Pain Summons His Grace

The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small, uninhabited island. He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him, and every day he scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming. Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to protect him from the elements and to store his few possessions.

But then one day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames, the smoke rolling up to the sky. The worst had happened - everything was lost. He was stunned with grief and anger.

"God, how could you do this to me!" he cried. Early the next day, however, he was awakened by the sound of a ship that was approaching the island. It had come to rescue him.

"How did you know I was here?" asked the weary man of his rescuers.

"We saw your smoke signal," they replied.

It is easy to get discouraged when things are going bad, but we shouldn't lose heart, because God is at work in our lives, even in the midst of pain and suffering. Remember, next time your little hut is burning to the ground ----it just may be a smoke signal that summons the grace of God.


A Pearl to String: For all the negative things we have to say to ourselves, God has a positive answer.

You say: "It's impossible"
God says: All things are possible (Luke 18:27)

You say: "Nobody really loves me"
God says: I love you (John 3:16 & John 13:34)

You say: "I can't go on"
God says: My grace is sufficient (II Corinthians 12:9 & Psalm 91:15)

You say: "I can't figure things out"
God says: I will direct your steps (Proverbs 3:5-6)

You say: "I can't do it"
God says: You can do all things (Philippians 4:13)

You say: "I'm not able"
God says: I am able (II Corinthians 9:8)

You say: "It's not worth it"
God says: It will be worth it (Roman 8:28)

You say: "I can't forgive myself"
God says: I FORGIVE YOU (I John 1:9 & Romans 8:1)

You say: "I can't manage"
God says: I will supply all your needs (Philippians 4:19)

You say: "I'm afraid"
God says: I have not given you a spirit of fear (II Timothy 1:7)

You say: "I'm always worried and frustrated"
God says: Cast all your cares on ME (I Peter 5:7)

You say: "I don't have enough faith"
God says: I've given everyone a measure of faith (Romans 12:3)

You say: "I'm not smart enough"
God says: I give you wisdom (I Corinthians 1:30)

You say: "I feel all alone"
God says: I will never leave you or forsake you (Hebrews 13:5)

Leaning into His love,
Lyndi

Persevering through the seasons

There was a man who had four sons. He wanted his sons to learn not to judge things too quickly. So he sent them each on a quest, in turn, to go and look at a pear tree that was a great distance away. The first son went in the winter, the second in the spring, the third in summer, and the youngest son in the fall.

When they had all gone and come back, he called them together to describe what they had seen.

The first son said that the tree was ugly, bent, and twisted. The second son said no it was covered with green buds and full of promise. The third son disagreed; he said it was laden with blossoms that smelled so sweet and looked so beautiful, it was the most graceful thing he had ever seen. The last son disagreed with all of them; he said it was ripe and drooping with fruit, full of life and fulfillment.

The man then explained to his sons that they were all right, because they had each seen but only one season in the tree’s life.

He told them that you cannot judge a tree, or a person, by only one season, and that the essence of who they are and the pleasure, joy, and love that come from that life can only be measured at the end, when all the seasons are up. If you give up when it’s winter, you will miss the promise of your spring, the beauty of your summer, fulfillment of your fall.

A pearl to string: Don’t let the pain of one season destroy the joy of all the rest. Don’t judge life by one difficult season. Persevere through the difficult patches and better times are sure to come sometime. "Therefore, beloved, do not lose heart. Though these jars of clay are wasting away outwardly, inwardly Christ is renewing us day by day. These pressuring, perplexing, persecuting, knock down times, are but light and momentary and they are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. Let us keep our eyes fixed not on the present happenings which are so visible to us, but upon the eternal, which is not seen by the earthly eye, but through eyes of faith". Paraphrase of 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Aspire to Inspire Before You Expire.
Live Simply. Love Generously. Care Deeply. Speak Kindly.
Leave the Rest to God.
Happiness keeps You Sweet,
Trials keep You Strong,
Sorrows keep You Human,
Failures keep You Humble,
Success keeps You Glowing,
But Only God keeps You Going.

Know you are loved,
Lyndi

http://www.openmyeyeslord.net/theseasonsoflife.htm

SEARCH FOR AN HONEST MAN

I love this story which reportedly came from Sports Illustrated: The game was played in Wellington, Florida. In it, a seven-year-old first baseman, Tanner Munsey, fielded a ground ball and tried to tag a runner going from first to second base.

The umpire, Laura Benson, called the runner out, but young Tanner immediately ran to her side and said, "Ma'am, I didn't tag the runner." Umpire Benson reversed herself, sent the runner to second base, and Tanner's coach gave him the game ball for his honesty.

Two weeks later, Laura Benson was again the umpire and Tanner was playing shortstop when a similar play occurred. This time Benson ruled that Tanner had missed the tag on a runner going to third base, and she called the runner safe. Tanner looked at Benson and without saying a word, tossed the ball to the catcher and returned to his position.

Benson sensed something was wrong. "Did you tag the runner?" She asked Tanner.

His reply: "Yes."

Benson then called the runner out. The opposing coaches protested until she explained what had happened two weeks earlier. "If a kid is that honest," she said, "I have to give it to him."

