9/11

A solemn day,

A day for remembering

Cross at Ground Zero

     although we can't forget. 



 Not afraid, only sad
That life was crushed,

     hope forever changed.

Proud too. Proud that sacrifice
     and heroism won
O’er evil intent and hate.

And even when no duty called,
Some loved neighbor more
        than they loved themselves.

Fountains flow with tears that never dry,
Trees reach up their hands into the sky.
Twin lights pierce heaven, a prayer and a sigh.


A cross of beams, a tattered flag,

     remind us of our call. 

We still believe.

MaryMartha



Art from http:www.sxc/hu.com





It Takes a While

The same child, now all grown up, who routinely asked me to stop a block away when I drove her to school so that she wouldn’t be seen with me, told me the other day, “Mom, I’m proud of you.” She named several of my achievements: returning to school, working two jobs when necessary, and parenting her as a single mom. She compared me to some adults she knows who are not doing much of anything, and said again that she was proud of me.

If you’re parenting an ungrateful child—most of them are during some portion of their years—just be patient. I thought maybe the thanks would never come at all.

Sometimes it takes a while.

MaryMartha

Art: http:www.sxc.hu/

Breath of Life

A dear friend and co-worker died last week. She was gone from work just a few days—and then she was gone from this life. She was not even retirement age yet, so she did not get to enjoy “the golden years” that we hear so much about. A wife, mother, and grandmother, friend of many, a cheerful public servant—she leaves a large empty place in many people’s lives.

Not allergic to dandelions!

 “Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone.” (James 4:14) Our lives are not inconsequential, of no more value than a bit of mist, but this verse expresses how brief and uncertain life is. Breathing is something we do not think much about, and I have always taken it for granted. Earlier this summer, I had some anxious days and nights when I had significant shortness of breath, a symptom I’ve never experienced. The doctor checked me over and assured me it was common for folks with allergies, but these are new to me. An antihistamine brings almost immediate relief.

I have a new gratitude for the breath of life, and new compassion for people whose breathing is always a struggle. When I take a deep breath and it fills my lungs completely, I now say, “Thank You, Lord.” Life and breath are a gift from Him.

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.

Supply for My Need

“And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19 NKJV) We love to quote this verse, because it assures us that God will take care of us. But something that I had never noticed before: The promise is in the future tense! That tells me that some things I need and ask for may come later rather than sooner.

Besides, sometimes I have to feel a need keenly so that I will recognize and appreciate the gift when it comes!

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/

Green Babies

I cannot remember that I have ever before planted seeds rather than buying young plants—not since I received the kids' one-cent packet from the Henry Field Seed Company when my parents placed their order each spring. How excited I was with my assortment of seeds! My brothers and I each sorted our personal bounty carefully: peas, beans, carrots, radishes, corn. We planted them in short little rows, watered, weeded and watched until they had produced a harvest.

I lost to the extreme winter weather the ground cover seeds I had planted last summer, so I decided to begin early with seed-starter kits by a sunny window inside. Little peat pellets which expanded when I added water were the medium in which I deposited the tiny

, tiny little seeds. I placed a plastic dome over the top of each tray to hold in the moisture, and in five days little sprouts were pushing up their leaves! I can't really be proud, since it is God that makes things grow when we co-operate by providing a suitable environment, but maybe I can say, “Look what we did!” I checked, and my thumb isn't green but I am awfully pleased all the same. I can see why they call garden centers “nurseries.” Those little green babies are just so cute!

I never cease to be amazed by the faithfulness of the seasons—God's faithfulness. Each spring I marvel, as though I had never before seen the greening of the earth after a cold, dreary winter! I never tire of this season of the year, although I know we are probably healthier and happier for having the variety that follows these beautiful days.

Praise our good Provider! And enjoy!

MaryMartha

 

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

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/

Why Me?

This morning I was listening to a Christmas song that pictured Mary, the mother of Jesus, as gentle and humble. I'm sure this was true, as it was of many other young Jewish girls of that time. I wondered, then what was special about Mary that God chose her to bear the Savior of the world?

Perhaps that is the point. As far as we know, Mary was an ordinary young woman, very much like many other girls; she was not chosen on the basis of being special. The shepherds too, were ordinary, or perhaps even a bit below ordinary. What a wonderful thing it is that God chose to clothe His Son in ordinary human flesh, born into an ordinary family—although under quite unusual circumstances. Then His gift to humanity was announced to less-than-ordinary people—although in a remarkable way. Any of these people who were just ordinary might have wondered, “Why me? I'm not special.” This part of Christmas is a mystery, but it is a wonder and a delight

Sometimes I wonder myself. “Why me? Why did I hear the Gospel as a child and receive the Lord Jesus as my Savior? Why have I been privileged to understand the beauty and holiness of the Christmas message? Why do I have shelter and food and clothing? Why me, when so much of the world is without?” This part of my life is a mystery, but I am filled with wonder and gratitude.

