He Carries Our Burdens

Lord, sometimes I foolishly try to carry the weight of my burdens on my shoulders. Forgive me for not trusting you to carry them for me. Help me to set them down and relinquish those burdens to your strength and wisdom.

Walking the Nature Trails

Walking the Nature Trails

The path opens to a clearing larger than a football field.  Waist high brome grasses sway slightly in a gentle waltz with the faint breeze.  Nearby branches merely watch, too heavily laden with yellow-green hedge apples to dance.  On the far side of the field lies a painter’s palette of trees just beginning to show their colors—green, yellow, orange, brown, and rust, accented by splashes of bright red sumac and dark tree trunks.  Wildflowers once covered this field.  Three and four-foot high dried stalks now fill the meadow, their seed heads white and full, ready to release millions of umbrella ribs to flower another field.

I risk a quick crossing of the muddy path to stand on the bridge and watch the swollen stream.  My right foot sinks three inches into the soft black ooze, but I make it safely across.  The recent rain has forced the creek out of its bed.  Noisily it rushes through unfamiliar territory, over its former banks and around tree trunks, its strength rippling the mud-brown water, carrying foamy bubbles downstream.  The rushing water rocks the dying trees, tipping them on their sides from the water’s force, but their roots hold firm against its assault.  One tree reaches toward the flood, its green and yellow leaves bending toward the water like a girl bending over to wash her hair. 

The rushing water lulls me into to a peaceful reverie.  The surface ripples, like a cat flexing the muscles on its back. Every day responsibilities beckon me home. Reluctantly, I amble across the bridge, promising myself to return soon.

  The peace, beauty, and serenity of God’s handiwork are just outside my front door to enjoy whenever I choose.  How seldom I choose!  It is the same way with God’s peace, love, wisdom, and power.  It is there for me, whenever I choose to enjoy it.  All I have to do is walk the path.   

Lord, forgive me for those many times that my nearsighted eyes fail to see your grandeur.  Open my eyes to behold your glory.

Amos 5:4b “Seek me and live.”

Living a godly life

Father, forgive us. You have given us all we need to live godly lives, yet we frequently botch it. Forgive us, Lord. Keep our hearts focused on you and help us rely on your wisdom and strength so that we may live godly lives.

Beyond the Spilled Milk

            Beyond the spilled milk. That was my prayer for my children when they were small. “Lord, help me to see beyond the spilled milk.” As a parent, it is often easy to get caught up in the moment, and react with irritation or anger. Spilled milk would be just one small example. Instead of reacting with frustration and anger when one of my children spilled milk, I asked God to help me see the big picture. I wanted Him to teach me how to react so that the long-term effects of my reaction would be good for my children.

            Looking back, I can see that constantly reacting to a child’s spilled milk or other small mistake with anger and belittling words, might make a child feel insecure, self-critical, and not unconditionally loved. If, instead, I react by cleaning up the mess and teaching them how to help, this could teach them to become people who don’t worry about the small things in life, and who easily accept and offer grace.

            Now that my children are grown, I can see that God did answer those prayers. My children have become caring adults who live grace-filled lives. Even though I was far from a perfect parent, God answered my prayers and gave me patience and wisdom in those “spilled milk” moments. He showed me ways to nurture and teach my children through their mistakes, rather than berate them with criticism and anger. As any parent knows, it often takes God’s strength to react to childish mistakes without anger and frustration.

            Lord, it’s so easy to respond to the small issues of life with impatience and irritation. Whether I’m dealing with children or adults, give me the wisdom to see beyond the spilled milk.

            Proverbs 14:29 “Whoever is patient has great understanding, but one who is quick-tempered displays folly.”

Friday Friends’ Favorites

Philippians 2:1&2 Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.

Whispering Wings

In the beginning, you hovered over the waters, wings beating like a mother bird watching her young. Wings strong, silent, stirring the waters, whispering to all of creation, bestowing life. You who hovered in the beginning, you who made the heavens and the earth, you also made me. Your wings beat and the “breath of the Almighty gives me life” (Job 33:4).

I have known your presence and seen you hover, heard the whispering beat of your wings as you watch over me. I have felt the quickening of life within, the first breath, the stirring of spirit within my soul. I know your presence in day’s first light, the infant’s cry, the pull of ocean waves, and the gnarled trees raising their arms heavenward. All around and all within, you hover. I feel the wind of your wings and hear their whispering beat.

Let the whispering wind of your wings become a violent storm within my inner being. Spark the embers of your spirit within my soul that it may flame brightly with your power and love.