It may be that no Christian characteristic has suffered more in our society than honesty. It's lacking in the workplace, it's lacking in many of our marriages, it's lacking in our government, and sometimes it's even lacking in our churches. Like Diogenes of ancient Greece, we sometimes feel the urge to take our lantern and begin our search for an honest man.

There is something about Christians that should stand out like a neon sign on a dark night. Jesus wants his people to be known as a people of truth. We should establish a reputation, like Tanner, for speaking the truth even when it would benefit us to do otherwise. Then, and only then, will those around us trust what we say without hesitation, without wondering whether we really mean what we say or not.

"Therefore, putting away lying, each one speak truth with his neighbor, for we are members of one another." (Ephesians 4:25)


Alan Smith

Trying Times

These are trying times. There are so many willing & able bodied people out of work. Jobs are scarce. Finances both personal & institutional are unstable. people are losing their homes, selling their possessions, running up credit cards and doing anything they can think of to survive. Even if you are doing ok it wreaks havoc with your nerves knowing so many are struggling and in crisis. That’s how it is right now and we have to live through it.

Remember this?
Mr. trouble never hangs around,
When he hears this Mighty sound,
Here I come to save the day!

Reaching into the closet for my Don Quixote stick and my hero suit –
Oh rats the closet shrank my hero suit. OK, which one of you dogs chewed up this stick? What is a body to do? Where does a body turn? First, don’t believe in a cartoon! Oh, puh-leeez people you need a place to turn that is safe, unchanging and rock solid. You need a Savior that would die for you: A person who could calm your fears & doubt. One who could end envy, jealousy, anger or rage. And indubitably wipe out guilt, shame, depression, anxiety, addiction & infirmity.

A pearl to string: Who could that be? Lucky for you I know! God reigns in all those places and He sent His Son Jesus so we might live here on earth in His grace and be with our Father for all eternity. Oh yes, it’s quite true. The Bible will tell you so.

John 10:9 “Whoever enters through me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture” (Food for his soul in all circumstances). “This is my Father's will: That everyone who sees the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him to life on the last day." John 6:40

Oh my beloved friends this is the eternal, unchangeable will of God. Find hope and peace in this truth for these trying times and all of your times.

Rekindle the joy in your heart
You are loved,
Lyndi

Closed Doors

This is a classic devotional without a known author and a great reminder that if I’m looking at life from my perspective alone I am not seeing the bigger picture or the work of God in my life.

We need to learn to praise the Lord as much for a closed door as we do an open door. The reason God closes doors is because He has not prepared anything over there for us. If he didn't close the wrong door, we would never find the right door.

God directs our path through the closing and opening of doors. Once a door closes, it forces you to change your course. Another door closes, it forces you to change your course again. Then, finally, you find the open door and you walk right into your blessing.

The Lord directs our paths through the opening and closing of doors, but instead of praising him for the closed door (which keeps us out of trouble); we get upset because we "judge by the appearances."

You have an ever-present help in the time of trouble that is always standing guard. Because He walks ahead of you, He can spot trouble down the road and set up a roadblock or detour accordingly. But through our lack of wisdom, we try to tear down the roadblocks or push aside the detour sign. Then the minute we get into trouble, we start crying, "Lord, how could You have done this to me?"

We have got to realize that the closed door can be a blessing. Didn't He say that no good thing would He withhold from them that love Him?

If you get terminated from your job, praise God for the new opportunities that will manifest themselves: it might be another job, it might be school.

If that man or woman won't return your call, it might not be them, it might be the Lord setting up a roadblock (just let it go).

One time, a person had a bank they had been in business with for many years tell them "No!" to a $10,000 loan. The Lord put in their spirit to call another bank. That bank gave them $40,000 at a lower interest rate than the first bank was offering.

A pearl to string: We can sometimes trap ourselves in doubt and discouragement through judging by appearances. Be grateful for the many times our Father has closed doors to us just to open them in the most unexpected places. The Lord won't always say in spoken words: "Go to the left, now to the right" ...sometimes He will just close the doors that are wrong for you.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him - and He will direct your paths". Proverbs 3:5-6

Know that God never sleeps
And know too that you are loved,
Lyndi

Far Away

I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. Praise be to you, O LORD ; teach me your decrees. Psalm 119:10

Ann Green shares: One afternoon I was sitting outside in the swing relaxing, enjoying the nice weather, when I heard a very distinct sound coming towards me. Clop-clop, clop-clop, clop-clop, clop-clop. Horse hooves on pavement - there's something romantic to me about that sound. I looked, waiting to see the horse, and soon an older gentleman riding in his horse-drawn buggy passed in front of my house. We waved to each other and for a moment it was like I was transported to a different place and time. For a few moments, life slowed to a quieter, simpler pace, and as I watched him pass, my heart ached for a moment at the beauty of this simple sound.

Not too far down the road, a young kid came riding toward the buggy and exchanged greetings with the driver. He then turned to follow and brought his bike up along side of the horse. He asked the man, "Are you supposed to be doing this? I mean, like, is this legal?" The man simply replied, "I sure hope it is, 'cause here I am doin' it!" This answer seemed to satisfy the kid and soon after, he turned around and headed back in the direction he had been taking.

