Mardi Gras

Mardi Gras

I am neither Southern nor Catholic. Living in the PNW the only thing I know about Mardi Gras is that loosely translated, it means "Fat Tuesday" and in Seattle, it is a party. But, then again, any reason to party is reason to get a little crazy in Seattle. Those who are not hung-over or in jail on Ash Wednesday will find another reason to let loose.

The wind is kicking up, the rain comes and goes. Typical stuff this time of year. Wet paws when we walk, pink cheeks when we get home. Not much going on with most of the regular birds this morning. I did see a mess of Northern Flickers. They seem to enjoy the huff and puff of a late February day. Even the Junco's are laying low. So, instead of bird watching, I did what I usually preach against; I picked some of the pussy willows to have in place of the glass beads of Mardi Gras. My dad's voice haunts me, If everyone picked a bouquet there wouldn't be any flowers (or pussy willows) left for anyone. But there it is.

I did notice one new creature on my morning walk. Earth worms out of the earth, struggling across the sidewalks. Lucky for them the Robins were early.

Mark 2:1-12

When Jesus Sees Faith

Apparently it had been some time since Y'shua/Jesus had been to a synagogue to preach the Word to the people of Galilee after the former leper had disobeyed His word to "go tell the priests" what had been done for him, as a testimony. Instead the man told anyone else who would listen to him. The people came for what they could get for themselves.

And when He had come back to Capernaum several days afterward, it was heard that He was at home. And many were gathered together, so that there was no longer room, even near the door; and He was speaking the word to them. And they came, bringing to Him a paralytic, carried by four men. And being unable to get to Him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above Him; and when they had dug an opening, they let down the pallet on which the paralytic was lying. And Jesus seeing their faith said to the paralytic, "My son, your sins are forgiven." But there were some of the scribes sitting there and reasoning in their hearts, "Why does this man speak that way? He is blaspheming; who can forgive sins but God alone?" And immediately Jesus, aware in His spirit that they were reasoning that way within themselves, said to them, "Why are you reasoning about these things in your hearts? "Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven'; or to say, 'Arise, and take up your pallet and walk'? "But in order that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins"-- He said to the paralytic-- "I say to you, rise, take up your pallet and go home." And he rose and immediately took up the pallet and went out in the sight of all; so that they were all amazed and were glorifying God, saying, "We have never seen anything like this." Mark 2:1-12 NAS

In Mark chapter 2, Y'shua has returned to Capernaum. Apparently the crowd came to Him in such large numbers that they filled the house with an overflow crowd gathering at the door as He proclaims the Word of God to them.

To this setting, a group of men come to Y'shua. Four of them caring a paralytic to Him. But the size of the crowd prevented their access to Y'shua. The solution? Dig through the roof and lower their friend to Him.

Jesus saw their faith What did Y'shua/Jesus see when He saw their faith? The Author of Hebrews said,

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarded of those who seek Him.
Hebrews 11:1, 6 NAS

What were these men assured of? John the Baptizer had come to prepare the way of the Lord as spoken in Isaiah 40:3. After the witness of John at the baptism of Jesus, John was arrested. That very day, Jesus picked up the message of John, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

In Mark 1:22, the people who went to synagogue with Him were amazed because He spoke with an authority that they had never heard from their teachers, the Scribes, before. "Faith is the assurance of what we hope for..." The men came with their paralyzed companion believing that Y'shua was (and is) the Glory of the Lord, the promised Messiah. And faith is standing firm on the Word of God, so what did these men stand on?

John the Baptizer fulfilled Isaiah 40:3-4. The verses that follow the "forerunner" prophecy tell of "The Glory of the Lord." In Isaiah 35:5-6 there is a short list of what the people will "see" when Messiah, the Glory of the Lord, comes. (look at this passage in the light of the context starting at 35:2b)

• Salvation
• The blind will see
• The deaf will hear
• The lame will leap like a deer
• The mute will shout for joy

From what they had observed these men believed that this Y'shua was (and is) the Glory of the Lord, The Messiah. They came to Him believing that "He is" and they came assured that he rewards those who seek Him. When Y'shua saw their faith He expressed the ultimate demonstration of His authority, doing what the scribes rightly reasoned, that only God can forgive sin. The scribes came to a wrong conclusion, that this man blasphemed. The four friends of the paralitic acted on the only correct conclusion, they believed, and came to God who rewarded those who seek Him. Y'shua saw their faith and expressed the ultimate demonstration of His authority, "Son, your sins are forgiven."

