Hope Works: the journey to transformation

And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

--Romans 5:3 - 5

I have a strong affection for dragonflies. The semblance of one dangles from my key ring; another is pressed into the blue glass ornament that hangs in my kitchen window, while others are imprinted on my porch cushions. Seeing dragonflies flutter about my flower gardens is a feast for my eyes. So what gave birth to this insect attraction?

A Rose is Not Just a Rose: Celebrating good things

 

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;

his love endures forever.

—1 Chronicles 16:34

I approached the kitchen table and caught glance of the single red rose, its stem stuck in a vase and head bowed toward me. Instantly, I wanted to bow my own head in shame. How could I have forgotten? My mind traveled back to the day before when I was shopping for groceries.

If You Were A Decoration: Celebrating the beauty of our differences

 

God has given each of you some special abilities; be sure to use them to help each other, passing on to others God’s many kinds of blessings. Are you called to preach? Then preach as though God himself were speaking through you. Are you called to help others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies so that God will be glorified through Jesus Christ—to him be glory and power forever and ever. Amen.

—1 Peter 4:10-11 

As we were winding down our First Place 4 Health virtual session, our leader Annie explained her idea for our celebration class, “I thought it would be nice to celebrate each other. I’d like to compile statements from each member about each other member to share in our class…thoughts of how you have been touched, inspired, encouraged, what makes them special, or what God given talent you see in them. I thought this would be fun and heartwarming for our group.”

In keeping with our usual discipline, Annie chose a Scripture for us to memorize this final week of the session, 1 Thessalonians 5:11: “So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.”

I began typing my thoughts about each of the eleven women when an idea sparked. Could I do something more? What about a poem for each one?

Inspired by an activity from a long-ago Christmas party, I started with the same opening lines, “If you were a decoration hanging on my tree, this is the decoration I think you’d be.” I pondered over each lady, then completed the verse by entering a decoration that I hoped encapsulated her special characteristics. For our lovely golden-haired leader who always exudes the joy of the Lord, I wrote:

You would be a bright gold star

Hanging on the highest limb

To lead and point

Our group to Him 

Pumpkin Surprise: Bearing Fruit in Season

 

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

—Galatians 6:9

When my daughter and family came to visit last month, my son-in-law trimmed a bush for me. He discarded the debris at the edge of the yard and returned with two baby pumpkins. Imagine my surprise when I saw them. How did they get there?  

                                       

Like a Rooster: Herald of the Holy Light

 

And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should.

—Colossians 4:3-4 (emphasis mine)

In June I researched my birth surname, St. Clair, and came across historical information about the Sinclair/St. Clair clan, thought to have its origins in Normandy, France (clansinclairusa.org). I discovered a rooster on the family crest, which gave me pause. Why a rooster? A boisterous barnyard critter, not typically a bird of high esteem. Why not the majestic eagle or even a wise ole owl?

Rejection Rescue: Hope for the rejected and abandoned

God is in his holy Temple.

He is a father to orphans,

and he defends the widows.

God gives the lonely a home.

He leads prisoners out with joy,

but those who turn against God will live in a dry land.

—Psalm 68:5-6

If a dam (mother cow) does not bond with her calf immediately after birth, there’s a good chance she will reject it. In the case of twins, it is not uncommon for the dam to reject one twin while bonding with the other. If this occurs, the owner usually rescues the rejected twin, removing it from the herd and placing it in the safety of a barn where the twin is then bottle fed until mature enough to be returned to the pasture.

This is what happened with a twin born earlier this year on the farm where I live.

When my daughter, Rebekah, and her two sons, my grandsons, came to visit, I told them about the rejected calf, now bottle fed by my sister-in-law Katie. Hoping to get a glimpse of the process, we walked to the barn at the time we thought the calf would be fed. Unfortunately, Katie had finished and was cleaning up, but she called the twin over to the fence so we could see her, “Come here, Terry.”

No Small Potatoes: How it matters where you live

“I am the Real Vine and my Father is the Farmer (1)…Live in me. Make your home in me just as I do in you (4)… I am the Vine, you are the branches. When you’re joined with me and I with you, the relation intimate and organic, the harvest is sure to be abundant (5)… if you make yourselves at home with me and my words are at home in you, you can be sure that whatever you ask will be listened to and acted upon (7).”—John 15:1 – 8 (MSG)

As my cousin, Debbie, and I were out for our afternoon walk on the farm, a car approached. We stepped to the side of the gravel road; the car stopped beside us. “What’s growing there?” the driver called to us through his open window, gesturing toward the field.

“Potatoes,” we responded in unison.

Staffed for Ministry: Have you been transformed to lead?

Then the Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?”

“A staff,” he replied.

The Lord said, “Throw it on the ground.”

—Exodus 4:2-3a

I have a staff. But I usually call it a walking stick. My friend fashioned it for me from an old tobacco stick.

