His Everlasting Love

In His Time

Several years ago, a friend who lives in Nevada said, “We have five inches of snow on the ground—and more on the way."

“Well, then," I said, "I won’t e-mail you the spring photos I’d planned to send you. I wouldn’t want you to think I was saying, ‘Ha! Ha! We have spring and you don’t!’”

   “Oh, I wouldn’t think that!” she replied. “Go ahead and send the photos. They’ll encourage me!”

   As I scrolled through dozens of digital photos I’d uploaded to my computer, I had a hard time deciding which ones to send. I finally settled on five.

   When I checked my e-mail the following morning, her reply was waiting for me. “The pictures are just gorgeous. Thanks for sending them.  Makes spring feel a little closer for me.”

I knew she was as eager for spring as I was! Early in February I began going outside frequently to check for signs of spring. Once they began appearing, I was so excited. I took pictures, pictures, and more pictures of the daffodils, of the delicate blooms on the flowering almond tree, and of anything and everything that had color!

I don’t know if I could stand to wait until late March or April or perhaps early June for spring to arrive, as folks in colder climates have to do. I’m sure I, like everyone else, would be asking, “Will it ever be spring?”

After the chilly, dreary days of winter, we long for spring, for signs of new life, for splashes of color, for warmer temperatures ...so that we can end our hibernation and get out and about once again.

We long for the time when we can say, “…the winter is past, and the rain is over and gone. The flowers are springing up, and the time of singing birds has come…The fig trees are budding, and the grapevines are in blossom. How delicious they smell! Yes, spring is here!” (Song of Songs, 2:11-13a.)

But sometimes we feel stuck in one season—in life, as well as in nature—don’t we? For example, children often feel they’ll be children forever! They long to grow up and do the things big people do. Likewise, people who are battling an illness may see no end to that season.

Whenever we’re feeling stuck in a season, it’s good to remind ourselves of this truth: “There is a time for everything, a season for every activity under heaven. A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to harvest…A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance… ” (Ecclesiastes 3:1-4).

Although we enjoy some seasons more than others, we benefit from experiencing a variety of seasons and cycles, else the Creator wouldn’t have designed them. In fact, we need the harshness and bleakness of winter in order to appreciate the warmth and beauty of spring. As 17^th century poet Anne Bradstreet pointed out, “If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant: if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome.”

So…whatever time, whatever season, we find ourselves in, especially if we’re feeling stuck in it, let’s follow David’s example and humbly say to God, “My times are in thy hand…” (Psalm 31:15, KJV). And then wait patiently for Him to provide the next season--in His time.

© 2012 by Johnnie Ann Burgess Gaskill, www.jgaskill.com.

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quoted is from the New Living Translation.

Sail On! Sail On!

I know many people, as do you, Dear Reader, who are coping with pain and deteriorating health and loss and financial difficulties and…the list goes on and on. I thought of them and their struggles (and my own, as well) this morning when I read an uplifting poem by J. R. Miller. I found it in the Feb. 11^th devotional in Streams in the Desert.

The poet wrote about an imaginary conversation between Christopher Columbus (the Admiral) and his Mate as they and the rest of the crew sailed to the New World. Before them was “only shoreless seas.” When the Mate felt they should pray, since the very stars they needed for navigation were gone on that dark night, he asked the Admiral what he should say.

The Admiral replied, “Why, say, ‘Sail on! Sail on! And on!’”

When the Mate said his men were growing more mutinous every day and that they were ghastly pale and weak, he asked again what he should say, if, the next morning, all they could see was sea.

The Admiral’s answer was the same: “‘Sail on! sail on! and on!’”

When the Mate described the sea as having “lifted teeth, as if to bite,” he begged the Admiral to tell him what to do, since hope was gone.

His answer: “’Sail on! sail on! and on!’”

As you know, Dear Reader, the Admiral and his crew eventually reached land and gave the world “its grandest lesson: “On! sail on!”

May this lesson encourage us to sail on. Surely, surely, smoother seas and welcoming shores are just ahead!

"...we are always of good courage...

for we walk [live--and sail on!] by faith, 

not by sight."

~Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 5:6-7, ESV

I took this photo in San Francisco in 2005. Little did I know then that God would want me to use it on this blog, which I had not even imagined or created at that time. Thankfully, God enabled me to EASILY find this photo though it is among thousands and thousands stored on various hard drives. Praise Him!!!!!

Wonder Everywhere! (Haiku)

One day, I decided I'd try my hand at writing Haiku (pronounced high-koo). I went online to learn more about that kind of poetry and to read some examples. I learned that Haiku (short poem) can be written on any theme, BUT must adhere to a strict format of 3 lines and only three lines, each with a specific number of syllables, totaling exactly 17 for the entire poem.

• Line 1 has 5 syllables (no more, no less)
• Line 2 has 7 syllables
• Line 3 has 5 syllables

Haiku poetry originated in Japan, but has been adopted and adapted by poets in many other nations. The poets use sensory language to "paint a word picture" about a poignant experience, a thing of beauty, or an element in nature, etc. Thus, writing Haiku requires poets (and "wanna be" poets like me) to be observant and appreciative of nature and beauty. 

Here are some of my first attempts—and the photos that inspired them. I won’t win any awards with these little poems, but I had fun writing them. I pray the lessons they contain will “speak” to your heart, Dear Reader, as they have to mine.

Wonder everywhere!

Open my eyes, Lord,

that I may see it.

Beautiful stages!

First the bud and then the bloom—

beauty unfolding.

One of many, yes!

Yet, standing out tall and proud

From among the crowd.

