Author: Wendy

Sea Turtle Wisdom

Posted on by Wendy
This sea turtle looks like she was hand painted by God.
This sea turtle looks like she was hand painted by God.

On a recent trip to the Georgia coast, my family visited a sea turtle hospital. I had never given these beautiful creatures very much thought until the year before on a family vacation in Florida, we got to witness a sea turtle release. Three turtles had been rehabbed and were being returned to the sea.

It was an amazing experience, so naturally, when we learned that there was a sea turtle hospital that was open to visitors, we were all interested.

It was sad to find so many turtles who had been injured by the negligence of humanity, but inspiring to see all of the people working with them with the goal to return them back to the Atlantic Ocean to live long productive lives.

They were doing a surgery on one when we arrived and a volunteer explained that its flipper had been so damaged that they were having to amputate it. My eyes filled with tears at the news and I asked her if it would spend the remainder of its life in captivity, keeping in mind that some live over 150 years.

She explained to me that there would be a long rehab for the turtle, but that they can learn to compensate and live just fine in the wild, just like a three-legged dog does. I was shocked. How was that possible?

She went on to explain that they would put special weights on it and move it to larger and larger tanks to help it get stronger before finally setting it free.

Now, there’s no way that poor turtle has any idea what’s in store for her or the fact that the people who keep manhandling  her only want what’s best for her. They want her to be free again, but they want her to be strong and ready first.

I have thought a lot about that turtle upon my return home and the many others at that facility. As I was taking a walk yesterday, I came across a different kind of turtle attempting to cross the road. My heart went out to it as I was reminded of those sea turtles.

I knew it had very little chance of crossing successfully. It would surely get hit by a car. But, I also noted the sharp claws on its feet and I was reluctant to pick it up. So, I gently moved it across the road with my foot. It was terrified and drew up into its shell. It had no way of knowing I was trying to save its life.

As I came back by to check on it, I found it still tightly in its shell and I wished I had a way of communicating that I was only working for its best. For all it knew, I was some giant, kicking it around.

I continued to think about that turtle and the sea turtles as I finished my walk and how people can learn a lot from them.

We sometimes find ourselves getting kicked off of the path we are on, the one we think is best, but perhaps God is moving us out of the way of danger, like I did with the land turtle.

We also sometimes find ourselves getting mauled somehow by people, like the sea turtles and we end up on the sidelines for what seems like forever until we are ready to swim again. But perhaps God is using that time to grow us stronger and better equipped for the future, even though it may not seem like it at the time.

The turtles reminded me that we can trust that God is at work, even when all seems lost, even when we don’t understand. We are loved and treasured and He has a plan.

Sometimes I need reminding. Perhaps you needed reminding today too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Faith Lessons from a Pier

Posted on by Wendy
Sometimes when disaster looks imminent, we have to have faith.
Sometimes when disaster looks imminent, we have to have faith.

Last week on our family vacation, during and early evening at a pier, we observed a huge ship which seemed to be coming right towards the dock. We weren’t standing on the pier at the time, but dozens of people were. They were fishing and talking and laughing, seemingly unconcerned with the giant ship headed right towards them.

My family watched in nervous amazement as the ship stayed on its course. Didn’t these people remember what happened with that cruise ship in Greece a few years back where the captain ran it aground?

There were so many sandbars in our area and the waters seemed so shallow. Was the captain of this ship awake? Was he impaired? I even sent some photos to my mama so she could show them to my daddy, who was a Navy man.

Weren’t those people on the docks the least bit worried about their safety? They didn’t appear to be. Then, at the last minute, (or so it seemed to me), it turned.

Of course, the people on the pier had seen these ships many times. They weren’t concerned because they knew from years of experience, that there would be no collision. The experienced captain of the ship knew exactly where the deep waters were and he knew exactly when and where to steer his ship to safety.

But, we didn’t know that.

As we continued to watch the ginormous ship head away from the pier, it seemed to get perilously close to a shrimp boat returning from a day of shrimping. We couldn’t see the smaller boat very well and we wondered if the captain of the big one could. Were the people on the shrimp boat worried about their safety?

We anxiously watched as the big vessel appeared to narrowly miss the smaller one.

The zoom lens provided a very detailed view of the shrimp boat.
The zoom lens on my camera provided a very detailed view of the shrimp boat.

When I returned home and looked at my pictures, I marveled at the details on the shrimp boat. I noticed the nets and all of the seagulls surrounding it hoping for a scrap. I saw that it even had a name. I couldn’t see all of that from a distance, but my zoom lens could.

