Graze: To feed on growing grasses.



The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul.


-Ps. 23:1-6

Growing up on a farm, I used to watch the cows, sheep & horses graze in the pasture. Each morning we would open the gate to the barnyard and they knew there was freedom from that small pen they were in. They also knew there was nice green grass beyond the barnyard. Once the gate was open, look out because those animals wanted to get where the tall, green grass grew – the pasture! They would take off sometimes even running up the old fenced lane that went up over the hill through the cornfield to the lush green pasture on the other side of the farm. There they would graze for a while then lay down and rest for a while then graze some more. They did this all day long. Come evening we would go over to the pasture’s edge and call the cows – 'come boss, 'come boss. They would gather at the pasture gate. Sometimes we would have to go round up a few stragglers and when all were accounted for, we’d open the lane gate and back over the hill they would go to the barnyard for the night. The next morning was the same routine, day after day.
What a life, huh?!

Oh that we could just graze and rest in shady green pastures all day long! But we can rest and graze in God’s green pastures and restore our souls . . . The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. (Ps. 23:1) I believe God wants us to slow down and “rest” and “graze” and “feed” on His Word. Life throws so many things our way and we are so busy – busy doing good things. But are we running on empty a good share of the time? Are we feeling stretched to extreme? Are we content with who we are in God’s divine providence? Slow down and take some time to just leisurely graze, rest a while, then graze and feed on the good things God has provided for you. Graze, rest, and enjoy the “shady green pastures” of God’s abundant love, grace, and mercy.

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Daffodils

This morning when I got to work the daffodils were all in bloom by the front door and I was reminded of The Daffodil Principle. I received this story a while back...

Several times my daughter had telephoned to say, "Mother, you must come to see the daffodils before they are over." I wanted to go, but it was a two-hour drive from Laguna to Lake Arrowhead "I will come next Tuesday", I promised a little reluctantly on her third call.

Next Tuesday dawned cold and rainy. Still, I had promised, and reluctantly I drove there. When I finally walked into Carolyn's house I was welcomed by the joyful sounds of happy children. I delightedly hugged and greeted my grandchildren. "Forget the daffodils, Carolyn! The road is invisible in these clouds and fog, and there is nothing in the world except you and these children that I want to see badly enough to drive another inch!"

My daughter smiled calmly and said, "We drive in this all the time, Mother." "Well, you won't get me back on the road until it clears, and then I'm heading for home!" I assured her. "But first we're going to see the daffodils. It's just a few blocks," Carolyn said. "I'll drive. I'm used to this."  "Carolyn," I said sternly, "Please turn around." "It's all right, Mother, I promise. You will never forgive yourself if you miss this experience."

After about twenty minutes, we turned onto a small gravel road and I saw a small church. On the far side of the church, I saw a hand lettered sign with an arrow that read, "Daffodil Garden."  We got out of the car, each took a child's hand, and I followed Carolyn down the path. Then, as we turned a corner, I looked up and gasped. Before me lay the most glorious sight.



 It looked as though someone had taken a great vat of gold and poured it over the mountain peak and its surrounding slopes. The flowers were planted in majestic, swirling patterns, great ribbons and swaths of deep orange, creamy white, lemon yellow, salmon pink, and saffron and  butter yellow. Each different colored variety was planted in large groups so that it swirled and flowed like its own river with its own unique hue. There were five acres of flowers.

 "Who did this?" I asked Carolyn.  "Just one woman," Carolyn answered. "She lives on the property. That's her home." Carolyn pointed to a well-kept A-frame house, small and modestly sitting in the midst of all that glory. We walked up to the house.  On the patio, we saw a poster. "Answers to the Questions I Know You Are Asking", was the headline. The first answer was a simple one. "50,000 bulbs," it read. The second answer was, "One at a time, by one woman. Two hands, two feet, and one brain." The third answer was, "Began in 1958."

