Blog Archives - ONE SISTER'S JOURNEY KEEPING IT REAL

Holy Saturday: The Upper Room

3/31/2018

Holy Saturday PrayerBy Kerry Greenhill
This is the hardest time to pray:
after the drama and catastrophe,
before the angels and the big reveal.
The passion, the agony, the desperate grief
have given way to numbness
and absence
in this time in between.
God seems to be offstage,
preparing for the final scene,
taking care of ancient souls in other worlds
or clothing the hidden, broken body
in resurrection glory.
So let our prayer this day be plain
and to the point:
May God be with us in the waiting,
and may we wait with hope,
today
and every time in between.
Amen.

Permission is granted for use in corporate setting.
Copyright © 2012 The Upper Room. Used with permission.
Kerry Greenhill is a Deacon who serves as Field Coordinator for Imagine No Malaria in the Rocky Mountain Conference (UMC), and as Communications Manager for the health care advocacy organization Family Voices Colorado.

Take time to be quiet, reflect, & pray.

Good Friday...Darkness to Reflection

3/30/2018

I've attended many churches for Good Friday in my life. I think the most memorable was many years ago. My in-laws invited us and at the time, we weren't necessarily going to church but out of love and respect, we joined them for service. It was more than a service, it was a living message of Good Friday. We all left silent, humbled, and thankful.

This must have been Jesus' darkest day or was it?

Holy Thursday...Washing of Feet

3/29/2018

Read John 13:1- 17

Jesus Washes His Disciples’ Feet
It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.

The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus.
Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God;
so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing,
and wrapped a towel around his waist.

After that, he poured water into a basin
and began to wash his disciples’ feet,
drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

He came to Simon Peter, who said to him,
“Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”

Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what
I am doing, but later you will understand.”

“No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.”

Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you,
you have no part with me.”

“Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied,
“not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”

Jesus answered,
“Those who have had a bath need
only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean.
And you are clean, though not every one of you.”

For he knew who was going to betray him,
and that was why he said not every one was clean.

When he had finished washing their feet,
he put on his clothes and returned to his place.
“Do you understand what I have done for you?”
he asked them.

“You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so,
for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher,
have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet.
I have set you an example that you
should do as I have done for you.

Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master,
nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.
Now that you know these things,
you will be blessed if you do them.
John 13:1-17

Have you ever humbled yourself to let someone wash your feet?
Or to share God's love & wash theirs?

Share an experience below...

A Wonderful Wednesday to...

3/28/2018

Good evening everyone! I hope you are finding the end of March a smooth transition from Winter to Spring. Each day I take our toddler puppy, now a year old, out for a walk I notice the grass is greening and the aroma of Spring fills the air.

This morning as I drove to school there were more than a dozen white-tail deer in one field and a robin someone's yard a little further down the road. The drive to work has given me the opportunity to put on sunglasses and even crack the window to let the fresh air in. Spring is a beautiful time of year.

It's hard to believe Easter is this Sunday. Does anyone else feel this way? For most Christians, this is Holy Week. Starting tomorrow evening, there is a service leading each evening leading up to Easter.

As I reflect back more than two decades ago, I can only thank God for the way He's healed the hurts and drawn me closer to Him. He used a child, my peers, family, and friends and continues to do the same today. Joining others in the journey of Holy Week offers encouragement, inspiration, humbling, and hope.

Do you attend services during Holy Week? If so, do you have a favorite?

Working the Abs Standing Up

3/23/2018

This is what I'd look like after two crunches. I'd give up and take a nap, thankful for alternate ways to achieve the same results.

My cousin shared her experience with this little gem, the "twist board" or whatever the official name is. I call it my "twist board". Anyway, she told me it requires a lot of balance and coordination. Ugh, these are things I struggled with as a youth, more or less as an aging woman. As much as I wanted to try it, they are expensive but when I had the opportunity to get one for less than $20 (one month at the gym), I purchased it.

I started with twisting for 30 seconds at the beginning because it was a challenge for me to just "stand". I'm up to 1 minute of twisting. I rotate between the ab lounger, squats, and this exercise. As the weather warms up, walks outside are becoming more common as Spring arrives.

As I twist inches away and strengthen my heart muscles, what are you doing to keep your heart and body healthy?

TOPs Tuesday: Book Release TODAY!

3/20/2018

The Address Book you've been looking for!

I've heard from a few of you since last week's blog. This is so exciting. As I teased the past couple weeks I thought of my mom. She enjoyed the little clues and tidbits here and there and the suspense of the BIG announcement on the blog. Mom's birthday is in March so these are my gift to her. She told me, "keep writing."

These aren't books to read though, they are books to organize the addresses of family, friends, co-workers, neighbors, and whoever else you might want or need to send a card or note to.

There are plenty of address books out there, I've been looking. Here are the advantages of my address book...

Each page holds 12 addresses
If you have addresses saved on your computer, you can simply print them onto address labels then peel & stick them in
There are 48 - 72 spaces for each letter (this is a lot of family)
It's the same great address book with 4 cover options

Photos taken by myself, Lisa Buske, in Oswego County, NY

If you'd be so kind, please write a review on Amazon after you get your book, this helps others know if this is the address book for them.
Thank you in advance.

How could a new address book help you?

