But why, Mimi?

Our granddaughter is four, and from the time she started crawling and climbing, we have told her she could not jump on our furniture. But why, Mimi? This discipline does not make her happy. She still tries. We still tell her no. She doesn’t understand why she shouldn’t do it. Later, she fusses about controlling who sits where at the dinner table. She still tries to be bossy. We still tell her no. We spent over 12 hours with her and her two-year-old brother, navigating between giggles and groaning because we loved and disciplined. These two keep you on your toes. But they say thank you, and you are welcome. They squeal and play and bounce from game to game. They are precious. Now, they are not perfect. No grandchild is. The two-year-old boy will walk up and say, “I farted.” He wants a reaction. He wants to push our buttons. I think I am better as a grandparent than as a parent because I have seen the outcome of how I parented the first time around. I am not perfect. No parent is. But tucking them into their car seats last night to go home, both littles said, “I love you, Mimi.” And the kisses! They wave all the way down the driveway. My life is about the next generation now.

It reminds me of God’s Word: 6 “For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastises every son He receives.” Hebrews 12:6

God loves us and offers us Jesus as an opportunity to follow Him and to be invited to live eternally with Him if (conditional statement) we make Jesus our Lord and Savior. If we say yes to that salvation experience invitation, we are “sons” of God, meaning we partake in God’s inheritance. A father disciplines his son because He loves and wants good for them.

Why? Because God’s Word says, “Endure suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? 8 If you do not experience discipline like everyone else, then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. 9 Furthermore, we have all had earthly fathers who disciplined us, and we respected them. Should we not much more submit to the Father of our spirits and live?

10 Our fathers disciplined us for a short time as they thought best, but God disciplines us for our good so that we may share in His holiness. 11 No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields a harvest of righteousness and peace to those who have been trained by it.

12 Therefore strengthen your limp hands and weak knees. 13 Make straight paths for your feet, so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.” Hebrews 12: 7-13

We have to learn our place in the family. For a season, we are an infant, then a child, then a teenager, then an adult. We change again when we become parents and grandparents. Each of us benefits when others invest in our lives. What they deposit into our hearts is what we will have to share with others down the generational line that follows.

As we ate lunch, my granddaughter began her conversation about our family. She asks me who my mom is. I tell her. Usually, she stays with her mom, my daughter, and then my mom, her great-grandmother. But today, she said, who’s your dad? She has never asked that before. She has also never met him, so it is understandable that she suddenly remembered that Mimi may have a father. She has figured out that we all have a mother and a father. I tell her that he has passed away. She pauses, and her little mind is processing. You can tell because she is not talking, and that my friend is rare! She then looks at me and smiles the sweetest smile. “I love you, Mimi.” That was her little heart’s way of saying, I don’t know what to say or do, but I love you. She understands how to “love one another.”

My father never invested in her heart. He will never be able to share any of what his heart could offer her. I watch my husband pour what he has into her heart. She values his words and actions, from rescuing her from a spider and being her hero to explaining how something works. His effort becomes a part of her when she learns from him.

Today, I pray for you to prioritize what is truly valuable, which is the next generation. We will come and go in this world, but what we invest in one another’s hearts is everlasting. Eternal good things are of God. If we don’t fill their hearts with God’s goodness, then their hearts lack good. This world will take a heart that is lacking and fill it up with all kinds of useless, not good things that are in opposition to God.

We wonder what is happening to the youth of today. Why are they the way they are? Because no one invested God into their hearts. Sure, we provided all kinds of other stuff: education, lessons of every kind, philosophies, ideologies, and material things of every shape and size. When they do wrong, we don’t spank or correct them anymore. Folks think a child will determine what is right or wrong on their own. 

Our two-year-old grandson likes to play a cup game where I hide a toy inside one of four colored cups. He has to guess which one has the toy. As he lifts the cup to reveal what is inside, He says, “Nope” when it is empty. Nope! We need to guide them just as we need to be guided by God. We should never leave a child’s heart empty!

