“The RoseBouquet”

It seems on that very same walking trip from Jericho to Jerusalem, things built up to an excited pitch. When the crowd following Jesus got near the tiny village of Bethphage, Jesus sent two disciples ahead to bring back a donkey and her never-ridden colt.

Just as He had told them, someone asked, “Where are you going with that donkey and colt?” When they answered as instructed, “The Master needs them,” they had permission. I suspect the owner had once offered Jesus whatever He needed. Now it was needed.

It fulfilled prophesy from centuries before, no less! Zechariah 9:9 says, “See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”

The crowd loved it. They knew peaceful kings rode on donkeys, not horses. Only warlords rode horses. So they began to celebrate by laying down palm branches before Jesus and the donkey and colt, and they sang songs of praise, and ran alongside and behind praising Jesus as if He were truly their King. The lines of their song were, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!”

Upon entering Jerusalem the astonished people started asking, “Who is this?”

The praising, worshipping crowd answered gladly, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”

PRAYER: Oh Lord! I’m ashamed to say I have very rarely praised and worshipped You so openly, so publically. But I realize today that You are very much worthy of such public display of worship and honour and gladness to walk alongside You. Help me to be more unashamed and joyous in my praise of You in public. I’m thinking, both at church and in other public situations. I need to give You glory and honour for who You are, and for the marvelous ways You bless and provide for me. I want hosannas to trip off my tongue more readily and more often to Your glory.

+++++Jesus is my King+++++Jesus is my King+++++

Blessings on you Today!
Ruth Marlene Friesen

P.S. So you love clothes, eh? I bet you’ll love Darlin’ Bonne’s Shoppe in my book, Ruthe’s Secret Roses. Ruthe helps a friend in need by sharing her dream of a dress designing shop. Oh the fun and experiences they have there! You ought to order this novel! e-Book edition Softcover edition.

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I’m in the awkward position of needing to keep the house looking tidy because the realtors are starting to come size it up, but at the same time, I want to sort and pack a lot of things, so they are ready to be sold (or in some cases given away).

Last Friday my friend Laura, who had volunteered to help with this, came, and brought her daughter Rachel, who had a day off school. Things were coming out of the drawers and closet so fast I couldn’t keep up with deciding where things were to go, and how to label them. But it was a rather fun time for us.

After we had lunch they helped me bring some snow to melt for watering my plants, and they left. I took a look at Dad’s bedroom with the heaps of this and that all over the bed, and around the room, and decided to leave it all as it was, and come back to sort it on Saturday.

That’s what I did, and although it took longer than I’d anticipated, I have that room all done, (except for 2 drawers), and I put all the labeled boxes and bags into the closet and shut the door. I made up the bed with an old embroidered bedspread, and decided it was as cleaned up as I could get it. It looks more like a room full of furniture than a room that is lived in, but …it’s ready for the public.

Just two more bedrooms, the living room, - mostly my desk here - and the kitchen left to go, and that’s just the main floor. Packing up the basement is another story.

Monday of this week I went to the city and saw a house for sale. Ugh! Yuck! What a mess! And that one was under $50,000. Anything worth looking at, ready to move into, is starting at $100,000.

I felt it was time to shift to my next stage of research and see what rental units look like. I did that in more depth last night, and suddenly that ol’ fixer upper house seems to have all I need. As long as I don’t burn through all my friendships and church contacts trying to get help to fix it up!

I had a restless night in bed this last night, as I began to see that house with more hope and downright anticipation. My mind is still a’whirling this morning. If God gives my friends a desire to help and provides the funds, that house could be turned into a cute little green cottage, with bright morning glories climbing all over it!

What’s more, I’d have good friends next door, as it was Joe and Penny that alerted me to this house; they told the owner they would rather have me for a neighbour than the tenants who’ve been there so far.

