Category: Watching for God

God is all around us. All we have to do is look for Him. If we seek Him, we will find Him at times in the most unlikely places.

The View from Our Knees

Posted on by Wendy
It's amazing the difference that a group of Christians can make in someone's life in five days.
It’s amazing the difference that a group of Christians can make in someone’s life in only five days.

On a recent mission trip that my family attended, we toured two houses in need of repair. My daughter and I felt drawn to one and my hubby and son felt drawn to the other. This, as it turns out, was not by accident.

This was my hubby’s and son’s first trip to a Salkehatchie mission camp and they were not particularly excited about it in the beginning. My daughter and I had talked about it regularly since the year before. Our experience had filled us with such passion for returning and helping others that we found it difficult to contain it.

It’s kind of like when people first come to know Christ and they can’t stop talking about their newfound faith. Those of us who have walked with Jesus for a long time, can find ourselves getting annoyed, if we’re not careful about it.

My hubby and son were growing a little weary of hearing about our mountain top experiences and about the amazing group of faithful servants who we not only worked with, but had come to think of as family.

I prayed all year that God would provide a way for us to return this year and that the men in my family would be as moved and inspired as my daughter and I had been.

Well, you know what they say: “When you pray for rain, you better get an umbrella….”

Orlando, the homeowner, on the work site that my hubby and son were on, had spina bifida and had spent his entire life using arm crutches. He had inherited his house from his parents, but it was badly in need of repair.

It was very dark inside. The carpet was decades old. The kitchen was a loss. There wasn’t a working toilet in the house and the house was covered in years of grime.

Orlando had been waiting for help for years and he was clearly depressed. He didn’t have much to say at all, when our group came through the first time.

But, although he thought he had been forgotten, God was at work.

In the span of five days, his life was changed. A crew came in and scrubbed everything from walls, to floors, to furniture. A new toilet and vanity were placed in his bathroom. He got a washer and dryer and new floors. His counter tops were replaced and walls were painted. He got new carpet.

My hubby headed up the carpet crew and got to spend a lot of time with Orlando. He was incredibly touched by his story. He was moved by the way that Orlando brightened up each day. He was amazed at the way Orlando took more and more pride in his home as the week went on. He was thrilled when Orlando accepted the cross necklace that he offered him.

At the end of the week, each person who attended and worked, was asked to stand up and share with everyone a symbol that demonstrated how God had shown Himself that week.

When my hubby shared his, he began by saying that he had spent the entire week on his knees, dealing with carpet. While on his knees, he saw God in every staple and every tack strip. In short, while on his knees, he saw God everywhere he looked, including in Orlando’s newfound smile.

I don’t think he could have said it any better. Perhaps we should all try it. He’s already talking about going back next year.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

A Message of Light

Posted on by Wendy
It's always amazing how just the smallest amount of light can dispel darkness.
It’s always amazing how just the smallest amount of light can dispel darkness.

A couple of nights ago, I had a restless night. I tossed and turned as my body desperately needed to sleep, but my mind refused to shut down. Maybe that has happened to you?

An opportunity that I had prayed about for a long time, was lying at my feet and while I was excited about it, it would require change. It represented the ending of an era and the turning of a page, all good stuff, mind you.

But, change is hard for this gal. I embrace it as much as I can, but sometimes, well, sometimes I would like for life to just freeze as it is for a while, so I can enjoy it for a little longer.

And so, sleep eluded me as my mind raced backwards and forwards. Intellectually, I knew it was all going to be fine, but my churning stomach told a different tale. When I got up at 4:00 to get a drink of water, I marveled at how dark it was outside, which matched my emotions. At 6:00, I gave up trying to sleep and went downstairs for a cup of coffee.

I pulled out my daily devotion, which at the moment, was in the Book of Acts. The reading was about Pentecost and when the Holy Spirit literally roared into action. It’s exciting stuff. It’s almost easy to forget how distraught those early Christians were at the time.

Jesus had risen from the dead. He was with them again. Good had conquered evil and all was good. The disciples were looking at their happily ever after, the end.

But, Jesus left again. This time He ascended into Heaven for all of them to see. He told them He was going. He told them that He was leaving them for a good reason, so that the Holy Spirit could come. He told them to go to Jerusalem and wait.

A group of around 120 fearfully waited and prayed, just as they were told and the Holy Spirit showed up in a huge way. They were able to speak in different languages and to heal the sick, which never could have happened if they hadn’t embraced change and the unknown, change that was likely painful for them.

The Church was born that day and all Christians have that group of obedient believers to thank.

As I was thinking about that Pentecost, I walked over to my counter to get another cup of coffee and was struck by the sunlight streaming through the trees. It had been so dark when I sat down to read my Bible, yet such a short time later, the light was dispelling the darkness and it was beautiful.