I wrote this yesterday. I had no idea what would be said in church today. It was just perfect, and it fit right into what I wrote.

We need more Jesus in every aspect of our life. Without Him, we have no purpose!

Today’s service

A Quick Note

A swift one, I have to get ready for work, but (in contrast) I am thankful.

Yesterday was busy, no time to explain, but from the moment I woke up until, I lay my head down.

The world is a mess because it is NOT focused on Who it should be focused on.

After work yesterday, I had the two littlest grandkids to myself: a two-year-old and a four-year-old who loves to swing.

“Push me, Mimi!” times two.

Push, push, talk, push, push, talk.

A butterfly, a question, a giggle, and another “Push me, Mimi!”

I sang a preschool song about the butterfly, and the two-year-old said, “Hallelujah.”

That means singing his song, Mimi.

So we sang it. Over and over, push by push. All three of us. Half an hour of heaven.

They grow up too fast!

May I always “push” them towards God and praise His Name. May they follow, and if they get off track, may they come back for another God-push!

We all need someone to “push” us towards love and good deeds (Hebrew 10:24). God is Love, so we push others towards Him!

Yesterday was my blogging anniversary. Eight years! May I always push you on to Him too! He is so good! Do not be discouraged, dear ones!

Seriously?

I was teasing and playing with my littlest granddaughter. She is four. She suddenly turned to me. Her turn had attitude from the position of her head to her toes and included a hang gesture found in teenagers. I know because I’ve seen our thirteen-year-old granddaughter do it. The hand is flattened and goes down in full on sass. And the eye roll!

The little one said, “Seriously, Mimi!”

I see that little love of a brown-eyed girl and the sass from her thirteen-year-old sister in that sass, and then I see her mama. If I am honest with myself, I will see myself in her too. Little by little, generation after generation, we sass. We think we know it all.

This morning, giggling at the thought of her, I soberly realize that little by little, generation after generation, we do that to God. We think we know it all.

We have a heart issues. Seriously, we have the matter of “teshuvah” (i.e., returning to God). We do not want to turn back to God. Little by little, generation after generation we drift farther and farther away from Him.

I played a game with my four-year-old granddaughter. Her response was appropriate and funny. But life is not a game with God. It is not appropriate or pleasing or good to sass or turn away from Him because when you do, that is when your deep heart issues begin!

So, How Was The Eclipse?

Did you see it? Did you go out of your way in some way to see it? Take any pictures? Take time off of work? Did you go all out and make an “experience?” How much did you do with regard to the eclipse?

Did you in any way prioritize the Son of God? Did you spend time with Him? Did you go out of your way to learn more about Him today? Did you share your resources or talents or time with Him? Did you invest in His kingdom? Did you share Him with someone so that they too can have Him as their Lord and Savior?

In a way, this is a follow up to my last blog. I have asked a lot of questions today.

Just a few more questions.

Did your experience with the event of the eclipse today: leave you satisfied, make you whole, bring you joy or peace, grow you, make you a better person, or elevate or raise you up in some way? Did you have a transformational experience of a lifetime?

Do you want satisfaction, wholeness, joy, peace, growth, improvement, and all that brings a transformational experience to your life?

If yes, then stop focusing on the sun and call on the Name that is Above All Names, Jesus. He is The Son of God and He alone can change your life! You will never be the same!

So one more question, ok, just two, I promise!

How much did you invest in the sun vs. THE SON of God?

And do you need to make a change?

The Son, The Sun

April 8th there will be a total eclipse of the Sun.

It’s a significant date this year, not because of a solar eclipse but rather because it marks the new moon of the first month of the Biblical calendar, called “Rosh Chodashim.” That date is significant because it signals the start of Chodesh ha’yeshuah (חודש הישועה), or the Month of Salvation, with Passover occurring exactly 14 days later.

Jesus was our Passover Lamb, a perfect sacrifice on the cross and a resurrected Jesus showed that God accepted that sacrifice.

