Let's Get in Victory Formation

I apologize up front. I can’t help myself. I must report again on my early morning daily walks in my community that has many water features. My walks seem to open my heart to a greater appreciation for God and His handiwork – the skies, the wildlife, the people passing by. How can I possibly say that when we live in this day and age of so much anger, protests, civil unrest, a pandemic, the greatest unemployment rate in history, and now it’s hurricane season! Dear Lord, have mercy!

But, I'm assured because no matter what, I think to myself, what a wonderful world. Wildlife has no idea the troubles we are seeing. They are at ease, basking in just being and enjoying the beauty around them. This blog came from yesterday's walk. I saw what looked like a geese wildlife habitat. They just glide along, care-free. I picked up some of their molten feathers. The only negative about them is their absolute lack of decorum – pooping all over our walking trails that requires expert navigations skills to maneuver around it all. Ugh!

Then, a flock of geese in V-formation reminded me of 2010 when my sweetheart was about to have a major surgery the next day, I called on my two walking/praying buddies. We declared victory as we took seven laps around the hospital (like Joshua and his troops marched around the walls of Jericho). It was hot in Tulsa -- a heat index of 105 degrees, but a cool breeze with the fragrance of flowers from around the hospital, enveloped us as we started our "march". We began our 7th victory lap. This time, we walked by Ron's room and gave him the "V" is for victory hand sign. We turned the corner and heard "honk, honk, honk". It was a perfect "V" formation of geese flying above us.

That victory walk, and mindset, gave us the faith we needed for the next day. We knew our faith journey was guided by the One Who loves us most, desires to bless us with good things, and Who promises He will never leave us or forsake us.

And, I believe that same victory is for all who know they aren't defined by what's going on in this earth. They are defined by trusting in God's ways being the best ways, and that seals the deal EVERY TIME. Our victory rests in our faith and complete assurance that God is still in control no matter what it looks like around us. So, like those geese – let’s get into our victory formation and spread our wings and fly above the storms!

1 Corinthians 15:57 - "But thanks be to God, Who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."

Awestruck at the Awesomeness of God

The longer I live and the places I get to go, the more awestruck I am by the majesty of God. What a genius He is! I bask in His meticulous handiwork everywhere. This last week I found myself in awe of Him even more while at the Sea of Cortez where all kinds of driftwood, shells, extraordinary plants and birds are everywhere. I even found 3-leaf clovers on a rock wall and had the opportunity to talk to my grandson about St. Patrick and how he used the 3-leaf clover to describe the Trinity: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. Thank you, God, for your brilliant way of helping me teach a good Bible lesson!

Bryson and I are the beach scavengers. The many varieties of seashells are the most amazing to me -- washed up from the sea or ocean and are scattered all along the beach. They certainly pull on our imaginations. Intrigued, we pluck them up from the sand to gawk at their colors, shapes, and sizes or hold them to our ear to hear the echoing sea.

My Bryson is the animal-of-any-kind lover so he was very bothered when I pulled a very-attached shell off a rock! “You’ve killed it, Nana! How could you?” My ignorance of shell life, as well as my sympathetic whine, helped my plea for forgiveness! He forgave!

To this gal, growing up on the prairies, seashells represent just about the most exotic and attractive natural objects on earth. But, what is most impressive is God, our Creator, Who came up with the idea of these seashells that offer marine animals some protection from predators with that rigid thick support that enables them to eat (and avoid being eaten), move and reproduce. The diverse forms, sizes, patterns, and colors reveal so much about the creative, imaginative, all-powerful, all-knowing, God we love, know and serve.

Laura Story, composer, and Chris Tomlin, recording artist, put this song on the map -- and its words explain how I felt in God’s vast domain this week:

"From the highest of heights to the depths of the sea
Creation revealing Your majesty.
From the colors of fall to the fragrance of spring,
Every creature unique in the song that it sings.
All exclaiming!
Indescribable, uncontainable,
You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name.
You are amazing God!
All powerful, untameable,
Awestruck we fall to our knees as we humbly proclaim
You are amazing God!

Incomparable, unchangeable
You see the depths of my heart and You love me the same
You are amazing God!"

Welcome, Spring! I’m Getting Spring Into My Step!

I've been thoroughly enjoying the photos displayed on social media of the beautiful array of bluebonnets that are seemingly opening the doors and welcoming Spring to us Texans! Thank you, God, for your handiwork! Before leaving home for this Spring Break trip to Mexico, I sent a little text message to my Frisco family that I wanted to turn in my birthday gift coupons that they gave me in August. It was an amazing gift that included power washing my screened-in porch, trimming hedges and trees, raking and bagging leaves, and laying mulch. I told them I was dealing with peer pressure because my neighbors were way ahead of me in getting their properties all spruced up to welcome Spring! So, we talked about dates to get it all done. Teamwork will certainly make my dream work!