A pearl to string: "Is this legal?" Something as simple as taking a nice afternoon buggy ride, that was common practice 100 years ago, could quite possibly become illegal at some point in time. Isn't that sad? The simple, quiet, steady pace of life that our grandparents and great grandparents enjoyed is eroding away. Swept away by the hectic, over-scheduled, "fast food" lifestyle that we currently live in, those days have become stories the grandchildren hear about and soon will just be history. I bet they never dreamed we would go this far. This far away, that is, from what's truly important in life - family, friends, integrity, God.

Thankfully there is something that does not change. Something that is ever constant, ever present, ever true. That's God. He DOES NOT CHANGE. The ever constant, ever present, ever true I AM. Even if a day comes that man outlaws the reading of God's Word in public and even in private for that matter, His Word WILL NOT CHANGE. This is what we base our faith upon.

“…so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” Isaiah 55:11

Amen!
Know that you are loved,
Lyndi

Countenance

Katinas on the K-Love Cruise

And the Lord said to Moses, Say to Aaron and his sons, This is the way you shall bless the Israelites. Say to them, The Lord bless you and watch, guard, and keep you; The Lord make His face to shine upon and enlighten you and be gracious (kind, merciful, and giving favor) to you; The Lord lift up His [approving] countenance upon you and give you peace (tranquility of heart and life continually). —Numbers 6:22-26

Jesus' countenance was changed on the mountain as He was transfigured. Our countenance is simply the way we look. It refers to our face. In the church today we need to be concerned about our countenance. One of the blessings that was pronounced upon God's people was that God's face would shine upon them and that He would lift up His countenance upon them.

When the world looks at us, they need to see something about us that is different from them. They can't read our minds or see into our hearts, so our countenance is the only way we can show them that we have something they do not have but really want and need. I believe that we look better when we worship God. Worship puts a smile on our face. It is very hard to keep a scowl on our face while we are being thankful, praising and worshipping God.

If we regularly do these things, our countenance will carry His presence, not the expression of inner frustration and turmoil. Christians are supposed to be joyful people who walk in love. We must ask ourselves, "Would people know that I am a Christian by looking at my countenance most of the time?"


Ruta Aunese

Is Your Heart Sad & Blue?

Does it feel like your heart is ripped in two
And your days seem O so blue?
Have you given all your heart
Only to see it torn apart?
Do you feel he or she does not care
As if you were never there?
Do you feel you can't trust again
And left in continual pain?
Do you feel you must face tomorrow
All alone, with so much sorrow?
There is hope my friend for you today
Stop and listen, don't walk away
There's someone who loves you very much
It's not a lie, you'll see as such
About things you can't change in any way
You can talk to God night or day
You can trust him for he really cares
He said, I'll never leave you there
I came to heal your broken heart
And help you find a brand new start

Open your Bible let Him heal your heart.

The Bear in the Cave

by Wayne Rice



Two adventurous teenage boys who were good friends were out spelunking (exploring caves) when they found what appeared to be huge bear tracks deep inside a long, cavernous tunnel. They bravely decided to keep going, but they moved ahead slowly and with extreme caution, keeping their eyes and ears open in case they actually encountered a bear.

Suddenly, from the darkness behind a rock jumped the biggest, meanest-looking grizzly bear they had ever seen. Standing squarely in front of them, the bear beat on his chest and roared like a lion, sending a terrible sound echoing off the walls of the cave. Scared to death, the two boys decided they had better run for their lives. They immediately turned to make a dash for daylight.

Just then, one of the boys dropped to the floor and started untying his hiking boots. He whipped the boots off, jammed on his running shoes, and began tying laces.

His exasperated friend yelled at him, "Come on, man! Let's get out of here! Why in the world are you changing shoes? We don't have much of a chance of outrunning that bear anyway!"

Lunging to his feet and starting to run, the first boy replied, "I don't have to outrun the bear. All I have to do is outrun you."

A pearl to string: Coach Wonderful has a saying most family & friends would recognize with fondness: “We’ll be friends to the end but this looks like the end my friend”. I guess that guy out running his friend must have heard that one before.

Do you ever feel like your friends treat you like bear bait? When the going gets rough, they bail out on you. They remain friends with you until it costs them something - then they ditch you.

One of the great things about having Christ as your friend is knowing that He will never leave you nor forsake you (Matt. 28:20 and Heb. 13:5). He is the friend who is not only willing to lay down His life for you, but He has done exactly that. "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friend". John 15:13

May His presence light your way
You have a friend in Jesus
You are loved
Lyndi

Making Pancakes

Six -year-old Brandon decided one Saturday morning to fix his parents pancakes. He found a big bowl and spoon, pulled a chair to the counter, opened the cupboard and pulled out the heavy flour canister, spilling it on the floor. He scooped some of the flour into the bowl with his hands, mixed in milk and added some sugar, leaving a floury trail on the floor which by now had a few tracks left by his kitten. Brandon was covered with flour and getting frustrated. He wanted this to be something very good for Mom and Dad, but it was getting very bad.

He didn't know what to do next, whether to put it all into the oven or on the stove and he didn't know how the stove worked! Suddenly he saw his kitten licking from the bowl of mix and reached to push her away, knocking the egg carton to the floor. Frantically he tried to clean up this monumental mess but slipped on the eggs, getting his pajamas white and sticky.

And just then he saw Dad standing at the door. Big crocodile tears welled up in Brandon 'S eyes. All he'd wanted to do was something good, but he'd made a terrible mess. He was sure a scolding was coming, maybe even a spanking. But his father just watched him.