Look to the SON OF GOD and not the sun that HE made.

This Little Bulb Is Blessed

A piece of a past generation and a little water, dirt, and sunshine begins the life of this little crocus flower. A nice bed in a nice place and the crocus grows because its needs are met. Its needs are met because they are provided for by another. The bulb did not work and earn the dirt or water or sunshine. This little bulb is blessed.

Then one day, its whole world changes. It is dug up, washed, dried, and bagged. It is no longer in the dirt or enjoying the sunshine. It is dry and it falls asleep. Dormant for a season. It travels to be processed and made into a product to sell. It will be handled with care and without care depending on the purpose of the hands that will handle it. It can have a rough day but in the bag it is quiet. It is good to rest. While the bulb sleeps, it is not aware of the bar codes and store shelves, the people passing by or even the checkout counter as it is moving from the store to a car. It is taken to a place it has never been before. A journey it never started out to take, but it goes, it has no choice. Still sleepy and depending on the loving care from the past to get it through this dry season.

New hands and new dirt, a new place to call home. Ah, a familiar friend in the bright sunshine that bakes the dirt with warmth and goodness. New hands have dug a new bed and as the little bulb is placed in the new garden a glimmer of hope, then a yawn, and then more sleep. 

It is cold and wet, then warm and then cold again. It is fall and the leaves have blanketed the garden and the warmth that they provide is welcomed. As the day grows shorter and colder, the little bulb sleeps. Unaware of all of the changes in the world around it.

Then a new day comes. It is time. Warmth grows, rain quenches the thirsty little bulb, and a spark of life begins again. It is time to grow and not to sleep. It grows and grows and sees the sunshine. A shift here and a push of a leaf there and sunshine!

Living in the sunshine is satisfying. The little bulb is renewed in the light of the sun. It gains in strength and grows past the seasons of changes to mature in it’s fullness. Its purpose is to bloom. Its purpose is to glorify the God Who made it. The God of the Universe is glorified in all of the creations that He has made.

A new life from an old one that all began in God and will end in His glory when the little bulb fulfills its purpose for being here.

We are that little bulb.

Now dear ones in Christ Jesus, it is time to live in the Son-shine which is satisfying and full of life! We are blessed by God’s Son!

But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19 (KJV)

Grace and peace to you in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ! -Shahe Nahler

I am the author of six books. The first three of the books are about God changing me from my way to His way! Life is a process, people!  A journey to walk out with God, and it’s always better when God is in you, and you have a relationship with Him. That way, His way, you never walk out your faith journey alone but with Him!

• Book One (vol. 1)    “Born Afghan Born American Born Again“
• Book Two (vol. 2)    “Born Muslim Became Christian Beloved Israel“
• Book Three (vol. 3) “My Journey My Jesus My Joe“
• Book Four (Devotional) “Seasons For A Reason”
• Book Five (Bible Study) “Revelation – A Word by Word Bible Study.”
• Book Six (Devotional) “The Wise Still Seek Him.”

All six books are available at Amazon.com. Just click the links above or go to Amazon and type into the search, “Shahe Nahler.” Available in paperback or eBook.

You can also visit my website at www.shahesart.com for travel photos and Bible lessons, photography, and artwork.

My prayer for you is to have a real relationship with Jesus and as you grow in the grace and knowledge of Him and that you share Him with others so that they can have that gift too!

 A great source to continue to study your Bible is http://www.LoveIsrael.org.

Grace and peace to you in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ! -Shahe Nahler

It is snowing in the woods!

It is snowing in the woods!

We don’t get snow often so when it does snow, it is very special.

We went to bed with a light dusting and woke up to 7 or 8 inches of white covering our woods.

It is also very beautiful.

The snow gently, quietly covers our entire woods in a perfect white blanket. Each snowflake unique because of God.

Now the snow is beautiful. Our woods are beautiful but imperfect.

There are sticks on the ground because of the windstorm that we got before we got the snow. Those need to be picked up.

