Monthly Archives: February 2018

Beauty of His Love ~ Five Minute Friday

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My five minutes today is actually a five minute edit.  The words of this poem I wrote a while ago kept running through my head today. Pretty sure I needed to be reminded again, so decided to rework it to share here along with other writers addressing the prompt “beauty” over at http://www.fiveminutefriday.com

“This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NLT)/ Pixabay

The Beauty of His Love

My mirror tells a story
I don’t want to hear.
Of passing time, sagging skin
And other things I fear.

Wrinkles, laugh lines,
A hair on my chin?
How can this be my outside
When I feel so young within?

Age spots, freckles,
A scar by my eye
I’m marked head to toe
By years passing by.

Just at the time
I began to despair
A Still Small Voice said;
“See My masterpiece there!”

Leaning close to the glass,
I looked long and deep, 
And the reflection I saw
Caused me to weep.

For at that very moment
My heart began to sing
Because I had forgotten
One very important thing.

I’m marked on the inside.
Saved by His grace!
My blemishes are forgiven.
Jesus died in my place!

Every hair on my head,
The imperfections I see;
Are all part of His plan,
For me being ME!

Now, the face is the same
But the story is new.
God’s helped me to discover 
 The beauty of His love shining through.

Classroom Whys ~ Five Minute Friday

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I almost didn’t join Five Minute Friday today when I saw the prompt was “Why”. With everything going on in the world around us, I knew it was going to be difficult to write something meaningful in the wake of such tragedy. Yet, here I am.  Thoughts have been pounding around in my head and so with prayer, here I go.  I am sure you will find many moving posts to read today over at http://www.fiveminutefriday.com

Time starts now.

“”But Jesus called the children to him and said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these.”” Luke 18:16 (NIV)/ Pixabay

The call came over the intercom.  Door locked. Lights off. Curtain on door drawn. Blinds shut. Table in the corner of the room turned on its side. Precious Second Graders huddled low behind the table.  Roll taken.  These were the steps I followed in my classroom every time a “Code Red” drill was scheduled. With each action, my heart beat a little faster as I tried to move with confidence and put on a brave face.  No matter how many times we went through the practice though, worried “whys” tumbled from the tiny lips of my students. “Why do we have to do this?” “Why would someone want to hurt me?” And each time I would try to quiet their souls with the best answers I had, which between you and me, were weak at best, because I had (and have) the same “whys” they did!

During every drill, I made a promise to those nervous, wide-eyed babes; “I’ll do everything in my power to keep you safe. No. Matter. What.” But could I?  Oh, I had plans and ran through scenarios in my mind. But the news had shown me way too many times that despite heroic effort, my promise could be hard to keep. And so my “whys” just kept coming.  It was the stuff my nightmares were made of!

Fast forward to today.  I’m retired now and so thankful that in my 32 years of teaching I only heard “Code Red” as a drill.  Even though I’ve had to imagine what a school shooting would be like, I cannot fathom what those involved go through. Why was I spared when others have suffered so? Why are children becoming murderers?  Once again, I only have weak answers.

You and I know that the “whys” aren’t just confined to the classroom.  They tumble from lips in our homes, our workplaces, our churches, and in the world.  It’s easy for me and maybe for you too, to get so lost in the “whys” of it all that we forget the Who.

 Jesus said:
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace.  In this world you will have trouble.  But take heart:  I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 (NIV)

There’s so much suffering everywhere we look. My tendency is to question and to want to somehow understand the purpose in it all. Depending on myself or the opinions of others though, just leaves me asking more questions. Can you relate? I’m learning that instead of those “whys” we need to be WISE and depend on  Jesus.  When we do, we can take heart in The Promise that is never broken, The Peace in the midst of chaos, and The Only Answer that can overcome the whys of a troubled world.

I invite you to join with me right now and say a prayer for all those who are suffering.

 

 

 

 

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Agree to Disagree ~ Five Minute Friday

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I look forward to Five Minute Friday!  It’s always fun to see where it leads my little brain! Today’s prompt is “Agree”.  If you’d like to see more thoughts on the subject click over to http://www.fiveminutefriday.com

“Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.” Romans 12: 9-10, 18 (NLT) / Pixabay

We couldn’t be more different, my husband and I.  From the moment we met, when this city girl shook up his country world, it was evident that there was little upon which we would agree.  He’s talk radio and I’m music up full blast.  Sweet tea with a little ice is his preferred drink; Mine? Unsweet with ice to the max.  He’s an early bird. I’m an owl.  We have dueling thermostats. Mine usually requires a sweater while he’s in short sleeves.  Sleep number? His, high. Mine, low.  And when his head hits the pillow? He’s fast asleep, while my mind whirls and twirls before I finally drift off.  And after all this time, the list continues to grow.

They say opposites attract and for thirty-four years and counting we’ve been proof it’s true. It hasn’t always been easy; but early on we made the decision to just agree to disagree on the simple stuff.  More importantly though, we realized that when it comes to things of greater significance: our faith, our mutual respect, our love for each other and our family, we’re on the  exact, same page.  Our differences have generated laughter, prompted discussion, expanded our understanding of things, and added variety to our lives; but it’s those core values we agree on that have made our relationship possible.

“Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body.  We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.  In His grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well.” Romans 12:4-6 (NLT)

Our world today seems focused on all the ways we are dissimilar in an attempt to force us further and further apart. I’m afraid it’s working.  How about a different approach? What if we applied a little magnetic science (and the experience of an old married couple) and allowed ourselves to be drawn to those “opposites” we come in contact with? Think of the laughter we might share, the new things we could learn, the better understanding we would have if we would give “agree to disagree” a chance! I believe we’d begin to see people sharing more mutual respect, genuine care being given, commonalities discovered, and relationships being formed.  I don’t know about you but this beach girl married to a mountain man thinks that’s exactly what this world needs more of!

Time’s up.

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