The Beautiful Lacy Collar

I had this picture enter my mind one evening after prayer: I first focused singularly on the beautiful lacy, intricate patterned collar….which I then took off and placed in Jesus’ lap.

It was a gentle reminder that in God’s eyes, I am beautiful, delicate, yet strong and have a desire for balance.  It was interesting to see the symmetry of the collar and how very interwoven all the thread was.  It reminded me of doilies my mom had when I was a little girl, that were crocheted in these intricate patterns.  

Our lives are incredibly busy and each of us wear many hats during the day.  To one we are spouse, to others, sibling, mom/dad, aunt or uncle, friend, or co-worker. To others we are artists, or quilters (often in the same breath!), musicians, engineers or auto mechanics. The list is endless and some days it’s a challenge to have symmetry or any type of balance in our lives.  That’s when we become frustrated, tired and less able to do our best.

Another thought crossed my mind, however.  The collar reminded me how even more are the special needs children, like the interwoven pieces of threads that creates a stunning pattern. These precious children are interwoven into our lives in ways we can barely fathom.  They generate a beauty all their own as their delicate personalities display themselves in a variety of different ways.

We are to live a life of value, because God values each single life, whether we are rich or poor, smart or not so much, social or more withdrawn, short or tall, a talented musician or garbage collector.   Regardless of any status, we are all beautiful in the eyes of God!

Much like the lacy collar I removed and placed in Jesus’ lap are the special needs children of our world.  Our culture has a difficult time seeing past what they consider “flaws” which Christ sees as beautiful birth marks; his own intimate creations.

These children are able to teach us about genuine kindness and love, because that is how they perceive life, rather than tainted with the gray discoloration of meanness, hate, rejection and even bigotry toward another human being.

Many special needs parents will tell you they are surprised at the depth of love they feel for their special needs child because they require, and draw out a profoundly unique sense of connection.  These parents give unselfishly to their children. As parents, we’d like to think we each give everything we’ve got to our kids.  That’s what parents do.  Yet, because of the unique needs of a special needs child, parents are required to dig even deeper within themselves to be able to respond to their precious gifts.

I believe God chooses who will be special needs parents (or teachers).  Their compassion and understanding and ability to cope with the unexpected, is remarkable!

I’ve learned much as I’ve written my special needs books, “The Paxton Series,” for these delightful children.  They are God’s special ‘little ones’ and I’m so glad to be a part of something so much larger than myself!  God is good and he knows just what we need and when we need it most!  I am indeed blessed.

If you pass a special needs child this week, look past any pre-conceived flaw.  Look through the eyes of God and see the beauty!  

Multiplied Blessings

          I was chatting with a friend recently who shared how her granddaughter needed prayers, and how she’d be traveling across the country soon, to bring together and spend time with two elderly sisters, who hadn’t seen each other in years.  She commented that life gets really busy sometimes with the many directions she feels pulled.  But when she stops to look at where she is in her life, she is blessed.  

The scenario she shared resonated with me and probably every person who reads this blog.  Still every person deals with some level of anxiety, worry and fear.  It’s how we handle these situations that determines our emotional health and our view of “blessings.”  When we can let go of the stress factors, and leave it in God’s control, we can breathe a little easier.  But that said, ‘letting go’ and not ‘picking them up again’ can be challenging!  We are after all human!

            Watching “The Chronicles of Narnia” last evening, it was fascinating to see how the trees responded to the needs of the people, and sent messages to those needing important information.  Do you ever think of yourself as a “tree” in a giant forest?  That may sound a little bizarre, but think a moment of one person who needs to get so much done, so much information moved from place to place (ignore the fact for the moment, we now have instant access to computer and other media); with so many places to be and “personalities” to fill!  

            Each “tree” in the forest in the movie, did their part and shared the ‘leaves’ they could to disseminate the pertinent information.  Because they worked together the ‘blessing’ of being prepared before the enemy came, sustained the warriors of Narnia.

            We aren’t supposed to be standing alone, ever!  We all have a circle of friends, and family we can call upon to help us with whatever we are going through.  Sometimes it’s really hard to accept (or ask for) help from outside sources because we believe we are supposed to be strong and sturdy enough to deal with whatever challenges life throws at us.  Anything less is to be weak, insufficient or incapable.

            The thing is, when we allow other ‘leaves from other trees’ to sustain us, we are allowing for not only us receiving a blessing but also the other leaf.  It’s often as important to the giver, as it is the recipient.

