Month: July 2022

Moss Lessons

Posted on by Wendy
Faith can grow even in the most barren places.

I was recently looking at my grassless backyard. We have tons of hardwoods back there which provide us with fabulous shade, but they also keep us from having any grass. The shade is simply not conducive for it to grow, so it’s definitely not a typical postcard backyard. When you look at it from a distance, depending on the season, it looks downright barren.

I was recently thinking about our seemingly barren backyard as I sat by our goldfish pond, when my eyes settled on a moss covered rock. It was thick and a brilliant shade of green. I moved in closer to get a better look. I marveled for a moment, at how something that vibrant could grow with such little sustenance. It was growing on a rock of all things.

As someone who likes to grow things, I find it kind of amazing that it doesn’t require fertile soil and very little light to thrive. The conditions  certainly don’t seem ideal. When I grow something, I fertilize it and water it. I watch for pests. I do some research to plant things in the ideal spot and it sometimes still fails to thrive.

As I looked closer, a tiny frog, resting in it, caught my eye. I was delighted to see this tiny creature enjoying the moss. Apparently, the landscape wasn’t at all barren for him. He didn’t require the traditional yard to thrive.

I thought about that little frog on that moss patch, long after I went back inside. I thought about how we tend to strive for what the world deems ideal in our lives. We seek the ideal job, the ideal mate, the ideal house and yes, the ideal yard.

And when these ideal things eventually fail to meet our expectations, we feel disillusioned.

But, who decides what’s ideal?

What if ideal is where God has planted us at this moment because He has a plan and He works all things together for those who love Him?

What if our challenge for today is to thrive wherever we happen to be?

The moss and the frog reminded me that beauty and life can spring forth in even the most barren places. Sometimes I need reminding. Perhaps you do too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Seeking and Finding

Posted on by Wendy
God reveals Himself to those who seek Him in countless ways.

One morning last week, I was driving to an event for work. I was praying about several areas in my life where I needed both God’s intervention and His guidance. As I prayed, it began to rain and as the drops hit my windshield, I was reminded of the prayers from Psalms, so I gave thanks for the rain.

After that, I gave thanks that I woke up that morning, and I gave thanks for my health, and my family’s health, and for my car that runs, and for my job. The more I named, the more I thought of; it was as if naming the blessings made them multiply.

Next, like the Psalmist often does, I thanked God for the many times in the past that He has intervened on my behalf and the countless prayers He has answered. Then I found myself praying for my parents and naming the specific instances that He has had His hands on them and healed them and as I acknowledged His protection, I caught a red light and something made me look to the left.

When I did, I first saw the dorm that my Mama moved me into over 30 years ago and I thanked God for His constant presence, even when I couldn’t see or feel it and then I caught my breath as I saw a stunning rainbow over that dorm.

My eyes immediately filled with tears as I felt His presence and I felt the most wonderful sense of peace as I repeated thank you over and over.

After the event, I went to my sweet co-worker’s office to tell her good morning and the first thing she said to me, was “I have been praying for you.”

I thanked her and I told her what had happened and about the rainbow. She grinned and told me that she had seen it too and then showed me a picture she had taken with her phone. She then told me about a similar situation she just had with the car tag in front of her and how she knew it was God communicating with her.

We talked about how special those God winks are and then she said, “You know, we have to look for and acknowledge the small stuff, because if we don’t, we will never get to see the big stuff.”

As I thought about our conversation later, I thought about how often God intervenes and is present in ways that we never see, and how true worship should be looking for, acknowledging and giving thanks for the times we do see His hand at work. Sometimes I need reminding. Perhaps you do too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Hydrangea Encouragement

Posted on by Wendy
Hydrangea Bud
Any growth, no matter how small, is worth celebrating.

Every year, beginning in the late spring and stretching into the summer, I am blessed with gorgeous hydrangeas. I usually cut some and bring them into the house and I still have plenty of huge cheerful blooms to greet me when I arrive home from work each day. 

Most of them are gifts from parents at the school where I used to work and that makes them even more special.

But, this year, they didn’t bloom even though I did my part.  I covered them when we had a late frost to protect them. I watered and fed them and nothing happened. They were green, but they didn’t bloom from May all the way into June, but then in late June, one tiny bloom emerged. I was thrilled to see it. Since it was the only one, I watched it carefully.

It seemed to take a long time to grow, but when it did, it was a different color than mine usually are. It was unique and I was just as proud of the one, as I usually was of the dozens.

As I was thinking about the amount of time I have put in on those hydrangea bushes only to get one bloom and of how delighted I have been about that one bloom, I am reminded about how much God delights in us when He sees growth.