Many Southern Maryland farmers used to grow tobacco, but twenty years ago they voluntarily accepted funds from Maryland’s Tobacco Buyout program, agreeing to give up tobacco production in lieu of an alternative. Since then, many have turned to produce, flowers, and agro-tourism. I applaud them for giving up the lucrative income of a harmful addictive substance and taking a risk to try something new. And I enjoy the results of their creative efforts—mazes of corn and sunflowers, pick-your-own patches, and petting zoos. I am also impressed with their resourcefulness in using leftover tobacco sticks. Once used for hanging tobacco plants in barns for curing, these sticks have been turned into stars, crosses, and walking sticks.

Seed for Sowing: Entrusting our treasures to the Spirit

He who continually goes forth weeping,

Bearing seed for sowing,

Shall doubtless come again with rejoicing,

Bringing his sheaves with him.

—Psalm 126:6

My heart was hurting, my steps heavy when I set out for my morning walk, thoughts centering on hopes that hadn’t come to fruition—hopes for relationships, healings, my work and ministry, even my weight loss. Pained and bowed down, I caught glimpse of spiky seed balls at my feet. I picked one up and examined it closely. I noticed the many openings and sensed the Lord speaking.

Be like the sweetgum tree. By nature, she opens her seed ball to release the seeds to be dispersed on the wings of the wind. Where the seeds land, she does not know. Which ones take root and grow, she does not know. Yet she trusts the wind, and year by year she does it all over again.

Keep doing the good you know to do (Galatians 6:9). Let it pour from your heart, open to the Spirit’s leading (Galatians 5:25). Keep releasing those seeds of prayer, encouragement, wisdom and kindness. Keep pouring out your treasures of time, talent, even your money and your stuff (Luke 6:38). I see it. I see all your hard work, your good deeds and patient endurance (Revelation 2:19). Your prayers and kindness have not gone unnoticed (Acts 10:4). Trust the Spirit with your seeds. Allow Him to disperse them as He sees fit, in the good soil. Even though you can’t see it and don’t know how, your seeds are taking root and growing (Mark 4:27). And in time, you will come this way again rejoicing, carrying your sheaves with you.

Dear God, thank You for Your Spirit’s gentle reminder of the promises in Your Word. May I not become weary in well doing and lose heart, but may I continually bring You my seed for sowing, knowing that after a while I will reap of harvest of blessing. Amen.

Carrying Out Your Mission: Why making your bed is important

Have confidence in the Lord with all thy heart, and lean not upon thy own prudence. In all thy ways think on him, and he will direct thy steps.

—Proverbs 3:5-6

“Do you always make your bed?” my niece remarked as she peeked through my open bedroom door.

Taken aback by her unexpected question, I wanted to say, “Why, of course!” Instead, I answered, “Honestly there are days I don’t, especially if I’m in a hurry. But if I’m having company, most definitely. It does make me feel better when I do.”

Since our exchange, I have pondered that question—and my response. Why do I feel better when I make my bed?

                                                       

Blue Bird: Holding on in every circumstance

You are all around me, behind me and in front of me. You hold me safe in your hand.

—Psalm 139:5

It was time to change out my tabletop décor. I opened the china cabinet and carefully cupped the ceramic bird in the palm of my hand. I dared not drop it, for the pastel “baby blue” bird was special to me. It reminded me of a baby boy—and the story surrounding his birth.

Vision for Life: How do we live a life of purpose?

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

—Ephesians 2:10

I am 58 years old and just created my first vision board. Months ago, while introducing vision boards as a project for my students, I clipped images from magazines and slipped them inside an envelope, with the intention of later gluing them to a foam board. It wasn’t until school was closed due to the pandemic that I actually had time to revisit and complete my project.

It's interesting that I would clip the image of lush green land and the
word "healing" without knowing that the onset of the pandemic was just ahead.

Maybe you’re wondering, What is a vision board?

Clear Vision: How will you remember the spring of 2020?

In everything you do, put God first, and he will direct you and crown your efforts with success. Don’t be conceited, sure of your own wisdom. Instead, trust and reverence the Lord, and turn your back on evil; when you do that, then you will be given renewed health and vitality.

—Proverbs 3:6-8 TLB

Yesterday I heard a radio show host ask, “How will you remember the spring of 2020?”

As I listened to his co-host respond, I thought how I would formulate my own answer. I was struck by the host’s phrasing, how he used the term “spring of 2020,” rather than the “coronavirus pandemic.” I thought about the way many of us use 20/20 to mean clear vision. I wondered how clearly we view the events happening around us. Do we focus on the negative aspects? Or can we see the good things that have come from this pandemic?

As for me, I choose to focus on the good. Don’t get me wrong. I have had some bad days, shed a lot of tears. But I know the difference it can make when I shift my focus to the positive. This is what I want to remember most, and maybe God wants this as well. So if you will oblige me, let me count the good in this season. Perhaps, if you have been down, it will change your outlook too.

                                      

Let Down Your Nets: Trusting in times of financial difficulty

Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”

When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break.

—Luke 5:5-6

Have you ever worked so hard that you gave it your all, all your physical and mental strength, yet in the end the results were paltry, if anything? Maybe you didn’t get the raise. Your new business didn’t turn a profit. Or the balance on your debt didn’t go down after a string of payments.

Does God care?