 For me, that moment was a life-changing experience. I thought of this woman whom I had never met, who, more than forty years before, had begun, one bulb at a time, to bring her vision of beauty and joy to an obscure mountaintop. Planting one bulb at a time, year after year, this unknown woman had forever changed the world in which she lived. One day at a time, she had created something of extraordinary magnificence, beauty, and inspiration. The principle her daffodil garden taught is one of the greatest principles of celebration.  That is, learning to move toward our goals and desires one step at a time--often just one baby-step at time--and learning to love the doing, learning to use the accumulation of time. When we multiply tiny pieces of time with small increments of daily effort, we too will find we can accomplish magnificent things. We can change the world .

 "It makes me sad in a way," I admitted to Carolyn. "What might I have accomplished if I had thought of this wonderful goal thirty-five or forty years ago and had worked away at it 'one bulb at a time' through all those years? Just think what I might have been able to achieve!"  My daughter summed up the message of the day in her usual direct way. "Start tomorrow," she said.

Monday, March 29, 2010

Little Foxes

I was reminded today of a little fox that I saw on the gravel road just before I turned into mom and dad's driveway one day last fall. At first, I thought it was a cat but it was much too sly for a cat. A cat would have just sauntered on its merry way but this little fox was crouched low to the ground, looking all around, and seemed to be sneaking up out of the road ditch. Of course the minute I came around the corner the little red fox retreated back into the ditch and up the other side into the pasture. Dad said he had noticed it several times near the end of the pasture. He had been watching it for a couple of weeks and said it was gradually creeping up closer and closer to the house.

Sometimes there are things in our lives that happen so fast and furious we can hardly grasp onto them. They come and go like a whirlwind. But many times there are things that creep up on us much like the little fox ever so gradually and sometimes even at a snail's pace. Stop and take note. When a red flag pops up, even if just for a fleeting second, we need to look long and hard at it. The things we hardly notice at first, the small, tiny things that we shrug off as "it doesn't really matter", or I'll catch it "next time", or they didn't mean anything by that - it's okay . . . but in all reality, it is not okay. These are the things we need to beware of. Things that as time goes on can lead to heartache and destruction if not attended to.

Song of Solomon 2:15 says, "Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that ruin the vineyards, our vineyards that are in bloom."

It is so easy to ignore the insignificant little things that life brings to our mind, heart and lives. The "little foxes" that creep into life so unnoticed that we excuse them and hope nobody else noticed. Have you noticed any "little foxes" in your life lately?

Maybe you are slipping in some areas of your existance. Maybe some "little foxes" have crept into areas of your life. Areas like your family, your finances and spending, your actions or attitudes, your anger or abuse, drugs or alcohol, your time and lifestyle, your devotions, your own self. Look back and reflect for just a moment . . . any of these things can slip in ever so slowly but chip away at the very foundation of who we are. Who are you, where have you been, where are you right this moment, and where are you going? Let me remind you that over time, the little foxes grow into big foxes. So watch out for the "little foxes" ... the little things that can become a stronghold in our vineyard of life and can destroy the bloom - can destroy us or those around us.

Have some "little foxes" slipped into your life? Are they ruining your "God-given bloom"? Have they slipped in so gradual that they were hardly noticed or maybe you have just tucked them away from your heart and mind. Out of sight - out of mind, as the saying goes! I think we have all been guilty of that at times. But seriously, what little foxes are impacting your life at this very minute? What stronghold are you struggling with today?

Are you dealing with some foxes in your life and you know, down deep in your heart, that the chains of this cycle have to be broken? Things that started out small and insignificant that have become strongholds to you and your children and family that control who you are and what you do - holding you hostage within your very life. If so, you cannot be the "bloom" God created you to be. I urge you to "catch that little (or big) fox before it destroys your "bloom and your vineyard"!

