All in Relationship with God
Together
While traveling, I once walked into a cute honey shop. Everything honey related seemed to be in there!
In the past, it seems honey was quite important. The psalmist, David, recognized the value of honey too and he aligned it with gold. He even compared it to his relationship with the Lord and His word to show, as important or valued as honey or gold was, David’s relationship with the Lord and His Word was even more important!
Know the Lord
Who do you know well? It may be a family member or a best friend. According to AI, knowing someone well means you grasp their core motives and can predict how they think about things because you have a history together, a shared experience that connects you.
It is About Time!
When the wonderful aroma of cookies in the air fills the house, you know it is about time! They are almost ready! That good smell is your clue that you are about to enjoy that treat!
Knowing God’s Love
A young mother raised in a culture hostile to Christianity shared a joyful experience with me. After discovering the love of God through Jesus Christ, she immediately noticed how the sky glistened with a deep blue and the leaves on trees reflected various shades of green!
Advent: True Perfection
Dad had a particular order for decorating our Christmas tree. First, secure the tree in its stand and wrap it with strands of multicolored, large-bulbed lights all pointing up. Then he and Mom draped aluminum foil garland in perfect arcs that alternated between high and low points from top to bottom at each level. Once the garland was placed, my brothers and I were allowed to add some ornaments, if they were evenly spaced and hung from branches—not the garland or lights. We worked in solemn silence. Mom and Dad gently secured antique, fragile glass ornaments around the top branches. The final step was to grab lots of foil tinsel and place it over the garland, so each piece was straight and untangled. After Christmas, we tediously removed the tinsel strands and packed them back in their designated boxes for use the following year.
Silenced
Have you been at a restaurant and the noise level is so loud that you cannot hear the person seated right next to you? You can see their mouth moving, but you have no idea what they are saying. Frustrating, right?
Prayer Plus Worship
While viewing a program featuring marine life that inhabits coral reefs, I recalled my sister’s tabletop aquarium. Names of her tropical fish flooded my mind—Guppies, Mollies, Swordtails, Tetras and the ever-graceful Angelfish. I instantly moved closer to the television screen mesmerized by their beauty as they swam in their natural habitats.
A Picture of Prayer
A visit from my brother and sister-in-law provided multiple opportunities to visit during meals. Some conversations focused on health needs. Another time we discussed the content of our best-loved books. My favorite meal, though, included hilarious stories of my brother’s adolescent escapades!
In the First Waking Moments
What happens when you first have an awareness of waking up in the morning? To where or what does your mind turn? A dream you had? Your overfull to-do list? Your cell phone? Your current crisis? Your work commute in heavy traffic? Your health concern? I’d have to answer yes to all of these at one time or another.
The Father’s Smile
Do you like to please others? I like to see people smile!
Sometimes there are other sweet things that are evidence of being pleased such as…
a baby’s responsive cuddle as she falls into her mama’s outreached arms;
a puppy’s tail wagging to a bowl of food; or
a cheerful, belly-filled family excitedly chattering over a special homecooked meal by mom.
The responses of others can speak volumes on approval.
A Living Sacrifice
During the dedication of the Temple in Jerusalem, Solomon prayed with his arms stretched toward heaven. He pleaded with God to hear, to listen, to respond, and to forgive the sins of the Israelites. He followed his prayer of dedication with sacrificial offerings.
Is He Yours?
A clip of a reality courtroom program came up on my social media feed. A cute little dog was involved so I had to watch it. Both the defendant (a woman) and the plaintiff (a man) claimed that the dog belonged to them, and they both provided supporting documentation.
Fox-Proofing Relationships
Living out of town, our family has been graced with numerous wild animals over the years. Recently, a family of foxes selected the deck in our backyard to nest under. Mesmerized, we watch the mother fox and her four kits scamper around the yard, chase their siblings, and tumble over each other.
Stand
I learned that I can only stand firm in the Lord’s strength… this is the key!
Adopted!
Bishop Wahome of Kenya’s African Inland Church smiled while describing his newly adopted son. He learned of fostering and adoption through his time visiting in Texas. His joy and love for his newly adopted son reflects the joy God experienced when He adopted me as an eight-year-old little girl.
When God Reshapes my Heart
A biblical passage in the Old Testament triggers a somber memory: The Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the hearts of your descendants…. (Deuteronomy 30:6a). I wince as I recall holding my newborn sons during their circumcisions. Those mental images confirm that circumcision of my heart will involve pain as God removes anything that prevents Him from claiming first place.