Chicken Inspiration

 

  Some days it’s hard to be inspired.  The day seems to close in on me even when the sun is shining and I’m left with this overwhelming feeling of sadness.  I can’t explain it since it seems to come on for no good reason!  It’s very frustrating as I search for something to motivate and energize me.

I reach for a book and can’t read.  Pulling out my computer I ‘play’ a little on Pinterest, trying to find an antidote for the glumness stealing my happy nature.  I find food, comfort food, that leaves me feeling guilty since it probably wasn’t a bit good for me, and then it dawns on me to take a walk.  Just get outside and drink in the beauty of God’s Creation.

   We were given chickens not long ago and I can’t describe the joy those funny little feathered creatures have brought this family!  Our youngest granddaughter, almost two-years-old, who lives next door, claims they are hers and knows which one is which, by name.  The other grandchildren also enjoy their antics, as do we adults.

My husband takes his breaks from working outside, whether it be building something, cleaning the garage, or cutting grass, by settling in a chair in full view of the, what I call ‘the chicken play pen’— a nice, rather large fenced in area just inside the woods, with his cup of coffee and just watches them peck the ground to find bugs and other such chicken delicacies.  

I discovered I too like to sit and watch the feathered flock.  They are such simple little critters, but they have personality, as well.  There are five, but there is one who seems to be the ‘boss’ of the bunch.  She will fuss with one in her way, chase it out of a spot she wants and just overall is a bit bossy!  We chuckle as we watch her manipulate the other four.

Aren’t we humans just like that?  We like to have things our way, in a timely manner and feel like we are in total control.  But as I sit and reflect on the very nature of chickens, I am reminded that God put us in control of the animals of the earth—not necessarily each other!

I’m reminded we are to work and pray together as a family, in order that we can grow into the Believers we are meant to be!  What a gift!  

As I reflect on the relationship I have with my brothers and sisters in Christ, I wonder if I ever seem bossy—wanting my own way and in my time frame?!  I don’t think so, and I certainly hope not, but I doubt my chicken has ever thought she was either!  Perhaps it’s a good time for reflection and even correction!

Perhaps there are those within our Christian network who do seem to be like this.  How do we respond?  Do we bite back or run and cower like the other chickens in the coop?  Or do we take it to the Lord in prayer and ask for guidance from a Father who knows all, asking Him to show us how to handle the situation with kindness?  I wonder.  What do most humans do in this situation?  You ever been there?  What did you do?

My point to all this is, sometimes it takes a step out of our normal routine to allow our minds to travel and lose track of time and receive the simple pleasure of nature—God’s Creation—and yes, even chickens, to give us inspiration—— and maybe even a little direction!  

See With God's Eyes

 

My husband was talking with a man a week ago who caught me completely off guard.  He was average height, mid-forties or early fifties, with hair well past his shoulders, snaggle toothed, but relatively clean.  As I eyed him, I found myself not revolted, but very leary, certain the language from his mouth would likely be offensive.   As I joined my husband and listened to the conversation between the two of them, I discovered the man was a believer in Christ.  Shame on me!  I had put him in a box based on what my eyes saw.

In another instance we were in the midst of a large group of people and I noticed the attire of many of the women, young up to middle age; small and petite to larger and even obese wearing what looked like black tights in place of jeans or shorts.  I again admit to shuddering and thinking, “really?”

Why do we put people in boxes?  I suspect when people see me, especially in conversation with someone else, they must just shake their head and wonder what in the world is wrong with me since my hands rarely stop moving.  I don’t use “sign language” in the regular sense, but talking with my hands is just how I seem to be able to communicate.  In fact, my husband has grabbed my hands in the middle of a sentence and I declare, I forget what it was I was saying!

My point is we all have little nuances, which makes us different.  I imagine when Christ walked the earth; people probably found Him a bit odd.  He challenged people to look at life differently, to accept what was new and in some instances went against what they’d believed all their lives.  He wanted acceptance based on what He told them and taught, not what he looked like.  

God looks for faithfulness in our lives, not flawlessness.  He doesn’t love us based on how we wear our hair, what color shirt we are wearing, what size our shoe is or if we have all our teeth or not!  He loves us because that is God.  He loved us so much He sent his Son as the ultimate sacrifice.  And Jesus loved us enough to leave His throne in heaven and give His life in agreement with the Father.  

