Winter’s Coming

Maybe it’s because God loves and cares for us that the days are shorter in the winter months so we can stay inside where it is warm and cozy.  I know winter is not officially here, but it sure feels like it.  The older I get the more I’d rather endure hot summers than bone cold winters.  I can surely understand why many folks, affectionately called snowbirds, go south before winter hits.  In the 55^th Psalm, the psalmist writes; “Oh, that I had wings like a dove; then I would fly away and rest!”  The psalmist is not looking to fly away from the bitter cold of winter but from his many troubles.  Wow, wouldn't that be great if we could do that?  Maybe we can.  Later in that same Psalm he writes; “Give your burdens to the LORD, and he will take care of you…”

  

Ducks In A Row

Sorry, but when I see this picture I can’t help but think of how we like to have all of our ducks in a row.  Of course, what that means is everything’s on schedule, and going according to our hopes and plans.  When life happens that way we feel blessed.  When our plans fall apart or are not on schedule, we may feel cursed, confused, or frustrated.  We may wonder why God has stopped blessing us.  Is it because we have sinned?  Is it because we are not following God’s will?  Or could it be that life and God’s blessings are not about having our ducks all in a row?  Maybe these ducks are happy and content not because they’re in a row, but because of who they are swimming with.  I think it’s the same for us.  God is swimming with us in life even when things are topsy-turvy, and that is a wonderful blessing.  And who knows, maybe if we will be more aware of God’s presence with us we’ll be less apt to quack under the pressures of life.  That’s what I’m hoping for. 

We Give Thanks

For the lush green growth of spring

We give thanks

For when you make our hearts to sing

We give thanks

For the fun and warmth of summer

We give thanks

For the gift of one another

We give thanks

For the harvest and beauty of fall

We give thanks

For being there when we call

We give thanks

For the snow and shorter days of the winter solace

We give thanks

For the promise of unending grace

We give thanks

For the friendships that last thoughout the years

We give thanks

For giving us peace in place of our fears

We give thanks

For the gift of health and sight

We give thanks

For holding us through our darkest night

We give thanks

For each and every gift, large or small

We give thanks

For being the kind of God you are

We give thanks most of all!

Breaking Waves

It was a beautiful day on the coast of Maine when I was able to capture this wave breaking

on the rocks.  Here in the mid-west we don’t see oceans all that much without driving or

 flying hundreds of miles. So I could have stayed there all day, enjoying the rhythm of the

ocean, the sunshine, and the waves breaking on the rocks.  I’m guessing that one of the

last places we’d want to be is on the east coast when a nor’easter hits.  I understand that a

nor'easter can occur at almost any time of the year, but they are commonly associated

with the hurricane force winds, and heavy snow or rain in the winter months.  In life

nor’easters can happen at anytime.  We have been reminded of that sad reality this past

week with what has transpired at Penn State.  We can’t always choose a lazy idyllic day;

sometimes we are caught in the sudden storms of life that threaten to shatter our hope and

faith.  Maybe it was during one of life's upheavals that prompted the Psalmist to write, “The

LORD is a shelter for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble.”

The Mystery of Life

This is a picture I took of a home along the bay in Prospect Harbor, Maine.  The house is shrouded in the morning fog, giving it a ghostly or mystic appearance.  When I look at this picture, I’m wondering what is there that I can’t fully see.  It invites me to unravel its mysteries.  I’m reminded that God’s ways are often unclear to us as well.  The apostle Paul said that now we see as through a dark glass.  It’s true, there are a lot of things about God and about life we don’t fully understand.  For example; if God is good, and God is in control (sovereign) of our world, why all the pain and suffering?  Human nature being what it is we don’t always appreciate mystery and things we can’t completely comprehend or explain.  We want to know the answers to life’s complex and conflicting questions.  The older I get, the more I admire the mystery of life and of God.  For life and God are not merely problems to be figured out, but an invitation to live, and to be enveloped in the ongoing revelation of God’s love for us and our world.        

Backyard Beauty

In our travels to the East coast this fall we saw a lot of beautiful scenery.  We were privileged to see everything from waterfalls, to covered bridges, lighthouses, sandy beaches, the fall colors, and so much more.  However, you don’t have to travel hundreds of miles to witness the beauty and grandure of God’s creation.  We are surrounded by nature’s beauty and bounty.  Sometimes it’s easy to take for granted that which is in our own backyard.  But it’s there for us to see and appreciate, if we will only open our eyes, and our hearts to all that God has placed around us.  I’m not just thinking about the beauty of creation. I also have in view the beauty, and blessings of family, friends and those we bump shoulders with on this journey called life!      

