The Treasure of Snow

Here in the Midwest, we have recently had a couple of big winter storms, although nothing like some parts of the country have endured. I have been pondering the last few days about the verse in Job, recounting God's words to Job. “Have you entered the treasury of snow, or have you seen the treasury of hail?” (Job 38:22 NKJV) When I clear my drifted sidewalks or drive on ice-rutted roadways, I wonder about calling snow a “treasure”! I decided there must be something I was missing.

Was Job even all that familiar with snow? Scholars are not certain where Uz, his homeland, was located, but possibly in the area southeast of Palestine and the Dead Sea or the north part of the Arabian Peninsula. Did it snow where Job lived? Perhaps. Snow falls in the mountains farther north and at higher elevations, but we can't say with certainty that Job had experienced the mysterious appearance of snow. To him, snow drifts amounting to a “treasury” would have been beyond belief. We know more about the weather-related creation of snowflakes than he would have studied, and we have micro-photographs that reveal their intricate designs, all different. A treasury indeed!

History tells us that about fifteen hundred years later, people in other parts of the world discovered they that could make flavorful icy desserts with fresh snow from faraway mountains along with fruits and nuts, juice, or honey. (Every Kansas kid knows that! Although with the “clean” of snow being in doubt now, many moms do not allow that delicacy.) God didn't invent ice cream, but it seems to me He just as well have when he made snow! The “discovery” of ice cream is another treasure for which I can be grateful when I drive through snow-clogged streets!

MaryMartha

Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Art from http:www.sxc.hu/

Is God Necessary?

I read today in a news item that two eminent scientists have authored a new book arguing that the idea of a Creator-God is redundant. Because of natural laws such as gravity, the universe can and will create itself from nothing. Spontaneous creation is the reason the world exists and why we are here! It is not necessary, they claim, to invoke God into the process.

"In the beginning, GOD .  .  .  "

Since I have not read their book, I don't know whether the authors say there is no God, or just that He isn't necessary. But in the very first place, the vast nothingness of space was formed by Him! "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters." (Genesis 1:1, 2 NLT) God began speaking His "Let there be . . ." commands, and lo! something did come from nothing! No God necessary for creation? I cannot stretch my imagination that far.

Voltaire was a French philosopher and prolific writer living 1694-1778. He was sometimes critical of the Church and organized religion; nevertheless, he stated, "If God did not exist, it would be necessary to create him." We need God. He put it all together, and He is the One who holds it together! "We look at this Son [Christ] and see the God who cannot be seen. We look at this Son and see God's original purpose in everything created. For everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible, rank after rank after rank of angels—everything got started in him and finds its purpose in him. He was there before any of it came into existence and holds it all together right up to this moment. And when it comes to the church, he organizes and holds it together, like a head does a body." (Colossians 1:15-18 MSG)

Many scientists have for a long time been trying to explain the mystery of the universe's creation without recourse to a Divine Creator. With a collection of overlapping theories, they think they are approaching the secret of "the grand design," filling in many—but not all, they admit—of the blank spots.

But anyway, doesn't a grand design imply a Designer?

MaryMartha

Scripture quotation marked NLT is taken from The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. United States of America. All rights reserved. Scripture marked MSG is taken from THE MESSAGE. Copyright © 2003 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

Art from http://www.sxc.hu/

Not Moved

Deeply rooted plants can make it through the storms. One can see, in the Cascade Mountains of Washington, tall weathered-gray pines that have spiraled trunks. The winds blow there day after day, year after year, tossing and turning the branches, but these are old trees, deeply rooted, and the wind's force has finally twisted their trunks rather than tearing them from the soil as it might have done with more shallow trees. Can we, like those tough old tress, weather the storms?

The Psalmist declared several times, "I shall not be moved." What does mean? I won't be hurt or disappointed or troubled? I won't face difficulty or loss? No, if you are familiar with David's story, you know that all of these circumstances were a regular part of his life. The apostle Paul, too, said, "None of these things move me." He was referring to murderous plots against him, to his own humble servitude, and to a future that was uncertain except for the knowledge that it held imprisonment and tribulation! None of these things matter to me? No, none of these things will change my course. None will divert my attention from the truth that is established in me.

Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? . . . No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.