What is it that you believe? How far will you go to test the assurance of your conviction of what you cannot see? Fear not, He rewards those who come believing that He is.

It's always something

Stylen Abigail

Jason's Goddaughter

Again, rain was forecast for today, and again, Rudy and I had beautiful weather for our walk. We just went to the park behind the house and back. Chris and Bomber left before we did and got back quite a while after we did. They went all the way to Howerth Park. Good walk guys!

My old wind mill from the park below the house.


After weeks of seeing the same species of birds for the February Bird Count, I finally got to see someone new. On a bare tree in the center of the swamp was an Anna's Hummingbird! He was just sitting by himself on a branch for the longest time. I happened to remember my binoculars (very easy to use when just walking Rudy instead of Bomber). This is actually a first for me. Back in Robe Valley we had little Rufous Hummingbirds and Calliopes but no Anna's. I kept reading about them on Tweeters but never saw any. Whoo-h0o!

After Church on Sunday we noticed a rhythmic tapping as if there were a rock stuck in the tire tread. When we stopped to look, there was this bolt shining back at us, complete with a washer. Arghh!

It is way too easy to look at things like this and believe that the money drain will never end. But really, it isn't so bad, just unexpected. We have another car for Ray to drive to work, this can be fixed, and on top of everything, we have enough. Not an abundance, but we have enough. Life is good because God is good.

Nothing wrong with saying, "I can't take anymore!" but I find that I need to speak that word as a prayer. My husband cannot bear that load, he has his own to carry. My mother, my son's, and friends might all feel sympathy or they might wonder why I don't buck up. It isn't their load to carry. But to say to my God, 'I'm about to sink, save me!' always brings relief. Sometimes the answer comes as refreshment and rest as it did for Elijah. Other times it comes as a gentle rebuke, filled with love, as it did for Peter (o' ye of little faith) as he was lifted from the waves while doing the impossible, walking on water. Either way, there is something powerful to taking it to the Lord in Prayer (I think there is a song ready to burst out).

Today I will tell God what he already knows. There is a big bolt in my tire, there is little money in my account and I feel stressed. And I will thank him for the humming bird, and for what he provides for Chris while he is out of work, and for Jason while he is sick and unable to go to work today (but still has to go to treatment to stay in compliance). For all that he gives us and all that He does not give. We feel His favor, His blessing, and can keep facing forward.

Hey! I think my Nephew Ted is another year older today (maybe his birthday was on the 21st, I am never sure)

Happy Birthday Ted!

Edges of His Ways, February 22

Upon their shoulders

Numbers 7:9

The Princes of the Tribes brought six covered wagons and twelve oxen for the service of the Tabernacle. Those wagons were given to the Levites, that is to the sons of Gershon and Merari, to every man according to his service; but to the sons of Kohath no wagons were given, "because the service of the Sanctuary belonging unto them was that they should bear upon their shoulders."

Those men were human. I wonder if they were ever tempted to wish they could have wagons. They also were grandsons of Aaron. Why must they carry those heavy burdens on their shoulders when their cousins had bullock-carts? If such thoughts ever came, perhaps they found help in remembering that to them was committed the care of the most precious things, things too precious to be carried in any other way

Is it not so even now? The burdens we have to carry on our shoulders are what our God counts the most precious.

The Shepherd took the lost sheep--and a sheep is a heavy thing--and laid it on His shoulders. If the Good Shepherd asks us to bear upon our shoulders the care of souls, surely it is because that burden is too precious to be carried in any other way.

Amy Carmichael

Mark 1:39-45

A Matter of the Will

Y'shua/Jesus went to the synagogues of Galilee (Mark 1:39) to proclaim the good news of the kingdom of Heaven and cast demons out from the congregations. The army of darkness would not infiltrate the Kingdom of Light.

During that time, a leper came to him. A man with a disease so repugnant that he was outcast from his community and family. Allowed to fellowship only with those who also bore the disease. He dared to come to Y'shua, falling on his knees and begging him for cleansing if the amazing man of God were willing to make him clean again!

