A Frank Update

Dear Sisters,

Wow, it's been a long time since I've posted anything new for the Convent.  Sure, I have excuses for being absent but they aren't good ones.  I've pulled my resources together today, made a pot of tea, and have sat down to update the Convent calendar. Won't you join me for a cup of tea?

As of the publishing of this post, the October Prayer and Bible Reading Calendar has been updated.  I'm spending some time going back and filling in the scriptures for previous months because I want the calendar to be complete.  I also don't want to have to update these calendar items next year so I'm tweaking the settings to do a yearly repeat.  How does your tea taste? 

I've been deep in thought about some things lately.  The stress at my day job has been high and unfortunately I've been one of the complainers too.  Technology seems to be dying all around me: work computer died, my dvd player died, and my personal laptop is limping along.  Is your tea too hot or too cold or just right?

I'm missing my friends who live in another state and even the friends that live in this state.  Facebook helps a little bit with keeping up with events in my friends lives but it's my own fault for failing to initiate the contact with them to see how they are doing.  I stepped out of my usual modus operandi to contact those people I've been missing to see how they are doing.  I had some good conversations with them via text which helped me feel better and provided me with some good prayer items that I can take to the Lord on their behalf.  Do you need a little sugar for your tea?

There is one friend that I've tried to have a conversation with but it hasn't happened.  I've sent texts.  Sometimes I get a short response while other times I get no response at all.  I know that something isn't okay on their end and I fear that it's because of something I have said that was interpreted incorrectly.  I've prayed about it along with asking for the conviction of the Holy Spirit if I have in anyway sinned against this person.  I don't believe that I have but I know that something has upset this person.  I am aware that they have a lot going on in their life currently, some of it based on things in the present while other things are based on events in the past.  I continue to place this person in the Lord's hands because I can't do anything else for them.  I also know that for my own sanity and emotional well-being I can't let their problems and lack of contact pull me down into their depressionary pit.  I have my own depressionary pits with which to deal.  I pray that someday there will be a conversation that clears the air and we can move forward in the direction that God wants our friendship to proceed (Philippians 3:13-14).  Would you like a refill of your tea?

I've been struck with the conviction to forgive lately.  This came through especially today with a lesson that I had to teach to the young ones at church.  The lesson was on the second part of Matthew 6:12 - "...and forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors."  Take a moment and think about this verse.  Now go read Matthew 18:21-35.  Seriously, go read it.  I'll wait and sip my tea while you read the passage.

Whatever another person has done to me is so small in comparison to what was required to forgive me and all of us of our sins.  Christ's life had to be taken, His blood had to be spilt to cover all of our sins in order for God's wrath against me to be satisfied.  I have been forgiven so much so I should forgive others for the incredibly big and small things they have done to me.  Because on the scale of things, those things I see as big really aren't big at all.   Consider Luke 7:47 "Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven -- for she loved much.  But he who is forgiven little, loves little."  I have been forgiven so much so not only should I forgive just as much, I should also love much.  Do you have trouble loving others and forgiving them?  If you're having trouble, it's because you are trying to do it in your own strength.  It's not going to work.  True forgiveness and true love for others comes through the power of Christ not ourselves. 

I pray that we will continue to forgive others as God has forgiven us and to love others with a great love because of the forgiveness that we have received.

Thank you for joining me for a cup of tea.  Would you like to stay for another cup?  I made a fresh pot. :)

Sister Jane
Romans 14:8

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Now for the animal Frank update: My parents don't have any grandchildren so they dote on their grand "cats" instead (these are the Convent cats).  They've also decided to help with supplying treats for Frank.  The corn cobs came from them while I dashed off to the store to buy a cob holder to hold them.  I have my eye on a different kind of squirrel feeder but I need to save up for that one.  All I can say is that the Franks and Francines of the area are enjoying the treats.  The original Frank is still the friendliest of them all.  :)

Process and Inspiration

Dear Sisters,

So.  I've had a post in the works for about a week.  This post is not that post.  The work on that post is what has created this post.

