A picture of Him

When I started my blog over a year ago, I wanted to write about ways I see God's fingerprints in all of His creation. I even found scripture to support this. Romans 1:20 NLT ~ For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities - his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.

Another passage would be Psalm 19:1-6.

This past week, I witnessed something that caught my eye and as I walked with my pup these thoughts came to me. As first glance I almost missed it, but then once I stopped and grabbed the camera, I realized what I had just saw.

What do you see when you look at these pictures? Do you see simple flowers? This is what I saw. I was quickly coming in from the garage and I noticed the purple sticking out of the snow. I grabbed the camera and took a few quick shots in the wind and then put the camera down. I knew there was a reason I was to capture these pictures. I must admit they turned out much better than I expected because I took them so quickly.

As I walked and thought about the setting of the picture these thoughts came to mind. The wooden sticks that are in between the flowers represent the wooden cross. The purple represent royalty. Jesus is the King of Kings, my king. The orange center represents the Holy Spirit, when it fell for the first time on the first believers in Acts, it was described as tongues of fire. Just as it is in the center of the flower, so is the Holy Spirit inside every believer. The stone wall in the background reminds me of the stone that was rolled away as he rose from the dead. The snow, Jesus washes me whiter than snow. You see in that one snapshot is the gospel. He is all around His creation if you look for Him. He is our King, who died on a cross and ascended into Heaven, but sent the Holy Spirit to take His place while we remain on earth. Then when we confess our sins, to Him, He makes us whiter than snow. Now don't you just love that! It made me smile and while the wind blew and it felt like we were taking 10 steps back to winter, I knew spring was still on the way. In life we can feel overwhelmed by our situations, and feel we are not getting anywhere, but remember, He is returning and when He does, His kingdom is the one that will last forever.

May you find fingerprints of Him this week. Are you looking? Are you listening? I could have easily missed this little surprise if I had not turned around for a second glance.

A day later, the snow melted, this is what I found. Notice the centers wide open so you can see the orange/red color.

       
Now just for fun: Some of you that read this blog do not see my Facebook page.  I posted these pictures and thought you may enjoy them as well. We have new chicks at our house. I am trying something new and ordered them through the US Mail. My "package" arrived this week.

I have three different varieties. Barred Rocks, Rhode Island Reds, and Golden Comets.

 Just hanging out at the water cooler.

 Maggie being so good. I had to keep telling her to "leave it". She wanted to grab it so badly!

"Can we be friends?"~ I highly doubt it!

Have a great week! Thanks for reading.

I still remember her...

It has been over 30 years since I lost her. Maybe it was because I was young when she left or maybe it was because we didn't get to say goodbye. I don't think I could have said goodbye. Her friends and neighbors called her Ruth. I called her Grandma. 

Yesterday, as I made a side dish for our lunch, I was filled with memories of her. They continued throughout the day. As I processed what to write about this weekend, I didn't feel settled about the topic I had chosen. So, I waited. As I woke this morning, I knew this was the post for the week. It is probably more for me than you, but I hope my memories will stir memories for you and your loved ones.

The dish I made was fresh asparagus with a cream sauce. I remember her making it and how delicious it tasted. I think for me the best part was the butter and black pepper she would put on it just before serving. Thankfully, my mom knew how she made it and so as I got older she taught me. However, I seem to remember my Grandma making it more than mom. A lot of time as passed since then, so I could be confused. However, yesterday, when I lifted the lid to see if the butter had melted, I was taken back in time. 

She was the type Grandmother you picture in a Norman Rockwell painting. She wore her hair up in a bun and little heeled shoes. She always seemed to wear an apron as well. I still bake her Christmas cookies each Christmas. But that wasn't what made her special. What made her special to me was, no matter what time of day, no matter what she was doing the world stopped for a few minutes, whenever I stopped by. I know some times she had things that needed to be done, but that didn't matter, I had come and so she stopped what she was doing. She was always smiling and laughing. She gave the best hugs and with a height of 4 ft 11 inches, she had a way of making me feel so tall, even at my young age. She would ask how my day was and how I was doing. She genuinely cared what my answer was too. She would look through my sticker books like they were an art exhibit. She would  play games with me and never seemed to tire of them.We would play go fish and Chinese checkers. If she had work that needed done, she would include me in them and make them fun. I remember helping lay out fabric squares for hours as she would tell me what the pattern for her next quilt was going to look like. When the garden produced its veggies, I would sit on her porch and help shell and husk all the goodies. It didn't seem like work at all, because I was with her. She had a tin in her kitchen that held M&M candies. She would get a little cup off the shelf and fill it for me. I hardly remember a time that there wasn't candy in that tin. How she knew to keep it filled for the grandkids, I will never know. 