MaryMartha

Still More of My Favorite Things

This is Thanksgiving Day in the U.S.

I have so much to be thankful for!

Warm apple dumplings and soup with fat noodles,

Pencils and notepads on which to draw doodles,

Siblings and cousins in a family that sings--

These are a few of my favorite things.

A warm winter coat and a hat for my head,

Freshly washed linens to put on my bed,
Someone who knows how to smooth the car's dings--

These are a few of my favorite things.

Puzzles and crosswords and things I must guess,

A new book to read and a bright Christmas dress,
Lights on the houses in bright twinkling strings--

These are a few of my favorite things.

Sunday's newspaper thrown right by the door,

A tiny milk pitcher from which I can pour,
The beautiful change that the fall season brings--
These are a few of my favorite things.

 

 

 

 

An angel collection that stands on the shelf,

Each one to tell me I'm not by myself,

Good news from a friend when the telephone rings--
These are a few of my favorite things.



When the sink clogs, when the mud slings,

When everyone looks sad,

I stop to remember these favorite things

And then I don't feel so bad!

See more of my favorite things (here), Thanksgiving 2009, and (here), Thanksgiving 2008.

MaryMartha

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

Enthusiasm

An employer was urging his workers to be enthusiastic. “Customers want to see you demonstrate enthusiasm as you assist them when they come into this business.” A good suggestion, don't you think?

The word has an interesting etymology. It comes from the Greek éntheos meaning God-possessed or in God. Now I'm certainly not implying that those who are not enthusiastic are not in God, but showing enthusiasm is a great way to demonstrate that we are indeed in Him! Scripture has many admonitions to be grateful, to be full of joy, to have hope and confidence. These are well-expressed by what we recognize as enthusiasm.

It is not easy to be enthusiastic about working with people that are difficult, at a distasteful job, or in troubling circumstances. But God hasn't required that for everything we are to give thanks, only in everything to give thanks. The Apostle Paul did not claim to like every situation in which he found himself, or to be fond of every person with whom he worked! He only said that he had learned to be content. The Psalmist wrote about “songs in the night” and “the valley of the shadow of death.” Obviously then, enthusiasm--”God-inness”--is not dependent on our always being comfortable and enjoying pleasant surroundings. Keeping a positive outlook is one way we can show that our hope and security is in God, and that our good cheer does not depend on the weather outside or the indoor “climate” of our interaction with others around us.

MaryMartha

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

Things Mama Taught Me: Say "Thank You"

What good is done by a parent telling an ungrateful or shy child to say, "Thank you"? The child may dutifully murmur "Thank you" but everyone knows it wasn't heartfelt! Sometimes the parent may intend to demonstrate that their precious child is well-mannered but just momentarily forgot! More often he/she is trying to instill a habit in the child—a "gratitude attitude," we call it. Saying the words is important, but having the attitude is even greater and it isn't really all that hard to develop it:

Someone says, "I'm freezing!" (It's 57° outside.)

"But isn't this a wonderful change from 109°?"

"I wish they'd sweep this street."
"But they did fix the big pothole at the end of the block."

"We're out of milk for the cereal!"
"Okay, I'll have toast and juice for breakfast."

Are you put off by the idea of seeming like a Pollyanna? That's no problem. One needn't always say "Thank you" out loud; just smile and let everyone else wonder what you're thinking!

A spoken thanks, though, nurtures relationships with other people: with family members, co-workers, and those who serve us in shops and restaurants. This is not a new idea, of course, but we should never outgrow the early lesson of a parent telling us, "Say 'Thank you.' "

And don't forget God! In our adulthood, we sometimes get too complicated. What if we expressed our thanks for everything that gladdened us? "Thank You for the world so sweet. Thank You for the food we eat. Thank You for the birds that sing. Thank you, God, for everything!" The Apostle Paul wrote, "In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." (I Thessalonians 5:18)

"Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be." (Abraham Lincoln) And part of that is learning to think always and to say often, "Thank you."

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/

Things Mama Taught Me: "Add Just Enough . . . "

I'm sure many of you had a mother—or grandmother—who reigned in the kitchen without using a cookbook. Familiar food dishes were prepared without referring to any recipe; the cook just put things together in her own time-honored way and it seemed always to turn out splendidly!

