Lest You Forget

     Any time food is circulating in our kitchen is a favorite time for our dog, Max.  Of course, mealtimes are his favorite! Perhaps channeling his inner cat, he enjoys his  milk every morning at breakfast along with what he begs from us.  If you could see  the way his eyes longingly follow the food from the plate to my mouth. My restraint in feeding him has been narrowed down to "just a couple of bites." Vets everywhere would be appalled with my behavior! I have no defense. Look at that face!
     Today, his hunger was greater than our small, morning offerings. Max was heard rooting around in his empty feeding bowl. As I delivered the requested food, Max gave me this look of disappointment.  My response to him was, "Lest you forget, you are a dog!" (Notice what awesome communication skills we have!) Obviously not hungry enough at the moment, he parted the scene, unwilling to forsake his "people status."
     As those words left my lips it seemed as though they applied to me as well. "Forget what, Lord?" I asked. The weight of those words seemed heavier than some overlooked task needing to be recalled and performed. After a bit of pondering with nothing of importance coming to mind, I moved on, waiting to see what the day would bring and what God could be desiring me to be mindful of.
     What consumed my day the most brought me the clearest answer.  That answer had everything to do with our son, Ben, who has high functioning autism. A home visit of several days from his residential setting was coming to an end. These transitions are always a very tense time for him and for me. As his anxiety escalates so does my guilt--that bad mama kind of guilt. And for that exact reason, I had turned the day into a fine mess! Details are not what is important here. What is of substance has everything to do with God and what I was forgetting. The day was not mine to fix, control or alter. That was God's responsibility, and He did not need me to run interference. God knew what would help Ben through this day, especially the tough parts. He already had a plan of how to bring Ben and me to the other side of these roller coaster emotions. 
     God was there reminding me (yet again!) to let go and allow Him to have total control of the day's events. He has both mine and Ben's best interests at heart, and He loves us so. Life can hurt so badly at times, but in the Bible we can find a multitude of promises proclaiming God's presence, provision and strength for each situation. Dust off your Bible and see which promises He shows you for your day, your situation, your life lest you forget. There you will find peace as you let yourself "off the hook" for trying to keep the world balanced on it's axis!
      So, that was what I had forgotten today! What about you?  Does anything come to mind? God can show you in the quiet or the chaos of the day. Be aware of His presence and His leading in your life. To God Be the Glory!

    
       Max and his friend Tyson. Quick! Hide the food!
     

    
    
   

Uniquely You

     God created us and placed each of us on this earth as very unique and individual creatures.  When (not if!) He bestows blessings upon you, these blessings are most likely specifically tailored to what will speak most to your heart and life. Bear with me as I give a few examples of  some of my most recent blessings. 

   This summer our family has had two nestings of bluebirds, baby ducklings paddling around in the lake behind us, and a nest of wren eggs laid and hatched in one of my husband's tennis shoes. With the arrival of another summer, I have revisited the nearby sunflower fields in full bloom, a cast of thousands declaring God's glory as they stretch their heads toward heaven. Probably doesn't sound like much to you and that makes sense. However, for me, all these were gifts, blessings, that brought me joy through observing God in nature.  And, of course, all of this was right up my photography alley!! He knew how thrilled I would be because He made me. He knows me inside and out. How I have felt His love!

 

     God knows what thrills your soul just the same.  Certainly in His love for you, God is sending blessings specifically meant for you that have nothing to do with flowers or birds (or butterflies!) but everything to do with what brings you joy. Now think about that for a moment.  What would your blessings be packaged as? This is the part where you have to slow your mind down long enough to find the answer to that question. Do you find your "blessings" still wrapped in packages, left unopen because you have not taken the time. Are they right in front of your eyes and all around you?

      God is waiting to see the smile on your face and the sparkle in your eyes as you receive what was meant exclusively for you, not just occasionally but with each day. Rip open those packages! Feel His love, and praise your Heavenly Father who has gift wrapped daily blessings just for you. Start looking now!  To God Be the Glory!

     Sorry!  Just had to slip in another butterfly picture! This is a glass winged butterfly.  God is so cool!!

Nurturing Weeds?

