Author, Wife, Busy Mom, A Woman after God's Heart.
I had the wonderful experience of writing for Relatable Voice Magazine’s December 2023 edition. Inside on page 50, you will find my article: “A Red Suit; A Patron Saint; A Baby in a Manger. A Quest for Christmas.”
You can download the FREE magazine and read many, many other articles in this AMAZING ISSUE.
Click here.
This morning I woke up out of a deep dream. I was playing tennis with Novak Djokovic. Yes, the world’s best tennis player right now. We were in an enclosed court with a tall black fence all around us. We weren’t playing per se, or volleying back and forth. Rather, we were serving the ball to one another. When Novak served, his balls often went over my head and got caught in the fence. My serves tended to curve to the left. For some reason, I was winning the serves.
When it was my last serve, which I didn’t know that it was going to be my last time, I approached the line. Bouncing the ball twice, I was getting ready to hit it, but instead, I let the racket swing down. Like a fake swing. From the corner of my eye, I saw Novak shift and move side-to-side. He readied back into position, and I bounced the ball again, once this time, and hit it. It curved to the left again. I was hoping it would land in the center of the box on the other side of the net, but it touched down in the upper-left-hand corner of the box, instead.
Novak returned the serve, and the ball flew out of bounds over my head, falling behind me. As I turned around to retrieve the ball, a woman with a ponytail and dressed in white tennis apparel approached me. She was all smiles. The court suddenly brightened, and she congratulated me on winning. I wasn’t shocked or surprised, but I thanked her anyway. It was then I noticed a couple of people folding a dark gray canopy off of the net. It’s one of those canopies or coverings on a patio set, at least that’s what it looked like to me. I realized the challenges of my serves and Novak’s serves were a result of that canopy hovering over the net.
Novak Djokovic ran up to me and congratulated me as well, and then he hugged me. My last thought in his embrace was … “I didn’t break a sweat.”
As I think of this dream and what I can glean from it, is that I had the assurance of winning, thus, not breaking a sweat or fretting about it. I felt peace. Novak is a good representation of the world, hitting back at me, and making me run for the ball all over the court. And the canopy can represent God’s hand in everything. He removes the darkness, He removes the pains, He removes our sorrows, etc.
So today, rest assured that whatever you do, God’s got this. Our job is to show up and serve, using our gifts for His glory. So, don’t break a sweat.
Until next time. Be well. Be safe. Be happy.
You ever wonder about wild mushrooms or how they grow and thrive anywhere? I’ve seen them in yards, our lawn, on tree barks, sides of the road off of busy highways, under fences, you name it.
I personally find them pesty and downright nasty-looking. Wild mushrooms are oddly shaped and often have a peculiar shade of color. I’m not talking about edible mushrooms, such as Portobello Mushrooms, Shiitake Mushrooms, and plenty of others, either.
In my curiosity, I decided to research how wild mushrooms grow. First, though we need to ask, what is a mushroom? According to Microsoft Bing’s definition,
A mushroom is a fungal growth that typically takes the form of a domed cap on a stalk, with gills on the underside of the cap.
Mushrooms grow from spores (not seeds) that are so tiny you can’t see individual spores with the naked eye. In the wild, mushrooms grow on both soil and other substrates like wood. No soil is necessary for growing them. Instead, they’ll grow on substances such as sawdust, grain, straw, or wood chips for nourishment. It’s also because mushrooms do not contain chlorophyll, therefore they cannot produce their own food using the process of photosynthesis. Mushrooms use the substratum that they grow on or have a symbiotic relationship with, in order to create the nutrients that they require. Isn’t that crazy how mushrooms have that capability?
Mushrooms can also grow in damp, dark places, and in wet, humid climates. Mushrooms are very sturdy, and I’ve seen them affixed firmly onto things.
My daughter took the above photo for me because I was fascinated by this particular mushroom and how it grew near a rock. Yes, there was soil and woodchips around it, but it awed me to see its strength and durability considering its surroundings.
The wheels in my brain began to turn as I stared at this mushroom. We live in a world where there is a fix for everything. Take this pill for this, drink this concoction for that, do this particular thing and all your anxiety and pains will go away. It goes on and on.
