Author: Tandy

Go Light Your World

ignite, listening, inspiration

A favourite song of mine has the words, “There is a candle in every soul; some brightly burning, some dark and cold.” It goes on to tell us to take our candles and go light the world.

A recent experience illustrated this in a simple but powerful way.
I arrived for a scheduled a book reading at a senior’s residence to find only two people in attendance. The low number was unusual but the reason behind it soon became clear.

After I read a couple of short stories, one woman tentatively told me that she was a writer. She’d taken courses and written short stories but didn’t have the confidence to share them. The other person drifted out of the room and I had the privilege of giving my full attention to the one remaining.

She told me about the depression she suffered and that some days she couldn’t bring herself to get out of bed. Medical issues were part of this, but deeper were the feelings that she was not making a meaningful contribution to life.

I gave her the gifts of listening and encouragement. By the time I left she was excited about returning to the stories she’d started several years ago and promised to share some with me on my next visit. I gave her a hug and she told me it felt like she had a new friend.

My time had the effect of using my candle to ignite hers. Now she is able to shine. It wasn’t a momentous event and didn’t take much time. My candle is burning brighter as a result. Together our light will brighten the world.

How will you take your candle and go light the world? I’d love to hear your stories.

You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:14-16 NIV)

A Drop In The Bucket

God, inspiration, faith, hope, joy, peaceJust before leaving the house for the morning I made what I thought would be a quick trip to the basement. At the bottom of the stairs I heard a drip, drip, drip. “Oh, that can’t be good,” I thought.

It didn’t take long to identify the problem. A pipe that circulates the water for our in-floor heating had sprung a leak. I had been in this area less than 30 minutes before and everything was fine so this took me by surprise. I quickly found a bucket, mopped up the floor and said a prayer of thanks that this had been discovered before I left the house.

While waiting for a plumber that day I learned that even a pinhole opening in a pipe can disperse a lot of water. Drop by drop my bucket filled until it needed to be emptied. A large outdoor garbage can was brought in to hold the bucket and catch any overflow. The dripping didn’t stop until the main water line to the house had been turned off.

This was a powerful visual of what negative thoughts and ideas can do in my life. The first few are just drops in an empty bucket. A little doubt and disappointment here, some fear and anxiety there and soon these drops accumulate. It doesn’t take long for them to become a steady stream of negativity. Before I know it my bucket is full to overflowing. Then it spills out and affects those around me.

The only way to stop this is to turn it off at the source. When I take all of my concerns to God he is able to take the negativity away. Through my faith in him, he will allow it to be replaced with peace, joy and hope. Now those are things I’m happy to overflow with.

May God, the source of hope, fill you with joy and peace through your faith in him. Then you will overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13 GWT)

How to Get Rid of Anxious Thoughts

Bible, the Lord, prayer, promisesA disturbing dream woke me just after daybreak. I slipped quietly out of bed and headed for the living room. My heart was heavy and my mind troubled. The dream had a basis in reality and this view of myself was not pleasant.

I picked up my Bible but found it difficult to quiet my mind and focus on the words. Instead, I shared my anxious thoughts with the Lord. My mind stilled and I was able to resume my reading.

The devotional I read next seemed to speak directly to my concerns. This must be more than coincidence.

Suddenly a movement in the back yard caught my attention and I went to the window. We had filled a small wire feeder with winter bird food a few days earlier. Our little oak tree had become a gathering spot for numerous birds. I smiled as I watched some in the branches, one or two at the feeder and several on the ground enjoying what had been dropped.

This image was a visual reminder of the promises in the Bible that the Lord will take care of me. I knew then that he had heard my prayer. I had nothing to worry about because I was in his capable, loving care.

Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? (Matthew 6:26 NIV)
Turn your burdens over to the Lord, and he will take care of you. He will never let the righteous person stumble. (Psalm 55:22 GWT)

Remembrance Day

Jesus, inspiration, sacrificeToday’s story in honour of Remembrance Day appeared in my book Dragonflies, Snowdrifts and Spice Cake.

November 11 is known as Remembrance Day in Canada. In other countries it is called Armistice Day or Poppy Day. This date marks the anniversary of the official end of World War 1, November 11, 1918. As a holiday the day commemorates the sacrifices made in armed conflicts. Countless numbers have given their lives. Many more have suffered serious injuries and great emotional scars.

The sacrifice that so many have paid to ensure a better life for those who followed is overwhelming. That’s why, on this day and for weeks before, people wears artificial poppies as a symbol of remembrance. There’s also a period of silence at the eleventh hour to remember these sacrifices. Many areas have commemoration ceremonies and military parades.

Those who made the sacrifices are remembered and appreciated. Among those I honour are my father and father-in-law, who both fought in World War 11.

While I’m remembering those sacrifices, I need to remember the greatest sacrifice of all. Jesus gave his life so that I may have the opportunity to spend eternity with him. He paid the penalty for my sins so that I may be forgiven. He knew what the outcome would be but carried it through because of his great love. This is something I didn’t deserve. This gift is something to thank him for each and every day.

“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.” (1 John 3:16 NIV)

I’ll Do It On My Own

God, Inspiration, plan, guidanceThe pool in my city was to be closed for three months while maintenance and upgrades were done on the facility. This meant that I would need to find a replacement for my aquafit class.

As I put my membership on hold, I thought of all of the other forms of exercise I could do. It shouldn’t be a problem to keep myself motivated to exercise on my own.

That’s where I was wrong! My intentions were good, but the follow through was not.

The pool reopened this week. I was pleased with my progress as I worked through the class. Thinking the hour was almost up I glanced at the clock on the wall to see we weren’t even half way through!

The next class caused a few muscles to scream in protest. It was then I realized that I achieve better results with guidance from an instructor than I do on my own.

This applies to more than exercise. There have been many times I’ve thought I could do something on my own instead of enlisting the help of others. It may have been my pride, not willing to ask for help. Maybe I was trying to prove something to myself.

What I do know is that I have often decided to do things on my own instead of taking them to God for his guidance. This doesn’t usually end well. God knows the plan for my life and what needs to be done to accomplish it. His ways are far better than mine. With him guiding my life, I never have to do it on my own.

Yet I still belong to you; you hold my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny. (Psalm 73:23-24 NLT)

What Do You Tell Yourself?

God, care, comfort, guildanceHave you ever been caught in a situation that took you by surprise and left you wondering what happened?

That was my experience recently. The situation itself is not important, how I dealt with it is what I need to focus on.

I sought a neutral party for guidance in how to proceed. After listening attentively to my story, I was asked how I was doing. My immediate response was, “I’m alright.” After assurance that this really was the case, we moved on.

The truth was that although I knew I would be alright, at that moment I was hurting. The person I was speaking to was in demand from other sources so I decided it was better not to add to her burden.

When I examined this the next day, I realized that this was a self-defeating behavior. By not acknowledging my feelings, I didn’t allow the other person the opportunity to comfort and reassure me. It was not my place to decide that for someone else.

Deep in my subconscious was the lie that I didn’t deserve the time and attention another was freely offering. I was suddenly struck by the thought that it’s not only other people I do this with. I have done the same with God.

Frequently I feel that my little issues are not worth taking to him. He has much more important things to take care of. That, however, is not the way God works. He cares about every aspect of my life and is always willing to give me the comfort and guidance I need. All I need to do is ask.

Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. (Psalm 139:23NIV)

Looking For Reason

Jesus, faith, trust, meaningThere are many interesting sculptures along the waterfront walkway in Puerto Vallarta. One in particular captured my attention.

It was in two parts. One was a large figure with outstretched arms. In front of this was a ladder with two other figures climbing it. There were each holding onto the ladder with one hand reaching out with the other.
Upon speaking to a local, I found out that this statue was called Looking for Reason. It is also known as Looking for the Answers.

