Talk to Him About It

While reading through the Book of Psalms, I noticed how David is often is depressed and worried about his current situation. But after he talks with God about his concerns, his outlook changes. His thinking shifts from negative to positive, although his situation remains the same. The difference? He reminds himself of what he KNOWS to be true about God.

For example, in Psalm 13, David says, as you and I may have done, “How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever?” (v.1). After asking the LORD to consider him and answer him, David concludes that psalm with these words:

But I have trusted in your steadfast love;

my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.

I will sing to the LORD,

because he has dealt bountifully with me. (vv.5-6).

As I reflected on those words, I recalled the words to an old song, “Just a Little Talk with Jesus,” which remind us that a little talk with Jesus makes us right, even though our situation may remain virtually the same for quite some time. (Listen to the song here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gf0pdkW8T7s ).

It’s the little talk with Jesus that changes our attitude. No longer are we despairing and doubtful. Instead, when we realize anew that He loves us and “deals bountifully” with us even in the most difficult situations, we, too, can rejoice if only we’ll follow David’s example, as well as the advice given in 1 Peter 5:6: Cast all your cares upon Him because He cares for you.

A dear friend gave me this prayer box.

The LORD Is a Stronghold

Castillo de San Marco in Saint Augustine, Florida

A Prepared Feast

Dear Reader, I’m thrilled to share with you the following quote, which I've paraphrased slightly. I found it in the April 13^th devotional in The Listening Heart by Judy Gordon Morrow. (Note: For each devotional, she writes the words she senses Jesus saying to her.)

Spending time with Me is like enjoying a banquet of My love. When you set apart time to be with Me, to feast on My love, then I will fill you up with everything you need: My love, My joy, My peace, My hope, My patience. You will be filled with Me and My attributes. You will see the results of this time with Me in your daily lives. For example, peace will replace anger, hope will replace despair, joy will replace anguish...

As I thought about those words, I recalled these words in the chorus of the old song, Come and Dine, written by Charles B. Widmeyer in 1906:

 “Come and dine,” the Master calleth, “Come and dine;”

You may feast at Jesus’ table all the time;

He Who fed the multitude, turned the water into wine,

To the hungry calleth now, “Come and dine.”

These two writers discovered, as countless others have, that the Bible is a veritable feast for anyone who accepts the gracious invitation to partake of it--as often as we want to!

Life Is...

Life is an opportunity, benefit from it.

Life is a beauty, admire it.

Life is bliss, taste it.

Life is a dream, realize it.

Life is a challenge, meet it.

Life is a duty, complete it.

Life is a game, play it.

Life is costly, care for it.

Life is wealth, keep it.

Life is love, enjoy it.

Life is mystery, know it.

Life is a promise, fulfill it.

Life is sorrow, overcome it.

Life is a song, sing it.

Life is a struggle, accept it.

Life is a tragedy, confront it.

Life is an adventure, dare it.

Life is luck, make it.

Life is too precious, do not destroy it.

Life is life, fight for it!

~Mother Teresa

This is one of my favorite photos of two of my grandsons having fun in the Fall leaves many years ago. I remembered it as I was reading Mother Teresa's words (above).

Ways to Say, "I Love You."

After I’d (belatedly!!!!) e-mailed a friend some photos I’d taken at her husband’s retirement party, she replied, saying, “Thank you, Johnnie. You’re the best!”

I replied, saying, “I don't know about ‘the best,’ but my heart motivates me to love people and to do my best to let them know I do. Taking pictures (and sharing them, even if weeks late) is one way I say, ‘I love you, and I'm happy to be part of your life, part of your special moments!’”

Participating in special moments with family and friends is indeed a joy; but when those memories are recorded, shared, and preserved in pictures and/or in words, then the special moments can be enjoyed again and again every time the pictures are viewed and/or the words are read. That’s why I delight in being a photographer and a writer. 

Dear Reader, what gifts/talents do you use to demonstrate your love for others? Counseling? Cooking? Coaching? Chauffeuring? Feeding? Encouraging? Nursing? Repairing? Sewing? Teaching? Visiting?... Whatever it is that we enjoy doing and are “good at” can easily be used to enrich the lives of others. If we’re constantly on the lookout for ways to use our skill sets, we and others will be greatly blessed. And, more importantly, we will honor our Lord and Savior.

“A new commandment I give to you, 

that you love one another: 

just as I have loved you, 

you also are to love one another. 

By this 

all people will know that you are my disciples, 

if you have love for one another.”

