The Sideways Glance

I have a confession to make.  There is something I struggle with much more than I'd like to admit. It's the problem of the sideways glance. Perhaps you struggle as well as you endeavor to follow after the Lord.  Our eyes are fixed on Him and the path He is laying before us, when suddenly something catches our attention out of the corner of our eye. We know the importance of keeping our eyes fixed on the path Jesus is leading us on, but the temptation to look away is strong, so for a moment we give the distraction a sideways glance.

And trouble always ensues. Maybe not for long, but the briefest glace away from the Savior delays our journey with Him. It created chaos in the beginning when Eve was distracted by the serpent, and he put doubt in her mind by asking her "Did God really say..." (See Genesis 3:1). Later in John 21:18-22 we see Peter getting distracted as he saw John following them as he and Jesus talked. And in one of my favorite accounts in Matthew 14;13-32 we see faith, failure because of distractions and restoration. Jesus had just finished feeding 5,000 people with five loaves of bread and two fish and then sent the disciples ahead of Him by boat to the other side. In verse 25 we read that in about the fourth watch they saw Him walking towards them on the water. Thinking He was a ghost they cried out in fear. He assured them it was Him. Peter, being Peter said basically...prove it Lord, if it's You tell me to come to You on the water. Jesus said "Come".  Emboldened by the Lord's command Peter got out of the boat and walked on water to Jesus.  

But then...distracted by the wind and the waves he began to sink.

Blessedly the Lord is gracious when we cry out to Him to save us.

Distractions are always around us.  The key to victory is to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus. But I know from experience that it's hard at times It takes a concentrated effort not to get distracted.

Years ago, I was leading a ladies Bible study group, and we were discussing the difficulty with getting distracted. At the time, my sister was raising horses, so I knew the way they kept a skittish horse from being distracted when teaching them to a trail, was to put blinders on the horse's bridal. The blinder was a piece placed on the bridal at the side of the horse's eyes; that kept the horse from seeing anything that might cause it to shy and throw the rider. I used the example as an illustration of how we must put on "spiritual blinders" so as not to be distracted by the things the enemy throws in our path. Our spiritual blinders are more necessary every day. It is imperative that we spend time in God's word and in prayer.

A myriad of distractions vie for our attention daily, seeking to pull us off the path the Lord is putting before us. I know I must deliberately put on "spiritual blinders" daily to keep me from giving a sideways glance to the things that cause me to stumble and sink.  My journey with Jesus continues upward, and I want to be with Him always.  He is faithfully leading me each step of the way.  Our job as believers, is to keep our eyes fixed on Him and follow where He leads.

Me He grant each of us the courage and wisdom to stay focused on Him and may our fixed focus draw other eyes to Him.

To Him be the glory and honor forever. 

                                 ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*~

"You follow Me." ~Jesus 

Lessons from a splinter

It was the tiniest speck of a splinter in the heal of my hand, but was causing me frustration. I got it while doing work in the yard and used the normal route of tweezers to remove it. Although I managed to get the larger portion out, a tiny, nearly invisible piece remained imbedded in my hand. And it hurt!

I tried getting it out with a needle and peroxide, but to no avail.  So I waited.  I knew the body's natural healing would take its course and make the splinter fester.  When it did, I was finally able to remove the speck of annoyance from my hand.  Although it is still tender, I know the wound will now completely heal. Looking at the speck I thought of how the tiniest things can create enormous pain and frustration.  I realized there was a lesson deeper than the physical splinters we try to avoid.

As I prayed and pondered, the Lord brought to mind how anxiety is the splinter in our souls. The tiniest worry that God is not in control or able to meet our needs, creates a festering wound that only He can heal. This immediately brought to mind Philippians 4:6&7 "Be anxious for nothing but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your heart and mind through Christ Jesus."

Isn't the peace of God what we all desire? 

His peace, which surpasses all understanding is available to those who find comfort under the shadow of His wings. He will heal us of the splinters and wounds in our souls if we will let Him. So when that little speck of anxiety pokes your soul - pray.  Thank God that He is showing you there are places He wants you to allow Him to heal. Ask Him to reveal the root and then rejoice as He brings about healing. 

He loves us more than we can possibly imagine and wants to heal us of everything that keeps us from living joyfully in His presence and peace. Turn to Him with your anxieties.  Trust Him to do an awesome work.

He is always faithful.

Meeting in the livingroom

 I recently had a lovely hour long conversation with my sister on the phone.  She lives in another state, and we don't get to see one another often. We do our best to stay in touch with one another and call our conversations "meeting in the living room". Because of our age difference and experiences, we don't always share the same viewpoints on things. The "living room" is a place where genuine conversation can take place. Our different thoughts and ideas are easily expressed here without concern of the others approval or disapproval. It is where we can talk candidly about things that we are rejoicing over, or are troubled about, without reservation. 

