I AM THANKFUL - GOD IS GOOD!

I pulled a weed today.  I watched a hummingbird syphon honey from a lovely purple flower.  I felt brilliant sunshine wash over me as I gazed into an ocean-blue sky.  I heard my daughter’s voice on the telephone.  Today I moved with little pain.  A good friend sent me a text to check on me.  I read a good book.  A tree next to my patio provided me shade.  I cooked a good meal.  I learned a new word.  I wrote a poem.  An old friend showed up on Facebook. Someone smiled at me.  I am thankful.  God is good!

I sit today anticipating a “bucket list” dream that I’ve had since I was 17 – preparing for two college courses at Mesa Community College that begin in two days.  Excitement, fear, and trepidation live in my being at the thought.  Life got in the way of my dream to obtain a college degree.  The opportunity is now here – years later.  I am thankful.  God is good!

As I mature and come to the latter phase of my life, trivial annoyances and disappointments are filed away in a “Miscellaneous” folder and ultimately forgotten.  Each day given by God challenges us to bring His blessings to the forefront and to dismiss the past bumps and curves of life as interesting, educational, but now gone.  Today is new; today is fresh; today is glorious.

I am thankful.  God is good!

God loves us so much that He continually rains blessings down on His children.  We become caught up in busyness, obligations, responsibilities - inured to God’s gifts of roses and sunshine and hummingbirds and grandchildren, our bodies, friends, smiles, family, books, and poems.  The old adage of “stop and smell the roses” compels each of us to open our souls to God, His blessings, His plan for our lives.  After all, God created the roses.  He gave us life.  He gave His only Son to die for our sins; we are free from condemnation.  I am thankful.  God is good!

Would I like to win the lottery?  Oh yeah.  But a video-chat from my grandson pointing out a vacancy where his baby tooth used to be?  A much greater blessing.  And the greatest blessing of all is God’s assurance of everlasting life with Him in heaven.  I am thankful.  God is good!

 “Because of the LORD’S great love, we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.  They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”  Lamentations 3:22, 23

MY FATHER

June is the month of Father’s Day.  And oh how I miss mine!  He was only 48 years old when he died – I was 22.  I still remember so well his smile, his laugh, his face, his love of children.  He worked hard all his life for very little reward.  The oldest of ten children, he served in Germany in World War II.  My favorite picture is of the two of us – me, 4 years old, and he, squatting on his heels as he usually sat, resplendent in his Army uniform.  His arm is around me, the biggest, broadest, proudest smile wreathing his face.  He loved me so.

But I have another Father.  He lives in heaven as does my Dad.  Although I’ve never seen my Father’s face, he is no less real to me than my Dad was.  He created me and made me in His image.  He breathed life into my body in my mother’s womb.  He knew my name before I was born.  He called me his child.

My Dad gave me 3 spankings in my life and I recall each one – short, hard swats to my behind.  He made his point but always in love.  My Father, by His rod, has snapped me back “into line” numerous times – never to hurt me, but to get my attention.  I never wanted to fail Him again, although I do every day by my thoughts and sometimes by my actions. But each time my Dad swatted me, 20 minutes later we were laughing and eating buttered popcorn, everything forgiven, tears dried, and peace restored.

So it is with my heavenly Father.  I am “swatted,” but instantly forgiven, immediately back in his favor after admitting my mistakes and begging His forgiveness.  I imagine his eyes are kind, even moist with empathy for me.  There is no anger on His face, only glowing love for me.  He does not recount my sins but forgets them.  “What sin?” He says.

My Dad loved me unconditionally, with an earthly love, even when I at times misbehaved.  My heavenly Father loves me “as big as the sky and back again.”  I cannot begin to fathom my Father’s love for me.  I don’t need to.  I feel it when I pray, when I sin, when I live.  I can count on it always being there, forever and ever, Amen.

“Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name.”  Matthew 6:9

Big and Small

A couple of weeks ago, the church copy machine went “ka-flooey.” Shut down completely. The culprit? A tiny little round metal speck smaller than a BB shattered some gears and like a chain reaction, damaged other necessary “thing-a-ma-jigs,” resulting in, “Huh-uh, not gonna do any more work right now, thank you very much.” As an office worker put it, “Amazing that something so infinitesimal could make such a huge impact.”

A life lesson for sure. My mind immediately went to a mustard seed. The Bible says if we even have an infinitesimal faith as small as a mustard seed, NOTHING will be impossible for us! An impact? Oh yes!

Conversely, a tiny seed of hate, anger, or resentment can erode our faith, our outlook on life, our hopes and dreams. I saw a quote that says, “The more anger towards the past you carry in your heart, the less capable you are of loving in the present.” Anger can be the “BB” that cuts us down, unable to function in our daily lives and in our daily walk with God. Worry can also wreak havoc. God is BIGGER than anger or worry. He’s the “repairman” of our souls. Let it go – trade in the troublesome “BBs” for the mustard seed of faith. It will sprout and grow, choking out the weeds that threaten our beings. God is our gardener. He nourishes life itself and all things good. He surely can erase and heal the tiny detrimental specks we hold on to that will lead us away from Him.

A person who refuses to forgive, to see another’s viewpoint or to make the first move toward reconciliation is called “small.” Another “BB” clogging up healthy relationships. Can we be big enough to release resentment and blame? God continually forgives BIG sins and then forgets our black “BBs.” Can we not do the same?

Flowers bloom from tiny seeds, some babies can be held in the palm of a hand, hummingbirds delight us, a lock of a child’s hair in a baby book – small things that expand our hearts and fill us with wonder. Their genesis? God himself. Our BIG God who loves us with a largess we cannot comprehend. Lean on it, trust it; pull it over you as a warm family heirloom quilt. Small is good, small can be bad. The GREATNESS and love of God is only good, always.

“….If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” Matthew 17:20

I Brake for Jesus

You’ve seen bumper stickers saying, “I BREAK FOR BLONDES” or some such humor. Well, I’ve been avoiding braking at all whenever I could for a few weeks now, driving with “iffy” brakes. Scary and worrisome – tension-filled driving for sure, but finances prevented an immediate fix. Brake fluid was disappearing, resulting in the brake pedal going nearly to the floorboards. I was risking my life and the lives of others, I knew. Yesterday I shelled out $200 and now have brakes AND peace of mind.
Sitting in the auto shop waiting for the mechanic to complete my brake fix, I thought about the harried pace of our lives, the rushing to and fro, the errands, our jobs, our families, our obligations, “where do I need to be next?” and “what do I need to do next?”
Maybe we need to “brake” more for Jesus. Our hustle and bustle lives sometimes produce tension just as my malfunctioning brakes caused me. Tension obliterates reason at times, robbing us of coherent thought and calm. Who doesn’t want to be calm and reasonable? What do we accomplish, REALLY, when we feel harried and rushed and pushed and skidding out of control? What are we rushing toward? Is it worth the hassle? Look both ways! Slow down! Proceed with caution! Breathe! God is in control!
I often-times give myself a “brake/break”………to regroup, to pray, to thank God, to ask for directions, to refuel for the next minute, the next unexpected expense or event. I plug into my God GPS. I find that quiet time at the beginning or end of my day spent with Jesus are the best thing I can do for my body, mind and spirit. And yet sometimes I neglect it. “Iffy” brakes on my car reminded me that life has flawed “brakes/breaks” and if we don’t repair/fix/employ, we are skidding down a very slippery slope indeed. Stop! Pray! Meditate! Study! Listen! “Brake” for Jesus! It will save your soul and ensure your eternal life.

“Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret…..it leads only to evil…” Psalm 37:7a, 8b