Chiara Talluto

Author, Wife, Busy Mom, A Woman after God's Heart.

Category: Editing (Page 5 of 15)

A Nugget of Halloween Historical Perspective

October 28, 2022 /

This weekend marks a big party celebration. It’s Halloween weekend! Costumes and candy, and all things scary will be rampant. There’s a lot of interesting information that I learned about this “holiday” but I’m not quite knowledgeable to discuss this in depth; I’m still absorbing it, and frankly, some of the things I’ve learned about the history of Halloween are evil. I’ll have to save this for another time. (Wink) However, if you’re so inclined, you can read about Halloween and ties to Samhain.

Recently, I read about an incredible event that happened and it’s not celebrated in the Catholic or Christian religions, at least not that I know of. It’s an eye-opening revelation and I’m just scratching the surface. You’ll need to do your own research, but I feel compelled to share some of my findings.

Martin Luther, a German Monk was the man who was responsible for lighting the fire of the Protestant Reformation of the 16th Century, protesting the Vatican along with many others, in their defiant battle cry of Sola Scriptura, which means Scripture only, and bringing the Word of God to the masses. He is responsible for translating the Bible into the German language.

Why is this important? Because over 500 years ago, on October 31st, 1517 (Halloween), Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses on the church door at Wittenberg to start a discussion about abuses and other problems he saw in the church of his day.

***

You see, during the Roman Empire in the 5th and 6th centuries, the Roman Catholic Church, used the Latin version of the Bible, called the Latin Vulgate, for only those in the elite Catholic hierarchy, bishops, popes, cardinals, etc. Only those in the church who read Latin, could decipher it, and explain it to the common folk like you and me. It was said that the Bible was chained to the alters of the church, and not to be removed. No one else had access to the Word of God except those in the Church. This continued well after the fall of the Roman Empire.

***

Over a thousand or so years later, when Martin Luther, a monk and university teacher, heard Johann Tetzel’s message, he was livid. Johann’s job was raising money for the building of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.

“When a coin in the coffer rings, a soul from Purgatory springs.” Tetzel claimed.

Tetzel explained that the Pope had sent the common people a gift, a way to escape the flames of eternal damnation: a special indulgence granted for the building of St. Peter’s church in Rome. If they paid for this indulgence and thus help build this church, they would “lay the stone of eternal salvation” for themselves.

God did not command the preaching of indulgences, but of the Gospel! These indulgences were just paper. “You must trust in God’s love,” Luther urged his congregants.

Luther raised his voice with a desire to bring an end to this injustice. The reign of the church was keeping people from a relationship with God, using practices that separated them from the very One who came to save them by His grace through faith in Christ.

“For as long as I have God’s Word, I know that I am walking in His way and that I shall not fall into any error or delusion.”

—Martin Luther

***

This historical event thus opened up the translation of the Bible to English by another man, William Tyndale, which later became one of the biggest publishing houses.

If it weren’t for men like Martin Luther or William Tyndale,  and many others, the Bible would not be in the hands of millions and millions of people and translated into 704 languages. According to Wikipedia, there could be over 3,000 translations between the Old Testament, the New Testament, and other books of the Bible.

So while everyone else is celebrating Halloween on October 31st, we might want to give thanks and homage to the Reformation Movement as well.

 

 

 

 

References:

https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/martin-luther-posts-95-theses

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vulgate

www.revelationmedia.com

https://www.christian-history.org/john-tetzel.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Tyndale

https://www.britannica.com/biography/William-Tyndale

https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/samhain

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bible_translations

 

 

 

This Old Piano

September 12, 2022 /

There she stood, erected on a crate. Weathered, worn, abandoned. Set apart from the beautiful sunflowers that bordered her. It was an ironic visual. An old piano, an old piece of unwanted furniture among living foliage, and buzzing bees in the open air and under a cloudless sky. She was dead among life.

I approached her with awe and reverence. It sounds weird, I know, but this piano commanded a regal presence. Her keys were faded, some even torn, and when I went to press on them to make a musical note, it was out of tune with barely a sound. Just a dull ring.

