inspirational

Fat Tuesday Celebration and Food!

/ Jeanne Lemmon Skinner / 2 Comments

Parades, customs and food are all enjoyed before the fasting begins.

Tomorrow is Fat Tuesday or Shrove Tuesday which is the day before Ash Wednesday and the first day of lent. Lent is 40 days (not including Sundays) before Easter and a time for prayer and repentance. Lent is not mentioned in the Bible and not all Christian denominations commemorate it. It began in the Catholic churches but in the 1960s and 70s some Protestant churches added this day to their church calendars.

The idea of fasting was and is a part of Lent. In Medieval Europe, people were told they had to eliminate eggs, fats, meat and dairy by the local priests. This was based on the 40 days Jesus fasted before he began his ministry. Today people will eliminate food from their diet or add a healthy practice such as exercise. Many pastors encourage spending more time in prayer and reading the Bible.

In the minds of many, Tuesday is their last chance to have fun and perhaps devour a pan of chocolate brownies. (Not that I can relate to that!) Pancakes and crepes were the first food to become a traditional Shrove Tuesday treat because people had to use the ingredients before Lent began. The German traditional food is Fastnachts which are doughnuts and Paczkis are a Polish jelly filled doughnut. The King Cake is a traditional Mardi Gras treat. It is made in early January to be eaten on Epiphany (January 6) in celebration of the three kings arriving in Bethlehem to see the baby Jesus. It is made up until Lent. A small plastic baby is placed inside the cake and whoever gets it in their piece of cake will have prosperity. The cakes all are covered with sprinkles. The purple represents power, yellow-justice and green faith.

I was in Germany as a teacher chaperone several years ago and was shown pictures of people in costumes. I asked if this was Halloween. I was told not many people celebrated Halloween and this was their Mardi Gras. Costumes, parades and lots of food. It sure looked like Halloween!

There is so much unrest in the world but religious traditions unite us. Churches will be filled on Ash Wednesday and people will receive ashes on their foreheads. Ashes were used as a sign of repentance in the Old Testament. People wore sack cloth and covered themselves with ashes and asked for God’s forgiveness. People will try to grow closer to God during Lent and will give up unhealthy habits. I usually struggle the first two weeks with my Lenten choices, but then it becomes easier. Good luck to all of you who plan on doing something special during lent. I think God must look forward to this time when so many find time for Him.

Candlemas Celebrates Light

/ Jeanne Lemmon Skinner / 2 Comments

Candlemas is celebrated around the world on February 2.

I learned of Candlemas a few years ago, but didn’t really understand what it represented until I did a little research. It occurs 40 days after Christmas according to Jewish law found in Leviticus. Luke 2:22 tells us that Mary and Joseph brought baby Jesus to the temple in Jerusalem to dedicate him to the Lord and for Mary to be purified. Following the law, Jesus was circumcised when he was eight days old and 33 days later presented to God in the temple. It is also known as the Feast of Presentation or the Purification of the Virgin Mary. People bring candles to church to be blessed by the priests and in some countries the candles are then placed in the windows of people’s homes. Jesus is the light of the world and the light is believed to protect the home.

Two people received God’s blessing the day Jesus was brought to the temple. Simeon was a devout man of God and had had been told he would see the Messiah before he died. When he saw the baby he knew Jesus was the promised Messiah and held him in his arms. He praised God and he also told Mary that a sword would pierce her soul. The prophet Anna lived in the temple and she too realized this was the Messiah. She gave thanks to God and told the people who the child was.

Like most celebrations food is involved. In France crepes are eaten and in Mexico tamales are enjoyed. Christians in Puerto Rico light bonfires at the end of Candlemas Day. I don’t know if it is celebrated anywhere in America, but it was first celebrated in Jerusalem in 4th century AD and has continued since.

Our world needs the light of hope and love. For Christians Jesus is the light and he gives us hope and strength during these difficult times. I like the idea of placing candles in the window on February 2. Mine are electric but I think that will work. The days are beginning to get shorter and in some countries they consider this day to signify the end of winter. Those of us in Ohio know we have weeks to go before we see spring. It doesn’t matter if the groundhog sees his shadow or not on Candlemas Day.

