Kaleidoscope

Kaleidoscopes present beautiful and amazing art from bits and pieces of varying sizes and shapes that are jumbled together. The beauty is revealed, not in the friction of the many pieces, but in the light that shines through them reflected by mirrors into the eye. In the same way people display Gods beauty when His light shines through us, even if we might rub each other the wrong way sometimes.

I do not always like the things my beloved husband of nearly 37 years does or says. He does rub me the wrong way sometimes. My little Dollar Store kaleidoscope reminds me to turn toward the light in those times. If I turn to Jesus, the irritations are seen in a new light and I can see the beauty of our marriage.

The light of Jesus reveals the truth. -Love covers a multitude of sins. -It is wise to hear both sides of an argument. -God created us male and female to compliment one another not to war against each other. -We are not joined together as man and wife to conquer each other, but to let God's light shine through us.

The same is true for any group to which we belong. Our family, church, work, and volunteer places all present opportunities for us as Christians to turn to the light, let it shine through us, and allow the light to make something beautiful.

The question I ask myself today is where am I to bring the light? Am I willing to turn away from the dark so that beauty and His glory will been seen?

God of wonder, You are The Light of the World! You are the maker of the kaleidoscope of my world. You are the light that makes even the wrong things in my life to turn into good. I am unable to see the good in others without You! I cannot even see good in myself without Your loving light revealing Your presence in me. Thank You, Father God, for choosing me as Your child and the sparkle in Your eye! You are so gracious and merciful to me. I pray that I might see Your light and turn to it in every circumstance! Make me a part of Your beautiful artwork today!

Testing

Whew! I passed the test! Forty questions and 80% needed to pass. I made an 87% only because there were a few distractions and questions with very reasonable and similar answer to which I chose the wrong one, with the right answer coming in as my second choice. Excuses! I wanted to ace the test. I was not happy with and 87%. How many other tests do I slide by and never fret over the less than perfect mark?

Every time I sin I miss the mark. How often does that bother me? I know there are many times I just say "Oops!" to my misdeeds. I never stop to think about my "score." Does it even matter what my score is, if I miss the mark? Can I be satisfied with less than perfect if eternity is at stake?

Jesus never missed the mark. He lived a perfect life. He made the 100% that we all are expected to make if we intend to enter heaven. Jesus then took my test grade and gave me His! Cheating? No. He came to do that for me! He is the tester, the teacher, the one in charge so He makes the rules! He hands His perfect test to me, and I need only take it and offer Him my failing grade. That is part of the test, too.

Lord Jesus, Perfect in all Your ways, You amaze me because I would never have thought of Your plan for my failures. Thank You for making my less-than-perfect life perfect in You! Thank You for knowing my heart and testing me with mercy and love, more than Your righteous judgement. Teach me how to do the same for others!

Our Father

The opening of the prayer Jesus taught His disciples tells us so very much. In two small words Jesus reveals God's desire for relationship with us.

"Our Father", the prayer begins. Jesus himself prayed this for the disciples. His use of the pronoun "Our" tells us a few important things to remember. First, we are not "only" children. We have brothers and sisters. We belong to a very large family. Secondly, our Big Brother is Jesus. He is God's first born Son and we are privileged to have Him looking over us. Thirdly, the word our implies ownership. We claim God as our very own Father.

The use of the name "Father" reveals a very intimate connection to God. We are not just the creation but a part of who God is! We are made in His image. He calls us His children.

I have watched my son, David, father his two little boys. David is ready to protect and play, teach and tell stories, discipline and disciple. My husband, too, has been a father my children called when in trouble, and laughed with in the silly times. We don't always see God as that kind of "Daddy." Though He calls me His child, I respond to Him more like He is my boss.

The Father says, "My children." He, too, uses a pronoun of possession. God recognizes our need to be protected and played with, taught and delighted with stories, disciplined and discipled. He is a good Daddy! He invites us to live in an eternal childhood with Him as our Father!

Our Father.

My children.

Beautiful words that make me smile.

Our Father, you are my Daddy. You are the one I can call when I am in trouble or something is broken. You are my shield and protector. You delight me each day with the fun surprises You make for my pleasure. (Like the yellow butterfly at the ball game last Sunday!) I trust You because I am Yours! Thank You for loving me. Thank You for relationship with You and my brothers and sisters in our family. Thank You for my Big Brother Jesus. I am your child, You are my Father!

Labels

What labels do you wear? Are there some labels given to you that you wish were not there? Maybe there are some labels you don't even know about. Labels remind me of the children's' verse : "Sticks and stones will break my bones but words can never harm me." I think we all can agree that words can hurt and can break our spirit, and a broken spirit is a difficult thing to heal.

Labels seem to work the same as names, but there is a difference. Names are labels that identify us for who we are. My name indicates that I am different from most others. I have special names that only certain people use to describe me: Grommers, Mom, Sister, friend. etc. Labels, however, seem to get stuck on us for a single action, or impression that was made. Labels are meant to put someone down so that we can be lifted up. They focus on the negative and forget the positive. They do not give an accurate picture of the person, because they do not include the parts that balance out the label making trait.