There is a secret not many people know about her that I have never forgotten. It was just between her and I. I had a bad habit. I would chew my fingernails. Now, others knew I did this, but what they didn't know was she told me that if I stopped chewing my nails, she would buy me a doll. It was a habit I wanted to quit, but try as I may I would go a few days and then I would be right back at it. I had time to quit and I would get the doll, I just wasn't ready. 

Then one day the call came. She was taken to the hospital with a heart attack. As I said, I was young, and I don't remember how long she was in the hospital, but I remember it wasn't good, and we weren't sure she would be coming home. My parents had left one evening to visit her in the hospital and I was in the barn helping my siblings with the barn chores. The phone rang and I quickly ran to answer it because for as long as I can remember, I have loved the telephone. I would always race to the phone. It was a day, I wished someone else would have answered. My grandfather was on the other end of the line and he simply said, "she is gone". His world changed that day, more than mine, for he lost the love of his life. They were a team. His partner had gone before him. He truly was never the same after that day. I know he had health issues that later led to his death, but I also feel he died of a broken heart. My world changed too. I didn't really understand death. I didn't know what would be next. I knew that with being the youngest, I would follow the others lead. I remember sitting in the service and thinking what if I forget what she looks like. What if I can't remember all the fun times we had. You see, I was the youngest and a bit further behind with my siblings. They were busy, and dad and mom, while I felt so loved and cared for, had many things to do. Grandma, she could stop what she was doing and give me time. I was in good hands when they were busy and working hard. 

Months after her death, I looked down at my  hands one day. My nails were growing! You see, after her death, the desire or need to chew my nails were gone. I simply couldn't do it anymore. All these years later, I still can't do it. I never got the doll, but it was my doings not hers. 

Back to yesterday and my afternoon. As I looked at the asparagus and prepared it and then enjoyed every bite, I was reminded that I still remember her. I worried I would forget. I worried life would move on and I wouldn't remember her. But you know, I love counted cross-stitch and I love knitting. She was great at needlework and I think we would have had fun comparing patterns and showing each other our finished projects. The wildflowers I speak of in other blogs, will soon start blooming and I remember walking with her to check on them. You can usually find M&M's in my house if you look in the cupboard. She also taught me a lesson in life that I hope to pass to my children and grandchildren. It is to know what it feels like to put others before yourself. I never heard her yell or complain. She left this world too soon for me, but right on time for God. He was ready for her and so it was time. But I also have the hope I will see her some day. I have read in books of people going to heaven and then coming back. I will not debate them here, I will not say they are true or untrue, that is not for me to say. But a common theme they have is, they were met by loved ones that passed before them. I think she will be first in line to greet me. I missed her at my graduation, I missed her at my wedding, I missed her when I had our twin daughters. I miss her when I drive past the house she once called home. I missed her when I started getting chickens and gathering eggs. I still have her basket that she once used for eggs with her chickens. But I am not sad, I am happy that she passed some wonderful things onto me with the time we had together. I tried to list only a few. With time, I realized long ago, that even though I missed her greatly, she was way better off in Heaven, than here on earth. I just didn't want to see her gone. I wanted her a bit longer.  I will see her some day. God's Word promises me that. I know she loved Him and believed in Him. So we will be together in heaven, along with all the others who have made the same choice she and I have made. The world called her Ruth. I called her grandma. And, I still remember her.

Angels

What type thoughts come to mind when you hear the word, "angel"? Do you picture a man in a white robe, saying "Do not be afraid", or dressed in all white with wings flapping? Do you think of Gabriel? Or maybe you instantly think of beings floating up and down while playing harps.

