When my girls were younger I used to love reading them stories. Some of our favorites were the princess stories, such as Cinderella, Snow White, and Sleeping Beauty. Even though each of these make-believe stories ended happily, the challenges the princesses faced getting there were difficult.
The first decision I made seemed innocent enough. My daughter and I chose to go get our fingernails done thinking we had plenty of time before my grandson’s PreK program. Of course, it took longer than expected so we rushed out in a hurry afterwards.
My five-year-old grandson did not appreciate me good heartedly teasing his baby brother about spitting up all over his bib. “That’s what bibs are for!” he scolded me indignantly. I tried not to giggle at him and thought it quite sweet for him to take up for his brother.
During an appointment with a trusted doctor, I mentioned that some of the foods I loved had begun causing me some stomach distress when I ate them. He looked me straight in the eye and said, “That sometimes happens to women of your age.”
While driving home from a stressful trip on a quaint country road, I set the cruise control in my car to 71mph. As I travelled along enjoying the scenery and peacefulness, I got distracted and looked down to fiddle with the car menu. I glanced back up at the very last second to avoid hitting a car stopped dead still in front of me. I felt like God tapped me on the shoulder just in time. Thankfully, no accident occurred.
That question, “What do you want me to do for you?” I had never considered it for myself, but decided to give it a try.
I set my alarm early, knowing I had devotionals due soon and absolutely nothing written. I needed some quiet hours to reflect and write. For almost two hours, I sat and stared at my computer and my open Bible. Nothing came.
I have a friend whom I greatly admire professionally. She is one of the best in her field. She has stated emphatically to me that she is not a believer in Jesus Christ, but she has also stated that she is searching for truth. More than once she has remarked that her mind is filled with questions and that she is frustrated, even angry about her lack of answers. She has determined to continue seeking answers to the big questions in life—answers that she says may never come.
It was a stormy night. I was driving slowly in a blinding rainstorm with a car following closely behind. I was having difficulty seeing the road ahead, but I noticed when I glanced in my rear view mirror that the lights of the car behind me illuminated the road markings. By frequently glancing, I was able to navigate somewhat better in my lane.
How do you respond when God does the unexpected? I am a planner. Before I begin something, I like to determine a plan of action and approximately how long my task will take. In a recent assignment, I thought I knew the plan of action, and I had an idea of the amount of time that would be involved. But then God did the unexpected.
Have you ever had to run to keep up with God? Recently, I was part of a group that was given an assignment of great magnitude. Each of us felt the weight of this responsibility, and we fervently sought God, asking Him to make His will known. Following God one step at a time became our group’s heartfelt desire. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit (Galatians 5:25).
Have you ever been in a tight spot…a place of restriction and confinement? Perhaps circumstances have narrowed your world. Maybe the decisions ahead seem bridled and limited. Could it be that your heart is bound up in despair and hopelessness?
I was up in the wee hours last night. Now that my babies are teenagers, my mid-night awakenings are my own fault and not their hunger or restlessness. I walked to the back of the house where uncovered windows face the inky backyard, and I was amazed at how just a tiny bit of ambient light chases the darkness away. Regardless of how deep and long and wide the darkness, just a speck of light can reveal things hidden.
“Why do you love God?, the bitter woman spewed at my mother.
“I love Him because I know Him,” she answered quietly.
Spring cleaning has taken on a new meaning these days. Closets, drawers and attics have been reorganized. Our yards and gardens may be looking better than years before. Surely there is some comfort gained while our to-do lists dwindle. But some people are entering into a restless phase while this virus continues to take center stage in our lives. I have begun to sigh when I hear the morose acronym...COVID-19.
I was bogged down in my daily Bible reading. After I trudged through Exodus, past the victory of the plagues, the miracle of the manna and quail and the water from a rock, I sat mired in the details of the Tent of Meeting….the place where God planned to meet and fellowship with His people.
I listened intently as my distant relatives communicated stories about my parents when they were young. The previous day, my mother had shared some of the same stories. Hearing the stories from different viewpoints added details and richness.
A World War II veteran shared some of his experiences at my church. He recounted carefully maneuvering through a minefield with his troop. Terror filled the group as one of his buddies up ahead inadvertently stepped on a mine. This soldier knew he had no hope unless someone helped him. All he could do was stay extremely still, remain calm and wait. One wrong move would end his life.
Cleaning out the refrigerator can be a frustrating endeavor, tossing into the trash those uneaten leftovers or the bag of slimy lettuce or whatever that dried and shriveled thing used to be. Wouldn’t it be so much more cost effective to buy and prepare only the amount of food we needed with never any waste or spoilage?
Red, round, juicy home-grown tomatoes are my obsession every summer! They are far superior to their tasteless counterparts that are picked green and ripened by gassing, occupying the shelves in most grocery stores.