As I read through Scripture I ask God to speak to my heart about things He wants me to know and apply to my life.  I seek His inspiration in my life from His Word.  Sometimes that inspiration leads to a blog post.  From that inspiration I begin a process of research in Scripture to clearly understand what God wants me to share with others through the blog.  

The process of research may involve dictionaries, my KJV Scofield Bible, and the Strong's Concordance as well as further searching of Scripture and conversations with God about what He's wants to say through me.  I then plot out the post because I don't like them to appear disorganized and I want His Message to come through clearly.  Now, I know that God can take a mess that I assemble and create meaning through it for the person reading it.  I just don't like written pieces to be disjointed if I can avoid it. 

The final part of the process of course includes writing down the post and praying that God will use it the way He wants to use it.  The writing part is where I'm currently stuck in the process of that post. 

Why?  Because God has been providing more inspiration!  My scripture readings keep bringing up more and more verses that I could use in that post.  Recent worship songs at church and songs I've heard on the radio have also inspired.  

I just felt the need to share that God can inspire us in many different ways.  He is so awesome that way.  I am a process person; I enjoy the creating of things and can find it annoying at times when that process is delayed.  Truly, I haven't liked waiting this long to complete that post but God is asking me to sit back and wait for more inspiration from Him.  Waiting isn't easy but if I rush it, I don't think His Message will be what He wants it to be.

To all of my process Sisters out there, be patient.  Maybe God wants to inspire you even more so that's why it's taking longer for  you to complete the process you currently have in mind.  Please continue to seek His direction in your process and be open to His inspiration.

Sister Jane

Romans 14:8

A Quiet Place

But He would withdraw to desolate places and pray.  Luke 5:16.

And after He had dismissed the crowds, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray... Matthew 14:23.

...He departed and went out to a desolate place, and there He prayed.  Mark 1:35

If you've been with the Sisters in their challenge, you know that we just passed the 3 month mark.  Personally I'm about a week behind but I'm quickly getting back on track.  Have you fallen behind as well?  It's okay if you have.  Are you still making an effort to meet the challenge?  I hope so.

This brings me to my topic of focus for this post: do you have a quiet place in which you can meet the challenge?

During my recent scripture readings, I noticed in Luke that it said that Jesus withdrew to desolate places and prayed.  The word "desolate" struck me as an interesting word to use.  Reading through the Bible again in the ESV has introduced me to different words than my previous readings in the KJV.  As I researched for more verses on this theme in both the ESV and KJV I found the word "desolate" used both times in the ESV but in the KJV, the words used were "wilderness" and "solitary."  My curiosity was piqued so I pulled out my concordance* to see if the words in the KJV had the same or different root word in Greek.  According to what I found, the Greek word for both "wilderness" and "solitary" was eremos - meaning lonesome, wasteland, desert, desolate.  Interesting.

Jesus chose to separated Himself when He was deep in prayer.  He became solitary.  He didn't bring His disciples with Him.  They may have been nearby but Jesus chose a place where He wouldn't be distracted; where He could completely focus on communing with God the Father.

Imagine a desolate place in your head.  Describe that place.  What does it look like?  What does it sound like?  To me a desolate place is one doesn't have a lot of visual distractions.  A desert fits this definition for me.  Yes, deserts have great natural beauty, that I do not deny.  But my vision of a desert doesn't have a television playing in the background.  The desolate place I have imagined is basically quiet as well.  Oh, there's the hum of the fan and the sounds of the cats as they walk around the convent but I don't have the radio on nor the tv.  To me a desolate place is one with few visual and auditory distractions. 

Now that we've described desolate for ourselves, let's see what the dictionary says:

Webster's Definition of Desolate:

1: devoid of inhabitants and visitors : deserted

2: joyless, disconsolate, and sorrowful through or as if through separation from a loved one <a desolate widow> 

3a : showing the effects of abandonment and neglect : dilapidated <a desolate old house> b : barren,  lifeless <a desolate landscape> c : devoid of warmth, comfort, or hope : gloomy <desolate memories>

I do not disagree with the second and third definitions of desolate but I do not believe that our quiet places should fit those definitions.  We should find joy in our quiet place.  We are not separated from our loved One; we are closer to Him and falling deeper in love with Him while in our quiet place.  If we do not have regular time in our quiet place our spiritual life will definitely show the effects of neglect.  Our quiet place should provide us with comfort and hope.