The spring bulbs have pushed through the soil so I know they are eager for the sun’s warmth. I’m going to accept that February 2 is the first step to spring. I wish you a sunny Candlemas Day and perhaps you’ll light a candle remembering the significance of this day.

The Party of the Lamb

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The lamb unites people around the world.

This is the time of the year when people around the world unite to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Christians celebrate in all countries even where it is forbidden. They worship in hiding like the early Christians did. I’m thankful our churches are open and welcoming people once again.

Jesus has been called the lamb of God and if he had a political party it would be represented by a lamb. What a wonderful party to belong to. Participants gather in prayer and thank God for their blessings and ask for help in handling the problems of today. Pastors talk of God’s love and encourage people to trust in Him and to seek Jesus in prayer.

Movie after movie features Santa and claims that Christmas is a time for wishes to come true. Santa makes both the young and old happy with his jolly smile, gifts and ho ho ho. I love the idea of Santa, but he doesn’t answer prayers and perform miracles. Jesus does that. God also isn’t always jolly like Santa. He’s a divine parent who punishes his children who don’t follow his rules. Read the Old Testament and you’ll see a lot of smiting!

I think Christmas is the best time of the year because it brings out the best in people. Kind smiles are seen and wishes for a Merry Christmas are heard. We share customs and traditions that unite us. Sharing the season with people from different cultures brings the world together. I think that must please God to see his children who look and think differently come together to worship his son. That is Christmas to me. Jesus is the best gift anyone could ever receive and Santa didn’t bring him.

Wishing you all a joyous Christmas filled with love. God loves us so much he sent his son. Thanks be to God!

October Surprises!

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Roses blooming and surprising information!

As you know by now, I love my garden and even as the temperatures continue to go into the 30s my flowers bloom! I picked these yesterday so I could enjoy them inside. I can’t remember having flowers blooming in mid October before. October has held other surprises too.

My husband and I drove to Connecticut and then into New York a couple weeks ago to see a couple shows. In Connecticut, we saw 42 Street which was choreographed and directed by my brother-in-law Randy Skinner. The show was outstanding but one of the main characters was truly amazing. After the show, Randy told us the actor was blind. “How can he do it?” I asked. Randy said he didn’t really know. This young man sang, danced and literally was all over the stage. All I can say is God provided him with tremendous talent and showed him a way to use it.

In New York, Randy choreographed and directed an Irving Berlin show called Cheek to Cheek. This featured many of Berlin’s songs. He wrote approximately 1,250 songs and the surprise was he only played the black keys. Again I asked, “How?” Berlin had little education but lots of talent and determination. He was born in Russia, lived in poverty in New York and died a very successful man at 101. God showed him a way. Probably the most famous Berlin song is I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas, but as I watched the show I remembered many of his songs.

Our drive featured beautiful scenery of colorful leaves and fields that had been harvested and some waiting to be. I’m a farm girl at heart and love seeing the fields and animals. There is something serene about them. I think it’s the same way people feel about the ocean when it is calm.

Hope you are all enjoying October and I would love to hear other stories like I have shared. God is good and his creations are clearly on display now.

The Clothes We Choose!

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Our clothes can make a statement.

Like a lot of people, I have a closet full of clothes but I tend to wear the same things repeatedly. My daughter walked into the kitchen the other day and said, “I hope you don’t wear that out of the house!” I informed her it was one of my work shirts. I was baking and when I bake I get flour everywhere. Kids! Funny, I can remember telling her she wasn’t allowed to wear something outside of the house when she was a teenager. We were both concerned with people’s impressions.

Some clothing immediately identifies a person’s profession. Some might tell a little about their personality and some I’m afraid tells our age. I wear jeans, but they look nothing like my granddaughters!

With school about to start, kids will be selecting their first day of school outfit. Everyone wants to make a good first impression. The outfit is intended to instill confidence. Adults repeat the first day outfit experience when they dress for a job interview. We all know the truth. It’s not the clothes; it’s the person. The best advice I remember receiving was be the person you want to be.