I believe God challenges us to look beyond what we see with our mortal eyes.  It takes more than our human-ness to do this, however.  The only way we can look past what we see is to ask the Holy Spirit to open our eyes and our hearts to God’s wisdom.  Otherwise we will see only as the world sees, and the world is blinded by sin and can’t see at all.

God also expects us to see past whatever situation we are in and look for guidance from Him to be able to deal with, work through, or wait on His answer regarding how to handle what is before us.   When we use “God’s eyes” to see, we will more likely understand the lesson we are to learn from whatever trial we are facing or further mature into the person we are supposed to become in Christ.

As we grow in Christ, seeing our world, God’s creation, including other people, through Heaven’s eyes, we will grow in faith and as we grow we will discover that faith functions by love, not in a box.  Our hearts will be able to see past the flaws we see in others and see with the love of God.

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I Am Made New

 

        I have, in several places throughout my home, a print out of “My Identity In Christ”  strategically placed and visible so I can readily see it.  There are nearly two dozen different scriptures which specifically outlines who I am.  The first, and perhaps my favorite is, “I am the daughter of a King.”  There is something profoundly comforting, yet exhilarating and inspiring in those words; imagine, a KING!    

As a human, I fail, sometimes miserably!  Knowing that God created a “new creature” in me, when I accepted His salvation is also reassuring.  When I think about this idea, however, it’s almost overwhelming to put in perspective, when I reflect on the very first verse in the God’s Word.  God created heaven and earth.  With a masterful hand, and imagination beyond anything anyone could possibly conceive, God was able to create this universe, create day and night, set the boundaries for the oceans and land masses, create the stars, sun and moon, the animals and even man.

Of all His creations, he chose to have a relationship with man---with me!  He has wanted, since time began, the unique bond and connection with the human race; to walk and talk, teach and listen, laugh and uplift, comfort and hold, and more than anything else, love.  What an extraordinary gift, that many people miss.

In our world of a “self-consuming nature,” God is put up on the shelf for only those moments when we feel like we “really need” Him.   Not only does this mindset rule a large section of the population world-wide, but our world has chosen to ignore him completely and push him out of nearly everything that’s decent!  Apathy rules, and worse, rejection of God entirely has become the “norm” rather than the unusual.  Our culture has become more and more perverted to the point of being unrecognizable in a “Christian” format!

What has happened to the acceptance of a God who made the universe?  If we can’t believe He did this, then how can we believe we can be made a new creation?  We can’t!  The Bible is the infallible Word of God.  We don’t have the option of believing part of it and rejecting those parts we don’t like!

Sitting on the fence about right and wrong, good and evil, worldly or godly, isn’t what God, the Creator wants.  He wants our hearts to believe in him totally and completely--- and we can do this when we are made new!  As a new creation, we have the strength, through Him, to bear up under the assault on our new found faith.  We have the ability to walk through the trials of life because of His sustaining guidance, power and love.

Knowing who I am, through the power of God, gives me the assurance I am capable of those things in life which seem impossible.  Not only are those “impossible things” possible, it’s possible with a confidence which can only be obtained through the power of the Great Creator.  What an amazing gift!  We are blessed!

Photo Credit: free pictures of the universe

Hearing The Voice Of God

 

          I was talking with a friend about changes they’d like to make in their life. Changes often affect more than just the person who is making the decision.  Depending on the situation, it can affect an entire family and sometimes even several!  It can be a hard decision when it involves more than one person.  

After the conversation, I was left with prayerful thoughts about options and listening to God’s voice.  It is He who created us to be productive, yet wants us to remain aligned with His will.  We are told in His word “the sheep know the Shepherd’s voice.”  It’s important to separate emotion and self-will, to be quiet and still, to enable us to hear God’s voice through all the other thoughts pounding and clamoring for space in our head and hearts.

Most of us want to be productive in whatever we are doing.  That’s been the mind set since time began.  In times long past, the pioneers and farmers produced the items they used.  They fashioned farm tools, spinning wheels, leather goods, hunted and grew food, built furniture and created supplies from the lumber retrieved from the forest. As need increased iron and lead was produced, along with nails, and cast iron cook ware!  Then came automation and mass production, which really changed the complexion of society.

Creating each of these items before the industrial revolution took a fair amount of training and experience.  People relied on each other for the goods they could not produce.  They realized if they hadn’t relied on each other, they may have perished.  The same concept can be said about our spiritual life.  When we don’t rely on God we are, in reality, helpless and can perish!  