I want my quiet place to be one where I can focus on what God is trying to tell me.  If I'm distracted by motion or sound, then I can't listen to Him and His message for me.   

Everyone's quiet place is different.  Sometimes mine is on the couch with no tv or radio; only the additional presence of the convent cats.   Many times my quiet place is sitting up in bed, propped up with pillows for my time of prayer and scripture reading.  For some, their quiet place might be the rocking chair on the porch or the comfy chair in the sitting room.  It could even be driving in the car.  I had a job one time that required about a half an hour of travel each way by highway.  I tended to spend most of my drives home just pouring out my heart to God, telling Him about my day and asking for His advice and help.  Honestly I miss those long drives.  One's quiet place varies for everyone.

Just as the place varies from person to person, I know that the time of one's quiet place also varies from person to person.  I know there are some who declare that one must always go to their quiet place in the morning.  Yes, there are examples in scripture of those who would go to their quiet place in the morning.  Maybe they were morning people and the fog quickly lifted from their brains allowing them to seek God's face clearly in the morning.  Some of us, well, we aren't morning people. There are also examples of night owls in scripture.  Personally, my quiet place is best visited in the evening.  For me it is the way of shedding all of the day's troubles, mistakes, and sins and handing them over to God.  Scripture talks about not going to bed angry (Ephesians 4:26) so I feel it's best for me to go to my quiet place before I go to bed so I can have a restful sleep and wake up ready to follow God's will for me the next morning.  I'm not guaranteeing a restful sleep** just because one prays at night, but if I've cast all of my cares on God before sleeping and I remember to leave those cares in His hands, about what do I need to worry?

Please find your quiet place; create it if you need to.  Just be sure to visit it on a regular basis.  :)

Sister Jane

Romans 14:8

* Yep, I'm still that girl who has a Strong's Concordance in her library.
**Personally, I need to be sure to lay off sugar in the evenings.  I get the weirdest dreams when I indulge my sweet tooth.  :)

By Choice

Now as a concession, not a command, I [Paul] say this.  I wish that all were as myself am.  But each has [her] own gift from God, one of one kind and one of another.  To the unmarried and widows I say that it is good for them to remain single as I am...Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to [her], and to which God has called [her].  This is my rule in all the churches...And the unmarried or betrothed woman is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to be holy in body and spirit...and [she] who marries does well, and [she] who refrains from marriage will do even better.

1 Corinthians 7: 6-8, 17, 34, 38.

Dearest Sisters,

Do you sometimes feel like the world and the church is saying it's wrong that we are single?  What a burden to bear.  Please banish this burden from your pretty, brilliant heads and hearts!  

Normally I do my best to keep quiet on the "single" issue because I believe that living in God's Will is more important than if one is single or not.  But a recent church news item has bugged me and I feel the need to encourage fellow Sisters who may be struggling under the pressure of those who believe our singleness is wrong.  

The news I read was in an insert that touted that it was sharing "significant news for Christians; news that's encouraging - some disturbing."  In a short article titled "Marriage Nearly Minority in US", it was revealed that the marriage rate has decreased to 51% and that this decrease is dangerous.  Really!?!  A 49% and rising single population is dangerous?  Could someone please point out where it says in the Bible "Thou shalt be married"?  Sisters, we are not dangerous!  We are not doing anything wrong by being single.  We are single because we choose to be in God's Will.  At this moment, He wants us to be single.  When He chooses, He will show those who are to be married that they should be married and provide for that relationship to happen.  

Yes, Scripture does say that we should be fruitful and multiply (Genesis 1:28).  I'm not going to disagree with God's Word.  What about the barren?  Are they in the wrong because God has not allowed them to have children?   Here are some of my thoughts on the matter.  Am I spreading God's Word?  Am I discipling new believers? Am I strengthening my fellow believers in their walk?  If you can answer "yes" to any of these questions, I believe you are being fruitful and multiplying the family of God.