A sadness came over me. It’s a thing, not a person, still, I wondered. I was curious as to where she had come from. Who played her? Why was she put here? Was she placed here for ambiance or dumped there because there was no more use for her? How long had she been on the grounds of this sunflower farm? The questions consumed me.

I imagined this piano in a sitting room in a large home, like a Victorian surrounded by shelves of books. Not just any books, but Encyclopedias volumes, Classic novels, Medical Journals, Poetry, and heavy Historical tomes. It would be a circular room, a study perhaps. A woman, in a formal gown, stroking her long fingers across the keys, effortlessly, as melodies sang through the hallways and winding staircases. What kind of music would she play? Would it be melancholy or uplifting? We shall never know. As I ran my fingers across the keys, I hoped that this old piano had had a glorious life of music and made her owners joyous.

How will our lives end? I believe our destinies have already been decided and that God knows. Whatever course, I pray it’s not one of abandonment, either, but rather, tattered in blessings and bruises. Wherever we complete our journey of life, we should take heart to live it fully because it’s the music you leave behind and not the structure of your being that makes it all worthwhile.

 

Grow Where You are Planted

August 29, 2022 /

Heraclitus, a Greek philosopher, was quoted as saying, “change is the only constant in life.” It is true, isn’t it? Nothing stays the same, and time stops for no one. Time. Hmm… I can write a whole other post on “time,” but not now. Let’s get back to the “change and the constant thing”.

In a recent discussion with my two teen daughters on how change can be a good life-experience, I came up with this parable. (Wink) I clear throat…. (Help me out here God, this is a teachable moment.)

“You see, in life, we have to look for the good soil in the world because there’s plenty of bad soil overridden with weeds.

When a circumstance happens and one is shaken out of their comfort zone, or needs to be uprooted, their roots have to find a new place to settle in. It doesn’t matter how big the soil, it can be a potted plant,

a flowerbed,

or a field.”

I sigh, “The important thing to remember is that you firmly dig your roots (morals, values, gifts) into the soil, take time to water it, and continuously prune the good roots, so that the bad roots do not take.

Life throws us curves and however long we are planted in that soil, our job is to grow in God’s grace and be fruitful. When things change, and they will, we can rest assured with hope to grow where we’ve been planted. It’s just whether YOU are desiring to grow where you’re planted.”

Moral of the story: Build strong roots, stand your ground, and always be ready to move.

 

References:

Photo by Karolina Grabowska: https://www.pexels.com/photo/crop-faceless-woman-planting-seedling-into-soil-4207909/

Photo by Muffin Creatives: https://www.pexels.com/photo/close-up-photo-of-person-holding-sand-2203683/

Photo by Teona Swift: https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-planting-green-seedling-into-flowerpot-6913449/

Photo by Greta Hoffman : https://www.pexels.com/photo/crop-person-in-gloves-working-in-garden-7728070/

Photo by Nothing Ahead: https://www.pexels.com/photo/rough-ground-in-countryside-in-daylight-7501538/

 

Full Heart; Empty Space

August 17, 2022 /

Fourteen years ago this month, I received this beautiful maternity chair at my baby shower. It has been one of the best gifts as I spent many hours feeding and snuggling with my two daughters. Seasons passed, day became night, and night became day as I rocked my children on this chair. I prayed, I cried, I laughed, and fell asleep on multiple occasions in the middle of the night with a child or both, in my arms.

As the children grew older and the need for middle of the night feedings ceased, I utilized this relaxing contraption as my journal-writing chair, book-reading chair, and praying chair. However, there comes a time when its use is no more. In recent years, it has become my decorative pillows holder.

Moved to the corner of my master bedroom, the space it occupied had become a bit cluttered. My husband reminded me that it was time. Yes, time to remove it and pass it along to someone else. It has served our purpose. It has been a wonderful reminder of the “challenging years” in mothering babies and toddlers. I do miss that period. It was simpler and I wasn’t rushed. Everything revolved around the beating hearts of my two blessings.