Happy St. Patrick's Day 2018

3/16/2018

It's the day when most celebrate being Irish, even if there is no Irish in their gene pool. Personally, Irish is in my blood and the roots of most of my family's hair.

The Irish are known for being bold, out-going, and loud compared to the average bear. Or so I'm told. "Fiery Red Head" is a phrase I hear often and it makes me smile since hubby usually follows it with, "You are just like your mother." If you are Irish, or lucky enough to marry an Irish, you'll chime in and leave a comment later.

I work as a teachers' assistant for the local public school and have known to show up on St. Patrick's Day dressed in an Irish green glittered dress, shoes, and hat. With it falling on a Saturday this year, I wore my "Keep Calm and Get Your Irish On" t-shirt since it was a Superintendent's Conference Day. For today, my shirt says "I don't need luck, I've got God."

When you think about St. Patrick's Day, what do you think of? Is it the parades? The "Kiss me I'm Irish" buttons and shirts? or how you need to get home early so you are safely snuggled in before the bars and taverns close at 2 a.m.? Hmm...did I miss anything?

What is the first thing you think of or plan to do when it comes to St. Patrick's Day?

Work The Abs & The Back

3/16/2018

My least favorite exercise is a crunch. I despise them. In spite of this dislike, there is such a healthy benefit for us when they are done correctly. After my daughter was born, almost 20 years ago, we purchased the Ab-Lounger. It is the one piece of exercise equipment that hasn't been left on the side of the road or sold at the lawn sale. It's survived the exercise swings for two decades.

I'd like to say I've used it religiously BUT this is not the case. The only reason it didn't make the lawn sale was because it could be folded down and hidden behind a piece of furniture.

Well, Guess What? I got that baby out, dusted her off, and have been doing three sets each afternoon. Like the squats, the plan is to incorporate sets in the morning too when I'm ready.

I like this piece of equipment because it keeps my neck and back positioned properly so I don't injure myself while trying to be healthy. I can work different muscles depending on my body position. At first I didn't think it was working but after the third set, and my loss of breath, my husband

What exercises do you use to work your abs and back? Will you share one?

TOP's Tuesday: Address Storage

3/13/2018

Last week I wrote about the importance of sending hand written notes to people. This week we will look into how you organize your addresses, so they are at your fingertips when you go to send that sweet and thoughtful note.

I brainstormed ways people store their addresses today. I tried to capture them all in one picture:

Traditional Address Book (paper bound book)
In an Excel Document or Computer Program
On your Cellular Phone
On your Tablet
On Index Cards and file box
Scratch pieces of paper, ripped envelopes, & tossed in a bag

The illustration above is of my various ways to organize my addresses. I understand technology is here to stay and always changing. Some generations value the traditional paper bound address book whereas my daughter's generation is comfortable with a digital version.

While storing addresses in a cellular phone or the cloud may be quick or efficient, I find it risky.

How often do you see "My phone died and I had to get a new one, lost my contacts, if you want me to get a hold of you, send me your information again."? If you store everyone's phone number, address, and email in a hand written version - it will take an act of God to destroy it.

Just saying, a power outage doesn't erase your handwriting.

If you use a traditional address book,
do you have enough space for all your addresses on the correct letter?

Strengthening My Knee At Home

3/9/2018

As part of my daily routine to a healthier me, I include squats. To help me do my squats properly I bought this little device to guide me down and up. This is one of the exercises I miss the most at the gym so when I found an alternate I could do at home, for the same cost as a month's dues at the gym. An investment into my health and hubby can use it to if he wants, a win-win for sure.

This is 1 of 3 things I rotate between as part of my "get fit" routine. I usually start with this to help warm up my leg muscles and my knee. Since my fall last June, the knee needs a little TLC before exercising, and sometimes after too.

It might be a challenge and discouraging at time BUT it is so worth it. I can feel my knee getting stronger, along with the other muscles the squat targets. Squats obviously help to build your leg muscles (including your quadriceps,hamstrings, and calves), but they also create an anabolic environment, which promotes body-wide muscle building. To read more, click here.

One squat at a time to a healthier me...
What is your favorite squat variation?

T.O.P.'s Tuesday: "Snail Mail"

3/6/2018

Getting snail mail is one of my favorite indulgences, and I think receiving mail is actually a common joy."
~ Mary Lambert ~

Do you like to receive mail in your mailbox? I don't mean bills, advertisements, or your neighbor's mail. I'm talking about a hand written note from someone you know. With this clarification, are there more of you raising your hand to the enjoyment of receiving mail? I thought so.

My Gram was known for the cards and notes she sent people. When I was in college, she wrote me every day, yes, every day. I looked forward to those notes from home. They filled me in on what I was missing (this was prior to the digital age) and was a HUGE act of love.

I enjoyed hearing how everyone was doing yet it was the time my gram spent to write and send each note that still warms my heart and inspires me as I attempt to send notes and carry on her passion of writing to encourage others.

Time is one of the most valuable commodities in today's society, have you expressed your love, appreciation, thanks, concern, sympathy, or care to another person by taking a few minutes to write and mail a note?

Today's challenge and encouragement: send a hand written note to the first person you thought of as you read today's blog. As you write their name and address on the envelope and place the stamp in the top right corner...say a little prayer it is a blessing to them when they receive it. Your note might be the words they need to hear at that very moment...

I encourage you to send a written note to someone you care about today, you'll be amazed at how you encourage them.