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. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:35, 37-39)

I recall our singing "I Shall Not Be Moved" as a family when we were in the car together, going to church or traveling the long road to Grandma's house (30 miles, a long way back then!) It's a traditional American folk song, perhaps going back to the slavery camps.

I shall not be, I shall not be moved.

I shall not be, I shall not be moved.

Just like a tree that's standing by the water,

I shall not be moved.

Then one of us would begin,
"Jesus is my Savior, I shall not be moved . . ." or "I'm on my way to heaven, I shall not be moved . . ."

and the others would all chime in. This continued until we mercifully reached our destination or we tired ourselves out and switched to something else.

That was many years ago, and now I do sometimes feel like one of those gnarly old trees that's been twisted by the winds that have blown on the mountain top! Perhaps you feel this way too, but better for us to be twisted (in this good sense of the word) and still firmly planted, than broken and toppled over!

We shall not be moved!
MaryMartha

Scripture quotation is taken from The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. United States of America. All rights reserved.

Art from http://www.sxc.hu/

Getting to the Root

The weeds in the cracks of the sidewalk look almost as healthy as they did two days ago when I sprayed them with Weed B Gon Max®. That doesn't concern me as I have used this weed killer before and know that it takes up to fourteen days to do its job. That's because it doesn't just wilt the leaves. It goes down through the plant and destroys the roots, and after that the withering and browning appear above ground. The plant cannot live without an adequate root system.

I've been thinking about how important our faith root system is also. The Apostle Paul prayed that from God's "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." (Ephesians 3:16, 17) Our strength as Christians depends on the roots going down deep. If we are content with shallow roots or we permit something to poison them, we lose the ability to give freely of love in our outward life. The "leaves and fruit" wither and die because we are not deeply rooted in God's love.

God's enemy Satan—our enemy too—would try to apply Faith B Gon, Love B Gon, and Hope B Gon to our lives. He attacks us in outward ways, so that the damage can go down, if possible, into the roots where we dwell in God's love. Beware his poison!

MaryMartha

Scripture quotation is taken from The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. United States of America. All rights reserved.

Art from http://www.sxc.hu/

April Showers

Since I took the day off from work to continue my yard project (see the previous two entries), it rained, of course! In between the April showers, I continued the "extreme makeover"!

My street is lined with redbud trees, and I have one in my own front yard. They are covered with bloom and just beginning to show a few green leaves. After a rather heavy burst of rain, I saw the ground covered with their petals, like purple snowflakes! "It isn't raining rain, you know. It's raining—well, redbud flowers."

No great spiritual truth here, just appreciation of the surprises God provides in the natural world.

MaryMartha

Art from http:www.sxc.hu/

More Pruning

I have been pruning my old rose bush this morning. It is the size of a small tree, much taller than I—although that's not saying a whole lot! I've never see a bush (tree?) quite like it, loaded throughout the summer with pink blooms. Because it is so tall and so wide, I've never given it much care other than to cut off the long canes that were in the way when mowing. Today I decided to do some real pruning. I cut out a lot of dead branches, and some green ones too because they tangled with others. A third of the bush, perhaps, is gone now.

It isn't easy for me cut away living parts of plants. "I'm cutting off future flowers," I tell myself. "This twig is alive. So what it it's in the way? It might be beautiful eventually."

Then I remember: If I want more of that same satisfying beauty from the bush, it is important to free the plant’s growth energies. Removing the old and tired makes way for the new and fresh.

Gardening speaks God’s truth to me. Jesus said, “Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit.” Much fruit, He said, or lots and lots of roses in the garden of my life. And does Jesus come walking through to prune the plants there, removing what is old and faded and drooping? Indeed, He does! "He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.” (John 15:2)

I could understand if the Lord of my life lopped off the branches that aren’t bearing anything. That makes sense. But having fruit-bearing branches pruned is painful, and I've been known to argue!

-- “Lord, You were with me from the beginning of this project, weren't you? Why should I now turn it over to someone else, just when I’m beginning to see the results of my effort?”

-- “Lord, I’ve been involved for a long time now in this part of Your work. What will people think if I tell them I have shifted some of my priorities and I’m not able to serve in this particular way any longer?”

-- “Lord, You gave this work to me. What's the matter? Why aren’t You pleased?”

Then He reminds me, “I am not unhappy with what your life has produced. I am pleased with your love and service. I'm only encouraging further production!”