Then, walking through the mess, he picked up his crying son, hugged him and loved him, getting his own pajamas white and sticky in the process!

That's how God deals with us... We try to do something good in life, but it turns into a mess..
Our marriage gets all sticky or we insult a friend, or we can't stand our job, or our health goes sour.

Sometimes we just stand there in tears because we can't think of anything else to do. That's when God picks us up and loves us and forgives us, even though some of our mess gets all over Him.

Don’t Jump!

KTLA News
April 11, 2009

"Sin will take you further than you want to go,
keep you longer than you want to stay and
cost you more than you want to pay."

On Good Friday at the Berlin Zoo in Germany a frantic rescue took place to save a woman who had jumped into the polar bear moat at feeding time. The woman was hit several times by an adult bear while Zoo workers tossed rescue rings to lift her from the water. People distracted the other polar bears swimming nearby. The woman was being treated at a hospital for injuries that were described as severe.

Hummm…. You don’t have to be the smartest one on the block to figure out that was stupid. What possible explanation could that woman give to justify her actions? May the Lord have mercy on her and heal her quickly.

As I read this story I thought about Christians (people who have a personal relationship with Jesus and know His commandments) who jump into sin like this woman jumped into a polar bear moat at feeding time. What’s the difference? Stupid is as stupid does… didn’t Forrest Gump say that? Really, sometimes when I read about the sin of a good person gone bad I think “they have got to be dumber than a box of hair”. Where is their brain? Where is their heart? What could they have been thinking?

A Pearl to string: Sin isn’t in competition! We don’t have good sin and bad sin or even stupid sin. Sin is falling short of the glory of God. Whoa! When I put it that way it sort of includes us all. I know I don’t want any reality cameras set up at my house. Even when I don’t leave the house and no one is home I still fall short of the glory of God throughout my day. There is just no way I can overcome that myself. I need Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Resurrection Sunday – I need what I have called Easter ever since I was a little kid.

"God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners". Romans 5:8 (NLT)

It is finished, It is paid! Wow, God did it! He did it for us! I’m giving thanks for God who loves us so much and recommending to all - Don’t jump……. check with God first and wait on the Holy Spirit.

Refreshing in the glory of God,
Lyndi

I KNOW MY REDEEMER LIVES

Nicole C. Mullen - Redeemer (Video)

Via Dolorosa

Sung by Sandi Patti

Prison of Innocents

by Maria Hanna

Have you ever read about a criminal that was released just because he confessed being guilty? It may sound strange, but let me relay to you this story.

Once upon a time, a French king decided to honor his dear guest. He gave the guest the right to release any prisoner from Tolone's prison. Accordingly, the guest asked the prisoners about the reasons why they were imprisoned. To his surprise, many prisoners stressed their innocence and their perfection. Others claimed that the surrounding circumstances were to be blamed for their wrong deeds. While listening to their claims, the guest cast an eye over a silent prisoner sitting in the corner with his eyes bearing tears. He approached this man and asked him about his guilt.

The prisoner replied,"Lord, my guilt is more than I can bear, I am lucky, since I deserve more than my current penalty."

The guest said, "You have to get out of here as soon as possible. A criminal should not remain among innocents."

Dear friends, I admit that such a story would rarely happen in our days. However, such a scenario always occurs in our relationship with God.

If we stubbornly insist on playing innocent and insisting that devilish desires are to blame, we will remain in the sin prison of innocents. But if we, with kneeling body and contrite heart, repent to the Lord and ask Him to control our attitudes-- He, with His unlimited mercy, love and forgiveness--will embrace our lives and release us from this deceptive prison of innocents. No bribes nor mediation is needed, just true repentance.

Can you see God smile?

Anxiety is worry over things which we cannot control and which we do not remove from our thoughts. Anxiety dominates and controls a passive mind and a troubled heart, filling both with doubt, fear, and dread. But, anxiety cannot be removed; it must be replaced. So I want to replace my own anxiety & yours over these troubled times with God’s smile.

I can see God smile in a sunrise. I can hear Him sing in the songs of the birds, I can hear Him breath in the roar of the ocean. I see God smile when you smile at me. I see God smile in children running and laughing and playing. When people are hurting physically and they persevere with a sweetness of spirit it’s a smile from God that inspires you.

God is smiling from a little girl’s heart somewhere across the sea. She’s a little first grade beauty who recently won a talent contest. Her story is told by her proud grandma:

Little Julia was reading the Easter Story from her Child's Picture Bible. She wanted to take her Bible to school the next day and read the story to her class. With her parents’ permission to do so she practiced diligently that evening.



The next morning she was off to school with Bible in hand. Julia’s reading of the Easter story was so beautiful and so well done that her teacher asked her to read to the parents and faculty as they met after school. It seems little Julia brought the Easter Story to life for all in attendance, and that is the high point of this story. "and a little child will lead them”. Can’t you just see God smile from this precious little one?

A pearl to string: If we just stop, take a deep breath and look around we can see God smiling in a million different ways. Let those smiles wash over you and comfort you but realize His biggest smile came in the death and resurrection of Jesus. What God did for His creation was an eternal miracle of love. So remember, I will repeat it often, YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES ARE NOT A MEASURE OF GOD’S LOVE – THE CROSS IS!