It is a safe place of acceptance and love.

Because there is a four year difference in our age, we see things from different angles. Although we were raised in the same house with the same parents, our experiences and take on life are different. We're different people.  Even though we have many common experiences and situations, we have traveled different roads in our journey of life.  The living room is where we get to share those  things and invite the other into our place on the road.

We understand that the other has a different view of things, and it grants us the opportunity to learn and see things from a new perspective. It is a place to learn and question, and to the best of our human ability, come to mutual agreement on important issues. It is also the place where grace is lived, accepting the other for their view point with no need to try to persuade or change them. It is a peaceful place of communication.  Talking, listening, pondering and loving one another.

Oh, if only more people could understand the pure joy of being able to meet there.

The well grounded soul

"You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You. Trust in the Lord forever, for in YAH the LORD is everlasting strength." Isaiah 26;3,4

Recently the static of the world began invading my peace of spirit. 

Last week there was a fire nearby in the canyon and the smell of smoke brought back harsh memories of four years ago when we had to evacuate, and even though our house was spared, our daughter and her family lost theirs. The fire was brought under control, but the acrid smell as we drove to town filled our noses as we drove past on our way to church and the static noise of life made my flesh respond in the momentary fight or flight. At church a friend asked how I was doing and I responded as well as possible in the current situation. When I asked her the same, she started to tell me things weren't well, but then caught herself placed her hand on her hear and said "in here, I'm OK." We both smiled and agreed.  Things around us can be difficult and make us feel momentarily unsettled, but in our souls we are well grounded.

Later that afternoon after a great lunch and sweet time visiting with our oldest son and his family we were preparing to drive back home when our daughter called us to see where we were. When I told her we were still in town, she said, "You might want to wait before trying to drive home. The road to the canyon is closed. There's another fire." My heart dropped. The thought of not being able to get home if we needed to evacuate again was foremost on my mind. Not only were all our important papers and treasured keepsakes there, but our animals. A quick call to one of our neighbors who was home gave me a bit of reassurance as she said the fire was closer to town than to our place.

Still, the static in my mind and heart persisted.

Our daughter and her family joined us at our son's house and we began discussing whether or not we would try to take an alternate route home. We then received a call from our other son that his wife had taken their youngest boy to the emergency room because he had fallen and it looked like he'd broken his arm. 

ZZZZzzzzzttt!!! the static noise of life made me flinch and groan only slightly.  My daughter across the table from me and my daughter in law sitting next to me saw my reaction.  As she touched my arm she asked "Are you ok mom?"

Fighting the rush of tears I responded. "No...not here." I said indicating my head. Putting my hand to my heart I said "but in here, I'm OK." Both girls smiled and acknowledged they understood.

We stayed a bit longer at our son's house and then decided to take the alternate route home. It meant and additional hour drive. After an already long day, physically I was beginning to feel the effects, but knew I didn't want to wait any longer. At the road block to the canyon we were told the fire had been put out (thank You Lord) but it would still be some time before the mop up was complete and the road reopened. Making the U-turn and getting on the freeway we headed home.

When we had phone reception our youngest son's wife called to tell us that it was a confirmed break on our grandson's arm. We spoke with him briefly and as only a four year old can, he informed us about all that had happened.  He sounded much cheerier than anticipated.

Once we arrived home (thank You Lord for a safe and easy drive) we let everyone know we were safe and that everything up here looked good.

This morning I spoke with all the kids and got updates. The road had been reopened allowing my son in law and oldest grandson passage to work, the four year old had slept well and didn't seem in pain, and that, in spite of the crazy day yesterday, everyone was doing well.

All this got me thinking about how static makes us react. Not only the static of dry air and rugs, hair rubbed with a balloon, but the fun of watching the response of one's hand placed on Tesla Plasma ball. (For a great demonstration of how the Tesla plasma ball works go to https://youtu.be/4ZwZxWgih3U?si=OmC_z1CfGnx9pWRt)

Static can be shocking.

It can make our hair stand on end. 

It can be sticky.

But according to Google "Grounding is a process that removes static electricity from an object by connecting it to the earth. This is done by transferring electrons between the object and the ground using conductive materials like wires, cables, clips, or clamps. Grounding can also be called earthing."

My "grounding" when life's static causes things to be shocking, sticky or even make my hair stand on end, is the faith I have in the solid rock of Jesus Christ.

My friend and I both acknowledge that when we placed our hands on our hearts and said "in here I'm OK."

Because in Him, it is well with my soul.

May the static in your life cause you to remember you are standing on the Solid Rock and are well grounded in Him.

This is not a picture of a Tesla Ball but it was the closest thing I had in my camera. May God richly bless you now and always.

Triumphs that grant us the courage to keep marching

Hooray!! I finally beat the snags that were preventing me from using my new computer effectively.  With the help of a dear friend, we were able to navigate our way through the the technological mine field and won.

