Something's Missing

The Christmas holiday is definitely upon us, but repeatedly something has been missing.  As the first attempts were made at decorating, it was the Nativity sets.  Usually a huge part of our Christmas décor, they were all transported to be part of a community Nativity display which remained up for just over a week, beginning the day after Thanksgiving.  Without them, the spaces at home looked pretty bare.

In the course of helping set up the display, it was one of the Baby Jesus figurines which turned up missing.  One lady was going to be out of town, but brought a tote of Nativities to be displayed.  A thorough search of the packing confirmed it was indeed gone.  Can you find it in this picture?

For a bit of fun, we had sign up slips which listed the various contributors to the display and a challenge to find the collection with the missing Jesus.  At the end of the week, a name was selected to receive a prize, which was a book featuring six stories about Nativities.

Fast forward to the first week-end in December and our annual Christmas Concert presented by a unique choir made up of singers from two areas.  The Northwest Chorus is so named because it includes singers from several communities across the northwest corner of North Dakota.  The Southeast Chorus brings in talent from across the southeastern corner of Saskatchewan, just across the border to the north in Canada.  We perform two concerts, one in Estevan, Saskatchewan and one here in Crosby, North Dakota.

As a member of this special chorus, it is always exciting to scan the audience for special people in my life, but this year one such person was missing. . .my husband.  He was home sick with a bad cold and cough, which has been plaguing him ever since.  Not only was he missing from the concert, but his usual carefree and happy countenance has also been missing.  After hearing cough after cough, it also seems my patience level has disappeared, as I want him better. . .RIGHT NOW!

Having my husband home with a cold was a small matter, however, compared to the missing person from the bass section of our chorus.  Three days prior to the concert, John had a five bypass heart surgery.  As the director, (who happens to be his brother-in-law), updated us on his condition, things didn't sound good.  Just after we concluded our concert, we received word he had passed away.  John's funeral today was a testimony to the number of lives he touched, and having him missing from our community will leave a large hole.  Hopefully, each of us who knew and loved him will pick up a small piece of his "mantel" and make the world a little better because of how he touched our life.

Although it seems much is missing, there are some things which will never disappear.  God's love and presence in our lives is a constant which will never turn up missing.  A reminder of this was given in the pastor's message at the funeral, when he shared words from this passage in Romans 8:38-39.

For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life,

nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers,

 nor things present, nor things to come,

Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature,

shall be able to separate us from the love of God,

which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.


What's missing in your life today?  Is it a relationship with God through His Son, Jesus Christ?  No matter what your lot in life, knowing Jesus as your Lord and Savior will fill all the missing places.  As we continue in the Christmas season, seek and find Him as the shepherds and wise men did.  Then do your part in spreading the good news! 

It's How God Works!

This morning, after our yoga class had ended, the instructor and I lingered to visit with the woman working the desk at our wellness center.  We learned her family was facing a difficult time, since her husband's job had recently been terminated.  My heart ached for her as she shared their burden and we shared a hug.  It felt good to open our hearts and be available to offer a listening ear.

Several Bible verses came to mind as she pondered whether they would have to move and where they would be going.  The verses I shared were first revealed to me at a time when our daughter and son-in-law were contemplating a move.  Housing was tight in Williston at the time, and as a mother I was agonizing about where they would live.  It was then my Bible reading took me right to what I needed to hear:

"From one man He made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He marked out their appointed times in history and the exact places they would live.  God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us.  ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.

Acts 17:26-28 (NIV)

 

Hopefully, the words of these verses would also be a comfort for my new friend as she realizes God already has everything figured out!  Further discussion was about how to hear God's voice, and sort out the many thoughts which travel through our brains.  Arriving home and checking Facebook, I found it interesting how the first message seemed very applicable to our earlier discussion. The post was written by my daughter, sharing thoughts she had been contemplating:

 

 “I know that sometimes it seems the voice of God is hard to hear, hard to discern, and often I question whether it is really Him speaking or something/someone else that I am lending my ear to. But this I know as 100% truth: He NEVER speaks fear. His words regarding fear are ALWAYS “Fear not, for I am with you.”

What great words of advice to share with my new friend!  Later, as I was sorting through "piles of stuff" in my computer room, I came across a bookmark with more encouraging words:

Fear not those things which God has sent, though troublesome they seem

For He knows best what must be done to lead you to your dream.

 

He'll test your strength to make you strong, for what's not used grows weak,

And strip you of what pulls you from the highest goal you seek.

