Puzzle Pieces

I just finished a jigsaw puzzle I've been working on for several weeks. Sometimes several hours at a time, Sometimes for just a few minutes or a few pieces. It is a winter pastime that I share with my three sisters. They began exchanging puzzles whenever we got together a few years ago. I find myself thinking about my sisters as I work on the puzzle. We are connected through them. Their hands handled the same pieces I handle.

To start the puzzle I sort. The border pieces come first, except this last puzzle I had half of the bottom border that was unfinished until I got to that section. I found one piece was wrong when I found another almost exactly the same that fit better.

Next I sort by color and then by shape when I get down to the final few. I always wonder if one piece might be missing. It is so easy for one piece to slip off the table. What if a piece was lost? I couldn't finish the puzzle.

Life is a lot like a puzzle. It takes piece after piece to fit our life together. We don't see the whole picture until the final pieces get placed by God, He has the last piece.

As I finished the puzzle I thought sure there wasn't a piece that would fit in a spot but almost magically one gets turned around and it fits.

"And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work," (2 Corinthians 9:8 NIV).

God"s amazing grace makes all parts of our life fit together perfectly.

Boundaries

Back when we were shepherds we got our first guard dog named Buddy, a great Pyrenees. He was as big as the old ewes and coated in long white hair and had a big sad face. He was afraid of people but fiercely protective of the flock.

We released him to wander in the pasture with the sheep but he objected to the boundaries we had established. He wanted to know what was on the other side of the fence. So he dug holes underneath so he could escape. Big holes but not as big as he was. Yet, he would skim his way under the fence and we had to get him back.

Once he escaped and we lost him for nearly a month. I finally posted a lost dog advertisement in the local papers for a big white dog who disliked people but loved sheep. We got a response from a fellow farmer more than 20 miles away that he had a dog who moved in to care for his sheep. We were able to corner him in a barn and bring him home.

This time his boundaries changed so that he had to stay in the lambing pens inside the barn. Buddy had keen eyes, ears and nose. He still guarded the whole flock by his deep fierce bark that scared the coyotes away.

The one thing I found in the Bible that has no boundaries is joy. Paul exclaimed his boundless joy for believers as he writes in 2 Corinthians.

"I have said before that you have such a place in our hearts that we would live or die with you. I have great confidence in you; I take great pride in you. I am greatly encouraged; in all our troubles my joy knows no bounds," (2 Corinthians 7:3b-4 NIV).

Joy without boundaries. What a great idea for this new week.

Until We Meet Again

My friend, Ann, passed away Sunday. It seems so impossible that she is gone because I still visualize her as the vibrant, life-loving, highly-spirited woman that she was. Since I moved I haven't seen her very often. But, I can picture her as the delightful person she was. Always with a smile and ready to laugh; dedicated to her family and her job.

But, I know where she is now. She is with her Savior, Whom she loved.

She is happier now. Free of pain now. Reunited with her parents, Causing a ruckus in heaven, delightedly so. Ann has arrived in a twirly skirt, no doubt!

It's so sad for those who loved her and now miss her. The separation hurts. The wishes for her having a long life and sharing an old folks home together are spoiled. Life doesn't always get a chance to live out our dreams. Cancer is so cruel and selective. Anyone - everyone can be a victim.

"But whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water, welling up to eternal life," (John 4:14 NIV).

That's how I'll remember, Ann. As a spring of water welling up to eternal life. She brought joy to everyone who knew her and I'm cherishing my memories of this amazing woman who is now at home, face-to-face with her Savior.

Until we meet again...

Remembering Saturdays and Sundays

When I was a little girl our Saturday nights were busy. It was bath night for everyone in the family. Everyone's shoes were polished so they looked their best. Our clothes were laid out for a quick dressing in the morning. Usually Mom and Dad practiced music for the next day. Mama on the piano and Daddy singing. It was the same every Saturday night. We were getting ready for worship.

Sunday mornings were always the same. The girls were ready and waiting in the car for Daddy who always had morning chores to do and didn't finish fast enough. We were late leaving so Daddy would speed his way across the 15 miles of gravel roads to our small country church. It was a thrilling ride, climaxing with a dip for our stomachs as we headed down a long hill toward the Iowa River Bridge. Every Sunday was the same.