He'd like more roses, if you will. So then, I gladly trust my life to the Lord of Gardens. (He planted the very first one, after all.) He alone knows how to produce beauty and abundance in my life.

MaryMartha

You might enjoy reading "Pruning" here.

Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright©1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

Art from http://www.sxc.hu/

The Life Inside

Just a few days ago, when I looked at the spot where I'd planted some new bulbs last fall, I saw nothing but bare dirt and brown leaves. Grass (and weeds too) were thriving nearby, but I was feeling somewhat anxious about the lack of new shoots where I expected to see them.

I shouldn't have worried! A few warm days, and they are now breaking through the soil. Hooray! I wrote about resurrection in my pre-Easter post, but this is different. This is brand new growth bursting from inside the dry-appearing, brown "clods" I buried months ago. There was life hidden inside, waiting for the right time to show itself. Growth is a mysterious process, isn't it?

We too have life hidden inside us, and it is even more exciting to contemplate. The Apostle Paul called it a "mystery," but he had a special grasp of its meaning to believers down through the ages. "This message was kept secret for centuries and generations past, but now it has been revealed to God’s people. For God wanted them to know that the riches and glory of Christ are for you Gentiles, too. [He was writing to an audience who was not Jewish.] And this is the secret: Christ lives in you. This gives you assurance of sharing his glory." Paul was anxious to see growth too. "And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness. (Colossians 1:26, 27; 2:6, 7)
Although we may appear somewhat "clod-like" at times, let's remember what we have inside, waiting for the right time to show itself. Jesus, our Lord!

MaryMartha

Scripture quotations are taken from The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. United States of America. All rights reserved.

Art from http://www.sxc.hu/

Resurrection

I can see beautiful symbolism in my spring bulbs bursting into bloom. All winter, they have been lying dormant, a necessary stage in the life of a perennial plant. With Easter coming in April this year, the timing is perfect. Daffodils and hyacinths are full-flowered; tulips will come along shortly. They are a picture of resurrection, and a reminder to celebrate Christ's victory—and therefore our victory—often! Regrettably, we sing "Christ Arose" only at Easter! The hymn was composed by Robert Lowry, 1826–1899, an American professor of literature, a Baptist minister and composer of gospel songs and hymns.

Low in the grave He lay,
Jesus my Savior,
Waiting the coming day,
Jesus my Lord!

Chorus:
Up from the grave He arose,
With a mighty triumph o’er His foes,
He arose a Victor from the dark domain,
And He lives forever, with His saints to reign.
He arose! He arose!
Hallelujah! Christ arose!

MaryMartha

Art from http://www.sxc.hu/

The Marvels of Spring

"The flowers appear on the earth; the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land.' (Song of Solomon 2:11 NKJV)

Although the calendar says that the official beginning of spring is more than a week away, the crocuses know better, as do the robins and turtledoves. These harbingers of spring have been at it two weeks already, telling me what I am ever so ready to hear!

This city's 43rd annual Garden Show was held this past weekend. The highlight for me was the gardens. Tons of dirt and rock were hauled in during the preceding days to create spectacular "great" gardens, mid gardens, small gardens, and mini-gardens. Waterfalls and a koi pond, rock walls and flowering trees, live owls and an eagle, pussy willows and pansies, hyacinth and hosta. What a varied display of the talents of our local gardeners and nursery owners!

Of course, all of this was enclosed in our civic center. A few feet away from the exotic gardens was bare floor. The trees and flowers basked, not in the sun but in floodlights. The grass was watered by a sprinkler system and the ponds were filled with a hose. It was all beautiful, but only temporary. Nothing could last indefinitely in that artificial setting.

What a grand earth God has given us to enjoy where the flowers and birds are a natural part of the creation in the springtime! Winter was sometimes difficult with sidewalks to shovel, icy streets to drive through, and sitters to find when the schools were closed. But winter had its beauty too—bare trees made furry by a freezing fog, the tracks wild creatures left in the snow, and the warmth and safe feeling of home.

"Who do you suppose carves canyons for the downpours of rain, and charts the route of thunderstorms that bring water to unvisited fields, deserts no one ever lays eyes on,drenching the useless wastelands so they're carpeted with wildflowers and grass?And who do you think is the father of rain and dew, the mother of ice and frost? You don't for a minute imagine these marvels of weather just happen, do you? (Job 38:25-30 MSG)

MaryMartha

Scripture marked NKJV is taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotation marked NLT is taken from The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. United States of America. All rights reserved.