 

He'll show you that where faith is placed, a harvest soon is grown,

And what you'll learn is that in time you reap what you have sown.

 

For all that's His belongs to you to do with as you will

But when you give it back to Him, He does your dreams fulfill.

 

 

In another pile were pieces of paper with a quote and Bible verse about faith.  At this point in time I don't even remember why I had copied them off.  Perhaps it was to share at one of our Women's Ministries meetings.  Who knows?  But interesting it should surface right at a time it could be shared with someone facing a difficult time:

 

Faith is:

     Following without knowing where,

          Waiting without knowing when,

               Believing without knowing how,

                    Trusting without knowing why.

"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see."

                                                                                                                ~Hebrews 11:1

 

God never ceases to amaze me.  His timing is always right, even when it involves me putting off organizing my piles!  He seems to know just when we need to receive a particular encouraging word, whether it be for our own situation or to pass on to someone else.  It's just how He works! 


 

 

 



 



 

 

 

 

 

 

Reminders of a Fantastic Fall!

Last spring I dug up my tulip beds, fully intending to replant the bulbs in October.  We are now at mid-November and I finally got them back in the ground. . .on a rare "high 50's" day in November!  It was a good feeling to finally get the task finished, and in the process start a new tulip bed.  Spring will determine how successful my attempt at expanding will be!

It was amazing to be planting tulip bulbs in the midst of snap dragon plants still blooming.  About a month ago, when there were threats of frost, I cut in the remaining snap dragon blossoms and shared them around town in bouquets.  How amazing it was to find the plants still producing buds and blossoms!

Earlier this week there were other reminders of what a fantastic fall we have been enjoying:

Candy Corn Vine

H

Double Calibrachoa

Dianthus

In North Dakota the weather can often be unpredictable, but this year it has been a treat to enjoy "warmer than usual" instead of "colder than usual" for a change.  What about you?  How is the weatherman treating you? 



Blogging, Is It Worth It?

Seems my commitment to blog hasn't been holding up as of late.  Sometimes I wonder, "Is it really worth the effort I put into it?"  Then I hear a small, still voice saying, "It's not about you, remember?"  Oh, yes.  My commitment to write is not about what I get out of it, but rather what God can do with it, despite my commitment or lack thereof. 

There is an interesting part of the "BlogSpot" system which allows one to track how many have been reading your posts and also where they are from.  Checking today, over the course of the past month I have had 123 readers from the United States, along with 15 from Russia, 2 from France and one each from Canada and Spain. 

It makes me wonder how they happened across my blog and what their thoughts were after reading it.  Then, again, I'm reminded it is not about me, and my thoughts are just recorded for whatever purpose God might find to use them.

Another feature connected to my blog is the ability to comment.  It seems my readers are not ones who choose to comment, but it would be fun to find out more about them.  If you are reading this, and feel brave, take a moment to comment and share your thoughts with me.  It would be interesting to learn who is on the receiving end of my random thoughts!

A Place Called Home

Over the course of the past four months "home" has come to have double meaning.  Monday through Friday our place to call home has been a condominium unit in Bismarck, North Dakota, necessary as Bert has been serving in the North Dakota Legislature.  As each week-end would roll around, going home would bring us back to Crosby and the house on Main Street built 39 years ago by Bert, his father and brothers.  Some say home is where your heart is, and truly it has been in both places.

As our time in Bismarck comes to a close, it will once again require readjustment and a return to the normal life we left behind at the beginning of January.  But truly it will never be completely the same, as our experiences over the past four months will have influenced and touched our hearts in ways we never imagined when this adventure started.

At the heart of it all will be the friendships formed.  Yes, it was interesting learning how state government works, how bills come and go and decisions are made.  And yet it has been the people behind those decisions who have made the largest impact, and only eternity will reveal the reasons God has for intersecting our lives at this crossroad.

For Bert, there has been a special bond with his fellow legislators.  Among his closest friends are those who, like him, are working their way through their first year experience.  Alongside these are those who have been a part of the system for a few or many years who have taken them under wing and done their best to "show them the ropes".  It has been refreshing to be at Bert's side and see these friendships develop and grow.

For myself, a group of fellow legislative wives has been at the heart of my experience.  Meeting each Wednesday for lunch, we also shared in activities such as touring the North Dakota Penitentiary, learning about a great facility called "First Choice Clinic" and seeing both the Former Governor's Mansion and the home of our National Guard's Adjutant General.  We made Valentines for our elected officials, those in the Legislature, and for a group of Veterans at a home in Lisbon, North Dakota.  We learned about an organization called 4HerND which is working with sex trafficking in our state, and heard from two authors about their books.  A road trip one week brought us to the Lewis and Clark Museum at Washburn, ND.  We also gathered to make fleece blankets which were donated to organizations helping children with special needs.

