The Time to Bloom

                                                         
     Last week, as I took the dogs out first thing in the morning I was greeted with a surprise.  No...it wasn't anything the dogs did...it was little bouquets of flowers!  Delicate pink lilies were blooming in little patches all around the yard!  They were in the front and the back of the house!  In almost every direction I saw little, sweet patches of pink.  It literally took my breath away. 
     I discovered that they last only for a few days, and then die away.  They are only here for a short time, but what beauty they provide while they are here.
      During the last month we have been going through the end of the season of life for Steve's stepdad, Toliver.  He is now under hospice care.  We are traveling down this last road with him, remembering the good times that we have shared, and hopefully giving him some comfort along the way.
     Toliver has not been a type of person that people would automatically pick out of a crowd.. He has always lived a rather simple, conventional life.  His main focus was always his God and his family.  He never strived for anything extraordinary. What a wonderful example of how we were meant to live.  We aren't to be overconcerned about what may come around the bend; just live in the present time and do the best you can in the place that God has placed you. Like the old adage...bloom where you are planted. 
      Life is like those spots of bright flowers in my yard.  We silently grow, for the most part unnoticed.  Then when the time is right, we burst forth the unique glory that God has placed within us.  Our blossoms are not perfect, but lovely nonetheless.  God determines how long our blooms will last, so we need not fret about life.  God will take care of us.  Jesus knew how much we tend to fret and worry about our lives.
     Matthew, Chapter 6 states:
²⁵ “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? ²⁶ Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? ²⁷ Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?
²⁸ “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; ²⁹ and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. ³⁰ Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
³¹ “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³² For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. ³³ But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. ³⁴ Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

     God knows all that we need, and how many days are assigned to us.  Let us be grateful for those days, and every moment that we are given.

Angels Along Our Path

                                                         

       God places certain people in our lives to guide us along our path.  I was blessed to be able to once again see one of these special individuals, recently.
     Sr. Nora Brick is a Franciscan nun that has been working with the migrant community for many decades.  I met her 30 years ago when she was working in Wauchula, FL.  She lived in a small "convent" (house) with two other sisters.  I was contemplating becoming a nun, and it was arranged that I would spend one weekend a month with the sisters, and do what they did.  I would eat, pray and work alongside of them and see how they lived their lives.
     She had a wonderful rapport with the people.  They knew that she loved and truly cared for them, and they loved her, too.  She is a wonderful example and role model for how to love and respect God's children.
     Sr. Nora is now in her 80's and still enthusiastic about working with the poor.  Because of health issues, she now has to retire.  My dear friend P.H. met her a few months ago, and brought me over to see her before she moves to the retirement home.
     I haven't seen Sr. Nora in almost 25 years.  Although older, she was the same sweet lady that I knew so long ago.  With a little bit of help, but she remembered me.  She held my hand as we sat and talked with two other sisters and P.H..  I was able to share with her what a blessing she had been in my life, and an influence in my walk with Christ.  What a gift it was to me, to be able to tell her that.
     The sweet nun began to tell us of how she believed that God's angels are all around.  I hadn't thought of angels in a long time.  She was right...they are.  The Bible speaks of angels among us.  Although we can't see them, they are there, protecting us and defending us against the forces of evil.  God sends us these beings of the heavenly realm to bless our lives.  To me, He also sends us other 'angels'....people with heaven in their hearts.  They are there to guide us to our Creator and help us to know Him in a more personal and intimate way.
     I had asked the sisters about a particular nun...Sr. Mairead (pronounced Mah-rayed).  She was my directress for almost 4 years.  What a special and godly woman.  She was one of the strongest influences in my adult Christian life.  She was the one that taught me about having a relationship with Christ, and how important daily quiet time and prayer were.  The sisters told me that she was now living in the retirement home, due to a diagnosis of early onset Alzheimer's Disease. I ask that you please say a prayer for this wonderful woman of God.  She was indeed an angel in my life.
     How many 'earthly angels' has God placed along your path?  Was it a parent or grandparent?  A teacher or coach?  Take time today to think of them, and say a prayer of thanks for the influence they've had in your life. 
                                           
Philippians 1:3  I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,
Hebrews 13:2  Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.
       

  

What Are YOU Full Of?

                                                   

     Certain things may come to mind, but we won't go there!  I'd like to take a different look at a few common words that have been used to describe people.  What do these words REALLY mean?
     Are you thoughtful?  Full of thought for others. If given a choice between yourself and another person...who would you choose?  Would you automatically think of yourself and what you want, or do you consider the other person, and what they may want...or need?  How about in your conversations?  Do you think before you speak?
     Are you prayerful?  Is your life "full of prayer"?  Do you talk (and listen) to God throughout the day....or do you only give Him a shout out when things aren't going well?  Do you read His Word on a regular basis, or grab your Bible as you go out the door on Sundays?
     Are you thankful?  Do you have a heart full of thanks?  Do you look at what you have, and are grateful for it?  Or do you mostly focus on the things you DON'T have, whining that life is unfair? 
     Are you graceful?  I don't mean are you ballerina material...but do you have a heart full of grace?  Do you realize that all you have is a gift from God?  Or do you think that you have earned all that you have and you deserve every bit of it?
     Are you careful?  Are you full of care about things, or care-less with them?  Do you do your best at work or in school, or do enough to barely get by?
     Are you joyful?  Is your life filled with joy?  If it is not, the Bible tells us that we can obtain that joy. Psalm 16:11 states:  'You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy.'  How can we have that??
     Through prayer, the Lord guides us and lets us know the path that He wants us to go down.  The grace of God brings us into His Presence. We cannot be in that Presence if we only call out to Him when we feel like it.  It takes thoughtfulness on our part.  We have to put God first...not our wishes or desires. We have to treat our relationship with God with tender care.  It takes time and effort to keep that relationship alive.  It is then that we can have the fullness of joy.  We can be joyful in hard circumstances, knowing that God is with us through it all.  With thankful hearts we can know that God will never leave us or abandon us.  He is our Fortress and our Shield.
     Jesus says that He came so that we can have Life and have it to the fullest.  Thank you, God!!  Fill me with your Love today!