Let us celebrate His smile and His love
Happy Resurrection Sunday,
Lyndi

The Daffodil Principle

This is a version if not 'the' version of the known 'Daffodil Principle'. It was put together for a inspirational presentation to show at a Church meeting. They did not see any other 'Daffodil Principle' slide shows or videos so thought they'd share the one they created. Hope you enjoy it. The music used was written and performed by Tracy Rowe. The two songs used are from her CD 'Expressions'. Copyright Tracy Rowe 2005. The images used were from Google searches, in other words, they got them from the internet

The Compliment Experiment

Cameron Brown and Brett Westcott. OK who are they? What do they do? Why are they in your devotional? They are both sophomores at Purdue University and you can find them every Wednesday from 12:30 pm to 2:30 pm at the central walkway on campus. They are known as The Compliment Guys. They set up their "Free Compliments" sign near a main walkway outside the chemistry building. Rain, snow, sleet, cold -- whatever the weather, The Compliment Guys are "In". They live up to their name. Every person who walks by gets a compliment. To a guy in Purdue sweats they say, "Love your school spirit." To a woman carrying a trendy black bag: "Very nice purse." "It's very large." To the student who ran past them in knee-high leather boots: "I like your hustle." "I like your boots, too."

The guys try to be very personal and specific in their compliments, too. "I like your red coat," Westcott says to a woman listening to her iPod. She turned and laughed, which prompted Brown to say, "Very nice smile." Three women leaving biology lab purposely walked by them. "I like your curly hair. Great smile. I like your glasses," the guys said, pointing to each of the women. One Wednesday, they told a professor to enjoy his coffee, thanked the groundskeepers for their hard work and encouraged someone eating an apple to "stay nutritious."

“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms. If you speak, you should do so as one who speaks the very words of God”. (1 Peter 4:10-11)

We’re living in such gloom & doom times that we need a ray of Son shine. Wouldn’t you like to have a compliment? Ah, look at that great smile!

String a pearl: I’m issuing a challenge for you to become compliment people:
For 8 days generously give compliments in five different places. At home, at work, grocery shopping anywhere your life takes you but please start with God and your family. Be creative, be sincere, look into people’s eyes and bless them. While you are busy & concerned with brightening someone else’s day your insides will shine with God’s love. And that my friends is one of the best places for God’s love to be ….. inside you.

Have fun and let me know how it blesses you.

You are some of the most wonderful & beautiful people I know. Nice teeth!
You are loved
Lyndi

WEEDS

Drawing By Jonathan Cooke '98

I was thinking about weeds – do you ever think about weeds? Goats are good at weeds. They love to eat vines, thorny bushes, and all kinds of weeds. You just can’t top a large herd of goats for weed control. Unfortunately the home owners associations of our land do not allow goats in the burbs. So one needs to take time to weed regularly pulling weed seedlings early before they establish themselves and begin to compete with your plants for valuable resources. For mature, perennial weeds, dig out as much of the root and plant runners as possible. Hummm, opinions are like weeds, they’ve got deep roots and wild runners with an occasional sapling or two and opinions are very viney and thorny. Pick up any newspaper around the country and you can find a multitude of opinions on every subject. Same with the radio or TV they are brimming with people’s opinions. Try the hair salon or barber shop or even the church foyer – opinions flow freely. Just ask how someone thinks President Obama is doing in his first 100 days. Everyone’s got an opinion. Wow, our daily lives are over run with opinions just like weeds invade and occupy a beautiful garden.

Weeds choke out beauty like Opinions choke out truth.

Wisdom works on opinions like goats work on weeds and it’s allowed in the burbs. Wisdom is that elusive quality we respect in others and find so difficult to develop in ourselves. It won’t be found in higher education where the call to an open mind prevails. That always reminds me of a great quote by Groucho Marx - "Now there's a man with an open mind - you can feel the breeze from here"! The Word of God unlocks the amenable secret to finding wisdom. A study of Proverbs 2 is a wonderful place to start. The first directive that catches your heart is to store up commandments within you. On the road to wisdom you will find the transmission occurs in the turning your ear towards, applying your heart to, calling out for and searching. Let the child in you go on a treasure hunt for all God has hidden for you to find. If you want to follow the leader – follow Jesus.

A pearl to string: A man dies. Of course, St. Peter meets him at the Pearly Gates.
St. Peter says, "Here's how it works. You need 100 points to make it into heaven. You tell me all the good things you've done, and I give you a certain number of points for each item, depending on how good it was. When you reach 100 points, you get in."
"Okay," the man says, "I was married to the same woman for 50 years and never cheated on her, even in my heart."
"That's wonderful," says St. Peter, "that's worth three points!"
"Three points?" he says. "Well, I attended church all my life and supported its ministry with my tithe and service."
"Terrific!" says St. Peter. "That's certainly worth a point."
"One point!?!! I started a soup kitchen in my city and worked in a shelter for homeless veterans."
"Fantastic, that's good for two more points," he says.
"Two points!?!!" Exasperated, the man cries, "At this rate it'll just be by the grace of God that I ever get into heaven."
"Bingo, 100 points! Come on in!"
Jesus said: "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." John 14:6/NKJV

Clinging to His Truth,
Lyndi

A Thursday kind of Love

When patience is prudent

Older women are to train younger women to love their husbands and children. (Titus 2:4)

Good grief ladies don’t you already love your husband and children? I hear a vague response… what’s that? Could you speak up please? Yeah, but not last Thursday? I smile for I have known a few Thursdays. Well the Bible tells us we need training so it must be true.

