Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

Give Me Your Eyes

I've been contemplating the New Year and my goals for it, praying that God would give me His direction and a focus that is hard for me to obtain without Him.

Stuck in my thoughts, playing again and again, is Brandon Heath's song "Give Me Your Eyes".

Give me your eyes for just one second
Give me your eyes so I can see
Everything that I keep missing
Give me your love for humanity
Give me your arms for the broken-hearted
The ones that are far beyond my reach
Give me your heart for the ones forgotten
Give me your eyes so I can see

[Click Here to Watch Video]

In part, there's my prayer for the New Year--that I may see my life and the hearts of others with His eyes and not my own.

One step beyond that is my prayer for wisdom and revelation from Ephesians 1:15-19, paraphrased in The Message:

"....I ask—ask the God of our Master, Jesus Christ, the God of glory—to make you intelligent and discerning in knowing him personally, your eyes focused and clear, so that you can see exactly what it is he is calling you to do, grasp the immensity of this glorious way of life he has for his followers, oh, the utter extravagance of his work in us who trust him—endless energy, boundless strength!"

Ah, there's the prayer! Doesn't that sum it all up, tie it all together-endless energy and boundless strength?

And the source of the endless energy and boundless strength?

"All this energy issues from Christ: God raised him from death and set him on a throne in deep heaven, in charge of running the universe, everything from galaxies to governments, no name and no power exempt from his rule. And not just for the time being, but forever. He is in charge of it all, has the final word on everything. At the center of all this, Christ rules the church. The church, you see, is not peripheral to the world; the world is peripheral to the church. The church is Christ's body, in which he speaks and acts, by which he fills everything with his presence." (vs 20-23 Msg)

When His people see with His eyes lives are changed, beginning with our own. Lord, give me your eyes!

(image from www. heartlight.org)

Chasing the Wind

Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind. (Ecclesiastes 4:6 NIV)

I had lost something and it bothered me. In a time of a recessed economy, I’d treated myself to a new decorative Christmas flag. My heart smiled each time I saw it as I looked out the window or as I pulled into the garage.

But at our house on the little hill the flag must battle its archenemy, the wind. No matter how creative I’ve gotten in my attempts to secure my flag, the wind has won most of the battles. So I was not surprised to drive up to an empty flag pole last week, but I was disappointed all the same. As the days passed without finding the flag, my mind’s eye pictured a twenty dollar bill flapping in the breeze where the flag used to be, and I chastised myself for spending money on such a frivolous thing. But as I fussed at myself I also prayed, and I launched a search party; my husband and daughter joined me in the search around our property for my lost treasure.

I walked in the freezing cold temperatures, stepped around mud, searching as I went for any signs of the blue flag to no avail, but I refused to call off the search. I prayed God would forgive me for throwing money (that He provided) to the wind on such a thing, and I prayed He would help me find it.

As I had searched the last spots and headed back to the house discouraged I looked under our deck, almost as an afterthought, and to what did my wandering eyes appear but a blue Christmas flag that my heart held so dear!

Like my flag, I was blown away; blown away by the realization that God cares about me so much that He would answer my prayers for little things like lost flags. And if I can trust Him and see Him in these little things, why is it sometimes so hard to believe Him for the big things? I believe that God understands how we feel about the little things because Jesus became flesh and felt the little things with a heart like ours.

God loves me even when my life is wrinkled and muddy like my lost flag. Perpetual grace (John 1:16) is poured out over my life and your life from a Heavenly Father who knows us and loves us and wants to bless us. Thank you, Lord, for perpetual grace!

Heavenly Father, thank you for answered prayer, big and small. Thank You for allowing us the privilege of trusting all things in our life to your care. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

The Seasons Praise Him

Praise the Lord from the heavens! Praise him from the skies! Praise him skies above! Praise him vapors high above the clouds! Praise the Lord from the earth, mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars. Let them all praise the name of the Lord. For his name is very great; his glory towers over the earth and heaven! (Psalm 148:1 ,3, 4, 7, 9, 13 NLT)

How great must God’s love be for us that He would create nature in all its beauty for our pleasure and enjoyment! Autumn’s colors seem to be an offering of nature’s praise and worship at the end of the seasons of planting and harvesting! Many times words cannot adequately express the joy and worship in my heart for all of the blessings God has given, yet when I see the splendor of creation during the seasons, their sheer beauty exclaims that which I cannot put to words.