I was reminded of a favorite verse: “This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.” 1 John 1:5

It was like a little message from Heaven that it was all going to be alright. Sometimes I need reminding that when we put our plans in God’s hands, that will always be the case. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

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 🙂

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 🙂

A Faith Oasis

Posted on by Wendy
Sometimes if you want some beauty in your life, you have to be willing to do your part.
Sometimes if you want some beauty in your life, you have to be willing to do your part.

I was gazing out my window yesterday at my barren, unappealing deck. It was covered in yellow oak tassels and sticks from all of the wind we have had lately. Both tables were covered in debris as well. As I looked out there, It thought to myself that I really would like to look out there and see an oasis.

I would like to have brightly colored tables and flowers blooming in pots scattered about. Almost as soon as I thought it, a little voice popped in my head that said if I wanted an oasis, a place of beauty and rest, then I should go create it.

I pushed it to the back of my busy mind as I had a million other things to do, but I eventually found myself out there. I got my hubby’s blower and cleared of the mounds of oak crud. I took a six-pack of impatiens that I already had and dug around for some brightly colored pots I already had as well.

I cleaned off the tables and made a mental note to get some paint. It wasn’t finished, but it was a start and sometimes that’s all you need.

It occurred to me as I rolled up the hose and then the cord to the blower that we often have the ability to create an oasis of sorts in many areas of our lives.

Many of us get the importance of prayer, but we neglect to take the physical steps to create the beauty and peace that we seek. We pray for stronger or happier marriages, but we continue to treat our spouse in the same way that ended us up in the desert. We pray that our children will know Jesus and draw closer to God, yet we fail to take them to church regularly or talk to them about our faith.

We pray for a promotion, but continue to arrive a few minutes late to work and take long lunches. We pray for a better job, but don’t send out any resumes.

Many of us long for a stronger faith, but we don’t read the Bible or make intentional time for prayer. I remember hearing Joyce Meyer tell a story once about having a conversation with God. She would speak and He would speak right back to her. I remember wanting that kind of relationship with Him, but not knowing how.

Was she special? No. She was intentional. She read the Bible. She prayed. She asked questions to those who had been Christians longer. She learned obedience. She helped to create an oasis in her relationship with God.

And so can we. There is always hope for whatever areas in our lives seem to be in the desert. First we pray for direction and sometimes that direction is to wait. But, sometimes that direction is for us to do our part. We can count on God doing His a hundred percent.

We are physical and spiritual beings. Sometimes the most difficult step to take is the first. Yet, when we want real change we have to be willing to take it.

Sometimes I need reminding. Perhaps you do too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Unexpected Places and Faces

Posted on by Wendy
God often shows up in the most unexpected places and faces.
God often shows up in the most unexpected places and faces.

Yesterday was a long day for me. It was only Wednesday, but I had something to do everyday after work. I was truly exhausted and I knew I needed to go and buy groceries because the cupboard was literally bare.

I checked my e-mail right before leaving school and I had a notification from UPS, that the Vacation Bible School supplies I ordered had been dropped off at the back door of our church. People are not consistently there during the day, so I really needed to go and get them. Sigh.

I had prayed that morning for God to show me His face and to help me to be the face of Jesus for others. But, it had been a long not particularly inspiring day. Nothing bad had happened, but nothing great had happened either and I make it my business to search for the good.

I drove to the church, fiddling with the radio, finding nothing I wanted to listen to and being kind of annoyed in general. When I arrived, the package wasn’t at the first door I came to, Uhoh, I hoped it hadn’t been taken. When I got to the other side of the church, there were workmen there, installing a brand new sidewalk and I spied the packages I had come for.

When I got out of the car, I told one of the men how great the sidewalk looked. He thanked me. I told them that VBS had arrived and I pointed to the boxes by the door.

Then, I went to pick up one of the boxes. When I went for a second load, one of the men had stopped what he was doing, picked up the biggest, heaviest box, and followed me to my car. He asked me where to put it.

I gave him a weary smile and thanked him from the bottom of my heart. He told me I was welcome and went back to work.

It seemed like a simple exchange, just a simple kindness, but I knew it was more. When I ask God to show me His face, a lesson I learned from Vacation Bible School through the “God Sightings” challenge, and no, I didn’t miss the irony here; He always does in some unexpected way.

I waited all day long to see a glimpse of grace a glimpse of Jesus, and God saved it for the very end of the day when I was weariest and needed it the most. He sent me a helping hand and a kind smile from a stranger, loading up Vacation Bible School supplies of all things.

I don’t know why I was surprised. That’s usually His way, to show up when I don’t feel that I can take one more step.

