Hello Grafted In Readers,
Today is Monday, November 25 in my corner of blog land. How goes it?
We are headed into that time of year known as the holiday season. Faith practices observe special occasions over the next four to six weeks before we head into a new year, 2020. People in general internationally may celebrate things relative to this time of year. It also may bring up unfinished business, unresolved hurts, unresolved personal goals, etc etc.
I don't have or provide answers to quickly fix the above, but the Mayo Clinic folk recommend something called patience.
There are three ways, according to them, that we can produce more patience in our life. I would add, pray, and learn patience through struggle with the every day. That seems to be the Biblical method.
The Mayo Clinic method for learning patience is in three ways:
- MBSR, mind-based stress reduction to improve those brain areas concerned with emotion. Often taught in six-to-eight week public courses.
- Meditation: The chief benefit, response control. Little things irk less.
- Mindful movement: Benefit both body and mind: akido, yoga, and I might add a good walk or swim.
We will all be given the opportunity sooner or later to use one of these methods for dealing with life's annoyances be they from loved ones, work, or just life in general. We're in this together!
Meantime, kevod Yeheveh, the presence of God be with us.
Mellow Rock
David C. Russell
Monday, November 25, 2019
Thursday, November 21, 2019
Holy Holy Holy (hymn standard)
Hello Grafted In Readers,
Today is Thursday, November 21 in my corner of blog land. I just finished typing an article for the freelance service whom employ me part-time. It was about a man who has 25 years of service in the US Military and in 2008, started his own global risk management company. One hallmark of this guy is his willingness to do the "menial tasks" to keep the office running comfortably. He is about service as is his company and products.
For Spiritual growth, I have been a subscriber to Hebrew Word Study by one Chaim ben Torah. The latest article is posted below for you to consider.
If you have a faith practice, what does "holy" mean to you?
Most mainline churches lip these words as part of Christianees but spend little time knowing the meaning from Hebrew and Greek.
Do enjoy this reflection, and drop by often to see this post or past posts.Thanks!
----------
HEBREW WORD STUDY – AN INVITATION – QADESH קדש Qop Daleth Shin
Isaiah 6:2-4: “Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.(3) And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, [is] the LORD of hosts: the whole earth [is] full of his glory.(4) And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.”
Last weekend I attended a Hub Convention in Chicago. During the worship service there was the usual contemporary worship songs. I looked out over the audience and saw a lot of people that were in my age group. I wondered if many felt like me, “Gee, I wish we would sing at least one old Hymn.” All of a sudden as if on queue the worship leader started to sing Holy Holy Holy. “Holy, Holy, Holy, early in the morning our song shall rise to thee.” It has been almost a week but that song still resonates with me. There are many questions that come to my mind as I replay this old hymn over and over in my mind.
This hymn is still song by many churches throughout the world. It is sort of a corner stone in a worship service for over a century and a half. Yet, this song might have been lost to the ages if not for the wife or widow of the author of this song.
The writer was Reginald Heber, a highly regarded and deeply spiritual minister who served as the Bishop of Calcutta. Reginald Heber was beloved by people throughout the world for his deep love and devotion to God. When he passed away at the early age of 43 his widow and some friends invested in the publication of 57 hymns that Reginald Heber wrote but never published because they were so personal between Him and God. They were published just as a memorial or a tribute. Among these hymns was the song Holy, Holy, Holy. Every early morning Reginald awoke and the first thing he would do would raise his arms to God and cry: “Holy, Holy, Holy.
The song was taken form Isaiah 65:2-4 we here learn that the seraphims surround the throne of God crying Holy, Holy Holy. Stop and consider, they have been doing this from time immortal and you would think they would get bored to death just saying “Holy, Holy, Holy.” You would think Reginald Heber would have gotten bored to death saying; “Holy, Holy, Holy.” You would think Chaim Bentorah would get tired or bored to death saying: “Holy, Holy, Holy. But I and they do not. I love it, I anticipate the opportunities to cry “Holy, Holy, Holy.” Last weekend I cried “Holy, Holy, Holy with several hundred people and wept the whole time.
