Lights out? Nah, not tonight!

I’m sitting outside in the gazebo (pronounced gaze-bo), watching Steve work on pre-wiring it for the ceiling fan and lights.  I’m also enjoying God’s majesty as the sun begins to set, providing me a cloudy splendor as the rays shine down like spotlights.  One of my neighbors is mowing and the sound only slightly interferes with the gentle beats of the wood chimes as an occasional breeze moves them together.

When I first came out here, being the typical Southern gal that I am who doesn’t like getting too much nature on her, I lit the Cinnamon Spice Citronella Candle to help keep those pesky mosquitoes away from my tender flesh.  As I watched the flame gently flicker, dancing in the soft breeze, it almost seemed merry, which made me think of Christmas.  I reached over and tenderly cupped my hands around the candle, enjoying its slight warmth, even though my phone tells me it’s 86 degrees out here.  

My thoughts drifted from one place to another, and then they flickered as the flame of the candle wavered.  I cupped my hands around it, trying to prevent its light from extinguishing.  It worked and once again the flame danced merrily about, shining its light, fulfilling its purpose.  I thought about me and my light as I once again valiantly placed my hands around the candle, trying to prevent the wind from overtaking it.  Distracted by my surroundings, I looked away.  Just for a moment.  The sky was so pretty!

Feeling a tickle on my leg, I brushed away the fly that was trying to nest there (although Steve assures me flies don’t nest.  I reminded him I haven’t shaved this month and this fly was definitely trying to nest!).  

“Why isn’t that candle keeping the bugs away?”  I thought in dismay.  

Guess what?  It had gone out again, snuffed out by the wind when I wasn’t protecting it, when the watchman had failed in her duty.  Thought it didn’t literally move, the candle had lost its place from the protector.  Only a slight scent of its fragrance was left behind--left behind to remind me.

About what, Stef?

About this little light of mine.  About when I let it shine and when I allow it to give off gentle warmth.  About the fragrance, the aroma that I emanate.  About the bugs I keep away.  And about the winds of care that blow sometimes softly and at other times more forcefully.  It makes me glad that Jesus isn’t like me and does not look away for even one second.  It makes my heart smile as I envision His nail-scarred hands filtering what can and what cannot touch me.  It makes me grateful that while I can sometimes shine before others that it’s His glory that is revealed.  

That’s what it reminds me of.  Aren’t you so glad you asked?

What is that smell?!

June 6, 2015

I love Facebook.  Many of the inspirations for my blog come from it.  Case in point:  yesterday a friend of mine shared the following statement that I think you will enjoy:

As I was entering the Home Depot ladies room a cute little girl ( who appeared to be about 7 years) was exiting. She whispered to me "It is going to stink in there. It was my Mom!" Lol. Priceless little children.

I indeed laughed out loud as I pictured this scenario.  Can't you just see the mortified look on the little girl's face and then picture the mom who couldn't have been far behind meandering out as though nothing out of the ordinary had taken place?  How hard it must have been to keep a straight face (in more ways than one if you catch my drift--or the drift that was left behind).  

As children of God, do you ever wonder what scents we are leaving behind?  When we leave a place, is there a fragrance of something pleasant or do we instead leave a stench and have people holding their noses and wanting to get as far away from there as possible?


2 Corinthians 2:15 tells us

For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. 

I don't know about you but I for one surely love to follow my nose to things that please it.  Roses, fresh-baked chocolate-chip-pies like I am about to bake for my favorite seven-year-old grandson, the smell of the earth after a solid rain, and who doesn't love the smell of bacon frying and popcorn popping?  On the other hand, popcorn that is burning, a woman with too much perfume, and little boys who use their little bottoms to make dreadful noises and smells are most unwelcome in my aurora.  

Today, as we do whatever it is we have planned, let's purpose to leave behind an aroma that makes people stop in their tracks, turn around to see what that wonder was, and make our Lord Jesus proud of His kids.  Let's create a hunger for those nearest us to want more of that spectacular fragrance to fill their hungry hearts and to create an appetite to learn more of Jesus.  Most importantly though, let's be sure we can truly give them the bread they need.  Are you prepared to share the gospel today?  Let's see if we can get a little help first, shall we?