The Road Home

After five and a half weeks of being away, it’s good to be home.  For me, home is more than just a house and an address where I live.  Home is where I am known, accepted, and loved, despite my many shortcomings.  Home is a safe place.  Home is where you are among family and friends, those who care about you, and those whom you care about deeply. Ah, it’s good to be home!  The sad reality of life is there are those who have no sense of home, no safe place where they know they are loved and accepted.  Maybe that’s why Jesus wanted us to know that God desires to make our hearts God’s home.  Jesus wanted us to know that God loves us.  God accepts us.  God forgives us.  God is safe.  We can be at home with God.   

Swords into Plowshares

A visit to the battlefield at Gettysburg, PA, is a sobering reminder of at least a couple of things.  There are some things worth fighting for, and yes dying for.  A couple of those things would be the end of tyranny, slavery of any kind, and the end of all wars.  Isn’t that ironic, fighting for the end of armed conflict?  I think that humanity has the right, and the hope to look forward to the day when the prophet declared that the instruments of war, hate, and violence would be turned into instruments of peace.The transformation of swords into plowshares is the promise of a productive society that is providing for the needs of all.   

Rainy Days

When I was a teenager in the early 70s, the Carpenters came out with a hit song entitled; “Rainy Days and Mondays”.  Part of the lyrics to the song are; “rainy days and Mondays, always get me down”.  I’ve been thinking about that song because, for the last two days we have been in Washington D.C. visiting and touring the city, it’s been cloudy and rainy…thank God for umbrellas.  The above picture is a photo I took from the high hill on which the Arlington house sets in Arlington National Cemetery.  From this vantage point you have a spectacular view of the city.  In the photo, the Lincoln Memorial is on the far left. The Washington Moment is almost in the center.  Just to the right of it can be seen the Capitol building.  The Jefferson Memorial is to the far right in the picture.  However; what really makes this picture meaningful to me, is that in the foreground at the bottom of the hill you can see some of the grave stones of the brave men and women who gave their lives for their country and for the sake of freedom.  Rainy days of all kinds can indeed dampen our spirits, but when we think about the courage and sacrifice that so many have made and are making, it can’t help but  inspire us as well.  Maybe that’s why at the heart of the Christian faith is a service of remembrance….do this in remembrance of me.         

Which Path Will We Take

This is a photo of a path leading to the beach at Provincetown, MA.  If you take this path you will not only go to the beach on a beautiful sunshiny day in the middle of October, but you will also be able to see the Race Point Lighthouse, (aren’t I a tease-I thought you might be getting tired of seeing lighthouses) which is at the farthest point of the finger of Cape Cod.  In life, there are many different paths that we can take.  Some paths lead to dead ends, or worst yet untold tragedy, while others lead to blessings that we could not have imagined.  It’s no wonder that the Psalmist plea was that God would lead him in the way everlasting.        

Life Is Like A Gristmill

This is a photo of a working gristmill near Longfellow’s Wayside Inn, in Sudbury, MA.  Longfellow made the Inn famous when he wrote; “Tales of a Wayside Inn”.  It seems that after the death of his wife, Longfellow was depressed and battling writer’s block.  He thought that maybe an extended visit to the Wayside Inn would give him the jolt of inspiration he needed to reengage life, and boost his writing career.  He was right.  The gristmill takes the raw wheat and grinds it into flour so it can be used in making bread.  Have you ever heard the expression; “I feel like I’ve been run through a mill”? I’m sure Longfellow must have felt something like that after the death of his wife, and yet out of that trying time in his life came one of his best works.  I think that the grist of what God is doing in our lives is grinding away the shaft, you know the stuff that we thought was so important, but isn’t, and the pride that keeps us from loving one another.  God does this so that we might be blessed, but more importantly so that we might be a blessing to others.  So that our lives might be like living bread, offering nourishment, and comfort to fellow travelers on the road of life.  What better comfort food then a slice (or two) of fresh homemade bread right out of the oven! 

The Son Makes The Difference

This is a nondescript lighthouse on Winter Island, Salem, MA.  It’s next to old Fort Pickering.  It has a bit of history, because it’s been there for a long time.  But, as far as lighthouses go, it would never make the top ten in beauty or majesty.  I doubt that it would even make the top 100.  It’s too short.  It’s not on a high rocky cliff.  It doesn’t have a house next to it.  It’s kind of plain and nondescript like I said.  However; in this photo, I think it looks absolutely stunning.  Why? Because the sun is setting and it cast its magical colors on the lighthouse and the clouds behind it.  It looks gorgeous because of its relationship to the setting sun.  Wow, isn’t it the same way with us?  Most of us will never make the top ten or ten thousand in beauty, brains or majesty.  We are not a Steve Jobs or a Demi Moore.  But we must never underestimate the wonder and beauty that God’s love and grace cast upon our lives.  Because of our relationship to the Son, God is able to do some amazing things through us!