The culture also tells us to rely on our feelings, thus taking offense to everything. We avoid getting grounded in our faith, we avoid discussing our spiritual desires. The Bible tells us that if we don’t have a solid foundation, we are like the wind, tossed to and fro, and can be seduced by evil doctrine very easily. (Ephesians 4:14, Ecclesiastes 1:14)
We’re expected to keep up with the latest fashions, music, bestseller lists, and technology. But nowhere are we encouraged to speak Truths to one another.
I have a better appreciation of wild mushrooms now. They are brave fungi! No matter what’s around them, they attach themselves to something grounded and their roots flourish because of their strength on the inside.
We should all focus on cultivating our inner selves more so than our outer selves because…
How are you growing?
Resources
https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/where-do-mushrooms-grow.html
I’ve spent a good amount of my life doubting my decisions and often living in a hesitancy to failure. Now that I’m older, have much gray hair that I color every seven weeks, and have experienced things, I wish I had had someone tell it to me straight and be truthful. It is why I’ve taken a moment to accumulate nuggets of wisdom to pass along to my children, as if I was talking to my younger self because if tomorrow never comes, then I know I have spoken my truth today.
Dear Younger Me,
I know I can’t go back in time. But if I could have sent you a message, a note, spoken to you in a dream, I’d tell you these words:
Practice makes progress, not perfect because when you practice something long enough, you are really making progress. Perfection is not a mass finality, but rather an individualized, personal goal.
Gentle words, gentle play.Thru calmness, comes clarity.The best conversations are with myself.Don’t put words in the air that don’t belong there.Pain always follows the wanting.Get in front of the problem.
Fight the problem, not the people.
There are simple answers to difficult questions.
Turn your fear into a friend, not a foe.The decisions you make today affect you five years from now.Limit distractions. Stay on course.Don’t live for anything; stand for something.If you don’t stand for anything, you’ll truly fall for everything.Friends are people of passage. Find your people.You can only grow where you plant good seeds.
Grow where you are planted. And if you get replanted over and over again, dig your roots, and keep growing.
Don’t be a troublemaker, be a truth seeker.I’m temporarily closed…. forever. (Love the oxymoron)
I need God to pour into me so I can push out the overflow to others.Some questions have no answers.Love is love, but love is better when you love in truth.Love is love when it is done in truth.It’s how you overcome; not how you succumb.You either die suffering or suffer in dying!Test everything. Discern all.Everything good that comes out of me is from God, Everything bad in me, is from me.Lord, direct me to move out of the way, so You can make a way.Some people don’t want to make peace with you, rather they want a piece of you.Forgiveness is really for you to let go.The hardest people to love and pray for are the ones who persecute you.Rather than scold or talk badly about a person, pray blessings over them.You can’t control the passing on of generational curses, but you can stop them from being activated in your family.Wisdom, revelation and knowledge of Him, Jesus Christ is far better than all the education of the world.Be friendly with everyone, doesn’t mean you have to be what they are.It’s okay to feel that you don’t belong. It means you are growing in maturity. Put away your childish behavior and grow up.Not everyone is going to like you.Don’t stress about fitting in when God made you to stand out. Be separate from the culture.You’ll always going to have people jealous of you.Your biggest enemies are usually the ones closest to you.Family is blood. You can’t change that. But toxic blood often resides within the family. Get it out! Cast it out of your life!
If you don’t love in truth, it isn’t love.Stop appeasing those who keep using you.If someone doesn’t like you, no matter what you do, it won’t change their dislike of you. It’s because they’re threatened by you.Friends and family don’t always want you to succeed.No one friend can be your everything. Have many different friends with different interests.
Dream.
Be a risk-taker, not a regret-maker.
Pay someone’s bill.
Dress up for no reason and go to the grocery store.
Wear lipstick just to go for a walk.
Rather than watch a movie, turn on the television and watch cartoons.
Dance in front of your mirror.
Sing!
Work. It will teach you responsibility.
Learn to manage your money.
Go out to dinner alone every once in a while.
Love yourself.
Love God and love people.
Read. Read everything.
Get into God’s Word. Really read the Bible. IT IS a blueprint for living this earthly life.
Fretting and worrying all the time is really overrated.
Really watch a sunrise and a sunset.
Sleeping enough does help.
And it’s true. Never grocery shop when you’re hungry.
Never make big decisions when you’ve been drinking, are tired, or hungry.
Be true to yourself because no one is going to do it for you.
To be continued…
NOTE: This blog post was inspired by the song, “Dear Younger Me” by MercyMe. Check out the video here.
