I guess I don’t like to hear that on my own I’m not a good person. I have spent a lot of my life in therapy to deal with low self esteem issues! That’s probably not what is intentioned in todays message but that’s what I heard and keep hearing. That’s the tough job of a Pastor I guess – sometimes to tell us not what we want to hear but need to hear? Pastor Jason said it was a hard sermon for him to write and I can see why!

One of my drawings – this was during one of my more creative phases

Acts 2 : 2-4

The Holy Spirit Comes at Pentecost

2 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. ²Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. ³They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. ⁴All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues^[a] as the Spirit enabled them.

27 April 2023 Risk Taken

April 27, 2023 by saymber, posted in Home, Leading Life by Example, Mental Health, Nature, photography, Spirituality and Religion, trust, Veteran Affairs, Writing and blogging

Describe a risk you took that you do not regret.

Hello to you. How are you? I’m doing pretty well on this sunny Thursday. I walked over to our prayer group meeting and back. We had five including Pastor Jason. I think it’s cool he joins us. Prayer is so powerful. It reminds us that even if we think we haven’t a friend in the world, that nobody cares, somebody – a complete stranger- is praying for and expressing love for us being on this earth. Imagine all the people who pray for others all over the world!

Todays prompt is a good one but hard to nail down just one incidence of taking a risk and not regretting it. I have taken many leaps of faith in my life. A big one that my second husband Kyle and I took was finding and buying a house in Texas. My father-in-law was waiting to hear if he got a job in Texas. Kyle and I took a leap of faith that he was going to get it and found a home, our first, and bought it. We didn’t know then his dad would be in a horrible car accident and end up convalescing in our home before starting work at his new job! Risk well taken. Divine timing. The most recent leap of faith (risk) was coming to live here in Idaho. I never thought I would be divorced again but it happened – so much fell apart at once for me in Texas. My family here in Idaho gave me a safe and soft place to land – lots of support and unconditional love. I don’t regret choosing to come here. It was divine timing again as I found and bought my little house just in time before it got scooped up by another buyer.

My life has been full of taking risks – leaps of faith. When I have surrendered my will to the will and care of God a path has been made clear for dramatic things to happen. Right now I’m in a in between spot in my life. I am suppose to be doing something and gradually I’m finding it.

Some Bible verses:

2 Corinthians 5:7 ESV

For we walk by faith, not by sight.

Hebrews 11New International Version

Faith in Action

11 Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. ²This is what the ancients were commended for.

³By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.

View out the back door – the fruit trees are blooming

9 April 2023 He Is Risen Indeed (psalm 23)

April 9, 2023 by saymber, posted in history, Home, Leading Life by Example, Spirituality and Religion, Veteran Affairs, Writing and blogging

Hello and happy Easter to those who are celebrating today. I am just home from church and having a nice meal with my family. The message today, in addition to Jesus rising from the dead, was psalm 23:

Psalm 23

A psalm of David.

¹The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
²    He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
³    he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
    for his name’s sake.
⁴Even though I walk
    through the darkest valley,^[a]
I will fear no evil,
    for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.

⁵You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
⁶Surely your goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.

It’s a sunny warm day here – beautiful day for a celebration. it was so nice to see my family today.

Pastor Jason Boyd sharing message of Psalm 23

There was mention of a prayer group on Thursday that I’m considering attending. I believe in the power of prayer. I figured since Bible study has ended, this might be good for me!

8 April 2023 Red Ribbons

April 8, 2023 by saymber, posted in Bipolar life, history, Home, human rights, Leading Life by Example, Mental Health, Nature, photography, Spirituality and Religion, trust, Veteran Affairs, Writing and blogging

The sins of the congregation nailed to the cross to symbolize Christs sacrifice

Hello to you, how are you? I’m doing pretty good. Last night I went to our church’s Good Friday service and I’m glad I did. It was a somber service as can be expected. The most powerful part was when each of us wrote down a sin on a piece of red ribbon. They took the baskets of ribbons and nailed them to the cross. As I had mentioned previously my lack of fondness for crosses. Seeing this symbology helped me a little bit. If he hadn’t of gone to the cross for us, we’d still be making sacrifices to atone for our sins. As much as I don’t like it, that’s the truth of Christianity. Without his being crucified and rising again, which we celebrate tomorrow, there would be no Christian church. Our hope is wrapped up in this story.

People will be doing Easter egg hunts with their kids tomorrow which heralds back to the pagan roots of Easter. Easter is another holiday candy makers look forward to. It’s kind of what happens with most holidays. A lot of our holidays herald from pagan roots. It’s how they got pagans of the past into Christianity. I look forward to the uplifting message that will come tomorrow of Christs beating death!

Anyhew – when I got home I took Link for a walk. It’s so nice out! It’s 59 degrees today!

I love Weeping Willow trees. We have like three of them in our neighborhood.

19 June 2022 Who Is Jesus To You?

June 19, 2022 by saymber, posted in Food, Health, history, Home, human rights, Leading Life by Example, Mental Health, Music, Native American Culture, Nature, photography, Spirituality and Religion, Veteran Affairs, Writing and blogging

Hello to you! For the men folk I wish you a Happy Father’s Day! I hope you are able to spend quality time with those you love and care about! What brings you the kind of feelings that fill you up inside? Is there a song that brings forth happy memories and a smile to your face…..gets you to hum a few bars? Today is a day of gratitude for fathers of earth and heaven. Today, as part of the series at our church Can I Ask You A Question, the question was “Who is Jesus to you?”