I want to share an experience I had several years ago that I have never forgotten, but was recently reminded of. How can be? Never forgotten, yet need to be reminded? Well, it has been a while since it happened, and I don't think about it anymore, but once reminded, I go right back to that moment in time and still walk away with the same thought...Wow! God can answer our prayers anyway He chooses. If we only think there is one way He can respond, do we somehow miss the answer because we weren't expecting it to be that way. Also, God cares so much for us, sometimes He sends one of his personal helpers to assist.

The background to my story is that I was traveling with a friend for a conference. A Women of Faith conference to be exact. We were volunteering as workers. We were traveling to Washington, DC. We had decided to drive part way and then take the Metro into the city and to our hotel. We had everything planned out. Or so we thought....

The drive went well and the directions were perfect. We parked the car and unloaded our luggage and then we followed the signs to get our Metro tickets. I need to mention, that neither one of us ever did this before and it was way past dark,  but we figured there would be less traffic and we still had plenty of time to get to our hotel. We stepped into the station. What I say next I can't fully explain, unless you have ridden the Metro before. The map, looked like an art project. More colors and tracks than a rainbow has. How were we suppose to know what track to take. And to add to the situation, we were nearing the last train for the night. If we chose poorly, we would be far from our hotel and with no car. How much money should we put on our card? What if we missed our stop, what if we didn't have enough money left? Should we just buy a day pass even though we really didn't need that type card for the way we were traveling. Also, it accepted coins only and we needed to find a change machine quickly. To finish setting the stage, this particular station was dark, not many people and honestly, you didn't want to attract any one's attention. Just go with the flow and act like you know what your doing. Yet, clearly we didn't. To get the ticket booth helper you needed tokens. We didn't know how to get the tokens, so that seemed hopeless.We thought we could figure it out and given extra time I think we would have, but extra time we didn't have. The train was leaving very soon. So, we began to pray that things would make sense and come together.

Now, I want to interrupt a moment. When you pray do you expect God to answer, or merely hope He does? You know, its one of the many choices we do, when trying to figure it out on our own. I prayed, but was also working on plan b. That is when it happened. Back to our story.

As I was reading the work of art on the wall and trying to find our street to see what train we needed and figure the cost, to my left, I saw a man standing. Not walking from a distance, but standing. He simply said, "Do you need some help". That is when I turned. What I saw, took my breath away. Not white robe. Not a harp in sight, not a clean shaved business man, who would have made me feel at ease, because clearly he would know how the trains worked. No, what I saw was a man shorter than me, unshaven, missing teeth, and a very dirty blue work uniform. On his left shoulder, I saw he had a badge with the Metro label on it. I wasn't convinced he worked for the Metro. I cleared my throat and explained our situation and he smiled at me, that is how I noticed the missing teeth, and simply pointed to the color we needed. He said it would be best to get a day pass and that we would need to change trains to get to our destination. I was writing this down. As I looked up, he was gone. When I say gone, I mean gone-gone. He wasn't walking away, he wasn't in the parking lot, he wasn't back at the booth. He was simply gone. I am not certain I even thanked him while writing. All I know is that we got our pass, hopped on the train and off we went. As I sat in my seat, I said to my friend, if I didn't know better, I would have said that was an angel. Sent just to help us. Neither one of us had seen him approaching nor did we see him leave. We turned and he was gone.

Here is what I took away from that experience. God does answer our prayers. He helps us in our time of trouble. He cares for us. He can send people to come to our aid. Lead them to us through events. Or sometimes, I fully believe, that He sends an angel. We just don't picture them in dirty uniforms, messed up hair and missing teeth. The conversation was exactly what I needed help with. Nothing more and nothing less. To say, if I didn't know better, is humbling to say back. Why would I be surprised by any method God chooses to answer my prayers. Why are some ways more like God while other ways seem too impossible? Isn't He the Creator of ALL THINGS! In scripture we are reminded He held the sun to extend the day for Joshua, He had a talking donkey stop on the path at the sight of an angel warning him not to continue, He sent a whale to take his prophet to the city the prophet was fleeing. We are reminded in Hebrews (13:2) how we should treat strangers because we may be entertaining angels without even knowing it. He sent angels to Abraham before destroying a neighboring city. He sent an angel to open the doors of a prison that Peter was in. Do we feel those things only happened in bible times, or do we truly believe they can happen today? I have heard others share their experiences. Something that I have noticed is this, the angel sent never stays around to get praised. The praise isn't theirs. The praise is for the sender. They are simply carrying out the order. I was also embarrassed how quickly, I wanted to explain how that just happened without it being an angel. I was on my way to a conference for Women of FAITH!!!! Where was my faith that God would help us in this situation?