Art from http://www.sxc.hu/

Spinning Our Wheels

Fresh snow fell during the night, and I was awakened by the sound of a roaring motor on the street near my window. I could hear the whine of spinning wheels, and I knew someone was stuck in the ice and snow. There were only a few inches of snow, not enough to severely "high center" a vehicle, so I decided the person didn't know how to drive in snow or was just too impatient to apply what he/she knew.

Easy does it when you're trying to get unstuck from snow. You have to resist the temptation to give it the gas and try to blast your way through; the hot, spinning tires just make the snow more icy and slippery. Keeping the wheels straight and moving back and forth, back and forth, even just a few inches at a time, usually builds up enough momentum that eventually you can drive out on the snow-packed runway you've created.

How often in life, when things aren't going well, we give in to the desperate feeling that if we just try harder, try harder, try harder something will happen. But sometimes we are only spinning our wheels. We are not making headway by simply repeating what we have already been doing, except with greater intensity. Especially if our attempts to get "unstuck" involve personal encounters, the others involved are likely to feel our impatience, frustration, and anger. They might even think it is directed at them, burying us still further in the troubling situation.

Easy does it. Gently move forward a tiny bit at a time. When you meet resistance but before you start "spinning your wheels," back up just a little, then try moving forward again slowly. Whether you're snowed in by snow or snowed under by the things and people you're dealing with, spinning your wheels only makes thing worse. Getting unstuck is an exercise in wisdom and restraint.

MaryMartha

Art from http://www.sxc.hu/

Seeing Rainbows

An airplane traveler commented that while flying high above the earth, she had seen the unusual sight of a full-circle rainbow. Rainbows are created, we know, when the sun shines through water droplets, breaking the light into its differing wave lengths which we see as colors. In order to see the whole rainbow (the full circle), one has to be high enough that the ground is not in the way.

Each rainbow is unique to the person viewing it, because we each see the apex of the bow at an angle of roughly forty-two degrees. Even the tallest mountain isn't going to work to see the full circle—unless you're hanging off the face of a cliff—because the sunlit drops on the bottom part of the circle are going to be hidden, that is, lower than the forty-two degrees from your head [actually, the shadow of your head. It gets so complicated!]

The rainbow-sign given to Noah and to all his descendants after him signified that God was making a covenant with them. "Then God said, 'I am giving you a sign of my covenant with you and with all living creatures, for all generations to come. I have placed my rainbow in the clouds. It is the sign of my covenant with you and with all the earth. When I send clouds over the earth, the rainbow will appear in the clouds, and I will remember my covenant with you and with all living creatures. Never again will the floodwaters destroy all life." (Genesis 9:12-15) Seeing rainbows should remind us of God's mercy and provision.

Sometimes it rains and we don't see a rainbow—although probably somewhere, someone can. When we do see one, it is only partial; we seldom see the full rainbow. God, though, always sees it as complete, a full circle. It is like that with His providence too. We can see only part of it, and sometimes we fail to see it at all. But He sees it! It's perfect! It's whole and beautiful! If we could just see what He sees!

Although we may be privileged some time to see a full-circle rainbow, and we may at some point understand how huge God is as our Source, much of the time we must be content with the beauty of seeing only a little. That teaches us to walk by faith, not by sight, "for we live by believing and not by seeing." (II Corinthians 5:7)

MaryMartha

Scripture quotations are taken from The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. United States of America. All rights reserved.

Art from http://www.sxc.hu/

Hold Onto the Wonder

During the Christmas break from school , I took my grandson to our local Science and Discovery Center. One especially interesting display demonstrated how "monsters" are made for TV shows and movies, and he masterfully punched the buttons to make the dinosaur thrash its head about and open and close its jaws menacingly. We saw the process of their creation from the drawing board to molding and painting the form to their electronic circuitry. The resulting appearance and movement are pretty convincing—except we could see how all of it was done.

We learned (quite accidentally) that the gears flattening a penny into a souvenir impressed with an image of the Center do not use a penny at all, only a blank piece of copper. Yes, it has the figure of Lincoln on the back, but that too is part of the stamping process. You don't really think that the organization would deface property actually belonging to the Federal Government, do you?