Study guide from todays service at Grace Middleton Bible Church. In honor of the dads there was a wall of donuts! Hearing messages like we did today is better than any donut…food you can chew and swallow. It is a energy, food for the entire body, mind and soul. Spirit food! Living water.

John 9:39 – ³⁹Jesus said,^[a] “For judgment^(AL) I have come into this world,^(AM) so that the blind will see^(AN)and those who see will become blind.”^(AO)

If you have ever watched what happens with a stream you can see tangible living water. So many little pieces of life headed somewhere.

John 4:14
New International
Version
14 but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. (A) Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water(B) welling up to eternal life.” (C)

https://youtu.be/T86JAg_YW5U – Phenomenon Did You Come Here To Die

This is a good song for today I think. Sometimes it’s hard to be yourself for a billion different reasons:

https://youtu.be/WC5FdFlUcl0 – Audioslave Be Yourself

And this little boys voice gave me goosebumps from head to toe! What came to me hearing him was healing energy and power:

https://fb.watch/dLcq6MxWYu/ – From the Lakota Peoples Law Project page on Facebook

16 May 2022 Steps

May 16, 2022May 16, 2022 by saymber, posted in animals, Art and Poetry, history, Home, human rights, In the News, Leading Life by Example, Mental Health, Music, Nature, photography, Social media, Spirituality and Religion, Veteran Affairs, Writing and blogging

Hello to you. How are you today? I hope you are well. This morning I’m thinking about steps…..steps of faith. This is from church yesterday when Pastor Jason illustrated it so well. Standing in a space and seeing the next step God has called us to take and actually taking it not knowing really what it will all mean to take it….. that’s faith. I’m also thinking about the smiling faces that greeted me when I got to church….hugs and smiles. There were a couple faces missing I had hoped to see and I pray they are alright. The longer you go to church the more connected you become! Like a family….dear friends.

I was looking at more videos from Master Shi and came across one of him doing a 20 minute Quigong practice. The song in the background was so beautiful that I had to find it to share with you. I hope you’ll give it a listen:

https://youtu.be/Zrxdgat3y9c – Lotus By Secret Garden

Step……breathe…..step

I’m trying to commit myself to breath in movement each day even if it’s just for the length of one song.

Make sure you are kind to who is looking back at you today!

Didn’t take many pictures yesterday but that’s ok. Sometimes sitting by the water under clouded skies means you will meet someone walking home after a hard day as an in- home healthcare worker. So tired but still having a kind word and a smile on her face.

My growing eclectic mixture of inside flowers

Glimpse of the sun – we got more wonderful rain

Another tree by our post office – it’s like they are dancing

Falling rain – there was lightening and a bit of thunder in these clouds – loved it!

When I was looking for lightening in the Bible I found this passage

I found this painting and it was so perfect in light of so much “weather” stuff going on in the world

Some cute for you – I love how his ear is sticking straight up!!

16 April 2022 Saturday Request

April 16, 2022 by saymber, posted in animals, Bipolar life, books, history, Home, human rights, In the News, Leading Life by Example, Mental Health, Nature, photography, Politics and Government, Spirituality and Religion, Veteran Affairs, Writing and blogging

Hello to you. How are you? My thoughts this morning are all over the place to be honest! There is just so much going on in this world. The news isn’t good but I am trying to remain conscious that good things are happening. There are so many good people. For all of the awful we are being bombarded with at every turn, there is good. I remind myself that even though I am powerless to stop and change so much of what is going on, God is not. There will be justice….there is justice we can’t see with our eyes but know with our spirits. My request is God’s justice for atrocities such as this:

https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-zelenskyy-kyiv-business-black-sea-22d7279f32c15d4a7037a2195113fb57 – 900 souls

Philippians 4:6-7New International Version

⁶Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Todays message from A Woman’s Spirit is a great reminder about the power of time….it passes. Whatever the trial or tribulation we are experiencing we can trust it won’t last. We wish we could hold on to the good stuff that happens as much as we want to let go and forget the bad stuff….the length either stays is where we are empowered outside the rules of time:

Everything passes, as I flow with this river of highs and lows, I become calm. I trust my experience and the life force guiding me. – Ruthie Albert

Everything passes. There is perhaps no greater comfort when we’re caught in the throes of trauma than the knowledge that this too shall pass. We lived many years without this knowledge as we struggled to change the i changeable. Unfortunately, the only thing that changed was our level of frustration: it got higher. Now we know that we can patiently wait for a situation to pass. Nothing lasts forever.

The good times pass too, of course. We hope to hold on to them, but the same principle applies. The minutes tick by, carrying is to new experiences. What we need to learn will become known to us through both the good times and the struggles. They all will pass, having prepared us for the high and lows that wait to serve us.

I am at peace with the knowledge that everything passes. My needs will be met today.

————————-

Here are pictures from yesterday’s adventures: