Author: Tandy

Festival of Lights

excitement, volunteer, inspirationOur city hosts one of the largest free outdoor light displays in Canada. It takes place every evening for the month of December. The truly amazing thing about this display is that it is funded by donations and set up and run entirely by volunteers.

Recently my husband and I bundled up and headed to the park to work a three hour shift. Our jobs for the evening were as train assistants. One of the most popular attractions during the Festival of Lights is the miniature train ride that runs through the display. We took tickets, kept the lines moving in an orderly fashion and generally got to share in the joy of those boarding the train.

It was fun to see the excitement in the young children as they waited their turn to ride. When they spotted the train coming around the corner towards them, their enthusiasm was contagious. One little guy was so happy, he turned to my husband and said, “Have fun!” even though it was him going for the ride. The outside air may have been chilly but the hearts were definitely warm.

Volunteering three hours of our time was a small thing to do. The rewards of being part of this memorable experience for people were priceless. One of the things the Bible tells us to do is to use our energy to serve the Lord. By serving his people, I serve him. When I give of my time to volunteer, I am serving God in one of the best ways possible.

Be devoted to each other like a loving family. Excel in showing respect for each other. Don’t be lazy in showing your devotion. Use your energy to serve the Lord. Be happy in your confidence, be patient in trouble, and pray continually. Romans 12:10-12 GWT

Lost Child

Jesus, rescue, inspiration
image from bing.com
I was attending a large function and briefly stepped out of the room with my six-year-old granddaughter. There were over one hundred people in the busy room and she needed space to burn off some excess energy. After playing in the hallway for a few minutes we decided to rejoin her parents inside.

Someone was exiting the room as we approached the door and my granddaughter quickly ducked through ahead of me. At that point, I lost sight of her. My daughter was standing nearby so I headed over to her. Our little one had not been seen.

Soon we were doing a sweep of the room, the corridors by the meeting rooms and the hotel lobby. Unable to locate her, we enlisted more people in the search. After what seemed a long time, but in reality was only about five minutes, her older sister found her in the washroom. She didn’t consider herself lost, so had no worries about heading off on her own. Relief flooded over us as we had her beside us once again.

This incident reminded me of the parables Jesus told about searching for the lost. The point of these stories is that Jesus will drop everything to come and find me when I stray. I may not realize how far I’ve gone or the potential danger I face. When I am intently focusing on other things it is easy to lose sight of what really matters. When I am under his care, I need only call out and he will find me and gently bring me back.

In their distress they cried out to the Lord. He rescued them from their troubles. Psalm 107:6 GWT

Snowsqualls

Storms, Jesus, safety, reliance
image from globalnews.ca
I had heard of squalls before but generally thought of them as sudden winds coming up on the water. They were something boaters had to be wary of.
Our weather report called for a snowsquall. Since this was something I was unfamiliar with, I decided to do a little research.

According to Wikipedia, “A snowsquall is a sudden moderately heavy snow fall with blowing snow and strong gusty surface winds. It is often referred to as a whiteout and is similar to a blizzard but is localized in time in space and snow accumulations may or may not be significant.”

Essentially, what this told me is that we will be hit with sudden winds and blowing snow producing conditions that make it difficult, if not impossible to see what’s in front of us. As if that wasn’t bad enough, we have no idea if it will leave significant accumulations to clean up after.

When I examine this, I can see parallels to my life. There have been times I’ve had the emotional equivalent of a snowsquall. Suddenly I’ve been hit with unexpected gusts that make it difficult to focus on taking the next step forward. I have no idea what the fallout may be. Will I have a huge mess to clean up or will the storm temporarily throw me off-balance but leave me unscathed?

I have learned that the way I handle these squalls has a direct result in how well I come through them. Left to my own devices, I tend to panic. It’s easy to get turned around, confused and end up creating bigger fallout for myself.

When I walk with Jesus, the results are much different. He doesn’t keep me from the storms. Some of them are necessary for my personal growth. By calling out to him, I know that he will calm me and guide me safely through. I will come out not only intact but stronger due to what I’ve gone through. I don’t need to see the outcome, just Jesus by my side to have the reassurance that everything will be alright,

“Your strength will come by settling down in complete dependence on me – the very thing you’ve been unwilling to do.” Isaiah 30:15B The Message

Harmony

inspiration, God, create
photo from medleague.com
We enjoy music and every year attend a large gospel music celebration. The lyrics of the songs are wonderful and encouraging and lift the spirit. The music is a blend of harmonies. It is this blending of voices that creates the depth of sound. One voice may sound good, but when a few harmonize it sounds so much better. If everyone sang the same note, the sound would not be nearly as rich.

This is the way of life as well. I don’t have to be exactly the same as the person next to me. When I work together with others, our ideas and strengths are blended and a beautiful harmony is created. I am unique just as you are. God gave us each our own notes to sing. By blending my notes with the ones next to me, what is produced is something far more beautiful than anything I could create on my own.

Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy. Psalm 33:3 NIV

Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Romans 12:16 NIV

Contest Winner

book title,
Photo by Sarah Grace Photography
Thank you to those who voted on the title for my new book. The publisher is very happy with the title, Dragonflies, Snowdrifts and Spice Cake: Finding Inspiration in Everyday Things. Kimberly Sperling was the winner of the draw and will receive her autographed copy when the book is released in the spring.

Roof Repairs

Jesus, prepare, inspiration
photo from brigley.com
We were scheduled to have repairs done on the roof of our house. This was the result of a damaging hail storm in our area so the roofing crews were all extremely busy. We had no idea when they would arrive to do the work.

