Author: Tandy

Make a Joyful Noise

#God, #inspiration, joyful noiseMy husband and I attended a performance by a symphony and chorus. The venue was small and we were seated behind some of the musicians. We had a side view of the singers and the conductor.

The perspective from that vantage point was very interesting. We were amazed by the variety of instruments the two percussionists played and how they shared duties with several of them. I was fascinated to watch as the kettle drums were struck and then a hand was placed on the top to stop the vibration.

The strings, brass, woodwinds and keyboards each layered on the tones of the other instruments to produce a rich sound. We observed the musicians turning the pages of their sheet music and watching the conductor for direction.
Then there was the chorus. The lyrics were stirring and the harmonies impressive. What caught my attention even more than these were the joyous expressions of the singers. They smiled, swayed to the music and looked like they were having the time of their lives. Throughout, all eyes were focused on the conductor.

I had the pleasure of watching the conductor as he directed both singers and musicians. His pride was evident as he continuously mouthed encouragement and praise.

As I watched this I had a sudden image of God, the conductor of my life. When I keep my eyes focused on him I am aware of his direction. He shows me when to bang the drum and when to silence the sound. His love and encouragement allows me to blend my notes with those of others so we can join together to make a joyful noise.

Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, (Ephesians 5:19 NIV)
With trumpets and the sound of the horn make a joyful noise before the King, the LORD! (Psalm 98:6 ESV)

Spinning My Wheels

#inspiration, spinning wheels, lesson, quote
tire photo from pixaby.com

I noticed the little boy as I was driving slowly through a residential neighbourhood. He was on a bicycle with training wheels. What first caught my attention was how fast he was pedaling. His little legs couldn’t have moved any faster!

Unfortunately, one of his training wheels had been caught between stepping stones in his yard. This meant the bike wasn’t level and without the proper wheels on the ground, he wasn’t moving. All his hard work was getting him nowhere.

I thought to myself, the poor child doesn’t know that no matter how hard he pedals the bike won’t move until he gets unstuck.

A voice inside me said, “This is a good visual of how you spin your wheels and wonder why you don’t get anywhere.” Ouch! The truth can hurt when it smacks you in the face.

When I don’t get the results I’d hoped for I often keep doing the same things as before but intensify the effort. Albert Einstein said the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

What is needed is for me to look at my situation from different angles. Being objective can help me figure out what is causing me to be stuck. I might be able to fix things on my own or I may need assistance.

Once I get back on a level surface I can move forward instead of suffering the frustration of spinning my wheels.

A Clean Sweep

Signs informing us of scheduled street sweeping appeared. They gave us a span of three days for this to happen, along with a warning not to leave vehicles parked on the street over this time.

During our long, snowy winter sand and gravel were used in order to make our city streets safer. Bit by bit it had accumulated. When the last of the protective snow covering melted; I was surprised by the amount of debris left behind.
It wasn’t obvious when it was covered up. When the street was laid bare, the eyesore was difficult to ignore.

Early one morning I heard the rumble of the street sweeper passing by. It went back and forth multiple times until the area was clean. This powerful machine needed to make many passes in order to complete the job.

On most of the street, a thorough cleaning was accomplished. The occasional vehicle made it impossible to for the brushes to get all the way to the curb, which meant some debris was left behind.

This was an analogy of my life. When negative experiences occur I try to cover and forget them. Over time, a mess accumulates. I don’t want anyone to see what I’m hiding as it won’t be pleasant.

Sooner or later, the cover wears thin and bits of the messiness begin to show. Like the vehicles impeding the street sweeper, I have blockages making it impossible to become clean. Until these are removed, there is no way to effectively deal with the debris that lies beneath.

Jesus offers each of us a chance to make a clean sweep in our lives. When we come to him, humble and repentant, he removes those blockages. In one pass, my messy life is swept clean.

“Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.” (Psalm 51:10 KJV)

Puddle Jumpers

fun, play, relaxationAn example of pure joy was being played out before me. Young children were running through a large puddle. Smiling parents stood nearby, watching as their children laughed and splashed through the water.

As I passed by, the children were asking their parents, “Can we go just one more time? Pleeease.” They were having so much fun they didn’t want it to end!