Sometimes we get it right and we bloom and flourish with the fruits of the Spirit. We pray, read our Bibles and worship and serve and make a huge Kingdom impact and I know He’s proud of us. But, at other times, we stumble. Sometimes our lives grow dark through unforeseen circumstances or bad choices and we get lost along the way and fail to bloom.

Still, His love for us never changes and when we do find our way back and manage even the tiniest bloom, I imagine Him delighting in the new growth, just as I did with my lone hydrangea bloom and I am encouraged. Perhaps you needed some encouragement today too.

Have an awesome day! 

Wendy 😊

Lessons from the Hummingbirds

Posted on by Wendy
“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

Every summer since we moved into our house over fifteen years ago, I have put out a feeder for the hummingbirds. Every summer, I have been blessed with a bunch of those bossy, territorial little birds. I have enjoyed watching their antics and marveled at how they seem to care more about keeping other birds from taking a drink than feeding themselves. Their nature tends to be quite humanlike at times.

They are colorful and fun to watch and sometimes a lot of work. I often have an ongoing battle to keep the ants out of the feeder. At the end of the season, they consume so much sugar water, that I struggle to keep it filled.

It’s like when I put out a feeder at the beginning of the summer, I feel a responsibility for these tiny wild creatures.

But, last summer I only saw one or two birds the entire summer and never together. I poured out most all of the sugar water I made because when it remains in the feeder more that a couple of days in the really hot part of the summer, it sours and can be dangerous for them to drink. I figured someone else in the neighborhood must have been feeding them or perhaps they were getting what they needed from flowering plants.

So, this summer, I decided not to put a feeder out. The hummingbirds clearly no longer needed my assistance. We decided to plant tomato plants in the pots underneath where the feeder usually hangs instead of hibiscus.

I didn’t see any of the little birds at all in the late spring or in early June, so I thought my decision had been the right one, but in mid June, I caught one sitting on the edge of a tomato cage. It sat there for a good little while and then flew away. The next day I saw it again, in the same spot. I began to question not putting a feeder out. Did they need it after all?

Was it too late to put one out?

One morning before work, I went ahead and made some sugar water and when I got home, my hubby had put the feeder out. We had a visitor that afternoon and within a couple of days, we had at four at the same time. I felt both guilty for not putting it out earlier and relieved that we had because they apparently needed us after all.

God often uses nature to teach me life lessons. Those hummingbirds reminded me that we should never stop giving even when we think our giving is not appreciated or needed. We are called to simply do our part and let Him do the rest. Sometimes I need reminding. Perhaps you do too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

 

Lessons from Annie

Posted on by Wendy
A rainy morning with my dog reminded me to always be patient and thankful.

One morning last week, it began pouring rain. I was so happy to hear it beating on my roof. We have desperately needed it.

When I sat down to eat my breakfast, my dog Annie, started fussing at me. She’s a husky mix and extremely opinionated and vocal. Normally, as soon as I sit down to eat, she starts vocalizing and then she starts barking to let me know that she would like to go out immediately, if not sooner. She goes out first thing, but she likes to go out a second time and run around with our other pup.

On most days, I comply and get up and let her out, but that day when she started, I told her “no.” She of course, sassed right back and I told her it was raining outside and she couldn’t go out. This went on for a few minutes and she finally stopped and began chewing on the leg of a kitchen chair. I told her to stop and she sighed and put her head down, pouting.

I marveled at her persistence and her bad attitude. I mean, I give her what she wants almost all of the time. Couldn’t she be a little more patient and grateful?

Then I chuckled at myself. She’s only a dog. She didn’t understand that I was trying to keep her safe and truly had no idea all what I do for her on a regular basis, beginning with rescuing her from the pound. All she knew was she couldn’t get what she wanted at that moment. Then I felt convicted.

I could almost hear a voice asking if I was much different than Annie.

How often does God provide for me? He provides Every. Single. Day. First of all, He rescued me from a fate much worse than the pound. 

How often do I just simply take for granted that I woke up, that I am well, that I have family, that I have friends, and a home, and food to eat or that I have a job. The list of His provision, is endless.    

Yet, when I don’t get what I want the minute I ask, like Annie, how quickly and loudly do I complain? Do I ever stop to ask if there’s a reason? Do I ever even consider that a Divine “no” might in fact, be for my greater good? How patient and grateful am I?

A rainy day conversation with Annie reminded me to be thankful for God’s provision, for His limitless patience and for His fresh mercies that He doles out so freely every single day. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