We saw the Bubble Man do things with his bubble wands that seemed almost magic—except he told us it was just water and liquid dish soap. (It has to be Dawn Classic, he says.) He made huge bubbles, jiggling bubbles, a bubble within a bubble, and whole clouds of bubbles.

At eleven years, my grandson doesn't believe in magic or the reality of monsters, but he hasn't yet become out of sorts with how the world works. He was eager to see everything we could cram into our hours there, and declared it great fun. It was wonder-full.

Too often we adults get a tired, I've-seen-it-all attitude, and we ignore the true wonders all around us. We need to hold onto the sense of awe that children have—until it is discouraged out of them by adults with a tired, I've-seen-it-all attitude! We would be amazed that hummingbirds can hover mid-air, and that we can fold paper airplanes that glide and stall and land. We would marvel at the inventiveness of humans who have learned how to travel into space and back, and that we can blow a bubble big enough for a person to stand in. We would be in awe of the Milky Way and a "tornado" in a glass cylinder. Sometimes we have the opportunity to share with someone an experience or a place which we previously enjoyed. There is vicarious pleasure in sharing it with them for the first time, and we perhaps enjoy it nearly as much as we did originally. That is because its wonder has been restored.

Keep your eyes open. Hold onto the wonder. No matter what this New Year holds of the difficult and unexpected or of the very ordinary, look for the wonder-full!

MaryMartha

Art from http://sxc.hu/

Once In a Blue Moon

The last time there was a "blue moon" on New Year's Eve was in 1990 and there won't be one again until 1028. (It makes a great New Year's party theme!) According to popular definition—there is an older, more complicated, nineteenth-century one—a blue moon is the second Full Moon to occur in a single calendar month. (It isn't really blue!)The moon was full in 2009 on December 2, and will be again on the 31st. On average, a blue moon occurs about every two and a half years, so the expression "once in a blue moon" means only once in a great while!

Although I find these facts interesting, what really impresses me is the precise orderliness of this universe God created. The occurrence of those blue moons can be predicted to within a few seconds for the next hundred years or so—long enough for most of us to care! Why should He give attention to such exacting details, except that He was preparing us a good place to live! "And God said, 'Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark seasons and days and years." "The moon marks off the seasons, and the sun knows when to go down." (Genesis 1:14; Psalm 104:19) NIV

I am with the Psalmist who says,

When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,
what is man that you are mindful of him,
the son of man that you care for him?

You made him a little
lower than the heavenly beings
and crowned him with glory and honor.

You made him ruler over
the works of your hands;
you put everything under his feet:
all flocks and herds,
and the beasts of the field,
the birds of the air,
and the fish of the sea,
all that swim the paths of the seas.

O LORD, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
Psalm 8:3-9

MaryMartha

Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright©1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

Art from http://sxc.hu/

Let It Snow!

In spite of what Bing Crosby says, it's not a "marshmallow world"—at least not yet. Nor is it a "winter wonderland." It's just cold and icy and very wet. You would think folks would be expecting this; it's already December, and we are just now getting our first snow. Although some people grumble, this is actually a sign of God's continued presence and providence.

God rules the seasons!

Listen to it! Listen to his thunder, the rolling, rumbling thunder of his voice. He lets loose his lightnings from horizon to horizon, lighting up the earth from pole to pole. In their wake, the thunder echoes his voice, powerful and majestic. He lets out all the stops, he holds nothing back. No one can mistake that voice—His word thundering so wondrously, his mighty acts staggering our understanding. He orders the snow, 'Blanket the earth!' and the rain, 'Soak the whole countryside!' No one can escape the weather—it's there. And no one can escape from God. Wild animals take shelter, crawling into their dens, when blizzards roar out of the north and freezing rain crusts the land. It's God's breath that forms the ice, it's God's breath that turns lakes and rivers solid. And yes, it's God who fills clouds with rainwater and hurls lightning from them every which way. He puts them through their paces—first this way, then that—commands them to do what he says all over the world. Whether for discipline or grace or extravagant love, he makes sure they make their mark. (Job 37:2-13)

Great is God's faithfulness!

Summer and winter, springtime, and harvest,
Sun, moon, and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning, new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand has provided.
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!
~Thomas O. Chisholm, 1923

MaryMartha

Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright © 2003 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

Read another post about the seasons: "Summer and Winter, Day and Night" [here].

