Category: Blog Article

Watching the sprinkler move back and forth I could only imagine the yard getting a much needed drink. My reflection is upon how thirsty I myself can get. Earlier today I felt so weary I thought it might overcome me. Nothing to do in those situations except make the right choice; lay down and quit or put myself before my Father again to let Him refill me with His word.

I can be immature at times so making the right choice isn’t necessarily the first choice on my list. When I am hurting my instinct is to want to pull away from everything and everyone, including Abba Father. He loved me enough to have let me do this once before and I still wear a verse around my neck to remind me of those consequences.

No greater pain have I ever felt in my whole life than to have spent some days devoid of any hope. It made me sick, it made me sad and it made me angry. Despite what my first choice may have been, I made the right choice. I filled myself up in the presence of my Father. I was taking a deep drink again. Soon, I’d be able to offer hope to others once more, the weariness washing off of me like dust.

Gal 6:9  Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up

When I go up north, my absolute passion is to enjoy open spaces and running waters. I am stimulated sitting next to the river, just taking in the currents moving everything it touches. On a late afternoon I had taken my journal with me to sit upon some rocks immersing myself in my surroundings; enjoying the view and angle of a nearby tree. Never do I feel alone, but rather I’m content to be in the presence of my heavenly Father.

Recent battles for me and my family take my mind back to this spot and I remember who I am and what I must do always.

Jer 17:7-8 “But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”

It’s time to rethink ourselves as a people group, for real! I had an afternoon of meeting all kinds of people via the phone and let me tell you, most of them tried to verbally kick the stuffing out of me. When it comes to money; patience and kindness goes right out the window! I just knew some of these callers came from the wild where they eat their young. I don’t often look forward to my commute, but being able to get in my car today felt like a safe haven.

I often wonder what lessons I am being taught in any given situation and today was a stretch, but yes I did learn something. Raising my voice doesn’t make them listen better, so I don’t. Interruption of their venting process only fires them up for longer venting. Never tell them outright they are in the wrong. You must be very tactful to point out their errors in such a way they come to their own conclusion of the mistake. Lastly, if they really think you are doing everything you can to be helpful, occasionally you will hear an apology or even bigger words…..”thank you”

I want to say that was the note upon which my afternoon ended so it’d be all warm and fuzzy feeling, but I like to tell the truth. My last caller threatened me with, “I will be calling you back!” Her tone left no room to think the conversation was going to be any better. Removing my headset I logged off my phone and headed for the door.

My husband and I enjoy taking photos but I have to admit he is the more patient one when trying to get the right shot. I figure I’ll blaze away and hope for the best. These days I don’t grab my camera enough. I have become spoiled knowing Bobby is always carrying one. He indulges me to be my go-fer eye at times. I tell him what I see and ask him to get the shot. How lazy is that?

I have a fascination with things “left behind” or “forgotten”. On our most recent outing, there was a bike never to be enjoyed again. Now it was in parts but looking at it I couldn’t help wondering if we dismiss functionality too quickly in our throw away society. As leaves and vines begin to bury this bicycle I was curious how long it would have to sit before it’d be invisible?

I think our society does this to people also. We leave our elderly and wise treasures alone, to be forgotten in back rooms, hospitals, hospices and such. Out of sight, out of mind. We essentially walk away from them so they can become buried in the last shuffles before death consumes them, leaving no trace……….

Psalms 71:9   Do not cast me away when I am old; do not forsake me when my strength is gone

King David prayed this prayer to God. It is a good reminder that if God would hear this prayer, perhaps we should too.

This day is a marker for my life. My greatest gift was nothing that came in packages or material offerings of any kind. The gift I received with the enthusiasm of a child was a light show only my heavenly Father could provide.

I had been up north with friends who loved me enough to let me wander off alone with my husband. He and I walked a short way up a private road enjoying the silhouettes of large aging oak trees against the night sky. The heavens began to light up randomly with a lightning storm I haven’t seen in years. Finding some stones to sit upon, we enjoyed this exhibition. I broke out in childish giggles with each new display.