Dear Lord God, today is another opportunity for us to be lights for You.  You have given us a day to honor You and my prayer is that we all check up before leaving our homes today and make sure we have our dress in place.  May we not have too much Bible and not enough of You.  May we not be overbearing in our knowledge but subtle in our love so that others are attracted to what our testimonies are saying in spite of the things that might come out of our mouths.  

Should someone leave a room where we have been, may the remarks be favorable so that others are enticed to come in and see what the fuss is all about rather than dread taking another step into an arena that is foul and stinky.  Help us, I ask, to be pleasing to those we encounter today and may they smile when we pass and think "I wish I was like that!"

Thank You for this day, Father.  As my family and I celebrate my oldest grandson's special day, may we delight in him the way You delight in us.  In return, may we glean more knowledge of just how very much we are loved by You by the way we love this special boy?  Thank You for him, my other two gsons, and my family.  Thank You for teaching me how to love.  In the name of Jesus I pray.  Amen.

Throwback Thursday? Yes, please!!

May 14, 2015

Do you know what today is?  No, that was yesterday.  Today is Throwback Thursday and it has led me to ponder on a couple of things that I hope you too will think about.

To begin with, who came up with this concept of remembering and sharing those recollections with all of Facebook?  Yeah, some of those pics of you as a kid are cute but others?  Some conjure up a life that is no longer and those reflections can be dimmed by sadness.

Next, the title of this:  THROWBACK Thursday.  Now, we're getting somewhere.  Because the past is gone, indeed let's do throw it back.  Waaaay back.  Isn't that why it's behind us?  Mmn hmn.

Paul told us in Philippians 3:13-14 that "I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."  Steve and I have been studying these verses the past couple of nights and last night he came up with a gem:  the past is something you have to live with not a place you have to live in.  

As he read me these words he had just penned from his journal, my head jerked up and I asked him to repeat them. "The past is something you have to live with not a place you have to live in."   Whoa!  Such wisdom from this man I am so thankful to call my husband!  Yeah, I'm sure it's been said before and pondered by us all but here it was, in a simple phrase, declaring this timeless truth:  the past is something you have to live with not a place you have to live in.

We don't have to live in the past but we do have to live with its consequences.  But, we do not have to let those choices determine our fates today though, now do we?  Nope!  We are not prisoners, enslaved to events that we may have had little if any control over.  Instead, we are more than conquerors, pressing ahead, reaching for the goal as we strive to be better day by day.  We don't have to walk around with our heads bowed low in shame.  Instead, we have been raised up, tried like gold, and are being refined in the image of Christ.  We are being made new daily, friends.  I don't know about you, but that gives me quite the sense of hope.

"...the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."  My journaling last night consisted of how I love getting gifts, surprises, and accolades for a job well done.  If I stayed in the past, I would see and believe that I am not worthy of any praise, of any acknowledgments, nor any tributes.  But through the blood of Jesus, through His example of how to live and love, and through the grace of God, one day in the future I will cross that finish line and be rewarded for the good I have done.  My past won't be held against me.  Those deeds done in the flesh won't even be counted but what I did--what I do each day for Christ?  Ahh, that's where the treasure is!  I can't change the yuck I did yesterday but today is a new opportunity to shine for Jesus.  May I be one of His brightest stars today is my hope.

Let's pray!

Dear Lord, there are so many Thursdays and Mondays (oh those Mondays) and other days of the week, God, that I wish I could forget and not have to live with the consequences of.  Foolish behaviours and silly, childlike actions that separated me from You are a blight on my record.  But Lord, now that I am an adult and have put away childish things, I can grow to be more like You.  I can see clearly how effective my actions are and thus I can be more careful in my dealings, knowing that they may have lifelong implications on others.

For all the times I failed You, Lord God, I apologize.  For all the times I wasted by looking back instead of pressing forward, I sincerely regret.  Lord, my life is but a vapor.  May it be a sweet one, I pray, and not one of stench.  May the good I do linger in the air as a sweet aroma, leaving those around wondering how this small piece of heaven was revealed to them for just a moment in time is my prayer.  I ask these things in the name of my precious Jesus.  Amen.