Each Day*

It's quiet.
It's early.
My coffee is hot.
The day is still black.
The world is still asleep.
The day is coming.

In a few moments the day will arrive.
It will roar down the path with
the rising sun.The stillness of dawn 
will be exchanged for the noise 
of the day.The calm solitude will be replaced by the pounding of the 
human race. The refuge of the early morning will be invaded by decisions 
to be made and deadlines to be met.

It is now that I must make a choice.

Because of Calvary, I am free to choose...

And, so I choose....

love

joy

peace

patience

kindness

goodness

faithfulness

gentleness

self-control

If I succeed, I will give thanks.

If I fail, I will seek grace.

*Taken from Max Lucado's When God Whispers Your Name

I read Max's words this morning and decided to insert some pictures and share it with you.

Give thanks.

Give God the glory.

Seek his grace.

Each day.

Always.

 

Who, me?

Men go abroad to wonder at the height of mountains,

at the huge waves of the sea,

at the long courses of the rivers,

at the vast compass of the ocean,

at the circular motion of the stars;

and they pass by themselves 

without wondering.

                    Saint Augustine

You created my inmost being;

you knit me together in my mother's womb.

I praise you

because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

                              David, Psalm 139:13-14

There were three piles:

 1) throw-a-way,

 2) Good Will,

 3) keep (someone will want this)

As I was sorting through my mother's things after her death, 

I found many books.

This particular one belonged in the #3 pile 

.....(someone will want this: ME).

Copywrighted in 1980--this was its 12th printing.

Dr. Paul Brand explores the human body, God's creation, and reveals how cells, bones, skin, muscles, and nerves authentically express spiritual reality. 

The body of Christ

like our own bodies

is composed of individual, unlike cells 

that are knit together

to form one Body.

A few quotes from the book will help us understand and appreciate our images, give glory, and humble us.

*He invested His great, creative self in this world, and, specifically, in the design of our bodies.

*...there is a mysterious, organic relationship that exists among the people of God.

*In 1 Corinthians 12, Paul compares the church of Christ to the human body.

*Red blood cells, muscle cells, cartilage cells, fat cells, bone cells, etc. ... we are all a collection of people as diverse as the cells in our body.

*I find God in the faces of my fellow worshipers

by sharing with people

who are shockingly different from me.

*We carry within us not just the image of, or the philosophy of..but the actual substance of God.

Do you not realize that Christ is in you?

          --Paul

I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.

I am the vine, and you are the branches.

          --Jesus

                                                                 2 Corinthians 13:5, Galations 2;20, John 14:20, Johne 15:5

As Dr. Brand points out, there are incredible benefits of this identity--

but also sobering responsibilities--

          


*When we act in the world,

        we quite literally subject God

       to that activity.

                           

*There are conflicting strains of human helplessness and divine power with us. ...
What matters is our willingness to respond by reaching out
 and connecting with other human beings.

                     

In him you too are being built

together to become a dwelling in which

God lives by his Spirit.

             Ephesians 2:22

The

Who, me?

Yes, you! 

You should know that your body is a temple 

for the Holy Spirit who is in you.

 You have received the Holy Spirit from God.

 So you do not belong to yourselves.

   1 Corinthians 6:15

The Creator has made us each one of a kind.

There is nobody else exactly like us,

and there never will be.

Each of us is his special creation

and is alive for a distinctive purpose.

     Luci Swindull  

 Therefore, we will give PRAISE.

Angels Amongst Us

 May 14, 2013

David and I watched from our large picture window as an unfamiliar car, then another and another drove down our driveway. All the vehicles were black or dark blue.

"What is this?" I asked my husband.

Together, as if directed, they opened their doors and walked toward our house. The women wore long dresses that fell to their ankles--many having been made from the same bolt of cotton. Bonnets adorned their tightly bunned hair. Makeup--there was none. Their shoes were thick-soled and black. The men wore buttoned-down shirts in light blues and whites, dark pants--some with suspenders-- dark heavy-soled shoes. Smiles covered their faces. I knew no one.

By this time, David and I were out on the driveway. We sat on an outdoor bench as these twenty-seven angels sang hymns to us--one after another--for 45 minutes. We did not tire of it. Genuine caring lit their faces; they sang from their hearts.







June 15, 2013

David prayed for guidance, strength in healing, and answers.
So many days in the hospital; so much had happened --cancer surgery, possible bowel obstruction, pneumonia, bacterial infection, and a disease flare.
As he prayed, he remembered his parents--his mother, Roberta, and his father, Eugene Stauffer.
Were they somehow watching over him from this place called heaven?