Singleness is a gift!  Marriage is a gift!  We are not all meant to receive the same gifts.  Think about it.  I love fiber arts.  I have a friend who loves rock climbing and mountain bike riding.  Giving my friend a gift of roving to spin into yarn is not a good gift for her.  Giving me a gift of rock climbing shoes would not be a good gift for me.  But each has [her] own gift from God, one of one kind and one of another. 1 Corinthians 7:7b.  God has gifted each of us differently.  Sisters, God gave us the gift of singleness and it should not be considered a bad gift.  If God chooses to gift a person with the gift of marriage, then they hand back the gift of singleness and thank God for their new gift.

I've done the dating thing.  The first guy was nice but he wasn't the guy God wanted for me.  The second guy I was sure was the one God had picked out for me (maybe he still is but maybe we both have some growing to do before God's Will has us together or maybe he isn't) but right now God wants me to be single.  I am not a man-hater; I just choose not to search for a relationship that could lead to marriage because God's Will doesn't want me to do that right now.  If God wants me to be married, He will provide the right guy and will let us both know that this is His Will for us.  Choosing to be in God's Will is better than anything else.

For those who are married and reading this post, please reflect on things you have said around your single friends.  Saying things like "the right man will come your way, or you'll be a great wife, or you're the marrying kind" really don't recognize the gift of singleness that your single friends have.   Be honest with yourself; there are times when you've wished you had the singleness gift and not the married gift.

Sister, please choose to follow God's Will for your life.  Not the world's will and not the will of fellow believers.  Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to [her], and to which God has called [her]. I Corinthians 7:17.

Sister Jane

Romans 14:8

ps. If you would like to discuss with Sister Jane regarding her posts but are uncomfortable posting your comments or questions here, please contact her at stnnmconventATgmailDOTcom. Thank you!

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What do you mean screens aren't meant for climbing?

Creature Update: Frank has decided that the screen is meant to be crawled upon.  I had to inform him that he was incorrect.

Naughty Frank!

Treasure

For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.  

Luke 12:34

Did you ever go on a treasure hunt as a child?  Treasure hunts can come in many forms: Easter egg hunts, scavenger hunts, or the hunt to find that missing sock.  We look around, we follow the clues, we jump for joy when we find for what we've been searching.

The idea of treasure has been on my mind lately.  Recently I helped a friend with her week of girls summer camp.  The theme for their week was "Hidden Treasure" and I happened to have access to a number of GPS units.  What do GPS units, treasure, and camp have to do with each other, you may be asking?  Have you heard of geocaching?  It's a great activity that involves hi-tech treasure hunting all over the world.   I was able to create a series of geocaches on the camp's grounds and through clues in the form of Bible verses and the use of the GPS units the girls were able to search for the caches and claim their treasures.  The treasures varied but there were a number of puzzle pieces the girls were to collect while on their treasure hunt.  Those pieces were joined together at the end of the week to produce a completed puzzle that bore the week's verse: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Luke 12:34.  The project was cool but my greatest hope is that the girls were able to come away from camp, with all of the various activities in which they participated, with Biblical treasure stored in their hearts.

Treasure.  Treasure means different things to different people.  Some people like their treasures big; others like their treasures small.  What do you treasure?  Proverbs 2:3-5 says we should seek wisdom and understanding: Yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God.  Colossians 2:2b-3 speaks a similar theme: To reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

Wisdom is a treasure we should diligently seek.  Where can we find it?  In Christ!  I believe as Christians we understand this basic truth.  But with that understanding do we apply it to ourselves?  Personally, there's no way I can say that I apply it on a regular basis.  Of this I am ashamed and kick myself every time I'm convicted of my choices and my failure to seek His wisdom for me.

The things we treasure are those things we seek on which to spend our time.  Lately I've chosen to spend my time watching a lot of TV; not the best choice.  I've had the theme of this post in mind for at least 2 weeks and now I'm finally sitting down to work on it.  My priorities, my treasures, were not on Godly things unfortunately.  Yes, I made time daily to read Scripture but I didn't allow myself extra time to read or to study it further.  My heart hasn't been in the right place because my treasure hasn't been in the right place either. 

