Thursday, May 15, 2014

When the storm rages......










The other day we were headed to church and I was sitting at a stop light. The clouds were dark and you could tell a storm was brewing.  But the beauty of the sun shining through the storm darkened clouds was breath taking.  It got me to thinking about storms in our lives. There are big storms, little storms and sometimes just a rain shower. We can either worry and fret that Jesus is in the "back of the boat" sleeping or we can trust Him to care for us through the storm. Oh I have had my panic in the storm moments and I have had my how do you stay so calm through it all moments. However, there is one fact that remains constant. Regardless of how I handle the storms..........my Jesus is there.  He never leaves nor forsakes me. He may do it before, after or during my storm, but He shows me the beauty behind the storm.  Storms change things. Sometimes it seems only for the worse, but our Lord sees and knows all. He knows what is going to happen after the storm when the sun breaks through and the rainbow shines out. He knows the promises He has made to hold you in the palm of His hand and never let go.

Sometimes, it feels like you are in the middle of storm tossed sea, drowning and struggling. Rest assured, Jesus is there. He isn't standing by letting you suffer just to let you suffer. He is a gentleman. He will not force people to do or say or be the right things. Sometimes, we suffer through a storm because of other people. Sure, He could have stepped out and stopped and spoken peace be still before the storm even started. But, He doesn't. His ways are not our ways, seems so cliche to some, but it isn't.  He bore all our pain, griefs and sorrows to the cross. That doesn't mean we will never struggle or suffer, it just means our Jesus, He gets it and His sorrow for our pain was proven on the cross of Calvary.  It doesn't make the storm easier, but it makes us not really be alone. We may FEEL alone, but we are not alone.

I trust Him that if He puts me through a storm or a trial, He hasn't done it to hurt me. He promise not to harm me but to give me a future, to prosper me. That doesn't mean life will be easy street. If life were always easy and we never had those stormy moments we could never be grateful for what He did for us. If life were a bed of pretty flowers and no thorns, we would not ever have to rely on Him. People ask why does God let bad things happen? I don't know the complete answer but I know He didn't do it to us.  He is sovereign and He can't make mankind act a certain way. If He did, we would be mere puppets on a string unable to make the choice to love, serve and praise Him. By giving us that choice, our praise, our serving Him, our loving Him becomes an act of love and choice. When we choose to believe regardless of when or what we receive, we show Him that we know He loves us. It isn't easy. I get that.  He gets that. I don't understand everything that goes on, but I do know this...................
The SON will always shine through the dark storm clouds in my life and He will always be my fortress and deliverer.

Tuesday, May 6, 2014

It never ceases to amaze me

The intricacy of God's creation, never ceases to amaze me. I love taking pictures of nature.  The depth of the color in a rose or the lines and veins in a leaf. It utterly amazes me.  I can only imagine how beautiful the Garden of Eden was and how much more beautiful Heaven will be.



I wonder what kind of plants will be there? Will it be the same plants or will there also be plants we have never seen?  What will the fruit taste like?  I think heaven will be so amazing, just the description of it in the Bible blows your mind.  I mean gold so pure it is like glass?  I can't even fathom it.  

The angels and the beings around His throne, all praising Him. HIS beauty will be unlike anything we can even begin to dream about.  

Can you imagine....beholding HIS face and HIS eyes in whole. I have seen His eyes in a dream, but I am almost sure it was not a full measure of what they really look like.  

I used to dream about heaven as a child.  It was incredible.  I have seen people describe similar scenes in their visions of heaven.  My grandmother dreamed about a tree that is in heaven. I wish I had her description of it. Her describing it was incredible  I can still remember but not put it into words.  

So while we wait to get there, I will enjoy the beauty He gave us here..in the trees, the flowers, the laughter of my children and I will rejoice in each day and the beauty of life.

Thursday, May 1, 2014

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder...

Sweet little hands carrying flowers with dirt and roots still attached.  They bring their treasure,  proudly with big smiles and words of love. I love you Mommy accompanies the gift they took time to search out, pick and bring to you. Some have broken stems and leaves but oh the sweetness of such a gift offered from hearts filled with love. They have indeed brought you the best that they could bring. They can not bring you flowers that cost money. They can not bring you roses all trim and perfect so they offer you the very best they have to give, wildflowers, weeds, dandelions that hold magical beauty to them. When offered in love and sweetness these gifts are the most beautiful to behold. They took time to choose the flower. They took time to pick it and bring it to you filled with all the glow of childhood. This is BEAUTY.




It is how the Father sees our gifts when they are given with a heart of love and faith. In the grand scheme of things our offerings are simple and broken and imperfect just like we are. But OUR GOD sees them as beautiful. We can't give a gift that is worthy of Him, but He sees them as beautiful and our praise, as imperfect as it is in all our humanness is a sweet aroma.  He loves us more than we love our children and when we give Him us...our imperfect, broken, maybe even dirt still falling off selves........He finds us fearfully and wonderfully made and beautiful.  YOU are a treasure to God and He loves you.....imperfections and all.....so we should just give to Him from where we are. We don't have to wait to be a perfect flower to give to our Father because He loves us......just as we are. Because he ALWAYS beholds us with love.