Art from http://www.sxc.hu/

There's Music in the Air!

Do you remember Pythagoras? Hint: You met him in high school geometry class. He was the ancient mathematician who came up with the theorem we were required to learn: "The sum of the areas of the two squares on the legs (a and b) of a right triangle equals the area of the square on the hypotenuse (c). A2 + B2 = C2" He is credited with something else as well, although we are not as familiar with it. He originated the concept of "the music of the spheres," stemming from his semi-mathematical, semi-religious philosophy. According to his theory, the movements of the planets and other heavenly bodies create beautiful harmony, although inaudible to human ears. In other words, music.

An experiment by composer Greg Fox in 2006 gave added credibility to this idea. Fox knew that when sound waves are doubled or halved in frequency, the resulting pitch is perfectly tuned to the original. Through very large octave shifts to any periodic cycle, such as the orbits of celestial bodies, the sound can be made audible. Fox halved and halved and halved the waves many times, until he could find the "pitch" of each planet orbiting the sun—that is, the pitch after it had been raised somewhere around forty octaves! Apparently, the hymn writer Maltbie D. Babcock believed the Pythagorean theory too when around 1900 he wrote, "This is my Father's world, and to my listening ears, all nature sings and round me rings the music of the spheres." It would appear he was more than just poetically correct. There is indeed "music in the air"!

I'm sure that God invented music! In the early days of creation, He made music. Even before there were humans to need it to "soothe the savage breast, to soften rocks, or bend a knotted oak," there was music. "On what were [the earth's] footings set," God asked Job, "or who laid its cornerstone while the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy?" (Job 38:6, 7) Few of the older classic commentaries consider the possibility that the stars literally sang. "It must mean angels," the writers say. I think it probably means just what it says: The stars sang in joyful recognition of the awesome work God had created!

God invented music, and He Himself is still singing. If you listen with your spirit , sometimes you can hear Him. "The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing." (Zephaniah 3:17)

And finally, someday there is going to be some music the like of which has never been heard on earth!

There is singing up in heaven such as we have never known,
Where the angels sing the praises of the Lamb upon the throne,
Their sweet harps are ever tuneful, and their voices always clear,
O that we might be more like them while we serve the Master here!

Refrain:
Holy, holy, is what the angels sing,
And I expect to help them make the courts of heaven ring;
But when I sing redemption's story, they will fold their wings,
For angels never felt the joys that our salvation brings.

But I hear another anthem, blending voices clear and strong,
"Unto Him Who hath redeemed us and hath bought us," is the song;
We have come through tribulation to this land so fair and bright,
In the fountain freely flowing He hath made our garments white.

Then the angels stand and listen, for they cannot join the song,
Like the sound of many waters, by that happy, blood washed throng,
For they sing about great trials, battles fought and vict'ries won,
And they praise their great Redeemer, Who hath said to them, "Well done."

So, although I'm not an angel, yet I know that over there
I will join a blessed chorus that the angels cannot share;
I will sing about my Savior, Who upon dark Calvary
Freely pardoned my transgressions, died to set a sinner free.

Refrain:
Holy, holy, is what the angels sing,
And I expect to help them make the courts of heaven ring;
But when I sing redemption's story, they will fold their wings,
For angels never felt the joys that our salvation brings.

-- Johnson Oatman, Jr., 1894

MaryMartha

-- Info on Fox's work from http://homepages.tesco.net/gregskius/carmen.html

-- Music from "The Golden Book of Favorite Songs: A Treasury of the Best Songs of Our People" 1915 Hall & McCreary Co, Chicago

-- "Music hath charms" quote by William Congreve (1670–1729)
-- Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright©1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

The Seed Is the Word of God

We read in Mark's gospel a story that Jesus told:

"Listen. What do you make of this? A farmer planted seed. As he scattered the seed, some of it fell on the road and birds ate it. Some fell in the gravel; it sprouted quickly but didn't put down roots, so when the sun came up it withered just as quickly. Some fell in the weeds; as it came up, it was strangled among the weeds and nothing came of it. Some fell on good earth and came up with a flourish, producing a harvest exceeding his wildest dreams." (Mark 4:3-8 MSG)

When they were off by themselves, those who were close to Jesus asked Him about the story. He explained that the seed is the Word of God, intended for fruitful planting in human hearts, but that not all of it produced a good harvest. If we too could ask our Lord Who sows the seed what His stories mean, our question might be, "As these still the hearts of people today, and the different ways that they receive truth?"

