Tag: God

How To View The Parade

God, life , beginning from the endGenerally when I watch a parade it is from a street level. I stand with the crowd of spectators and watch it go by. Although I have a view of what is in front of me, not much more than that can be seen.

A few times in my life I have actually been in a parade. The view that I get then is not of the parade itself, but of the spectators. It is a unique perspective.

Sometimes I’ve watched a parade on television. As well as close-ups of various parts of the parade, there is usually another angle shown. It is interesting to see from above with a birds-eye view. This gives a much broader scope. Occasionally from this vantage point the whole parade, from beginning to end, can be seen.

This is a good analogy for life. I can only see what is happening presently in my life. The whole picture is not available. There is no way for me to see my entire life.

God is the one who can see the beginning and the end. He knows the routes I need to take and has far more knowledge of my steps than I do. For this reason I need to give him control. This parade route called life will be so much better when the one who sees all is leading me.

The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.              (Psalm 32:8 NLT)

Lessons From a Birthday Gift

God, life , beginning from the endI opened a small box and admired the lovely brooch inside. Many eyes were on me as I was asked if I knew why this design was chosen for me.

Our family has a Scottish heritage and the gift had come from Scotland but I figured there was more to it than that. Focusing on the design in the stone I struggled to see what images were there. My family laughed as I came up with some interesting interpretations.

After a few minutes my son-in-law took pity on me and asked how many thistles surrounded the stone. That was the clue I needed. There were eight, one for each of my grandchildren.

The stone itself was a Heathergem, made from the stems of the heather plant. Basically, the heather is picked, dried, died and then mixed together and compressed. Eighty tons of pressure is required to press the block of stems together. It was incredible to think this lovely stone was once the stems of a plant.

The first lesson I learned from this gift was that sometimes I look so hard to find a complicated solution that I overlook the answer that is right in front of me.

Lesson two was that pressure is not always a negative thing. It is not pleasant to go through times of intense pressure but this stone was evidence that the results can produce something of strength and beauty that would not otherwise be possible.
I need to remember that God can take any situation and produce something good from it. I only need to give it to him and allow him to do his work.

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. (Romans 8:28 NLT)

Are You Thick Skinned?

self-interest, God, prayer, inspirationLately I’ve been starting my day with a slice of fresh lemon in a mug of hot water. I enjoy the taste, and have also heard this is good for digestion.

The last lemon we purchased had a very thick rind on it. This made the skin to pulp ratio higher and produced a bitter taste. It also meant the slice was bigger and took up more room in my mug.

When I mentioned to my husband that this lemon had a very thick skin, he asked if being thick- skinned was a bad thing. I replied that I prefer my fruit to be thin-skinned but it’s not good for me to be that way.

If I’m referred to as thin-skinned it means that I am oversensitive. My feelings get hurt very easily. Everything becomes about me. This can make life very uncomfortable.

Conversely, being thick-skinned would mean I have set up a barrier between myself and everyone around me. Although I would not be easily offended, the fact that I would be largely unaffected by the needs and feelings of others would not be positive. Again everything would end up being about me.

Neither of these scenarios is where I want to be. I am aware that my life runs much smoother when the needs of others are as important, if not more so, than my own self-interest. Spending regular time in prayer with God will ensure that I don’t become too thick-skinned to follow his direction for my life.

And then what happened? Well, when Israel tried to be right with God on her own, pursuing her own self-interest, she didn’t succeed. The chosen ones of God were those who let God pursue his interest in them, and as a result received his stamp of legitimacy. The “self-interest Israel” became thick-skinned toward God. (Romans 11:7 The Message)

Floating Shells

life, challenge, God, trustAs I walked along the beach I spotted a tide pool ahead. It was filled with shells that appeared to be floating on the surface. Fascinated, I hurried over to have a closer look. What I found surprised me.

The shells were not floating, they were on the bottom. Crystal clear water had magnified them and created a false illusion.

I took a couple of pictures and moved one. The picture that stayed in my mind’s eye brought some serious reflection.

How often, I wondered, do I make assumptions and even decisions based on how things appear from a distance?

When I look at others and think I’d like the wonderful life they have, do I realize that I only see an illusion and not the close up reality?

The same applies when I look at someone who appears to have very little. The peace and contentment this person has may far outweigh anything I could imagine.

The only life I can see clearly into is my own and sometimes even this is a challenge.

God always sees the hearts and knows the minds of his people. This is why I trust in him rather than on my own understanding.

It is better to depend on the Lord than to trust mortals. Psalm 118:8 GWT

My Hourglass Life

God, love, inspirationDuring a recent dental check-up the hygienist asked if I was brushing my teeth for a full two minutes. After telling her that I really didn’t know, she gave me a cute little timer. It has a smiling tooth on each end and sand that takes two minutes to flow from the top to the bottom.

This got me to thinking of an hourglass and how it relates to my life.
When I was much younger my only thoughts of hourglass were related to the ideal body shape I wanted to achieve. Since that was not in the realm of possibility I filed this word in the recesses of my mind.

Now that I’m much older, and hopefully a little wiser, I view the hourglass in a totally different way. The sand is representative of the sands of time, slipping away. I have no idea how much time is left but I do know that it is less today than yesterday.

For this reason I need to make the most of each day. Unlike the sand in the hourglass, I can’t turn my day over and get the time back again. I don’t want to watch passively as the sand/time slips away.