~Jesus (John 13:34-35, ESV)

Line Leader

When I taught third grade students many years ago, the students yearned to be the “Line Leader” for the day. I thought about that just recently when I read an article by Dr. Erwin W. Lutzer in the April 2015 issue of *BBN Monthly Newsletter. In the article, Dr. Lutzer says, "Christ was resurrected with a new, indestructible body, a prototype of the body we shall receive,” as Philippians 3:20b-21 affirms.

Dr. Lutzer then says, “Our Lord goes ahead of us, first through the gates of death and then beyond to His resurrection and ascension to glory.” Thus, we are promised safe passage on the path He followed.

He mentions that W. Frank Harrington uses the title a “Go-ahead God,” based on Bible accounts such as when God, in the form of a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night, led His people through the wilderness. Centuries later, Jesus, when speaking to His disciples mere hours before His arrest and crucifixion, said, “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also” (John 14: 1-3, ESV).

Thus, Jesus is not only the “Line Leader” (based on what the Apostle Paul said in Romans 8:29, “the first-born of many brethren”) and the “Go-ahead God,” He is also “the Ever-present God” (to whom David is speaking in Psalm 139) and “Immanuel” (God is with us, Isaiah 7:14).

Oh, how blessed we are, Dear Reader, to have an awesome God who loves us and leads us and LIVES IN us in this life and in the life beyond.

Note: *BBN=Bible Broadcasting Network is my favorite radio station. And, much to my delight, I recently downloaded an app for it on my cell phone, which means I can listen in anytime, anywhere! To listen on your computer, visit www.bbnradio.org. 

He Lives!

Because I live, you also will live.

~Jesus (John 14:19, ESV)

A scene from "Bow the Knee" cantata performed by a local church.

The Real Truth

I’ve read various versions of “The Legend of the Dogwood Tree,” as you, Dear Reader, may have. However, the Bible doesn’t say what kind of wood was used to make a cross for Christ. But the beautiful blooms on dogwood trees can remind us of His death on the cross. For example, the petals are arranged in the shape of cross; the center could symbolize the crown of thorns that were placed on His head; and the holes at the edge of each petal could represent the blood-stained nail prints in his hands.

While it’s good to notice such reminders, it’s far better to read what the Bible has to say about the resurrection and its significance (for example: Matthew 28, Mark 16, Luke 24, John 20, Romans 6, 1 Corinthians 15) and to sing the old hymns, such as: Low in the Grave He Lay and Christ the Lord Is Risen Today.

That will help us to truly rejoice and to give thanks that “in Christ shall all be made alive” (1 Corinthians 15:22).

Chip Away!

While reading The Impressionist by Tim Clinton and Max Davis, I came across a powerful illustration one of the main characters (Jim Ed) shared with another one (Adam). According to the story, Michelangelo, a famous painter and sculptor during the Renaissance period, was asked how he was inspired to sculpt his now famous “David.”

           

His response went something like this: “When I first looked at that rough block of stone, I felt David was imprisoned somewhere inside. Since I considered it my divine calling as an artist to free him, I began chipping away everything that wasn’t David.”

           

Somehow Michelangelo and other sculptors are able to “see” more than what is readily apparent on the surface. For example, many years ago, I watched an artist carve a fluffy-tailed squirrel out of a huge block of ice. Like Michelangelo, he carved away anything that wasn’t part of the squirrel he “saw.” As he worked, ice chips scattered all over the place, leaving behind a beautifully carved squirrel. 

I have no clue how artists do that! But as a photographer, I do a similar kind of thing. I look at a scene and then decide what I want to include “within the frame” of the photo I want to make. Sometimes something small delights me, so I zoom in on that, leaving out a large portion of all that my eyes can see.

           

In like manner, when God looks at you, Dear Reader, and me, He looks beyond our imperfect exteriors and sees the godly person we can become and then consistently chips away at us, removing the things that don’t fit the image of a Christ-like person. We can assist in that process by asking God to reveal to us what needs to go in order for us to become more like Christ, which is God’s ultimate design for each of us. After receiving that knowledge, we, like artists, can chip away actions, attitudes, and words that detract from the person God wants us to be.

If  I want a "documentary" photo that shows the stages of this Powder Puff  bloom and a bit of the foliage, etc., I would make the above photo. But if  I want one that's  a bit more  artistic/detailed , I'd make the one below. 
Although it's a good idea to zoom in before taking the picture, I zoomed in during the editing process by removing (i.e., cropping out) the parts in the one above that didn't fit my creative vision for the photo.
One isn't necessarily better than the other one, just different. But it's the photographer's privilege to create the look she wants --either at the scene or in post processing.