You know what? I will spend eternity crying: “Holy, Holy, Holy” and I cannot imagine growing tired of doing it. How many people or Christians even know what it means to cry “Holy, Holy, Holy?” What does holy mean anyways?
The word in Hebrew for Holy is qadesh which maybe you are all familiar. We have the Ruch Qadesh, the Holy Spirit. What does that mean that God’s Spirit is Holy? In its Semitic root the word qadesh means a preparation. Some Christians talk of being baptized by the Holy Spirit. In that sense would mean to receive the Spirit of God to prepare you for service? Qadesh is also a word used for an invitation. God’s Spirit is inviting you into His presence. If we cry Holy we are inviting God into our lives. If the seraphims cry holy they are inviting everyone to the throne of God. As Christians we don’t have to crash the party. We have a standing invitation to enter the presence of God, to join our spirit with His Spirit.
This is absolutely awesome. The very creator of the universe is giving us an open invitation to prepare for service to Him.
I recall when the Baptism of the Holy Spirit became a big issue many years ago and turned into almost a fad. People were wanting to be baptized in the Holy Spirit. They would pray, weep, beg for the Holy Spirit to fill them. They were inviting the Holy Spirit into their lives and for some reason many just could not enter into this experience.
Here’s the crazy thing. They had it backwards. They were inviting the Holy Spirit into their lives or their spirit when by the very name Holy Spirit, God’s spirit is inviting us into His Spirit. Last Saturday at the Hub meeting I recall one woman sitting in her chair during worship with her arms outstretched repeating over and over; “Come Holy Spirit come.” Thinking about the Semitic origins of the word Holy, the seraphims circling the throne of God crying out Holy, Holy, Holy or Come, Come, Come to the Father and what I saw was this woman pleading with God to come and God standing there with His arms open wide saying: “ I am here at your request now dear child just come to me.”
I think for most people they eventually get the hint from God, but way waste so much time. You hear the word Holy, that is an invitation to just jump into His Arms, no matter whether you say it or He says it.
Kevod Yeheveh, the presence of Adonai our Lord surround us.
Mellow Rock
David C. Russell, author
Today is Thursday, November 21 in my corner of blog land. I just finished typing an article for the freelance service whom employ me part-time. It was about a man who has 25 years of service in the US Military and in 2008, started his own global risk management company. One hallmark of this guy is his willingness to do the "menial tasks" to keep the office running comfortably. He is about service as is his company and products.
For Spiritual growth, I have been a subscriber to Hebrew Word Study by one Chaim ben Torah. The latest article is posted below for you to consider.
If you have a faith practice, what does "holy" mean to you?
Most mainline churches lip these words as part of Christianees but spend little time knowing the meaning from Hebrew and Greek.
Do enjoy this reflection, and drop by often to see this post or past posts.Thanks!
----------
HEBREW WORD STUDY – AN INVITATION – QADESH קדש Qop Daleth Shin
Isaiah 6:2-4: “Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.(3) And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, [is] the LORD of hosts: the whole earth [is] full of his glory.(4) And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.”
Last weekend I attended a Hub Convention in Chicago. During the worship service there was the usual contemporary worship songs. I looked out over the audience and saw a lot of people that were in my age group. I wondered if many felt like me, “Gee, I wish we would sing at least one old Hymn.” All of a sudden as if on queue the worship leader started to sing Holy Holy Holy. “Holy, Holy, Holy, early in the morning our song shall rise to thee.” It has been almost a week but that song still resonates with me. There are many questions that come to my mind as I replay this old hymn over and over in my mind.
This hymn is still song by many churches throughout the world. It is sort of a corner stone in a worship service for over a century and a half. Yet, this song might have been lost to the ages if not for the wife or widow of the author of this song.
The writer was Reginald Heber, a highly regarded and deeply spiritual minister who served as the Bishop of Calcutta. Reginald Heber was beloved by people throughout the world for his deep love and devotion to God. When he passed away at the early age of 43 his widow and some friends invested in the publication of 57 hymns that Reginald Heber wrote but never published because they were so personal between Him and God. They were published just as a memorial or a tribute. Among these hymns was the song Holy, Holy, Holy. Every early morning Reginald awoke and the first thing he would do would raise his arms to God and cry: “Holy, Holy, Holy.
