Heavenly Handiwork

A few nights ago I was awoken from my sleep at exactly 2:12 AM. I like complete silence, except for the quiet hum of a fan when I am sleeping. Otherwise I tend to hear every little sound. This particular night as I was sleeping, I suddenly heard the soft, furry feet of my dog rustling and wandering around at the foot of my bed. Ordinarily he sleeps in his comfy bed in the hallway. He used to sleep in our room years ago, that is until he began snoring; so now he sleeps in the hall. My dog is a beagle, which is a relative of the hound dog;

and so it seems that his nose had gone into overtime. I’m assuming he got a whiff of coyotes going by. The scent must have drifted in through my bedroom window and out into the hall where it caught his attention. Soon he was standing below my window inhaling very loudly. I went to calm him and put him back to bed, but then thought I should take him outside for a quick break first. Knowing there may be coyotes nearby I put his leash on so he couldn't wander away from my side. I took him into the backyard and stood there waiting for him in the pitch black night. I glanced up into the sky and saw a million little lights twinkling above me. It was absolutely beautiful and comforting too. The sky was perfectly clear and the night was still, except for me and my dog. As I stood there gazing at the stars I was given the amazing reminder that our God never sleeps. He is always watching over me and protecting me. He even left a million breath-taking nightlights on for me that night. I feel very blessed to have witnessed such an awesome part of creation that I usually sleep right through.

Thank you God for getting me out of bed to enjoy your heavenly handiwork and for reminding me that I am safe in you continual care.

Psalm 19:1, The heavens declare the glory of God; the sky displays his handiwork.

Psalm 4:8, I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.

Summertime

Today is July 12^th, the middle of summer. For me summertime evokes feelings and memories of a certain carefree time. The days are longer as the sun rises into the sky earlier in the morning and sets down later each night, allowing for more opportunity to spend time on the people and things we really enjoy. Our schedules are more relaxed, as is our attitude. The bright sunny mornings encourage us to pop out of bed and greet the day with a smile. The cool evenings invite us to linger outdoors and take in the beauty found all around us. When I think of summertime certain words come into my mind. They bring a smile to my face and lightness to my heart. An example of some of my words, which you may share are- sprinklers, park, swimming, popsicles, bicycles, cartwheels, watermelon, strawberries, green grass, slip ‘n’ slide, swings, beach, the smell of Coppertone sunscreen, birds chirping, picnics, books, laughing, ice cream truck, iced tea, lemonade, grandma’s house, and the stars at night. What we choose to think about has an effect on our mindset towards life. Our attitudes set the course of our day. We have the option to choose joy each day and each moment. I encourage you to make a mental note or jot down on paper some word pictures that will bring joy to your day. Each day is a gift from the LORD. Let’s offer up a sacrifice of thanksgiving to Him as we choose joy today.

Psalm 65:8, The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders;
    where morning dawns, where evening fades,
    you call forth songs of joy.

Child-like Faith

Remember when as a kid, in child-like faith you would climb aboard a friend’s handlebars and fearlessly let them give you a ride around town. Your hands gripping the bars beneath you; your legs dangling freely. Now as an adult, in need of the feeling of control and calculation, we carefully climb aboard our own comfortable bicycle seat, steering the direction of where we want to go. This past 4^th of July weekend I witnessed one of the potential perils of trusting someone else as we sit upon the handlebars. Two girls joyfully riding along approached a stop light at a busy intersection on Coronado Island. The teenage girls seemed to be going straight through the intersection despite the many cars around; when at the very last second the bicycle came to an abrupt stop, sending the handlebar rider flying off. Fortunately she was unharmed as they were both laughing at the sudden event. It is precisely for this reason that we prefer to be in command of our own bicycle ride and rely on our own decision making. It just feels like the safer choice and often times this is true… with one major exception.

Jesus tells us to come to Him with child-like faith. Imagine that carefree, trusting faith that enabled you to climb onto the handlebars and trust your friend to drive you around. Remember the joy and laughter that you shared as you navigated the town together. This is what Jesus wants to share with us. How I want to climb on the handlebars and let Jesus pedal; He does the hard work as we explore together. Jesus never stops short, sending me flying through the air into oncoming traffic. I pray for child-like faith to jump onto the handlebars today!

Luke 18:15-17   People were also bringing babies to Jesus for him to place his hands on them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them. But Jesus called the children to him and said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.

God of Hope – God my Protector

Our God is a God of Hope. There are countless attributes of God that reflect the countless ways we can place our hope in Him, and trust that He will meet our needs.  He is our Creator, He is Love, He is Faithful, He is Merciful, and He is our Redeemer, to name just a few. Last week I called upon the attribute of God my Protector. As I opened my front door last Thursday I came face to face with smoke and flames pouring down the hill across from my home. As the fire surrounded my neighborhood, the extremely brave firemen came to battle the blaze. My thoughts turned to God. I prayed that He would protect the firemen and everyone in the neighborhood and all of our homes. I prayed that God would “still the winds and increase the humidity”.  I prayed that He would “send His angel armies to fight the battle alongside the firemen and also to keep them safe from harm”. I prayed that God would “multiply the efforts and success of the firefighters a thousand-fold”. And that He would “put a hedge of protection around the homes”. I know there were many others who prayed, and the Lord listened. After two days of fire, we awoke to cool weather, and sprinkles of rain. We went from 95 degrees to high 60’s within three days, and the wind quickly died down. As you look around the community you see that the fire came down to the gates of hundreds of backyards. Not one home was lost, not one life was taken. I can clearly see the hedge of protection that was placed around us. God strengthened and equipped the firefighters; He blessed and protected everyone and all the homes.