We came home one day to find stacks of shingles. A few days later there were men on the roof working. Another day a crew showed up to start replacing gutters and downspouts. We had no idea from day to day if anyone would be there or what area they would be working on.

One morning I heard a loud noise as I stepped out of the shower and realized the roofing crew had returned. I knew that the skylight in our en suite was an area still needing repairs so quickly moved into another room.

If I had known when workmen were going to arrive it would have been easier to plan my schedule accordingly.

This made me think of the parable Jesus told of the thief in the night. The meaning behind this was that we don’t know when our final day on earth will be. We need to prepare in advance so we will be ready when Jesus comes for us. I have done this by asking him to forgive my sins and take control of my life. Now I don’t need to be concerned about when he will arrive as I know I am prepared to spend eternity with him.

Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. Matthew 24:42-44 (NIV)

My Little Lunch

God, love, offeringI was spending the day with a friend. When we started to get hungry I reached into my bag and pulled out two muffins. When I offered one to her she said, “Are you sure? I don’t want to take your lunch.” I quickly assured her that the reason I brought two was so we could share.
Reflecting on this, I realized that out of my abundance it is easy to share. The more difficult task is to share when I don’t appear to have anything extra to give. This is where submitting to God and trusting him for the outcome comes into play.
The things that God asks me to share aren’t necessarily material things. I have learned first-hand the power of a caring heart. Taking the time to really listen to someone can make a huge difference in their life. God has given a limitless supply of love. All he asks is that I share his love with others.
Talents and abilities are also gifts that God has given me to share. On my own there are few things that I can accomplish. When God prompts me to do something on a larger scale than what I’ve done before I become frightened. Insecurities and self-doubts become magnified in my mind. It is only when I give my meager gifts back to Jesus that they become multiplied. He will never ask me to do anything that is beyond his power to accomplish through me. I need only to submit. When I stop trying to do things in my own strength and let God work through me, I am in awe as how he takes my little lunch, my meager offering and uses it for his glory.
“There’s a young boy here with five barley loaves and two fish. But what good is that with this huge crowd?” “Tell everyone to sit down,” Jesus said. So they all sat down on the grassy slopes. (The men alone numbered about 5,000.) Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks to God, and distributed them to the people. Afterward he did the same with the fish. And they all ate as much as they wanted. John 6:9-11 (NLT)

Sundogs

God, Jesus, shine, beauty, inspirationA friend and I were traveling in northern Alberta. It was just after 8 am and a very chilly -19°C. She was driving and I was enjoying the beauty of the snow-covered landscape under a clear blue sky. As we rounded a bend, I witnessed something I’d never seen before. I said to my friend, “Look at the sky. It looks like a rainbow that is going straight up and down.” She told me it was a sundog. She had seen them before but never as vibrant as this one.

It seemed to come down from the sky, stretch across the frozen fields and reach right out to us. It was phenomenal to observe it cast its coloured hues across the trees and buildings we passed. There was nowhere to pull over to take a photo, so we etched this image into our memories as we thanked God for providing this visual gift for us.

Later I researched sundogs and found that they are a member of a large family of halos, created by light interacting with ice crystals in the atmosphere. I saw several pictures of them online, but none as breathtakingly beautiful as the one we had seen.

If God can create such splendor by shining the light of the sun through icy skies, I wonder what he can do in my life. When I allow the light of his son, Jesus, to shine into my cold life, there is no telling what beauty he can produce. My life becomes bright and reflects his glory. This can create a radiance that can not only be seen by others, but will point them back to him. When I live my life in a way to reflect the light and love of Jesus, I too, will shine like a sundog in the frozen atmosphere.

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12 (NIV)

Transformation

transformation, Jesus, inspirationMy son enjoys bringing flowers to his wife. One bouquet contained something unexpected that kept the whole family enthralled. Attached to one of the stems was a chrysalis or cocoon.

My granddaughters were fascinated to have this nature lesson right in their house. The first day it was a clear sac with a smooth green caterpillar inside. On the following day, this sac held a black shriveled version of the caterpillar. The transformation had begun and the excitement was mounting.

Day by day they checked to see what was happening. The cocoon remained clear enough that the contents could be seen. No change was visible in the shriveled black creature inside. The transformation was happening deep within and not where human eyes could see.

This reminded me of a transformation that occurred in my life. The Lord took my good life and changed it into something so much better. This was also done on the inside, where no eye could see. My heart became more loving. I became more accepting. As the changes occurred, I was able to give more and more of my life to Jesus. He has taken my willing heart and is transforming it into something that can be used for his glory. The metamorphosis is not yet complete. I am excited to see what he has in store for me next.

And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:18 NIV

Remembering

Jesus, inspiration, thank youTomorrow is November 11th, Remembrance Day. This is a day set aside to honour the brave men and women who serve in the military. They deserve so much more than one day of our thanks. A minute of silence to remember them is not enough.

These men and women put their lives on the line for us. This is done out of love for our country and for mankind. They know the risks when they sign up. As we have learned recently, the casualties can be on home soil as well as foreign.
Many of us would risk our lives for a loved one. Few would do this for people they do not know. This is done to give us the freedoms that we so often take for granted.

These brave men and women show a love and dedication that was modeled over 2,000 years ago by Jesus. He also came to serve and gave his life for us. There is no greater love than to sacrifice oneself for another.

Thank you.

For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:45 NIV

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