Like life, change is the only constant. At least that’s what I’ve heard. My daughters are blossoming and growing up. It’s what it should be, right?

Today I say goodbye to my chair. I pray that it will bring comfort and beautiful memories to the next family.

Until next time…

Still Water; Rampant Thoughts

August 16, 2022 /

It started out with a request to borrow my phone from my eldest daughter. I relinquished the phone, distracted by the scene before me. Caught in the still small sound of water and whistling hummingbird off in a tree, I went to my far-away place. It was in that moment my thoughts came alive.

Unbeknownst to me in this intimate setting with myself, God, and nature, my daughter took a picture. I don’t like taking pictures. They’re always so formal and planned but scrolling through my gallery of photos on my phone, I ran across this still shot of myself. And it brought me back… calming my spirit and sending a joy resonating through my body.

It’s a vulnerable photo of me. I wasn’t ON or had to pretend. It was real and honest. In a world where we have to be STRONG and fake our way, I was talking to God. My protector. Don’t be afraid to be yourself because at the end of the day, it’s you who has to look in the mirror.  And, don’t borrow your phone to your teenage daughter. Lol!

The Serpent and the Sun Halo

June 30, 2022 /

Whirling around, my daughter screamed, “Mommy, a black snake!” She bolted past me almost knocking me down on the sandy pathway leading to the beach.

My goodness, what the— It was then I noticed the little black serpent slithering through the granules. I had stopped just shy of ogling his tail before it vanished into the brush. I called after my teen, “It’s a garden snake silly. Come on back, it’s gone now.”

Shivering on the sidewalk, she yelped, “No! It’s a curse! I’m going to die!”

Not today, Lord! It was 90 degrees, the sun was blazing hot, and it was not even noon. I was sweating, and looking forward to dunking myself in the ocean for relief. My husband and younger daughter were already on the beach waiting for us and had come down earlier to set up the umbrella and chairs; meanwhile, my eldest daughter and I made deli sandwiches up in our rented condo. We were going to regroup with them when we encountered the infamous SNAKE.

Hoisting the little cooler with our lunch, and balancing my flip-flops in my other hand, I trudged back to my daughter who was in tears. “Calm down,” I said. “It’s gone.”

“What if it comes back out and bites me?” She hyperventilated. “I’m cursed, I’m cursed! I knew I shouldn’t have come to the beach with you guys!”

I quietly coaxed her as a family of four walked past us and onto the same sandy path that led to the beach. “See,” I pointed. “Look at those people. They’re going through, no problem. The snake has disappeared because it hears the footsteps on the sand. Remember, snakes feel in their bodies. Come on…”

She wouldn’t budge, holding her arms tight around her waist. “Serpents are bad luck, Mommy!” “Who told you that,” I gritted my teeth. This kid reads too much fantasy. “It’s true, it’s true,” she sniffled.

Upset with her unwavering actions, I left her on the sidewalk while I went to my family to drop off the cooler. Maybe my husband can convince her. At about the same area on the sand where the snake had passed, I picked up my pace as my feet sank deeper and deeper into the sand.

I arrived at the umbrella and my husband was standing with his hands on his hips wondering what had taken so long. After giving him a briefing, he trod through the sand to go and get our daughter. To no avail, she didn’t move, wanting to go up to the condo. My husband was ready to give in when I slogged back, threatened to take away her phone, and persuasively pulled her along the sidewalk to another path on the other side of the building.  By this time, my face, arms, and legs were so wet it looked like I had just come out of the shower. I counted to three and we ran hand and hand through the sand until we got to our spot.

It had taken her almost an hour sitting under the umbrella to get her bearings and when she did, she threw herself in the water because at that point she was overheated. Bobbing in the salty ocean, I looked up and noticed a rainbow halo around the sun. It was magnificent and glorious. “Girls, girls, look at the sun!”

“No, we’re going to be blinded,” my younger daughter smirked, going under a wave.