When we don’t stay in The Word and prayer, we find ourselves filled with doubts and fears about what we can and cannot do.  We shrink from “what might be” and “what if?”  But God doesn’t want us to be like that.  We were created to hear his voice from the depths of our beings.  He wants to guide us to new heights.  Our new adventures can’t happen or at least be successful, if we don’t put our trust in him.

God has given us gifts to share, with which to be productive.  Each person’s skill is unique to him, given his personality and how he chooses to use it.  This is true when we minister or when we are in the midst of a giant change of direction.  Often we look at the practical side of things and say, “that just can’t be done!”  But if God is molding us and transforming us to make such a change, we must rely on God to work out the details, even if in our finite minds, it doesn’t seem possible!

When we see with the “eyes of God” into these situations, we can see God working on us and “growing us” into the persons we are meant to be.  We are made stronger when we recognize we must move forward, but stay aligned with him; and that we are not in control.  It is God.  He can make us fruitful and productive in ways we couldn’t have imagined.  

Photo Credit:  https://www.loc.gov/resource/det.4a07766/ 

Embrace The Challenge

 

       When I was young, I dreamed of being in the Miss America Pageant.  I embraced the challenges it offered and thought it would be wonderful to have everyone cheering for me.  A dream was all it ever was, however.  We were poor and never would have gotten the necessary sponsorship money and all that is needed for participation.  But the glory of it all…..and the prizes!  That kept me excited from year to year, as we watched it on TV, even knowing I would never personally participate.

As I reflected on my childhood dream, I noted the requirements-- (and they were likely different from state to state).  There were five areas of competition, including a private interview (worth 25% of your score), talent (35% of your total score), evening wear (20%) and then on-stage questions (5%).  Another area considered in your score is lifestyle and fitness- including the swimsuit area (15% of your total score).  There are forms to fill out, questions to answer and even an essay defining your passion, which is used as your “contestant platform,” as well as, other specific criteria.

It's interesting to note the parallel of competing in a 'beauty contest' to that of being a Believer; and more important, the big difference!  Just as I wanted people to cheer for me, God wants us to cheer for him!  He wants us to give all we’ve got, just as those young girls prepare to compete against each other – only we do it for Him and not for ourselves---the adrenaline, fame, notoriety or even the prizes-- which is the most important difference!

To be a Believer, there are no fees for the challenges that face us; or need for asking for sponsorship; special talent requirements; no prerequisite for funds to be able to pay for the evening gowns, make up, or training for our “talent”; and no requirement for particular physical fitness, or beauty. And we don't compete against our peers.  But we do need to prepare for the daily fight with the powers of the air--Satan and his minions.  We need to be in training, as we study the Bible and pray for the ability to follow God’s guidance so we win against Satan, our biggest adversary!  

And the prize….!?  It’s far greater than a scholarship and the material things that come from winning a beauty pageant. And the crown awarded for winning is nothing compared to our reward in eternity with Him.  It’s seeing God face to face when he welcomes us into heaven.

When the next beauty pageant comes around--and they are less and less these days, I would still love to sit and enjoy the gala proceeding.  It’s exciting and exhilarating.  But I must remember with my whole heart, that competing for a temporary crown in a beauty pageant pales next to fighting for Christ’s glory.  This should be the greatest desire of our lives, for which any of us can compete.  Let's embrace the challenge. 

Photo credit: https://depositphotos.com/357629920/stock-photo-crown-contest-america-style-crystals.html 

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God's City

 

  When I think of God’s City I picture a new Heaven and a new Earth, although my mind has a hard time pin pointing all that might entail.  But the Bible tells of the throne of God, streets paved with gold, a crystal river, brilliance greater than any jewels, walls made of jasper, no more pain or sickness, a new body, a time of no more hunger or thirst and everything good.  Along with all this, I’ll see my loved ones, and friends who have gone on before, and more than anything I’ll see the face of my Savior!

In the meantime, God has given us this earth; His creation to enjoy.  You can climb mountains, or move across flat plains, and enjoy vistas from hills looking overland or upwards from the valleys.  You can travel on roads; hike trails; cross oceans, fish from rivers, lakes and streams; visit cities or the country. Add to this the beauty of the bounty of trees, variety of distinct colors of flowers, wildlife and more and you realize how incredible it really is! 