I don’t know how it came to be that I turned into the older one but here it goes. I’ll give you my best shot. The secret I found is in how the Lord loves me. In John 15:12 Jesus says, “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.” Well how does the Lord love me? 1) Has He been patient with me? 2) Has He sacrificed for me? 3) Does Christ know me & love me anyway? 4) Is Christ prejudiced against me? 5) Can I do anything to separate myself from His love?

In answering “yes” to the first three questions and “no” to the last two you have a pretty good idea of how to love your husband and children.

When you are patient though you feel like flying off the handle;
When you put your needs aside for your husband’s;
When you know their obvious weaknesses, but love them anyway,
you are loving your family with Christ-like love.
When you demonstrate love without playing favorites or love no matter what your husband or children have done, you are loving them as Christ loves you.

A pearl to string: This kind of love can be learned because it is not an emotion, it is ACTION. The Bible tells us that we must not just speak words of love, but we must show our love through our actions. If you are struggling with loving turn to the Lord and ask Him to help you understand His love for you. And let that love flow through you to your husband and children. You see, my friend, the only reason you and I can love at all is because He first loved us.

We are His first love,
In that you can grow
Lyndi

Remembering my brother Tim

Dr. Thomas B. Gordon
November 17, 1949 - March 10, 2009


You've traveled over the sunset and into God's arms.





I will miss you Tim - I love you

For all those left behind


Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.

www.thomasbgordon.com

Oh the Good Times

Long ago I prayed, “Lord, help me grow in the good times”. I also prayed for wisdom because I knew patience is a by-product. When I was younger, much younger, I prayed for patience but learned that’s not really a bright idea. What you get are tests to see if you’ve got patience yet. So the question, ‘are we there yet?’ originated with God? Hmmm, perhaps I gained a moniker of wisdom just by praying for wisdom. My new prayer wasn’t asking God for good times. It was about a deeper walk with Him. When times were tough I knew just where to run. Oh I can run……. I can run fast in the spirit – like a speeding bullet! My concern was with how quickly I got too busy to spend time with the Lord when my life was rich and full and trouble didn’t linger at my door.
Do you know I actually failed the ‘good times’ test? Multiple times! I got too busy to take the time in the mornings to spend time with my creator and Savior. I learned how to pray on the run. I think that is similar to eating on the run. Fast food has little to do with nutrition and what’s actually good for your body’s health. As fast prayer has little to do with an intimate relationship with Christ and what’s good for the kingdom of God.

A pearl to string: I found this earth walk is really a training ground for my eternity with God the Father. I read in Jeremiah 1 verse 5: “Before I made you in your mother’s womb, I chose you” and believe He must be talking about me. God didn’t say, “you’re it” then run and hide. He does have a plan… one for me…. one for you but it’s not about personal happiness. A gold fish is happy. Why you ask? Because he is and does what God made him to be and do. Circumstances aren’t the barometer of God’s love and goodness—the cross is. That’s it. That’s the secret for me. If it doesn’t come through the cross it’s not God’s truth – it’s mans truth. Man’s truth changes like the wind and blows every which way. What you swear today is truth your children’s generation is already changing. Born into this world and trained unto this world. Christ had to die on a cross to free us and we have to die to self to live free. A godly life is a fragrance that draws others to Christ. We are to God the fragrance of Christ. ~ 2 Corinthians 2:15

The good times are with Him
Inching closer, staying longer
In His presence you are loved,
Lyndi

Lost Cow

So is a lost cow a foreshadow of a lost sheep? Maybe….. A cow starts its morning off by nibbling on a patch of green grass. When it finishes it looks ahead to the next patch of grass and starts nibbling on that one. Then it nibbles on a clump of grass right next to a hole in the fence. On the other side of the fence is another patch of grass, which the cow nibbles. The next thing you know, the cow has nibbled itself into being lost. Along comes a motorist …. Oooops!

Sin is like that. It’s not necessarily an obviously big offensive act but rather a series of small rebellious acts that become second nature. We know we’re NOT supposed to nibble or dibble or whatever it is that we’re doing. Of course it can be far more serious than that but truly many are caught by the nibble dibble sins.

“Sin will take you farther than you want to go, cost you more than you want to pay, and keep you longer than you want to stay."

Well the good news in rural areas for the farmer is: whoever hits the lost cow pays for the dead cow. It’s not such good news for the surprised motorist.

The Good News for the believing Christian is much better. Father God sent His Son Jesus to pay for the nibbling sheep and the Holy Spirit will help the sheep change their dibbling ways.

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ. (Titus 2:11-13/esv)

A pearl to string: The creator of the Universe is the One who created us, loves us, died for our sins, and lives in relationship with us and He’s coming back to get us. It just can’t get any better than that. But we can’t dance for joy blinded to all that is going on around us. It really doesn't matter how long we have known God. Each day is new and we must get up, prepare to guard against sin, knowing we will face temptation. The best way to stay alert and the greatest deterrent to sin is the word of God!