Thursdays brought a smaller group of us together for a Bible Study time, looking into the story of Moses and his leadership role.  We also spent time in prayer for our husbands and enjoyed getting to know each other on a closer more intimate basis.

As each of us returns to the place we call home, we do so with thanks to our Heavenly Father for the times we have shared and the friendships we have formed.  As we work together to make North Dakota a better place to live, we also look forward to another placed called "HOME" which will be our final destination.  Reading through Revelations 21 makes me long for this final gathering place which will be free of sin and ruled by the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  Reservations are being taken and recorded in the Lamb's book of life.  Have you made yours?


 

Just Do It!

Recently it was a blessing to participate in providing music for a Fall Festival Supper at a Lutheran church in Alamo, ND.  Located about 30 miles south of us, the church is part of a five church parish connected to Concordia Lutheran here in Crosby, ND and served by a husband and wife pastor team.  Our "Music Makers" group has been blessed by the banjo playing talent exhibited by the husband, and so it was we were asked to provide "background music" at the festival both last year and this year.

Last year the meal was pancakes, but this year we enjoyed ham, potatoes, creamed corn, coleslaw and a variety of "goodies" for dessert.  We sang a few numbers prior to eating, and then entertained for about an hour afterwards.  All the while we played, people were busy enjoying fellowship and participating in what they called a "Norwegian Auction".  After purchasing tickets for fifty cents a piece, you wrote your name on the tickets and placed them in containers next to various prizes which had been donated by the members of the congregation.  There were also quite a number of "silent auction" sheets which corresponded to more deluxe items.

My contribution to the Music Makers is singing.  Several of the songs we share are instrumental, giving me an occasional break.  During this time I purchased a few dollars worth of tickets and made my selections.  At the end of the evening I was delighted with my winnings, which were a pair of gloves and a container of date filled cookies.  I also won one of the silent auction items, which was an autumn themed basket.
 

As often happens when I participate in fun events, pictures were taken and shared over Facebook.  One of the comments expressed by a friend was "I want some date cookies!  I love them!"  Since date filled cookies are a rare treat at our house, my first instinct was to simply "like" her comment and move on.  Instead I found myself posting a reply.  "Stop over tomorrow afternoon and I'll share!!" 

The next morning came and went, and I didn't hear anything further from her.  About mid-afternoon I had a little voice in my head say, "You should call her and tell her to come over!"  Then the other little voice in my head said, "You don't want to do that!  The house is in a disarray and, seriously, you want to save all those cookies for yourself!!"  After a little back and forth between the two voices, the first one won out and I'm so glad it did!  My friend came over and we enjoyed a nice visit. . .the real, face to face kind. . .over date filled cookies and cranberry mango juice.  There was even still one cookie left when we were done with our visit!

 

It is really sad how seldom our home is used for entertaining.  Years back it was quite often we had someone over for a meal or an evening of visiting.  Times have changed.  Now we sit home alone with our eyes glued to a screen of some sort.  We keep track of how many "friends" we have and post comments on how our day is going.  Occasionally we share pictures.  But we really don't fellowship.  After the visit with my friend, I was reminded of how nice it is to greet someone at my door, invite them in and enjoy sharing face to face. 

How long has it been since you've had company at your house?  I can already hear the excuses. . ."My house is too messy!". . ."I have too much to do!". . . "I need to check the news feed on Facebook!"  Next time God brings someone to mind, don't hesitate to ask them over. . .just do it!  You'll never regret it!



Be hospitable to one another without complaint.
1 Peter 4:9
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pencils, Sharpeners, You and the Church

Our church has an adult Sunday School class which is taught by our pastor, Dennis Huenefeld.  This morning, in the course of the class discussion, he gave a good object lesson I thought I would pass along. 

Each of us has a story to tell, and thus we are like a pencil.   Over time, however, every pencil gets dull and needs to be sharpened.  In the same way, going to church serves as the "sharpening tool" to freshen our lives, making them able to put out a clear and concise message about our Christian walk.

Can you be a Christian and not attend church?  Of course you can, since the requirement for being one is not church attendance but believing in and establishing a personal relationship with Jesus.  The church does, however, serve as a tool used by the Holy Spirit to "sharpen" our knowledge of God's Word and also provides much needed fellowship with other believers.