The music was my favorite part of worship when I was a kid and as I grew into a teenager. We sang the good old hymns. The words were so important to me, teaching me God's truths set to music and singing songs of adoration and praise: "This is My Father's World," "For The Beauty of the Earth," "O God, Our Help in Ages Past, Our hope for years to come, Our shelter from the stormy blast, And our eternal home!" "Praise to the Lord, the Almighty," "Great Is Thy Faithfulness," "How Great Thou Art," and "Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee."

We sang songs of dedication: "O Jesus, I Have Promised," "O Master, Let Me Walk with Thee," "Onward, Christian Soldiers," "Give of Your Best to the Master," "Lead On, O King Eternal," "Teach Me to Pray, Lord, teach me to pray; Tis is my heart cry day unto day; I long to know Thy will and Thy way; Teach Me to Pray Lord, Teach Mme to Pray," "I Will Sing the Wondrous Story Of the Christ who died for me."

I have to admit that music, even now as a senior adult, is key to helping me worship. I love the words and the music and the way they prepare my heart to hear the Word of God and to worship my Holy Father. We must be careful that our worship is in spirit and truth.

"The Lord says: "These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men, Therefore once more I will astound these people with wonder upon wonder;"" (Isaiah 29:13-14a NIV).

May our worship be in spirit and in truth unending.

Change

Things in life are bound to change. But I don't have to like it, do I? Oh, I know in time I will adjust to the new normal, whatever it is. Life will go on and eventually I will settle in to a new routine and the past will only be remembered fondly.

But what about my people; my dear friends that I look forward to seeing every day? The familiar faces that appear each day and greet me with a smile. Some, I don't even know their name but they are people I care about. I miss them when they are gone. We share a common goal, a purpose, a reason for being there. Like church, or school, or work. We all show up when we can and together we share a moment, create a memory, enjoy being together.

For me this change is my gym closing the building that houses the pool and the walking track. I loved the instructors of my Aqua Fit classes, the good people there and the exercise. Especially the exercise in the water that keeps my bad back and hips moving with less pain. I need the movement and the resistance the water gives.

So, I must find a new place to go. We have been researching the options, especially those close to us and at some point we will move on. Right now I am moping and hanging my head, and dragging my feet.

I'm so thankful God never changes. He is the One constant in my life Who will never change. He promises to be the same God no matter what else is changing in my life. That is wonderful! Worthy of praise and rejoicing!

""I the Lord do not change"", (Malachi 3:6 NIV).

God is constantly God. Amen.

The Horses

My father loved horses. He collected them like I collect sheep. I believe the most he had was 14 at once. Unless a horse is expensive, a race horse or rodeo horse or fancy riding horse they mostly consume hay or grass and aren't worth much except to their owner. Daddy's horses were his horses. Only two were trained to ride and the others were mostly red, brown and white wild things that might allow petting them or maybe even currying but we didn't try to ride them.

The horses were a beautiful sight in the pastures, especially when they would run back and forth or around the fence lines, manes and tails flowing gracefully in the wind. I loved watching them and feeding them a handful of green grass that was out of their reach.

Living History Farms horses

One day I decided I would ride a horse the two miles to a neighbor's house. I chose "Chip," a brown and white husky pony, to ride. He was Daddy's horse and I should have known better. But the neighbor brought over her horse so I was going to ride back with her and then come home alone. Surprisingly, Chip cooperated pretty well in following the other horse to her home. It was a long afternoon and when I decided to head home, Chip wasn't happy about it. I ended up leading (tugging) Chip away from the neighbor's house, until the other horse was out of sight. The tall corn in the fields
helped.

I decided to try riding Chip home once I got him distracted from the neighbors. I got on and coaxed Chip to move ahead. I struggled a quarter mile with him stubbornly trying to turn around or stand still. Finally we got close to our back property line, unbeknownst to me, and Chip became ready to go home. In a sudden burst of energy Chip took off down the driveway and through the cornfield. There was no controlling him or slowing him down. I hung on for dear life, all the while my bare legs were being sliced by the corn leaves slapping me, left and right. He ran the full half mile through the field, reached the barnyard and ran directly to his pen in the barn in one fell swoop. I'm pretty sure I must have been crying, probably sobbing from fear and pain, but I stayed on, that was the main thing.