A Lighthouse for Our Soul

This is a picture of the lighthouse at Pemaquid Point, Maine.  The purpose of a lighthouse is to warn ships of approaching land and to guide them into safe harbor.  It’s no wonder that Christ our savior has been likened to a lighthouse.  In the tempest of life’s storms, and through the thick fog of uncertainty, God’s love continues to shine.  Jesus is like a lighthouse for our soul and he will bring us home into the safe harbor of God’s unending and never failing love!    

Jesus Our Arch Stone

This stone arch bridge near Stoddard, New Hampshire, was built without using any mortar.  The bridge is sustained by the expert shaping of its arch stones.  I’m thinking that the arch stones are like the cornerstones of the bridge; if one is bad or off, the whole thing falls apart.  Jesus is the cornerstone (the arch stone) of our hope and faith in God.  I don’t think he’s ever going to fail or let us who hope in him down!  

Covered Bridges & More

This is a picture of a covered bridge near Bennington, VT.  Folks like me from Nebraska think of covered bridges as quaint and romantic.  However, the reason they built bridges with a cover over them was so that they would last longer.  It was all about practicality.  Guess what? It worked.  Most of the covered bridges are between 150 and 200 years old! The scriptures declare that God’s banner (covering) over us is love.  God’s desire is to protect us and to preserve us, that we may abide with God forever! 

The Sound of Many Waters

The sound of many waters is an apt description of a visit to Niagara Falls.  This is a picture of the American side of Niagara Falls, viewed from the Canadian side.  Isn’t that ironic?  The American side is best viewed from another country.  Maybe, we who have been born and raised in America don’t always see the blessings and benefits that we have been given.  The same can be true on a spiritual level as well.  It’s so easy to take for granted all that we have.  The sound of many waters, that’s what you hear as you marvel at the beauty and wonder of Niagara Falls. The Psalmist says that God is like the sound of many waters.  Maybe what the Psalmist had in mind was that as we meditate and ponder on the majesty and greatness of God, that the awesome sound of God’s thundering love and grace towards us, would drown out all the other noise.  That, my friend, is something we should never take for granted!            

Horseshoe Bend by Page, Arizona

Just Around The Bend

By:  David A. Bigley

Just around the bend

Are countless adventures to explore

Just around the bend

God’s grace is waiting to show us so much more

Just around the bend

Are things that will cause our heart to leap

Just around the bend

Are treasures that we’ll hold close and keep

The smile and laughter of children

The gift of relationships and love

The special sense of God’s presence

All given to us from above

Life is filled with unknown twists and turns

Not only has God promised to be around every bend

God is with us each step of the way

Because God’s our closest friend!

Showers of Blessing in the Desert

This is a picture of one of the many arches in Arches National Park in Moab, UT.  Moab is in a desert.  Nothing much grows in the desert.  When we were there in June of 2006, we were told that the average rain fall for the month of June was about ½ inch.  The few days we were in Moab, we experienced a dust storm that roared through the valley, and the very next day an inch of rain fell in less than half an hour.  The streets were flooded.  Sometimes we go through what seems like a desert period in our spiritual lives.  It doesn’t seem like much is happening.  We may feel more dead than alive.  We may wonder where God is.  I think it’s in those times that we have the opportunity to learn what it means to live by faith in God’s care for us and not by our subjective feelings.  In the desert roots must go down deep for the vegetation to survive.  To flourish in the sometimes arid conditions of this life, our roots of faith also must go down deep into the wellsprings of God’s professed love and faithfulness towards us.  It rains, even in the desert.  There shall be showers of blessings.    

Peaks and Valleys

I took this picture a few years ago as we crossed over into Canada to view Glacier National Park from the Canadian side.  The snow capped mountain peaks are breathtakingly beautiful and majestic, yet nothing can grow above the tree line.  It’s in the valley, watered by the mountain snow melt, and bathed in the life giving warmth of the sun, that flowers bloom and crops grow to feed and nourish us.  Life is a combination of peaks and valleys.  The peaks are those times of inspiration when our spirits soar to new heights of understanding, clarity and gratitude.  We know we are loved.  We know God is good.  From our vantage point on the mountain peak, we can see it so clearly.  However, it is in the valleys of life with all of its ups and downs, its trials, and disappointments, that we grow and produce the fruit of God’s presence within our lives.  The peaks provide the insight and inspiration so we know that we have a resource above our own as we toil in the valleys of life.  Maybe that’s why there are two peaks to every valley?  Jesus is called the lily of the valley, and he invites us to bloom with him. 

