Pieces of the Puzzle

Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. ~Isaiah 43:30

One of my jobs at church is our social media pages. I scroll through feeds a couple of times a day looking for items to pass along to the church. As I was scrolling one morning, trying to not look too closely at all the COVID-19 bombardment of articles out there, I stumbled across this photo. I was so struck by this image. This little guy fits so securely in its parent’s hand. She is not struggling to get out of the parent’s grasp but resting and even drawing comfort for being there. This made me think of God holding me!

Whether we are on the front lines of this pandemic or sheltered at home, we can rest assured of God going with us through these times. Psalm 139:10-12 says, “Even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me fast. If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me and the light around me become night, even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is as bright as the day, for darkness is as light to you.”

One of my favorite verses in scripture is Psalm 46:10, “Be still and know that I am God.” After seeing this image, I will forever connect this verse and this picture together. Before I always envisioned myself being still among whatever I was going through and trusting that God was taking care of things I couldn’t see. Now, when I need that verse to calm my anxiety (I often use it as a breath prayer) I will see myself sheltered in God’s hand as he carries me through not just this present time but in all the times ahead.

Dear God, Help me to find solace in the stillness you provide. Calm my anxieties so that I can know that You are God and that You will lead us through ALL our days ahead. Amen. 

*I could not find the original post of this picture. Since in my search I found thousands of pages using it, I believe it to be an open stock picture. If anyone finds the original photographer I would love to give credit.

So then, let’s work for the good of all whenever we have an opportunity, and especially for those in the household of faith. ~Galatians 6:10 (CEB)

A smile and a kind word, I would say that this is my mother’s ministry. I grew up with my mother always smiling to those she met and giving a smile. It seems like such a simple thing. It seems that it couldn’t really make a difference, but I have seen many eye light up when my mother smiles.

Often I forget that we are called even in the little things of life to serve Christ. If I put on God’s eyes and look around, His ears and listen, He is calling me to reach out every day even in the little things. Acknowledging a cashier and asking them about their day, holding open the door for someone, letting someone ahead of me in line who only has a couple of items, a smile, these are all things that I can do to serve Christ. Sometimes these “small things” can impact someone greatly. I will probably never know how my small actions may impact someone’s life this day but I am called to be Christ even in the small things that I do.

Lord may I not be so caught up with my own life that I forget to look out beyond myself. May I notice those around me with a smile and a kind word today. Amen.

A joyful heart helps healing, but a broken spirit dries up the bones ~Proverbs 17:22 (CEB)

Sometimes I get caught up in looking at the big picture. The worries and stress of the day seem to steal all joy and I forget to live in the moment. When I forget to live in the moment, I forget to take joy in things like the melodies my son picks out on his guitar or the texts I get from my husband. When I get caught up in my worries I forget to see my flowers pushing up from the ground getting ready to bloom. I forget to laugh at my dog as she takes serious her task of chasing the rabbits. I forget to listen to the bird’s songs or listen as the wind rustles the wind chimes on my back porch.

Seeing things piece by piece and searching for the joy in the moment helps to lighten my day. When I get to worrying about all the things that I have no power to fix at this moment, those things that are out of my control, I allow those things to steal the simple joys from my heart. Missing out on these simple things soon finds my spirit hurting.

God doesn’t want me to live with the weight of the world on my shoulders. He has put things in my path to help me enjoy life. He created flowers and bird songs for my enjoyment. He gave me friends and family for comfort and love. May I remember each day to appreciate all that he has blessed me with down to the simplest and smallest of details.

Heavenly Father, help me to remember to stop and smell the flowers, to hear the birds sing, to hug my family. May I not take any of these joys for granted. May they ever be fresh on my heart. Amen.

The commandment is a lamp and instruction a light; corrective teaching is the path of life. ~Proverbs 6:23

One day my dog was barking for all she was worth. I knew that bark. It was the type of bark that told me she had found some creature. When my son went out to see what Daisy was barking at, he found that it was a red-eared glider, a turtle whose shell was at least 18 inches long, bigger than what we were used to seeing migrate out of the small lake in our subdivision.

Early spring is the time of year turtles are restless from their winter “hibernation.” This restlessness puts turtles in places they don’t belong to. Sometimes it is just in the wrong back yard or in a neighborhood street. Sometimes their restlessness finds them on a busy highway which for many that try to cross does not end well. That spring restlessness drives them to be places that are not safe for turtles.

I can get restless like those turtles. Despite barking dogs, unknown territory and even dangerous circumstances I can feel driven to go places that I know I should not go. Against the instincts God has placed deep within me I can push past the natural boundaries He would have in place for me.

The good news is God’s word says, “I will instruct you and teach you about the direction you should go. I’ll advise you and keep My eye on you” (Psalms 32:8) If I allow God’s word to penetrate deep within this hard shell of mine, I only have to listen to the guidance He has placed within me and I can find my way home, away from the busy highways which are so dangerous, back to the beautiful lake He has provided. I just need to listen to my God-given instincts.

Dear God, especially today, may we ever be listening for that guidance you place deep within us. Help us take the steps needed in this time to protect ourselves and others from this virus that plagues us. And God, most especially send your spirit to go with us in this time of isolation so we remember that we are beloved children of God, therefore, we are never truly alone. Amen.

He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings, you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. ~Psalm 91:4 and 5.

There have been times that I have found myself in a place where I have had to rely on someone’s mercy for my basic needs. I have found myself relying on someone to provide a place for my stuff, food to eat and a space to lay my head for sleep. It can be awkward and uncomfortable being left to someone else’s discretion for meeting these basic needs. I may not get to eat the type of food I like to eat. I may have to share a small space with my whole family that normally would accommodate just one. There may be no guarantee of when I will get to take a shower and even then I may be rushed through it because others need to use the same bathroom. Staying in someone else’s home can cause moments of discomfort, like when I am hungry, tired or frustrated at having to do things a different way than I would normally do them. In this particular situation, I was simply visiting family for a short time where the minor discomforts were countered with joyous times.

It has occurred to me that with Covid-19 we are facing many discomforts and uncertainties. We don’t always know when or IF our basic needs will be met. Some of the things that brought us joy among life’s hardships seem to be on hold. It can be easy to blame someone for our circumstances and lose our patience with how things are. We don’t know what tomorrow holds.

But Psalm 91 reminds us that God is our shelter, verses 4 and 5 say “He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings, you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.” and verse 14 says “Because he loves me, says the Lord, I will rescue him; I will protect him for he acknowledges my name.

Dear God, you see us all wherever we may be. You see our anxieties and our concerns. You know our deepest needs. Thank you for your faithfulness. Help us to find small joys in unexpected places. Send us your Spirit to calm our fears and to remind us that we are your beloved children. Amen.