What can you do? You can try to tame the foxes. Yes, you can seek help from a counselor, or a pastor. Find a strong support group. Surround yourself with strong, positive, praying Christians that will encourage everyone involved to seek counseling and hold them accountable to it until the foxes are caught and dealt with. Learn everything you can to understand the whole situation for you and those involved. Seek God's ultimate wisdom,knowledge, and the power of God's saving grace in your situation. God can bring understanding, healing, and possibly a resolve, if everyone involved is willing to seek Him in total obedience and put forth the time and effort to break the unhealthy cycle. It may not happen overnight, especially if it has been a lifetime coming. But time, effort, and commitment to change can bring it to pass with the help of some wise counsel and with God on your side.

Do everything you know to do then let God do the rest! Trust God to lead you every step of the way. His leading may take you down an unfamiliar path but press on - He knows the way through the wilderness. He can and will guide your every step. I like the words to Mark Harris' song "One True God" - take a moment and listen to it right now. There is a phrase that has run through my head for months... "I don't have a God I can put on a stand, I don't have a God I can hold in my hand. But I have a God that is holding me . . . One True God!" It may not be easy, you may have to make some hard decisions that will change you forever. But don't stop now - be strong, get rid of the "little foxes", whatever they may be. They will destroy your vineyard and keep you from blooming! Our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are, but we are responsible for who we become. Break free and bloom. Remember Cinderella - it only took one shoe to change her whole life!! This is true for you and I also... one shoe ... one step ... one broken chain link ... one God! And just remember that you have a God that is holding you no matter where He takes you. Whether it is over the mountain or down in the valley or across the plain, take that step - no matter how difficult it may seem - and break the cycle that is holding you captive and always remember ... you have One True God and He is there for you right this very minute.

"My heart is grateful that Your love, O Lord, remains forever, and our security is in You." -Psalm 103


Ressurrection Cookies

These are wonderful goodies with a message that goes beyond the yummy treats we expect at Easter and uses them as a lesson about the real meaning of Easter—Jesus and his death and resurrection.

Ingredients:
1 cup whole pecans
1 teaspoon vinegar
3 egg whites
Pinch of salt
1 cup granulated sugar
Zip-lock plastic bag
Wooden spoon
Masking tape
Bible (verses are also on the next page)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Place pecans in zip-lock bag and let children beat them with the wooden spoon to break into small pieces. Explain that after Jesus was arrested he was beaten by the Roman soldiers.
Read John 19:1-3.

Let each child smell the vinegar. Put 1 tsp. vinegar into mixing bowl. Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross he was given vinegar to drink.
Read John 19:28-30.

Add egg whites to vinegar. Eggs represent life. Explain that Jesus gave His life to give us life.
Read John. 10:10-11.

Sprinkle a little salt into each child’s hand. Let them taste it and brush the rest into the bowl.
Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus’ followers, and the bitterness of our own sin.
Read Luke 23:27.

So far, the ingredients are not very appetizing. Add 1 cup sugar. Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us He wants us to know and belong to Him.
Read Psalms 34:8 and John 3:16.

Beat egg whites with a mixer on high speed for 12 to 15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed. Explain that the color white represents the purity in God’s eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus.
Read Isaiah 1:18 and John 3:1-3.

Fold in broken nuts. Drop by teaspoons onto wax paper-covered cookie sheet. Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus’ body was laid.
Read Matthew 27:57-60.

Put the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door and turn the oven OFF. Give each child a piece of masking tape and seal the oven door. Explain that Jesus’s tomb was sealed.
Read Matt. 27:65-66.

Now it is time to leave the cookies and go to bed. Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight. Jesus’ followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed.
Read John 16:20, 22.

The next morning, open the oven and give everyone a cookie. Notice the cracked surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow! On the first Resurrection day, Jesus’ followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty. Read Matthew 28:1-9.

HE HAS RISEN!