Is It Tomatoe or Tomato?

It’s that wonderful time of year when, instead of buying store bought tasteless tomatoes, I can go to my garden and pick fresh, truly vine ripened tomatoes.  I grew up on a farm and so we always had lots of fresh tomatoes in the summer time.  As a kid, the only way I’d eat sliced tomatoes was with lots of sugar on them.  When I got older I learned to eat sliced tomatoes seasoned only with salt and pepper.  Last year I experimented a bit, and came up with an olive oil dressing, which includes different herbs, that I drizzle on my sliced tomatoes.  I top it off with crumbled feta cheese and a small amount of crumbled blue cheese as well.  It is simply delicious, and now I can’t imagine eating sliced tomatoes any other way.  When the apostle Paul writes; “When I was a child, I spoke, I thought, I reasoned like a child, but when I became a man I put away childish things”, I think I know what he’s talking about.  And, it’s not about putting sugar on his tomatoes.  He’s talking about growing up in his understanding of God and practice of faith.  The essence of what Paul is saying, is that whatever is not seasoned with love is useless and indeed tasteless.  No matter how great the revelation or how intellectually deep the understanding, without love it’s worse than a store bought tomato purchased in the dead of winter.  Maybe Christian maturity is about growing to the place where we can’t imagine not being loved by God and not loving others as God loves us!         

Life Is Not Always A Picnic

As a shutterbug, I really enjoy the beauty and wonder of a sunrise or a sunset.  This is a photo I took of a sunrise.  If I had to give a name to this picture it might be, “life is hard, but God is good.”  Life is not always a picnic, a vacation, or a time of celebration.  Sometimes life is hard and we can’t see much beyond today.  But God is good, God is faithful.  The writer of Lamentations reminds us that it’s because of God’s great and awesome love for us that we are not consumed.  God’s compassion never fails, but is new every morning.  Doubt, the anxieties and hardships of life, and even our sins need not consume us.  For as surely as the sun rises in the east every morning, so does God’s love and compassion towards us.   

Butterfly People

On Saturday, I captured this photo of a beautiful tiger swallowtail butterfly in our backyard.  The metamorphosis a caterpillar goes through to become a beautiful butterfly is, no doubt, the reason the butterfly symbolizes resurrection, hope and new life.  Recently I heard about and then read some amazing stories about butterfly people.  It seems that when the tornado hit Joplin, MO on the 22^nd of May, some of the surviving children said they were helped and kept safe from harm by the butterfly people.  I guess if you were a small child describing an angel with wings, what better description than calling them butterfly people.  Were there angels in Joplin, Mo the night the tornado hit?  Yes, and I wouldn’t be surprised if some of them did have wings.  We are all called to be butterfly people, messengers of God, showing God’s love and compassion to others.  Where is God in the midst of life’s storms?  God is present working through the butterfly people, and yes some do have wings.  The rest of us are still earthbound, at least for a little while longer.  

Better Than PB&J

This spring and summer it's been a pleasure watching Baltimore orioles visit our birdfeeder especially designed for their nectar loving appetite.  They love the grape jelly we put out for them, and they even prefer it over orange slices.  A few weeks ago house finches started showing up at our regular birdfeeder, which is about twelve feet from the oriole feeder.  The funny thing is that one of the female house finch started going to the oriole feeder and sampling the grape jelly.  She must have seen the orioles feeding from it and thought she’d give it a try.  Evidently she likes it because she keeps coming back for more.  The orioles aren’t too thrilled about her eating from their feeder and they chase her away when they catch her at their favorite café.  The above picture captures our grape jelly loving finch, a Baltimore oriole, and just below the feeder flying right towards the camera is a grey catbird.  The Psalmist encourages us with these words, “Taste and see that the Lord is good.”  Maybe as others see us tasting of God’s goodness in all the different circumstances of life, like the house finch, they will want to join the buffet.    

Controlled Flooding

For the past seven years our family has camped at Lewis and Clark Reservoir near Yankton, SD.  This weekend we had the added bonus of not only boating on the lake in the cool water, (with nearly 100 degree days it felt good) but also driving to Gavins Point Dam to see the spectacular release of water from the dam.  The park lady told us that they were releasing 164 thousand cubic feet of water per second.  To get an idea of how much water that is, I read that Yankton's Memorial Park has an Olympic-sized swimming pool, which holds about 600,000 gallons of water. At 150 thousand cubic feet per second the water rushing out of Gavins Point Dam would take just half-a-second to fill it.  It’s a pretty awesome sight, but not so much for the folks downstream.  Their fields, homes and towns are flooded because of it.   Ironic isn’t it, dams were built for flood control and yet it’s the release of this vast amount of water that is causing the flooding.  Maybe the lesson to be learned here is that we really can't control mother-nature or always outguess what she’s going to do in a given year.  Floods happen.  The prophet Isaiah promises that a time is coming when those who are thirsty will be flooded with God’s spirit.  I’m thinking that through Jesus Christ the vast eternal reservoir of God’s goodness and grace is being released upon humanity.  It’s enough to fill every person, and to wash away all of our doubts and fears.  So may the flood gates of God’s mercies be opened wide enough until every soul is swept away in the unconditional love of God.      

