Tag Archives: God’s love

Second~Five Minute Friday

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“This is my command-be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9 (NLT)

Second Guessing?

Living several hours away from my grandsons keeps me from being with them as often as I’d like. It also keeps me second guessing about the impact I have on each of them, the relationship we are building. Sometimes I’m afraid that “out of sight, out of mind” is more likely than “absence makes the heart grow fonder.” If you’re a long distance grandparent like me, you know exactly how heartbreaking it can feel.

This past week I was blessed to spend five days with the boys and saw them off to school, rode along to pick them up and heard about their day, helped with homework, bath time, and read bedtime stories as the day came to an end. But, the best part of myr stay was realizing that my second guessing may be unwarranted after all.

Three boys – three reassurances. They are little things by the world’s standards, but priceless to me. Each done independently, without prompting, and out of the blue.

First: the school work shown in the photo done by our youngest the week before we arrived. If you’ll look in the bottom right hand corner you’ll see faint drawings representing “MiMi and Pop Pop outside” his shape house with him. Despite the distance, we’re on his mind.

Second: A quick response. When saying our goodnights, I told our oldest that I loved him so very much and without missing a beat he responded, “I love you most!” Now I have to tell you, that’s impossible, but what a joy that despite the distance, he thinks it is.

Third: It was our last night. I’d read the story, said the prayer, and it was time to sing the songs I’ve been singing to them since they were babies.  Usually at this time our middle rolls over, and with his back to me he settles in to sleep. But on this night, as I stood in the dark with my hands stretched between two beds, a little hand slipped into mine and held on even after the songs ended. Despite the distance, a connection has formed.

“Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful,
 and endures through every circumstance.
Love never fails.”
1 Corinthians 13:7-8a (NLT)

There’s another relationship I can also find myself second guessing about. I don’t know about you, but to me, Heaven seems awfully far away and because of that, it sometimes feels as if I’m out of sight and out of God’s mind. If it seems like you’re a long-distance child with lots to learn like me, you know how burdened our hearts can feel.

Thankfully, God is great at reassuring us. It’s usually in little ways the world doesn’t understand, but each one an invaluable reminder that our second guessing isn’t warranted at all. Let’s look at just a few.

First: Jesus “draws a picture” that includes us and it shows that despite the distance, we’re on His mind.

“Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust in me also.
There is more than enough room in my Father’s home.
If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to
prepare a place for you? When everything is ready
I will come and get you, so that you will always
be with me where I am.”
John 14:1-3 (NLT)

Second: We know that we’re to love God with every part of our beings and we can show that love for Him in many ways, through our prayers, with our time, what we give, offering praise, but it is absolutely impossible for us to love God more than He loves us. God IS love and despite the distance, it’s a comfort to know He is.

“Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person,
though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good.
But God showed his great love for us by
sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.”
Romans 5:7-8 (NLT)

Third: I don’t know about you, but I cherish the times I receive what I like to call a “God wink.” Those times I sense His presence. Often it’s through the stories in the Bible, an answered prayer, or the lyrics of a song that come just when I need them. When you and I feel that we’re in the dark or we literally are, what a relief it is to know we are in the hands of One who will never let go. Despite the distance, we are forever connected. 

“And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love.
Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,
neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow-
not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love.”
Romans 8:38 (NLT)

This “MiMi” and “child of God who has much to learn” is so grateful to be reminded that there’s no need for second guessing, maybe you are too, because the truth for us is, when it comes to love, there is absolutely no distance it won’t go.

“For this is how God loved the world: He gave His one and
only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him
will not perish but have eternal life.”
John 3:16 (NLT)

I’m joining the other writers over at http://www.fiveminutefriday.com and writing to the prompt “Second.” I encourage you to click over to read more.

Complicate ~ Five Minute Friday

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“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV)

Not So Complicated

Care to guess what this pile is? To me, it’s chaos and confusion left unattended because of purposeful denial.