Dictionary.com defines a Table as:
A table is a piece of furniture used to place items on top, but mostly, to eat on. Yes, there are worktables, desk tables, etc., but in this instance, we are talking specifically about kitchen tables. Tables get dirty. Most modern homes don’t put any coverings on tables except for special occasions or holidays. See the following article on tablecloths.
Not in my home. I grew up in an Italian household with tablecloths on kitchen tables. Every time we sat down to eat, we had to pull out the old tablecloth. Did I say… EVERY SINGLE TIME! Once we were finished eating, we had to gather the cloth and go outside and shake the crumbs out in the yard, or at the end of the driveway. EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.
Are you getting the visual on this? Just checking.
So, when my girls were younger, I put a tablecloth on our kitchen table because they were messy, and it prevented them from nicking and damaging the table. We’ve always bought a good, wooden table for our kitchen. We’ve gone through four in the last twenty-three years. Not bad, but still.
Anyhow, we’ve had our current table for about three years. And the girls are in their teens now, so I decided to try mats. I went to the at Home store, and I bought these really nice mats. I wanted to be modern, and my girls liked them, so we tried them. Folks, it didn’t last a month. Crumbs got on the table and the mats. I was shaking out the mats, over the sink this time, and wiping down the table. This had become a double-duty job, not to mention, we vacuum around the table after eating too. Yes, I’m a stickler for cleanliness. I don’t like crumbs on the floor either, plus we have an exotic bird, and he throws his seeds on the floor. So, I’m constantly vacuuming too. The floor is always crumb-and-seed-free.
With all this extra work, I didn’t like this ‘mat thing’ very much. I went back to what I know from my childhood, the tablecloth. This time, I added a clear plastic covering OVER the tablecloth, also my childhood experience—yes, I’m dating myself.
Ahh… Shiny, and clean, I can see any dirt marks or anything sticky. With a wet piece of paper towel, I’m able to wipe it down, and instantly, the plastic is clean again. The best part, I can admire my Italian tablecloth under the clear plastic and not worry it gets stained. Woo-hoo, win, win!
My daughters, on the other hand, shook their heads in disappointment. I wasn’t cool anymore. They later told me, not only was this outdated, but this made me look old, very old. I laughed it off. They weren’t serious, were they? Hmm… shrug, I think I’m pretty cool! Aren’t I?
Here’s the thing, folks. I love the expression, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. I also like the idea of a smooth-looking table covering. It looks 80ish, okay, maybe 70ish… but it WORKS.
Tell me what you all do with your kitchen tables. To cover or not to cover? I’d love to hear your thoughts.
When I was a child attending catechism classes, now called Faith Formation, at my Catholic church, one of my favorite Bible stories was of Jonah and the Whale from the Book of Jonah. The Bible story of Jonah tells of a Hebrew prophet, hence Jonah, who is sent by God to warn the city of Nineveh of its wickedness and impending destruction. Instead of heeding his calling, Jonah flees by purchasing a ticket on a boat headed to Tarshish, which is the opposite direction of Nineveh. He is later thrown overboard and swallowed by a large sea creature and prays to God for mercy. Once released, Jonah obeys God’s command and preaches to the people of Nineveh, who repented and turned from their wicked ways, thus rescuing them from God’s wrath.
I’ve been in what I’m calling a “Jonah Spring”. I’m trying to cleanse my life of toxicity and harmful circumstances. We all know the ending of Jonah’s experience, but I was recently rereading the Book of Jonah, and certain verses struck a personal chord. You see, a lot has been going on in my family life, and inherited, overwhelming responsibilities which I prefer not to get into. In my reading, I learned something about myself through the scriptures (it’s amazing that way), that I believe might help others too.
Jonah1:10-16
10 Then the men were exceedingly afraid, and said to him, “Why have you done this?” For the men knew that he fled from the presence of the Lord, because he had told them. 11 Then they said to him, “What shall we do to you that the sea may be calm for us?”—for the sea was growing more tempestuous.
12 And he said to them, “Pick me up and throw me into the sea; then the sea will become calm for you. For I know that this great tempest is because of me.”
13 Nevertheless the men rowed hard to return to land, but they could not, for the sea continued to grow more tempestuous against them. 14 Therefore they cried out to the Lord and said, “We pray, O Lord, please do not let us perish for this man’s life, and do not charge us with innocent blood; for You, O Lord, have done as it pleased You.” 15 So they picked up Jonah and threw him into the sea, and the sea ceased from its raging. 16 Then the men feared the Lord exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice to the Lord and took vows.