The question of the day is, "Did the point of your Christian experience get sharpened today?"  So thankful for Crosby Assembly of God and the many times it has served to make me a more productive Christian.  I'm also thankful for Concordia Lutheran Church here in Crosby, ND which provided my foundation in Christianity and gave me a positive experience growing up in the church. 

Would anyone else like to share the story of how a church or combination of churches has shaped your Christian experience? 

Rescue the Perishing

The forecast for tonight is a hard frost.  This means pretty much any remnants of the warm seasons will soon be history.  The bed of snapdragons in our front yard provided a nice array of color all summer, but lately really decided to flourish.  At a time the plants appeared to be done blooming, I decided to cut off all the "dead heads" to see what would happen.  The combination of this process and no heavy frosts has made for a real bright spot amid our fall colors.

 

 

Not wanting to say my final farewell to their beauty, I decided to cut and bring in the remaining flowers with plans to place them into bouquets to share with others around town.  Twice I had to go back inside the house for another container to put them in.

 

 

It took some time, but eventually all the leaves and wilted flowers were removed, leaving me with quite the assortment to work with when it comes time to create the bouquets.  Looking at the clock, this may be a project for tomorrow!

 

 

As I was working with the flowers, a song kept going through my mind.  "Rescue the perishing, care for the dying. . . "  It is an old hymn of the church written by Fannie Crosby back in 1869.  A quick search on Goggle provided the rest of the words to the song:

 

Rescue the perishing, care for the dying,
Snatch them in pity from sin and the grave;
Weep o’er the erring one, lift up the fallen,
Tell them of Jesus, the mighty to save. 

 

Though they are slighting Him, still He is waiting,
Waiting the penitent child to receive;
Plead with them earnestly, plead with them gently;
He will forgive if they only believe.

 

Down in the human heart, crushed by the tempter,
Feelings lie buried that grace can restore;
Touched by a loving heart, wakened by kindness,
Chords that were broken will vibrate once more.

 

Rescue the perishing, duty demands it;
Strength for thy labor the Lord will provide;
Back to the narrow way patiently win them;
Tell the poor wand’rer a Savior has died.

 

Refrain:Rescue the perishing, care for the dying,
Jesus is merciful, Jesus will save.

 

 

Somehow, as I worked with the flowers, there was a bigger picture unfolding.  Much like the flowers growing in the yard, people living without Jesus in their lives are simply going about their business, unaware of the pending doom.  For the flowers, death would surely come from exposure to cold temperatures.  But for the life facing death without acknowledging Jesus as Savior, a different temperature awaits them in the fire of hell. 

 

As I sorted through the piles of flowers, there were buds not yet opened, flowers in full bloom and other blossoms which were showing the withered signs of age.  In the same way, people of all ages face the possibility of their life's end at any moment.  None of us is guaranteed tomorrow.

 

According to the forecast, the night ahead brings with it impending doom for the snapdragons.  Because of my care and concern, their life will be extended because I rescued them.  Tonight the question at hand is not so much about my flowers, however, but about what awaits YOU in eternity.  Have you been rescued by Jesus Christ, our Savior?  As the song says, He is waiting for each of us to believe and receive the forgiveness He freely offers. 

 

The snapdragons will now have a few more days to spread their beauty, but how wonderful it is to have the assurance my soul has been rescued not only for today and tomorrow, but for all of eternity.  Praying you, too, will be among those who say "Yes, I believe" to Jesus!

A Double Portion of Revelations - Part 2: More From Dan

On the tail-end of reading David Jeremiah's "Agents of the Apocalypse" came the arrival of Dan Johnson.  He spoke at our church for a series of four services.  During the second service his message also supplied a bit of a "revelation" I had not seen prior to his pointing it out.  The title of his message was "No King, Man's King and God's King" and was taken from the books of Judges, and 1 & 2 Samuel, with a brief peek into the book of Ruth which falls between them.

He showed us through the Scriptures of a time when the people of God had no king.  After the great leadership of Joshua, Judges 2:10 tells us there arose a generation who didn't remember him.  Because of this, it seems "everyone did as he saw fit" or as other versions are worded, "everyone did what was right in their own eyes".  You will find this phrase repeated often throughout the book of Judges.

Eventually it came to a point where the Israelites decided they wanted a king like the other nations around them, and thus it was God gave them Saul, who was what Dan referred to as "man's king".  Eventually in 2 Samuel came David, who was God's choice as king and a man after God's own heart.

These stories from the Bible were not new to me.  In fact, over the course of my lifetime, they have been read many times.  And so it was quite "enlightening" to have Dan point out something very interesting relating to the bigger picture of this portion of the Bible.