No Crystal Ball

In our backyard we have what is called a gazing ball or reflecting ball.  As you can see from the photo, it does a fairly good job of reflecting its surroundings.  It’s not a crystal ball that one can gaze into and predict or see the future.  Unfortunately some use the scriptures in this way.  The most recent example of this is the guy who predicted that the rapture would take place last May.  It didn’t.  He also thinks the scriptures predict that the end of the world will happen in October.  I think one of the main functions of the scriptures is to show us what God is like.  The scriptures tell us the good news of God’s unending, relentless love.  A love that will never fail, but wins  in the end as God makes all things new.  God doesn’t give us all the details as to how God’s going to pull it off, nor does God give us the dates as to when it will happen.  However, God does ask us to have faith in him for all of our days, the good days as well as the bad ones.  I think that being a follower of Christ is being like a reflecting ball.   Reflecting the graces of God in all of life’s circumstances and the surroundings we find ourselves in.  Admittedly, that’s a lot harder to do then simply predicting gloom and doom.  To reflect the life of God’s Spirit, we must allow our hearts to continue to be close to God’s heart.  Amazingly, as we continue to gaze upon the goodness of God, the hope that reverberates throughout the scriptures steals its way into our hearts.  In Christ we have something far greater than a crystal ball.

Fireworks and watermelon

What isn’t there to like about the 4^th of July?  A day off from work with pay:)  Fireworks.  Watermelon, corn on the cob and grilled hamburgers or in my case, smoked babyback ribs.  With all the festivities it’s easy to forget that a lot of people paid the ultimate price for us to have this holiday and the freedoms we enjoy and often take for granted.  Like they say, freedom is never really free!  I am grateful for the men and women both past and present who have risked their lives, to secure and keep the freedoms and liberties we have as a nation.  In our pledge of allegiance we promise to be one nation, indivisible, with justice and liberty for all.  However, when we look at the political landscape (especially as we approach an election year) it seems that there is a lot that divides us.  Just as watermelon on the 4^th of July and apple pie are a slice of Americana, my hope and prayer is that as a nation we may continue to be a beacon of hope and opportunity, where justice and liberty for all is not just a pledge, but remains as an enduring slice of Americana as well. 

God Is Wild About Us!

Last week we had Vacation Bible School at our church.  The theme was; “God is wild about us.”  One of the things I did was I took pictures of the children, so they’d have a keepsake to remember their week of VBS.  The picture with this posting is of my granddaughter Grace.  Grace is 3 ½ and she likes to wiggle, so the first picture I took of her wasn’t so good, she couldn’t stand still, her arms were everywhere and she wouldn’t look at the camera.  So the next night of VBS we did a redo and Grace, graced us with less wiggles and more cooperation and the picture turned out much better.  It looks more like the beautiful, fun loving little girl, her grandfather is wild about.  The theme of VBS was right on, and I’m convinced that God IS wild about us.  God is so wild about us that the final portrait of our lives will have no trace of the errors and blunders we have made.  What will be there for all to see and admire is the working and wonder of God’s love and grace made visible in and through our lives.  The good news of the Gospel is not just that God offers us a redo and lots of them, but that God’s love is powerful enough to perfect and capture the right image of us. 

Free At Last

Last week my wife and I went to the Henry Doorly Zoo with some of our children and grandchildren.   It was great fun watching our grandchildren’s reaction to all the different animals in pens, cages and aquariums.  The picture of this beautiful parrot was taken at the zoo with my phone camera.  This parrot was not in a cage, nor was it tethered to its perch.  Along with some other parrots, it was in the garden section of the zoo and it appeared to be free.  However upon closer inspection, I’m sure a couple of its wings were clipped so it couldn’t fly.  We humans appear to be free as well, but the harsh words and opinions of others along with our own self-doubt and mistakes clip our wings and keep us from really soaring as God intended.  God is not afraid of our freedom, in fact that’s what the heart of God longs for us.  Jesus said that whoever the son sets free is free indeed.  Free to be loved by God.  Free to love others as God loves us.  Free to achieve our God given potential.  And yes, free to stumble and fall in the process and know that we are held in the grip of our Heavenly Father’s unfailing love and grace.      