I thought about that big ship for days afterwards. I thought about how it looked like it would crash into the pier, into those people, causing a disaster, but it didn’t. I thought about how it looked like it would collide with the shrimp boat causing tragedy, but it didn’t.

I thought about how faith teaches us that when tragedy seems imminent, like a huge ship headed straight for us, that we can trust that God has us covered, time and time again. We don’t need to worry or even flinch.

I thought about how even though I couldn’t see the details on the shrimp boat, they were there, which made me consider that God sees all of the details of our lives, every little one, with a giant zoom lens. He is completely aware of where we are and where we are going and it matters to Him.

Jesus said, “And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid you are worth more than many sparrows.” Matthew 10:30-31

Having faith in difficult times can be hard. When we feel like a giant ship is headed straight for us, we wonder if God hears our prayers or even cares.

The answer is yes. He knows. He hears. He loves us. He cares.

Whatever your giant ship is, fear not. He’s got this. Perhaps you needed reminding today.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Strength from Adversity

Posted on by Wendy
Isn't it interesting that the strongest living things often endure the harshest circumstances?
Isn’t it interesting that the strongest living things often endure the harshest circumstances?

My family recently vacationed on the Georgia coast. It’s a beautiful area that has been kept natural. Georgia didn’t clear-cut its trees like some other states I have visited and there are beautiful oaks that are hundreds of years old, dripping in Spanish moss, standing proudly.

We learned that the wood of the live oaks is especially strong and that wood from some of coastal Georgia’s oaks was used in the construction of the hull of the USS Constitution. Interestingly enough, she was named by President George Washington and her maiden voyage was in 1798.

She is most famous for her performance in the War of 1812, where she got the nickname of “Old Ironsides,” because the artillery from the enemy just bounced off her rock solid hull.

And guess what? She’s still in service for the US Navy. She serves as a museum now, but in 1997 for her 200th birthday, she sailed under her own steam.

Let’s consider that for a minute. Think about the materials she was made of. Trees that can grow in coastal environments have to be able to withstand all types of assault from nature. First of all, salt water kills most things that are green. It tends to be very corrosive. Then there’s the extreme heat and sometimes drought. Oh, and let’s not forget tropical storms and hurricanes.

Yet, these live oak trees survive and thrive. There’s one on the coast of South Carolina that’s estimated to be over 1,500 years old. The fact that they live in hostile environments makes them incredibly strong and resilient and when they are cut down to be used to build something, like the USS Constitution, it too, becomes incredibly strong and long lasting.

The ones with large limbs that touch the ground and then grow back up to the sky are often referred to as angel oaks because they touch the earth and then grow back towards Heaven.

These trees have stayed on my mind long since we have returned from our trip. I think they have much to teach us.

First of all, the strongest living things must survive adversity. We simply can’t get stronger sitting in the shade sipping lemonade in perfect weather. No, it’s the storms that strengthen us and define us.

The Bible tells us, “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.” James 1:12

But, then after we have persevered, we have the ability to use our strength to help others and to build lasting testaments to the God who stood by our side and helped us survive and thrive in our adversity.

Lastly, we too, are earth bound at the moment like those trees, but we too are growing towards Heaven with each passing day, with each prayer, with each act of kindness, with each step of faith.

And like those trees, our journey too, through the good and bad, can be stunningly beautiful. A huge live oak reminded me. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Because We Can

Posted on by Wendy
A little voice reminded me that I should do good works because I can.
A little voice reminded me that I should do good works because I can.

My family just returned from a week at the beach. We had a nice time. The little condo we stayed at had a plant out on the deck. It wasn’t in very good shape. It was quite wilted from lack of water.

I asked myself who would leave a plant out at a vacation spot knowing it would not likely get watered. Not to mention that it sat right in the middle of the deck. The little plant nagged at me and I eventually went and got it some water which it soaked up immediately.

I was quite surprised to see how quickly it perked up. It looked like it might even live. I watered it a couple of other times, each time asking myself what the point was, thinking that the people who were renting the place the next week, might not water it and let it die.

Why did I feel so compelled to care for this plant that wasn’t even mine?

As I was watering it on my last day there, I felt an answer gently whispering to my heart, “Because you can.”

That was of course the answer all along. I watered the plant because I could. It was hardly any effort on my part, to fill a glass up at the sink and walk it out to the plant. But, it was life saving to the plant.

I think we often find ourselves wrestling with the notion of whether or not we should offer our help in different situations. We tell ourselves that we didn’t cause the problem and so it’s not our responsibility. We tell ourselves that the problem is so huge that our little contribution won’t matter anyway.