I wanted to learn how to make pie crust like my Mom made, pliable enough to be pressed into high fluted edges, baking up crisp but tender and flakey. Okay, I had lard (a permitted ingredient in those days!), flour, and salt. "Now add cold water a little bit at a time until it feels right."

Can I help it if your mouth is watering?

Until it feels right? How was a beginning pie-maker to know when it felt right? I never did learn. To this day I rely on refrigerated crusts or resort to making a crumb one and pretend that's what the recipe called for!

"Just enough." It's not only in making pie crust that we have not learned very well what that means. Many aspects of our American culture rely for success on our penchant for excess. We drive cars with far too much horsepower, we eat restaurant meals that would feed several people, we trade in electronic gadgets that work just fine for bigger ones with more capabilities than we know how to use, we have closets full of clothes and shoes we never wear. We hardly ever feel we have "enough."

Books, articles in magazines, and items on the Internet give lots of ideas about making it through the continuing economic downturn. The one that appealed to me as the wisest was this: Be satisfied with less.

Learning to be content is not a new idea. The Apostle Paul tells us, in his letter to the church at Philippi, "I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength." (4:12, 13) While we often quote, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me," this Scripture applies most directly to being content, learning to be happy with much or little, knowing what it just enough.

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/

God Is Generous

One of a Series on "God's Endearing Personality"

One has only to remember John 3:16 to know that God is generous, the ultimate Giver. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him might not perish but have everlasting life." In so many more ways than this, however, God shows us His heart of giving.

Thou that has given so much to me,

Give one thing more, a grateful heart.

--George Herbert (1593-1633)

"Blessed be the Lord, Who daily loads us with benefits, the God of our salvation!" (Psalm 68:19 NKJV) There is perhaps no better way for me to explain God's generous "benefits" than letting Psalm 103 (NLT) enumerate some of them.

He forgives all your iniquities; He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities. What would happen if we all got exactly what we deserve?

Heals all your diseases. I believe there is no disease—ancient or modern, and not even death—that God has not shown Himself to someone somewhere as the victor over it. Some scholarly person has studied execution by crucifixion and has concluded that every type of human suffering was experienced by Jesus during His Passion. He overcame them all and lives today!

Redeems your life from destruction. How many times a day, even when we are unaware of it, has God kept us from harm? Even greater, how often He answers our prayer, "Deliver us from evil." The angel of the Lord truly is "camping" all around the person who confidence is in God!

Crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies. Some folks talk or sing about the crown they expect to have one day when they get to heaven. This crown is for "everyday" wear and is ours by our present acknowledgement of it.

Satisfies your mouth with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. Physical needs, spiritual hunger, intellectual quests, mental stimulation, emotional satisfaction—God is concerned that all of these appropriately supplied.

Executes righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed. He is the helper of the helpless. We've often heard it said, "God helps those who help themselves," but another Scripture tells us differently. He is "father to the fatherless, defender of widows . . . God places the lonely in families." (Psalm 68: 5, 6 NLT) He does not ignore the needy, but sends aid—very often through the hearts of others He has touched and through their hands.

Pities (has compassion on) those who fear Him, knows our frame and remembers that we are dust. The children's little song says, "Be careful little lips what you say . . . little hands what you do . . . little feet where you go," and sometimes we grow up feeling that the Big Policeman in Heaven is just waiting to catch us in a wrongdoing. No, we sometimes forget that the song also tells us, "There's a Father up above and He's looking down in love." He is a good Father who would seek to correct rather than condemn,

The LORD has established His throne in heaven, and His kingdom rules over all. While Jesus warned His followers that there would be "tribulation" for them in the world, yet the promise is that in all things He is working for our good. (See Romans 8:28)

"Bless the LORD, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits!"

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 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/

Retreat

Earlier this summer, I was able to spend a few days at my favorite "retreat" place. Although the Prairie Oasis is actually a bed-and-breakfast, it is very special to me as a place to rest and hear from God. So I wrote a bit of inelegant poetry about it:

The Beautiful P.O.

(may be sung to the tune of

"Where the Healing Waters Flow"

How the sister-campers smile

At the beautiful P.O.!

They are happy all the while

At the beautiful P.O.

Chorus- Where the healing breezes blow

At the beautiful P.O.

There is peace and rest and love

At the beautiful P.O.

What a lovely place to be,

At the beautiful P.O.!

Mind and spirit are set free

At the beautiful P.O.

Napping, reading, thinking, praying,

At the beautiful P. O.—

All this happens without our saying

At the beautiful P.O.

I wish for you a similar place of rest and spiritual attention!

MaryMartha

Art fom a snapshot I took last year.

