Did you see Him?

Thoughtful Thursday

Like many of you, no doubt, I enjoy browsing through antique, thrift, or otherwise 'junk' stores. But, I am not after furniture, or gadgets. Books are my 'thing'. I love old books. When I met my husband, I was thrilled to find out that he felt the same as I. We have already checked out the antique store in our new town, and have our eye on several wonderful old classic books. They are a tad pricey, but when I have a bit of cash to spare I will probably slip back to the store and buy a few favorites. It is sad that when we moved a couple of years ago, we had to leave piles of beloved volumes behind. We both agonize over that frequently. There are some treasures that we just couldn't leave~such as this one. It really is a handy little book. Some of the chapters include: Appreciation, Courage, Friendship, Opportunity, Trifles...I just love the good old fashioned values in these words of wisdom. Today the Big talk around internet town is Earth Day. So, we will let today's thought come from the "Nature" chapter:

TRANSCENDENT

Author Unknown

Dear heart, perhaps you can not find God's hand

Or see His face through some hour of despair.

Do not be grieved, go seek the good, clean land,

And you will find Him there.

He is part of every wind that sweeps

Across the furrows, down their upturned length.

Breathe deeply of it~here is where God keeps

Stored healing and stored strength.

Wander awhile down some still wooded way;

Stoop to the lichen, dig through the mossy sod.

Stir in the leafmold~and the feathery spray

Of a fern can show you God.

You can touch Him as you touch the bark of a tree;

You can hear His voice in the voice of the singing birds.

Dear God, may we listen~God may we look and see

Thy face, and hear Thy words.

Did you see God today? That, my friends is what Earth Day is all about.

5 Days and a Map

I am a bit saddened that for 5 days coming up (April 1-5), I won't be able to blog. Yes, we are quite excited about the move, as I am getting a nice sewing room (finally), and the boys will have their own rooms (quite needed as they are 12 years apart in age), my husband has a better job opportunity, but I have to give up the internet 5 days to do so! Yikes!

Those 5 days are perhaps the most important 5 days of the entire year to our family. When I was growing up, we went to a church that had a Maundy Thursday service. It was a re-enactment of the Last Supper, and the events following. It was quite convicting. And I remember every year, about a month before Easter the church would pass out little bags for "Thirty Pieces of Silver". I am not sure what the special offering was for, but I remember trying to save 30 quarters for my bag if I could. Sometimes I had to put in dimes and nickels to get it up to 30. How I miss those special services! Anyway, I was just thinking with my fingers (thinking 'outloud' is almost a thing of the past, isn't it?) about how sad it is we will be all wrapped up in moving on some of the most important days of the year!!

My son has also been reflecting on the upcoming holiday. Seth loves writing poetry, for sure, but he really, really loves to write Haiku poems the best. Maybe it's the challenge of getting the exact amount of syllables per line, or maybe it's the fact that they are short, so finished quickly. I am not sure, but he has a great time writing Haiku's! I enjoy sharing them with you.

Untitled

 (and he's in bed so I can't ask him what the title is!)

a Haiku by Seth

Jesus so loving

He died for our very sins

Only God there is.

Yesterday my daughter and I went to the city to get the little tiny guy an Easter outfit. Big mistake. There was road construction outside of St. Louis, and we were stuck on the highway a very long time. We aren't really very familiar with the area, so I had to call my husband and have him look up another route to get us home that didn't involve a bunch of highway construction. When we (finally) did get home, I had an email from him. He had written a little "Thursday Thought" for me...

These days there are a plethora of ways to map a journey. Between GPS units that actually speak to you as you drive and multiple internet websites providing turn by turn directions, it is easy to find something or someone willing to tell you how to get where you want to go. But when you compare, there are almost always variations in the directions. So which route is best? Which takes less time, is more scenic, or has smoother roads? It is a geometrical fact that the shortest distance between two points is a straight line, so that is my motto when traveling anywhere, and the reason I still prefer a good old fashioned map. I can simply lay it out, find my starting point and destination, and trace the most direct route. A good map will never fail you.