No loving words should be left unspoken and no kindness left undone. God has given me a certain number of days and I don’t want to waste them. I need to consciously look for ways to use my time to reflect his light and love.

A person’s days are determined; you have decreed the number of his months and have set limits he cannot exceed. (Job 14:5 NIV)

What Language Do You Play In?

common goal, God, life, inspirationI watched some children playing in the sand. Three were siblings and the other someone they had just met. An elaborate sand castle was being built.

What made this scene special was that three of the children spoke only English while the fourth spoke only French. The fact that they could not communicate with words made little difference to them.

The language they shared was that of working together towards a common goal and having fun. That was all that mattered.

These children reinforced an important lesson for me. When we focus on a common goal, the differences we have are not a concern. It is when we allow ourselves to become distracted by things that aren’t important that we run into problems.

We don’t need to speak the same language as others in order to work, play or get along together. All we need is respect and cooperation. In other words, we need to play nicely with others even though we may not fully understand them.

God has gifted each of us with different talents and abilities. I need to not only share my strengths but also to embrace those of others. In that way everyone will be a winner in the game of life.

To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away. (Matthew 25:29 NLT)

Unlocked phone

God, free will, decisions, lifeI was speaking with someone who told me she and her husband brought unlocked phones to Mexico and then activated them with a Mexican phone number. This was so they would have local phones while on vacation.

Later I asked my husband what an unlocked phone was. He told me that with certain cellular providers the phone purchased through them could only be activated on their network. This was a locked phone. If the phone was unlocked it could be activated by any provider, even one in a different country.

We went on to discuss how God has, in effect, given us unlocked lives. Instead of demanding that everyone only follow his strict set of rules, he has given us free will to make our own decisions.

The decisions I make on my own are not always the right ones. Sometimes I’m aware of this while making them. Being stubborn, I persevere, wanting to prove I can do it on my own.

When I stumble and fall, which is often the case, God is there to pick me up and set me on my feet again. He does not force me but gently reminds me that his ways are better than my own.

My keeping my heart and mind locked on him my life has far more meaning and purpose than when I am unlocked and charting my own course.

The Lord is good and does what is right; he shows the proper path to those who go astray. (Psalm 25:8 NLT)

Muddy Waters

We had spent several days walking along the shore enjoying the heat of the sun and the clear waters lapping on the sand.

God, appreciation, lifeThen a north wind blew in. The sea frothed with white caps as it crashed to shore. The sand and debris that it stirred up rode in on the waves. Our once clear water was now muddied.

Before the wind, people swam on this beach without encountering seaweed. Now I was amazed to see the volume of it being carried to shore. Where had it all come from?

This was a strong visual of what my life can be like. One day I can be walking in the sun, enjoying my peaceful life. The next day I can be hit with a storm that strews garbage all around me. Some of this may be unexpected, like the seaweed. Others might have been hidden well below the surface, like the debris churned up from the bottom of the sea. Out of sight, out of mind is a saying that comes to mind. Either way, I am caught off guard, my tranquility now a distant memory.

When I remember that God can make all things work together for my good, I know I will survive this. He will guide me safely through the muddy waters. When I once again reach the crystal clear waters and serenity, I will have a new appreciation for the life I’ve been given.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28 NIV)

Heart of Stone

Heart stonesFor some reason I don’t feel the need to search for shells on our beach walks this year. Since this has been my focus for several years, it comes as a surprise that this desire is gone.

There have only been a few things gathered from the shore during our daily walk and it’s been my husband doing the gathering. It’s not shells he’s picked up but stones. The stones have been buffeted and shaped by the elements until they now resemble a heart. The shape is more distinct in some than others, and one has a piece missing from the side, but they are hearts nonetheless.

Out of the millions of shells and stones deposited on the shore, it’s amazing that our eyes are able to pick these out. It seems that here, as well in many other areas of life, we are drawn to hearts and the love that this shape represents. Not just on Valentine’s Day, but throughout the year, this shape brings thoughts of love to mind.

Finding them on our beach walk is like receiving a message of love from God. Evidence of his love is all around me. To make sure that I fully comprehend this, he has also drawn my eyes to the hearts he has placed as reminders for me.

The hearts of stone though cold and hard are a symbol of the heart God has for me. He has given me a warm loving heart of flesh so I am able to share this love with others.
I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. (Ezekiel 36:26 NIV)

Hiding in Plain View

trust, God, inspirationWe were walking along the beach when my husband suddenly stopped and looked at the sand behind him. He pointed out a small crab. It was very still and blended well with the surroundings, making it difficult to see.

I commented on his good vision at spotting the crab. He said his foot had brushed it and he’d felt the scurry. He’d stopped so he could see what had caused this.

For the crab, being able to hide in plain view is a method of self-protection. This ability helps to keep it safe from predators.

I thought of how I have used this method of self-protection in my life. I’ve done this when I’ve been in uncomfortable situations or ones in which I feel threatened. At these times I withdraw and do my best to blend into the background. In effect I am attempting to make myself invisible to those around me.

The result is feelings of isolation. This is not what I want and is definitely not comfortable.

When I remember that my value does not come from others but from God I am much happier. I turn my focus to the fact that God knows me intimately and still loves me unconditionally. From him there is no hiding, nor does there ever need to be.

Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe. Proverbs 29:25 NIV

When I am afraid I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise – in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me? Psalm 56:3,4 NIV

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