Saturday, March 27, 2010

Debris

Yesterday I was driving down the interstate and couldn't help but notice as I looked out my window at the side of the road some of the debris (remains, rubble, rubbish, wreckage, trash) scattered along the road. At first I just noticed a plastic sack blowing in the breeze or a cup or can someone had aimlessly tossed out to get rid of. But the further I drove the more and more I began to take note. The winter covering of snow, having all melted, now showed nearly a covering of trash and litter scattered all along the roadway. Besides the usual sacks, papers, cups, cans, bottles - I began looking to see what all was laying in the grass. There were hubcaps, license plates, boards, tires, parts of cars, which I assume were left from a wreck or fender-bender. There was a dead deer and raccoon, a broken chair, a big black garbage bag that looked like it was full of something ... I was not going to stop to check it out! As I drove along I began thinking about all of this trash and junk that was littering up the highway. What a shame! What could have been a nice, quiet, beautiful drive ended up being quite disturbing to me. Where and how did all of this trash get there? Take a good look next time you drive along. Have we no pride in this God-given land of ours??

This actually kind of haunted me - and I began thinking how it must have started with just one person's carelessness and then multiplied by numerous careless people thinking it's one cup or one empty pop can, etc. Then I began thinking about our lives. How so many times we allow just one little "thing" to creep into our life thinking, "it's just a little thing", "it's just this one time", etc. But as time goes on, those "one little things" just seem to add up and before we know it our lives are cluttered up with a lot of junk and debris that keep us from "grazing" in the grasslands of God's grace! We may find that we are not enjoying the grazing ground God has provided for us because we can't get to the "growing grass" where we will grow in God's love. We can't grow and become what God wants us to be if our lives have debris - remains, rubble, rubbish, wreckage and trash in them.

I heard on the radio today a pitch for all of us to "clean up our city" and they were talking about all of the litter around town that is so visable since the snow has melted. They were encouraging everyone to stop and pick up the litter around them. I think this is a great idea and we all need to do our part to make our spot beautiful. But what am I doing about my life? What are you doing about your life? Is there junk and debris in your life that you also need to clean up? Is there some "wreckage" there that needs fixed or taken care of? Are there things in your life that are weighing you down so that you can't get to the "growing grass" and God can't shine through you? Start today, be strong, choose to step out in faith and stand up for yourself and get rid of the debris that is weighing you down. Let's clean up where we live both inside and out!!

Psalm 51:2-7 - "Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin . . Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow."

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Grazing

Graze: To feed on growing grasses.

The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. -Ps. 23:1-6

Growing up on a farm, I used to watch the cows, sheep & horses graze in the pasture. Each morning we would open the gate to the barnyard and they knew there was freedom from that small pen they were in. They also knew there was nice green grass beyond the barnyard. Once the gate was open, look out because those animals wanted to get where the tall, green grass grew – the pasture! They would take off sometimes even running up the old fenced lane that went up over the hill through the cornfield to the lush green pasture on the other side of the farm. There they would graze for a while then lay down and rest for a while then graze some more. They did this all day long. Come evening we would go over to the pasture’s edge and call the cows – cum boss, cum boss. They would gather at the pasture gate. Sometimes we would have to go round up a few stragglers and when all were accounted for, we’d open the lane gate and back over the hill they would go to the barnyard for the night. The next morning was the same routine, day after day. What a life, huh?! Oh that we could just graze and rest in shady green pastures all day long!

But we can rest and graze in God’s green pastures and restore our souls . . . The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. (Ps. 23:1) I believe God wants us to slow down and “rest” and “graze” and “feed” on His Word. Life throws so many things our way and we are so busy – busy doing good things. But are we running on empty a good share of the time? Are we feeling stretched to extreme? Are we content with who we are in God’s divine providence? Slow down and take some time to just leisurely graze, rest a while, then graze and feed on the good things God has provided for you. Graze, rest, and enjoy the “shady green pastures” of God’s abundant love, grace, and mercy.