I said a prayer of thanks on my drive home and vowed to share

Grace can come in the most unexpected places and faces. May we open our eyes and hearts to see it and may we open our arms and hearts to the world around us, and be it.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Hummingbird Reminders

Posted on by Wendy
When we are willing to serve, we can offer refreshment for a thirsty world.
When we are willing to serve, we can offer refreshment for a thirsty world.

A couple of days ago, I was sitting on my back porch when I saw a hummingbird fly by. I was filled with excitement and guilt all at once. I was excited because I really enjoy watching them every year at the feeder and also because it was just one more sign that summer is coming.

But, I threw away my feeder at the end of last year. It was old and beyond repair. I promised myself that I would buy a new one before the little hummers arrived in the spring, but I forgot.

When my teenage son arrived home from school and joined me on the porch, the hummingbird flew by again. I shared my feelings of guilt with him. He replied with a grin, “Wow, Mom, he’s probably thinking I just flew all the way from South America and it sure would be nice to get a drink!”

You, gotta love teen wit.

But, I thought about the little bird all evening and when I got up the following morning, I prepared some sugar water for him and then I took off to Wal-Mart as soon as possible to buy a new feeder. I even chose one that is supposed to be ant proof and wasp proof. We’ll see about that.

I got it filled and hung as soon as I returned home. I wondered if the bird would return.

I watched for a few minutes, knowing that it could be hours. But, it wasn’t. Within ten minutes, the little guy was sitting on a perch getting his long-awaited drink. He lingered for a little while and I was filled with relief and pure joy just watching him enjoy the fruits of my labors.

That hummingbird stayed on my mind for the remainder of the day. I thought about how I felt convicted to serve him, to provide for him. I thought about how my son’s words added to my convictions.

I thought about how the Holy Spirit often works in the same way when we are called to serve people. Sometimes a person will come across our path, or we get a request to help with some kind of ministry in our church. It can range from serving refreshments, to helping with children’s church, to attending a Sunday School Class. It could be to take on some type of leadership role. It could be to go on a mission trip of some sort or to help provide financially for one. It could be to serve some need in our community.

The call to serve could take on any number of faces. The point is that at some point in our faith walk, we are all called to serve. We feel a conviction deep in our hearts that we really need to lend a hand in some way. We know that it comes from God because our work will glorify Him and we know that it comes from Him because the gentle nagging doesn’t go away.

The hummingbird reminded me how important it is to listen to what our hearts are telling us about service, to be open to convictions and willing to answer the call.

Sometimes I need reminding. Perhaps you do too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

It’s What You Leave Behind

Posted on by Wendy
"It's not what you take when you leave this world behind you" Randy Travis
“It’s not what you take when you leave this world behind you; it’s what you leave behind you when you go.” Randy Travis

When the sun came up yesterday morning, I was delighted to see that my yellow irises were blooming. They even have a name, Money. They bloom every year right around my birthday and they are like a birthday wish from heaven.

My maternal grandmother died the month before I was born and so I never got to know her. As time went on, my granddaddy had a companion and her name was Kittie. She became a grandmother to me.

Long after Grandaddy died, we celebrated birthdays and Christmas with her. When I went away to college, she and I exchanged letters once every couple of weeks. We continued that practice until she was placed in a nursing home in her eighties. She was very special to me and I know that God placed her in my life.

She loved irises and grew different types. She entered them into a yearly contest. Sometimes she would complain that they bloomed too soon or that a late frost would mar them, but the yellow ones called, Money, were her favorites. They often won her a ribbon.

After she went home to be with Jesus, her house sat vacant and was set to be torn down. I called her sister and asked if it would be okay if I went and dug up some of her beloved irises. She gave me her blessing and so my hubby and I went and dug up the bulbs.

We planted them in a patch around a tree so I could see them from my kitchen window. They didn’t bloom the first year and then I found a little cat statue with angel wings and placed it in the bed. Kittie loved cats. I could vividly remember her teeheehee, giggle, when I put it there. The next year I was blessed with blooms along with beautiful memories of her.

Now, every year right around my birthday, those blooms pop out. They stand straight and tall as if they are pointing to heaven. They remind me of the importance of those who walk with us along our journey. They remind me that sometimes family doesn’t come to us through blood, but through God’s special blessings. They remind me of a beautiful soul who isn’t here physically anymore, yet her memory remains.

They remind me that life is short and that we need to make our moments count. They remind me of the Randy Travis song, Three Wooden Crosses. “I guess it’s not what you take when you leave this world behind you; it’s what you leave behind you when you go.”