And He went into their synagogues throughout all Galilee, preaching and casting out the demons.

And a leper came to Him, beseeching Him and falling on his knees before Him, and saying to Him, "If You are willing, You can make me clean." And moved with compassion, He stretched out His hand, and touched him, and said to him, "I am willing; be cleansed." And immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed. And He sternly warned him and immediately sent him away, and He said to him, "See that you say nothing to anyone; but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, for a testimony to them." But he went out and began to proclaim it freely and to spread the news about, to such an extent that Jesus could no longer publicly enter a city, but stayed out in unpopulated areas; and they were coming to Him from everywhere.
Mark 1:39-45 NAS

It was compassion that compelled the Messiah to action. The Leper was the very embodiment of the Messiah in the prophetic description of Isaiah 53. "He was despised and forsaken; without beauty or majesty, one from whom men hide their faces; rejected by men and well acquainted with suffering." The King of kings could well relate to the Leper. And he was quite willing to cleanse him of the illness most related with sin.

The disease was not simply ordered away with authority. Instead, the Lord healed the man through the touch of his hands. He reached out and touched the untouchable man. The effect was immediate. He was clean and restored, free of the dread leprosy.

This Y'shua, this Jesus who commanded unclean spirits and they obeyed Him (Mark 1:27) would not get the same obedience from the once unclean man. Y'shua sternly warned him to not speak of this to anyone, but to go and show himself to the priest with the offering spelled out in the Torah for cleansing from leprosy as a testimony to the priests. Instead the man gave his testimony to anyone who would listen to him. The news spread like wild fire.

As a result, Y'shua could no longer "do what he came for" (Mark 1:38). People came to him from everywhere. He couldn't even go to a city with a synagogue to speak the Gospel of the Kingdom. People came from everywhere to find him, not to hear the good news or to study Torah and see the Messiah in the Words, but for a touch for themselves. The King of kings was forced to stay in the wilderness yet people were coming to Him from everywhere.

People are always asking, "What if." What if Adam and Eve hadn't eaten the fruit? What if the Leper had obeyed Y'shua? I can only imagine what might be different. The only thing that I do know is that the enemy of souls uses any and every disobedience to hurt the cause of Messiah. The purpose of God still stands, but "what if" I were to be obedient to my Lord and fulfill his purpose instead of my own? "What if" his will were more to me then my own will, my own comfort and pride? Because it seems that my will and my glory are the reasons that I do something that seems right to me instead of obeying my Lord by faith. I am sure that Eve put her will above God's. The Leper put his desire above the God who healed him. Why would you disobey? Self love? It is one of the most difficult things to overcome, harder then leprosy or HIV. It takes the grace of submission, "Not my will but Thine be done o Lord." Gain a heart to obey from the throne of grace, even Y'shua had to pray diligently that God's will rather then His own be done. How can we do any less?

Milo

Usually I spend my mornings in prayer and study of the Word. This AM I was caught up in Scott North's beautiful report of Milo, an Tulaip Indian who died in an apparent struggle with Everett Police. It is a rather long but beautiful read.

A Truth Beyond by Scott North, Everett Herald

Today might be the last of the nice weather for a spell. I suppose I should get more weeding done.

San Juan with my Valentines

Waiting for the Anacortes Ferry to Friday Harbor

There is a moment, just before dawn, when the sky looks rather like silk dyed a deep cadet blue and the mountains on the horizon resemble dark satin ribbon. It only lasts a moment but it always catches the eye of my heart when I see it. Taking in that vision was the transition from busy morning packing to day of sensuality... or at least eye candy

San Juan Island is one of a couple of places we love to go to on Valentines day but Ray was working on V-day so it had to be put off until the 17th. What a bit of luck that was. The weather was so much better on the 17th then it was on the 14th.

Leaving Anacortus The sunrise seemed stunning and we hoped it was a tell for the rest of the day. The sun was all peach and gold, coming through a hole in the clouds to check her reflection on the sea.

We had forgot to bring breakfast, so instead of grains and fruit, we had cheese, crackers and coffee. Really not a bad way to start a day. Who cares what is eaten when you have a sunrise like this one?