Horses are mentioned in the Bible. Zechariah has a dream about horses.

"During the night I had a vision and there before me was a man riding a red horse! He was standing among the myrtle trees in a ravine. Behind him were red, brown and white horses. I asked, "What are these, my lord?" The angel who was talking with me answered, "I will show you what they are." Then the man standing among the myrtle trees explained, "They are the ones the Lord has sent to go throughout the earth." (Zechariah 1:8-9 NIV).

Here God uses horses to represent His involvement in world governments and the angel announces that all nations were at peace except Israel, still oppressed and despised. But God planned a change. His people were free and they would return and rebuild his temple.

I'm pretty sure I've had a dream about riding Chip through the cornfield, many times over the past 50 years! God was teaching me a lesson, too.

The True Weatherman

It is Iowa. In January. Need I say more. Yesterday was 33 degrees for a high. Today is to be 58 degrees. And tomorrow there will be snow. Our television weathermen try their best at making predictions and offering forecasts. They do an okay job but they aren't perfect. Because they aren't in control of the weather.

We had some snow that is now melted. The sunrise and sunsets have been beautiful. Today we will enjoy being outside when we can for we know our nice days are numbered. The sun will come up tomorrow and the sun will set shortly after 5 p.m. The daylight hours are getting longer, one minute at a time. It seems we know a lot, yet we know so little.

Who is in control? God is in control. He guides the winds and raises up the sun for daytime. He allows the sun to set when it is time for evening. The clouds move through, some bearing rain or snow or something in between. His hands control it all. He creates weather patterns and jet streams

and oversees the moon, too.

When Jesus was asked by the Pharisees and Sadducees to show them a sign from heaven, Jesus would not. He said,

"When evening comes, you say, 'It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,' and in the morning, 'Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.' You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times. A wicked and adulterous generation looks for a miraculous sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah." Jesus then left them and went away." (Matthew 16:1-4 NIV).

Weather comes and goes, guided only by God, the true Weatherman. Be in awe of the changes He directs this week.

The Right Start

"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus," (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NIV).

It's been a busy year so far but things are calming down now that we are home from a visit to North Carolina. We had a wonderful time with four of our grandchildren then over the weekend we got to spend time with the other two older grandchildren. Life is good when you are with grandchildren.

As the scripture tells, there are a few things that we must do to make life good. According to God's will we are to be joyful always. Filled with joy, the kind of joy that only God can supply. A feeling of gladness or delight, an emotion of well-being. More than just happy, joy-full.

"Pray continually": maintain a spirit of prayer,  a constant conversation with God, on-going messages between friends, mentors, the Holy One. Keep a conversation going in your head with God all day.

"Give thanks in all circumstances": in all things give thanks. Be grateful for everything. The things we take for granted, the things that surprise us, the blessings that overwhelm, the amazing presence of God with us. We give thanks even in bad times of grief, of loss, of discouragement, of frustration and anger. Give thanks to God in all situations.

"Do not put out the Spirit's fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil. May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through." (1 Thessalonians 5:19-23 NIV).

Consider these thoughts from Paul to the new believers in Thessalonica. He gave them these firm guidelines to help them find their way as Christians. Even solid believers can use these reminders for faith growing and solidifying beliefs. As this new year begins, let us keep these thoughts close and follow Paul's instructions. Make 2020 a new year with a right start.

A New Morning

Happy New Year 2020!

It is always hard for me to remember to write the New Year, at least for a while. But this year will be a challenge because it is also a new decade. 2020 sounds ancient or futuristic or both. How did we get here so fast? Jesus was born approximately so many years ago.

Mankind has wandered in the wilderness, searching for the Savior and He is here. He has been here all along. He has seen our mistakes and failures. He forgives our sins when we seek Him and ask for redemption. What blessed love the Father above has for us! 

Here we are beginning a new year and a new decade. I want to fall before my Lord and be His beloved child with whom He is well pleased. I want to raise my arms in praise and worship Him with my whole heart, mind and soul so He knows how much I love Him, too.

I want this year to be the best ever as far as my faith goes. I want to be refreshed by the newness of the Lord’s faithfulness every morning...every hour…every minute.  

“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness,” (Lamentations 3:22-23 NIV).