Oh, the Entertainment Value of God’s Creation

Change is in the air and change is in God’s creation. Austin’s Hill Country behind my children’s home is a display of God’s handiwork. Many of the trees are showing off their radiant, colored leaves and the evergreens are just that -- ever green. And there has been changes and additions to our family here. I sure get amused at us. I can only imagine how amused God must get at His creation. He certainly doesn’t need a TV for entertainment. Speaking of entertainment – I headed out to get the car washed and what did my wandering eyes would appear but all eight goats out of their corral. Seems Oreo, the black and white goat, fiesty one, has learned to open the latch of the stable! Fortunately, Bryson is their shepherd, or is it goat-herd and they know his voice and they follow him home.

Since my last visit to Austin, we have two new grand-puppies. Braden & Ruth, my oldest grandson and his wife, adopted a beautiful, white, 8-month-old Lab, Bella Mae (a southern name for a southern girl). "Lucky Lab Rescue" saved Bella Mae from an owner who had cruelly abused her and she was severely malnourished. She was put into a foster home and my kids adopted her. Now she is secure, happy, and the beloved pet of my grands. I love the love they have given her and the love she has given them. My second to the oldest grandson, Barrett aka Bear, at the same time, adopted a precious, 8-week-old Aussie-Doodle, Mayra, in Oklahoma. Yay! We have an Okie puppy at last. We are multi-state animal lovers. The Lab is from Texas, the Aussie Doodle, Oklahoma, the two back in Frisco, Buddy, the Australian Shepherd, is from Washington State, and Emma, the Yorkie, hails from Arkansas. And sweet and beloved, 10-year-old Bentley, the Havanese, is from Iowa and lives here with my youngest grands.

I read this scripture: "He is God of the living, “for to Him all are alive” (Luke 20:38). Oh, I know that scripture pertains to our life evermore, even after we die, but I thought about how God is everywhere in all of His living creation – the God of the living. He cares for all living things: the flowers, the birds, the grass. The Creator created everything for a purpose. He even uses them in describing how we should live. Colossians 1:16 says “….all things have been created through Him and FOR Him!” I just know this family of mine keeps Him entertained.

As cute, loveable, and adoring as my grand-dogs and my grand-farm animals are – it’s really their owners that I love the most – and I never take them for granted – it was them that gave me grandchildren and grandpets. Thanks, kids, for your contribution to my full of love and blessed life!

What is it Like to be You?

We’ve all played “ice breaker” games with a group of people who we may know very little about. It’s a great way to get to know each other in a very open environment. But, instead of the usual questions: “What do you do for fun? What was your most embarrassing moment? What was your favorite vacation?”, what if this question were asked: “What is it like to be you?”

I assure you – it would depend on how we felt physically, mentally, socially, economically, relationally, and spiritually on that given day. If we felt good – no real aches or pains; if we were calm and at peace in our souls; if we were in a happy place with our spouse or friends; loved our job, and if we were in a right place with God, our answer may be something like: “It is great to be me because I am healthy, my family loves me, I have great friends, an awesome job, and God is so good to me!”

Good answer -- on a good day! And, if it were a faith confession of "speaking of things that be not as though they were" (Romans 4:17) -- it would still be a good answer. I may have answered it differently last week after recovering from a minor surgery. I developed an excruciating, painful skin issue. Having cloth of any kind next to my skin hurt beyond explanation (good thing I was alone). If I had been asked “What is it like to be you?”, though I would have tried desperately to describe myself in a faith-filled, upbeat, hallelujah voice, if I were honest to the bone, I would have told you that I felt miserable and in pain like I have never known. Being me would have come down to what I felt in that one season of time. I thought how I have taken my good health for granted. I thought about those who were living their lives without a thought about how good they feel and for those who were in far more pain than I was in. But fast forward to today when there is no more pain and suffering, I’d tell you “My life is like birds singing, bells ringing, blue skies, raindrops on roses, whiskers on kittens, and walking on sunshine.”

This experience made me realize that I don’t want to take God and His blessings for granted in any way. God is good. Really, really, really good…..all the time!" Nothing that comes our way in this one life, is surprising to God. Why He allows us to experience tough times is up to Him – there is always a reason. Whether or not we understand His reasons, we must remember that God is good, just, loving, and merciful. When bad things happen to us that we simply don't understand, instead of doubting God’s goodness, our reaction should be to trust Him. “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5–6). I was saying that scripture a lot last week.

The best news of all is this one life here on earth is short-lived in light of eternity. It is the ensuring that whatever this life looks like here is nothing to be compared to what our lives will look like in heaven. As it has been written: "What no eye has seen, and no ear has heard, and has not entered into heart of man, what God has prepared for those who love Him." 1 Corinthians 2:9

So, in reply to “What is it like to be you?”, I’m saying it is a blessed life of living one day at a time, embracing each and every moment of it, celebrating that I’m a child of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. In sickness and in health, in death, we will never part….because He’s prepared a heavenly place for me……and YOU! And, then, when asked "What is it like to be you?", our answer will always...for eternity be...."HEAVENLY!"

Great Expectations

The word, HOPE, means “the exciting expectation that something GOOD is about to happen”. Charles Dickens is well known for his book, “Great Expectations”.
With GREAT EXPECTATION I look forward to each day being one that is blessed and joy-filled. I'm experiencing that on this beautiful cruise I'm on. Believe me -- it took work and diligence to be here, but it was worth every minute. We do what we can do to be a success and then with GREAT EXPECTATION....we can count on the rewards. And in the same way, we do our part of giving....then we can EXPECT an abundance of receiving. We do our part of planting.....we can EXPECT a bumper crop. It's just God's law or reciprocity.

Do you have your hope up and do you have great expectations for your life? Those of us who have experienced “expecting” a baby – well know that it is a process. We don’t get half way through our pregnancy and say – “I’m through with this – I’m done with ‘expecting’!” No, we know it’s a process, and if we patiently wait for “the appointed time” of delivery, we’ll be blessed with a precious bundle of love and joy.

Living a life of great expectation is a part of the BLESSED LIFE of being a fully devoted follower of Christ. That means we can live life in a radical way – the way of trusting, believing, and expecting that all He’s promised us will be ours if we patiently wait for His perfect plan for our lives...with GREAT EXPECTATION. Don’t give up! Keep your hope up! Get your EXPECTOR expecting! Remember ….. it’s a process! Your “baby” (your hopes, your dreams) will get here….and you’ll soon be blessed with God’s bundles of love, peace, beauty and joy.