My little city in Texas is in the midst of a drought. Not only have we lacked adequate rainfall, but our daily temperatures have soared over 100 degrees on many days. The early heat and the rarity of rainfall have taken a toll on grass, trees, shrubs and gardens. As a new retiree, I have become so aware of the consequences of weather and our dependence on God’s provision in this area.
I am a beginning gardener, and though my goal this spring was to start a cutting garden, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity for a few homegrown tomatoes. Yum! I did my part: I prepared good soil; I planted a healthy plant; I watered it and provided fertilizer; I even put in stakes for support. And I watched and waited. As the plant grew, I was fascinated with the tiny blooms and subsequent fruit growing. I was disheartened when one of the branches grew so heavy with new fruit that it broke from the vine. Did those tomatoes continue to mature and ripen? No! Did the vine continue to produce new blooms and fruit? No. Disconnected from the source of all its needs, the vine and its fruit withered and wasted away. I tossed it into a pile of yard rubbish destined to be burned.
I have sweet memories of walking through the back door of my parents’ home and finding them at the breakfast table, dishes pushed aside, Bible in front of them, and hearing their prayers for me and my family. Their boldness and fervor challenged me. Their tenderness humbled me. Their trust in the Lord gave me courage! What a precious legacy they left me! There is true comfort in knowing that someone is lifting you up in prayer to the throne of God!
When my grandchildren were little, we vacationed one summer at the beach. During that week I rediscovered the simple joy of building sandcastles.
One summer our family toured Luray Cavern. Our guided tour took us deeper and deeper into the earth. As we walked the well-lit path, our leader pointed out the natural wonders on all sides.
Several years ago my cousin and his wife bought a fifty-year-old ranch style home. In spite of its dated interior, they loved the house and envisioned what it could become.
I sat down to read and turned on the table lamp beside me. As light spread across the table, I saw a fine white powder coated its surface and even the books resting there.
As a young wife and mother, I thought I had the perfect blueprint for our family. My intention was to have two children. No more. Within a few years we had two wonderful little boys. When I learned that I was expecting baby number three, I was extremely upset.
Trials are hard. They’re messy. They’re down right painful. Do you feel blessed when you experience them?
Praise the Lord! He rescues us from the pit! I don’t know about you, but I have been in the pit many times throughout my life. Sometimes it’s sin that throws us into the pit, however, sometimes it is circumstances out of our control that throw us head-long into it.
Do you know how precious metals are refined? Smelting is the process in which gold is separated from ore and other metals. The ore is first pulverized with extreme pressure to create tiny particles, which are then melted at almost 2000 degrees Fahrenheit. As the gold becomes molten, most of the impurities are burned up.
No matter how you slice it, life is full of challenges. Each hardship represents some sort of loss; loss of a person, home, safety, stability, or purpose. This is why these experiences can be so painful.
I sat in Bible study one evening, during a time in my life I was struggling with obedience to the Lord in a particular area. Experiencing the cycle of sin, regret, asking forgiveness, and then continuing to regret over and over made me weary.
The nuisance of being stuck in the mud on a country dirt road is frightening if a tow truck is not around the corner. Wheels spinning, dirt and smoke billowing contribute to frustration. Cell phone in hand—whew! Help is on the way.
Last year was one of the most difficult years of my life while enduring ongoing and worsening health issues surrounding my beloved husband and brother. Several months before the medical journeys began, God led me to a Bible study on spiritual warfare. I tried to wiggle my way out of it, but my Savior knew I was on the threshold of experiencing new types of brokenness and vulnerability—new enemy territory.
The dollar bills I keep in the console of my car are sweet reminders of my youngest grandson. While in my car one day he said, “My Dad has thousands of dollars in his car so that he can give to homeless people.” Wow! Out of the mouths of babes. I sense caution sometimes about when and why I should give a handout to a person regardless of their disheveled appearance. Obviously, personal safety is an important issue because our world is a dangerous place—just as it was when Jesus walked on this earth.
Origami, the art of folding, dates back some thousand years to an ancient Oriental process of folding a two-dimensional piece of paper creating a three-dimensional sculpture. Oftentimes, the sculptures are representational of nature or objects—birds, flowers, or shapes.
Fish intrigue me. Not my typical consumption of salmon, which usually goes unnoticed, but the visual perfection and extravagant beauty of living sea life in its natural habitat is what fascinates me. The shapes, markings, lavish color and movement often entice me to stop and enjoy fish whenever I may see them— in stores, zoos or aquariums.
The Lord’s case against His people comes to a head in Micah 6. In His own words, He has not “burdened” them (6:3). Rather He has “redeemed” them from slavery and sent able leaders in Moses, Aaron, and Miriam (6:4). And so Micah proceeds to clarify that worship of the exalted God is really not a matter of burnt offerings or sacrifice of a firstborn (6:6-7) as was the pagan custom.
Ladies, I am so glad for the sun and the rain and the pruning and fertilizing of the word of God under the shepherding of the Lord and the Spirit. Living securely now is a given for those who believe. As Jesus prayed in John 17:3, “Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” We are truly blessed.