Psalm 119:11 "I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you." (NIV)

OK, I’m headed for my Bible now
Keep walking in Son shine
And know you are loved,
Lyndi

Historical Darkness

Russ Lawson tells a story of when the Sun didn’t rise back in 1883, in New England. The people awoke to an eerie darkness. They went outside to do their chores in stony silence. No rooster crowed, no birds chirping, none of the usual sounds of a new day. At the very start, people began to gather in small groups to question what was happening, to wonder and discuss what was taking place. Slowly, people began to make their way to the Churches. They say that by twelve noon every Church in New England was filled to overflowing with people on their knees crying out to God. There were cries for mercy, people begging for forgiveness and others confessing their sins. They say that there were few people who didn't pray the day the sun didn't rise. The Churches were full late into the night.

As the next morning neared, great crowds began to gather on the hilltops and the high places near their homes and churches. People were staring toward the eastern horizon. Every eye was fixed on that point where the sky touched the land. Every eye watching, hoping to catch a glimmer of the first rays of the Sun. As the sun began to come up over the horizon, people began to shout and yell praise to God, they clapped, danced and rejoiced because the Sun shined on the land again. As if in one voice, they began to praise the Lord for the sunlight, the warmth and the joy of God's new day.

No news media back then. The people had no idea that on the Island nation of Indonesia, the sleeping giant of a volcano, Krakatoa, had come to life. They had no idea that this great mountain exploded and sent a huge cloud of dust and ash into the upper atmosphere. This black cloud would be carried around the world by the jet stream. It was said to cover whole regions, covering the sky from horizon to horizon. Few people had any idea that a volcano, half way around the world, could create such a cloud that could block out the Sun. Yet for most of those people that was the very first time they ever thanked God for the warmth and wonder of the Sun.

A pearl to string: We’ve had numerous heart wrenching disasters in this world with countless lives lost. We’ve turned our collective hearts toward the Lord for protection, safety and solace. Yet when we feel secure again, like a child who let’s go of their parent’s hand and runs into unsafe territory we have repeatedly let go of the Lord and wondered back into our perilous life styles.

I pray that the eyes of my heart as well as the eyes of your hearts will “Seek the LORD while he may be found. Call on him while he is near”. That we will not be tricked or distracted by the temptations this world has to offer. Amen and amen. (Isaiah 55:6)

Blessings with His love & grace to you all,
Lyndi

The Purpose of the Desert

by Os Hillman



Therefore I am now going to allure her; I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her. - Hosea 2:14

If you have an important message to convey to someone, what is the best means of getting the message through? Have you ever tried to talk with someone who was so busy you could not get him to hear you? Distractions prevent us from giving our undivided attention to the messenger. So too, God has His way of taking us aside to get our undivided attention.
For Paul, it was Arabia for three years;
for Moses, it was 40 years in the desert;
for Joseph, it was 13 years in Egypt;
for David, it was many years of fleeing from King Saul.

God knows the stubborn human heart. He knows that if He is to accomplish His deepest work, He must take us into the desert in order to give us the privilege to be used in His Kingdom. In the desert God changes us and removes things that hinder us. He forces us to draw deep upon His grace.

The desert is only a season in our life. When He has accomplished what He wants in our lives in the desert, He will bring us out. He has given us a mission to fulfill that can only be fulfilled after we have spent adequate time in preparation in the desert. Fear not the desert, for it is here you will hear God's voice like never before. It is here you become His bride. It is here you will have the idols of your life removed. It is here you begin to experience the reality of a living God like never before. Someone once said, "God uses enlarged trials to produce enlarged saints so He can put them in enlarged places!"

He brought me out into a spacious place; He rescued me because He delighted in me(2 Samuel 22:20).

Hugs from Heaven

Sunday at church I turned to greet the person behind me. The nice young man proceeded to share with me how he had for some time wanted to tell me that his wife was really blessed by my devotionals. He told me that they really helped her through some very difficult times. His beautiful wife went into the waiting arms of Jesus this past December. I thought of that precious young mom all afternoon and a myriad of other beautiful friends that have gone to be with Jesus. How deeply we miss them and how difficult it is for their loved ones to walk this journey of grief.

Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 had to be written for such a time as this “The God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God."

We do long to comfort one another. Our world is just coming at each one of us so fast. An interesting thing becomes visible in the depth of loss. I’ve observed an incredible beauty as sorrow winds down the path of life. Everything seems to slow down. Do you suppose that is a gift from God? Our grieving time is a time to reach up, a time to be blessed by our Father’s heart. It gives us time to gather the essence of our loved ones into our hearts and give thanks for what they gave to us. Like the Ray Boltz song, Thank You ‘for giving to the Lord I am a life that was changed’.

A pearl to string: You are the body of Christ, no matter how small you might feel, no matter how limited you might feel – you are a blessing to others. You are valuable beyond measure. Yes, YOU! Your smile alone shows God’s love to a stranger. You make a difference in many lives. And the people who know and love you thank God for you.

That dear young father and husband who is fighting his way through grief brought me a hug from heaven. I am so thankful and blessed.