A Thing Of Beauty!

I don’t know what you see when you view this photo? I see a thing of beauty, and as they say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.  I dreamt up the design for this pergola and then built it.  My wife planted the clematises, one on each side.  This year they have met each other at the top and now they are starting to bloom.  To me it’s a thing of beauty, but I’m admittedly biased because I’m the creator.  I wonder if it’s the same way with God?  God dreamt up our design and then created us.  We are marvelously and wonderfully created to bear the image of God.  Is it any wonder that God calls us (humanity) the apple of his eye?         

God’s Marvelous Work In Progress

A couple of years ago I got the idea of building a waterfall and fish pond in our backyard.  The photos above show the beginning stages and the finished project.  Even now when I look at the photo of the early stages of our backyard paradise, (that’s what my daughter calls it) it’s hard to believe that it once looked so raw and undone.  That picture reminds me of what God is doing in each life, in spite of the fact that we and others may look very rough and far from God’s blueprint for our lives.  We have the promise and the hope that the God who created us and began a good work in us will bring it to completion.  If I’m faithful to complete the projects I start, (at least this one) how much more can we trust God with ourselves, our loved ones….yes, and even with the whole world!

We Remember

Memorial Day gives us pause to remember those we love who have died and those who have given the ultimate sacrifice in service to their country.  We are reminded that we stand on the shoulders of those who have gone before us.  We are who we are today because of what others have sown into our lives.  The apostle Paul reminds us to live with a deep sense of gratitude and humility when he asked the question; “What do we have that we didn’t receive?”  There’s no such thing as a self-made person.  As a person, as a Nation, and as people of faith, we stand on the shoulders of many, many others!  We remember and we give thanks.

Life Is Fragile

The saying; “Life is fragile handle with prayer,” is more than just a religious slogan, for there are times when life punches us in the gut and reminds us of just how fragile, delicate and fleeting life is.  It could be the unwelcomed news that a loved one has been diagnosed with cancer, or the evening news reporting the loss of lives in a flood, or a tornado, and again we’re reminded.  We would like to think that life is (we are) indestructible and when we were younger maybe we thought so, but as I get older, not so much anymore.  The idea that life is fragile and needs to be handled with prayer, reminds us that there are things in life beyond our control.  And the only real way to get a handle on these things is through prayer, through trusting in a wise, caring and loving God who created us and holds us and all of our tomorrows in his hands.  Well, if you haven’t done so already today, give someone a hug or a phone call and let them know you’re so glad that God has planted them in your life!  

Loving The Process

I admit that I’m a backyard BBQ enthusiast.  I enjoy grilling steaks and hamburgers, but what I’ve come to enjoy most is smoking babyback pork ribs.  For many years my wife and I have gone to the ribfest in Lincoln.  I got to thinking that I could make ribs just as good.  Last year I humbly confess that I mastered the feat of making some of the best  babyback ribs I have ever tasted.  It’s quite a process.  It takes about six hours to produce some of the most mouth watering, tender, wonderfully smoked flavored ribs you can imagine.  First I apply a special dry rub to the ribs and then I brush them with a special blend of apple juice and BBQ sauce.  I smoke them for three hours on a special smoker, adding apple wood chips to compliment the BBQ sauce.  After three hours of smoking at around 230 degrees, I finish them off in the oven, wrapped in foil smothered in my special sauce.  When they are done the meat literally falls off the bone, it’s delicious! Best ribs I’ve ever had, but then again I’ll admit that I’m a bit biased.  The thing of it is, I enjoy the whole process.  Not just the eating of the ribs.  For me it’s the process that makes it all worth while.  I’m thinking it’s the same way with God.  We might be tempted to think that what thrills God the most is the end result….us being conformed into the image of Christ.  But, I’m thinking that God enjoys the process just as much, as God interacts us with, marinates us in his grace, so that eventually our whole lives will be flavored with God’s love and goodness….so that when others taste of our lives they will be tasting of the goodness of Christ who lives within us!  Gotta go, it’s time to have some ribs…  

Busy As A Bee

There’s a reason we say; “as busy as a bee”. These wonderful little creatures are always on the go, collecting nectar and pollen to bring back to the hive.  In the process as they fly from flower to flower they make it possible for fruit trees and hundreds of other plants to pollinate.  It is estimated that one third of the human food supply depends on insect pollination, most of which is accomplished by the humble honey bee.  This Sunday is “Mother’s Day” and mothers and the honey bee have a lot in common.  Mothers are always busy and when I was growing up, our family was one hundred percent dependent on mom for our food supply.  But my mom did much more than just feed us and cloth us.  Through her unconditional love, her strong unwavering faith in God and in us, she pollinated so many good things, so many God things into our lives how could we not bloom no matter what circumstance of life we found ourselves in.  Thanks, Mom! I think God created motherhood so we could get a glimpse of how great God’s love is for us.  

