How is your Bucket?

I found these bucket orchids in different stages of maturity throughout the conservatory housing the Butterflies in the Garden. I could see by their 'posture' that they were in position to receive food and drink. Their faces were turned upwards in anticipation of being filled. I think we could learn much from these tropical beauties!

We are buckets in many ways. Sometimes we have holes in our buckets that leak, and we are never satisfied. We may try to fill the holes with possessions, food, games, drugs or alcohol, or works of a million choices. What gives us peace? I have found the only lasting peace comes from being willing to have my bucket filled with the Holy Spirit. He guides me, intercedes for me, leads me throughout my journey here in this earthly tent. I am so grateful that my filling is something I can't demand or earn, but is freely given by faith through grace.

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Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled.
Matthew 5:6

Shining Ever Brighter

One of the sights that can bring me to my knees is seeing rays of light fan out through a sunrise or sunset sky. Equally as stunning are the rays streaming through a forest. The God rays make me stop what I am doing and just rest in God's presence. I can go forth reminded that He calls me to be salt and light. He gives me His righteousness and the desire to shine ever brighter till the perfect day when He calls me to Himself.

Do not think that I am boasting of my own righteousness. I am, instead, boasting of the true light of which we have been given the right to reflect as His children. We are rays sent out unto our days to be beacons that point towards our wonderful, awesome author of Light.


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The light of the righteous shines brightly...
Proverbs 13:9

Persuaded

One of my recent visits to the Butterflies in the Garden affored an opportunity to photograph these mating butterflies. These pairs will only live a short time, and the eggs will probably not hatch before the end of the event. Their lives are incredibly short, and ours are not much longer in the grand scheme of time. We are but a vapor.

God has made in us desires to create; to leave something of ourselves when we die. Sometimes that is offspring, but also the work of our hands and minds. My mind goes to what kinds of memories my family will have through many of the stories, pictures, and songs I have produced. I hope, in those venues and many more ways, that I will be able to leave them a loving heritage. I envision them looking through those pieces of my creation while on earth and knowing that I love them.

Scripture tells us that nothing, even death, can separate us from His love:

For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:38-39

The Finisher

After one of the recent snow storms in Texas I came upon this draped icy road. It was beautiful, but possibly very treacherous. So is life at times in the numbers of our days. But we can be confident that our Savior never leaves us. If we are in the midst of disease He is with us. If we are in the valley of the shadow of death He is with us. If we are high above the Earth or in deep waters He has been there. He goes before us. He begins and finishes every race with us. He is the Finisher. So let us run the race set before us knowing that we are not abandoned.

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Therefore seeing we also are surrounded by such a cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race set before us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
Hebrews 12:1-3

Something about Bacon

I was trying to find the Easter decorations and began thinking about coloring hard-boiled eggs. Before I found the bin with the Easter things I found myself detouring to the kitchen to assemble the ingredients for some bacon and egg macaroni and cheese. May sound odd to you, but it is outrageously good! Bacon on salad, bacon on sandwich, bacon wrapped around tiny sausages or asparagus; I love bacon. I had this craving come over me and was just home from the grocery store with some gluten-free four cheese Alfredo sauce. I cooked the gluten-free pasta, drained it, added chunks of Velveeta cheese and the jar of sauce, and microwaved it until the yellow cheese was melted. I scooped myself some into a nice big bowl and topped it with chopped hard-boiled egg and some thick and crisp chewy Wright's bacon. It was heavenly! Try this if you need a way to use up those hard-boiled Easter eggs.

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I wonder what the manna from heaven tasted like as it fell down for daily sustenance to God's people? I wonder if we will have food in heaven or even need it with our new bodies. I wonder if we will eat animal flesh or veggies or just be able to breathe God and be sufficiently fed by tasting the Lord and knowing He is good. I wonder if there will be gardens to harvest or if we will have jobs. I wonder if we will be able to sing or play instruments that we cannot now. I wonder why bacon and eggs chopped up on top of macaroni and cheese makes me ask so many questions. There is just something about bacon...(c;