If you’re reading my daily Matthew blog, you’ll know that the title for today’s devotional is from Jesus’ question, “What do you want Me to do for you?” In case you’re willing to be the chorus to my asking Him, here’s what I would like from Jesus;
1. knowledgeable friends to help negotiate the best deal
2. a way to raise the funds in full, including for the renovations needed
3. local friends willing to help with the work and the moving in.

I got a translation job completed on Saturday night. Aside from getting my blogs out, and building client’s sites a couple of nights a week, I feel like I’m just answering email, and not getting a lot of business done. Still, I am thinking about it a lot. I took time on Saturday to prayerfully consider, what can I do to make my business ventures pay a profit more quickly?

It seems that offering short computer related courses, even just one day seminars, would work. But I really need to be in the city to get those going. I ought to prepare a small brochure on the business services I offer - IF I can fit it in. Looks like I’m just going to have to be plain super-busy for the next month or two.

Fortunately, my health and strength is returning! Today I started my early morning walk again, praise the Lord!

Getting back to the business of marketing my books, I have just yesterday and today come across some helpful links. If you are also trying to market your own books, these will be helpful to you.

My publisher’s special marketing site with helpful articles. Especially the top series of six articles. marketing.booklocker.com

Kaye Trout does reviews of Print-on-Demand (POD) books on her blog; kayetrout.blogspot.com

Incidentally, did you know that I also do book reviews? If someone sends me a book and I really like it and feel I’d like to recommend it to my website readers, I put up a review page in my Sharing Library. You can see them at Sharing Library Book reviews

Kaye also has one on how POD writers market their books; kayemarket.blogspot.com

There is of course much more information if you know how to do your research. These are just very simple starter pages.

You’ve decided to go on line? Congratulations! It’s the start of probably the most exciting part of your life. Excuse me, that is true for some. The majority quit as soon as they get frustrated.

But I’m assuming you are just like me. Broke as can be, but eager to learn and willing to persist until you get the hang of it and make it succeed.

In fact, you’ll need more than just a willingness to persist. You need a mission, a sense of God’s will in this; you have a destiny on the net, as the honeymoon will only last so long.

Steve Case, CEO of AOL is to have said his favourite quote is, “The harder they fail - the bigger they grow.” I’m not sure whom he was quoting, but it takes for granted that you’ll run into some failures before you hit the big times. Mind you, it’s not failing that makes you big, it is the getting up over and over to meet your huge challenges.

This brings me to my key point. You need to involve God in your business if you want really good help. “How do I do that?!” you may cry out.

You may not know just yet, what you will do on the internet. You need to find your niche (more suggestions on that in a future article), but there are four ways to prepare and lay a solid spiritual foundation even before you know that.

[To read the full article see; Ways 2 Involve God
P.S. This is one of the very first articles I wrote after I went online to find ways to market my novel. I still feel it offers sound advice].

Jesus was at the head of a large crowd leaving Jericho. No doubt there were some circus followers, who were eager to see a miracle. Some might have been caught in the flow of humanity, even though they had an agenda of their own.

News of Jesus was so common, that everyone, including two blind beggars beside the road had heard of Him. So now, when these wayside beggars heard that it was Jesus that the center of attraction, and He was coming by, they began to cry out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”

From that we surmise that they knew Jesus’ heritage, and that He could heal the blind.

Jesus gave them a chance to affirm and give their request more specifically. He asked, “What do you want me to do for you?”

These men knew what they wanted; “Lord, we want our sight!”

Jesus had compassion, touched their eyes, and immediately, they could see. They jumped up and gladly followed Him in the crowd. (How much they got distracted by everything and everybody else they saw, the Bible doesn’t say, but we can imagine there was some of that).

I’ve been learning lately about the importance of daily affirming what we believe. We also need to pray very specifically when we make our requests before God. This story reemphasizes this.

Do you at times wonder why God doesn’t seem to be answering? Perhaps you too, ask much too vaguely. Let’s change that!

PRAYER: LORD Jesus, I do believe You are the Son of David, as foretold, but also the Son of God, and that You have all power to heal and guide us. Sometimes I’m far too vague about the things I want to receive from You. It is no wonder if then I am not sure You are hearing me. Help me to know clearly what are the best requests I can make, and then to boldly make them by faith.