In Dan's opinion, we are now in a period much like the one referred to in Judges.  It seems there is no one looking to anyone in particular to be the absolute authority, leaving everyone to do what is right in their own eyes.  We are in essence doing a repeat of what happened to God's people in Judges.

Jumping over the book of Ruth, Dan compared the time when the Israelite's were ruled by Saul, man's king, to a time in the future when a person known as the Antichrist will arise and unite the world under one government.  It will seem as if this world ruler will be the answer to the problems, but unfortunately, during this time in the future, people will relinquish their freedom for a false sense of security.

Following this time of "man's king" will come the return of Jesus Christ, which will be the establishment of God's King.  At this point, the Bible says, every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.  Dan questioned why we would want to wait until a time we will be forced to kneel when we can freely do so now?  By doing so, the Bible says we will avoid a very troublesome time under the rule of the Antichrist.

This is where the Book of Ruth comes in.  Ruth is a love story between a young widow and her "kinsman redeemer", Boaz.  In Old Testament law, a kinsman redeemer could marry a relative's widow to redeem the inheritance.  Dan used the story of Ruth as a picture of the love between God's people and Jesus Christ who redeemed us by His death on the cross.

Will the Old Testament pattern of no king (Judges), a wedding (Ruth), man's king (1 Samuel) and God's king (2 Samuel) play out in the end time scenario?  Looking around our world, it certainly is a point in time where everyone is doing just as they please as they did in Judges.  The wedding will take place when Jesus Christ, the Bridegroom, comes to claim His bride, the church.  A time of man's king ruling will take place during the troublesome time referred to as "the tribulation" under the rule of the Antichrist.  Finally, God will put Jesus in place as the King of Kings after His second coming. 

It is exciting to me to realize we may be alive during the time all this happens!  Many come with the argument, "Yes, but people have been saying the end is near for a long time".  I say, "How much closer are we now?" and "Someday there will be a generation who will live through the ending of the story".  Could it be we will be the ones?  I guess only time will tell.  In the meantime, I'm thankful for powerful men of God, like Dan Johnson, who help us see God's timeless story in a new light!

A Double Portion of Revelations - Part 1: Book Report

All too often books find their way into my house and get relegated to the "back burner".  For some odd reason, it seems scrolling endlessly through FaceBook takes priority over reading books which could enlighten me in new ways.  (Could this be a secret plot on the part of the enemy to distract me?)  Looks like I may need to call on some Holy Spirit help to change my habits.

Fortunately, as we were preparing for our trip to the League of Cities convention, a book which had been purchased some time ago caught my eye.  I opted to bring it along, as there would be free time both on the road and while Bert was attending his meetings.  I'm so glad I did!

Thinking back to school days, there were times we were assigned "book reports" where a book was read and then reported on to the class.  Things to include were the name of the book, author and a summary of what the book was about.  With this in mind, here is my latest report:

 

Title of Book:  "Agents of the Apocalypse"

Author - Dr. David Jeremiah

Summary - The subtitle of the book is "A Riveting Look at the Key Players of the End Times".  As the first chapter unfolded, so did an outline of how future chapters would be presented.  First, there was a fictitious story written about someone playing a role in a particular piece of the "end time puzzle".  For example, chapter one was entitled, "The Exile" and featured a possible scenario of how the apostle John became exiled to the Isle of Patmos.  This was where God revealed to him the events recorded in the book of Revelations.  Following this, the second part of the chapter would come under the heading of "The Scripture Behind the Story".  In this section, the author would share passages from the Bible which inspired him to write the story as he did in the first half of the chapter.

Other "agents" covered in the book were the martyrs, the 144,000, the two witnesses, the dragon, the beast from the sea and the beast from the earth.  If you've ever taken the time to read through the book of Revelations these will sound familiar.  The final three chapters covered the Victor, the King and the Judge, all referring to the role of Jesus in the unfolding of the end of time as we know it.

What I found refreshing in this book was the way the author inserted "lifelike" human characters into a plot which previously had seemed very confusing to me.  Somehow, placing a person who could be you or me into the events made them much easier to comprehend and far less mysterious.  It also left me with the challenge, "Where will my life story fit into these events as they unfold?".  In addition, it gave me a desire to encourage others to read and heed the message of this book, which mirrors the final book of the Bible as inspired by God many years ago.

Have you read the book?  What was your opinion of  it?  Please feel free to share your thoughts in the comments or contact me personally with your reflections.  If you haven't yet read the book, you certainly have my recommendation to make it one to read in the future.

