Our Surroundings

When I took my dogs outside this afternoon, I stood still, listening to the crickets. Then the trees bordering my field caught my eye. They looked different than they had during the early morning hours. At daybreak, in preparation for winter, a few donned the beginning of orange and yellow leaves. Now the trees that had stood apart, blended with others. Only a sea of green was visible.

And I thought how much nature mirrors humanity. Sometimes, we also stand out as individuals; our thoughts, feelings, and character. Other times, we give up our identity and become like those with whom we surround ourselves. Working with incarcerated juveniles, I am all too aware of the results of choosing to blend in with the wrong crowd.

In contrast, we can also consciously select friends who offer a positive influence, and hopefully, we in turn, can encourage others. But the choice is ours. We must be prudent in selecting those with whom we associate. We’re all familiar with the phrase, “You are what you eat.”, but even more vital is this thought, “You become the surroundings you choose.” Allowing God to mold our character must be a conscious decision. The choices are simple; should we spend time with people who follow God’s path, or those who seek only the things of this world? Life does not consist of random events in which we have no choice. We must be prudent in our decisions in order to follow Christ. May God bless you.

Spiritual Renewal

I told myself to return to the church in which I was raised; I tried… I decided to surround myself with encouraging friends and make everything alright; It didn’t work… I thought I had healed, or nearly so; Instead, a deep scar, surrounded by a lack of respect, was unearthed… I had hoped to regain my joy of attending church each Sunday; but it did not happen.

Have I lost my faith? Absolutely not, nor have I conceded. I may be absent from that body of believers, but by no means have I seceded from the body of Christ. Whether it is temporary or permanent, I truly believe God has closed that door at this time, and I am to proceed forward… Of course, I keep returning, hoping to find a small crack wherein to grasp the familiar. But is that trust in God? No, it is only fear of the unknown and not wanting to face change. I’m assured, however, that God is with me along every pathway I choose to travel, so I draw strength from Him and continue forward.

I am not writing this because of my human condition, but instead to encourage others to press on. If you’ve become disillusioned with what goes on within the walls of a church… don’t allow yourself to implode. Instead, search elsewhere. The Bible tells us that Christians were ridiculed, persecuted, and killed for their beliefs, but they still gathered and continued following Christ.

We are not meant to withdraw and live a solitary existence. Though the road may be painful, gathering in the midst of other Christians ignites growth and helps us to leave the past behind. In so doing, we experience true spiritual renewal. In my search, I have found a church where I am truly being fed. I do not know if that is where God wants me to remain, or whether it is a temporary place, but for now, my thirst is being quenched. May God bless you this day.

Why?

Sometimes I wish I knew the reason why some things happen, but realize that I might not like having the insight, so as I go through life, I must trust God, knowing that He is holding me in the palm of His hand.

About a week ago, I was feeling that I might not be able to continue writing this blog as I was tired and it felt like my creative juices had dried up. But then, something very strange happened; suddenly I was receiving a large number of hits from all over the world. I wish I knew why. I’ve been pondering the question, but still can’t figure it out. I do realize, however, that God wants me to continue writing… perhaps there’s someone that is garnering something from my blog or it is meant that someone in the future will stumble across it. Anyway, for now, I’ll continue writing, though I realize I can’t do it without praying first as I need God to guide me.

Within the past week, I’ve received 180 hits, totaling 1,071 hits since June 28th. If you are willing to let me know why you are following this blog, I’d greatly appreciate it. Of course, if you’d rather not, that’s perfectly fine also. Should you leave a comment, your email address does not appear on the site. Thanks for your help.

Window View

Before Ozzy Osbourne was even born, there was another Ozzy who was famous… well, at least in my family. “Uncle Ozzy” was really my great-great-uncle and “Grampie Ed”, his brother, was my mom’s grandfather. As young adults, in the 1930’s, Uncle Ozzy drove the school bus, milked the cows, and took care of their mother. Grampie Ed could best be described as a very generous man for he was always willing to let others do all the work.