Not everyone gets an angelic encounter. Not everyone will have a conversation like Mary, Joseph, and Abraham. No, but God can and does still send angels. Some may read this and just shake their head and feel I read too much into it. I know what I witnessed and I know how I prayed and felt. I know that there is a spiritual world out there that we know very little about. I think if we did understand all that was happening, it would kill us. I recently heard on the radio that as the end of time approaches the demonic forces will be become more and more, but remember, that the angelic forces will too! That gave me such hope. Yes, some days it really feels like Satan is winning. It seems to us that his forces are growing and the heart of people is declining.  I shake my head at the news some days, what are people doing and thinking! They know better, yet, each year it seems more and more don't care. Yet, we need to remember who is in control. Satan has a time, yes, but God has the final say. Don't read this and go looking for angelic experiences. Don't make them up. Don't assume you aren't a follower of Christ if you haven't had this happen to you. But if you have had it happen, enjoy it. Praise the One who sent them. You never know why that car pulled out in front of you and now you are running late, because once they pulled out, you couldn't pass them. You had to drive slow. Or if you have an accident along the road and someone stops to help and knows your name, yet you never said who you were, then when it was time to leave, they were gone. (true story). Please don't put God in a box and assume you know Him and his abilities. He loves you, cares for you, and hears you when you pray. If we only expect certain outcomes, we miss the answer that was there all along. Not true? How could hundreds if not thousands of people see the Son of God walk this earth only to deny who He said he was. Saw him perform miracles like no other, just because He didn't fit the image they imagined and didn't set up the earthly kingdom they wanted. Didn't matter He fit every category to the T that the prophets spoke centuries before. He simply didn't fit their image. Don't miss him or any experience He has for you. I still smile when I see someone who appears homeless, with scruffy hair, missing teeth and dirty clothes. I don't smile at their situation, I just wonder if that is an angel waiting for their next appointment. We simply never know. Have a blessed week and remember He is crazy about you! Just as you are.

**On a side note, that encounter was just one of many ways God showed himself to us that weekend. They may be future posts. I will see. I was able to share my faith with a very confused and lost soul on the train, who was blown out of the water, when he asked me what I was in town for? I told him and he asked me if I would be willing to die for that kind of faith. I simply smiled and said, yes I would. It means that much to me. He couldn't wrap his head around that. God gave me an opportunity to show my faith after only hours before doubting that what he sent was an angel and trying to explain what happened in human terms rather than having faith He handled the situation I prayed specifically for. I met a security guard that after talking made me feel like I had a personal guard with me whenever I needed one. I could list a few more, but this has become long enough. He is busy working all around us, but are we looking?

Tides and Currents

While taking a walk with Maggie I observed ducks on the stream. They are so pretty to watch. A few things I have noticed. When ducks see Maggie they have two choices, they can fly or they can let the current take them down stream. The first choice takes energy and the risk of being seen and heard.The second choice means they stay floating in the stream and let the current pull them under the branches where they blend in and can hide. They actually make it look fun! Made me think of when I would sit in an inner tube and float down the stream. It took very little effort on my part, just a lazy ride down the stream. I also thought about the riptide in the ocean. If you spent anytime in the ocean, the first thing you were taught, or should have been taught, was the riptide. It is to be respected at all times. You can't fight it. You can't out swim it, even if an Olympic swimmer. If you were taught correctly, you were taught to just relax, let it pull you out and then swim parallel to it. It really isn't as wide as you would think. Tides and currents change the course the streams, rivers and oceans take. They can overtime change the landscape they run through. If you lived near a stream in your lifetime, notice how the bends have changed the way it appears. If you spend time at the beach, you have noticed that certain times of the day, there is plenty of room to lay on the beach, other times it is almost completely covered with sand. It depends on whether the tide is low or high.