Come Sit A Spell

It’s good to get alone and think.  To get away from all the artificial noise of the world, the radio, TV, and the sounds of the city.  To listen to the sounds and rhythm of nature, like the gobble of a wild turkey, or the honking of the geese as they fly over and the chatter of the birds.  Life can be so busy that we don’t take the time to connect with the core of who we are, and more importantly, whose we are.  The lone bench in this photo is an invitation to sit a spell and allow ourselves to be spellbound by the wonder and grandeur of creation all around us, that is so easy to take for granted or hardly even notice in the hustle and bustle of work and life.  As we do, I think we may very well rediscover what the Psalmist discovered hundreds of years ago.  And that is, we are never truly alone, in our thoughts or otherwise.  For we can never escape the wonder and grandeur of God’s benevolent care for us.  Though at times the waves of anxiousness and fear seem to wash over our souls and threaten to capsize our hope, we really are never alone, for the cry of our thoughts and our hearts are not hid to God.  Yes, it’s good to sit a spell and remind ourselves, it is well with our soul.       

Christ is Risen!

Several years ago my wife and I visited Jerusalem and one of the highlights was visiting the garden tomb and having communion with our tour group in that setting.  Is this the actual tomb where Jesus’ body was laid? No one knows for sure.  One thing we who are disciples of Christ are sure of is that the tomb (where ever it was) was empty on that first Easter morning.  It is the reality of the empty tomb, because Christ is risen, that fills our hearts with hope and anticipation.  Some might wonder how we can be so sure that the tomb was empty.  We believe Christ is alive, not because we have seen an empty tomb…but like the only hymn says; “you ask me how I know he lives, he lives within my heart”.  Christ lives within our hearts filling us with God’s love and an eternal hope! 

God's Restoration Project

A couple of years ago my wife and I had the privilege of visiting Athens, Greece.  On our first night in Athens I was able to capture this picture of the Parthenon from the top of our hotel.  The next day we visited the Parthenon and our guide told us that it was built and dedicated to the Greek goddess Athena.  Athena was the goddess of victory in warfare along with being the goddess of wisdom and civilization.  She was worshipped as the protector of Athens.  As you can see the temple dedicated to her now lies in ruins, and you can also see the scaffolding in place as a part of the restoration effort to repair the Parthenon.  In the 5th century, the Parthenon was converted into a Christian church and then after the Ottoman Turk conquest, it was turned into a mosque in the early 1460s, before later falling into ruins. 

Palm Sunday begins Holy Week and on Good Friday we remember that Christ defeated sin and death, not by the power of force like an Athena, a goddess of warfare, but by the power of self-giving love, laying down his life for his enemies.  Christ freely laid down his life for you and me, indeed the whole world.  And in the process God confounds the wisdom of this world by showing us that God’s strength is best made known through weakness.  The apostle Paul saw this and declared that he would boast in his weakness so that the strength of Christ might rest upon him.  As Christians we have something in common with the Parthenon, we’re under construction and restoration as well……so when we feel weak, let’s not despair, but let us look to a strength that is greater than ours, for Christ who has begun the good work in us will be faithful to complete it….after all he was a carpenter!          

Blowing In The Wind

When you see this picture of a dandelion going to seed it may conjure up all kinds of thoughts, memories and emotions.  Like recalling stories of those who actually eat dandelion greens, I think I’ll pass on that one, thank you.  It could also stir up memories of an uncle or grandfather who made dandelion wine.  I’ve never made or tasted dandelion wine myself, but I’ve heard a lot of folks whine about dandelions, does that count?  Which brings me to what I’m guessing is the thought that’s upper most in our minds when we see a picture of a dandelion going to seed.  We hope the dandelion is not in our neighbor’s yard, with the wind blowing in our direction.  The fluffy white head of a dandelion is filled with hundreds of seeds, waiting for the wind to carry them wherever the wind will, so they can reproduce dandelion life wherever they go.  Interestingly enough, Jesus said that those who are born of God’s Spirit are like the wind.  Our lives are carried along by the wind of God’s Spirit and in the process we are seeding God’s life and love through our lives, through our words and through our actions.  A smile.  A hug.  A word of encouragement.  Grace and forgiveness offered.  Help freely and cheerfully given.  In all of this and more…puff…the wind of God’s Spirit blows through our lives, planting hope and God’s love in the hearts and lives of others.  I’m thinking that it’s a good thing when Christians go to seed, for in this way the love and life of God are reproduced in others!  I know that’s how it happened for me, and is still happening.  So the answer my friend is not blowing in the wind….we are blowing in the wind…            