There are leaves on the ground that need to be picked up too. Some of those leaves are ours, but a lot of them blow in from our neighbors because they don’t pick up their leaves. We pick up our leaves because we love the green moss that forms on the forest floor if the forest floor is kept clean.

The side yard has a pile of stuff that we did not get put away or thrown away when we tore down our lean-to. We just have not had time to deal with that pile. That pile of stuff needs to be dealt with.

We have a couple of trees that are dead that need to come down and there is one that is split that is leaning on other trees that needs to be trimmed properly. There is even a tree in the back yard that a tornado took the top one third of the tree off and it is just a very tall stump. No branches. We have lots of work to do to get our property back into order.

We have been working slowly on our yard. This past year has seen some major storms in our area. We were just finishing up on a clean-up from the winter tornado last January (still have tree stumps to grind) and we got hit with a fall tornado. More stuff came down. More mess was made. More to-do’s were added to our list. 

We will never get our property into a perfect state or condition. We know and recognize that because our world is a fallen world. It will never be perfect. Because we read our Bible and we have faith and trust that what it says is true, we know that our property as well as all of this earth will pass away, and a new heaven and a new earth will be created by God.

So, we enjoy this covering of white loveliness, and postpone the work.

In the quiet we enjoy all that God has made because it is very good.

I wrote the above on the first day of the snow. I set it aside. Now one week later, after a week of being home from work and staying and warm inside our house, I had another thought. 

Ah, now I know why this was set aside for a while. It wasn’t done yet. A week needed to pass by so that I would revisit the start of the week of winter wonder at the end of the week of wonder. Why revisit it? To see and evaluate what was in between.

The start is full of anticipation, excitement, and wonder because it has been a long while since snow was coming to our woods. The end is full of well, a lot of snow and ice, and I am really over the wonder of it all, people. That’s why I live in the south instead of up north. They can keep their winter! I look forward to the promise of 65 degrees in a couple of days. I had to wear snow boots! Shovel our driveway several times. And wait for it…wear a coat with a hat and mittens! Ah, the inhumanity!!!

I like Tennessee winters. A sweatshirt and tennis shoes. Sometimes an umbrella. But back to the middle of the week thought.

What did you do in the in between the start and the end of this snow week?

Did you make God a priority? Did you value and appreciate extra time in your Bible and prayer? Did you invest and make an effort to grow in your relationship with God?

Did you put things in your house back into its proper order? Did the laundry get caught up and that closet get cleaned out? 

Maybe you watched a movie or read a book?

How did you spend your week?

If you want the key to having a satisfying week of wonder then start with God, end with God, and make everything in the middle about God. Your other stuff will get done but not because of your efforts. Once God puts you into your right order, all of the other stuff will fall into place. You will have peace that surpasses understanding, and in that peace, you are productive and pleasant. You are successful and submissive. You are efficient and effective in all things related to God.

So instead of focusing on your circumstances and letting the world speak into what you should do on a snow day like make some kind of ice cream from the snow with dairy products that would kill you…oh wait, that’s what would happen to me. Sorry. I got distracted. Seriously with all of the wildlife and their let’s just say stuff, ain’t no one smart to do that out here. Just saying.

Instead, be still and know, intimately understand and experience that God is God. And with Him, all things are possible because of Him so your other stuff will get done in due time!

Enjoy these verses on coverings, you might be surprised how lovely His covering can be to quietly love on you. There will always be work to do, but only one life to worship Him until eternity begins!

I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” Surely, He will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. Psalm 91:1-4

Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you. Deuteronomy 31:6

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10

You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word. Psalm 119:114

Psalm 5:11 But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you. Psalm 5:11

The LORD your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.” Zephaniah 3:17

Grace and peace to you in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ! -Shahe Nahler

I am the author of six books. The first three of the books are about God changing me from my way to His way! Life is a process, people!  A journey to walk out with God, and it’s always better when God is in you, and you have a relationship with Him. That way, His way, you never walk out your faith journey alone but with Him!