Little victories make the battles worth fighting.

It is true in our spiritual journey as well. 

I don't know about you, but there are seasons where it seems like we are deep in the enemy camp and there is little or no hope of escaping unscathed. The army before us seems daunting and we have little courage to effectively battle against them.

But then God reminds us that the battle is His and all we need to do is trust Him to guide us.

I love the accounts we are given in the Bible where the impossible became a  reality. They are the triumphs we are given that grant us the courage to keep marching forward as we follow the Lord. Some of my favorite accounts are  found in the Old Testament. Like Joshua 6  where the people marched in silence around the walls of Jericho for six days and then on the seventh day shouted and the wall came tumbling down. Or  Judges 7 where Gideon and his small army defeated  a much larger army with the element of surprise using torches and trumpets. Then there's the account in 1 Samuel 17 of a small boy using a sling  and a rock to take down a giant who had been harassing the army sent  out  to defeat him.

But my favorite is told in the New Testament  in Luke and John where a miraculous conception and birth and a death and resurrection brought redemption for all who are willing to believe and receive the precious gift of grace God has given us through His Son Jesus Christ. Marvelous news of a victory that nothing can defeat.

As we prepare to celebrate what is marked on the calendars as Easter, let us remember that it is NOT about fuzzy little chicks and bunnies, or colored eggs and an overload of candy. Although these are fun  they are not the message of the true celebration. Jesus is alive. He conquered sin and death and is coming back for His people.

Celebrate the triumph. Share the good news.

The victory is ours because the battle has already been won by the Lord. 

Press on and keep your eyes on Jesus

"For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. For we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. " 2 Corinthians 4:17, 18 NKJV

"I would have lost heart unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait on the LORD, be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart. Wait, I say on the LORD." Psalm 27:13,14 NKJV

Today is the first day in a long time that I have had a PC to use to write my blog.  My old computer finally said "enough" to my poor computer skills, and I had to say farewell to it.

Learning the ins and outs of this new PC has been challenging for this old lady, but I finally managed to get some of the things I desired up and running on it.

As I was struggling to overcome my own frustrations, I was continually reminded the importance of persevering in the face of adversity.  It's easy to give up when we feel as though there is no end in sight to the battle we are facing. That is why it is imperative to keep our eyes fixed on the Savior and not the difficulty.

 Whenever I run into a rough patch in life, I am reminded of the account of Peter walking on the water in the midst of the stormy seas. (Matthew 14:25-33) You see, I am very much like Peter in my desire to do what the Lord tells me to do and have great boldness as I start out. Like Peter, I have seen the Lord do amazing things in my life and the life of those I love. But then I get a bit distracted by the wind and the waves and the noise of the storm, and suddenly my focus shifts. And of course, when it does, I begin to sink, and the at times, wallow, in the adversity rather than returning my gaze to the Savior's face and to cry out to Him for help. But, just like Peter, when I do cry out, immediately Jesus reaches out and rescues me from my self-imposed difficulty.

Oh, what a blessed relief to know He will always save me. I am His beloved and He desires the very best for me, working all things together for my good and His glory.  (Romans 8:28)

And so, once again, I will adjust my position so I am better suited to see Him in all things and will press on. As long as I keep my eyes fixed on my Savior's face, I know I will have continual victory and peace of spirit.

May you find the same in your journey.

To everything there is a season

Today is a bittersweet day. This is the day our oldest granddaughter will be moving out of our home and back with her family. She has been with us off and on for the past 3 years. Ever since Covid and her 18th birthday when her grandfather fell and broke his neck and she rode to the hospital with us. She also waited outside in the car in the parking lot with me for hours waiting to hear an upsdate as we couldn't go in becauase of C0ovid mandates. Afterwards she stayed off and on to help me care for him as he recovered. In that same tine frame fires tore through the canyon and burned her family's home to the ground and she moved in with us.  Rebuilding has taken time, not only for my husband's physical strength, but for the new structure for her family and for her as she has adjusted to life as an adult. 

It will be a good move even though we will miss her. Especially her hugs in the morning and at night. Last night when she came home from work the hug was a little bit longer. We knew today would be bittrrsweet.

But I know her siblings and parents are especially happy they will all be together again. And for that I am happy. 

It's been quite a season. 

But as Ecclesiastes says..to everything there is a season.

So now aa I see this one close I look to the future with confidence that all things are working together for our good and God's glory. Nothing is outside of His notice or care.

So as we enter this season of thanksgiving I will thank Him for the privilege I have had to spend extra time with her. I pray it will have made a positive impact in her life and that whatever seasons she faces in the future she will be able to do so with strength.

As the oldest grandchild she has a role of leadership and I know God has great plans for her and all those whose lives she touches. 

May His blessings be upon all of them.