Focus on What Remains

While photographing blooms and butterflies with a macro (closeup) lens, I was awed by the incredible design and uniqueness of each one. Even the Paper White butterfly with an imperfect wing delighted me. Despite its imperfection, it was still very beautiful, still functioning well, still inspiring…. And it reminded me of this important “life lesson:" Whatever the loss, give thanks for all that’s left. And keep on living to the fullest extent possible.

Those who do that will inspire others and encourage them to to keep on keeping on as they, too, focus on all the good that remains.

God's Mercies

The God Who Sees Us

I really enjoy Bible stories for they tell great truths about God and how He loves us. One of my favorites is that of Hagar, a slave girl who was running away from home. As she sat by a spring in the wilderness, the angel of the LORD found her, called her by name, and asked, “Where have you come from and where are you going?” (See Genesis 16:8.)

When she quickly acknowledged she was running away from her mistress, he instructed her to go back home. He also told Hagar to name her unborn son Ishmael, which means “God hears,” since the LORD had indeed listened to Hagar’s affliction. She replied, “You are a God who sees me!” Awed that He had seen her and that she had seen Him, she obediently returned home.

Several years later, when the situation there became intolerable, Hagar and her son were sent away into the wilderness. When the skin [canteen] of water they’d been given ran out, Hagar placed the boy in the shade of a bush and then went a short distance away because she couldn’t bear to watch her son die.

               

As she wailed and wept, the angel of God called to her from heaven and said, “What troubles you, Hagar?”

Before she could answer, the angel said, “Fear not, for God has heard the voice of the boy where he is. Up! Lift up the boy, and hold him fast with your hand, for I will make him into a great nation” (Genesis 21:17, ESV).

The story continues with these words: “Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. And she went and filled the skin [canteen] with water and gave the boy a drink. And God was with the boy, and he grew up…” (Genesis 21:19ff).

Dear Reader, may Hagar’s story remind you and me that God sees us, God cares for us, and God helps us. When we cry out to Him, He hears us. He will speak. He will supply what we need most. Let’s turn to Him today. Let’s listen to what He will say. Let’s trust Him to deal graciously with us, as He did with Hagar (and many others!).

Produce Excellent Work!

“Johnnie, you will love the photos on the 2014 Norfolk Southern calendar," a friend said. “I want you to stop by here and pick it up and take it home with you for a while so you can read about the photographers who took the photos and the stories of how they took the winning images.”

(Note: To see the front cover of the calendar, visit http://www.nscorp.com/content/dam/nscorp/ns-store/2014_calendar_ad.pdf) 

Oh, was I ever impressed with the beauty of the images—and the size (approximately 11x16 inches) of each one, as well as the efforts the photographers made to create the image. For example, Lance Myers, who took the March photo, said he photographed the train at Fostoria [Pennsylvania] and then decided to go to Horseshoe Curve to photograph it again. His extra effort enabled him to get a “winner.”

Likewise, Roger Durfee put extra effort into his image that was chosen for April. “I knew this train was coming so I decided to make a stop [at the McKees Rocks Bridge near Pittsburg] on my way back from a photography shoot I had in Altoona the night before.”

Mark Shull, photographer of the June image, had to stand in a soybean field to get his shot—in between thunderstorms.

Rich Borkowski knew the train he wanted to photograph was coming and would be changing crews. So, he drove to the site. “I was really lucky that the flag was unfurled. It’s about a 40-foot flag, so it takes a good bit of wind to see it flying. It’s a great shot for July.”

Willie Brown says his winning photo (on the December page) of a coal train moving on the rails in the midst of a winter wonderland was taken quite by accident. He was simply going to the grocery store when he noticed the headlights of the train, hurried back home, grabbed his camera, and went to the overpass about a block from his house. Voila!

Despite the variety of photographers—and their stories and locations—they have much in common (or so I surmised).  All the photographers are employees of Norfolk Southern and, thus, all have access to and knowledge of trains. All are passionate about photography. All look for creative viewpoints and angles, a beautiful landscape, and an opportunity (planned or spur of the moment) to create the images they’ve visualized. All desire to produce an image that will stand out when the judging is being done.

 As I reflected on that, I thought about Bible verses (and there are lots of them!) that speak of the importance of excelling in whatever we do. For example, we are to excel not only in our work, but also in our relationships and in all aspects of the Christian life. After all, we are made in the image of God, who certainly excels in His work!

California coastline in the Fort Bragg/Mendocino area.

This Is My Doing!

When I read the Feb. 1^st devotional in Streams in the Desert, I had a hard time wrapping my mind around the truth found in the Scripture reading for the day: “This is my doing” (I Kings 12:24). In my heart of hearts, I knew what God had said was true, absolutely true. Yet, I questioned it.

In an effort to “prove” my case, I began to recall various verses that say, in essence, God loves His children and blesses them in innumerable ways. For example: Jeremiah 29:11, ESV: “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”

But as I struggled to understand (and accept!) the truth, I also recalled verses that tell how God is with us as we go through difficulties. For instance, many centuries ago, God made this promise to His children: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. ²When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. ³For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior” (Isaiah 43:1b-3a, ESV, emphasis added).

I began to understand that God does allow certain things to come our way, things that, from our perspective, seem unfair or unloving. Yet, He has a purpose in each difficulty, in each pathway of pain, even if we can’t understand what it is or why He has allowed it.  

Dear Reader, as you and I look at each painful situation, at each stressful circumstance, at each long delay, at whatever strikes fear in our hearts, at…, may we learn to accept the fact that each one is from God and that He is using it and is causing all things (the difficulties as well as the delights) to work together for our good and His glory. (See Romans 8:28.) May we cling to this truth: “Whether He spare or share, He will be there.”