Do you ever hear your friends speak about being “free in Christ,” and while you agree with a nod, you feel sick inside because you still carry a heavy burden of guilt?
Side by Side
My heart soars when I watch a certain young man joyfully assist the worship minister rehearse with the choir before entering the sanctuary. His body bends over his crutches, yet he stands as if his posture was perfectly straight. His face reflects the joy and love of Christ with an unguarded smile. His eyes look to Heaven as he sings. Christ’s radiance on his face inspires me every time I see him. This man is famous to Jesus. Jesus is famous to this man.
We’re Overcomers
In Spring when the Dogwood trees bloom, I think of Christ’s death and resurrection. This year I collected two trays of blossoms for drying in an attempt to hold on to their fleeting beauty and to extend my reflection on the amazing story.
Jesus is the Way
Jesus spoke earlier in John 8:12, “…I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” The light Jesus provided for Thomas has continued to light the way for His followers throughout the centuries.
God’s Fierce Protection
“She’s a Bethlehem Donkey. They get the name from their markings. If you look closely, you’ll see a brown stripe down her back and across her shoulder making the shape of a cross.” That’s how the owner introduced me to the new donkey that arrived with a small herd of cattle.
Cleaning Up and Cleaning Out
I scampered for shelter from tending the burn pile. The rumbling thunder signaled the arrival of yet another Spring storm. From my porch perch, I gazed at the darkened sky and marveled at what I saw—birds barely in view calmly soaring in and out of the clouds. With time, my eyes focused well enough to count to twenty-one. I wanted to imagine twenty-one eagles soaring above reminding me that I too could ‘soar like an eagle’ when I trusted in God’s power for my life. I knew better, though.
From the Inside Out
I’d patched it twice—a dab of spackling and a dollop of paint. I noticed it again while dusting the mantle. That small crack in the wall had returned. As I poked around, I discovered additional soft spots surrounding the crack. This could not be good! Bob-the-handy-man agreed. It could be water damage, dry rot or, even worse, termite damage.
Intimacy with God
My husband and I put our home on the market, and it sold in three days. We were restoring my grandmother’s home as a place for family and friends to gather. Because of the quick sale of our home, we moved into the home we were restoring. I have spent a lot of time scrubbing, scraping, and sorting. The move and restoration process has not only made me do a lot of physical organization and inventory, but spiritual inventory as well.
Keep it Simple
A few months ago we sold our home. We wanted more time to discern what God’s plan was for our future, so we are living in our farmhouse. It is much smaller that our former home, about half the size. Many of our things are in storage because the farmhouse was already furnished. I am realizing just how many extra things I had in our larger home. We are living comfortably with a lot less stuff.
Winning on Our Knees
I never participated in sports while growing up, but by nature I am a very competitive person. I like to win and be a part of the winning team. When I face spiritual competition I want to be victorious as well. In order to have spiritual victory we must fight through prayer, and sometimes those prayers should be offered while on our knees.
The Storms of Life
How many of you can relate to the feelings of the disciples in our passage? Have you ever been caught in a storm in your life? Have you had a time when your problem seemed too big and your faith was too small? Have you ever felt threatened by the storm and its uncertainty?
Are You Wearing your Hearing Aids?
Jerry and I enjoy watching the same TV programs. My hearing problem is frustrating for both of us. When my husband hears several “huhs” from me he will ask, “Are you wearing your hearing aids?”
Freedom
Some people think being a Christian means giving up fun, becoming dull and boring. For me, that is just not the case.
Choose Kind
Have you noticed the ads on social media for t-shirts expressing thoughts about kindness? The shirts may have pictures or other words on them, but they all end up saying, “Choose Kind”.
Filled with What?
Normally I keep my Bible right by my bed. I know it does not have magical power, but I like having it near. Having it right there certainly does make it easier to grab and jump right in to reading the wisdom filling it.
Third Try
Trying to find a home in a large metropolis proved to be much more difficult than I expected. The market was very different from our small East Texas town.
Settled
Good news: My husband got a new job.
Bad news: We had to relocate from the place we had lived for twenty years.
Good news: We got our house ready and put it on the market to sell.
Bad news: Although people came to see it, no one put an offer on it.
Good news: A family did put an offer on it and we accepted it.
Bad news: The closing date got pushed out much further delaying our move.
Good news: We found a house we liked in our new location.
Bad news: Someone else beat us putting a contract on it.
Meet Me at the Playground: Let’s Play Red Rover
Red Rover was a team game often played on the courtyard of Travis school. Sometimes we included the boys. However, if they became too rough, we quickly ousted them.
Meet Me at the Playground: Let's Slide
Our Girl Scout troop had enjoyed sliding down the largest slide at our city park. At noon we left to eat our picnic lunch in another area.
Meet Me at the Playground: Let’s Jump Rope
We jumped rope on the courtyard of our elementary school. We always brought our own ropes, but we really liked to jump with the heavy long rope thrown by two of our friends. Remember?