Hands Off...

Take Your Hands Off

Remember when your child began walking the furniture? You reached out your hands. You encouraged.  You thrilled with them at those first steps.  Holding the bicycle and running along side – “Peddle, peddle!”  “You can do it!”  

You have had to release your hold and let that child peddle off – Oh the joy and excitement!

And then came the car. Hours of riding along, teaching, advising.  Slamming your foot onto the non-existent brake.  And then came the driver’s test and license.  Off they drove. Alone.Without a parent.  

As our son said when he got his license, “A whole new world has opened for me.

There comes a time when our help ends. We have to trust their ability and judgment.  We have to allow mistakes, poor judgment to happen, waiting and watching for the good choices to be made.  Being quick to praise and encourage.  We have to allow them to grow up – take our hands off and trust. 

God does this on a daily basis with me.

Diamond...

Stars twinkle like diamonds, we say.  

Baseball is played on a diamond.

A diamond is the usual engagement ring.  Given as a promise, “I want you to be my wife. Just mine. And mine alone!”

If you are young it is usually not a very big or expensive “rock.”  As the years go by and money is more available, the original is replaced with a bigger stone. Some trade in the original.  Others are sentimentally attached and want to keep the original diamond.  

Diamond earrings are much the same.  Start small, move to bigger more sparkly. The size and sparkle doesn’t always correlate with the love and commitment that is more often the thought behind moving up!

I saw the Hope diamond years ago – I was disappointed.  Yes! It was large, but not sparkly.  I want my diamonds to sparkle.  No matter the size.  I go for sparkle.   To get the best sparkle a master gem person uses a hammer and chisel.  He knows where and what to cut off, chip away.  So when the light hits the stone, it reflects the light.  

God wants me to be His diamond – sparkling and brilliant in His light.  He is working carefully yet forcefully to break the habits and thoughts that dull; to make me into the image of Christ and a reflection of God’s glory.  A priceless gem and 24 carat gold to boot!

Oh! The  baseball diamond.  God is planning a Home Run in the bottom of the 9th with the bases loaded and the score tied.  I am His secret weapon.  

Human Mind...

I just read in Jesus Calling, the human mind is the pinnacle of God’s creation – but few use it to know God - which is its primary purpose.

He communicates through His Spirit, His word and His creation.

I have the wonderful opportunity to sit with God each morning and enjoy His creation and His word.

I look at a creek with water flowing by – a continual flow – the trees ever changing with the seasons – end of September starts a big color explosion as trees ready for winter.

Birds are joining with other birds. Practicing flying in flocks – 
getting ready for their southern departure.

The moon – a giant harvest moon in a couple of days.

The air – crisp and cool in the morning – with 70’s in the afternoon.

Change is here now – getting the area ready for winters rest.

A time to regroup – replenish and revitalize.

When do I do this? Am I not part of God’s seasonal plan?

Don’t I too need a resting time – a time to go deep into the word – sort out what is in my soul – let the Spirit clean and 
clear out – Quit the busyness of doing and just be!

Practice – the presence of God – Sit and listen for Him to 
speak. 

Just Be! God and me. 

Tattoo...

Tattoos are all over the human body. Kids have them. Adults have them. Men have them. Women have them. Even old women have them.

Tattoos are everywhere. Arms. Legs. Ankles. Necks. Elbows. Feet. Inside lips. And other places I don’t care to mention or know about.  You can tattoo your lips (saves putting on lipstick) and you can tattoo eyebrows.

All of my granddaughters have tattoos. One of my grandsons has three Japanese symbols on his side. My son and son-in-law have tattoos.  One daughter and my daughter-in-law have tattoos.  I have a couple of friends with tattoos to mark where radiation for cancer should go.

Tattoos have meaning. At least to the owner.  They have been chosen, paid for and painfully applied. And admired by many or few – depending on placement.  

I have considered lips, but the cost, pain and puffy lips have deterred me.

God has tattooed my heart.  “My child.”  Hidden away deep in my heart. Impossible to remove. But possible to hide.  It’s up to me to reveal to others that God has tattooed  my heart.  (Property of God) on my heart.  

Psalm 42

Psalm 42
Streams of water. Wide Hollow Creek – abundant, moving, continuous, available, necessary, life giving.

I am 80 to 90% water.  Need to be 100% Holy Spirit.

The creek does not end here but flows on by.  It can be used or ignored.  Water the grass. Or a lovely sight as it goes by.  A calm peaceful sound as it falls over the rocks.

I know not where it comes from nor where it goes. Just that it passes by our home. Special and delightful.

The Holy Spirit is a different matter. It’s source:  God.  Comes by invitation only.  Quiet. Silent. But makes a difference in me. And spills out to those around me.  A good and pleasing difference.  A peaceable and peaceful difference.

Streams of water can destroy.  Can flood.  Tear up land, homes.  Destruction.  Fear.

Not the Holy Spirit.  His flooding is good. Always good.

Brilliant

Today, I read Psalm 8 in the Message.  God, brilliant Lord. He made the heavens and earth.  Then He made us.  “Very good.” He said.  Then He put us in charge of all His creation.

When I look at what we have done with His charge I am amazed.  If I was God, I would have made certain we were responsible enough to take on the task.

Then for some reason I thought of the doll my Grandma gave me when I was 10.  A beautiful doll.  Probably two feet tall.  Porcelain head and hands.  Leather body.  A real treasure even 60 years ago.  She trusted me as a 10 year old to care for her precious childhood doll.  Eight years ago I gave that same doll to my youngest granddaughter.  She was 10 at the time and the only one of the five granddaughters interested in dolls.

Let’s calculate a bit. If my Grandma was 10 when she got the doll, the doll is probably 120 years old.  She is in beautiful shape, probably worth some money.  But much more in sentimental value – a real treasure.

Why would I give a 10 year old a valuable treasure?  Because I love her.  Because I trust  her to treasure and care for my Grandma’s doll as I had for 50 plus years.

Why did Go give us the huge task of caring for His beloved earth and all creation?  Because H loves us.  Because He trusts us.

 I wonder, was that really Brilliant?

God, brilliant Lord…

Surprise

Surprise!

“God has a wonderful surprise for you!”  the angel said to Mary.   

And Mary said, “OK!”

Mary Said to Joseph, “I have a surprise for you!”

        
Joseph thought about it. 

          
 And God told Joseph it was OK.

“Surprise!”  the angels said to the shepherds.  “Go. Find the stable.  

There is a surprise.  The Savior - the Messiah is born.”  

They went and were surprised.  So were Mary and Joseph.

The star was no surprise.  

Wise men were looking for it.  They packed up and followed.

God is full of surprises.  Some are fun and exciting.  Some are 

hard.  But in God’s hands, they turn into blessing.

May you have a glorious Christ - mas 

and a Surprising New Year

Surprise?!!

We are still Living (in LaConner)

Laughing (at the aging process) 

&  Loving Life (and each other).