"The dawn and the sunset shout for joy".
Psalm 65:8/TLB

Know you are dearly loved,
Lyndi

Black History Month

In 1995 at RFK Stadium in Washington DC Wintley Phipps gave the most poignant rendition of Amazing Grace I had ever experienced. It wasn't just a beautiful moving song it was a soul experience.

Happy Valentines Day

The Parable of the Fern and the Bamboo

One day, I decided to quit. I wanted to quit my job, to quit my relationships, to quit my spirituality; I even wanted to quit my life. I went to the woods to have one last talk with God.

"God", I said. "Can you give me one good reason not to quit?"

His answer surprised me. "Look around", He said. "Do you see the fern and the bamboo?"

"Yes", I replied.

"When I planted the fern and the bamboo seeds, I took very good care of them. I gave them light. I gave them water. The fern quickly grew from the earth. Its brilliant green covered the floor. Yet nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo."

"In the second year the Fern grew more vibrant and plentiful. And again, nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo."

"In the third year there was still nothing from the bamboo seed. But I would not quit."

"In the fourth year, again, there was nothing from the bamboo seed. I would not quit."

"Then. in the fifth year a tiny sprout emerged from the earth. Compared to the fern it was seemingly small and insignificant. But just 6 months later the bamboo rose to over 100 feet tall. It had spent the five years growing roots. Those roots made it strong and gave it what it needed to survive. I would not give any of my creations a challenge they could not handle." He said to me.

"Did you know, my child, that all this time you have been struggling, you have actually been growing roots? I would not quit on the bamboo. I will never quit on you! Don't compare yourself to others. The bamboo had a different purpose than the fern. Yet they both make the forest beautiful. Your time will come," God said to me. "You will rise high".

"How high should I rise?" I asked.

"How high will the bamboo rise?" He asked in return.

"As high as it can?" I questioned.

"Yes." He said, "Give me glory by rising as high as you can. And remember.. I will never leave you, nor forsake you. I will never give up on you. I will never, ever quit on you."
~~~~~~~~~~
Author Unknown

A pearl to string: Only the eternal, unchanging God is able to make the unparalleled promise of Hebrews 13:5, and keep it: "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." The Greek verb translated "leave" actually has the idea of holding something loosely, or relaxing. The idea is that God is never casual or relaxed about his commitment to His people. He will never allow us to slip out of His grasp by holding us too loosely. He will never relax His vigilance over us. As Jesus said in John 10:28, "No one can snatch them out of my hand." So, the Lord is saying in this promise, "I will never leave you to stand alone. I will always be with you, supporting you by My omnipotent hand."

You are His if you want to be
You are loved,
Lyndi

Procyon lotor

My dogs were going crazy early this morning and there was a different kind of sound to their barking so I got up to investigate. They were still very agitated and poking their little white fluffy heads through the fence looking towards the street. I leaned over the fence with my trusty Moses staff in hand and there in the street in front of our house was a giant ring tailed possum – I yelled at him and hit the rocks with my staff and he scampered off. I have never seen him before but he's obviously very happy and fat in our neighborhood. As I was looking for a picture of the intruder I discovered it wasn’t a possum (where did I come up with that anyway?) it was one fat, really fat raccoon (Procyon lotor). It was much bigger than our two little Bichons combined. I also came across a hilarious description of one woman’s encounter that I have to share. I did a little editing for decency sake.

“Late last night my husband got up to let our dog out for his late-evening relief trip. I was upstairs in bed when I heard what sounded like two mountain lions trying to kill each other, which was closely followed by the sounds of my husband shrieking—er, screaming, not shrieking. Screaming in low, manly tones. I ran downstairs and out into the yard where our dog—a five pound, deaf, one-eyed, brain-damaged toy poodle (don’t ask)—was being chased in circles and occasionally tackled by a hissing, screeching 300 pound raccoon.

The raccoon was trying to kill—and eat—the dog. Once I was on the porch the husband ran inside, leaving me alone with the killer raccoon and the retarded poodle. I picked up four large table legs that were sitting on the porch. As soon I spotted a little space between the dog and the raccoon I hurled a table leg at the raccoon in an attempt to get the raccoon away from the dog. The table leg sailed through the air like a giant hurling lightning bolt.

Once I successfully separated the dog and the raccoon, I expected the dog to run into the house. Ah, nope. Our retarded dog, seeing the raccoon in retreat, concluded that he had the upper hand now, and proceeded to charge at the raccoon. The raccoon, seeing a dinner-sized dog coming back at him, proceeded to charge after the dog. The dog, suddenly remembering that the raccoon outweighed him by 295 pounds, proceeded to turn and run. I managed to separate the raccoon from the dog four times, and each time the dog went after the raccoon, which then went after the dog. I managed to separate the dog and the raccoon one last time just as the husband came back out of the house. He grabbed our retarded, suicidal poodle and dragged him inside”.

A pearl to string: Danger is lurking all around us though we may not even suspect. Life can change fast or end. Help - with skin on - isn’t always readily available. There are disasters that defy logic. Government may not have the answers you need. How do we keep from acting like that suicidal poodle? How can we keep from reverting to our old nature? The only way I know is to “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge him, And he will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5-6) You don’t think hurling table legs was man’s idea do you? Oh, puh-leeez that was Holy Spirit inspired!

He’s got the whole world in His hands,
And you are loved,
Lyndi

In God We Still Trust by Diamond Rio