• Book One (vol. 1)    “Born Afghan Born American Born Again“
• Book Two (vol. 2)    “Born Muslim Became Christian Beloved Israel“
• Book Three (vol. 3) “My Journey My Jesus My Joe“
• Book Four (Devotional) “Seasons For A Reason”
• Book Five (Bible Study) “Revelation – A Word by Word Bible Study.”
• Book Six (Devotional) “The Wise Still Seek Him.”

All six books are available at Amazon.com. Just click the links above or go to Amazon and type into the search, “Shahe Nahler.” Available in paperback or eBook.

You can also visit my website at www.shahesart.com for travel photos and Bible lessons, photography, and artwork.

My prayer for you is to have a real relationship with Jesus and as you grow in the grace and knowledge of Him and that you share Him with others so that they can have that gift too!

 A great source to continue to study your Bible is http://www.LoveIsrael.org.

Merry Christmas! (At His Birth and Death, Communion)

Tonight is Christmas eve. We went to church for a candlelight service. It is one of my favorite services of the whole year. I have two favorite parts. One is when they turn down the lights in the sanctuary and there is only one candle flame. One by one candles are lit from this first flame until the room is filled with the light of many candles. We sing and rejoice because Jesus is the Light of the World.

My second favorite part is taking communion together with my brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus.

Jesus is the source of Light. We are merely the ones that should reflect His light and pass it on to others. We are also to remember who He is on a regular basis because life gets us so busy in all of the stuff of this world that we tend to forget why we are here in this world.

So Merry Christmas and below is something that I wrote a while back. I noticed this morning that it was read recently in Switzerland, Zambia, Poland, India, Canada, and other places that I will never go. And yet, words I type are like the candlelight in the sanctuary, He is the source and we just pass Him along!

May God richly bless you with more of HIM!

At His Birth and Death, Communion!

I just love, love, love the Word of God! If you don’t agree, well, you are not reading it enough! You are not studying it enough! God is not your Enough!

I’m studying in the New Testament. Jesus at the Lord’s Supper highlights two elements, two symbols, or two parts of something. Two parts of Him!

The two parts are parts of Him, Jesus. The body of Christ and the blood of Christ. There are two symbols that represent the body of Christ and the blood of Christ. The body is represented by bread and the blood is represented by the wine (fruit of the vine).

The Book of Luke Chapter 22:14-20 (NASB) says, “When the hour had come, He reclined at the table, and the apostles with Him. And He said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for I say to you, I shall never again eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He said, “Take this and share it among yourselves; for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine from now on until the kingdom of God comes.” And when He had taken some bread and given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” And in the same way, He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood.”

Two elements, bread and wine, body and blood, both represent Jesus.

It says that Jesus blessed the bread by saying the Hebrew blessing for eating bread. The word for bread in Hebrew is lechem.

“Barukh attah Adonai Elohenu melekh haolam hamotzi lechem min haaretz”

“Blessed art Thou, LORD our God, King of the universe, who brings forth bread from the earth.”

It also says that Jesus blessed the wine (fruit of the vine) by saying the Hebrew blessing for drinking wine.  The word for fruit of the vine in Hebrew is peree (p’ri) hagafen.

“Barukh attah Adonai Eloheinu melekh haolam borei p’ri hagafen.”

“Blessed art Thou, LORD our God, King of the universe, Creator of the fruit of the vine.”

Quick review before you mind blows up with God’s Greatness! (insert purple poof here!)

Jesus=body=bread=lechem and fruit of the vine=blood=peree hagafen

This is all established at the end of Jesus’ life. He is about to die and He says, “Do this in remembrance of Me.” 1 Corinthians 11:24-25

But wait, this is the even better part…this is also established at the beginning of Jesus’ life.

Jesus came to earth as a baby. Jesus was a flesh and blood baby born in a town called Bethlehem.