Bringing Rudy with us, we did not go up to the passenger-deck, something fun on Valentines Day when most are dressed in Red, pink or purple and the lips of the women we meet are painted a shade of red that would seem outlandish any other day. I don't know if it was because of my silly prayer before we left (I'm sure God has more on his plate then where we park on the ferry) or what, but we got a great spot for watching the beauty that is Puget Sound.

The Olympic Mountains on The Washington State Peninsula. Often the pollution in Washington is so bad that they are hidden in the haze, but on this morning they were glowing on the horizon.

Another cup of Coffee and the rhythm of the engine with all the beauty coming right in the window made the trip seem shorter then usual. We didn't even think about looking for wildlife until we got to Lopez Island.

1. California Gull
2. Cormorant
3. Pigeon Guillemot (Lopez Ferry Dock)
4. Harbor Seal
5. Bald Eagle
6. Red Tail Hawk

Pulling into Friday Harbor is always beautiful, but we had come to skirt the Island and headed straight to Cattle Point Lighthouse. There is a rock out in the water that is usually alive with gulls and eagles in late spring. Sometimes it is bitter-cold in the wind that begins in the Bearing Sea, blasting on the south edge of San Juan. This day it was surprisingly mild. Sweater weather.

No eagles on the rock this early in spring (late in winter?) but Ray did spot two of them in a tree. Can you see them?

Can you see them now?

We could hear bird song everywhere and we should have looked for the singers but we were so charmed with Rudy's first walk on a little bit of a trail that we just forgot to give our attention to the choir.

Is this new? I don't remember seeing it before.

The beach below the light house looked inviting, but Ray's foot has been hurting so we stuck to the rocks above.




Driving past American Camp we saw the first of many island deer. What we did not see, and were hoping for, was the little black island fox, which, much to my surprise, is a red fox. The first time we saw one, we spent quite a while looking through books for the name of that fox. It was actually a San Juan mammals Book we saw in a book store on cannery row (after we had already spent too much money) that we discovered that the little black fox was really a red fox.




This is False Bay. It is more of a mud flat then a bay. Can you see the Great Blue Heron on the right? He is standing on the bottom of the bay. That is how shallow it is.


I think that this is about as high as I have ever seen the tide when we have been to False Bay.

• 
  
  
  7. American Wigeon
• 8. Pintail Ducks
• 9. Mew Gulls
• 10. Black Oyster Catcher
• 11. Canada Goose

There is a pond. Once you drive past Lime Kiln, head up the hill, wind around and look right. We love that pond. There is always something on the pond that I don't see in the sea. I have no idea what the name of the pond is.

• 12. Buffelheads
• 13. Hooded Mergansers.

(By the time I got out of the truck with the camera all I could see was the pond, but it is a pretty pond)

We had lunch at San Juan County Park. We love that park! Got out and walked some more to see what was in the water. This is where I saw my first Pacific Loon, but not today. All that we saw in the water was a family of Red Breasted Mergansers (#14).

From the truck, as we feasted on the Potato Salad I made last night (the sandwiches got eaten on the ferry) and crackers, we spied on more birds. I have seen Varied Thrush at this park as well as a little yellow-green warbler, but not today. Maybe because there are still not leaves in the Maples. What we did see;

• 15. Northern Flickers
• 16. Juncos
• 17. American Robins
• 18. Fox Sparrow

Back to Friday Harbor by way of the pond across from the Duck Soup Inn where we say (#19) Mallards and (#20) Swans. I'm not sure if the Swans were Trumpeter or Tundra. We had hoped to have coffee and a lavender biscotti at Pelindaba but they have closed their tea (coffee to us) room for the winter. I did manage to get out the door with lavender dog shampoo and lavender dog cookies (it didn't calm either of them down)

In line for the ferry home. We did manage to get coffee from the shop by the holding area. I guess it is called the Doctors Office? We had some yummy truffles and turtles from the San Juan Coffee Company (why we did not get coffee there is a mystery). First we stopped at a gift shop to get a doo-dah for Jason. I was in there quite a while before I realized that it was closed. The coffee lady took care of it for us AND sold us the doo-dah for Jason.

Good Valentine!

By the way, do the pigeons at the ferry dock count as number 21?