It made me happy just to watch their enthusiastic play. No expensive toys were needed. All that was necessary were rubber boots and a puddle. As far as the children were concerned I’m sure even the rubber boots were optional!

I wondered when I had last taken the time to play. Not a game where there is a desired outcome, but just to have fun. I am grateful for the children in my life who encourage me to relax and enjoy life. They are wonderful teachers.

Playing is good for us. It reduces stress, eases burdens and restores a sense of optimism. For a healthy life, it is more a necessity than a luxury.

When I do something just for fun, my creativity is unleashed. Maybe that’s because I break free from the box of conformity I often place myself in.

We can learn a lot about each other through play. This begs the next question. Who wants to come out and play?

“You can learn more about a man in an hour of play than in a lifetime of conversation.” -Plato

Children and Candy

#inspiratioin, Bible, lessonMy husband and I put together a little Easter egg hunt for our family. This year we had some items labelled for each of the younger children.

In the pre-hunt instructions, they were told not to take something if it wasn’t marked for them. They could either put it back where they found it and keep looking for other treats, or they could pick it up and make sure it got to the right person.

There were only two items personalized for each child, the rest were available to anyone who found them. We were surprised by how our five young grandchildren handled this.

I must admit, if it were me, I’d probably have put the other person’s treasure back and kept gathering treats for myself. That was not the case with these young ones. If something labelled for another was found, their own search stopped until they gave it to the one it was marked for. Without exception, each unselfishly put the needs of a sibling or cousin before their own.

Although they enjoy their candy and were excited to collect all they could, none were concerned about losing out by helping another. Without meaning to, they reminded us of what is important.

The Bible says “and little children will lead them.” That was certainly the case at our home that day. Little did I know that the combination of children and candy would remind me to do unto others as I would have them do to me.

People should be concerned about others and not just about themselves. (1 Corinthians 10:24 GWT)

No Need For Speed

lessons, #inspiration, timeTime had slipped away and now I was in a rush to get to work. I quickly gathered my lunch and threw it in my tote bag before heading out the door.
Travelling a familiar route, I followed another vehicle without paying much attention to my surroundings.

Suddenly I became aware of being in a playground zone. The car in front had not decelerated and I was blindly following. My brakes were quickly applied as I slowed to the required speed. No flashing lights were behind me so the only penalty was self- imposed. I resolved to slow down and be more mindful of my actions.

After arriving at work I reached into my bag to remove my lunch and realized my water bottle had tipped onto my sandwich, crushing it. That’s what happens when I don’t take the time to place things properly in the bag, I thought. Little did I know things were about to get worse!

It seems in my haste to get out of the house, I hadn’t fastened the top of my water bottle properly. A squished sandwich was the least of my worries as I rescued my belongings from the now soggy bottom of the bag.

While drying the bag and its contents I thought about the lessons I’d just been given. Each instance occurred because I was in a hurry. If I had only slowed down and paid proper attention to what I was doing, none of this would have happened. The faster I tried to go, the more recovery had to be done later. In the future, I need to remember that I actually have more time when I don’t rush.

“Once she stopped rushing through life, she was amazed at how much more life she had time for.” Unknown

Open Arms

#God, the Lord, loveAlthough the little girl had been with her grandmother only an hour earlier, she was excited to see her. At first glance, her eyes lit up and she ran with open arms for a loving embrace.

I watched this heartwarming scene and thought of how very special their relationship was. There is nothing quite like the love expressed through a child’s hug. This expression of affection can melt even the coldest heart.

My young grandchildren are moving past the spontaneous hug stage. I know they still love me; it’s just that other things now vie for their attention. They know that I won’t force them to hug me but I will be there with open arms when they’re ready.

This reminds me of my relationship with God. There are times I race to spend time with him. Other times I let life distract me. My love for the Lord has not diminished and it is not my intention to ignore him for other pursuits.

The good news is He remains close by, watching over me. He is not forceful, demanding attention, but waits patiently for me to return.

When I realize I’ve moved away and reach out to the Lord, he is always ready to welcome me with open arms.