What would the Lord of Harvest say in reply?

Perhaps He would agree, "Yes, these are the hearts of people and their responses. But not always other people and not always different hearts. It is much more personal than that! I want to talk with you about your heart, and about your response which differs from time to time."

"Sometimes," He might say to us, "I sow the seed, my Word, upon your heart and it is like the seed which fell upon the travel-worn path and was devoured by the birds. You see, you hesitate at times to ask Me what I think about certain things. You may even draw back a bit from getting too close to Me, because you vaguely know that the truth I am casting your way is very close and personal. The enemy is always there when I talk to you, and if you do not quickly receive what I have to say, he snatches it away just like the birds that came and ate the seed the farmer planted. No, this seed falling by the wayside is not the harsh rejection of a calloused world. It can be your heart if you are not really ready to receive what I am saying to you."

And what about the stony ground?

"The stony ground too," the Lord might explain, "is sometimes what you offer me. Hearing my Word, you immediately receive it with gladness. I rejoice to see your eagerness to please Me, your willingness to do anything I ask. But you have no root! You endure only for a time, and then, when temptation comes or hardship arises from your obedience or others question it, you are offended. You welcome the truth in its seed state, but then you resist its growth and development! The maturing of truth is demanding, and sometimes I see with disappointment that you are not quite willing for that much stretching. Yes, the stony ground can be your heart.

And the ground full of weeds?

The Lord might have to say, "Some of My Word falls where thistles grow. When I see truth flourishing in your life, I am glad! But then I see other things crowding in. You involve yourself in too many things to do. You get too busy. The desire for communion with Me is dulled by other interests. Sometimes mere temporal things deceive you, and what should be only a part of your concern becomes disproportionately large. The patch of weeds is not the wandering prodigal with no use for God. It can be your heart, choked off from Me and unfruitful because it is bound by all the things that are not captured by My love."

Of course, wouldn't each of us respond, "Lord, I want my heart to be good, productive ground!"

Perhaps then the Lord's reply would be, "To be good ground, do this:

-- Hear the Word I give you. Do not let yourself be closed so that what I say is taken away from you; then your heart will not be like the hardened ground.

-- Receive My Word. Take it to yourself without reservation, and obey Me with all your heart continually. Do not fear it, but purposely nourish it; then your heart will not be as the stony gourd.

-- Guard my Word jealously, for many things will seek to crowd and push against it. Maintain a oneness of purpose. Then your heart will not be as the thorny ground.

"Let your heart by listening and receptive and obedient! Then there will be fruit, for where I find such ground, I grow a huge harvest, exceeding your wildest dreams!"


MaryMartha

Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright © 2003 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

(Edit 11/12/09: I replaced the two clips previously shown on this page.)

Art from http://www.biblepicturegallery.com/free/ and http://www.sxc.hu/

Just a Tiny Crack

The other day I reached into the cupboard for a bottle of syrup that I hadn't used in quite awhile. Something dark was floating on the surface of the syrup, and I thought "Uh-oh, I have let this get moldy."   No, it didn't look like mold. I looked closer. And closer. I went nearer the window to have better light.    And I saw—ants! Hundreds of them.  They weren't alive any more; they had drowned  in the very stuff that attracted them. How did they get there? The lid seemed to be screwed on  tightly, so how.  .  .   ?

Well, I discovered a tiny crack in the lip of the lid. Probably I hadn't even noticed it before, or if I had, I thought it wasn't significant. Just a tiny crack, but it was large enough for invaders to spoil my supply of syrup and to meet death in a swamp of sweetness.

It's best if we don't ignore little problems! I read somewhere that even huge catastrophes are often not the result of a single action, but the combination of many little things, perhaps even unrelated, that went wrong
"Go to the ant . . . consider her ways and be wise!" (The Bible) 

Another post about "invaders" is [here]

MaryMartha

Art from http://www.wpclipart.com/

Beautiful Trees

I live in an established neighborhood (read: older section of the city) where the homes are surrounded by mature trees. Huge old elms line the streets and form a golden canopy overhead. [Edit 10-23-09: "Golden Arches," hmm?] Maples are blazing in the park just a block away, and I pause whenever I drive by, just to fill my eyes with the beauty. The trees along our river drive rival those anywhere in the nation; there just aren't as many as in the celebrated tour areas. What a sight!

