Tag Archives: Shepherd

Replace ~ Five Minute Friday

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“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save those who are lost.” Luke 19:10(NLT)

Never Too Lost

If you’ve read many of my words here you know that I am a memory hoarder. Whether it’s a photograph, hand written note, trinket, song, or just a remembrance that slides into my thoughts, I treasure them all. It’s not that I live in the past, but rather that I cherish it. 

Many years ago when my children were young, my Grandma gave them my Grandpa Frank’s leather case full of keys to play with. Soon, they were used to start a “car” and later to unlock the door to a “house.” The kids loved those keys and so, when it came time for us to leave, Grandma told my son and daughter to take the keys with them. Believe me, they were well used!

Fast forward and we now have grandsons. When putting together their toy box here I thought of those keys and added them to the other things I’d collected. Once again they became a popular source of entertainment bringing an “engine” to life, unlocking a “treasure chest,” or whatever else a little boy’s imagination could come up with. And yes, I too loved that case of keys.

At the end of a visit several years ago as I put things back in their place I realized the well-worn leather case with it’s variety of keys was missing.  I searched high and low, over and under, in and out, but never found them. It seemed they were gone forever and it made me sad to think that I’d lost not just the keys, but something that could never be replaced, the connection they were to my Grandma and Grandpa Frank.

Life is funny. Early last week out of nowhere, those keys came to mind. I don’t know why, just that I once again mourned their loss. On that very day the temperature outside was cooler than it had been in a long time and on a whim I decided I was going to do some trimming in my flower bed. As I began to work it occurred to me that I’d received some fancy clippers as a gift and wondered where they were. I began digging in my gardening/bird feeding pile in the garage and found the tool at the bottom of the heap. As I lifted them up…..are you ready for this? There, lying on the concrete floor underneath the clippers was the beloved key case! I’m not going to lie, a tear or two of joy and thanksgiving were shed. 

How those keys got there? Why I hadn’t I seen them before? I have no idea. However, I do know a reignited memory, unexpected cooler temperatures, and the thought of a gift I could use to make my job easier all lead me to a pile where those long lost keys had laid for years, under the exact tool I was looking for. Coincidence? I think not!

What a perfect lesson for me and maybe for you, too.

We can find ourselves at times in an unexpected place that we’re not even sure how we got to or how to get back from.

We’re never too lost that we won’t be found.

Life circumstances may be heaped upon us, leaving us feeling buried and unseen.

We’re never too lost that we won’t be found.

Overcome with worry and fear, we often believe we’ve lost our connection to God and that it can never be replaced.

We are never too lost that we won’t be found.

Sometimes, we are that one sheep that wanders away from the other 99, goes astray, and lose our way.

We are never too lost that we won’t be found.

“For this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I myself will search and find my sheep. I will be like a shepherd looking for his scattered flock. I will find my sheep and rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on that dark and cloudy day.”
Ezekiel 34:11-12 (NLT)

Coincidence that God calls himself our Shepherd and promises to find the lost? I think not! He will look high and low, over and under, in and out, whatever it takes to bring us Home where we belong.  I don’t know about you, but I think that’s a memory worth holding on to!

Joining with the lovely group at http://www.fiveminutefriday.com . Click over to read their offerings on the prompt, “Replace.”

Sheep ~ Write 28 Days

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“The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.” Psalm 23:1 (ESV)

Sheep

“Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.”
Psalm 100:3 (NIV)

Adjusting from city life to country life wasn’t always easy. As a matter of fact, sometimes it was downright painful. The farm family I first stayed with taught me a lot, but the farmer himself believed in letting me learn on my own. Let me give you an example:

Being a witness to baby animals being born was something I never dreamed I’d do. I was especially taken with the lambs. Wanting one to know and trust me was my goal and so, each day after teaching school I’d change into my “farm” clothes and head to the barn for a metal scoop full of shelled corn. Slowly, I’d open the gate to the sheep pen and ease my way in.

“Little Buck” was my choice to make a pet and slowly but surely my plan began to work.  I’d shake the corn so it rattled in the scoop and call his name. When he’d come within reach I’d offer him the corn. Before too long I could shake the kernels on my way to the paddock and by the time I’d get to the gate Buck would be there to greet me. The farmer stood back and watched.

Over time I decided to go a step further and when Buck reached his tongue for the treat, I lifted the scoop and patted my chest. Was I proud when soon he began jumping up on me with glee to get his corn. The farmer smiled.

Life, as life often does got in the way of my visits to sit among the sheep. Buck grew into a handsome fellow. One beautiful evening I was on the farm for supper and decided to give him a visit. As always, I gathered a scoop of corn and walked through the gate giving it a shake. Before I finished calling his name, Buck the not so little sheep came running. See where this is going? Sure enough, he’d remembered everything I’d “taught” him and with exuberance my pet jumped up and knocked me off my feet and directly onto my rear in a matter of seconds. The farmer laughed with gusto. 