We loved because he first loved us. (1John 4:19 NIV)
I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me. (Proverbs 8:17 NIV)

Janice Richardson

Janice RichardsonJanice Richardson writes Christian articles and stories focusing on how God impacts people’s lives. She resides in Calgary, Alberta with her husband and one of three sons. Janice loves reading, writing, and being in nature whether it is hiking, skiing, walking, or cycling. She also has a bit of competitive side and loves watching football, her son playing soccer, and playing Word with Friends on her phone or tablet!

I wondered how Janice came to have a story included in the anthology Gifts from Heaven. She explained; “Several years ago, I took an on-line Christian writing course through the organization Christian Writer’s Guild. I was assigned a mentor who reviewed my lessons and gave me feedback. After I completed the course, she started sending me emails inviting me to submit stories for books that James Stewart Bell was compiling and publishing. I never felt like I had a story that fit the guidelines so never submitted anything. For the past year, I have been interviewing people and writing their God story for CSC News in Calgary. At the time I was writing on one of the people they had “matched” me with, I received an email from my former mentor asking for submissions for another book. Ray’s story fit perfectly with the guidelines for this book! I submitted a revised version of his story and was very happy when I learned that it had been accepted!”

And that’s how it’s done, folks.  Of course, Janice’s talent for writing had a lot to do with her being published!

In addition to writing, Janice works for a non-profit organization primarily doing administrative and financial work. Although she has a passion for writing people’s true stories of how God has impacted their life, she would also like to write a novel and plans to pursue that in the future.
We will be watching for that, Janice!
For information about the book Gifts from Heaven, ordering a copy, or any other questions or comments, please email me at Janice_r@shaw.ca .

I’d Like a Do-Over!

#inspiration, stories, emails, websiteHave you ever done something you wish you could take back? Wouldn’t it be nice to erase the mistake from everyone’s memories and start over again? It’s happened to me more than once.

This week I ran into another situation where I desperately wanted a do-over. For those of you who received eleven back to back emails from me on Monday, I apologize. This wasn’t my intention, no matter how good the reading may have been!

By the time I realized what had happened, it was too late to undo my mistake. The damage was done. You see, I’m was doing work on my website and discovered some posts that had been moved to trash instead of the archives. Since I wanted them available, I moved them over to my blog page, not knowing they would be sent out all over again.

Text messages from friends soon started coming in, notifying me to multiple emails. Oh no, I thought. This is going to shatter the illusion that I’m perfect! Oh wait, I’m pretty sure everyone already knows that. So now what do I do? Since I couldn’t change what had happened, there were two options available. Either I could hang my head in embarrassment or I could make the most out of an unfortunate situation.

I chose the latter. After all, I know I’m not the only one to have done something they wish could be reversed. The lesson in this may be not to take myself so seriously. I’m human and make mistakes. The mistakes are not what define me. It’s what I do with them that counts.

That being said, some of those stories were pretty good. Maybe you missed them the first time around and would like to read them now. In case you weren’t one of the lucky ones to get eleven emails from me on Monday, you can read them on my website archives. http://www.timewithtandy.com/2013/07/

“Don’t look back. You are not going that way.” Author unknown

“You don’t learn to walk by following rules. You learn by doing, and by falling over.”  – Richard Branson

Endless Knot

#God, #Jesus, Good Friday, sacrificeI wasn’t sure exactly what it was in the box but knew it was unique and beautiful. The sculpture was a large circle with thick glass strands intertwining.

A card inside told me this was an endless knot, representing a never ending connection. It was also a symbol of eternity, harmony and endless love.

This lovely expression of endless love was a gift from family members. I have heard many stories from people who don’t have good relationships with their family. The object I held in my hands represented the blessing of the harmony that exists with my children and grandchildren.

Our lives are intertwined; each being made stronger by the connection with the others. This bond has been passed down through the generations.

As we draw near to Good Friday, the endless love of God is in the forefront of my mind. He showed his love by sending his only Son, Jesus, to atone for our sins and give us eternal life. This act of great sacrifice reaches to all generations, binding us together.

His love has no beginning and no end. He loved us before we knew him and paid the greatest sacrifice of all that our lives may be intertwined with his. For this, I am eternally grateful.

The Lord is good. His mercy endures forever. His faithfulness endures throughout every generation. (Psalm 100:5 NLT)

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16 NIV)

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