Hope and Encouragement
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Alive and Well
Martin Luther said, “The Bible is alive, it speaks to me; it has feet, it runs after me; it has hands, it lays hold of me…” There are many interesting word pictures in this quote. We don’t usually think of something inanimate as a book as having feet. Yet that is what makes the Bible the most unique book in the world. Thanks to the work of the Holy Spirit, the Bible continues to be a book of action and vitality; its vibrant message spread around the world. What about the concept of the Bible running after me? This speaks to the fact that it is God who is seeking…
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Be Careful What You Lean On
I love old things. I can spend hours in an antique store or a museum. As I walk around, I drink in the exquisite workmanship and unique designs as I ponder what life was like back for those who paved the way for where I am now. Many of these old pieces of furniture are made of solid wood, unlike much of what we find today. They appear solid and strong. Yet, as I walk through an old farmhouse one day, I lean on what I think is a sturdy table. My assessment proves wrong as both me and parts of table land on the floor. As I pick myself…
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Like a Tree
It is one of those days when I let worry over something just control my day. The crazy thing is, I am concerned over something over which I have no control. None. Nothing. Yet I let this concern manipulate my day. It permeates my thoughts and even brings a few tears. I try to figure out the situation, analyzing it from every angle; but the answers remain the same. There is no immediate remedy to the situation and I can do little to change it. That truly bugs me. Yet, my gracious Lord knows when I need His gentle Word with its kick in the pants, so to speak. As…
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Reminders
Do you ever have times where things from the past just nag at you? It seems that some days, my past comes back to haunt me. I want to leave those bad feelings/experiences in their place – they are past and done – yet they seem to rise up and integrate themselves into my life in the present, far more than I would like. It is not just the big items that weasel themselves into my day-to-day thinking. Some days it seems like I can remember every little thing that has gone wrong in my life. The devil loves to parade a list of our wrongdoings past us. He wants…
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A Beautiful Spirit
“Let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious.” (1 Peter 3:4 ESV) I grew up with this verse demonstrated to me daily. My mother, a precious gift from God, has a wonderful gentle and quiet spirit. I am truly blessed by her example. She lives a life of faith and hope. My whole life, her bright blue eyes have shone Christ’s light into my life. She has surrounded me with love and support. I am who I am today because of the foundation she laid. Although frail and elderly now, my mother…
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Jump Rope Jitters
Turn the rope. Hop over the rope as it comes to your feet. Turn the rope again and repeat. The basic mechanics of jumping rope are not difficult. Yet, for my students in the early grades, this task can be daunting. Jumping rope effectively takes coordination and a sense of rhythm, which my young students do not all have as of yet. I must say I have had more than a few chuckles watching my students as they attempt to make the skipping rope cooperate. Tangles and missteps abound in the early days of learning. On some students I can see the intense concentration on their faces as they try…
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Restoration
Do you ever feel drawn in a particular direction without a reason? I think at times the Holy Spirit nudges us – directing us in a way to broaden our understanding and grow in the faith. That was me this morning. For whatever reason, I felt compelled to open up a long put aside notebook. It is not a journal like I normally keep – one that documents life events and feelings and perceptions of my world. This one is a place for me to share my commentary on how Scripture touches me deeply and ministers to me again and again. Since I started blogging, this unique journal has largely…
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The Best Day
As I sit in my rocking chair, a new day is dawning. From my vantage point I can see the subtle changes that occur each morning. As the brilliant morning colours appear, the sky is alive with anticipation of the day to come. It is an exciting time of year as dawn is finally much earlier. As I go about my morning routine, I do so in daylight. That is therapeutic after the long winter months where I had to get going for work in the dark. What a difference it makes in our lives when we start our days in the light of Christ! It changes our perspective. Just…
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Hide and Seek
My youngest grandchild is getting into playing peek-a-boo. She finds it great fun when I hide my face behind my hands and then pop them open and say “boo”. We have many delightful moments together as we find variations in hide and seek type games. I remember playing similar things with my own children as young ones. Gradually they learned to cover their own faces to play the game themselves. The interesting thing with my wee ones was that, when their faces were covered by their hands, they believed that I couldn’t see them at all. As long as they couldn’t see me, surely, I couldn’t see them. It was…
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Don’t Give Up
It feels good to walk to the meeting area each day. Gathering with other believers is restorative and the opportunities for ministry are many. Yet, each day is disturbing. A slave girl keeps following them. Day by day the girl troubles them. All they want to do is to reach the meeting place with the other believers. Each day this fortune teller shouts out as they pass by. While her words are accurate – “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you a way to be saved” (Acts 16: 17b NIV) – her outbursts trouble Paul and Silas. Paul’s solution is simple – he asks…