June 16, Father's Day:

My husband lay in a hospital bed in an otherwise empty room when he heard a light tap on the door.
"Come in," he murmured--thinking the person to be a nurse to take vitals or perhaps the attendant responsible for the blood draw.
Instead, a stranger, a man dressed in plain clothes, entered the room with his hand extended.
"Are you David?"  he asked.
"Yes, I am," David responded and wondered.
"I'm Eugene Stauffer."

How is possible that someone

name Eugene Stauffer

just happened to visit

David on Father's Day.

A man with the same name as

his father.

They visited for a couple of hours.

David hasn't shared what they spoke of.

But, I know it's a God thing.

How often do we attribute miracles

to luck 

or simple circumstances?

When we know better.

We are each of us angels with only one wing, and we can only fly by embracing one another.

 Luciano de Crescenzo

Have you every received a call, a text, a letter from someone at a crucial moment?

Have you ever just happened to run into someone who said something you needed to hear--perhaps someone you had not heard from in a long time.

Luck?

Circumstance?

A God thing?

Recently I've been learning that life comes down to this: 
God is in everything. Regardless of what difficulties I am experiencing at the moment, or what things aren't as we would like them to be, I look at the circumstances and say, "Lord, what are you trying to teach me?"
    Catherine Marshall
    365 Daily Devotions for Women

Hebrews 1:14
Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?

May you recognize the angels in your life and praise God.

May you be someone's angel this week...and praise God.

A Series of Unfortunate Events

From "The Bad Beginning"

 --number one book in Lemony Snicket's series--to number thirteen,

 "... The Complete Wreck," the author writes of gloom and doom for the Baudelaire orphans--

Klaus, Violet, and Sunny.

Lemony uses dark humor and cautions that his books are the saddest series
about even sadder orphans. Even though the reader knows it is sad, very sad,
we understand it is fiction and somehow find it entertaining.

A Lemony Snickett fan

My grandson thinks they are "awesome" and has a difficult time getting his nose out of a Snickett book once he has started it.

The orphans?
What kept them going?
They had found a letter left to them by their parents--
a letter filled with words of encouragement and hope.
Familiar words?

Lemony warns that when these books rain from the sky--unless the reader has an "abnormally sturdy umbrella," --the reader should scream and run away--
at once!

Whether our fear is absolutely realistic

 or out of proportion in our minds, 

our greatest refuge is Jesus Christ.

  Luci Swindoll

Most of us have our own series of unfortunate events. Sometimes, they come in a downpour.
Recently, a loved one has endured cancer surgery, bowel obstruction concerns, pnuemonia, a Wegener's flare, and more recently, renal failure. We wanted to scream and run away. But, in the real world, screaming does not help, and there is no place to run away to.

However, we do have an abnormally sturdy umbrella--because

the God of the universe is not going to give us more than any one of us can handle.

   If you've encountered unfortunate circumstances that are beyond your power to control, accept those circumstances...and trust God. When you do, you can be comforted in the knowledge that your Creator is both loving and wise, and that he understands His plans perfectly, even when you do not.
     Day 161, 365 Days--Daily Devotions For Women


The Baudelaire children never gave up.
We know that truth is sometimes stranger than fiction.
May we remember that God has a plan for each of us and be encouraged.

Discontent dries up the soul.

  Elisabeth Elliot

May you discover your rainbow.....
God's hand shapes the universe..
and our lives...
His is an awesome power!
 
We may run, walk, stumble, drive, or fly,
but let us never lose sight of the reason for the journey, 
or miss a chance to see a rainbow on the way.   
      Gloria Gaither 

Lord, I know you love me. I know you will protect me.

I praise You for Your grace; may I respect your 

infinite power. Let my greatest fear in life be the fear of

displeasing You. 

Amen..and amen...

To Everything There Is A Season

To everything there is a season,
 and a time to every purpose under the heaven.  
A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, 
and a time to pluck up what is planted; . . . 
a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to embrace. . . a time to keep silence 
and a time to speak; a time to love, 
and a time to hate; . . . 
What gain has the worker for his toil?  
I have seen the business that God has given 
to the sons of men to be busy with.  
He has made everything beautiful in its time . . . 
                                                                                                                                                       Ecclesiastes 3: 1 - 11

My husband and I recently attended the 60th wedding anniversary of some friends. Sixty years is a long time. Although they were concerned that no one will come, the attendance was huge, and they will be reading cards for days if not weeks.