Of course, here in Mexico, it looks like springtime year round, so that’s inspired me, even more, to get spring into my steps. We’ve been going to the fitness center each morning here and getting ourselves spruced up for celebrating this most wonderful season of new life, new hope, new dreams, and new great expectations for this spectacular soon-to-be Resurrection Sunday! Talk about NEW LIFE!

At home, the trees were already budding, my hot pink phlox was unveiling a carpet of color, and the yellow daffodils were sprouting. All of it was shouting “Springtime ahead!” Old things were passing away and the new was being birthed. I had been hearing the doves cooing in my back yard announcing they were making preparations for the new life of their little ones soon.

In Steve DeWitt’s outstanding book, “Eyes Wide Open: Enjoying God in Everything”, he explains enjoying God's presence this way:
“Creation speaks to us — every day, all the time, constantly shouting truths about spiritual reality. Did you hear it this morning as you got up? Did you feel any truth about God this morning as you took a hot shower? Did you taste any truth as you delighted in your morning coffee? Did you hear any divine reality as you heard a bird singing? Did you see any truth as you saw the blue of the sky? What have you actually felt, tasted, touched, seen, and heard today? The whole earth is filled with His glory. Every day creation shouts to us, God is glorious! God is creator! God is provider! God is love! God is there! Everywhere I look, everything I feel, hear, smell, and taste transmits the beauty of God through the beauty of creation. He is the beauty behind all beauty.”

As for me, I’m gearing up for stepping it up -- getting Spring in my step -- to be filled with vigor and vitality. God saw that His creation of man and woman was VERY GOOD. Shouldn’t we be the evidence of God that awakens Spring in the steps of others, too? The cold, dark days of winter are over. Resurrection Day is upon us. It’s time to take off our grave clothes because He lives -- inside of you and me! Of course, we need to have Spring in our steps because Romans 8:11 reminds us “If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of His Spirit who lives in you.” So, step, Stepper, step!

You Are the Potter. I am the Clay.

Last week I spoke about the brilliant and God-inspired artwork of Michelangelo. When I visited St. Peter’s Basilica for the second time in June, I was taken with the “Pieta” the magnificent sculpture of Mary, the Mother of Jesus, holding His body after His death on the cross. What was it or rather, Who was it, that inspired Michelangelo to envision this breathtaking scene and carve it from a single slab of marble? No doubt, God was orchestrating his talents and abilities to “declare the glory of God in all of his artwork.

The Pietà is the only work Michelangelo ever signed. If you look closely, his signature can be found across Mary's chest. Sixteenth century art historian Giorgi Vasari told the tale of how Michelangelo made his mark: “One day Michelangelo, entering the place where it was set up, found a great number of strangers from Lombardy, who were praising it highly, and one of them asked one of the others who had done it, and he answered, 'Our Gobbo from Milan.' Michelangelo stood silent, but thought it something strange that his labors should be attributed to another; and one night he shut himself in there, and, having brought a little light and his chisels, carved his name upon it. Michelangelo later regretted the vanity of this act, and resolved never to sign another piece of his work. And, he didn’t, but thanks in part to putting his name in plain sight on the Pietà, his reputation grew as the public's love of the statue did. Surely God was BIG in this man’s life. I think of the scripture in James 4:10 “ Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He shall lift you up.” Most certainly Michelangelo regretted signing his name on the statute, but, obviously, learned his lesson well. Never putting his name on any of his artwork after that, God still lifted him up in fame for his artistic genius. Michelangelo was God’s handiwork.

In our own America, how in the world did Sculptor Gutzon Borglum foresee the sculpted faces of U.S. presidents: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt by just looking at a cliff in the Black Hills of South Dakota? But he did by envisioning what those Black Hills could become, and after 14 years, he finally completed his project — Mount Rushmore.

Just think about it -- the Master Sculptor/Designer/Creator -- Father God -- has already envisioned who we are to become. But in order for Him to make a beautiful monument of us....that others are inspired and drawn to Him by -- we must be pliable and moldable in His hands -- yielded to His will and way. And when we give way to thoughts like "It hurts too much" or "I can't take it anymore" or "I'm just fine the way things are", then we are refusing His desires to chip away and smooth out the rough edges in our lives, and make us into a fine work of art.

Why would He want us to be a masterpiece? He wants others to be awed by His handiwork -- so much so, that they are drawn to Him through us! As the Great Potter, God’s desire is to make us into a beautiful creation that is useful to Him. The key we must remember is that the Lord can only shape us if we submit to His loving hands and allow Him to do so.
Have Your way, Lord! Have Your way!
You are the Potter. I am the clay.
Mold me and make me, after your will.
While I am waiting -- yielded and still.