As I researched Scripture to complete this post I came a upon an interesting theme regarding treasure: fear.  The fear of the LORD is Zion's treasure.  Isaiah 33:6b  I can't say that I've really thought of fear as a treasure before, but it makes sense.  The fear mentioned here does not mean to cower.  Here in this verse it has a meaning of being reverent.*  Am I truly fearing the Lord; putting Him in His proper place in my life?  This kind of reverent fear is a true treasure.  Surrendering to His will for my life is the reverence that the Lord deserves from me.  I am nothing without Him.  I wouldn't exist without Him and to think that I can do anything on my own is foolishness.  My fear, my reverence,  places me in His will so He can provide for me the way He has always wanted.  Oh, how abundant is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you and worked for those who take refuge in you, in the sight of the children of mankind!  Psalm 31:19

 
In the previous paragraphs I've spoken of treasure as something that we are to seek and store in our hearts.  Now consider this verse: For you are a people holy to the LORD your God.  The LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. Deuteronomy 7:6.  We are His treasure!  In the KJV it says we are His "special people."  Wow!  God has sought me out as a treasure of His own!  Yes, I am still to seek Him all the time but the fact that He wants me as His own personal treasure.. Wow!  This is a concept that is almost hard to put into words.  Read the verse again and think about what it means.  He treasures me, He treasures you!  Remember this when you are struggling to love a fellow Christian who isn't easy to love.

You may have recognized the ring in the picture at the beginning of this post.  Yes, it is the ring from The Lord of The Rings.  I chose it because I remember Gollum's** behavior regarding the ring.  He called it "my precious."  He sought after it, kept watch over it, not wanting anyone else to take it away from him.  Are we like that with what God wants us to treasure?  Maybe we aren't currently at that point.  I know I'm working on it.  With God's help, I am able to treasure more of Him every day; to seek His treasures for me more each day. 

Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it, and behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun.  Ecclesiastes 2:11.  Our actions show what we treasure.  Our actions show what is in our hearts.  Are we striving for what God wants for us or what the world says we should treasure?

What treasures are in your heart? 

Sister Jane

Romans 14:8

*I looked up the Hebrew.  Yes, I'm a girl with a Strong's Concordance on her bookshelf.  Yes, I'm a geek.  :)
** I am NOT suggesting that we follow the entire example of Gollum with respect to the ring, his treasure.

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Creature update:  The Convent's cats have recently discovered Frank.  They enjoy watching him through the screen door.  I'm thankful the door is there or the cats would have chased him away by now.  Also a woodchuck visited the water bowl recently.  That was not expected.  It was a quick visit so I wasn't able to get a picture of him to share with you.

The Convent cats saying "hello" to Frank.

Meet Frank

Time for a light-hearted post, sisters.  :)

Meet Frank!  The Convent recently moved and was warmly welcomed by the above squirrel at the new location.  Frank has been very friendly and curious.  Not so curious as to let me get too close to him but willing to let me open the screen door to take pictures of him from a distance.  The weather in the midwest United States has been dangerously high so I put out a bowl of water for him and have been feeding him almonds.  He really likes the almonds.

I was calling him "Squirrely" but I thought he deserved a proper name.  I mulled over a couple ideas when the idea hit me to call him Frank aka St. Francis of Assisi.  Why not?!  He visits the convent daily and graciously accepts my offers of food and water.  And if Frank is a girl squirrel I can easily call her Frankie or Francis.

St. Francis of Assisi - Frank the squirrel

Frank suits him well, don't you think?  :)

Sister Jane

Romans 14:8

Delays

It dawned on me this past week that I hadn't yet updated the reading and prayer calendar for the month of July.  I'm sorry about that.  My day job has kept me busy for the past 3 weeks and a recent move has left me disorganized.  I have another post in the works as well so after I update the calendar I will work to have the next post up by the end of the week.  Thank you for your patience with me.

Have a great week.  If you live in the midwest of the United States, pray for rain!

Sister Jane

Romans 14:8