      As the cold days of winter give way to the warmth of spring, the sight of color returning to the earth in the form of green leaves, grass, and flowers always lifts my spirits.  Gone are the long, dark, drab days spent inside.  Time to get off the couch and to the nearest garden center where you can pick and choose the colors that will bring you most joy when brought into flower beds and empty pots of all sizes at your home. 
     For years now one of my "go to" plants purchased each year is called rose moss or portulaca.  Why this paticular one?  The Southern summers have become increasingly hotter, and these plants can withstand the heat, produce beautiful flowers, and flourish even in drought conditions without much fuss.
     As this was the first spring in our new abode, surprises have abounded.  Lilies of varying varieties and colors along with other perennials have erupted from the hard red clay in our flower beds. Amongst it all, I saw what appeared to be shoots of rose moss reaching for the sun. There was a vague recollection that the former home owner had even mentioned their presence to me.  Delightful!  Money can become an issue with spring preparation and this easily propagated plant would mean one less purchase.  No time was wasted in filling four flower pots with the these "free plants" which were in abundant supply.
    Weeks passed, cuttings were watered and nourished, green plants grew, but no flowers of anticipated colors bloomed. It was then a guest at our home asked what potential flowers these pots held.  With my reply, a slow smile appeared on her face. After a bit of laughter on her part, she enlightened me with the knowledge that I had gone "all out" planting not rose moss but a weed looking much like it!
     This scene was regrettably applicable to seasons my own life spent sustaining what in all reality amounted to nothing more than weeds. These "weeds" in the "pots" of my life all held possibility in my mentality as I transplanted them into existence.  "Surely the Lord would agree with this venture being set into motion, this path being taken," I thought.  However, I tarried little in asking or waiting for His answer. Failures came, disappointments followed, emptiness took up residence. There were no beautiful flowers.  These were the consequences of a life lived far from the path and purpose God had created me for.
     Upon coming to the end of myself, with roots reaching deep for God's love and my purpose, the void was filled and transformation was evident. God, the vine dresser, pruned the weeds of my own intervention and grafted me into the true vine, Jesus. As a branch of this sacred vine, abiding in Him, the fruit of God's purpose for my life began to blossom. The pruned weeds became dried and withered. Joy returned as I walked daily in a love relationship with my Heavenly Father! There was color in my world! (John 15:1-11)
     At this juncture, I request that you closely inspect the "fruit" of your time, interest and energy. Is there any apparent? Does joy abide and abound or do you find only weeds of emptiness?  If so, some pruning (this may hurt a little...) and grafting (this is glorious!) may be in store for your life. Who better to trust with this necessary endeavor than God and His son, Jesus, who minister to us only in love. Read the above scripture, and, in faith, ask Him to begin the process in your life.  There will no regrets. And there will be fruit...flowers... joy...peace! Sounds like a promise too awesome to refuse. What are you waiting for? To God Be the Glory!  
    
    

  

FLY!

      By now, you must know of my preoccupation with butterflies.  The end of June, I could be found in Butterfly Heaven!  Well, that's what I renamed it. I was at the Butterfly House in Chesterfield, Missouri, just outside of St Louis. Four plus hours were spent there taking a ridiculous number of pictures of the most beautiful butterflies I have ever seen. God is such an artist of masterpeices!
     The majority of butterflies seen earlier in the day were in flight or only momentarily pausing for a still shot. Initially, I was running around like a crazy woman attempting to capture as many still shots as I could.  Most of these were composed of butterflies with their wings in the closed, upright position. In all His wisdom, God created these marvelous creatures to hide their beauty and actually scare away predators with the designs on the underside of their wings. Some looked as though they had huge, scary eyes while others simply blended in with the landscape. Their true beauty was hidden from my camera lens and all of us there.
     Butterflies are most active between one and three in the afternoon.  Of course, I was still there around four when they had pretty much exhausted themselves (as had I) and were beginning to feed on the beautiful flowers filling the area. It was at that time they presented themselves with wings fully open in all their splendor. Their beauty was no longer hidden but fully exposed. It was then that a connection could be made between the drab underside and the exquisite open wingspan of many of the ones witnessed earlier. And many more pictures were made to record this transformation!

     Thoughts came to mind how we as Christians are not unlike these butterflies. We, too, are masterpieces made by God, in His image.  In His sight, we are creations made to display His beauty. Yet, we tend to live our lives with wings folded, hiding out in the drabness of a sinful world, neglecting to do what we are made to do.  And what is that you might ask?  FLY! Open those delicate wings designed by God and bring the grace and beauty of His message to a lost, troubled world. Show them the beauty given you as a result of God's love, sacrifice, and forgiveness. FLY! Bring color and hope and answers to those around you. FLY! Be all that God has created and purposed you to be in this world for Him! You will not be alone.  God is there supplying the wind beneath your wings, keeping you aloft as you navigate through this life on your mission for Him. FLY! Ok...so I took 641 pictures!  To God Be the Glory!