You see, I recently had a milestone birthday. To be honest this is one I hadn’t been looking forward to. Don’t get me wrong, I’m so blessed and thankful to be here. It’s a gift really, but me turning 65 just seemed totally impossible! And you know what this “coming of age” means don’t you? That’s right….. Medicare.

Problem #1: I know that Medicare is also a blessing and something to be thankful for…by my mother’s generation, certainly in my own mind not by me yet.

Problem #2: Avoidance is my go-to when having to deal with things I have no knowledge base or experience with i.e. MEDICARE!!!!

Problem #3: I don’t like change and the unknown it brings. (Surprise, surprise)

Thus, the pile in the picture continued to grow. These envelopes represent only a portion of the mail I received from companies offering their services “as I navigate” you guessed it, Medicare. On top of the afore mentioned problems, being buried in information unfortunately only served to complicate my already challenging-to-me new life change.

“We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.”
Romans 6:4 (NIV)

It’s funny as I think about it. Isn’t that what can also happen after our eternal “birth day?” Accepting the Gift means there’s no doubt that we’ll face a number of problems: we may not feel ready to accept all that awaits us, we’ll have to deal with things we’d rather avoid, and fear of what lies ahead can keep us from moving ahead.  On top of that, the world constantly seems to bombard us with piles of information, even claiming to help you and me figure it all out when really, it only serves to complicate our attempts at living life changed. 

I’ve been the big 6-5 for two weeks now. My red, white, and blue Medicare card has a prominent place in my wallet. You probably already know, but the truth is, it wasn’t nearly as difficult as I’d made it all out to be. Wise words, patient helpers, and lots of love from family and friends made coming into my new Medicare life a lot easier. As for living our new life in Christ? We have the wisdom of the Bible to teach us, those who will enduringly guide us, and….. 

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
John 3:16 (NIV)

…lots of love. It’s not so complicated after all!

It’s not complicated (see what I did there?) click over to http://www.fiveminutefriday.com to read other selections on the prompt “Complicate.”

Fascinating~Day 3~Write 28 Day Challenge

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Day 3: Fascinating
Singing My Way Through Write 28 Days
Five Minute Friday: Ignore

“The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship.” Psalm 19:1 (NLT)

What a Wonderful, Fascinating World

“I see trees of green
Red roses too
I see them bloom
For me and you
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world”
Louis Armstrong

It’s everywhere we look. If we look. The colors, textures, patterns, and all the intricacies of God’s artistry in nature. It wasn’t until I began learning about photography that I truly started noticing the perfect attention to detail in creation. The more I discover, especially in unexpected places, the more fascinating it becomes to me. I now find myself asking the same question as David did long ago. Why?

“When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers-the moon and the stars you set in place-what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them.?”
Psalm 8:3-4 (NLT)

Who am I, a mere mortal, so far from deserving, that God should think of me by surrounding me with such beauty? Birds adorned in breathtaking feathers, each one amazingly unique. Flowers, delicately awash with more colors than an artist’s palette can hold. The sky, the sea and everything in them. Trees, rocks, all the animals on earth. Even the iridescence of a fly of all things! If we go back to the Psalm, David really answers his own question and mine, he says, “that you should care for them.”

“That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life-And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. The don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?”
Matthew 6:25a, 28-30 (NLT)(emphasis mine)

The sun glittering on water, butterfly wings, leaves fluttering against a brilliantly blue sky, a new born lamb, even the inside of an acorn cap of all things! The list is unending because, He’s everywhere we look. If we look. It’s difficult to ignore that we are surrounded by a mosaic of God’s care for us. Each and every piece precisely and expertly crafted as reminders of His great love for you and me. That’s who we are! He planned it this way from the beginning. And it was and is very good. What a wonderful world indeed!