Now that coronavirus has changed our society, you may be out of work or have had to close your business that you worked so hard to establish.

Does God care?

Recently I watched the first season of The Chosen, a new TV series that brings to life the stories of the Bible. One of my favorite scenes, from Episode 4, captures the story of Luke 5 where Jesus used Simon Peter’s boat to stand in while teaching the crowd of people on the shore.  

When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”

Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”

When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink (Luke 5:4-6).

Photo: The Chosen Facebook Page

Down to the River: An unconventional Easter sunrise service

Then the women went away quickly from the tomb, their hearts filled with awe and great joy, and ran to give the news to his disciples.

—Matthew 28:8 PHILLIPS

I arose early on Easter morning and decided to take a walk. As I started out, something stirred in me and I took off running. I am not a runner, so this was odd, but it felt good to run even for a little while, freeing and exhilarating.

My goal was to worship at the water’s edge, but making it to the beach could be a problem. As I had expected, I came upon an obstacle in my path—electrified barbed wire. Normally used to contain cattle in pastures for grazing, it was keeping me from venturing farther. I could see the river in the distance but couldn’t get to my desired sanctuary. I longed to see the sunlight dance like diamonds on the surface, hear the waves lap upon the shore, the rhythm of the river lulling my spirit to a place of peace.

Perhaps I could unhook the three strands that blocked my passage. Carefully, I removed the lower wire and placed it on the ground while it snapped and cracked at me, boasting its powerful punch. Then I attempted to remove the middle strand but found I didn’t have the strength to maneuver the hook out of the wired eye. Now what?

Making Easter Story Cookies: A devotional story for children

But the angel answered and said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.”

—Matthew 28:5-6 NKJV

When Grandma came to visit, she and Layla made Easter Story Cookies.

Grandma placed pecans in a zipper baggie, then Layla beat the nuts with the wooden spoon to break into small pieces. While Layla worked, Grandma said, “I love you so much, Layla. It’s hard to imagine that anyone could love you any more than I do, but God does. He wants you—and me and everyone—to live in heaven with Him forever, but our sin keeps us separated from Him. So He came up with a plan. God sent Jesus to die for our sins. When Jesus came, He taught and showed the love of God. This made some people angry and jealous. They had Him arrested. Beating the nuts reminds us that Jesus was beaten by the Roman soldiers” (John 19:1-3).

Next, Grandma put a teaspoon of vinegar into a mixing bowl. “The Roman soldiers nailed Jesus to a cross. When Jesus was thirsty on the cross, He was given vinegar to drink” (John 19:28-30).

Layla tasted the vinegar. “Yuck!”

Acquainted with Grief: How do we overcome sorrow and disappointment?

He was despised and rejected— a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care.

—Isaiah 53:3 NLT

When I realized I had to cancel my spring break trip to visit my family in Texas, I was overcome with deep sorrow. I had longed for this trip for months. I hadn’t seen my grandchildren, Layla and Zion, since August, and their father, my son-in-law, as well. While my daughter, Emma, had brought their newborn, Tiago, to Maryland in October, it still seemed too much time had separated us. But I had no choice as the pandemic pushed through.

Across the globe, we are practicing social distancing and suffering the disappointment of cancellations. Weddings, graduations, milestone birthday celebrations. We are sad, but we do it for the greater good.

Stuck: How do we make the switch?

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

—2 Corinthians 5:17

It was 1:35—for years. The hands of that old clock were stuck. It was time for a change. And Easter was the perfect season to make the switch.

I removed the clock from my living room wall and replaced it with a beautiful handcrafted cross. I received the cross in exchange for a donation to Teen Challenge, a program which “provides successful recovery for women, children, young men and families with destructive, abusive and addictive lifestyles through mentoring, education, training and spiritual direction.”

The wood for these crosses is handpicked from old, discarded horse fencing from the Teen Challenge Northern Virginia farm. Cut and stained by the students, the crosses are a reflection of what happens in their lives. They come into the program broken, but as a result of Christ’s work in their lives, they become new.

Is it time for a change in your life? Have you found yourself in a cycle of destructive behavior? Have you been repeating the same mistakes, going ‘round and ‘round again like the hands of a clock?

The Crown of Life: Persevering in Unprecedented Times

Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.

—James 1:12

When I think of a crown, I think of a beautiful gem-studded head ornament. I do not think of a deadly virus. However, the coronavirus was given its name because its crown reminded scientists of the corona of the sun. While I first thought the name was ill-fitting, I now see how appropriate it is. A crown worn by a ruler signifies power. In comparison, the coronavirus has been ruling our world, exerting its power over our physical bodies, our businesses, schools, even the doors of our homes. For many of us, it has taken authority over our heart and mind, inciting fear, anxiety, and worry.

Note my perpetual calendar's verse for March 16th,
the day that President Trump launched Slow the Spread

Falling Axheads: What do you do when your tool falls into the water?

So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

—Matthew 6:31-33

This morning during my quiet time with God I read two devotions back to back, both of them including a story about an axhead falling into water. That got my attention. Then I remembered that yesterday I recovered the misplaced rusty head of an iron tool that I usually display on my deck. That really made me ponder.