Becoming the person you want to be doesn’t mean what profession you want to pursue. It’s something deeper. What kind of a person do you want to become? Any career counselor can advise on training and education in order to obtain a career, but they don’t teach how to become the kind of person you envision.

Who teaches that? For me, it’s the church. I know church attendance has declined, but since the world has gotten so crazy maybe people will find their way to church and God. A church where the Gospel is taught and God’s love is felt is the kind of church I attend. The comfort I find in church is like wearing my favorite warm sweater. God is the great comforter and not only listens, but encourages. If anyone is searching, I urge you to look for a pastor and church where you will feel God’s presence. He does love us!

Holy Friday

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Good was a synonym for holy.

Holy week for Christians in America begins on Palm Sunday when Jesus’s entrance into Jerusalem is remembered. People shouted Hosanna which means Save Us. The people believed Jesus was the long awaited Messiah because of the miracles he had performed. His latest miracle was just a few days before coming to Jerusalem when he raised Lazarus from the dead and the news created great excitement. The people had waited a long time for the Messiah and they hoped Jesus was him.

The Jewish leaders feared Jesus’s popularity because he taught that Jewish laws were very restrictive and were not what God desired. Jesus broke the laws by healing on the sabbath and he ate with tax collectors and people who were considered undesirable. In anger, he turned over the tables in the outer court of the temple because the money changers cheated people. Jesus referred to them as a den of thieves. He did this on the first day he entered Jerusalem and the high priests were furious.

Throughout the week Jesus taught in the temple and was carefully watched. When he was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane he stated that he had taught all week and wondered why they were now coming for him. He was taken before the Sanhedrin which was the Jewish court and found guilty of healing on the sabbath, threatening to destroy the Jewish Temple and claiming to be the Messiah. The Jewish council found Jesus guilty and turned him over to Pontius Pilate who said he found Jesus innocent, but that was not what the high priests wanted. They encouraged the crowd to cry for the crucifixion of Jesus instead of Barabbas who was a convicted murderer.

Jesus was flogged and was so weak he could not carry the cross beam to Golgotha Hill where he was crucified. He died after six hours on the cross. Thousands of people were crucified by the Romans and at one point 500 a day suffered in this way. It is interesting to note that no Roman citizen was ever crucified.

Jesus arose from the tomb and his death paid for the sins of the people. Animal sacrifices were no longer needed to gain God’s forgiveness because Jesus paid for our sins with his blood. Easter is Jesus’s resurrection and I thank God for his son.

More Miracles!

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Nature’s miracles always delight me.

It always surprises me how small bulbs survive our cold winters and produce such lovely blossoms. I’m so happy the squirrels don’t dig up the crocus or daffodil bulbs; I can’t say that about my tulips. Those squirrels!

I heard from a couple people who shared their miracles after reading my last blog. One said it was a miracle her cancer was found early. Another said she thought it was a miracle the chemo worked and she is now cancer free. They both said they thank God every day. Years ago a friend told me her father’s tumor disappeared after people in his church prayed for him. He was scheduled for surgery and when he had the last scan he was told it was gone. He remained cancer free and died many years later.

Another story was someone who was in a car accident. She was pinned in the car and no one was around. Her phone just happened to land on her chest and she could reach it with her free hand and called 911. I love hearing the stories and I know there are many who ask why they haven’t received miraculous help or healing in response to their prayers. I too have asked that.

Last night we were given a beautiful rainbow. Rainbows are signs of hope and good things to come. For me it is a sign that God is watching over us. The news is so depressing that it’s difficult to watch, so seeing a rainbow is encouraging.

As spring brings reawakening plants, I’m thankful for these miracles of nature. I’m not so thankful for the sturdy weeds the stare at me proudly for surviving the winter. They are very resilient which I realize is a good quality to have in these challenging times. Look for the daily miracle and you will be uplifted!

Miracles Do Happen!

/ Jeanne Lemmon Skinner / 2 Comments

There is no such thing as an ordinary miracle.