Dan, the Man!

[Dan Johnson will be speaking at our church this coming week-end, and for two nights next week.  If possible, come hear for yourself the wisdom he shares.  Sunday, October 14, 2018@11:00am and 6:30pm; Monday, October 15@7:00pm; Tuesday, October16@7:00pm.  This is a blog I wrote when he was last at our church. . .what a blessing it has been in my life to sit under his ministry!]



It was a special day at Crosby Assembly of God.  For two services we were blessed by the ministry of a man named Dan Johnson.  His FaceBook page says he is "retired", but at 83 years of age he still travels the country to do speaking engagements and is also an author.  At a time our church was without a pastor, he drove all the way from Tacoma, Washington just to fill in for a service, and was instrumental in connecting us with our current pastor.  Needless to say, we tend to get excited when he comes to town!

As a pastor for many years, and now as a traveling evangelistic speaker, he is an amazing man of God who has years of wisdom to share.  This morning he shared a passage of Scripture in Proverbs 22:28 which says:

"Do not move an ancient boundary stone

set up by your forefathers."

 

Also being a history buff, Dan often shares quotes from the forefathers of our country.  Stressing the importance of history, he told us the desecration of the past is the first step in overturning the present.  Sadly, what we are seeing in the current generation is a move away from even knowing history, let alone valuing it.  One sad statistic he gave was 47% of American youth have no memory of Billy Graham, a great man of God. 

Tying in with Dan's message was a song which was included in our worship time.  The title of the song is "Ancient Words", one we first became acquainted with during a VBS session a few years back.  It was also made popular by Michael W. Smith and combines words about the Bible with a beautiful melody.  You can access a recording of the song at this link:

Ancient Words

Tying the verse and the song together, he reminded us how important it was to hold fast to the truths of the Bible and not waver or move from them.  In my own personal life, the Bible is the "ancient boundary stone" passed on to me by my forefathers, and its words guide my life.  I am so thankful it has been a part of my life for as far back as I can remember.  Today I am also thankful for a man named Dan who reminded us today to stay true to its words!




Happy Grandparents Day!

Although this may be mere speculation on my part, days such as "Grandparents Day" are on the calendar mostly so Hallmark can sell more cards.  Cards which, after being received, generally end up displayed for a time and then discarded or added to a collection of memories, tucked away somewhere, never to be seen again.

Because of this, it has never really bothered me when, like today, the text arrived saying, "Totally forgot that today was Grandparent's Day. . .So sorry!  We are thankful for you today and every day!"  The real blessing is knowing my grandchildren are only an hour away, and the drive can be made as often as I like.  Arrival at their home is generally accompanied by four voices saying, "Grandma!" and eight arms providing hugs.  Yes, I don't need a special day to remember being a grandparent is special!

Looking back on my own life, the world of grandparents consisted of only one grandmother.  My maternal grandfather and paternal grandmother died long before I was born, and my paternal grandfather died when I was just a toddler, leaving me without memories of who he was.  Where other children had "grandparents", I had "Grandma and Henry" (Henry was my uncle who never married and lived with Grandma).  Still, I never really felt cheated, as Grandma Ellen embraced her role in such a way I never felt lacking in the grandparent department.

Some of my fondest childhood memories are of times spent at Grandma's house.  The farm, which began as a small homestead shack on the prairies of North Dakota, was lovingly built up into a beautiful yard filled with trees, a big red barn, chicken coop and come summer, a garden and lots of flowers.  Many a day was spent exploring and enjoying the freedom of "life at Grandma's house".  Our family often made Sunday the day to visit, culminating with an evening meal of sandwiches and home canned sauce in pretty oval bowls with purple flowers on them.  To end the day, there was "Wild Kingdom", "The Wonderful World of Disney" and "Bonanza" to fill our minds with more adventures.

And so it is, at the end of this Grandparents Day, I find myself saying, "Happy Grandparents Day, Grandma Ellen!  Thank you for the storehouse of memories you provided in my life.  Thank you for being the greatest example of someone who showed love to all and never anger, even amid a life filled with heartaches.  Thank you for being a wonderful role model for me to follow, as I now have my own grandchildren to love.  Tell my other grandparents I look forward to getting acquainted one day, knowing they, too, are a part of the person I've become.  Also, please tell God thank you for arranging it so you were always close by in my life, and for now providing the same privilege in the life of my grandchildren.  What a blessing to know we will one day enjoy an eternity of time together with the God who placed us in each other's lives!"