While those may be valid points on an earthly scale, we sometimes forget as Christians, that the Kingdom of God works on an entirely different currency. Jesus showed us with fishes and loaves, that whatever we have, no matter how meager, when put in God’s hands is always more than enough.

I have heard it argued that while Jesus’ number one reason for healing the sick was to glorify God, that He also healed because people in pain or in need, moved Him. He intervened; He healed because He could.

That reasoning fits with everything I know about our Savior.

The Bible tells us, “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

We are not saved by good works, but our faith calls us to do them, because Jesus did them, because they glorify God, and because we can.

A little wilted plant reminded me. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

 

Taking a Break

Posted on by Wendy

My kids have just gotten out of school for the summer and our family is taking a vacation this week to relax and enjoy a little break. We have VBS coming up soon and then a mission trip. I can’t wait to see how God shows Himself to us this summer and I’m looking forward to sharing it with you in this space. I hope you all have a week full of God’s blessings. See you back here in a week.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

A Call to Thrive

Posted on by Wendy
She had eight different slots to choose from.
She had eight different slots to choose from.

We bought a brand new hummingbird feeder this year. I had never seen one like it. It’s a two-story with eight different slots, complete with perches, for the little hummingbirds to feed at. I was hoping at last there would be plenty of nectar and plenty of perches and the little birds would spend more of their time eating and less of their time fighting.

This guy picked the same exact slot as the other bird, even though there were seven other options.
This guy picked the same exact slot as the other bird, even though there were seven other options.

 

Alas, that was not to be the case. Nope, they continued to spend their time running the other birds away, instead of enjoying the abundance. They would squabble over the same little flower, even though there were options that offered the exact same nectar.

This isn’t the first time I’ve reflected on these aggressive little birds. When I spend much time watching them, I usually feel like God has something to teach me.

This time as I watched them, it occurred to me that in nature, the key word is survival. They don’t care about sharing or building relationships and community. They just want to have their next meal. They don’t know the first thing about thriving. They just want to survive at all costs.

I guess that’s okay, if you are a hummingbird.

But, how many people do the same?

How many of us settle for the same thing, day in and out? It’s not fabulous; but it’s familiar. We eat the same food, even though there are millions of recipes on the internet for something different. We stay at the same job even though we are bored to tears and long for something else.

We settle for mediocrity in our relationships. We choose friends who are just like us, not people who might help us grow or inspire us. We often allow our marital relationships to get super comfortable, ignoring each other most of the time. What if we turned of the television and went for a walk? What if we went outside and marveled at the wonder of the night sky?

What if we had a conversation about how we might change the world around us in some small way?

Sometimes it’s good for us to take a look around us and ask ourselves if we are thriving. We can ask things like: Are we a part of a caring community? Are we a part of a vibrant faith community? How can we make our relationships stronger? Can we exercise more and eat better? Are we living our lives to the fullest extent possible or are we just surviving?

I believe that God has called us all to a higher purpose than just getting by. I believe that He has plans for us that are beyond our imagination. To learn what they are, we have to talk to Him and then listen. We have to draw in close because sometimes He whispers. We have to be aware of His presence in the everyday.

Then, we must be willing to go, wherever He calls, knowing it may be just across our backyard, but knowing as long as we are walking with Jesus, we will be living out loud, because just surviving, is not His style.

Some hummingbirds reminded me. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Heaven We Have a Problem

Posted on by Wendy
History shows, prayer works.
History shows, prayer works.

I recently watched the movie, “Apollo 13,” which by most accounts is a pretty accurate account of the actual events of the Apollo 13, space mission. It’s a fabulous movie and I had seen it before, but it had been a while.

Different aspects spoke to me this time.

The entire mission was the perfect storm. Everything that could go wrong did, from one of the astronauts being bumped twenty-four hours before the launch, to failure of one of the engines at lift off.  The first two days went smoothly with a few minor glitches. Then there was an explosion and they lost one oxygen tank and the second began rapidly depleting. They also lost two fuel cells.

The American people at the time, were not interested in the launch. It had become old hat to them and the networks didn’t even broadcast it. No one was particularly interested until the explosion occurred and lives hung in the balance.

Does that sound like a familiar phenomenon? We are surrounded by wonder everyday, but we don’t pay much attention because it has become normal to us. If it’s not new and shiny, we tend to check out.

But, when disaster struck, the world was riveted. Everyone was glued to their televisions.

President Richard Nixon asked the Nation to observe a day of prayer. The Senate and House, jointly passed a resolution on April 14, 1970, asking all Americans to pray at 9:00 Eastern Standard Time for the safe return of their countrymen. They also urged businesses and communication media to pause for prayer at that hour.

