The gift of time

There is a theory that was written about how we receive love; our love languages. I determined that mine were verbal or written affirmations of affection and spending time with me.

By those admissions I spent the day receiving and giving love to this little one. We were carrying on a tradition of new babies getting photographed in many different hats. The lass cooperated brilliantly,

not only with wonderful poses and gestures, but full of smiles and coos. If we were not already madly in love, we certainly sealed the deal today. It is a precious gift to establish fun traditions that take time with each other to accomplish. I am the Gram with the cam, I am. ...and she is the latest ham in the fam, she is!

~~~~


Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!
2 Cor. 9:15

Stages

I was excited to get these Indian blankets, wine cups, and campions in different stages of maturing. I get to see the lifespan of maturing flowers when I am out in the field. It makes me think about how Christ is helping us with our personal growth as we lean into his will. I want to be pleasing to my God in my thoughts and deeds. Needless to say, I fall short many times a day, Thank you, Lord, for your grace and mercy!

I had a friend tell me that she looks through the cross to everything she says and does. A very good visualization to practice! That effort will save much regret. Another tidbit of wisdom I try to practice is having restraint of pen and tongue. Again, this will save me and others much misery!

We will all have a little talk with Jesus. We reap what we sow. Makes me sweat a little! But I know above all that He loves me; that accounting will not leave me less loved, but cleaned up. I need to be concerned about my own behavior in word and deed; my own story. I long to hear, "Well done, good and faithful servant!" We will all go through different stages as we mature. No one has been perfect but One.

~~~~

So then each of us shall give account of himself to God. Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother's way.
Romans 14:12-13

Ray of Hope

Sometimes we get so weighted down by circumstances that we cannot seem to see even a ray of hope on the horizon. Perhaps our finances are in the dumpster or we are fighting an addiction or illness. Maybe our marriage is in trouble or we have not been able to find work. Perhaps our spirits have become so dry that we are doubting the very existence of our heavenly father. But it is important, nonetheless, to not lose sight of the fact that there is nothing too hard for God. Even if things seem hopeless, with God all things are possible.

Sometimes I forget the rest of the story of Jesus. He was born of a virgin, he died on the cross, rose again from the dead, and IS COMING BACK AGAIN! When I see powerful rays like this in the sky I expect him to come bursting through any second.

~~~~

Ah, Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You.
Jeremiah 32:17

Focused Thinking

You may be thinking that I have too much time on my hands to be playing out in the wildflowers with stuffed animals. I have been thinking the opposite: that I need to seize the days while the flowers are blooming, because they will be seeded or mowed shortly to make way for the dry, wilted days of Texas summer. I get a kick out of collecting fun characters at garage sales and sticking them in the flowers. Call me crazy, but their personalities, though only fabrications, seem to be joyful in the flowers. I know I am happy, feel close to God, my imagination is fired, and my thinking is catapulted to peaceful and spiritual things. I hope by the capturing of their playfulness and happiness that some of that joy will be passed on to you as encouragement to guard your thoughts and practice being pure and happy. I remember a little jingle that advised, "don't worry, be happy!"

I have used the example before of a person telling you "Don't think of the color, BLUE." Well, of course something blue pops into your head. Being proactive, you might use a positive statement of "THINK of the color, PURPLE." The WORD of GOD gives us a similar course of action: the Philippian hymn in Ch. 2 starts out, "Let this mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus!" Wow, how on earth can anyone do that? Actually, in a couple more chapters we get proactive suggestions about how to do it. We are advised in Ch. 4:8-9 to think about what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, praiseworthy, and elegant. Think about the things you have received and heard from God or seen in him and put them into practice. His peace will be with you.

~~~~~

Those who are pure in their thinking are happy,
because they will be with God.
Matthew 5:8

All Creatures

At the end of our sunrise service yesterday we were scattered in the wildflowers waiting for the sun to rise. I ventured out to the church property again this morning to take some pictures of the gorgeous and varied wildflowers. The Indian blankets were especially varied and colorful.

As I wandered through the wildflowers I began to sense that I was not alone. A bear here, a kitty there, a doggy in the distance. Before I knew it they were walking towards each other and gathering into a wonderful choir. I felt my heart full of gratitude as well when I heard their beautiful rendition of a St. Frances of Assissi hymn.

ALL CREATURES OF OUR GOD AND KING,
LIFT UP YOUR VOICE AND WITH US SING
ALLELUIA! ALLELUIA!