Today our sweet 2-year-old granddaughter turns THREE!! I continue to store up memories that only grandchildren can bestow. Her memory, however, is a bit different:
For example, our dear one won’t remember the day she received her wonderful cartoon bed as a gift from her parents. Her dad found it especially for Christmas, modeled after a favorite anime character, and it is as soft and comfortable and cute as can be. At two and a half, however, her brain is so busy forming a gazillion neuro-pathways that it’s a little Continue reading “Where’d THAT come from?”
(NOT!) Obviously, there was some needed work that didn’t happen prior to winter. No problem, though. The compost pile is doing its thing, and my tools (and back muscles) are getting ready to do theirs in the coming spring season. As even an inexperienced gardener like me can surmise, the ground needs some serious work unless I want to cultivate weeds.
Actually, I’m not even sure that these are…
No matter; they gotta go, and I have the gear to get it done. My expert-gardener sister-in-law even bought me a kneeling pad to protect my knees, bless her little heart! (I also invested in some volleyball knee pads from the garage sale next door—R-E-A-L-L-Y helps, especially on rocky soil.)
So, why haven’t I accomplished this yet?
Excuse #1: I have a full time job.
Excuse #2: I have volunteer activities.
Excuse #3: I’m a homemaker (ie, I cook real food, do the laundry, etc.)
Excuse #4: I also have other interests, (like blogging, for instance!)
I know, I know, I’m beginning to sound like this~~
But that’s not what God sounds like when He says this:
“For thus says the Lord to the men of Judah and to Jerusalem: Break up your ground left uncultivated for a season, so that you may not sow among thorns.”
And then again…
“…Break up your uncultivated ground, for it is time to seek the Lord, to inquire for and of Him, and to require His favor, till He comes and teaches you righteousness and rains His righteous gift of salvation upon you.”
Same thought from two different prophets; I’m thinking God is trying to get a point across to His people. Which, of course, applies to me, since I’m now one of “His people”. It’s just so easy to allow issues and situations to remain buried in our hearts and souls, supposedly hidden, sometimes even hidden from our own internal vision.
I can see this being (yet another) reason why we need each other—bumping up against others in life has a way of revealing myself…to myself. Then there’s quantity time alone with God on my own, learning His mind on things, my things. It can sometimes be an uncomfortable process, breaking up clods of offense and wrong thinking and pride, but to put it off is eternally unproductive.
So, when the Lord comes to pick some fruit, what will be your excuse?
This month I’ve been blogging for two years, and having a ball doing it, meeting terrific people and being encouraged in my own journey with God. I’ve recently met yet another very cool person via the blogosphere who is just starting out and asking me for advice. (Yes, asking ME!! Seriously?!?)
So I confidently sent her the WordPress Blogging U. link, and also told her that in addition to those several and free courses, (emphasis on the word “free”), we are abundantly provided with tutorials to browse on our own, trying things out here and there and at our chosen pace.
At least, that’s what I did. And I’m happy that I still can, especially as the company upgrades and changes “the look” I have grown accustom to when I first started. Plus, I know there are some improvements I need to make in the look and ease of the site, some strategies I’d like to try. But here is one of the most interesting take-aways I’ve gleaned from the experience, especially starting out as I did from the ground level, just slightly above “this is where you turn on the computer”:
Persistence is priceless.
If the look I wanted didn’t happen the first time, then let’s give it another go. Let’s see what’s available, or insert this particular widget, or drag and click on this button. Then there’s always the option of (gasp!) reading the directions, again,…and again. Or asking questions. And funny thing, shock of shocks—it works!! Of course, I’ve never been one terribly intimidated by the trial and error process anyway, and really, the security of the free world does not depend on the quality of my website…
Which translates into the intangible reality of our relationship with God. The prophet Hosea knew this. After exposing the error of the people’s idolatry (and accompanying observable behaviors) which was to be followed by the long-forecasted consequences, he then calls them to this hope:
“…Let us press on to know him. He will respond to us as surely as the arrival of dawn…”
God is not intimidated by our trial and error, even with Him. Reference King David! Simon Peter! Moses! One thing these guys had in common was that they never gave up. It was never a question of God showing up; it was, rather, up to them to keep at it, even in the face of personal confusion or temporary moral defeat.
Because, when it come to a quality relationship with the Almighty God, persistence is priceless, and really, the security of someone else’s eternity may actually depend on it.
We have these funny “drunken goggles” at my school that the kids can put on to simulate what happens to your vision and balance when someone’s imbibing has reached certain blood alcohol levels. I put them on once and it was pretty impressive actually. (Personally, at this point in my life, my balance is far enough gone that I would be in danger of walking that straight line should I be randomly pulled over, regardless of the fact that I don’t even drink…)
Not only is alcohol (and other drugs) distorting to your senses, it is, of course, also distorting to your judgment. Now, most adults have this one pretty well Continue reading “Drunken Goggles”
Today our sweet 2-year-old granddaughter turns THREE!! I continue to store up memories that only grandchildren can bestow. Her memory, however, is a bit different:
Actually, I’m not even sure that these are…
Persistence is priceless.
INSPIRATION with an ATTITUDE 