When I was younger, I could not imagine being married,

 being a mother, and never gave thought of those "grandmother" years

 or the possibility of being married to someone forever.

My husband and I have been married over forty years; 

and even though we have had the ups and downs, 

we have surely been blessed.

When spending time with my son and daughter-in-law recently, we found
ourselves examining photographs from the early 1900's. I asked,
"What period of time would you like to go back to if you could?"
My daughter-in-law thought the 1950's would be a good time--
antibiotics had been discovered, and clothes were less cumbersome.
Interesting, I thought. My son thought that his life today was great.
When we pressed him with, Oh come on, play along, 
you have a time machine at your disposal,
he changed his answer to "yesterday."
Smiling, he stated that life was good for him,
and he didn't want to go anywhere else--
an answer that any mother may be pleased with.

Lovely, complicated wrappings

Sheath the gift of one-day-more;

Breathless, I untie the package--

I never lived this day before!

         Gloria Gaither

When it was my turn,
 my first response
 was the late 1800's;
society was changing so quickly at this time;
historical changes were happening. And, then,
 my next thought was why not return to Biblical times 
when Jesus walked the earth?  It would be dusty, dirty,
and so very unlike our clean, cool, efficient houses and work places, but what an insight. The Bible would come alive in a different way because I had been there.



For everything there is a season . . .

Whatever your stage or place in life is at this moment, I encourage you to stay strong, believe in God's purpose for your life and then, continue. Endure.

Patience is the companion of wisdom.

What gain has the worker from his toil?  I have seen the business that God has given to the sons of men to be busy with. He has made everything beautiful in its time . . . Ecclesiastes 3: 11

A Prayer for Today:
Lord, as I take the next steps on my life's journey, let me take them with You. Whatever this day may bring, I thank You for the opportunity to live abundantly. Let me lean upon You, father--and trust You--this day and forever. Amen 
                                     365 Daily Devotions For Women

Wishing you God's unexpected blessings this week.

The Secret to Seeking Self

Introspection--

Searching for meaning of life?

Searching for meaning of self?

During the late 1960's while attending college,
 I memorized a poem which influenced my thoughts in novel ways.

My parents built a house for me

To put my soul inside

It is floored with prejudice

And roofed with pride

And in the floorboards of that old house

The wood is rotting fast

The stagnant shell will soon collapse

And leave me free at last.

                        Annonymous

I didn't experience prejudice while growing up; we were not prideful people.
However, the sense that I was free at last affected me in a way
not typical of the hippie generation:

 I was responsible for me and who I became.

Forty some years later, at another stage of life, Marge Dohlman's poem stirred me.

Add caption

I've come to realize
The weaknesses of others
Do not have to be mine

I have the strength
To pull free
Of foggy fingers
Twisting my soul
Holding me captive
Forming my thoughts
Boxing me in
. . .

Again, I was responsible for me and who I became; finger-pointing not allowed. 

 What am I seeking?  

Who am I?  

What am I to do on Earth that will make a difference?

Dorcas, a treasured friend and fellow Alpha writer, shared Joyce Rupp's work.

Deep is calling into deep.  
Stop standing before the dark, empty cave. 
Take a step. Let go. Walk in.  
Just like the seed must fall into the dark, deep black soil, 
so must I enter into the darkness, go where there is mystery, 
where the questions float without answers . . .  
Deep within me a tiny voice whispers the truth:  I
If you want to grow, you must die to self.  
Here in the place of darkness you will learn what life is.  
You will find the energy that you've never dreamed possible.  
You will know a transformation that shall dazzle the eyes of your spirit.

As Dorcas wrote, 

"Each day the pruning continues . . .  

Each experience allows our hunting hearts to more freely enter the garden of life."

What is the secret in discovering ourselves?  

Colossians 1:27 tells us,

God's plan is to make known his secret to his people, this rich and glorious secret which he has for all peoples. And the secret is that Christ is in you, which means that you will share in the glory of God.

Considering poetry, 

the book of Job in the Old Testament was cited 

"the greatest poem whether of ancient or modern literature" 

by Alfred Tennyson (1809-1902).  

Why do Godly people suffer is the theme of the book.   

We learn that Job never really saw himself until he saw God.

In His hand is the life of every creature 
and the breath of all mankind.  
      Job 12:10

Everything under heaven belongs to Me.   
   Job 41:11

My favorite devotional, "A Fresh Opportunity," opens with a verse from Romans 6:4.

Therefore we were buried with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in a new way of life.

As we struggle to find ourselves, 

validate our worth,

 determine our journey path--

 we have a fresh opportunity to do so--each morning.

