Pain and Joy

Do you remember that feeling?

It came with youth and inexperience.

Something rocked your world

and it felt like there would never be

anything good in life, again.

God is good.

Life goes on.

We grow up

and learn these things.

Today, 

I am overjoyed to learn

that the doctor who

delivered my son

is recovering well from 

heart surgery.

It didn't go smoothly.

Today, 

I am to meet a treasure,

the daughter of two

young people who are

related to me 

and who are special.

In fact, he is an active duty

Green Beret.

She is a darling

who lost her first fiance 

suddenly

and has gone on 

to find life good.

I have been looking forward

 to this day,

for months.

Today, 

I learned that

the sudden death of a

young acquintance

on Christmas Day

was caused by

the physical abuse

heaped on her by

her husband.

Words are weak.

I have many of them.

None seem right.

Just for a few minutes

I have, again, 

that feeling.

My experience 

and

my faith

tell me that

I will love the baby.

I will find joy 

in the recovery of

the doctor.

I will see beauty.

I will have peace

and it will pass understanding.

It begins.

The joy returns.

The peace starts

to flood my soul.

Remember.

Remember

we are of 

the moment,

but our Father

knows the end

from the beginning.

Safe in the arms of Jesus --

yes, it's true.

 We all are,

no matter how we feel

just now.

Happily Give Thanks!

I had some ideas of Thanksgiving posts this month.

One of those ideas is in draft - a very long draft.

I'm thankful for so much.  As I get older, the list grows longer.

Besides all the wonderful blessings I have now,

above and over all is the grateful assurance

of my heavenly home.

Thank You, dear Jesus.

  

Psalm 106.1

 Praise ye the Lord. O give thanks unto the Lord; 

for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

 1 Thessalonians 5.18 

In every thing give thanks:

 for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

Growing Together

Last Friday I was taking

pictures of God's handiwork.

I noticed these things all in the same hedge.

They could have been all in the same bush,

but in a hedge of roses, I didn't try 

to figure it out.

A bud,

a full blown rose,

a fading flower

and rose hips, already
drying up,
were all there together.

How like us human beings, I thought.

While some are just starting, others

are coming to the end of their lives.

How like the way God works in us.

Do we despise the the bud because

it is not yet fully flowered?

Hardly!

Do we have the same tender smile 

for those who have barely begun

growing in some area God has 

been developing in us

for some time?

Well, do we?

Irritation, is more likely to be my reaction, 

unless the other Christian is very young.

Dear Holy Spirit has been gently pointing out 

to me that He has a purpose in our lives

and there is more to this journey than what 

I see.

What I think another "should" have learned

by now, is not my business.

Quite often I disappoint myself.

Grace and mercy are always there for me.

In becoming like Jesus,

I want to show grace and mercy

to others.

I want to remember that we are all growing

at different rates in different areas.

Speaking of which,

look what else was growing

in that hedge.

Still beautiful.

Still fruitful.
 
Nothing to do with a rose, at all.

While the Gardener may be growing
roses in your plot, right now
I may be producing
a lovely leaf
or 
some shiny red berries.

It's all according to His plan.

Oh, Lord, please help me
think mercifully
and show love
when I would criticize.
Thank You for Your
patience with me.

Thank You! Thank You! Thank You!

Driving down the sunlit road,

blue skies piled with awe inspiring

clouds,

I recalled that I had not

formally committed the day

to my Father God.

I began saying aloud,

"Thank You!"

"Thank You."

By the time I said the 

third "Thank You!"

I was crying.

With the fourth, I laughed

at myself for crying.

The fifth sobbing 

"Thank you,"

may have been the last

as the acknowledgement of 

how very much I have

to thank God for

really began to well up in me.

I had to pay closer attention

to my driving, then, but

I am still blessed 

by knowing

I am blessed. :)  

What My Candle Means

Someone asked me what Advent is and what I'm doing this candle lighting thing for. 
Here is some of my reply.

  Hope is what Advent represents, to me.

 Wikipedia: Latin adventus is the translation of the Greek word parousia, commonly used in reference to the Second Coming of Christ. For Christians, the season of Advent serves as a reminder both of the original waiting that was done by the Hebrews for the birth of their Messiah as well as the waiting of Christians for Christ's return.

I am enjoying this advent season more than any since Mom died.

I have not done this, before, friend.  On the first Sunday of Advent I lit one candle. I plan to light two, next Sunday and so on. I don't have an advent wreath. This is not a family ritual. I just feel like celebrating hope in a world that sometimes seems to have forgotten that God made the way. I feel like celebrating grace that sheds light into all the darkness of my sin and failing and shows the wonder that Jesus came. I feel like celebrating the joy of the Spirit among all the glitz and rush that masks the fear that does not come from our Father. I feel like remembering that Jesus is coming to reign. I feel like focusing on Him, for a few moments. I feel like... lighting candles!

What Do I See?

I didn't want to throw away this apple without
checking to see if there was a usable
part - turned out to be about half.
While I was cutting and peeling
and slicing, I thought about
what God sees when He looks at
me. 
I see so much that I have
messed up, left undone or just
plain done wrong.  But,
because of Jesus, my Father
sees a beautiful fruit.
So, how can I,
who have been the beneficiary
of so much mercy,
so great grace,
focus on the foul in others?
God grant me that heavenly vision,
please!