This was a vivid portrayal of something most of us spend our lives doing. I know that I have often looked for the reason behind events in life. It would be nice to have the answers and not speculate at the outcome.

As in the figures on the ladder, I have held onto what is secure with one hand while reaching for the unknown with the other.

In hindsight I’m grateful that I didn’t know ahead of time what was in store for me. Many experiences would have been lost by my not wanting to face what preceded them.

This is where faith comes into play. My faith in Jesus allows me to trust in him for the outcome. I don’t need to know the answers when I’m holding on to him. Jesus knows my life from beginning to end. Every event I encounter will bring me closer to the purpose he has for me. That’s all the reason I need.

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. (Hebrews 11:1 NIV)

How Do You Share Your TIme?

Jesus, inspiration, eternityAnyone who has travelled to a Mexican tourist destination understands the persistence of people trying to convince them to attend a time share presentation.

On a recent vacation we faced this many times each day. When walking down the streets of the city it felt as though we were constantly being offered gifts in exchange for an hour of our time to attend a presentation. We knew from experience that the hours we’d have to spend and the pressure we’d face were not worth it for us.

I felt rude when we ignored the people and kept on walking. The few times we did stop to be polite the offers were sweetened when we declined. We were offered tickets, tours and cash. My husband would politely but firmly refuse all offers, saying he wasn’t willing to share his vacation time with them.

We talked about this later and said that the greatest time share is the one Jesus offers us. It doesn’t give us a week or two a year, but guarantees eternity with him. His offer never changes and no pressure is applied. I won’t be given more rewards if I hold out. There has never been a better offer than his and never will be. I am so grateful that because of my relationship with Jesus I will be sharing my time in eternity with him.

“Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. (John 14:1-3 NLT)

And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. (1 John 5:11-12 NIV)

Not Ready To Let Go

seasons, life, God, inspirationDry leaves crunch underfoot and blow across the yards as the trees release them during their preparation for winter. The majority of trees in our area now have bare branches. As if in protest of the season, the tree in our front yard is the exception.

After a strong wind during the night, I expected to find our lawn littered with leaves the next morning. Our tree, however was still hanging onto most of them.

When I mentioned this to my husband, he said that maybe it just wasn’t ready to let go of them yet.

Immediately I thought of habits and behaviours I’ve hung onto because I wasn’t ready to let go of them. Although I knew the letting go was inevitable, I hung on as long as possible.

Change is not always comfortable but it is necessary in order to grow.
As the seasons of my life fade from one to the next I need to let go of the things that no longer serve me well. The new season has much to offer but I can’t receive it I’m still holding onto the last one.

When my roots go deep into the word of God, he will sustain me through periods of growth and times of change. He is only able to do this when I am willing to let go of what I think I need and enter into the adventure he has in store for me.

For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. (Ecclesiastes 3:1NLT)

Toronto Blue Jay Philosophy

inspire, Jesus, opportunity, do something betterI was one of millions who watched the Toronto Blue Jays come from behind to win their division series last week. It was a game that will be talked about for years to come.

You don’t have to be a baseball fan to appreciate their accomplishment. Despite a play that delayed the game, was ruled against them and put the other team in the lead, the Blue Jays didn’t give up. During the second half of an historic seventh inning they fought back, took the lead and ended up winning the game and the series.

One player, when asked about the play that had the potential to defeat them, said that it created an opportunity for them to do something better. That was a statement that inspired me.

The potential these words hold is staggering. Instead of being discouraged and giving up when life throws me a curve ball, I could look at the situation as an opportunity to do something better.

Jesus said, “In this world you will have trouble.” He also said to take heart because he has overcome the world. The troubles I face will not defeat me if I face them together with him. With his guidance they will provide me the opportunity to do something so much better than I could accomplish on my own.

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33 NIV)

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