Are you stunned? Can you imagine both houses in Congress passing anything through that quickly? Can you imagine our leaders urging us to pray? They didn’t seem to be overly concerned with the separation of church and state or offending anyone.

In Rome, in St. Peter’s Square, the Pope led 50,000 people in a prayer for the astronauts’ safe return.

In Jerusalem, there were prayers at the wailing wall.

There were thousands of church prayer services held all over the country, asking God for intervention.

We are a country who has always had God at our root and we turned to Him in droves.

The odds were terrible. If they had enough power to get home, they could very likely have burned up on re-entry and the sea they were set to land in was on the edge of a typhoon.

But, we serve a God who doesn’t care about odds or statistics. He cares about, faith, trust and obedience. He answered the prayers of the millions of people who prayed and delivered the astronauts safely.

President Nixon later spoke at a church, where he said, “This event reminds us in these days of growing materialism, deep down, there is still a great religious faith in this Nation….I think more people probably prayed last week than perhaps have prayed in many years.”

People prayed and God listened.

It’s been forty-six years since the Apollo 13 launch. A lot has happened. But, we still serve the same God.

The Bible tells us, “if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14

Are we paying attention or have we become complacent? Are we praying like we should for our country and our leaders? We know there is power in prayer. We not only see it in the Bible; we have seen it throughout our history.

One of the astronauts famously said, “Houston we have a problem.” Perhaps we should say, “Heaven we have a problem,” and then ask God to fix it.

History shows us, if enough of us pray and turn to Him, He will.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

 

A Call to Love Like Jesus

Posted on by Wendy
In a show of love, compassion and solidarity, the fifth graders purchased and wore shirts to support their friend battling cancer.
In a show of love, compassion, and solidarity, the fifth graders purchased and wore shirts to support their friend battling cancer.

Yesterday I subbed in a fifth grade class on the day before the last day of school. It was a little crazy to say the least. It was also awards day and so many of the parents would be coming to see their child get an award. Oh, yeah and it was also the fifth grade cookout. The kids were pretty revved up.

The day before, they had learned that a fellow classmate, who had been out of school fighting cancer since January, would be returning for the day. They had designed a t-shirt when he was first diagnosed, and they were asked to wear it and they did. Even the kids who were all dressed up, slipped the shirt on over their outfit to show support.

Two banners were made and signed by the excited students to welcome him back.

Ironically, this same group of children had another classmate battling cancer the year before. They wore shirts designed for her too, back in fourth grade.

When the time came for the little boy to arrive, the entire fifth grade class, filed out into the pod. As he came down the ramp and saw his banner, they began clapping for him. He was grinning. He looked happy to be back. Every child gave him a high-five. His mama and daddy walked behind him. His grandparents walked behind him, capturing it all on video. His mama and grandmama cried.

Tears streamed down my face as the children, uncoached, in unison, began chanting his name. It was an incredibly moving moment and I could feel the strong presence of God, whether or not prayer is allowed in public schools.

I picture a similar scene occurring in Heaven, when we overcome obstacles that we have prayed and struggled with. I also picture a similar scene in Heaven when we finally arrive there for good.

We returned to our classrooms and then to the cafeteria for the award ceremony. It lasted about an hour and the little boy won one of the last awards. He was invited up at the end to read a letter he had written. He thanked everyone for the cards and letters when he was sick and then he thanked everyone for their prayers.

For the second time that day, I saw God in public school.

I wasn’t the least bit surprised to learn that this family believed in prayer. The love and appreciation that glowed off of them as they walked through all of those students, could have only come from Jesus.

He ended up spending the entire day with his friends as they all got ready for middle school. He played some basketball with them on the playground and seemed to really enjoy himself.

The story warmed my heart and touched me to tears all day long, reminding me that we do not require permission to make God a part of our children’s lives.

Cancer doesn’t discriminate. But, love and compassion don’t discriminate either. Jesus loves all children of all colors. All lives matter to Him, not just people of a certain color, no matter what the media may tell us.

A bunch of fifth graders and their teachers, in a small town in rural Georgia, totally got it right. Every one of those people involved got to be the face of Jesus and made Him very much a part of public school.

May they be a shining example for us all.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Holding Out for Transformation

Posted on by Wendy
Sometimes things appear dead on the outside, but big change and growth are going on on the inside.
Sometimes things appear dead on the outside, but big change and growth are going on, on the inside.

When my hubby and I bought our house, there were holly bushes growing on each side of our driveway. They are evergreen and require very little maintenance and the deer won’t eat them, so we were happy to have them there. But, as the years passed, they got bigger and bigger and really needed trimming.