Jonah knew he was the problem and caused God’s wrath, but the men on the boat didn’t want to throw him over at first—they felt guilty. So, they kept rowing, and the storm still raged on. Finally, when they cried out to the Lord and threw Jonah into the ocean, did the sea calm.
I realized through these scripture words, that if you want to change, you have to throw out “your Jonah”. That is, whatever is holding you back. Whatever has had a stronghold on you. If that Jonah has caused strife, disconnect, and pain, then it’s time to remove it from your life. And this is what I’m working on, being a better me, obeying the plans God has for me, and facing those awful situations head-on and casting them out into the abyss.
May you forge ahead in love, peace, and joy this Spring Season. Face those fears and get right!
My husband and I have been watching the 1883 series on Paramount +. The prequel of Yellowstone’s prosperous Dutton family. There is a 1923 show which continues from 1883, but we haven’t gotten that far yet.
In 1883, episode 6, there is an eye-opening scene between Tim McGraw who plays James Dutton, and his daughter, Elsa who is played by Isabel May. A tragedy has occurred that involved Elsa, and she took matters into her own hands so to speak. I won’t spoil it for you, but in their exchange, a life lesson occurs between a father and his daughter that can be a learning moment for us.
Elsa is angry and brewing with disdain and rage. Her father, James, tells her a story about his Civil War experience and subsequent killings he committed, which left him questioning the purpose of his life, as the wounded and the dead surrounded him. They realized together, they now shared a common bond of loss and hate. The father proceeds to counsel his child to not sit in the hate and give up, but rather use it for growth and development. Death was a certainty on their journey across the Plains, but they had to keep going for survival.
James Dutton ends his conversation with this one line: “Leave the hating to me”. Elsa’s teary-filled eyes follow her dad as he gallops away on his horse. James Dutton was insisting that his only daughter relinquish her wrath to her father who would protect her at all costs.
The same goes for God. In the Bible, in the Book of Jeremiah: Chapters 30:22 and 32:38, two scriptures repeat the same message:
“You shall be My people; and I will be Your God.”
And because of this, God demands that we turn away from our sins, hate, wrath, and humble ourselves and seek Him in everything. Just as it was written in 2 Chronicles 7:14.
“If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”
James loves his daughter, Elsa, so much, he’d risk his life for her. In one episode he even tells a horse rancher, “You’ll never love her like I do.” It’s the same with God, He loves us so much, and He made us in His image, as stated in Genesis 1:27.
“So God created man in His own image; in the image of God, He created him; male and female He created them.”
I know what you’re thinking. This is all fine and dandy, so were loved, yes, but it doesn’t discount the fact that there will be troubles in our lives. Even Jesus said so in John 16:32-33.
“Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
In Mark 13:8, Jesus said…
“For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be famines and troubles. These are the beginnings of sorrows.”
Remember, there are devils in our midst who want to consume our thoughts and actions and take away all that is good within us. Jesus said in John 10:10.
“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life and that they may have it more abundantly.”
You might be thinking that’s great; I’m still wallowing, the devil is winning. What do I do? Read Psalm 13. It’s a great battle cry!
“How long, O Lord? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me? How long shall I take counsel in my soul, Having sorrow in my heart daily? How long will my enemy be exalted over me?
Consider and hear me, O Lord my God; Enlighten my eyes, Lest I sleep the sleep of death;
Lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed against him”; Lest those who trouble me rejoice when I am moved.
But I have trusted in Your mercy; My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, Because He has dealt bountifully with me.”
Yes, there’s a lot to be angry about in this world and to hate. In Ephesians 6:12, it talks about how evil is much bigger than we can ever imagine.
“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”
How should we live every single day? We need to suit up and boot up and put on the Whole Armor of God as described in Ephesians 6: 10-18.
“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—”
Why do we need to do it at all? To protect ourselves when evil comes against us, knowing God will take vengeance for us as described in Romans 12:19.
“Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.”
Until then…Live your life with purpose, servanthood, love, and gratitude, seeking the Kingdom of God first as it is written in Mathew 6:33.
“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”
And leave the hating to God!
www.chiaratalluto.com
He took my sin and shame away!