Unexpected Blessings

It has been another good year for my little garden.  How fun it is for me to watch as tiny seeds sprout into "baby crops" and eventually into mature, producing plants.  Although I did the planting and stayed busy pulling weeds and making sure there was adequate moisture, it is only God who brings forth the growth.  We find a comparison of this to the spiritual world in 1 Corinthians 3:6-8, where Paul gives the following discourse:

 

I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth.

So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth.

Now he who plants and he who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor.

As summer winds down, so does the yield from my garden.  After enjoying two different varieties of lettuce over the course of the summer, the plants are now going to seed and I will soon be back to finding my lettuce in the produce aisle of the grocery store.  The sugar snap peas have also come to the end of their cycle and only occasionally do I find a quick treat off the vines.  While I have enjoyed several meals of garden beans, something tells me we are soon done with them until next year, as well.

The cucumber plants have blessed me abundantly, with my count total up to 26.  It was looking like the hot days had taken their toll on the plants and I wasn't expecting many more to mature, but yesterday revealed several more making good progress.

With three rows of carrots, we have enjoyed many a meal with them as the vegetable of choice.  Our youngest grandson in particular enjoys marching out to the garden in search of a treat, eaten Bugs Bunny style.

There has also been one helping of potatoes supplied and some small but tasty onions to add to meals.  Five little watermelons sitting among the vines seem to have stopped growing, but will be given until the first threats of frost to put on some inches.

One final row sprouts greens above ground and round, pointy ended, red roots below. . .beets.  They are such a treat when they final get big enough to pull a few, making room for the others to grow larger.  Steamed and served sliced with butter is my favorite, but with the first batch it was possible to pop them in my mouth whole!  There is also a friend in town who loves to cook up the greens, so I enjoy sharing.  (My attempt to make them last year resulted in choosing to pass them on this year!)

As I was looking out the kitchen window one day, I spotted an interesting splash of a deep pink, almost burgundy color among the beet greens.  What could it be?  Further investigation revealed a lone petunia growing in the middle of my beet row.  What a mystery!  How did it get there?  Was it a "gift from a bird" or a tiny seed which got in the wrong package?  There is no way of knowing, but it sure was an unexpected blessing!

Seeing it shining forth in its beauty made me wonder how long it had cried out for my attention before finally catching my eye.  And so it is with so many of our blessings in life.  They abound around us, but we fail to notice them.  This brings to mind a song I recently shared at a prayer breakfast at the Independent Community Banker's Convention in Bismarck, ND last month.  It is a song written by Laura Story during a time her husband was dealing with a brain tumor.  Hopefully you will take the time to listen and ponder what blessings are lurking unnoticed in your life!

http://www.musicvideolife.com/laura-story-blessings-official-video_b70a788a1.html

 

Back in the Saddle Again

This morning I crossed paths with a woman who has taught first grade for many years in our hometown.  It would be interesting to know how many lives she has touched, doing what she loves to do. . .teach.  She had retired, but a pressing need for more teachers brought her out of retirement.  As I asked how it felt to be back at it again, she replied it was good. 

Doing what one loves to do reminds me of a conversation we had with a pastor in his 70's.  He said he is often asked when he is going to retire.  His response was, "As far as I can see, pastors who retire end up looking for a place to preach shortly after doing so.  I've got a place to preach, so why retire?"

Banking was a part of my life for 32 years.  About 2 1/2 years ago it felt like time to end my career.  Life has been good, and I have enjoyed the freedom of not answering daily to a 9 to 4 job.  (I know, banker's hours!)  For the third summer I have enjoyed a little hobby garden.  Most days I find time to stop by my precious aunt's home.  She is also my godmother and, at 93, is my inspiration and hero in life.   Not having to work has given me the opportunity to sing with a group of people who provide music at our assisted living center and nursing home.  The freedom of being available when my daughter needs help with the grandkids is priceless.  Retired I am, but certainly not bored!

As I consider "doing what one loves to do" it reminds me I have been neglecting one of my loves. . .writing.  Our winter season in Bismarck with the ND Legislature is in the past, and the busy summer will soon come to an end.  Perhaps it is time to get "back in the saddle again". 

How about you?  Are you working or retired?  Are you doing what you love to do?  They say if you are doing what God created you to do, you will find joy in the task.  My husband often asks when I think he should retire.  My response usually comes in the form of a song. . ."We'll work 'til Jesus comes, we'll work 'til Jesus comes, we'll work 'til Jesus comes and we'll be gathered home".  The way things are unfolding these days, it may be sooner than we think!