The Red Pump

A couple of years ago my Aunt Margie died and somehow we ended up with the old pump that set out in her backyard, now it sets in ours.  When Margie and her husband Ray moved to town they took the old pump that had been in the washroom of their old farm house and brought it to town with them.  I guess they brought it as a memento of the many years they had lived in the country.  I remember visiting my aunt and uncle on the farm and as you came into the house you walked through the washroom before you entered the kitchen.  It was there in the washroom where you’d pump the handle on the old pump and draw up water from the large cistern with which to wash up after chores or before meals.  Now when I look at that bright red pump in my backyard I’m reminded of my Aunt Margie.  She and Ray never had children of their own, so she delighted in her sister’s children, and we never doubted her love for us.  Advent, Christmas, Lent and Easter serve as reminders of how much God loves and delights in us.  Through Christ we are able to draw from an endless supply of living water, water to not only make us clean, but to drink that we may be refreshed and renewed.  I don’t know about you, but when I consider God’s awesome love for me and for every person in the world…..well….it pumps me up!            

Morning Song

Maybe you too have noticed that this Spring, it is seems the birds have been singing more than usual.  It could be that after the long winter silence, it makes us think they are doing more this year.  At any rate they start their melodious chatter very early in the morning, around 5 a.m..  How do they do that without the aid of a least two cups of coffee? They are singing their early morning songs because the creator has put a song in their hearts.  Maybe it's a song of joy for a new day.  Maybe it's a song of hope because of the possibilities that a new day brings.  Maybe it's a song of praise to the creator for God's provision. What song has God put in your heart?  You don't have to be a morning person for God to put a song in your heart.  However, the scriptures remind us that God's mercies, God's grace to us is new every morning.  Now that's something to sing about!

Spring Is In The Air

We often hear it said that Spring is in the air.  Now those like my wife who have allergies can attest to the validity that Spring indeed is in the air.  With the coming of Spring the pollen count is crazy high which has its blessings, like beautiful flowers and eventually fruit.  My wife tells me that it also has its curses, itchy watery eyes and a running nose.  Kind of like life, huh? But here's the good part, God has promised that in all of life God will work everything in a pattern for our good.  As I look back on my life I can truly say that God has even used those things that were hard or hurtful at the time, to pollinate within me something good and enduring.  I think the best work God is doing in us is bringing us to an unshakable confidence in God's love for us.....indeed God's love for all.       

Through It All

A couple of years ago I captured this image of a crocus peeking through the snow in late March.  Along with the daily news, it reminds me that life is filled with challenges and struggles.  Sometimes it rains on our parade or snows on our crocus that is trying to tell us that spring is here and another season of our journey is beginning.  I'm thinking that the crocus made it through, not so much because of its dogged determination, but because God wired it to do so in the early days of spring even if there's still snow on the ground.  And me thinks that God wired us humans to trust in a power greater than ourselves.  We function best when we trust in God for today, and for all of our tomorrows, no matter what the struggle we are currently facing.       

Be Still And Know That I Am God

Usually by this time of the year most of us are tired of winter and ready for it to be over with already. We're tired of the cold short days and long nights. Tired of reading books, eating soup and being couped up. We're ready to be outside more, we're longing for spring to set us free of the winter blues. However, there's nothing like a trip to the snow covered mountains in the dead of winter. The air is fresh and clean and the vistas are breathtaking. The solitude and the majesty of the mountains, for me has a calming and refreshing affect on my soul. No wonder the psalmist says that God is our rock, our high mountain. When we go to God, our high mountain we can gain a better, a higher perspective. When we go to God our rock, we can find a refuge for our soul. For in the presence of the holy, we are made whole as the gentle breeze of the Spirit speaks peace and comfort to our soul. Be still and know that I am God....that's sometimes hard to do in our busy life filled with so many voices screaming out to get our attention, so many things that need to be done. And yet, that's God's daily invitation to us! The majestic mountain of God's goodness and grace whispers to us, ever inviting us to view life from a higher plain and to know God's peace in the midst of life's busyness and heartaches.

Nesting

A couple of years ago, Lorraine and I went on a trip to Greece. This is a picture of the ruins of the temple to the Goddess Dianna. Dianna was a fertility Goddess worshipped as the mother of all living things. Ironically, on the top of the lone remaining pillar is a stork's nest. When I see this picture I'm reminded of the true God of all creation. It was Jesus who encouraged us to give to God all of our heavy burdens and to learn to nest and rest in God's great love and care. After all if God cares for the sparrows, how much more does God care for us!