Power outage

We lost our power around 2 a.m. this morning.  I was alerted to this fact by the mournful, dying chirp of our smoke alarm. The storm outside was ferocious as the wind whipped, the trees swayed, the lightning flashed and the rain pounded. For some reason, it didn't faze me. Within a few short moments of waking, I fell back into a sound sleep. The lack of power held no significance for me in the middle of the night. However, when my battery operated alarm clock signaled morning wake up, it was a different story. Suddenly the power outage was a serious inconvenience. No pump. No shower. Makeup by flashlight. A trickle of water for brushing teeth. On any other day of the year, I never give a second thought to my power source. It is there and I take it for granted.

And so it is with my relationship with God. There are stormy times in my life when I rest in the security of his embrace. I don't let the ferocity of the storm faze me. I rest in his care. Then there are times when I pay no attention to my power source. I rely on my own strength and my own resources. I don't give God a second thought. And suddenly, I feel the loss. It's as real as a punch to my gut. I realize I've stepped away from my God, and I lack power in my life. It's in those times, that I praise God for his faithfulness. I praise him for his grace. I praise him for his love. For he is always there for me. My power source is there even when I don't give it a second thought.  Thank you, God, for being my source of life. Help me to plug into your energy every day of my life.

Romans 15:13 says, "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."

Genetics

Today, while browsing Facebook, I came across a picture of a child. This child is the daughter of a beautiful woman my husband and I knew as a high school student. We were youth leaders, and she was a member of our church's youth group. This picture was remarkable because the resemblance between mom and daughter is uncanny. Same wide eyes. Same curved lips. Same wavy hair. Looking at daughter was like looking at mother.  It's amazing how our looks, habits and behavior can mimic that of our parents. In my family, much to my husband's dismay, we females have an uncanny habit of leaving cupboard doors open.  My mom does it. My aunt does it.  I do it on a daily basis. Visit my house, and you're likely to see a kitchen cupboard ajar, or possibly a bathroom drawer open. And now, the tradition continues.  You see, my daughter has started this disturbing habit as well.  It seems a silly thing to have inherited.  But there it is.  Generation after generation.

Out of curiosity, I looked up the definition of genetics according to Webster.  "The branch of biology that deals with heredity..." Back up and leave off the 's' and you have genetic: "of the genesis, or origin, of something."  Hmmm.  Genesis.  Again, according to Webster: "the first book of the Bible, giving an account of the Creation." Even in the secular world, the word origin of genetics leads to Scripture.  What a true gift of God.  We were created in his image. You. Me. We are the children of God. Does my behavior reflect the nature of God?  Can others see the resemblance I have to my Father?  Today my God eyes turn inward to reflect on what traits I have inherited from my Creator.

Genesis 1:27: "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them."

Ephesians 5:1-2: "Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God."

Drought...

We live in blueberry country.  Everywhere within a five mile radius, blueberries are plentiful. At quick glance, all appears well as you drive past the fields.  Bushes hang heavy with sweet clumps of ripe berries. Workers are in the fields.  Vehicles move in and out.  Trailer-hauling trucks loaded with cases of berries are a daily road hazard. 

A closer inspection tells a different story.  The lack of rain is straining the bushes.  Dead wood is visible in bushes.  Entire rows of bushes in some farms are brown, wilted and dying. No matter the endless hours of irrigation the farmers pour on their crops.  These bushes need rain, and they need rain now! Water is the source of life for blueberries.

You and I are like blueberries. God created us for life in him. He is our living water, and just like blueberries, we need water to live. At first glance, we may look like we have it all together. We can pour money, love, family and friends into our lives, but if we are not drenched daily in his living water, we will develop into dead wood.

John 7:37b-38: Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. ³⁸ Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.”

Please pray for physical rain. Our crops are in desperate need of rain.
Pray for spiritual rain. Our lives are in desperate need of the living water that only Jesus can provide. 

This is for the birds!

Most weekday mornings, I'm in a zone on my way into work.  I drive, somewhat on autopilot, the eight point five miles to downtown.  I'll admit, my drive is mostly routine and certainly not too entertaining.  But this morning, as I pulled out of our road, a bird's sweet song brought me out of my zone.  Right then, I decided to pay attention to what God might have in store for me this day.  I opened my sunroof, kept my radio off, and allowed God to talk to me through his beautiful creation.  By the first mile, I had heard a least a half dozen different melodies and the bird songs seemed to increase in volume as I drove.  By the time I reached the highway at mile three, not only were the birds singing, they were flying across the road in front of my path.  Birds seemed to be singing just for me. As I turned on the highway, a bird flitted within feet of my hood!  Now they seemed to be flying in pairs, alongside me and right above me.  While I couldn't hear their songs above the noise of wind and road, they seemed to be soaring and gliding for my entertainment.  By then, I had a smile on my face and laughter on my lips!  What joy God had given me simply because I chose to put on my "God eyes" while allowing him to accompany me on my morning commute.

Had God orchestrated the birds' performance just for me?  I choose to believe that to be so.  God told his disciples in Luke 12:6-7: "Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows."

How will you let God speak to you today?

Today I overslept.  Randy woke me up by saying, "Don't you have to work today?"  And so started my day.  Now I got ready in a jiffy, but still ended up heading to work about fifteen minutes later than my normal leave time.  Let me tell you, those fifteen minutes make a big difference.  As I drove east toward the highway, the sun was rising in just the wrong spot.  You know the spot.  The place where your visor isn't low enough and you can't make yourself tall enough.  I was irritated.  I couldn't seem to hide from the sun's blinding rays.  The sun seemed to be seeking me out, and I wanted no part of it.  It was then when it struck me, and I put on my "God eyes."

I realized that this sun game I was playing is the same game I play with God.  He's there bathing me in his golden light, waiting for me to look to him and all the while I try every distraction in my life to block him out.  I don't want to be irritated with his way.  I want MY way.  You know the saying, "Three steps forward, two steps back."  That's my life with God.  I take baby steps. But I'm learning. For you see, those times when I fully trust him and bathe in his glorious light, he blesses me with an abundance of peace and contentment.  I realize that he wants the very best for me.  And best of all, he is always there, waiting on me. 

I long for the day when I can say, "Today I took three steps forward and tomorrow, I plan to take three more steps forward to meet my God right where he wants me to be." 

Isaiah 26:3 says, "You will keep in perfect peace, him whose mind is steadfast because he trusts in you. Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD, is the Rock eternal."

We've just made it through one of the hottest weeks on record.  I found myself not wanting to venture outside my air conditioned home or office.  The heat was oppressive, and the minute I stepped outside I longed to be back in the comfort of cool.  It was on Thursday of this week, that I opened my "God eyes" on my drive in to work.  As I drove past the open farmland, I noticed the way the air looked.  It had that hazy, almost misty, mystical quality about it.  It was EVERYWHERE!  As I looked over the cornfields, I realized that this hazy air reminded me of my great God.  Just like air, he's always there, I just don't notice him.  And just like the extreme heat, sometimes it takes something oppressive in my life to see him.  And other times, I just need to open my eyes to realize that he is always there.  On every part of my life.  Touching all the details. 

So now my question is, "How do I remember to trust him each day with the details of my life?"

I believe that God is all around us.  Everywhere.  All the time.  And yes, we can see him.  Everywhere.  All the time.  We just need to open our eyes.  That's why I wanted to start sharing how I see God in the every day, ordinary things.  Those things become extraordinary when I use what I call my "God eyes."