I prayed with such boldness and specifics because as I have read the Bible I see there are many times God’s people prayed this way and He moved mightily on their behalf. I prayed this way because He is The God of Hope, and my hope is in Him.

Psalm 104   Let all that I am praise the Lord.  O Lord my God, how great you are! You are robed with honor and majesty. ² You are dressed in a robe of light. You stretch out the starry curtain of the heavens; ³ you lay out the rafters of your home in the rain clouds. You make the clouds your chariot; you ride upon the wings of the wind. ⁴ The winds are your messengers; flames of fire are your servants.

Buddy Blessings

My son and I spent the day at church loving on children with special needs. It was our first time helping with this ministry. One Saturday a month our church hosts an event called Buddy Break. It is a program that started at a church in Florida and is spreading throughout the U.S. Parents of children with special needs (called VIP’s) from all over the community can drop their children and siblings off to be cared for and entertained. These parents are usually  “on” 24x7, without a break. This is a chance for parents to take their break, to get errands done, or just have quiet “me” time. Each volunteer (buddy) is paired with a child for the day. The children have their choice of crafts, bounce house, ball pit, drawing, games, etc. There was a wide range of needs, some more severe than others. Some of the children never stopped running, while others played quietly.  My son was partnered with a sweet 14 year old boy. My VIP never showed up, so I was a floater, helping out wherever needed. All of the children are so precious and truly special. I came away from the day with a much greater appreciation for the hard work and constant dedication of these parents. These families are no different than any other, in that they love their children with all their hearts and they want the very best for them. There is a difference though, in that their journey is much more difficult. I feel so blessed to have two very healthy and strong sons and have my own health too. But I cannot get comfortable in my own blessings. It is so important that we share our blessings with others and show these children and their parents the love of Jesus.  I believe that many blessings were poured out on everyone involved- the parents, the children and the helpers.

 Luke 18:16,  But Jesus called the children to him and said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.

 Acts 20:35, Remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”

Happy Reunions, Sad Goodbyes

What a wide range of emotions I’ve had over the last few days! It began at the airport as our son came home after a long, four month separation. He had been away for his first semester at college, far across the country. Thank goodness for texting, emails, Facebook and phone calls! Well, our firstborn son, my baby, was coming home and I was so excited! There was a bit of traffic on the way to the airport so we didn’t get there as early as I had hoped. But, God’s timing was perfect. Just as we (my husband, our younger son and me) were entering the baggage area my husband looked up and saw our son entering the area as well. The anticipation had been building for weeks. I caught him in my sight and ran across the room, yelling his name and crying (just like the movies). I was so happy to have him home. I hugged him a lot! What a blessing to spend Christmas with him and have my whole family together under one roof. So that is my happy reunion.

 My sad goodbye, started last night and on into this morning. Over the last four months (yes the same four months my older son was away) we have had the blessed privilege of hosting two international students from China. These wonderful boys lived with us and became a part of our family. They came to America to attend high school where my sons attend. They eat, sleep, study, relax, and have fun with us. They also receive comfort, guidance and discipline (when needed) from us, just like our very own children. It is not always easy, but it always ends up being a blessing! Both boys just went home for Christmas break. It turns out that we will not be hosting them next semester.  One of them will be staying with his family and not returning for second semester and we don’t know when we will see him again. The other will be moving on as well, but he will be able to visit us (hopefully a lot). How quickly our hearts become touched and involved with those who come into our lives. As I dropped one Chinese son off this morning for his flight back home my heart broke and tears flowed. As we hugged we both actually had tears. We said “I love you”, and I told him that we are his American family forever, and I meant it.

 2 Timothy 1:3-4, I thank God, whom I serve, as my ancestors did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. ⁴ Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy.

 

Good Gifts to Share

 

God has blessed each and everyone of us with special talents and gifts with which we can serve Him. Some of us can sing, or dance, decorate, cook, work with our hands, teach, are good listeners, are good with organization, or good with numbers. There are countless unique and individual ways that God equips us. Each one of us has something special in/about us that God wants to use to bless others and bring glory to Himself, as He is the giver of all our good gifts. So take time this week to ask God to reveal to you any talent or gift He has given and wants you to start sharing with others. It could be as simple as calling a friend who God places on your heart, because God knows you are a good listener.

 Exodus 31:3, “and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge of all kinds of crafts.”

1 Corinthians 12:4-6, There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same LORD. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.”