-
Ready to Love
The back door is open onto the screened porch, and I can hear the bell sounds of the wind chime that is hanging above the patio. There are still green leaves on the trees, but these will begin to turn and fall soon. The warmth that is still in the air is becoming shy, and it, too, will give way to chill in another month. The daylight hours are fewer and will become fewer still. Winter is not bearing down just yet, but the inevitability of it weighs. Even in our cities and towns, there is a measure of preparedness that must be met at the change of season. Water…
-
Relentless
Today my youngest son turned twenty-nine. I was grateful to have some time with him, and we enjoyed visiting together, just the two of us. He’s a gentle soul with a heart of compassion, and he’s also a super smart dude. I know you’re thinking, “Every old crow thinks hers is the blackest.” Well, you’re right. A mother sees the best and cheers the best in all her children. Even when they do not think these things about themselves, our noble calling as mothers demands that we lift up, build up and stir up all the good that the Lord has deposited. I believe in smiling at the future. (Proverbs…
-
Together
We went away for the weekend. A little getaway to a cabin in the mountains. Months ago, when we were looking ahead for an opportunity to make the trip, it seemed the timing would be good. And as the hour approached for departure, we were more and more aware that God had ordained it. “The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.” (Proverbs 16:9 ESV) We had planned, but God most assuredly ordered the time. There is something about a change of scenery that helps put things in perspective. There is something about the respite of regular duties that makes room for meditation. We had long conversations and longer silences,…
-
Ready for Change
When my children were teenagers, they had a friend who posted succinctly one early October day, “Hello, hoodie. I’ve missed you.” We were charmed. And, also quite in agreement. The mornings are just beginning to be cooler, and I am always so surprised that temperature has a smell. It doesn’t just feel crisp, the fragrance is also somehow clean. The sharpness in the air changes the way things sound, too. As though a frequency knob has been turned, and it is possible to now distinguish background noises that were hidden before. Maybe that’s a bit fanciful, and maybe it is simply that when the season begins to change, our senses…
-
The Servant Hears
The children were listening attentively as I shared the story of young Samuel hearing the voice of God during our Sunday school lesson today. Usually, they are a rather noisy and rambunctious group, and I was rather surprised at their quietude and focus. Afterward, their questions indicated a desire to learn, and we had a lively discussion related to hearing, understanding, and obeying. Obedience without hesitation can save lives. There’s a reason we teach our children to come when we call them. As they left the room to join their parents, I stood at the window and looked out to see sunlight dancing on the leaves of trees. “Lord God,”…
-
Labor in Love
I was eighteen when hurricane Fredrick slammed into the mouth of Mobile Bay. We knew it was coming and prepared the best we knew how. My maternal grandmother came up from her home right down on the bay to stay with us in the city. Her husband would not come, determined to wait it out and attend to any damage. We were not really surprised. He was a Navy veteran who had seen his share of violent storms. Knowing we would lose power and possibly water, we had stocked nonperishable food, put batteries in flashlights and radios, gathered candles, and filled all the bathtubs and a good number of containers…
-
Pause and Give Thanks
I’ve been sitting here for thirty minutes, with my laptop open and running, talking with my husband about feeding the birds and the deer, about how the people we love are handling various situations and circumstances, and even about past events in lives of our parents. It’s amazing how much ground you can travel in a wandering conversation like that. And then I looked at the clock and realized that I should get along with my job here, as the page was still blank with “add title” sort of demanding that I do so. I don’t always come to this point in the week with a clear idea of what…
-
This Treasure
As we stepped across the threshold of the quaint antique store, the smell of eucalyptus was hovering in the air and the sound of a box fan tickled our ears. It boded well for a few precious moments of wandering amidst the treasures of times past. In a back corner I happened upon an interesting vessel that could have been a vase or candle holder. I lifted it for my husband to admire, and he was quick to encourage the purchase. When we checked out, having talked briefly with the proprietor, she wrapped my find carefully and put it in a bag, topped it with pretty tissue and tied the…
-
A Kingdom
For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. (Romans 14:17 ESV) Over the last three weeks we’ve looked at these three eternal elements, so identified because they are not limited to this space-time continuum. The righteousness of God imputed to us by faith and the satisfaction of His holiness in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus, His Christ. The peace of God, in which we live because of His supreme authority and right to rule. And, the Joy of God, which sustains us and infuses His and our everlasting life. When we begin to realize that heaven came down,…
-
Fortified by Joy
After Ezra had read the Law of Moses, the word of God, to the people who had returned to Jerusalem, he and Nehamiah said to them, “And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” (Nehemiah 8) The people had been in exile under pagan rule because they had disobeyed God, and it is understandable that they should be grieved in their hearts at the realization of the part they had played in their own captivity. Yet, the heart of God for redemption was declared to them and a way of peaceful, righteous living opened in revelation to them. The joy of the Lord was indeed their…