For many, many years the Israelites were told of a coming Messiah. God first mentioned it in Genesis 3:15 after Adam and Eve disobeyed Him. God predicted that four generations would pass before Jesus was born. In fact, some Bible scholars suggest there are more than 300 Old Testament prophetic Scriptures completed in the life of Jesus Christ.
There are a ton of references in the Old Testament. Here are just a few scriptures references below: More can be found here.
Genesis 3:15 – And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel.
Isaiah 7:14 – Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.
Isaiah 9: 6 – For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 53 (A very lengthy chapter and description of the birth and death of Jesus. Click on the link.)
Galatians 4: 4-5 – To redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!”
Micah 5:2 – But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me, The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting.
There has also been something called the “400 Years Silence”. “The 400 Years of Silence” is the name given to the period of time between the last of the Old Testament prophets and the arrival of Jesus in the New Testament. It began with Malachi’s prediction of Elijah’s return, circa 430 BC, and ended with its metaphorical fulfillment: the coming of John the Baptist circa 6—4 BC.
I believe the entire Bible is all about Jesus from beginning to end. However, I also believe specifically, The Old Testament is God’s testimony of His love toward our human race and His constant urging of His people to turn away from sin and back to Him. (2 Corinthians 7:14).
Why would He do that, you ask? Because from the beginning, He made man in His image, (Genesis 1:7), even though we are all sinners and frequently come short of the Glory of God, (Romans 3:23). And so… in order to help us understand how grand God’s love for us is, He had to send His only son, Jesus, to save us from sin. (John 3:16-17).
Yes, Jesus! King of Kings and Lord of Lord, (Revelations 19:16, and 17:14) was, is, and always will be a King. There have been many babies born to be kings of their land, but only one king ever became a baby. The Old Testament scriptures lead to that revelation because the Israelites didn’t expect a baby, but a Mighty King. (Acts 1:6; Ezekiel 37: 24-25).
Wow, were they shocked? Hmm… God does have a sense of humor.
***
I love Christmas music. I start listening to it after Thanksgiving, as I like to give each holiday its respectful celebration. Some of my recent favorites are:
Somewhere in Your Silent Night – Casting Crowns
Mary Did You Know – Danny Gokey
Breath of Heaven – Amy Grant
And, this year, Then Christ Came by MercyMe and Phil Wickham.
Raised Catholic, I never concerned myself with the Bible, the stories, the significance, God’s anointings and gifts to us, the Holy Spirit’s role in our lives, and how Prophesy is manifesting in the world today, right before our eyes. I’m not knocking Catholicism, but there is so much more to learn about Christianity.
You see, in June of 2006, I accepted Christ as my Lord and Savior. I didn’t think much of it then and how it would transform my life. Years later, I embarked on a reading journey of the Bible. It took me two years and almost two months, from January 2019 to February 2021, to read from Genesis to Revelations. It was quite an experience. So much history and happenings I hadn’t known. Exposed only to the Gospels, I felt now, my understanding of God was coming full circle. And still, I tread on. In August 2021, a phrase came to my mind; so I wrote this below and taped it to my Bible.
After that, I couldn’t go back. When the new year came in, January of 2022, I understood the next step in my new life. In July of 2022, I was baptized. Oh, and what a glorious declaration and dedication to Jesus it was. I was His! (2 Corinthians 5:17)
Fast-forward to December 2022, and I hear Then Christ Came. Two of my favorite verses:
You are the one I prayed for! You are the one I was made for! Hallelujah!!
Jesus you gave me purpose. Jesus you told me I’m worth it! Hallelujah!!
Just like the Israelites who hoped and prayed for a Messiah. I patiently prayed for Jesus to open my eyes to accepting Him into my heart. Hallelujah!! He changed everything. Jesus changed our history. Born of a Virgin, a Son named Immanuel, God with us. (Mathew 1:23)
He changed me from the inside out! Jesus said, I am in you, and you are in me. (John 15:7)
This is the reason for the season. Glory to glory in the highest and peace to its people on earth. I bring good tidings. A Savior, Christ the Lord, is born in the city of David. (Luke 2:8:20)
This Christmas, may you all learn to know about Jesus!
Until next time…
Be well. Be safe. Be happy.
Photo credit by Vinícius Vieira ft: https://www.pexels.com/photo/nativity-set-figurine-3355002/
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
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.
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