Another Virus

Don't I wish!

After being ill with what started as a viral ear infection that lasted a couple of weeks, I next discovered that my faithful computer was also "ill" with a virus, and another two weeks was spent in repair. We're back now, at last!

It's amazing to me how doctors and repair persons know how to diagnose problems and how to remedy them. I don't think God actually sends problems so that we learn gratitude, but problems do have the effect of helping us be thankful rather than accepting blessings as our due and taking them for granted.

Just a reminder: "Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above." (James 1:17)

MaryMartha

Scripture is from the New American Standard Bible, used by permission of The Lockman Foundation, http://www.lockman.org/

Art from http:www.sxc.hu/

Hover Givers

An acquaintance of mine is a "hover giver." I'll explain. (He doesn't read this blog, and would be disinclined to recognize himself if he did.)

A hover giver prefers being present when the gift is received. He hovers over the beneficiary, in order to be sure it is appropriately noted that he is the giver. His gratification comes, not in the pleasure of the recipient, but in his own recognition as the one who gave.

A hover giver is offended by not receiving appreciation. This doesn't mean that children should be permitted to ignore the niceties of appropriate thank-you's. But such a giver hovers, waiting for response and extreme in insisting that gifts should be acknowledged in "proper" ways.

A hover giver prefers to specify gifts for projects with obvious results—not food baskets for the needy or school supplies for a storm-ravaged area, but donation to memorials or building projects. He hovers over the situation to be sure the funds are used as indicated, and are adequately appreciated.

A hover giver, however, is not a believer in "It's the thought that counts." It is, instead, the gift that counts. Never mind if it was given with a definite stated purpose. Since giving is, to him, a self-centered action, it is not too surprising to discover that what is given to him is used in his own interest—that is, "best interest" or not.

A hover giver suspects the altruism of others also to be selfish. He asks, "What is he/she getting out of this?" That someone would give freely with a spirit of generosity is nearly incomprehensible to him.

. . . Give as in yonder valley the myrtle breathes its fragrance into space. – Kahil Gibran

Jesus said, "Freely you have received, freely give." (Matthew 10:8)

MaryMartha

Art from http://sxc.hu/

Lost Days (as in "Daze")

I am back at my desk after an enforced hiatus due to illness—an ear/sinus infection which produced dizziness and extreme nausea. (And thus, "daze" in the title.)

I take so many things for granted such as balance and a dependable measure of strength, seeing clearly, and the process of digestion and elimination, until I was suddenly denied these things. The incapacitating—but not dangerous—disruption of the fluid in my ears' semicircular canals affected all the above. Or so the doctor said. I am indeed "fearfully and wonderfully made." (Psalm 139:14) I couldn't walk without getting sick; reading a book page or a TV or computer screen wasn't possible; my body functions slowed to a standstill, and all I did was sleep. And at that, I wasn't even desperately ill!

When I felt better, I questioned, "What have I learned through this?" Gratitude, for one thing. How wonderful a warm, soapy shower is! God help the Third World countries who do not have this luxury. A bowl of Cheerios makes a delectable supper, and chicken-noodle soup is great any time of day!

And I learned too how wonderful choice is. Shall I sleep upstairs or down (probably to be determined by whether I can make it up the stairs or not!) Shall the shower come before breakfast or after? Will it be tapioca or yoghurt? Blueberry, strawberry, or peach yoghurt?

Slowing down to enjoy each day's benefits is a good thing. It's just too bad I had to be in a daze to do it!

Marjorie

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

Broken and Better

One of the tasks of my part-time position at the public library is mending "broken" books. The pages may be falling out, the binding may be loose or split, the covers may be torn or dog-eared. Various methods and materials are used for repair, and I find it satisfying to make useable again a book that would otherwise be destined for discarding. Occasionally, I am challenged by someone who asks, "Can you really fix this?" And I answer, "Yes, it will be better than new."

Book publishing has changed a great deal over the years. Once it was an art with beautiful and substantial covers enclosing sewn signatures, the industry now produces annually nearly 300,000 titles in the U.S. And that is just new titles and new editions of earlier titles; many of these are printed in the hundreds of thousands. While there are many fine books available—I am speaking of physical quality, not content—many others currently published are not able to withstand the repeated handling of library use; they are glued together just well enough for a few readings. It is these that can actually be improved by mending.

Ernest Hemingway said, "The world breaks everyone, and afterward, some are strong at the broken places." Have you considered that the places in your life where you have been battered about some, perhaps even broken, are made a source of strength when God is permitted to work there? Jesus came as God's anointed one to proclaim, "He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted." Having had our brokenness exposed is not something only to be regretted, but also to be respected for its part in bringing us to acknowledge our constant need for God's grace. Experiencing some of His "mending" then helps us connect with other sufferers in a real way. The late Henri Nouwen, spiritual writer and teacher, gave us the lovely phrase, "wounded healer." That is what Jesus is to us, and what we can be to others.