I love reading and listening to people talk about miracles. Over the years I have heard of many. I just finished reading Sarah Bessey’s book Miracles and other Reasonable Things, and it inspired me to tell a miracle story of my own. It’s not as dramatic as Sarah’s healing, but I think people can relate to it and maybe see God’s hand in something that has happened to them.

About seventeen years ago, my husband and I were driving south from Carlisle in northern England to London after visiting friends. While at a rest stop, my wallet was stolen from my unzipped purse. It held one credit card, and both dollars and pounds. I didn’t discover this until we had driven for an hour. We had to return to the rest stop and make a police report and call to cancel my credit card.

For next four hours I prayed that my wallet would be found. When we arrived at the inn, I told my husband we needed to check the car again because I felt my wallet wasn’t lost. We did and found nothing. While carrying our bags into the inn, the proprietor asked if we were the Skinners. When we said yes she told me I had a phone call. “I have a phone call?” I asked in a stupor. It was Francis our friend in Carlisle who had received an email from my daughter. I stunned to say the least. This gets even more curious so stay with me.

I was to call the police station in Shropshire, England because they had my wallet. My daughter just happened to be at our house to feed the cat when a woman with an English accent called and told her she had found the wallet along the road while out walking and that I should call the Shropshire police. Jill immediately emailed Francis. It was amazing Francis read the email because for her checking email was a nighttime activity. She told me she had felt pushed to check it.

I called the police and was shocked to hear my credit card and money were still in the wallet. Nothing had been taken! The police would not give me the woman’s phone number, but Jill had written it down and I tried calling when we returned home. The number didn’t exist.

This would be in the category of ordinary miracle, but for me there is no such thing. Think of all the people involved in getting my wallet returned. It took a supreme being to orchestrate the timing of each person’s actions. I call it divine timing and the work of an angel. Prayer does work, and I would love for you to share your stories.

A Day to Show Love

/ Jeanne Lemmon Skinner / Leave a comment

Sometimes we just need to hear the words.

Memories of clutching my valentine box that I spent hours on still runs through my mind. It was the day that everyone in my class was my friend because I received a card from everyone. The teachers gave us lots of time to read each one, and I hope everyone felt special at least for a little while.

Valentine’s Day brightens the month of February and many people put hearts on their front doors and in my neighborhood some even have red lights on their bushes. We all have a need to celebrate, but we don’t need a special holiday to do that. Anytime we give a compliment brightens someone’s day.

I was listening to someone talk about the gift she was giving herself this Valentine’s Day. She said she was making a list of all the things people said they liked about her, and she was writing them on a big heart. Depression this winter has been an ongoing battle and she needed to give herself a boost. I found it sad that she needed other people’s comments to put on the card because she couldn’t think of anything she liked about herself to write.

That must make God sad that we don’t say I love how special you made me. He gave us so many gifts. The gift of music, intelligence, patience, or the ability to see beauty in someone or something every day are just a few. I sent my family valentines, but I need to take time and send God one. I’ll sign it with love and gratitude.

The Reason for the Season

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Has baby Jesus been forgotten?

I love this simple drawing of the manger scene. It represents Christmas. There are are no Christmas trees, giant candy canes, red bows and no Santa Claus. Just baby Jesus with Mary and Joseph.

I’m a fan of Christmas Hallmark movies, but it would be nice if the people went to church on Christmas Eve. Instead they have parades, dances and concerts. Every movie has a Christmas tree lighting, a Santa, and an abundance of Christmas decorations in homes, businesses and even on the streets of the towns. However, I don’t see Nativity scenes in any of the decorations. Movie after movie has a similar theme and they all omit the birth of Jesus. Jesus is the reason for the season.

Some of the movies have miraculous events because as the characters say, Christmas is the time of miracles. The miracles in the movies can’t compare to the miracle of a shining star guiding wise men to a manger or angels telling shepherds that a child has been born and singing in celebration. When a wonderous event happens in the movie, no character thanks God. After all, he is the creator of miracles and should be given credit.

As I said, I do like watching Hallmark movies, but Jesus is never mentioned and he is Christmas, not Santa. Santa should be moved aside and Jesus be allowed to take center stage. After all, it is his birthday.