Lots of "running around" filled my morning today, although my legs didn't do any work.  I chose to drive the car as I went from place to place, even though our community is small and I normally could walk the route easily.  The problem has been dealing with smokey air blown in from the fires in Saskatchewan, and possibly Montana and Washington, too.  It gets into the jet stream and makes its way to invade our space, which is not a good thing for someone like me who deals with asthma.

Heading home after the last stop there was a peppy song playing on the radio.  The title was "Something Beautiful", sung by Steven Curtis Chapman.  As I listened I found myself remembering the "Broken" message God gave me earlier this week.

Here are the lyrics and options to play a sample or purchase:
                

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  Something Beautiful

  Steven Curtis Chapman

  from the album The Glorious Unfolding
  

  Buy on Amazon | iTunes

  Play sample

  I see you sitting over there with your head in your hands
  And the mess life's made of your best laid plans
  You really want to shake your fist
  But you don't know who to blame
  Well, you can blame yourself or the man upstairs
  Or the guy on the screen who says he cares
  But all the shame and the blame won't change a thing
  What's done is done
  But grace has just begun
  
  And God says
  I'm gonna turn it into something different
  I'm gonna turn it into something good
  I'm gonna take all the broken pieces
  And make something beautiful like only I could
  So put it all in the hands of the Father
  Give it up, give it all over to
  The only One who can turn it into
  Something beautiful
  Something really beautiful
  
  We know the world got broke when it took the fall
  And here we are living in the middle of it all
  Longing, waiting for the day when everything's restored
  But the best of the beauty that we get to SEE
  While we're living down here in this “yet to be”
  Is to watch God take the most broken things
  And to hear Him say
  “When I get through, you're gonna be amazed”
  
  ‘Cause I'm gonna turn it into something different
  I'm gonna turn it into something good
  I'm gonna take all the broken pieces
  And make something beautiful like only I could
  So put it all in the hands of the Father
  Give it up, give it all over to
  The only One who can turn it into
  
  Something beautiful
  Something beautiful
  Something beautiful
  Put all the pieces in His hands
  And watch Him turn it into something beautiful
  
  God's gonna turn it into something different
  He's gonna turn it into something good
  He's gonna take all the broken pieces
  And make something beautiful like only He could
  So put it all in the hands of the Father
  Give it up, give it all over to
  The only One who can turn it into
  Something beautiful
  Something really beautiful
  Something beautiful
  Something really beautiful

Broken

On the list of things to do today was trying to make the backyard more orderly.  An old picnic table on which I had potted plants sat haphazardly on one side, and the coordinating benches were stacked next to each other across the yard.  Here and there were reminders of the yard work I'd been doing, but never completely finished.  The lawnmower was sitting out.  Yes, today was the day.

It seemed like the easiest thing to tackle was rolling the lawnmower back into the garage.  Angling through the walk in door I discovered the car was parked too far forward and space was limited.  Several chairs being stored were shuffled until what I thought was a clear path formed.  Just a few tweaks and it would be through.  Then it happened.  CRASH!!  SMASH!!  SHATTER!!

Our son recycles pop cans and removes the opener tabs before crushing them.  A glass jar which once held spaghetti sauce had been recycled into a container for the tabs.  Said glass jar was now on the cement floor in a million pieces.  My mission to organize the backyard had instantly turned down a new path.

Picking up the largest chunks of glass, I then sought out a new container for the tabs, finding one which would not be as susceptible to breakage.  Carefully I picked out the tabs from the splinters of glass, finishing with a good sweeping.  As I worked, I grumbled.  "Okay, God, just why did THAT have to happen?  I was finally feeling ambitious, and now my precious time is being wasted cleaning up a mess!"

In the quiet of my inner spirit, I gently heard the Holy Spirit communicating God's reply.  "Now you know what I feel like, My child.  At one time I created a perfect world and everything was in order.  It didn't seem too much to require one small rule, and My newly created children chose to disobey.  In an instant, just like your jar, my world became broken.  Slowly and patiently over the years, I have been attempting to restore order to this world, but sadly, once broken it can never be put back together in the same way."

Humbling.  I had never quite thought of it in this light before.  But suddenly it made sense.  As I completed my task and placed the tabs in the new plastic container, I received another message.  "Yes, My child, someday there will be a new world for you, too.  It will be a world free of the risk of being broken.  We aren't there yet, but it is coming.  Have patience, My child.  I love you and will see you through until such day arrives.  Until then, just trust I'm working on it!"