Likewise, there are many today willing to give you directions to heaven. And although the intended destination is the same, there are always variations in the route they tell you to take. Some are more difficult than others, laden with hard work maneuvering rough roads and highway tolls of good deeds to pay. Others direct you down smooth freeways on which you can just set the cruise control of baptism, a spoken prayer, or church attendance, simply coasting your way into heaven. But neither will get you there. Jesus said, “I am the way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father but through me (John 14:6).” If heaven is your desired destination, Jesus is the route you must take. Because His yoke is light, the way is sometimes smooth and easy. Oftentimes, however, the trip seems long due to construction zones and narrow roads. Occasionally you’ll break down and must wait for repairs. Just remember, the shortest distance between two points is a straight line, and that line runs through Jesus. His Word is the only roadmap you need.

The stink wears off

Cool Breeze

(another Haiku by Seth)

Cool Breeze in Forest

Changes to a Powerful Wind,

then Cool Breeze Again

Nature

by Mary Carolyn Davies

The day before April

Alone, Alone,

I walked to the woods

And I sat on a stone.

I sat on a broad stone

And sang to the birds.

The tune was God's making

But I made the words.

And the thought for the day is a little story from my husband, Jerry:

Long, long ago; when I was 15 years old and had just obtained my learner's permit, one of my uncles let me drive the car on an old country road that had two ditches, no shoulders, and barely two lanes. I was trucking right along, as happy as could be, when we approached a little kid riding his bicycle along the right side of the roadway. I eased the car to the left and , just at the last minute, saw a dead skunk in the road. I knew I had a quick decision to make, so I weighed the consequences and ultimately decided to hit the skunk. The smell permeated the car almost instantly. My uncle looked at me and asked without any hint of compassion in his voice, "Why did you do that?!" I stated, "It was either hit the skunk or the kid!" His reply was very simple and to the point, "Next time, hit the kid." Not another word was ever spoken regarding the incident, and to this day I'm not completely convinced that he was only kidding.

The moral of the story: It's not always easy doing the right thing. In fact, it can be down right stinky. But the stink usually wears off eventually, and you can at least live with a clear conscience.

Nature's Fury

Last night as I enjoyed listening to the thunder, I was thinking about the power of God in nature, and how it has really been manifested lately with earthquakes, tsunamis, and tornado season soon upon us. Here are some 'powerful' thoughts for you to ponder for Thoughtful Thursday:

Raging River

(a Haiku poem by my son, Seth)

Mad, Raging River

Very Powerful Indeed

The Swelling River

The Laws of Nature

by Longfellow

The Laws of Nature are just, but terrible.

There is no weak mercy in them.

Cause and consequence are inseparable and inevitable.

The Elements have no forbearance.

The fire burns, the water drowns, the air consumes, the earth buries.

And perhaps it would be well for our race if the punishment of crimes against the law of man were as inevitable as the punishment of crimes against the laws of nature~were man as unerring in his judgment as nature.

And some final thoughts from my husband, Jerry:

Even as descriptive and moving as this poem is, Longfellow fell far short of the power and purpose of nature. In reference to this poem, I believe God would tell Longfellow to read the words He breathed centuries ago: "From the breath of God, ice is made. He disperses the cloud of His lightening. It changes direction by His guidance. Whether for correction, or for His world, He causes it to happen." (Job 37:10-13)

We need to look no further than Haiti for a reminder of the awesome and oftentimes destructive power of nature. But we must always remember that not even the smallest raindrop falls outside of the sovereign will of God, who wields nature for justice as well as mercy and blessing. Punishment, as Longfellow puts it, is not a "law of nature." Just Judgment comes only from God. Nature is merely His tool. Longfellow said, "Were man as unerring of his judgment of nature." He should have said, "Were man as unerring in his worship of the Creator of nature." Only then can we truly understand and accept the blessing, as well as the tragedy, of nature.