Here is the thought I had while watching the duck. It chose this day to let the stream do the work. It simply relaxed and left it take it to the middle and then gradually to the side that had low tree branches. Maggie never heard it or saw it. Safe for another day. It took zero energy for the duck. If I look closely I think it may have even smiled, do ducks smile? It outsmarted the dog. I was reminded that there are tides and currents in my life. Things that are happening in my life that if I fought them, they would consume me. It wouldn't bring any change to the outcome, just exhaustion on my part. Tides and currents are the events in my life I can't control. Whether it be health issues from time to time, kids growing up and getting ready to leave, my life as I know it about to change as a result of this and the things that cause anxiety or stress. They pull me in directions I don't want to go. I think if I try to change people, change situations, or work hard enough at something it will go my way. What could be more exhausting? I need to just relax and trust Jesus. He knows the tides and currents He places in my life and why He allows them. I could fight and fight, but I have not heard of one person who swam in a riptide, ever saying, "my strength in swimming changed the flow and I overcame it". No, they may have been very fortunate to hold up in the tide and were able to be rescued. But I promise you they didn't stop the current or change its path. God wants me and you to relax in His arms and trust. Just let the tide/current pull us in the direction He has already planned and let Him take care of the details. He may or may not change the current from time to time, but new currents keep coming. The way we handle them does not. Time and again we are to trust Him. When we get swept up in the waters and we try on our own to fight change or situations, does it ever work? Or when we say, this is out of my control, do we find the calm stream waters? We could choose option one, to flee. But that will only help temporarily, it is a very short fix. We can't fly(getting on an airplane) or run from life's issues. Read Jonah's account if you need a reminder of how well that works.

 I wouldn't want a life with everything calm and good. Why? Because it is in the storms, tides, and currents of life that make me thankful for the calm and good. They cause my faith to grow.  When I was about to be a mom for the first time, I was overwhelmed to say the least. Our daughters came home with monitors and high risk for everything! I hadn't signed up for that. I also thought foolishly, that boys would be so much easier to raise. I had to quit the job I knew and loved, to start a new one that I knew very little about. But all these years later, you know what? It was by far the best thing I have ever done! And it turns out, girls are awesome. They are my best friends, in that healthy mom and daughter sense. We text each other, laugh at our favorite TV shows, have awesome chats and enjoy going places together. I love spending time with them, but I also long to see them with their friends. I will never tire of their laughter and smiles. I told Bob recently, it was the best job I ever had. How do I know? Because it never felt like work, it was a joy to serve in that role.

My life is about to change again. I don't know what God has planned. Some days I am scared of what I will do with our kids gone and living the life God has planned for them.But that fear comes from not knowing what lies ahead. I know God has good and awesome things for me.  Our daughters are able to live here as long as they would like, but I know they are ready to start life on their own. It will be gradual, but once school is finished, life will be different. I am happy for them. I am excited and glad they are able to function on their own. I have been blessed beyond measure. I wouldn't want them to still need me on a daily basis. That would mean I didn't do my job well. Life brings changes and I am excited most days, but then there is the part of me that HATES change. What if, what is coming isn't as fun? What if I don't know what to do and drive my husband crazy!! I know in my heart that this really is only the beginning. There is so much more to come! I hear grandkids are awesome. My health has had its changes and I can't fix that or stop it. I could sit at home and feel sorry for myself, but that isn't living. As long as I have breath, I want to live not survive. The things that can stress me or give me anxiety, well, God doesn't take them away, but He has never not shown up, when I admitted I needed His help.

When in the current or tide you can be very fearful, because you don't know how far it will pull you. When in the tides and currents of life you don't know how long the situation will last until you feel it change. Both situations require that familiar word, TRUST.

I am going to try to relax in the SON and lay back and let the current pull me to the next place God has for me. He has never steered me wrong. I, on my own, have taken some very crazy detours. They are time wasters. I want to be like the ducks and just go with the flow. Here is hoping you are having a ducky day! Enjoy floating in the streams of life. Remember Psalm 23:2-"He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams."

I took these photographs in the Fall, not realizing I would use them in the winter. That is why there is still green grass and leaves on the trees.

Not super clear, but shows option one I speak of. Flying causes so much strength and effort.

