Suppose I decided to go bowling with a friend who wanted to play the game without the gutter guards. If you knew how bad of a bowler I am, you’d know I’d start sweating! Do you know the first thing that would start going through my mind? “Whatever you do, DON’T go in the gutter!”
One of my seminary professors once described holiness simply as “other:” meaning that if you took the sum total of all your past experiences and drew a circle around them… Holiness would be in an entirely separate circle.
“I love waiting!” said no one, ever. Can you think of a time when you prayed for something that meant a lot to you—I’m talking fervent prayer—and waiting for an answer seemed to drag on? Did you get impatient? Did you lose faith and take matters into your own hands?
Rest: (v.) to stop using something so that it can be made strong again. 1
When I felt the Lord pressing on me to share on rest, I was initially stumped for words. I prayed, opened my laptop, read Psalm 62, prayed again.
Groggy and moving slowly, I open the back door to let our dogs out. It’s a bright, spring morning—green grass, warm sun accompanied by a light breeze, flowers sprouting (I feel compelled to mention the weeds I’ve looked at every morning this week and failed to pull). This is a favorite time for so many people! Even from Solomon, we hear praise that winter is past (Song of Solomon 2:11).
Do you consider yourself an expert at something? Perhaps “expert” doesn’t fit well. How about skilled, professional, or you know without a shadow of doubt that you have authority in a particular area? Reflect on the trials you have experienced to become better; concentrate on the amount of time—months, years, decades—it took you to fully grasp and understand.
Can anyone else relate to having a barrel of monkeys for a family? When I was a child, my grandma’s house would be considered our “barrel.” That was where everyone showed up after work, for family meals and holidays.
I sometimes watch a fun little show on HGTV called “Love it or List it?” The homeowners have a problem with the design or layout of their house which bothers them. An excellent designer comes in, remodels, and presents the homeowners with a brand-new beautiful version of their home.
Do you remember the old black and white swashbuckling movies? Many times, with swords drawn one of the sword bearers would shout, “En Garde!” That cry would get everyone’s attention in a hurry.
Has anyone ever asked you about your life verse? Sometimes my mind goes completely blank for an answer, but Micah 6:8 might just top the list.
Have you ever found yourself putting off a challenging task until the last minute or indefinitely? I know I have.
Does anyone else have as hard a time memorizing scripture as I do? I participate in a Bible study which encourages scripture memory, but I have found it so difficult to actually do. I decided to get serious about it with Ephesians 5:1-2.
My ten-year-old loves playing the game Battleship with her dad. They both have quite different approaches to trying and mastering the game.
My daddy’s hands were also the biggest and the safest hands to be wrapped up in. When I needed protection, his muscular hands were my help. When I needed comfort, his gentle hands would wrap me tightly and hold me close.
Strong and courageous are two words I would not normally use to describe myself. As a little girl, I was afraid of many things. My mind would wander immediately to “what ifs” of a certain situation, and then fear would creep in.
One particularly cool spring morning, I had decided that I was going to walk around the
neighborhood and catch up on reading my emails in the process. I thought I was being wise with my multi-tasking skills until I found myself down on the ground.
As I was helping my husband mow the grass one humid spring morning, I noticed how the weeds were suddenly sprouting up and overtaking our grass. As I was moving right along with my mowing, I also noticed how many different types of weeds there were in my yard.
In theory, the future begins with the next mili-second and stretches out to the limits of our imagination, and every moment in between. That is a good definition if you are a clock or a calendar; however the God who set His created order within the flow of past, present and future, intended time to be the backdrop not the centerpiece.
As far as the study of grammar is concerned, all tenses are equal. But Scripture tells a different story. The “now” and “today” of life aren’t simply periods of time, but some of the weightiest concepts of life.
The past can teach us, nurture us, but it cannot sustain us. The essence of life is change and we must move ever forward or the soul will wither and die. S. Kearsley
The Past Tense
Unless I am some sort of an actuarial miracle, I have more days in my past than in my future. If you have lived past your mid-50’s, that is also true for you.