Problem was, that since they were so big, the idea of trimming them without cutting ourselves to pieces on the sharp leaves, became a task we kept pushing to the end of our list of things to do. So, the holly bushes continued to grow unchecked until we had issues with them scratching our car doors if we got too close when backing out of our driveway.

The time had come, like it or not, for them to be cut back. I researched on how and when to cut them. They are supposed to be close to impossible to kill, so on a Saturday, we cut them back, way back, and the entire family had the scratches to prove it.

They were really ugly when we finished, very little green left at all, but we knew they would come back stronger than ever.

But, weeks went by and they showed no signs of life. We had some much needed rain and still, nothing, just dead looking stalks.

I examined them every few days and could find no growth. Had we accidentally killed them?

Finally, over six weeks after we cut them, new life appeared. I was jubilant.

The holly had been hard at work regenerating, even though I couldn't see it.
The holly had been hard at work regenerating, even though I couldn’t see it.

I thought about the new growth on that holly bush for several days and every time I checked on it again, there was even more. The holly reminded me how we sometimes want something so badly that we pray and we pray about it.

As time passes, we sometimes begin to lose hope and believe that whatever we are praying about is dead. It can range from anything to a relationship to a dream of some kind. But, perhaps we are too quick to give up hope.

Perhaps, like this holly, even though it appeared dead, there is work going on, on the inside and at just the right moment, the new growth is ready to burst forth.

As I thought about it, I was reminded that butterflies go through the same kind of phenomenon. Who would believe that inside an ugly gray cocoon, that rare beauty will emerge? A creature that crawled on its belly becomes a creature that can fly.

But, it takes time. Transformation takes time.

The good news is that God is incredibly patient with us in our impatience, and even in our lack of faith. But, if we keep praying and learn to wait on His timing, He can create something magnificent out of the ashes.

Growth can burst forth in areas that we had given up as dead, just like my holly bush.

Sometimes I need reminding, perhaps you do too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

 

More Jesus

Posted on by Wendy
If stress is ruling our lives, perhaps we need more Jesus.
If stress is ruling our lives, perhaps we need more Jesus.

Yesterday morning, a friend of mine posted a link to a blog on Facebook. It was titled “Take a little wine for your stomach (or how to live well in a stressful world.) It was based on 1 Timothy 5:23 which reads, “Stop drinking only water, and use a little wine because of your stomach and frequent illnesses.”

Here’s a link, if you would like to read it: http://artofholiness.com/2016/04/20/take-a-little-wine-for-your-stomach-or-how-to-live-with-sinful-people/

Being  someone who has coped with stomach issues caused by stress, for years, I was intrigued and not only did I read it, but I read it to my hubby too. It was a good article which had me thinking all day.

My first thought was in today’s super secular society with very little respect for God, I’m surprised some alcohol selling establishment doesn’t have the quote emblazoned in neon somewhere, touting that the Bible says we should all get sloshed for our health.

We’ve become pretty skilled these days, at making the Bible say, what we want it to say.

But, anyone who knows anything about the writer of that letter, Paul, would know that there’s no way that was Paul’s intent. Paul, however, was no stranger to the strife that goes on in churches and he was writing his young friend a letter of encouragement.

Churches are made up of broken people, kind of like gyms are often made up of people who aren’t in the best of shape, but are trying to get fit. Broken people can make us crazy and if we try to control or fix them, we are creating a ton of stress for ourselves.

The bottom line is, we can’t control or fix them.

For that matter, we can’t fix anyone in our lives, not even our own kids, spouses, or friends. We can share the truth with them. We can pray for them. We can pray with them. But, in the end, only Jesus can actually change them.

I think Paul was telling the younger man who was newer to the faith, to relax. Making himself sick over things he couldn’t control was useless, so perhaps he should drink a little wine. In other words, to chill out because God was in control.

But, then my hubby shared his thoughts about a deeper meaning and they were even better. He pointed out that wine, in Christianity, represents the blood of Jesus. Water was great and Timothy needed it to live, but to thrive and to not be riddled with stress and anxiety, which was leading to his health issues, what he really needed was more Jesus.

The same goes for us today. We tend to worry about everything, to the point of making ourselves sick. We try to fix and change people. We stress over all kinds of situations completely out of our control. We wonder if God is listening to our prayers. Is He going to help us or liberate us?

He has done even better. He sent Jesus to redeem us. Sure, a little wine may help to relax us. But, if we really want peace, we need more Jesus.

A Facebook post reminded me. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