Broken does not mean discarded. Mending is possible. That does not mean the brokenness never was. It can mean better, stronger, more useful than before.

MaryMartha

The book publishing statistic is from R.R. Bowker, a large bibliographic information
management company, researched at www.bowker.com

Art from http:www.sxc.hu/

Little Memorials

On Monday (Memorial Day in the U.S.), I visited the rural cemetery where a number of my extended family members are buried, along with many people I knew while I was growing up. I cherish some of those childhood memories and since Monday, I've been remembering incidents from my acquaintance with them, little memorials in my own heart.

I remember the pink wintergreen candies my grandfather carried in his pocket to give to all the Sunday School children. Who cared back then that he had just shaken hands with thirty people and then dug around in his pocket to dole out the powdery (unwrapped) sweets? Perhaps we were all the hardier for having been exposed to so many germs!

I remember that the same grandpa lived just across the road from my childhood home and kept a pitcher of cold mint tea in the refrigerator. (A real refrigerator, as I recall, not an "icebox," which our family had.) The tea was brewed from peppermint growing beside the house—imagine having that on a sweltering day! (No air conditioning back then) If we weren't having mint tea, we might drink "Big Four," his name for cold cocoa--no one seems to know why.

I remember the home of the other grandparents who lived in a big two-story house. With the doors open downstairs and the hallway door also open, the big horned owl (stuffed, of course) that reigned over the stairway, moved his tufted "ears" in the breeze. I was petrified! On the other hand, Grandma made soft sugar cookies with black walnut icing—to die for!

I remember the aunt who came to the housewarming party that my dolls and I hosted in the orchard playhouse. She brought real refreshments and pretended with me that it was a high social occasion!

I remember the aunt who took me shopping in the city—for a winter coat, I think—and we ate lunch in the department store tea room. An honest-to-goodness tea room! I had a roast beef sandwich.

I remember the much-loved aunt and uncle who every summer invited this country kid to spend a week in the city with my cousin. We played in a yard full of blue morning glories, and rode the bus downtown—a brand-new experience for me. D.W., did we sleep in a tent sometimes?

I remember our friends who had a most intriguing kitchen. A lantern hung from a hook in the ceiling, and was pumped periodically to make the mantle glow. A pump handle, worked vigorously, brought water from the cistern to the kitchen sink. I thought this was really special.

I remember my parents' friends who came to our house sometimes after Sunday evening church service to have coffee and "dunk" doughnuts. We got to stay up late.

I remember the sad news that the baby boy of one of the church families had died during the night. It was puzzling to me that children could die.

Mama, Daddy, I'm grateful for the loving surroundings that nurtured me. These little memorials will outlast the flowers I saw in the cemetery.

MaryMartha

God on My Side

The persons responsible for my early religious instruction made sure that I understood it was my duty to align myself with God's purposes. I was not to concern myself too much with whose side God was on, but whether or not I was on God's side. (Perhaps referring to the statement attributed to Abraham Lincoln?) God doesn't have favorites, I was told; He loves everyone.

While all of this is true, what I failed to understand was that God really is on my side. This is not to say that He is on my side in a way that eliminates good for other people and their plans and programs. He is not particularly on my side as it relates to sports events, political elections, or bargain hunting. But He really, truly is on my side. He has my best interests at heart. He wants good things—but not necessarily just easy things—for me. He guards me, guides me, and provides for me. He watches out for me as a loving, careful father would watch out for his child. He has creative ways of bringing balance into my life.

We sometimes do not realize, in our endeavor to see God's love as all-inclusive, that His love is also very personal. He, in a particular way, suited just to me, loves me! The children's song I used to sing is really true!

I am so glad that my Father in heav'n
Tells of His love in the Book He has giv'n.
Wonderful things in the Bible I see;
This is the dearest that Jesus loves me.

I am so glad that Jesus loves me,
Jesus loves me, Jesus loves me;
I am so glad that Jesus loves me,
Jesus loves even me.

Oh, if there's only one song I can sing,
When in His beauty I see the Great King,
This shall my song in eternity be:
"Oh, what a wonder that Jesus loves me!"

I am so glad that Jesus loves me,
Jesus loves me, Jesus loves me;
I am so glad that Jesus loves me,
Jesus loves even me.

--Philip P. Bliss, 1870

MaryMartha

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/