+++++Jesus is my King+++++Jesus is my King+++++

Blessings on you Today!
Ruth Marlene Friesen

P.S. Ruthe is afraid to tell her family back home for reasons of her own, and this leads her to live a double life. The pressures build. Sooner or later she has to take some of the advice she gives others, for she’s getting into serious trouble! Ruthe’s Secret Roses.

Favouritism. We all hate it when we see it in someone else, but if the truth be told, we like to be the one who is favoured, right?

Mothers are known to seek out the best for their children. It’s the nature of a healthy Mom. But this mother of James and John, Zebedee’s sons, boldly asked for special places in Jesus’ kingdom, right at His side. To be fair, she understood there was a great kingdom coming. She wanted the best for her sons.

Nor did Jesus rebuke her for this. Instead, he turned to James and John and asked them, “Are you able to drink the cup I am going to drink?” In other words, can you suffer all I’m going to suffer?

“We can,” they answered. Their mom had taught them confidence, so faith came easily to them.

Jesus agreed they would drink from this cup, but as for who got to sit where in the throne room, - that was up to God the Father.

The other disciples heard about this conversation soon enough, and they were indignant. Jesus headed off a clash by addressing all the disciples. He reminded them that the Gentile style of leadership was to lord it over others and give commands. But that was not how it was to be with them. In His spiritual kingdom, those who would be recognized and rewarded were the servants, those who served as glad and willing slaves. All they had to do was follow His own example as the Son of Man who came to serve and to give up His life as a ransom for many.

What does this mean for me and you? Don’t be bossy Christians; we’re to lovingly, respectfully serve others. That’s what will get us promoted to higher positions, where we’ll get even bigger chances to serve.

PRAYER: Lord, I wish we could watch more examples of this at work. But You gave us the best example of a servant-hearted Saviour. Keep my eyes on You. Thanks for the opportunities I have to serve. Help me to be an example to those who watch me.

+++++Jesus is my King+++++Jesus is my King+++++

Blessings on you Today!
Ruth Marlene Friesen

P.S. If you have difficulty building new friendships it might help to watch someone who makes friends easily and study her. Ruthe, the heroine in my novel would make a great subject for this! The whole book is from her viewpoint and shares her thoughts. You get to “feel” what it is like to start a new friendship, and then work at keeping it alive..Get “Ruthe’s Secret Roses.” the softcover at Booklocker.com

Think ahead to the Easter story in a few more chapters in Matthew. Weren’t the disciples shocked and overwhelmed when Jesus was cruelly led away to be tried, scourged and then made to drag His cross up to Calvary? It reads there as if they had no idea this was going to happen. Yet, here in Matthew 20 we find where Jesus very plainly tells His disciples what is going to happen.

He said, “We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will turn him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day He will be raised to life!”

So today I’m puzzling over what the disciples heard when He told them this. It couldn’t be plainer .One can no longer assume that Jesus didn’t know He was going to be crucified. Nor that He tried to keep it from His disciples. Seeing these verses here, I’m convinced that Jesus knew full well, what was in store for Him. He went right into it, and let it happen! Would you have done that?

I know sometimes I have gone ahead anyway, into some new venture even though I sensed that it wasn’t all going to be easy. I expected some difficulties and a learning curve at the very least. But if I’d known of such a death in my future, I am not sure… I’m just not sure I would have been able to walk right into it.

Ah, but Jesus also said that He would be raised to life on the third day! He knew that too! He knew what a victory that would be over death for all of us. He knew that His resurrection would give new life and hope to His disciples, and to all who believe on Him through the centuries of time, including those from the Old Testament days, and us right here today, this very hour!

PRAYER: Oh Lord, how can I not love a Saviour like You, who knew the painful cost of dying for all us sinners, and yet You also knew the glory and joy that would come with Your resurrection. So You endured the pain for our sakes What a LOVE!