The Beach

My post is a few days later than usual. My week went quickly and to be honest, I didn't have a strong sense what I was to write. So rather than rush it and it be my words, I chose to wait. As the weekend came to a close, I had a clearer picture of what to write. I hope these words are encouraging and causing you to want to reach out to our Savior and spend some time with him, even if you aren't close to a beach. It is also more of a picture post this week.

For as long as I can remember, I have loved the beach! Not as much as some, but love it, I do. I wouldn't need to live by the beach, I would miss the green grass, flowers and woods too much, but when I have the opportunity to go, I am glad for the chance. I usually put the car window down as we approach, because I love the smell of the sweet salt air. I love the sound of the sea gulls flying overhead. I am always excited to arrive and when the time to go, comes, well my heart is sad to leave.

This past weekend, my husband and I were able to go to Ocean City, MD and Assateague Island. It is still winter and to be blunt, I was concerned that the beach would simply be too cold to enjoy. I couldn't have been more wrong. I wore warm clothes and had my best friend by my side. We had the opportunity to talk uninterrupted and thankfully he gets my love for photography and so we stopped many times. I am going to include the pictures from the weekend. As you look through them, enjoy them. Know that summer is coming, winter can't and won't last forever. But there are a few other items I want to have you ponder. The same things I pondered as I walked and as I thought of all of you.

The waves remind me that God is constantly by my side. The waves keep crashing on the shore, no matter the time of day or season of the year. They were commanded by God when He created them to do that and they haven't stopped. They are constantly in motion. Next, the sand. It sometimes is marked from all the activity that happened from the day. Some are deep holes. Some are the many footprints of those who passed by. But as the tide comes in at night, it wipes all activity clean, as if it never happened. Kind of like our Heavenly Father who wipes my sins away, if confessed. To him, it is as if it never happened. A clean fresh start. The other thing about the sand, it gets everywhere! Try as I may to shake it all from my shoes, it was still there. I even went barefoot, to avoid the sand in my shoes! I was reminded of the oyster. It only takes a small grain of sand to get caught and it will work to build layers around that one grain to keep the rest of itself protected. Eventually it will produce a pearl. Do we sometimes have things in our lives that we have asked God to remove. Have we cried and begged Him to remove them, only to have them remain? Maybe God is making a pearl out of that situation. One day, that "bit of sand" will produce something beautiful in your life. You will be a different person because of what you have to deal with. I was reminded that Jesus chose some of his disciples at the beach. They were fishermen and he called them off their boats and nets to follow him. As I walked, I saw boats. Our Savior walked the beaches while here on earth. A lot of the landscape looked dead and dry. But if you looked closely, life was there. Just like our lives can look hopeless, there is still life there. We can't be consumed by the situations in life around us. We need to see where there is life and let it grow! There are many many more comparisons I could make, but I think you get the idea. I wanted to list just a few.

The final thought that I had was this, in scripture we are told there won't be oceans in heaven.(Revelation 21:1) I have struggled with this every time I read it. How can God not have oceans in Heaven? I love them. There is so much beauty in them. I am reminded of Him so much when I visit them. The sound of the waves crashing are so peaceful. They calm my anxious spirit. The sand between my toes feels so soft and comfortable. The breeze of sweet salt air makes me relax. The sun shining on my face is the most relaxing feeling in the world. How can that not be in Heaven? I was reminded this weekend as I walked back to the car, "You don't need to be reminded of me in Heaven, I will be with you always". You see, I will not need a memory of him, I will have him! I also felt that small voice remind me, " Sue, you have NO IDEA what I have planned for you. The earth was for you and my children for a time, but your heavenly home will be for eternity. You can't put into words what I have planned, so you need to trust me that it is better than anything you have seen or heard on this earth." As always, my heart was filled with awe. We try so hard to picture it because some how that makes us have to trust less and feel more ready. Who knows, there maybe an ocean in the new heaven, but it will be nothing like the one I have come to love. It will be a trillion times better. I keep coming back to this thought, if He put this much creativity into a planet He will destroy, what could Heaven possibly be like that will never be destroyed! I have my one way ticket ready, do you? It is one way you know...because once there, you would NEVER want to come back!