Surprise!

                  

          Surprise!  Suddenly this foxglove appeared at the patio with a burst of color!  Years ago I had
planted it, but it just didn't do well, so it disappeared.  Or so I thought.  It decided to make a grand entrance this spring and put on a show.  It has reminded me of a few things.  No surprise to you, eh?

          One plant a garden does not make.  The flow and rhythm of a garden is about the whole.  Just as the church Body of Christ is about the whole.  One person is not the church.  It isn't about one person, it isn't about one receiving.  The church is about worship and glory to Jesus Christ.  He is the Whole, He is the focal point.  We come together to corporately to lift our praise and hearts to Jesus.  We come together to sing praises and study God's Word, to grow and mature, to serve and extend God's kingdom.  Occasionally someone will leave the "garden" for various reasons, but most often it is because their own "needs" and desires were not met by the church.  How sad is that!  And how glaring of a heart exposed!

          My encouragement to your heart today is to take a second look at your church, and to take a second look at why you go to church or don't go.  All of us have been offended and hurt in life, but we don't stop going to other places, so why would we stop going to church?  We go to church because  Jesus is our Savior, we are sinners, He redeemed us from sin and from ourselves, and we understand that much.  All of us on a journey toward heaven, and in the meantime we want to worship Jesus and give ourselves to His service.  It is about giving of yourself, not about receiving for yourself.  Our hearts are changed when we give our time, our service, our money, our talents to glorify Christ. All of a sudden it becomes "our" church not "the" church.                                                                        K.C.

Fruitful Vines

          It is already the end of April!  How did that happen?  It happened when I was studying the book of Psalms.  What a book!  Always having loved and lived in Psalms and having God speak to me through it, did not prepare me for actually studying it.  Studying it has made me question whether I have ever really read it!  We simply don't take enough time to study.  God meets me in a special deep way when I delve into His Word.

          This week Psalm 128 has been in focus.  The man (or woman) who fears the Lord and walks in His ways is blessed - or as the Theological Wordbook says - that one is to be envied with desire.  It is not God doing the blessing here.  It is the result of fearing God, putting Him first, centering my life around Him and His ways.   Now that is something to meditate on, isn't it?

          Verse 3 says the wife shall be like a fruitful vine.  I've been thinking about that in light of the vines around our house.  We have grapevines, trumpet vines, akebia vines.  And each of them require support to grow to their full glory.  When a branch sets forth on it's journey it reaches for the sky and stretches out for the world.  If it continues on, eventually it will drop to the ground, only to be stomped on, muddied, bug-eaten, and worthless of the purpose it's Creator desired.  The fruit will be spoiled and thrown away.  It struck me that this is a picture of the wife who desires her own glory and wants her own way, demanding others make her happy and obeying her wishes.  Eventually that wife will crash and wonder what happened.  But God has an order to His family.  Fearing and honoring and reverencing and obeying Him only brings bliss - that's blessing!

          As the vines are growing I lift them up to encourage their twining around the support provided for them.  Isn't that a wonderful scene of the Heavenly Father lifting us up to the support of His Word and twining strongly around His ways.  It isn't about the husband, you wives, it is about you and your relationship with Jesus, the Living Word.  Sometimes there is a strong resistance from a branch who wants its own way.  Nothing I do helps it obey.  Oh the future heartache of that branch!

          Lord, help me to be supple and pliable in Your hands as You lift me up,  train me, and produce fruit in me.    Fruitful vines always lean on the support of Your Word.                 K.C.                                                                                                

The Frame

          It is a new year!  Once again the new year holds new ventures and new starts.  This foggy picture out my window spoke to me this week.  Despite the heavy fog, the frame of the tree was clear.  No leaves and wintry air displayed the barebones and challenged me to think on what my life is framed by.