“Seriously, just for a second, look up.” Their faces marveled at the sight. “See,” I told them. “This is a blessing from God.” My older daughter shrugged. “How do you know it’s a blessing? I’m probably cursed forever.” I swam toward her. “You’re right, I don’t know for sure. But, it is still cool. I’ve never seen a halo around the sun before. It has to be a good omen.”

This seemed to reassure her a bit and we carried on the rest of the afternoon tanning and playing in the water, forgetting the strange incident. Weeks later, back at home, I was reminded of the snake and the sun halo upon seeing a rainbow post on social media. I decided to do some investigating on what the snake and the sun halo meant.

One of the most notable meanings of a snake crossing your path is a transition, indicating possible changes that could happen in your life. It could mean an encounter, an event, or an experience that can alter your life for good. The snake also symbolizes physical vitality and strength. Sometimes, it’s a sign that the universe has come to warn you against something terrible in your future. This site gives nine signs and their meanings.

The black snake is a message from the universe that they are watching your steps and they will protect you from making mistakes by intercepting your life if need be. A snake crossing your path could be a symbol of patience. It means you have to be patient because your way to success will not be easy.

What about that sun halo?

A halo forms when these high cirrus clouds are in front of the sun. The ice crystals in the clouds reflect and refract the sunlight which causes a halo to appear around the sun. What are Cirrus Clouds? Cirrus clouds are a type of high cloud. Cirrus clouds are made of ice crystals. Yet, everything starts with air and water. When dry air goes up, it makes water vapor turn into ice, forming the ice crystals that create cirrus clouds. A sun halo (and moon halo) usually means that rain will occur within 24 hours because the cirrostratus clouds that cause these beautiful halos usually mean a front is near.

Now, Biblically, through the centuries, people have looked to the heavens for spiritual answers and guidance. The Bible does tell us to look to the heavens for astronomical signs that reveal God’s power and glory. Below are just a small sample of scriptures to explain just that.

Luke 21: 25-28. “And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.”

 

Deuteronomy 4:19. “And take heed, lest you lift your eyes to heaven, and when you see the sun, the moon, and the stars, all the host of heaven, you feel driven to worship them and serve them, which the Lord your God has given to all the peoples under the whole heaven as a heritage.”

 

Acts 2: 19-21. I will show wonders in heaven above
And signs in the earth beneath:

Blood and fire and vapor of smoke.
The sun shall be turned into darkness,
And the moon into blood,

Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord.
And it shall come to pass

That whoever calls on the name of the Lord
Shall be saved.’

 

The halo around the sun shows evidence that God exists and is present in our lives, much like a rainbow does. In fact, it’s interesting to note that the halo around the sun is sometimes referred to as a “solar rainbow.” No matter what life throws at us or how many times we fall, our loving God is there to catch us. Our lives are not in vain because of His great love for us, as shown by the halo around the sun’s presence.

So, take this information and also do your own research. Whatever transition that is coming our way, we as a family will continue to look up to the Heavens for help and protection from God.

Until next time…

Be well. Be safe. Be happy.

The Sound of Holy Music!

June 7, 2022 /

I love the sound of the ocean. There is something magical, calming, and rejuvenating in hearing wave after wave crashing onto the sand. Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh. I didn’t grow up by an ocean or any body of water, but every time I have visited an ocean, it’s holy music to my ears and my soul.

A few weeks ago my family and I took a vacation to Florida for some sun and beach-filled adventures. We live in the Midwest and to get to the ocean, we normally travel by plane. I’m not knocking the lakes, ponds, creeks, or streams, but there is something incredibly glorious and magnificent about ocean waves both visually and auditory.

I was curious to learn about other favorite sounds that people have raved about. And off I went on the World Wide Web for the answer to FAVORITE SOUNDS!

This site gives seven favorite sounds. The first is the sound of coffee brewing in the morning. Yes, I’d have to agree. Growing up in the 70s and 80s, my mom used an old-fashioned percolator coffee pot, and then when we had more money, we graduated to Mr. Coffee coffee-makers. It is a good sound, but so is having a cup of fresh, brewed coffee in the morning AND watching the waves. A definite win-win in my book.