That’s easy to forget sometimes in our constant rush, but sometimes it’s good to be reminded. Sometimes it’s good to stop and ask ourselves, “What will we leave behind when we go?” A different kind of Money reminded me today. Perhaps you need reminding too. Let’s make this day count.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Even When You Can’t See Him

Posted on by Wendy
"Let us not become weary of doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest is we do not give up." Galatians 6:9
“Let us not become weary of doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest is we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9

A couple of days ago, I sat down at my kitchen table and had a pity party. I had just returned from the doctor’s office after a breathing treatment and armed with an antibiotic. My week-long cold had turned into bronchitis and I was sick and tired of feeling sick and tired.

My sweet hubby, bless his heart, was trying to fix me something for lunch even though I had no appetite. When he sat down and joined me, the tears began to fall. Nothing was going right. Why wasn’t God answering my prayers? Weren’t we doing all of the right things? Why were all of my plans failing?

Now, my hubby has spent close to twenty years living with me. He didn’t intervene. He just sat there quietly listening and let me wallow. He didn’t have any answers. He didn’t offer any, but he also didn’t try to make me feel better. I suspect he knew that while I was at a low point, my own faith would help me find the light.

We talked for a little while and he went back to work.

It’s interesting how God can work through our people, those who we hold dear. I didn’t really need for him to point out all of our blessings; I knew they were there. I was just in a dark place at the moment. My hubby knew through his own faith, that he couldn’t get me out, but he knew who could and so he just listened.

I found myself asking God all that day where He was and why I couldn’t feel Him or see Him at the moment. My faith told me He was there, but like a child, I wanted proof.

The next morning, I awoke super early. I couldn’t sleep for some reason, but I felt better. The antibiotic was working. I had the entire day to myself with nothing on the schedule, so I asked God for a quiet day, one where I could seek Him and hear Him.

I did some Yoga as I prayed, in front of a window. It was the first day I could breathe deeply in a week. I kept noticing the wind moving in the trees and I had my answer.

We can’t see the wind, but its power and ability is evident in the world around us. It moves the trees and cools the earth. It makes wind chimes create beautiful music. It can also be quite destructive. Just because we can’t see it, doesn’t make it real and present.

As I was pondering that thought, my eye was drawn to a bush that comes back every year. I have no idea what it is. I didn’t plant it, but it’s beautiful and hardy and comes back on its own. It reminded me that while I do have work to do, God is working too, on things and plans of beauty that I can’t even fathom.

My part is to simply trust and be patient. I felt incredibly encouraged.

Sometimes I need reminding. Perhaps you do too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Who We Think We Are

Posted on by Wendy
God was at work in Moses' life for decades before He spoke to him in the burning bush.
God was at work in Moses’ life for decades before He spoke to him in the burning bush.

I’m following along with an online Bible study on Moses. We all know his story at least the high points. He’s the guy who survived the Nile River in a floating basket. He’s the guy who got to talk to God in a burning bush. He’s the guy who took on Pharaoh and won. He’s the guy who held out his staff and God parted the Red Sea. He was the ultimate Chuck Norris of his time. He seems practically bullet proof, right?

But, a closer reading of the Scripture, shows a more human side to Moses, one most of us can probably relate to on some level.

The Book of Acts tells us that Moses was at the tender age of 40, when he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew and was so moved by it that he killed the Egyptian. Exodus tells us that the next day he saw two Hebrews fighting each other and when he called them out, one said, “Who made you ruler and judge over us?” Exodus 2:14a

Moses took that accusation to heart and fled to the desert. He met a woman there and married her. He went to work in the family business tending sheep. They had a son. Moses was content. Life was good. Egypt and the troubles of his people the Hebrews was long forgotten, a thing of the past.

According to Act 7:30, another forty years went by.

Then, out of the blue, God appeared to Moses in a  burning bush. I suspect that Moses thought Egypt was a part of his past. He had tried on his own, to intervene for the Hebrews and they hadn’t in his opinion, seemed very grateful or open to his assistance. I wonder how often he thought about the “who made you?” comment.

But, the thing is, it wasn’t out of the blue. God had been at work the entire forty years, at work in Moses and at work in Egypt. Whether Moses could see it or not, was irrelevant. Can you relate?

So, Moses approaches the burning bush in shock and awe I imagine, and when God tells him He wants him to lead His people out of Egypt, what does Moses say? “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” Exodus 3:11b

Who am I? Can you relate to that statement? I know I can.

Who am I to lead a Bible study? I don’t really know the Bible myself. Who am I to teach a Sunday School Class? Who am I to go on a mission trip? Who am I to….?

But, the truth is, it didn’t matter who Moses was. The only thing that mattered was in verse twelve when God said, “I will be with you.”

It didn’t matter who Moses was or thought he was. The only thing that mattered was who God was and is.

And so it is with us today. Whatever we are called to do that we feel unworthy or incapable of doing, if God is with us, we will succeed. Failure is not an option for Him.

And don’t forget, it’s never too late to answer the call. Moses was eighty.

Sometimes I need reminding. Perhaps you do too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