Wouldn't you think that I would eventually wear out my enthusiasm for the colors of fall leaves? Instead, I find myself more and more awed by the display, as if each October was the first time I'd ever seen it! Although I enjoy temperate weather, I wouldn't trade places with anyone who lives where the seasons do not change much and I could never see a fiery red tree or a brilliant yellow one. If you live where there's even one beautiful tree, enjoy it!

You will want to read "True Colors" (click here) and "Autumn Colors and Others" (here) if you have not already done so.

MaryMartha

Harvest Time

Farmers in Kansas harvested wheat and other grains a few months ago, and now are beginning to bring in corn, soybeans, milo and other fall crops. As expected, they are garnering a yield of the same sort they planted; that is, if they sowed wheat, the return is wheat, if corn was seeded, corn is harvested. It has been so ever since God planted a garden in Eden. "Then God said, 'Let the land sprout with vegetation—every sort of seed-bearing plant, and trees that grow seed-bearing fruit. These seeds will then produce the kinds of plants and trees from which they came.' And that is what happened. The land produced vegetation—all sorts of seed-bearing plants, and trees with seed-bearing fruit. Their seeds produced plants and trees of the same kind. And God saw that it was good." (Genesis 1:11, 12 NLT)

Isn't it interesting that people depend on nature to reproduce itself in reliable fashion, but are slow to accept the corresponding spiritual truth? "Don't be misled: No one makes a fool of God. What a person plants, he will harvest. The person who plants selfishness, ignoring the needs of others—ignoring God!—harvests a crop of weeds. All he'll have to show for his life is weeds!" (Galatians 6:7, 8 MSG) I talked to an acquaintance recently who was distressed by some hardships he was experiencing. He had planted a dishonest, maybe even illegal action, and now was miffed because a superior had discovered the deed and there was unpleasant and inconvenient retribution. Weeds. What could he expect?

On the other hand, the Galatians verses give great encouragement also. "But the one who plants in response to God, letting God's Spirit do the growth work in him, harvests a crop of real life, eternal life. So let's not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At the right time we will harvest a good crop if we don't give up, or quit." (vs. 8, 9) Although the good spiritual harvest may not come at the season we would like or expect, it will come.

No drought or excessive rain, hail, disease, bugs or worms, invasive grasses, or any other damaging element can prevent the spiritual crop from coming in. "No one makes a fool of God!" Whether it will be weeds or real life depends on what we plant, day after day.

MaryMartha

Scripture quotation marked NLT is taken from The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. United States of America. All rights reserved. Scripture marked MSG is taken from THE MESSAGE. Copyright © 2003 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

God's Little Creatures

I planted some special lily bulbs today (read: expensive), and since attack squirrels decimated earlier plantings, I installed squirrel wire on top of the freshly-dug earth. (Oh. Maybe you would call it chicken wire, or to be more precise, poultry netting.) I hope to keep the little creatures away from the juicy bulbs that make such a fine snack for them. Sometimes the squirrels hide them instead of eating them, and then I am surprised by the new location when the flowers appear.

When my daughter was very young, I taught her to respect and care for animals as "God's little creatures." She learned well, for when I had to trap mice or poison invading ants, she objected to destroying God's little creatures. "They must stay in the right place," I told her, "or they have to pay the price." It hardly seems necessary to kill the squirrels, and I'm not sure how I would go about that anyway, without killing the neighborhood cats as well.

For a long time I fed the squirrels in my yard—until they became a nuisance. I fed the birds too but decided reluctantly to stop that as well, because it's difficult to feed birds without feeding squirrels. They are amazingly clever at stealing birdseed from the feeders! It only made sense to quit inviting the wildlife, since the squirrels are a pest to my gardening neighbor as well. (Some of her bulbs disappeared and then re-appeared in my yard.) So I've resorted to "squirrel wire" over my planting, and we'll see if that works.

As an added benefit, I had to buy such a long roll that I can share with at least six neighbors as remuneration for any stolen bulbs, if they'd like!

MaryMartha