          Despite the fog, the way is clear.  It is clear because it doesn't depend on my sight.  At best my sight is blurry.  Like David in Psalm 63, I want my soul to desire and thirst for God.  David was running from his son in the wilderness, and yet it was in that hard and very unclear place that He saw His satisfaction.  His eyes clearly saw God's lovingkindness was better than life, and that no matter what circumstances life held, his lips would praise God.  He was a man of single vision, and it had nothing to do with his physical eyes.

          My way is clear.  God's Word has set the foundation and frame for my days.  And for your days.  So why do we make it so fuzzy and difficult?  I am thinking that our tendency is to make choices in life too difficult because we are looking for something more.  More than thirsting and longing for God, more than praising  and blessing God.  More than meditating on God.  More than rejoicing in the shadow of God's wings.  We are wanting our circumstances changed.  Though David's circumstances were not clear in the wilderness, though his son was seeking his life, though he had to leave his comfortable home, he still had clear vision.  He wasn't looking for more.  He was looking for God.

          This year my main clear goal is to keep my eyes on THE one thing - the simple and yet profound Gospel of Jesus Christ.  That's the frame for all of what's important in life.  The Gospel doesn't end with salvation, but starts there. The Gospel not only brings me salvation by God's Spirit, it changes me daily by grace, it realigns me daily by repentance, it rejoices me daily with joy unspeakable, it day by day adjusts my life to it's frame.  The Gospel brings me into God's presence and makes my way clear to Him.  Yes, God's way is very clear even when I look through the fog.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                                   K.C.

Musings on Dirt

This month illness has taken quite a few days of life.  Days of just being down and hurting.  But one day I started noticing the house was dirty, and it hit me that a sign of healthy life is seeing dirt!  I was actually happy to see dirt which meant I was starting to feel better.  In the spiritual realm it is a good sign of healthy life if one sees "dirt" or sin.  It is a sign that God's Spirit is at work and that our spirit is responding to Him.  A healthy spirit is glad to take sin to God's throne.  But when we are apathetic we don't care about our sin much less desire to get rid of it.   So seeing "dirt" is a sign of life.  

More dirt.....
            
In between illness we dug what was left in the raised beds before the cold temperatures froze vegetables.  Potatoes and carrots looked great still growing in the rich dirt.  Muddy hands and tools caked with dirt from digging didn't bother us at all.  Dirt is a good thing.  It produces great food especially when you bring all kinds of mulch and amendments to it.  It is a sign of life.

So seeing "dirt" is a many varied thing.  














And more dirt.....

This week our dear Muffin died, the last of our
pets.  She was 16 or 17, and many memories are
attached to her.  The kids loved those kitties and
really they became more like dogs following us
around always wanting to be near.  We buried
her in our pet graveyard in the dirt.  Yes, it was
a sad week.  Dirt once more came to the forefront.  There is something about digging a
grave that is very sobering.  Sin has affected all
of creation and dirt reminds us of where we
started and where we end.

Nearby is also the grave of 8 grandbabies that were
miscarried.  I placed some holly on their grave and dirt
again came to mind. God never wants us to get too
far from dirt it seems. Dirt is a humbling thing, it is a
sobering thing, it is a growing thing, and it is even a promise.

God tells us that we are His earthen vessel, made of dirt, that the excellence of the power may be of Him and not of us.  We know that He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus.  May our thanksgiving
abound to the glory of God.     (Romans 4)

Let dirt teach you it's many lessons.                        K.C.    

                                                                   

Life in the Midst

          Autumn is a time of reflection.  As I watch the leaves turn brilliant gold and start to fall,  it reminds me that the "leaves" of my life are starting to fall also.  It all happens in the midst of life where one is so busy doing so many "important" things.  And then, all of a sudden, you are old!  This lovely ornamental cherry tree looks especially nice in spring when it blossoms gorgeous,  pink draping petals.  Then in the fall right before the branches are bare,  it shines gloriously!  We haven't had a frost yet which make the trees even more brilliant and striking.  Frosts seem cold and harsh, yet the frost is what makes for a beautiful tree.  This is just as it is in our lives -  struggles and trials forge strength and depth as well as compassion and love in our souls.