            I’m not suggesting all family and friend circles are ideal for such scenarios but, in truth, we all need someone.  We are a human race designed to need each other.  We are the ‘trees’ in each other’s lives.  I came across this scripture and found it so comforting and reassuring of this thought:  That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither, whatever they do prospers.   Psalm 1:3

            The next time you pass a forest, ask yourself if you are the tree in the forest ignoring all the other trees, even though your heart is screaming for understanding, comfort and care?  Or, are you the tree who can shake your branches and reach out to someone who may or may not display a need for kindness, encouragement or concern?

            If we focus on ways we can be ‘fruitful,’ being productive and prosperous would just come natural.

Standing On The Cliff

           

         About 25 years ago, my husband and I invited his mom to go on a month long vacation with us—and four of our five children.  Our oldest had left home by then and the youngest was only about 5.  We traversed across the United States, from one ocean to the other and then from the upper border into Canada and back down, crossing the southern border into Mexico, just to be able to say we’d been there!

            During our travels, we stopped at the Grand Canyon.  What a majestic place!  Walking the paths could almost make a person lose their balance as the depths of the areas you were scanning kept changing.  My mother-in-law chose to not walk those paths.  She opted to sit on a bench, safely away from any area too close to the edge.

            My husband is afraid of heights, but he enjoyed walking the paths and standing on solid ground near the steel bars that kept you from getting too close to the edge at the overlooks. A time or two I meandered near the edge where there were no rails and my husband immediately scolded that was I was too close to the edge.  He pointed out a rock could give way, I could slip or any other logical reason to get back, where it was safe.  He was right, of course and we made certain our children didn’t wander too close to the rim.  

            As I stood near the lip of the cliff, I found myself infused with awe of the wonder of this place.  I knew I should be frightened of being too close, but at the time I really wasn’t filled with fear of falling.  I felt grounded and inspired by the changing colors, the sheer depth and changing patterns as the sun and clouds moved over the formations within my sight.  

            I imagine our walk with God like this.  If I had to make decisions on my own, I couldn’t stand firmly with confidence that I wouldn’t fall.  There’s an energy that pulsates through my body as I think about God not allowing the boulder beneath my feet to break off and plummet down the side of the cliff.

            There are of course times when the sand beneath my feet shifts; or even small pebbles fracture, crack, and peel away, making me question my sanity of being where I am at all.  But I know, should a slide begin, God’s “got me.”  He’ll catch me if I slip.

            But to be safely in the hollow of His hand, I need to be deliberate about spending time with him, searching His Word and His Heart for His will in my life.  I’ve found when I’m digging deep for the “golden nuggets” found there, scriptures will sometimes seem to “leap” off the page at me, shouting for attention! 

            His Word is speaking to me.  The scriptures may be some I’ve read a hundred times before, but they’ve left the page at just the time I need them.  God is all powerful.  He will absolutely lead our lives when we are willing to stand on the cliff and allow him to take us places that leave us breathless.

            I encourage you to search for direction in your life and take the risks God is challenging you to. He’s not going to let you fall, if He is in control.  You can stand firmly, with confidence in the strength of His power, to do great and wonderful things, just the way he planned.

Light At The End Of The Tunnel

         

            I remember some years ago we had a really good snow here in our area and it was wonderful to go out into the sunshine after the storm to enjoy it!  My son was helping us dig out and got creative and dug a tunnel through the snow.  The little ones completely enjoyed it!

            Depending on where we are in the country we can drive through tunnels that are dug through mountains.  They are usually well lit, yet drivers are required to put their headlights on to assure safety.  There are people who are intimidated by tunnels, much like others are afraid of climbing heights or crossing a bridge, especially one that’s lengthy.  

            I’m not afraid of a tunnel, yet I find myself looking, with an element of excitement to see the “light at the end of the tunnel.”  There is something exhilarating and refreshing about seeing the sunshine peeking through.   

The circumstances, trials and tribulations in our lives, sometimes leave us feeling like we are deep within a tunnel yet unable to see the light.  We keep clawing and struggling through our situation and all we can see is darkness.  We are fearful and worried about the outcome, especially if there seems to be no light to work toward. 

God uses “tunnels” in our lives to mold us into the persons we are supposed to be, that will complete his purpose in our lives.  Sometimes it’s so hard to see the light and we crouch down in fear.  We forget that all we need to do is call out to God for help.  He will provide the glow that can keep us moving toward the light.

