A light in the darkness

A light in the darkness

by | Jun 15, 2022 | Blessing, Loss, Moments

Dusk Delights

They were like twinkling stars against the backdrop of the forest at dusk.

I seldom get to see fireflies, but I stood gazing on the walkway to a rental in the woods this particular weekend.

Simple pleasures, these tiny creatures. Surprised and awe-struck, I wondered what God was thinking when he created their bodies to light up like that. Did he make them just for mankind to enjoy?

While they weren’t colorful, big, or bright and brilliant, these tiny lit creatures reminded me to soak up and enjoy the little things in life, to stop and enjoy the moment.

How is it that we focus on the big, when it is the small that delights and pleases, and even encourages us?

Going through a devastating loss, illness or even disappointment taxes our minds and bodies. But when we see a blessing – even look for a blessing in the situation – we know that God is right beside us.

Lessons Learned

A friend told me recently of lessons she’s learned during a painful and trying season. The main lesson? She learned to appreciate the blessings along the way.

I think that lesson applies to most of us today.

In whatever season, whatever pain, whatever circumstances, let’s look for the blessing in life, big or small. Take time to look for those God-given moments. They just might be the light in our darkness.

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Psalm 8:3-4

When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
 the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,

what is man that you are mindful of him,
 and the son of man that you care for him?

Living Life Large

Living Life Large

by | May 26, 2022 | Joy, Moments

Meeting my mom and dad at the doctor’s office, I popped the trunk to get the scooter out of the car. A problem stared me in the face. The missing battery. I remembered seeing it that morning charging in their den.

I told mom I’d head to their house, get the battery and return so dad could make his appointment. Opening the carport door, I ran straight to the den to grab the scooter battery and quickly turned to make my way back out to the car. My heart almost stopped beating. Two legs were standing close to the door.

Correction: two prosthetic legs stood close to the door. I breathed a sigh of relief. Why were they in the kitchen? I told mom and dad about my experience when I returned, and we all shared a deep belly laugh.

A new pair had been delivered that morning.

The life of an overcomer

Living more than 50 years with prosthetic legs, my dad is the picture of an overcomer. (Growing up, we called them artificial legs.) When life threw disappointment and pain at him, he bounced back, determined to live his life abundantly. He has inspired countless people along the way. He still teases new friends, especially kids, trying to convince them to hit his leg as hard as they can, and laughs when they realized they’re not real. Yep, he’s all about squeezing as much out of life as he can.

I always wanted to live my life to the fullest as well, and I think I got this drive and my sense of adventure from him.

At 89 he decided he would take his three-wheeler for a spin down the street. (Yes, it is a 1980’s three-wheeler, not the safer, more stable four-wheeler version. I grew up doing wheelies on that now-banned ATV!) His excursion may not sound odd but because of his prosthetic legs and his age, we help him get in and out of the car for every outing.

“Dad,” I asked, “How did you even manage to get up on the three-wheeler?” He replied that he backed up to the seat, pushed his body up and swung one leg over. I think his willpower, along with sheer determination, got him on and off it! My heart races just thinking about it.

Nothing like living life to the fullest, right? He says that when he turns 90, he’ll probably stop doing stuff like that. Thankfully, that’s right around the corner.

The Source of all joy

I think Jesus would have us do the same thing. Maybe not breaking the law but living a life overflowing with joy. After all, The Bible teaches that Jesus is the source of all joy.

Granted, there will be pain and disappointment along the way. Until I lost my husband, I never knew that a heart could physically ache from grief. I didn’t know that I could miss someone with every breath I took.

But in my grief, God reminded me of one of my favorite verses. Odd that it talks about living a full life. Jesus told us that He came so we might have life abundantly. (John 10:10) The first part of that verse tells us that the thief (Satan) comes to steal and kill and destroy. But Jesus wants us to not just live life, but experience life to the full. And we don’t have to do it alone. Jesus is right there, walking beside us if we will let him.

Let’s commit to living the rest of our days – not half alive, but fully alive. Like my dad.

Attitude Adjustment

Attitude Adjustment

by | Apr 20, 2022 | Belief, Joy, Moments

At the whack of the tennis ball against the net, our hearts sank. This match determined whether my son and his tennis partner made it to the next level – state – and we just lost the first set.

The second set was closer. We pulled ahead, then tied and eventually won the set in a tiebreaker, which meant a tiebreaker to determine the winner of the match.

I cannot tell you how intense that match was. My son, usually upbeat and positive, was in the dumps. His partner had to talk him off the loser’s ledge, so to speak. And he did! With a changed mindset and sheer determination, they won. The significance of a positive attitude, being willing to do your best no matter the outcome, speaks volumes.

St. Augustine once said, “Pray as though everything depended on God. Work as though everything depended on you.” The boys were working. The parents were praying. There were even a couple of hail Marys happening on the sidelines too.

Are you pulled in other directions, sometimes even to a dark place? Sometimes to defeat? And sometimes to another vice?

A changed attitude can launch us back into a life of victory.  

Consider Esther’s story.

When Mordecai refused to bow down and worship a government official, he sealed his fate and that of the Jews in every province. He went into the city wailing loudly and bitterly. This caused his loving cousin, Queen Esther, great distress. Mordecai sent word urging her to go to the king and beg for mercy for her people.

Her initial attitude was it can’t be done. The rule was that just approaching the king was illegal and grounds for execution. Unless the king held out his scepter, she would be put to death.  

Mordecai encouraged her – helped her focus on her task – with these words. “And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this.” Esther 4:14

Then Esther changed her mindset and got to work. She told Mordecai to gather all Jews and have them fast for her. She and her maids fasted. After that, she went to the king.

Esther did what it took to save her people. Her commitment of “If I perish, I perish” spoke volumes to the Jews in that day and serves to encourage us today.

The Presence of Wonder

The Presence of Wonder

by | Apr 6, 2022 | God, Hope, Joy, Moments

What a day that will be, when my Jesus I shall see.

When I look upon His face, the one who saved me by His grace.

Then He’ll take me by the hand, and lead me through the promised land.

What a day, glorious day that will be.

The verses from this old hymn popped into my head as I drove home from a basketball game late one night. This seems to be much of my life – ballgames, tennis matches and long drives. The moon was out, striking and bright. And there was a multitude of tiny feathery clouds floating over and around it. It made me think of an army of angels gathered around the Father. I tried to take a picture while driving but that became almost disastrous, so I decided it best to pull over and capture the moment.

Moments. I am learning to enjoy moments like these again. It seems I’d lost my way over time, forgetting to enjoy the little things life has to offer. Instead, I allowed the stress of situations around me to consume my mind and thoughts. Although many times I’d asked Jesus to speak to me and show me his presence, I would often miss it. That night, God showed up and I worshipped him in song, enjoying the brilliance of the moonlit sky above me.

E. B. White (American essayist and author of Charlotte’s Web) penned these words that carry a similar theme. “Always be on the lookout for the presence of wonder.”

No matter the season or difficulty, don’t miss your moments. Take time to slow down and enjoy them so you don’t miss the presence of wonder and the beauty of this life.

Look for them in every circumstance or conversation. Look for them in nature around you and in every aspect of your day. They can be found in the form of a smile or a kind word. They can be evident through the gentle nudging of a friend. Or through the brilliance of the sunset at the end of the day. They can even present themselves in a moonlight night on a dark road headed home.

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The heavens declare the glory of God;
 the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Psalm 19:1

Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens:
 Who created all these? 
He who brings out the starry host one by one
 and calls forth each of them by name.
 Because of his great power and mighty strength,
 not one of them is missing. Isaiah 40:26

 

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