The song was taken form Isaiah 65:2-4 we here learn that the seraphims surround the throne of God crying Holy, Holy Holy. Stop and consider, they have been doing this from time immortal and you would think they would get bored to death just saying “Holy, Holy, Holy.” You would think Reginald Heber would have gotten bored to death saying; “Holy, Holy, Holy.” You would think Chaim Bentorah would get tired or bored to death saying: “Holy, Holy, Holy. But I and they do not. I love it, I anticipate the opportunities to cry “Holy, Holy, Holy.” Last weekend I cried “Holy, Holy, Holy with several hundred people and wept the whole time.
You know what? I will spend eternity crying: “Holy, Holy, Holy” and I cannot imagine growing tired of doing it. How many people or Christians even know what it means to cry “Holy, Holy, Holy?” What does holy mean anyways?
The word in Hebrew for Holy is qadesh which maybe you are all familiar. We have the Ruch Qadesh, the Holy Spirit. What does that mean that God’s Spirit is Holy? In its Semitic root the word qadesh means a preparation. Some Christians talk of being baptized by the Holy Spirit. In that sense would mean to receive the Spirit of God to prepare you for service? Qadesh is also a word used for an invitation. God’s Spirit is inviting you into His presence. If we cry Holy we are inviting God into our lives. If the seraphims cry holy they are inviting everyone to the throne of God. As Christians we don’t have to crash the party. We have a standing invitation to enter the presence of God, to join our spirit with His Spirit.
This is absolutely awesome. The very creator of the universe is giving us an open invitation to prepare for service to Him.
I recall when the Baptism of the Holy Spirit became a big issue many years ago and turned into almost a fad. People were wanting to be baptized in the Holy Spirit. They would pray, weep, beg for the Holy Spirit to fill them. They were inviting the Holy Spirit into their lives and for some reason many just could not enter into this experience.
Here’s the crazy thing. They had it backwards. They were inviting the Holy Spirit into their lives or their spirit when by the very name Holy Spirit, God’s spirit is inviting us into His Spirit. Last Saturday at the Hub meeting I recall one woman sitting in her chair during worship with her arms outstretched repeating over and over; “Come Holy Spirit come.” Thinking about the Semitic origins of the word Holy, the seraphims circling the throne of God crying out Holy, Holy, Holy or Come, Come, Come to the Father and what I saw was this woman pleading with God to come and God standing there with His arms open wide saying: “ I am here at your request now dear child just come to me.”
I think for most people they eventually get the hint from God, but way waste so much time. You hear the word Holy, that is an invitation to just jump into His Arms, no matter whether you say it or He says it.
Kevod Yeheveh, the presence of Adonai our Lord surround us.
Mellow Rock
David C. Russell, author
Monday, November 11, 2019
How To Care At A Distance?
Hello Grafted In Readers,
Today is November 11 in my corner of blog land. Here, we are expecting a major snowfall of anywhere from four to eight inches in the next few hours. How exciting!
I mentioned in a recent post that I would like your thoughts and prayers for my aging father's health. Though somewhat stable, it is in decline, and he is currently receiving Hospice care in his home. As his siblings, we are all monitoring this as best we can, though one lives 10 minutes away from him and the rest of us are several hundred miles away.
As God would provide, the Mayo Clinic newsletter, Housecall, has a timely guide for caring at a distance.
The highlights include:
- Educate yourself about their illness, aging, etc.
- Research available services including respite care or daily home care.
- Manage the phone calls and communications concerning medical and insurance issues.
- Have the recipient's bills forwarded, or pay online if need be.
- Research care facilities in their area for future need.
- Plan regular conference calls involving everyone concerned.
- Stay in touch with the care recipient by phone, letter, video message.
Though we have implemented several of these measures, the reminder from Mayo is welcomed. Hope it helps you if needed.