I have a friend who has a family relationship which looks like a long, dark tunnel.  There seems to be no ray of sunshine that would indicate they are near a resolution.  She has no idea how it will all turn out.  At this point, she concedes it’s totally out of her hands.  I haven’t a clue how God will use this in my friend’s life, but there must be some reason the tunnel is there, and why she must endure it.  

            I wonder if the workers who dug “Hezekiah’s Tunnel” wondered if they would ever see the light.  Digging a tunnel is no easy feat.  In Biblical times, given their means for digging and moving the earth; it was quite a trial.   Yet 2 Chronicles and 2 Kings describe a tunnel (known Hezekiah’s Tunnel) that was built under the city of Jerusalem, that was an engineering masterpiece!  When a person considers what the workers must have endured during this time, it’s quite remarkable.  

            When I see the light at the end of the tunnel we are driving through, it must be something near what those workers must have felt all those years ago. There was a reason the tunnel was dug. It supplied water from the Gihon Spring to the city of Jerusalem and depending on the time of year, provided a means for people to go from the Pool of Siloam into Jerusalem.  It was also a hiding place during the destruction of Jerusalem.

            Tunnels can be a place of fear, a place of hiding; but they can also be a place of journey toward the light.  How do you view tunnels?  Are they a place you like to be or, not so much?

We Are His Witnesses

         Jesus’ disciples were each unique.  They each possessed qualities that made them strong and weak.  One was recognized as a leader, others impetuous, practical, or “stormy.”   There was a doubter, and one even included a betrayer. They were human, just as we. Yet Jesus drew these men to him and used all these characteristics to spread his message.

            He taught them about Himself, the Father and the Kingdom that was to come.  He told them the time would come when they would receive the Spirit and they would be his witnesses.  As followers, they “witnessed” because they supported all Jesus did.  This, however, would not be enough.  Jesus would leave them in body and they would need a higher power for encouragement and direction at a time when many who knew him thought they had lost him to death.  

            After Jesus’ resurrection, they weren’t sure they knew Jesus at all.  They had watched him die and that wasn’t part of the plan. How could they follow a man who was no longer with them?  Yet He had prepared them.  It would take some time for them to recognize it, but they would see it, loud and clear. 

            On the Day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came.  The disciples were prepared, through the work of the Holy Spirit, to preach the Word and minister and witness to thousands of people who were there.  

            Their dedication and devotion to Christ’s teaching put them in all kinds of perilous situations. They chose to suffer for the cause of The Messiah.  They taught about the Kingdom and just as Jesus had done, and even used the symbolic pearl to teach about the Church and salvation.  The pearl, like salvation is produced through a living being.  

            Through discomfort and irritation, a grain of sand within the oyster grows into a beautiful pearl. Jesus suffered pain and hurt all the way to the cross. The disciples endured hardships and many were martyred for the sake of Jesus.   Yet God’s purpose through the turmoil and pressures endured by both Christ and the disciples produced a process that demonstrates the work God does and plans in our life.

            With the same Spirit Jesus gave his disciples and all those that believed when the first churches were beginning, he gives us today when we accept him as our Savior.  This same Spirit encourages and directs us if we allow him.  This is the key.  The Spirit is within us; it is up to us to open our minds and hearts to his voice.  When we do, we become like the first disciples and can spread his message to the “ends of the earth.”

            I encourage you to think about your trials and tribulations.  Can you relate to the idea of the formation of the pearl which becomes valuable in spite of how it was formed?  Can you see how God can use your specific painful circumstances to mold you into a unique servant for the Kingdom?  Perhaps a closer look will lead you into service in ways you hadn’t yet thought about!

Image from:  https://www.dreamstime.com/pearl-necklace-pink-satin-fabric-pearl-necklace-image122739171 

Let Your Light Shine

            I have a friend who is a self-proclaimed “eternal pessimist.”   She growls at the world through dark glasses.  She grumbles, murmurs and chooses to look at people through the darkest part of the tunnel, certain she’s destined to be required energy she does not have, kindness she does not feel, display warmth when all she feels is cold, and positivity when all she can muster is negativity.  This is such a sad place to be.  What energy this perspective must require!  I can’t even imagine!

            Our world has become a ‘crooked and twisted’ place.  People are consumed with ‘self,’ greed, hate, deception, cruelty and so much negativity it’s difficult some days to see anything good!  As much as I’d like to stay ‘informed’ of the “goings on” around our world, or in our country, state, or even my community, I often choose to not read the news.  