My Granddaughter has a label of ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) that I constantly try to explain or soften by telling others how amazing she is. She really is amazing! Her inability to focus on one thing could very well be a gift. She sees much more than some of us do! She is a dreamer, and once she does focus in on a dream, she sees potential where others see obstacles. She sees a diamond when all we see is a rock. Though her label may prevent others from seeing her fully, she never stops being herself. Oh yes, the label sometimes pokes and scars her. She is often hurt and held back from being her true self because of a label. The word has gone out, and even when she is in control, her vivaciousness and excitement for life makes others look at her in a negative way. I want to introduce you to my Granddaughter, Paige. She is an amazing dreamer and if you want to have an exciting fun life, make her your friend!

We all carry labels given by others. Our challenge is to overcome the label and fully be the person God wants us to be. My challenge to you is to take the label of ADD, widow, high cholesterol, clown, lazy, black, white or brown, adulterer, etc. and tack it up on a bulletin board. Keep your eye on it so it won't get stuck back on you and change who you really are. I promise I'll do my best to look for your true identity.

God of Truth, You are our Father. You are the Maker of our bodies, souls and spirits. You designed us to be unique so that we can make a difference in the world. I confess that I have labeled others before getting to know them as You see them. I forget sometimes that You are the best one to judge all of us. Thank You for making our world a variety of experiences seen through a variety of persons! Help me see Your creation as You see it! Help me name others by who they truly are and not by those things I want them to be so that I can say I am better. It is You who can choose the perfect name for each of us! I need to have Your eyes, Lord!

Labor Day

When I was a kid I had chores that needed to be done every day, sometimes weekly. Our family was large and it was necessary for all of us to pitch in with what needed to be done. A country needs to work that way too. America has been a nation of hard workers who have accomplished much in our short existence. Labor Day celebrates the workers who have labored for the good of all.

I will be out of town on Monday and so I want to thank our Labor Force today! Thank you, Mothers and fathers who care for our children. I appreciate our spiritual leaders who lead us in seeking God. There are many workers in many fields caring for our needs for food, clothing, health and shelter. Have I forgotten any one? Oh, maybe I still need to thank God for those who govern us. God has said we should even when we do not agree with their ways. So, yes, I recognize their work and ask God to lead them into wisdom.

This Labor Day let us remind ourselves of the accomplishments of our labor force. Our workers are not always paid. We have many who volunteer, working diligently to improve the lives of our citizens and increase the output of accomplishments of the whole. Monday, let's evaluate our own contribution to the greatness of our nation. Maybe it is time to also make a new resolution to not just work for ourselves, but to work as a team!

Triune God, You are One and yet share Your work with each other and with us. You understand the usefulness of working together as a team. We in America have wandered far from Your ideal. We work for ourselves and greedily use what we have for our own enjoyment. Forgive us! Thank You for giving us this great country and the heritage of Labor! Thank You for blessing the work of our hands. Turn us back to our roots and make us be the nation where dreams come true because our individual dreams give back to everyone! God, please bless America and her labor force.

Surrender

My Grandman #2 is now seven weeks old. He sleeps, eats and now smiles. Other than his little squeals and cries for food or being uncomfortable, he has no say in what happens to him. He really has no choice but to surrender to his caretakers. It won't be long, however, when he will exert his independence and learn the finer points of getting his way. For now, he is forced to surrender to the will of others. It is good that he is surrounded by loving and caring adults.

Growing up is a wrestling match. There are times when we find we are on top and the next we are forced to surrender to those with the upper hand. We fight hard to stay in control because we do not want to yield to the power of another. But there is always another to whom we must yield. Thus, the fight continues throughout life. I think that the more mature we become, the less we fight yielding. We realize that we must give and take. It is also true that a fully surrendered Christian relies on God to set all things right in time. We trust that our yielding to others now will be for our good and not our detriment.

Surrender to God through Jesus Christ brings a freedom that we cannot imagine when considering the choice to turn over all our power to our loving and wise Heavenly Father. Our surrender makes it possible for our burdens to be lifted and our life purpose to be fulfilled with satisfaction. We can be free to live life abundantly like a little child protected and provided for by a loving caretaker. Surrender to our Creator is a good thing.

Master of the Universe, You are worthy to take control of my life. You are Good all the time and You are Trustworthy and Faithful! I am so sorry that I wrestle with You over control of my life. I need to be reminded of Your goodness and wisdom and especially of Your great love for me. Thank You for letting me choose, but more than that, I thank You for making the choice to choose You so inviting! Give me wisdom, Lord, to know when, what, and to whom I must yield. Teach me how to stand firm against the enemy who would take away my freedom in You, and tie me up in bondage. I surrender to You today.

Solitude

I like being alone. I like to daydream and it is best done alone. I like to read, write and create. Those activities are also best done alone without the distractions of others. It takes some effort to get solitude for myself. My full house lends itself to much noise, and so finding a place where I am alone may be possible, but human sounds surround me and remind me someone is nearby. In truth I can never be totally alone.

God has promised that He will be with me always. I am glad He is. Even in my solitude I need His presence. Without Him solitude would be empty, painful and depressing. Solitude in his presence is fulfilling, joyful and comforting!

Solitude is the best way to find God. Jesus demonstrated that when He would go away to pray. Jacob went to be alone before meeting his estranged brother and he ended up wrestling with God. We can enjoy the presence of God in the company of other believers, but when we are alone with Him we receive special attention. It makes me want to find real solitude soon! How about you?

Ever present God, You are always with me! I never need to feel alone even in the solitude that draws me deeper into You. I need and desire those times when I am secluded from the world with only You by my side. Thank You for being near. Thank You for choosing to be in communion with me. Thank You for Your gentle presence. I love You!