Bethlehem in Hebrew is Beit Lechem (Beit=place of and Lechem=Bread) Place of Bread, House of Bread. (The modern name is Beit-Lahm meaning house of flesh)

“Yeah, yeah, yeah everyone knows that already!” I get it. But did you know that Bethlehem is also called Bethlehem Ephrathah.

Micah 5:2 says, “But as for you Bethlehem Ephrathah…”

Ephrathath (ef-raw’-thaw) Strong’s Hebrew #672 says another name for Bethlehem, comes from the root word parah which means fruitfulness.

When you go to see the meaning of parah #6509,  it means to bear fruit, become fruitful, flourishes, increased, grow, make you fruitful…

In the place where Jesus was born Bethlehem Ephrathah both the body and the blood, the bread and the fruit of the vine are present. Jesus is present. The body and blood of Jesus are present. The bread and the fruit of the vine are present.

And just as God is the beginning and the end, the Alpha and the Omega, He has placed bookends at the start of and the end of the earthly life of Jesus.

Bethlechem Ephrathah is the Place of lechem and the peree hagafen!

Some great verses to keep studying on include Ruth 4:11, 1 Chronicle 2:24, Psalm 132:6.

Genesis 35:16, 19 brought a tear to Joe’s eyes when I read it to him.

Rachel is birthing her second son and in her pain and death cries out his name, Ben-oni which means “Son of my sorrow” and his father changes his name to Ben-yamin (Benjamin) which means “Son of the right hand.”

Again, both mean Jesus!

Grace and peace to you in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ! -Shahe Nahler

I am the author of six books. The first three of the books are about God changing me from my way to His way! Life is a process, people!  A journey to walk out with God, and it’s always better when God is in you, and you have a relationship with Him. That way, His way, you never walk out your faith journey alone but with Him!

• Book One (vol. 1)    “Born Afghan Born American Born Again“
• Book Two (vol. 2)    “Born Muslim Became Christian Beloved Israel“
• Book Three (vol. 3) “My Journey My Jesus My Joe“
• Book Four (Devotional)“Seasons For a Reason”
• Book Five (Bible Study) “Revelation – A Word by Word Bible Study.”
• Book Six (Devotional) “The Wise Still Seek Him.”

All six books are available at Amazon.com. Just click the links above or go to Amazon and type into the search, “Shahe Nahler.” Available in paperback or eBook.

You can also visit my website at www.shahesart.com for travel photos and Bible lessons, photography, and artwork.

My prayer for you is to have a real relationship with Jesus, and as you grow in the grace and knowledge of Him that you share Him with others so that they can have that gift too!

Wow, just wow.

I wrote a blog back in December of 2016.

The title was “You Might As Well Unfriend Me Now.”

Someone read it yesterday. Yeah, a blog I wrote in 2016. I had no idea what was in that blog. Why would someone read something that far back? I can’t even remember what I wrote!

So I looked it up.

Wow, just wow!

My heart breaks for the world in which we live that continues to grow in darkness instead of in Jesus who is The Light Of The World!

Nothing changes anything in this world but Jesus.

Nothing fixes anything in this world but Jesus.

In the end of your days, do you want to say, “Thanks for…nothing?”

In the end of my days, I want to say, “Thank You, Jesus, for everything!”

Here is the blog from December 2016.

L’Shana Tova! Chag Semeach!

Yeah, I know; what does that mean?

L’Shana Tova! “For a good new year!”

Chag Semeach! “Happy Festival!”

Shanah Tovah Umtukah “May you have a good and sweet new year!”

Why these greetings?

Because Rosh Hashanah (a two-day festival) begins tonight at sunset (Sept 15th) and ends at sunset on Sunday night. Again, this is counting a “day,” as in Genesis, “It was evening and morning on the first day.”

I am enclosing a great resource for you to read if you are interested in learning more about this. Just follow the link, slice up an apple, and dip it into some honey because God is so good!

Article on Rosh Hashanah (after clicking the link, there will be a photo, click the word “notes” to view the written article.

Tonight is also Shabbat, so Shabbat Shalom!