            I was reading a book the other day that called news “gossip.”  I nearly flinched at the idea!  How could that be?  But often when news is reported it’s usually the dark side of a situation, and that makes sense in a perverted kind of way.  Most people are more interested in who kills who, who said what negative thing about another, how a storm wrecked havoc on an area, etc.  Granted knowing sometimes is helpful because in the case of storm damage, fire or other ‘emergency’ we can help.   But how many times have you been drawn to something awful because it’s just that: awful!?”

            The movies and video games much of the population is drawn to are horror, or at the very least, violent.  We’ve created ‘super-heroes’ to thwart the bad guy.  It’s a dark and scary place!

            Christ came to be the “Light of the World.”  As Believers in Christ, we are to be the beacon of that Light, even if it seems like we stand alone as a single candle.  Think about the time the electric goes out during a storm and you must light the room with a candle.  It’s amazing how much light radiates through that one candle.  The more candles, the more light.

            Satan can’t thrive in the reflection of this light. Yet, satan is thriving in our world. Darkness reigns.  Isn’t that a clue that as Believers we are not doing enough?  Are we so caught up in the world around us, perhaps not even deliberately, that our light is so tiny, it’s barely a spark, sputtering, fighting desperately to stay lit at all? 

            It takes effort to be the ‘light’ that illuminates a room.  The wind blows, trying with all it’s might to snuff out the light.  It requires time with The Father, Son and Holy Spirit that will keep your candle light, lit that can shine even when the wind howls and darkness threatens to overtake.  

            I encourage you to dig deep into the scriptures this week.  Ask yourself “how bright is my candle – my light?" Do others see me as someone who reflects the fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control, or do they see darkness and negativity?

Value Of A Diamond

         

           I was at my son’s home the other day and while fixing coffee, I inadvertently placed the sugar in the wrong cabinet.  I realized it quickly enough and pulling it from the shelf said, “You dummy!”

            Upon hearing my words, my son said, “Mom, really?  Think about what you just said.  You’re talking negatively to yourself.”

            “Good point,” I responded.  “I need to quit that!”

            Do you find yourself ever talking to yourself negatively?  Like the moment at my son’s, I hear myself scolding, reprimanding and verbally telling myself all sorts of negative things.  Ultimately, the more I hear it, the more I believe it!  

            Self-worth is such valuable asset to anyone.  There’s a poem that says, “Children learn what they live.”  It's true.  When I was growing up, my parents rarely encouraged me (or my siblings).  At this point in my life, I don’t fault them for it.   I don’t know that they ever thought of it; it just wasn’t something they did.  Perhaps they thought I knew my worth, and never felt the need to say it aloud.  I wonder however, about the effect it had on my view of my personal value.  

            I was in prayer the other night and in front of my eyes I saw this amazing, huge, shimmering diamond.  I seemed to understand my value to God is greater than any diamond found in the world.  I don’t recall any “specific words” spoken by God, but the realization at that moment was profound!  

            Like the diamond, God created me to be a unique human being.  There are others, I’m certain, much like me.  They are wife, mother, grandmother, short, with graying hair, and wide smile, who writes, does domestic duties, gardens, reads and sews.  Yet regardless of the similarities, I’m still unique.  God ordained it this way.  We each have specific qualities, temperaments, desires and qualifications for specific people, places and duties designed by an all-knowing God.

            Our culture has become such that we feel we need to be above average to be accepted, whether at work, in sports, academically and perhaps even spiritually. We measure ourselves against everyone around us and sometimes even imaginary competitors like actors or actresses in a television drama.  It’s hard to see our personal worth when our peers (or those we admire) seem flawless in nearly every capacity.

            Diamonds come from different areas, in different colors; and even uncut ones, in different shapes.  They aren’t meant to be all the same.  Their unique qualities are what makes them so very valuable and special.  And their beginning isn’t the same as the final product. They were formed deep in the earth, beneath extreme heat and pressure, and even after being “found” are cut and polished to make them the radiant jewels they become.

            We all undergo pressure and polishing.  It’s part of life’s lessons.  God uses our circumstances and pressure to polish the “gem” he has created. We are diamonds, created within the heart of God.  Our value is greater than any mineral found in the earth.  

            As we ponder this truth, make a deliberate effort to not self-negative talk this next week.  Allow God to reveal to you the price he gave to make that clearly evident, through the life of His Son, Jesus Christ.