Deep ~ Day 11 ~ 31Days2019

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“It was strong and beautiful, with wide-spreading branches, for its roots went deep into abundant water.” Ezekiel 31:7 (NLT)

There are lots of hard decisions to make in life but I never really expected one to be about a tree. We went back and forth, pros and cons, heart and logic, but in the end, hard as it was, we decided it had to come down.

A beautiful tree, it stood tall above our roofline and that was the problem.  Building a new house in its shadow was risky. A storm with a strong wind could topple the giant right onto our home, crushing everything underneath. It made sense to simply push it over. As it turned out, there was nothing simple about it! Our majestic pine had roots that ran wide and so deep that even with a backhoe bucket pushing with all its might, the tree held tight. With persistence and hard work, the towering conifer finally shuddered and fell, revealing an intricate and strong root system when it did.

There is a lesson for me, for us, in the example of our tree:

“But blessed are those who trust in the LORD and have made the LORD their hope and confidence. They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water.  Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit. Jeremiah 17:7-8 (NLT)

The storms of life come at us, too. We can easily be blown off course, crushed in spirit, pushed to our limit! That’s why we need our hope and confidence to be grounded in God. ** Paul said it better than I ever could:

“I pray that from his glorious unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him.  Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.” Ephesians 3:16-19 (NLT)

As we ponder on these words today, let’s remember that though we may sometimes find ourselves trying to stand firm in the midst of a whirlwind buffeting our souls or that our peace has been tempest tossed: We are rooted in love! And not just any love, but an intricate love so strong and so deep that it nailed Christ to a tree that we may be made complete in Him. When we make the decision to accept His sacrifice, we can be confident that despite our circumstances we’re able to stand securely, spread His beauty, and live fruitful lives, no matter where it is we find ourselves planted.

This post is written as part of the 31 Days of Five Minute Friday Free Writes Challenge. You can read posts from other writers on the same topics over at http://www.fiveminutefriday.com I hope you know that I so appreciate you being here! God bless, Cindy

 

Recipe for Life

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For as long as I can remember, I’ve loved to cook.  There’s just something about taking a variety of individual items, following specific steps to combine them together, and Ta-Da….create one delicious creation! Here’s the thing though, as much as I like to cook, I don’t always want to follow a recipe that’s too complicated or use ingredients I’m not familiar with. Sometimes (dare I say it) I even think I know better than the recipe-writer and change things to suit my own tastes! As you might guess, doing it my way hasn’t always made it to the table.

I’m afraid I carry my cooking style into everyday life, too.  Most of the time I’m able to take all that the day to day throws in the mix and it will turn out just as I imagined.  But then, there are those moments or seasons when I find the next moves I need to make complex and uncomfortable. I want nothing more than to revise the “recipe” so that the results are to my liking.  Any other “creative life cooks” out there?

At times, deviating from a recipe in the kitchen has had gratifying results.  Veering from God’s plan for my life?  Not so much. Adding this. Eliminating that. Leaving out a step or (dare I say it again) ignoring the “Recipe-Writer” simply leaves a bad taste in my mouth. And guess what? If we remain on a diet of too much “me” we’ll never be satisfied!

“For your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom.  You rule throughout all generations. The Lord always keeps his promises; he is gracious in all he does  The Lord helps the fallen and lifts those bent beneath their loads.  The eyes of all look to you in hope; you give them their food as they need it. When you open your hand, you satisfy the hunger and thirst of every living thing.  The Lord is righteous in everything he does; he is filled with kindness.  The Lord is close to all who call on him yes, to all who call on him in truth. ” Psalm 145:13-18 (NLT)

When we take our eyes off ourselves and look to God, He provides everything we need.  After all, He is the one who took all the different “ingredients” and wove them together to make Ta-Da….the unique creation that each of us is!

I’m learning that the recipe for life requires no revisions and it’s not complicated: When we “grasp how wide” (for everyone) and long (throughout our life and into eternity) and high (there is no limit) and deep (He won’t let us sink) is the love of Christ”; we become “filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” And friends, there’s nothing more satisfying than that!