This site lists the sound of a vacuum picking up crumbs as their number one sound. Yes, that is satisfying when you’re vacuuming crunchy crumbs and dirt from the floor. My teen daughter would say that vacuum sounds are so ASMR! What is ASMR? It stands for “Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response.” It typically refers to the “tingly feeling” that travels from the head downward that some experience in response to certain sounds, feelings, or descriptions. These can include soft whispering, crinkling paper, or a gentle touch. There are a ton of ASMR videos on YouTube you can look up. Still, I’m not budging, I love crashing waves, and not the tsunami kind, either.

There have been studies done on how waves lower stress levels, energize you, etc. I believe it. Watching the waves rise up, fold, and slam into the sand is mesmerizing. I admire the incredible strength of the water. There’s no comparison between my small existence to this crafted, scenic design made by God. I also can’t help and think of all the beautiful wonders within this vast body of water, and all bodies of water alike. It’s a whole other world in the sea.

Do I matter against this creation? Yes, I am part of God’s handiwork. In fact, it took God six days to create the world. See Genesis 1: 1-31. You, me, and EVERY single creature that God formed in His hands are meant to be here. Well, maybe not the ants, spiders, and little, ugly bugs, but nonetheless, they too have a role on earth.

Standing on the edge of something bigger than myself, I’m renewed and refreshed. It’s more than enough. I am in awe. See you next time my beautiful sea…

What’s your holy sound?

 

The View between the Balcony Railings

May 25, 2022 /

The famous saying… “The grass is always greener on the other side,” may have some meaning here, minus the chilled cocktail in the photo. In this particular case, it’s a beautiful, fluffy, white sandy beach and an ocean on the other side of the railings. I’ve often wondered why is it that we as humans often see other people’s material things, lifestyles, families, etc., better than our own?

The idea behind the “The grass is always greener” goes back to the poet Ovid (43 BC – 17 or 18 AD). In his “Art of Love,” he wrote,

“The harvest is always richer in another man’s field”.

A Latin proverb cited by Erasmus of Rotterdam was translated into English by Richard Taverner in 1545, as:

“The corne in an other mans ground semeth euer more fertyll and plentifull then doth oure own.” (The corn in another man’s ground seems ever more fertile and plentiful than our own does.)

I’ve realized that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side; it’s our perception and comparison of what someone else has to our own haves. Look at social media and all the marketing ads for diet supplements, clothing, technology, etc.

The Bible tells us not to compare because we will never be satisfied. It’s true. It’s a vicious cycle, and we’re only fooling ourselves.

It still hasn’t stopped people from writing about the “wantings”. I don’t have control of that, but I have control of my mind and what I think and do.

The Tenth Commandment clearly states not to covet what’s not yours. Yet,  we do it anyway. I can’t take that beach and vast ocean and claim it’s mine, but then again, I’d love to own a piece of sand and ocean. Maybe in my next life.

From where I was sitting gazing at the world through the railings on a third-floor balcony, I’ll admit I felt enclosed, away, and detached. A spectator. The other side seemed open, exciting, and free. It was no wonder I had FOMO, fear of missing out.  I like to call it the “behind it vs in front” syndrome.

Life is a little like that. Some days you’re behind an issue or circumstance that’s not so good and you’re scrambling to move forward. On other days, you’re able to get in front of a troubling situation and a resolution is available. In both cases, you, and you alone have a choice on how you experience the world.

Your landscape can only flourish where you establish a good foundation. No railings can block your view unless you allow it.

You decide.

 

References:

Exodus 20:17 NKJV – “You shall not covet your – Bible Gateway

15 Bible Verses about Comparing Yourself to Others, Not Comparing Ourselves to Others – Powerful Scriptures – Daily Bible Verse Blog (jollynotes.com)

2 CORINTHIANS 10:12 KJV “For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves:…” (kingjamesbibleonline.org)

What Does The Grass is Always Greener on the Other Side Mean? – Writing Explained

Why do we say The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence? (bookbrowse.com)

Who said the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence? (askinglot.com)

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