As I walk through these amazing creations God has given us to enjoy, it makes me think about God’s City.  There is a sense of all that is right and good!  The views, like others around me, remind me God created this world.  His imagination is nothing short of miraculous.  There is no human who can duplicate His wonder or creativity.

It does, however, inspire us to use our own creativity.  While many of us can’t lay claim to being the world’s greatest artist or photographer, (although I’m certain there are those who could!) we are all given a measure of imagination. How we use this gift of ingenuity is as personal as each individual!  While portions vary, we are all capable of making another person smile, sharing kindness and giving a degree of happiness to everyone we meet in our day!

We will soon be entering the season of Fall which entertains Thanksgiving, to be followed closely by Christmas, a time of love and giving.  These special holidays offer times to reflect and have grateful hearts as we celebrate.  Yet, each of us every single day can take the best of what has been given to us and make it shine in someone else’s world.  We have reason to celebrate the warmth and love of Christ during this wonderful time of year, even as we enjoy the beauty of this Earth God has given us to live and grow in.

It’s true, many are seeing their lives disrupted due to weather phenomena which causes us pause.  Some find themselves with a great loss of material goods, and some even with the loss of family members or friends.  Still, as disasters come, there is time for ‘new’ — a time for rebirth and beginning again.  While it is often a stressful time, when we believe in a Lord that teaches ‘there’s always a purpose’ we can garner the strength to rebuild and look for the beauty even in our distress.

As a true Believer, we can know one day we will live in a place which is filled with His Light, a place of perfection, love, joy, inexpressible beauty, and continual praise.  I’m looking forward to that!  Are you?

Photo Credit:  https://www.dreamstime.com/photos-images/heaven.html 

Tears In A Bottle

 

         I admit, I’m an emotional kind of person.  I love to laugh, usually wear a smile, and am friendly.  On the flip side of this, however, I am also a crier, and tears can come quickly.  Tears can well up within my soul and fall from my eyes when I pray, feel God’s presence or am overcome with joy. 

Tears also can come from a 30-second commercial which moves me, and of course a Hallmark movie.  I cry when I am overcome with sadness when tragedy hits our family,  a friend is stricken with some kind of  trial, a loss in our community and even our nation.  Some days, if I’m particularly low, I feel the need to cry, but seemingly without reason.  I’m not sure I get that, but it is who I am.

A friend was telling me how she too, thought herself a crier, yet as she dealt with the cancer which stole her one son’s body, another son’s eyesight and a serious illness her husband dealt with, she could not cry.  She described her state of mind as carrying “a heavy weight attached to her ribs.”  She said it wasn’t until her husband passed away that she finally began to cry.

The tears, she said, however, came at the most inopportune times; and sometimes came in endless uncontrollable sobs.  Despite the way the tears came, she will tell you she considers the action of crying as a blessing, although she’d never before considered it that way.  After a ‘good cry’ she would get a sense of ‘relief’ she hadn’t experienced in years.  

It seems God knew we humans would need this ‘cleansing emotion’ delivered through tears, so we can heal and move forward.  Grief affects everyone differently, as do situations we experience. It’s often during these times we find ourselves drawing near to God in our distress; especially when we are experiencing a profound sadness, much uncertainty, and instability which can drive fear into our hearts.

Our tears can blur our vision as we struggle with pain and loneliness   Yet this blurred sight has the ability to teach and reveal God’s truths.  After we have recovered through God’s grace, His gentle heart, peace, comfort and unique joy, we discover opportunities to give aid to someone else’s pain, because we can so totally relate.

The Bible says God collects our tears in a bottle and he keeps record of all our sorrows. (See Psalm 56:8). God, in human form as Jesus, understood the pain of sorrow.  He wept over the loss of a good friend. He understands us in ways no one else can.

Our lives are filled with all kinds of surprising calamities.  During hard times, we are distracted and can have ‘tunnel vision’ causing us to often miss little blessings of life, including the sun shining, or the sound of a soft rain, the colors of the rainbow, and even the kindness of friends.  Perhaps we even miss the closeness of God.  But God is always with us, regardless of the circumstance we are facing.

If your heart is breaking, your spirit crumpled, or your physical body causing you all kinds of dismay, allow God to give you courage to keep walking forward.  Cry.  Give your tears to God as you begin to heal through His divine power.

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