          The "important" things that we are so busy with -  changing diapers, doing dishes, vacuuming, solving disputes between siblings, reading storybooks, wiping noses, doing endless loads of laundry, making millions of meals,  baking birthday cakes, calming fears, playing games, growing a garden together and snapping green beans, freezing corn, rocking fussy babies, serving others together, loving Jesus together, and on and on - these are "important" things that fill our lives and have filled my life.  Little things, endless things.  We tend to wonder when we are going to do really "important work".  But after all these years, I am convinced that although most of our world scorns these things, indeed,  these are the most important things of life!  Life is not made up of big, monumental things, but it is made up of hundreds and millions of little things.  Giving my all to be faithful in the little things each day adds up to a brilliant glow at the end of my life.  The battle to believe this is huge in the heart, and not easily conquered.  It takes a visionary soul and takes an understanding trust in Jesus that goes beyond comprehension.  We will be rewarded for giving a cup of cold water in Jesus' name. And if Jesus rewards us for one cup, what will His reward be for millions of cups!

          Take heart, with joy and gratefulness do the "important" things in life.  Shine ever brighter as you age and know that Jesus is watching you with tender love.  Not only is He watching, He is applauding!  So few desire to be faithful in the little things.  So many desire to do the big things.  Jesus wonders if you will humble yourself to do the little thing.  He was the servant and demonstrated how to do the little thing.  Will you do the "work" that counts for eternity?                
                 
                                                                                                                                                        K.C.

Covered by Grace

          The screech of a hawk is eerie and creates panic among the songbirds of the yard.  This one was causing concern for a few days because he seemed bent upon having a good dinner at the expense of someone else.  When the enemy prowls around, it causes us to run for cover, just as this hawk causes the songbirds to hideout.  Don't we see the enemy of our souls roaring throughout the world now seeking whom he may devour!  On every side, there is cause for fear, completely worldwide down to individual families.  

          This week we have started a new study on the book of Psalms.  Amazing book! Amazing, awesome God who wrote it!  It is going to be a great study this year, and I want to saturate my soul in it.  Psalm 107:1 - 2 this morning combats our fear as well as our enemy.  "Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!   For His mercy (lovingkindness) endures forever.  Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy."  No way do we have the ability to combat the enemy in ourselves.  Scripture teaches us to stand in Christ and in His completed work at the cross.  His lovingkindness has bought us back from the power of sin within us and has delivered us from the hand of the enemy.  Praise our Lord Jesus Christ!  David wrote about half the Psalms and his experience with God is revealed all through the Psalms.  The enemy tried to destroy David, but he constantly clung to God and took cover under His wing even through his failings.  We also take "cover" under the wings of our God and Savior, just as the songbirds take cover.  May we forever be grateful!

          There is a newer song that has been playing through my soul, "Covered". What an encouragement to take cover in the grace offered us through the cross of Christ!  Listen and take great joy in our Savior, Jesus Christ, who has defeated our enemy.             K.C.

         (Note - this is a lively version. :)

                   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KK_O3y5L428

Hidden Treasures

                                                                 

           

                                         

          Watering several plants today revealed some hidden treasures peaking out from leaves covering them.  None of these did I realize were in my garden!  Foliage covered each lovely blossom.  Just happening to catch a glimpse of bright color made me stop to cut away leaves and unbury these lovelies.  It is like this in our hearts, too.  So much busyness, so many cares, so many demands take over and cover up what God is speaking to our hearts or working on in us.  We don't spend enough time with Him in His Word or quiet our souls to hear His voice.  So the treasures stay hidden for quite a while.  Not until we stop, take stock, and cut out some encroaching brush, do we see these gifts from God.  What is thought provoking to me is that the leaves I cleared out were other lovely plants that had spread,  not unwanted weeds.  Each of us have responsibilities and tasks that are necessary and good, but the one good thing, the one best thing is time with Jesus Christ.   He is my life, my true treasure, and His beauty thrills my soul.  May it be so with you, too.                                           K.C.