Kay Arthur in 365 Daily Devotions for Women wrote,

"If you are God's child, you are no longer bound to your past or to what you were.You are a brand new creature in Christ Jesus."

Give praise in the journey.

Expect blessings--each day.

Give praise always.

What do lemons, cerulean, and Jack have in common?

The postcard came in the mail with this month's Alpha writing assignment:

Use these words-- 

Jack, blank, lemon, basket, mold, cerulean
in your writing for this month.

Alpha Writers is a unique group of 10-12 persons, including a retired school secretary, a judge, a factory worker, a student, an editor, a nun that left her convent and more...

I feel their writing

shows the uniqueness

of each individual.

Enjoy...

Ramona wrote:

Jack noticed the basket of fresh flowers hanging from the girl's left arm.
She pulled one from the bunch and handed it to him.
"I've never seen a dandelion this color," he said.
"It's called cerulean blue." She smiled.
He took a whiff. "It smells like mold."
"I dyed it. That's the smell. I'm allergic to anything yellow, like a lemon,"
and added, "or a dandelion."
He gave the girl a blank stare, shook his head, and
ambled down the garden path.
   

++++

Crystal wrote:

 

Cerulean lemons? 
"Cerulean lemons!
 What in the smoky green hell is going on here this morning?
Jack? Jack! Jack, where are you?"

"Here sire, right here.
 Well, sire, you see, the Wizard..."

"I knew it! I knew letting that crazy old mage in
here was a bad idea. Now the fruit basket has wings, my marble staircase 
is covered in mold, and the chef is a bee with three heads!
Where is that Wizard now?...

What's going on in the castle?"

"Well, sire you see...that is the problem."

+++++

Jed wrote:

Jack's cobalt, cerulean eyes stared blankly,
longingly past the lemon tree in Bridget's
back yard. He watched her figure mold into the air mattress;

her tanned limbs languid
in the pool. He was a basket case thinking of
murder. Her lover appeared and dived under her.
Jack, denied his pleasure again,
waited and watch.
  

+++++

Kathy wrote:

In a cerulean world, Jack's mother pulls the sheets from the clothesline and drops them in a plastic-lined bushel basket. She refuses to give in to her peripheral vision. It tugs at her mindset. The shadow is huge and ominous--hard to ignore, but she has not yielded to the temptation for days.

Turning her back to the shadow, she lumbers to the house, a blank look masking her fear. The kitchen smells of lemon. The meringue pie is Jack's favorite and fresh. Although mold blankets the walls in the old cottage, she does her best to keep it homey--a place Jack wants to come home to.

Folding the freshly laundered sheets, she feels a prickly sensation, and goosebumps snake down her spine. The sky grumbles. Her dwelling trembles; a kitchen window cracks, and soon huge shards of glass crash to the floor.

Creeping to the open window, she dares to look between the remaining splinters. The towering beanstalk shudders. As her eyes drift upward, she gasps. The bottoms of two gigantic boots are attached to legs as thick as tree trunks, the rest hidden by an anvil shaped cloud.

 +++++

David* wrote:

Leaving the hen house with nearly a basket full of eggs, I see a rider approaching on a beautiful black horse. The mail is here. I go to meet the rider. My mind drew a blank as to the rider's name. There is still no word from Jack. As I go back to the house, my eyes gaze at the cerulean....

*(David is my husband--not an Alpha writer.

He wanted to give the assignment a try.

David loves horses...)

   

+++++

Joni Eareckson Toda writes:

Each one of us is God's special work of art. Through us, he teaches us and inspires, delights, encourages, informs and uplifts all those who view our lives. God, the master artist, is most concerned about expressing Himself--His thoughts and His intentions--through what he paints in our characters.
 

Although we are each uniquely created, we are all a part of His body...

Now you are all the body of Christ

and individual members of it.

1 Corinthians 12: 14-27

We work together, we encourage each other, we pray for each other, we support each other, we love each other --using our Savior, and Lord as the Supreme Example.

Look around you today and this week.

Notice the uniqueness of those around you.

God must love diversity.

Give thanks.

  

Dear Lord, 
You know me far better than I know myself. 
When you created me, you had a special plan
meant for no one else.
May I appreciate those who are different than me--
in ways they think, in ways they look, in ways they 
feel and express themselves--knowing that you
had a special plan for them, too.
May I be your worthy servant and live according to your commandments.
 ...Let my words, thoughts, and actions be a testimony to You, today and always. 
     Praise be to God.
     Amen