+++++Jesus is my King+++++Jesus is my King+++++

Blessings on you Today!
Ruth Marlene Friesen

P.S. Just graduating from high school in a small town in Saskatchewan, Canada, Ruthe commutes to the city of Saskatoon as a telephone operator. BUT in her off hours, she gets involved in the lives of the abused, bereaved, dying and spiritually hungry. Read Ruthe’s Story

Have you ever heard of an employer who paid all his employees the same salary? No bonuses for senior employees or ones who had been with him a longer time?

Not in this current day and age in our country I haven’t. Perhaps in other times and other places, it happens, but our western nation is used to unions and government laws concerning our jobs. But we go off on a tangent if we dwell on that point. There are others in this story Jesus told.

That the landowner kept going out at different hours of the day, looking for workers to hire is noteworthy. He had a vineyard ripe for harvest and he needed workers to bring it in. Surprisingly, from morning to the eleventh hour at night, he could always find idle people with nothing to do. Nor is there anything to say they were reluctant. They came when he offered them work.

But at midnight when the man paid all the workers, the ones who had worked all day for the agreed denarius were put out that the freshest workers, who only put in one hour got just as much, a denarius, which was a day’s wage in that Rome-dominated world.

As I consider the accepted interpretation that this landowner is to be compared to God calling workers to gospel ministry, it makes a lot more sense. Those who have been believers from childhood and have served God all their lives will get a worthy reward, but those who come to Christ late in life, and have only a little part of their lives left to give to serving the Lord, - they too, shall get a reward.

The important point is to come into His service when He calls us, and to work gladly in His spiritual vineyard, bringing in the harvest of souls won to faith in Christ.

PRAYER: Lord, I am one of those who has known and loved You from my childhood. I have desired to serve You from before I knew how. I’m one of those in danger of being disgruntled when I see other later starting servants get Your good rewards. Help me not to have such attitudes. Rather to care that Your work gets done, and that You are pleased and praised. Amen.

+++++Jesus is my King+++++Jesus is my King+++++

Blessings on you Today!
Ruth Marlene Friesen

P.S.Got sibling troubles? Do you and your sister fight like cats? Sometimes it’s two against three - never really fair, is it? Ruthe, in Ruthe’s Secret Roses has one jealous sister and one who adores her and is able to keep secrets very well. You’ll find that she understands your dilemma, as you watch her struggle for answers.

Peter was listening intently when Jesus talked of that eye of the needle. He got the part about giving up everything, and he figured they qualified. He said, “We have left everything to follow You! What then will there be for us?”

“I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” Then Jesus added for the rest of us who have come in the centuries since then, “And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children of fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.”

Then one more thing, “But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.”

Have you sacrificed your normal rights to your home, your family, your property? Did you give up a job to serve the Lord? Well, Jesus says in the future You will have a hundred times more than what you gave up! That’s a generous reward.

However, we’re going to see some surprises at that reward time. Those who appear to be way ahead, will come in last, and those who look as if they are losers now, will come in at the front of the line for rewards. Now, that is going to be very interesting!

Do you ever feel like your sacrifices are not much to mention, and nor are you accomplishing much - like your rewards might be zero? I have and do sometimes. But we’re looking at our lives from a human viewpoint. God sees perfectly, and will reward as in fact we’ve earned by our sacrifices and service to Christ.

PRAYER: Oh Lord, thank You for being perfect, and really seeing what goes on in our lives. I trust You will reward fairly. I am going to stop fretting about whether I’m ahead or behind others. Help me to be wholly devoted to You, and willing to give up everything for Your sake. My time, my work, my relationships, my possessions, whatever I have any claim to, I give up to You!

+++++Jesus is my King+++++Jesus is my King+++++

Blessings on you Today!
Ruth Marlene Friesen

P.S. “God, give ME a Friend!” Is that your heart’s cry? If you feel friendless, you will be thrilled to meet Ruthe and her BEST Friend, whom she loves to share! Get the book; Ruthe’s Secret Roses.