Wanting to see better, we made our way back to the house grabbing a couple chairs to set up closer to the river. In our new seats we were intrigued by the outline of leaves in the shape of a dragon’s head. The lightning flashes seemed to be the flames coming out of this pictorial dragon’s mouth. This was repeated multiple times and I have to say I was intrigued enough to make note of it later in my journal.

I love the way Abba Father will paint the sky for us. He is the best “Dad” in the world!

She said “he limped it off” and I busted up laughing.  I was sharing a conversation with my best friend’s daughter.  I could remember when she was a baby and quite a little brat, and here I was enjoying her company and her  laughter. Life comes at us so fast. Sitting across the counter bar, I enjoyed looking into her eyes. I couldn’t help but wonder if she knew how beautiful she was, both inside and out.

The story she shared with me, was how she hit her own dog with her car “accidentally”! These are the kind of slice of life moments I can never get enough of.

A friend sent me a word about “the pens of ready writers are going to write as never before”. This is not the first time someone sent me this article but it certainly captures my imagination. What an awesome thing to be ready to write the words of hope in a time when so many have none.

I myself am encouraged in many ways, but I think sometimes the most powerful moments I can learn from are when I see those I love and care about pushing on. During the middle of hard news, hard times, with nothing on the horizon to say it will pass quickly, still they carry on with hope and praise in their hearts.

What bright candles burning passionately in the middle of darkness. I want to be with these fiery people no matter what season they are walking in. I want to learn everything there is to know about staying lit up with hope. I want to have my own candle turned up to be just as bright.

I could hear someone sit down in the chair behind me. It was time to head back to my desk so I gathered my journal and phone together and started to walk past them without looking. I tend to give people some privacy when they are catching their break at work. I heard her say, “Hey Debra” and I stopped to say hello but I knew I only had a minute.

I had thought about her son the night before and felt I needed to see his picture. Kind of an odd notion but I followed the thought and asked if she had one at her desk. She was laying on her back as we were chatting and I recognized a sadness in her eyes. In mere moments she shared some personal information I knew was breaking her heart because I could feel the weight of it in my own.

She had her cell phone with many photos of her son which she showed me one after another. I was so torn inside. My job responsibilities would not let me stay and I had to tell her so, but as I walked away I started to pray desperately for my heavenly Father to come and finish the conversation and give her some comfort.

I was half listening to whatever music I had in my deck today and a line I heard made me reach over and turn it up….”my memory serves me far too well.” Ouch, I thought, how true for my days lately. My deepest desire at times is to leave every unfavorable memory behind me, buried forever, but that’s just not happening.

I found myself giving thought to the Titanic actually. How loud it must have been breaking apart and filling full enough with weighted water to sink forever beneath the waves. Nothing will raise that beast of a ship again. It’s a beautiful thought for some of the bad memories I can liken to the size of the Titanic.

About the time I am feeling the weight of my own memories start to take me under, someone will come into my vision suddenly. My Father is at work again. He finds unique ways to answer my cries for help. When I cry out to Him for comfort and His arms to hold me, He will instead use me to reach out my arms to comfort another and hold them as they share their brokenness.

Walking away from such moments, I am filled with wonder. It’s in the giving away of the very thing I asked my heavenly Father for, that I myself am comforted.

The pale gold grass was now waist high as I walked the dirt trail. Stopping for a moment I took in the view of this small valley. Standing in the heat of the sun I could feel the tears drying up leaving just the salt drops on the inside of my sun glasses. It was good to be in the breeze cooling me off.

My husband back tracked to come find me and led the way up into the tree canopy where we walked silently in the shade for a while. He knows I don’t always need words to comfort me. We stopped on the trail to sit on some tree stumps and listened to the birds and the crickets. I had brought my bible with me and opened it to read aloud for a bit, remembering the treasure I carry in my earthen clay jar. Such moments help me quiet my inner storms.