Is it what we see that brings us to an understanding of an existence of God? Is it what we cannot see or touch but what stirs inside us that tells us there is a God? Nature stands to witness the character of God, the master artist, and to His perfect design and timing. The birth of a newborn child or animal gives testimony to the existence of God. The timing of the seasons, the sun’s rising and setting, and the moon’s movement of the tides point the way. The tides and the very boundary of the oceans are His design.

May we recognize His hand in creation in all seasons and may we daily take time to give thanks for his gifts.

Heavenly Father, we join all of nature in offering You our praise and worship today and each day. Thank You for loving us so much that You would create this world for our pleasure. In Jesus’ name. Amen

All Saints Day

The memory of the just is blessed. Proverbs 10:7


As our pastor reminded us that today is All Saints’ Day, my mind immediately turned to my paternal grandmother, who went home to be with the Lord on April 13, 2007. Mother, Daughter, Sister, Wife, Grandmother, Employee, Sunday School Teacher, Friend …. Mary Jones was something special to each person who knew her.

One of my biggest regrets is that I didn’t recognize her legacy while she was still with us. I know it would have tickled her pink if I’d shared with her all that she’d done for me and meant to me. I can honestly say I never stopped to think about a life without her. Although I know that no one lives forever, Grandma was so full of life and had so much “go” in her that the thought had not yet occurred to me.

I have discovered in the months since her death that she is so much a part of me; that my life and all of my memories are molded and shaped by her place in my life. She’d have been proud to know this. One reason I know she would love it is that I have since found taped inside the cover of her Bible a copy of an article in the Calvary Baptist newsletter dedicated to her for all of her years as a Sunday School teacher. I can imagine her turning to it and reading it again when she found herself wondering if she’d ever made any difference in someone else’s life. It read:

This week’s note of appreciation is dedicated to Mrs. Mary Jones, and I ask you to forgive me for making this one more personal. Mrs. Jones has been a faithful dedicated teacher for a least 36 years – because I can remember that many. Mrs. Jones has taught practically every age group and has done a good job in any class she leads. She has influenced many people in a positive way through her example more than through the words she teaches. Mary Jones is loved and respected by all who know her, and her work here at Calvary has not gone unnoticed or unappreciated. Thank you, Mary Jones, from all of us you have touched! (November 29, 1992)

Material things never meant much to her, but being needed did mean something.

In her absence I’ve discovered she impacted my life in so many positive ways. I realize now that she has left a tremendous legacy to her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. We all knew and can proudly tell you today that she loved us unconditionally. She was proud of us all and she was there for us. She loved us to the moon and back with her cooking. I believe our lives are a reflection of her prayers for us. I believe our lives are a reflection of her life.

May we continue to do justice to her memory and may the generations call her blessed until the end of time.

Season of Gathering

Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. Isaiah 1:18 KJV

Of all the colors clothing the autumn trees, it is not gold or orange that dresses the fall dogwood tree. Symbolic of the blood shed for us on the cross, the leaves of the dogwood are crimson, their branches reaching gently heavenward, as did the arms of Jesus as He drew His last breath and bore the sins of every man.

Autumn is often referred to as a season of gathering. The crimson blood of Jesus has made possible the ultimate Season of Gathering, when the dead in Christ shall rise and be called up with the living children of God at the Rapture: the gathering by the Crystal Sea; the gathering to worship and fall at the feet of our Heavenly Father; the gathering to lift our voices with songs of praise and worship with new harmonies like the angels’ choir.

I am thankful for the beauty and promises of autumn and for their gentle reminders of the Season of Gathering.


Thank You, Lord, for all seasons. Thank You for gathering us to You – sheep unto our Good Shepherd, gathered into the waiting arms of our Savior, made possible by Your crimson blood. Isaiah 40:11

Image courtesy of http://www.heartlight.org/