Grampie Ed was also creative in the field of music. Periodically he’d sing out, “Every Day Will Be Sunday, Bye-N-Bye”. From the title, one might think it was rooted in faith, but to set the record straight… Each Sunday, Uncle Ozzie would put on his Sunday suit and drive to church. As for Ed, the words reflected a time when one refrained from working. “Every Day Will Be Sunday, Bye-N-Bye” was his motto, though I’ve always wondered how a person can look forward to resting from work when they had not worked the other six days of the week.

Grampie Ed considered himself retired. I’m not sure what he retired from, but he announced that he had retired. Perhaps a few years later, when he turned fifty, the answer was discovered, but doubtful. With age, however, Ozzy developed respiratory problems and was no longer able to care for himself, so his niece offered for him to live with her. Well, Grampie Ed loved that… it was his daughter, so he moved in too.

I remember going to their house and there sat “the boys” in rocking chairs. Uncle Ozzy was quiet, but Grampie Ed would periodically “hoop” meaning shout loudly. This of course, always made me jump, but I shouldn’t have felt special for apparently it was an every day occurrence. Religiously, so to say, they’d sit facing each other, rocking back and forth; strategically positioned in order to see through the window behind the other’s chair. All day long they’d alert each other to the traffic and have deep conversations about it. As cars passed the house, one would say, “Here she comes.” And the response was always, “There she goes.” It’s a good thing they lived in a small township. Had there been much traffic, surely they would have been completely worn out, especially Ed.

So, when my pups gaze out the window, I wonder what they’re thinking …

“Here she comes.” or “There she goes.”

The Right Time

Today being Saturday, I was planning to sleep in a little. But at 5:35 sharp, my eyes snapped open. I hadn’t set the clock, but my alarm went off anyway. From zero to ten seconds, I went from a blissful relaxation to a full armored defense. I didn’t actually have armor, but it sure would have helped, for I was under attack! With tails wagging, and boundless energy propelling toward my pillow, I ended up at the bottom of the pile. As for sleeping, there was no going back in time!

Leaving my smile on the bedpost, I picked up the leashes and trudged toward the door.  But as soon as I stepped outside, I was gently lifted by God’s infinite grace. A magnificent sunrise, greeting the world with hope; I was there the exact moment His light broke through the darkness and all of heaven rejoiced.

If my mom was living, she’d be seventy-seven today. I needed that sunrise and God provided. I wish I’d had my camera, but it was actually an experience that couldn’t be caught on film, but it did leave a print on my heart. All I could say was, “Good morning dear God. Happy birthday, Mom”. I was awed by God’s magnificence. In His infinite wisdom, God gave me His blessing.

Thank you, Lord.

Planting Seeds

While we sow seeds, we may never have the opportunity to reap the harvest, but in Jesus’ name, we follow His example. The end result is especially true in my job; when residents leave our facility, we often don’t know how they are doing. An exception would be if we get a report from their school or if they choose to make contact. While we may never know the outcome, we can provide as many academic successes as possible while they are here… something that many have never experienced in their entire life .

Yesterday was the start of a new semester. It was immediately evident that two boys in my Multimedia class were definitely going to be a challenge, I humbly turned to God for help. Does He answer prayer? Most definitely… today, they arrived in class with a totally changed attitude. It was the highlight of my day.

This is what I heard them saying, “I’m going to sign up for this class all the time, until I leave. This is a lot of fun.” I couldn’t believe it. Needless to say, my heart was touched.

At the moment I’m listening to “Thank You, Lord” by Don Moen. What an accompaniment for my feelings. I come before you today and there’s just one thing I want to say, “Thank You, Lord. Thank You, Lord.” With a grateful heart, with a song of praise, with an outstretched arm, I will bless your name. I just want to say, “Thank You, Lord”.”

Our God is awesome!

Morning

With evening moisture covering blades of grass, the sun reflects its light, as if diamonds were dancing across the lawn. What a morning reception God has provided! How can anyone be less than inspired? Being a person who sees God’s presence in the beauty of nature, I enjoy watching wisps of grass gently waving, tree limbs bowing to their creator and stately pine trees pointing towards heaven.

How can a person not believe in God?