The Psalmist reminds us that God made us to be the sheep of His pasture, but it doesn’t stop there. The familiar 23rd Psalm also tells us that the LORD is our Shepherd. As I think back on my class in sheep school, instead of getting to know and trust me, my sheep only saw the corn in my hand. God doesn’t want us forming a habit of running to Him to see what He will give us or to leap at anything that sounds good. Having a Shepherd makes all the difference because it is about relationship, spending time getting to know one another, and about caring.

Psalm 23 goes on to say that because the LORD is our Shepherd we lack nothing. He knows our every need and provides when we require rest, long for refreshment, or seek soul nourishment. God guides us, is ever present in trouble, pulls us back in the fold when we’ve gotten ourselves lost, and He is our true source of comfort. 

God knows us by name. “We are His people, the sheep of His pasture.” How will we respond when He calls? 

Still ~ Day 22 ~ 31 Day Writing Challenge

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“Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on the earth.” Colossians 3:2 (ESV)

Still

“The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.”

I’ve just returned from a much needed respite from the world. After several long, challenging months my favorite traveling partner and I packed up our necessities and headed out hoping to leave all the extra baggage behind. The moment we walked into our little cottage, I felt we’d been guided there. And as it turned out, bringing a little, was just enough.

“He makes me lie down in green pastures.”

Surrounded by lush beauty, I knew it was going to be a place of refuge, one where we’d be nourished, replenished, and find rest. Exactly what we were desperately in need of, and now a way had been made for them to be provided.

“He leads me beside still waters.”

There was a path from the house going down to the lake. Those were sacred steps as I sensed God’s Spirit near the water. The lake taught me much as I sat by its side. Ripples formed when the smallest of leaves hit the surface reminding me how I can let little things cause disruption in my life. The ups and downs of the waves after a boat passed by mimicked the highs and lows in life but sitting on the floating dock also showed me that riding those waves could be navigated if you hold on. But it was the glassy surface of the perfectly motionless lake that had the biggest impact. A motionless, mirrored surface allowed what was above to be reflected on it. I noticed that when the water is churning you can’t see anything from above at all, but when its totally still, a display of color and shape is revealed.

“He restores my soul.”

When in choppy waters, we grab for anything that we think will hold us up, it’s the same when we are in turmoil; we are intent on helping ourselves stay afloat. Our days feel vague, murky, and exhausting. Only when we quiet our hearts and minds, can we begin to reflect on the things above. The One who actually saves us. The One who calms the waters. That’s what the last few days have done for me, afforded me solitude, peace, and restoration. Being still inspired me to gaze Heavenward and it gave me a renewed outlook, one in which the beauty of God’s goodness and grace came clearly into view.

Psalm 23:1-3a (ESV)

Swan ~ Day 6 of #Write28Days Challenge

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“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul:” Psalm 23: 1-3a (KJV)

A Pond and A Swan

I sit in the window and
Look out at the world.
My breaths become slower
My muscles, unfurled.

Leaning into the glass,
The pane cool to my face,
Worry lines once there
Disappear with no trace.

Hopeful, my gaze
Sweeps over the pond;
Searching the surface,
The banks, and beyond.

Not a ripple is present.
No hint that he’s there.
So I wait, I watch,
And say a quick prayer.

Hues of orange and purple
Reflect on the sill.
As the sun takes its place
On the crest of the hill.

As the day makes way
To welcome the night,
From the verge he appears
Much to my delight!

Regal, he glides
With his head held high.
A silhouette of grace
Against the darkening sky.

Each time that I return
I’m amazed to find
That renewal abounds
For my heart, soul, and mind.

For me, there is something
About the view so serene,
With a pond and a swan and
The pastures so green.

It’s hard for me to explain
How this place can be so dear,
But sitting in this window seat
Brings peace each time I’m here.

For I’m reminded of the Shepherd
Who meets all our needs
And guides us to still waters
If we’ll follow where He leads.

Now, the view from the window
May be different for you and for me,
But when we’re looking from where HE leads us,
A restored soul we’ll surely see!

This picture and poem are of one of my favorite places: a small, Ohio country inn and while the swan isn’t visible in my photo, he’s been there every time I’ve visited! The kindness of the people, the serenity of the inn, the beauty of the surroundings, and the swan who is there to greet me give me many reasons to be thankful that God has lead me beside those still waters! Where is your place?  I’d love to know if you’re willing to share with me in the comments. And, If you’d like to read what others have written to the prompt “Swan”, head on over to http://www.anitaojeda.com