Until next visit, may God's presence surround you; Kevod Yeheveh.
Mellow Rock
David Russell
Today is November 11 in my corner of blog land. Here, we are expecting a major snowfall of anywhere from four to eight inches in the next few hours. How exciting!
I mentioned in a recent post that I would like your thoughts and prayers for my aging father's health. Though somewhat stable, it is in decline, and he is currently receiving Hospice care in his home. As his siblings, we are all monitoring this as best we can, though one lives 10 minutes away from him and the rest of us are several hundred miles away.
As God would provide, the Mayo Clinic newsletter, Housecall, has a timely guide for caring at a distance.
The highlights include:
- Educate yourself about their illness, aging, etc.
- Research available services including respite care or daily home care.
- Manage the phone calls and communications concerning medical and insurance issues.
- Have the recipient's bills forwarded, or pay online if need be.
- Research care facilities in their area for future need.
- Plan regular conference calls involving everyone concerned.
- Stay in touch with the care recipient by phone, letter, video message.
Though we have implemented several of these measures, the reminder from Mayo is welcomed. Hope it helps you if needed.
Until next visit, may God's presence surround you; Kevod Yeheveh.
Mellow Rock
David Russell
Tuesday, November 5, 2019
Doctor My Eyes (song, Jackson Brown, 1978)
Hello Grafted in Reader,
Today is November 5, 2019 in my corner of blog land. In brief:
- My dad is receiving palliative (comfort) care from hospice at his home in another state. Please pray with us for wisdom to make decisions that are best for him and all concerned.
- This post I will highlight a couple health matters and also recommend a lengthy article for those interested in faith heritage.
Eyes
Remember the Jackson Brown song, Dr. My Eyes?
The Mayo Clinic newsletter, Housecall, reports Artificial Tears applied to the eyes may help reduce dryness that occurs with aging, or other health factors including those environmental. These are available at most pharmacies as over the counter eyedrops.
Blood pressure readings can vary between your arms. If this is so, google what this may indicate?
Example Blood Pressure Differences Between Arms
Faith Heritage
There are several online documents that address faith matters as they relate to antisemitism or anti-Jewish teaching from the Bible or church faiths. I started reading a 2001 document produced by Lutheran World Federation titled
"A Shift in Jewish-Lutheran Relations"
Google this by title and add lutheran world federation, it should come up in your results.
It is a PDF document, so be advised.
The new Torah cycle is underway, and this week the reading focuses on Avram who later becomes Avraham. He was willing to separate himself and his household from a culture in decline. See Genesis chapters 12-14 for the reading this week.
Until next visit, Kevod Yeheveh, the presence of God be with us!
Mellow Rock
David C. Russell, Author
Today is November 5, 2019 in my corner of blog land. In brief:
- My dad is receiving palliative (comfort) care from hospice at his home in another state. Please pray with us for wisdom to make decisions that are best for him and all concerned.
- This post I will highlight a couple health matters and also recommend a lengthy article for those interested in faith heritage.
Eyes
Remember the Jackson Brown song, Dr. My Eyes?
The Mayo Clinic newsletter, Housecall, reports Artificial Tears applied to the eyes may help reduce dryness that occurs with aging, or other health factors including those environmental. These are available at most pharmacies as over the counter eyedrops.
Blood pressure readings can vary between your arms. If this is so, google what this may indicate?
Example Blood Pressure Differences Between Arms
Faith Heritage
There are several online documents that address faith matters as they relate to antisemitism or anti-Jewish teaching from the Bible or church faiths. I started reading a 2001 document produced by Lutheran World Federation titled
"A Shift in Jewish-Lutheran Relations"
Google this by title and add lutheran world federation, it should come up in your results.
It is a PDF document, so be advised.
The new Torah cycle is underway, and this week the reading focuses on Avram who later becomes Avraham. He was willing to separate himself and his household from a culture in decline. See Genesis chapters 12-14 for the reading this week.
Until next visit, Kevod Yeheveh, the presence of God be with us!
Mellow Rock
David C. Russell, Author
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