Coffee...

I am a coffee lover.  A day when I cannot awaken to a freshly brewed cup of elixir from my Keurig, (one of the most amazing developments of the 20th century,) is not a good day for me.  I can get through a day without a shower, if absolutely necessary.  I can skip meals and struggle through all sorts of tribulations when I have to, usually without too much fuss.  But a day without coffee?  Unthinkable.

I wonder who was the first person to look at a coffee bean and think, "I believe I will put this into hot water and see what happens."  I wonder if they got the caffeine buzz I get, or if it was more of a trial and error deal, messing around until they found the perfect combination of water and coffee beans so they could get the perfect morning start.  Whatever it was, I sure am glad they had the foresight to give it a shot.

I start each day with my cup of coffee (or two) and my morning devotion, then I pray over the people who are on my heart.  I lift up each name with praise and thanksgiving, and then ask for whatever is needed on that day.  It is a perfect way to feel God's love wash over me, and pass it on to those I care about.

Psalm 143:8 says,

"Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you.  Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life."  (NIV)

God has asked us to trust him for everything we need, both large and small.  I am grateful for his unfailing presence in my life.  He is the friend who never lets me down, and he is always there to hear my prayers.  Whether it is meeting the needs of my loved ones, trusting him to heal a child I am praying over, making decisions about life big and small, or a simple cup of coffee, turning to God in all things brings contentment to my soul.

Dear Lord, thank you for the simple cup of coffee with which I begin each day.  It is a reminder that you provide everything we need, large and small, and I can always count on your mercy.  Amen.

Old slippers...

The best moment of each day is coming home and putting on my old slippers.  It is peaceful and quiet in the house, and the stress and cares of life are shed along with the work clothes and the contact lenses.  I settle into my spot on the sofa, sometimes start a fire in the fireplace, and truly relax for a couple of hours before I head to bed.  My home is my sanctuary, and I love to be at home.

My old slippers are not a thing of beauty.  They are serviceable, they are warm and comfortable, but they have had a hard life.  They have been through the wash and spun around a few times, and they are misshapen and no longer fluffy.  Sort of like me, really.

I am grateful for the slippers, and I am grateful to be here still, a grandmother, mother, wife and daughter.  Some people don't get the luxury of knowing old age.  They don't get to settle into their body and the more quiet life of maturing years.  It is a tragedy to lose a life that is not fully lived, and that could have, should have, been me.  If not for the miracle of modern medicine, I would have been gone several times over, a distant memory in the minds of those who love me.

In Psalm 91:16 God speaks to us,

"With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation."

This is not a promise that we will wake up tomorrow on this mortal plane.  It is, instead, a promise that God will always be there with his eternal grace, if only we trust in him and put ourselves in his hands.

Dear Lord, thank you for the comfort of my old slippers, and for the life I live today.  I am filled with gratitude that I have the opportunity to wake up each morning, and enjoy my quiet life.  Amen.

Printer's Ink....

Life is a bumpy road.  When you are up, and everything is going well, it is easy to become complacent, arrogant even, about your own skills and abilities.  But when you are laid low by one of life's trials, then you search for support and sustenance, and sometimes the comfort of friends or even family are just not enough.

It is only in the last century or two that everyone was afforded the right to read.  Even with the advent of the movable type printing press in the late 1400's, most people still didn't bother.  Reading was only for the wealthy and educated, those who had all of life's advantages already, because only they had the time to spend sitting and doing nothing more than reading.  It is hard to take the time for something as inefficient as reading when your entire life is caught up in simply trying to survive, and you must work dawn to dusk on eeking out a subsistence living.

It is almost magical, the way the world opens up when you can read.  It brings other places to you, and brings you out of your small realm of knowledge, so that you have a whole new understanding.  The printing press changed the world completely, because it put the power of knowledge into the hands of the many, instead of the elite few.  Slowly, words disseminated from the monasteries into the hands of everyday people, and it encouraged them to think beyond the narrow confines of their lives and dream about the possibilities.  Once that happened, things could never be the same again.

Reading allows me to sit in the comfort of my living room and still know the far away places where I would love to travel.   I have knowledge that I otherwise would not be able to access; when I have a question, the answer is at my finger tips, because I can read.

Most importantly, when I want to know about God, I can go to the source and read for myself what God has said in his own words, especially through the life of Jesus, the living Word.  The comfort I seek is to be found in The Word, and it is there for me whenever I want it.

John 1:1

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  (NIV)

Today I am grateful for the opportunity to read God's word, to be able to see the words and interpret them for myself, and to come to an understanding of God's purpose for my life based on my own knowledge through The Word. I start each day in peaceful repose with God through his Word, and it brings me confidence to face the trials and tribulations of life in a way nothing else can.

Dear Lord, thank you for the gift of reading.  It brings me closer to you, and to an understanding of my own life.  It has opened up your creation to me, so that I may better understand you, and it is with thanksgiving that I read your words each morning.  Amen.

Daytime....

Every single day the sun comes up in the morning.  We don't think about it.  We don't pray for it to happen.  We don't hold our breath and worry.  We know, absolutely, that each day the light will come.  It may be cloudy, it may be overcast, or it may be clear skies, but whatever is going on in our atmosphere, we will see daylight.

Recently, I have been getting up earlier in the morning, and I see more sunrises.  It is not a random event. The timing is so exact, we can schedule our lives by it.  There is a moment each day when I can look to the east, and the sky is bright, but if I look to the west, darkness still reigns.  That reminds me of life.  We can either look to the light, or pursue the darkness.  God has left the choice to us, but our answer determines how we spend eternity.

In John 8:12, Jesus said,
"I am the light of the world.  Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

Night brings rest and comfort and healing to the body.  But darkness of the soul brings none of those things.  Today I am grateful for the sunrise, just as predicted, every day of my life.  It is part of God's perfect plan, renewing and refreshing, just as he renews and refreshes us.

Dear Lord, thank you for the sunrise each day.  It brings hope and opportunity and a reminder that you have a plan that surpasses anything I can do.  Amen.

Hello....

Everyone has their own idea of the modern advancement they simply cannot imagine living without.  Society moves at a fast pace, and there have been many important inventions which have made our lives better in the last 100 years.  But for me, despite my love/hate relationship with it, the one thing I wouldn't want to live without is the cell phone.

I could live without the camera, the internet access, the fancy features.  I would be perfectly happy to choose between texting or calling.  But the miracle of being able to contact loved ones in the middle of a boring ten hour drive, when I am tired and need a boost, is incalculable.  A parent being able to contact their inexperienced driver, being able to communicate with a husband who spends his life on the road, being able to reach mom or dad wherever you are when you need help, solving a crisis at work while on vacation - those things are priceless.

Not being tied to a cord or a phone hanging on the wall has completely changed the world.  There are downsides, of course.  People cannot disconnect, and it makes it all too easy to have conversations that should not be had.  Technology is a tool, and like all tools, there are dangers in misusing it.  But I think the benefits outweigh the risks by a wide margin.  I marvel at the ability to communicate any time, any where, each time I send a text or make a call.  It is, in short, still a miracle to me, and I am grateful for the opportunity to live in a time that makes communicating with distant loved ones so easy.

In Genesis 11:6 it says,

"The Lord said, "If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them."

The people became arrogant in their knowledge, and the Lord scattered and confused them.  That is the danger of such powerful technology - that we forget the wisdom and knowledge come from God, and without him, we use it for ill purposes.  But used properly, and with appropriate respect for others, it is a very positive development.

Dear Lord, today I am grateful I can carry the tool of immediate communication in my back pocket.  It has changed the world, and my life.  The skill and knowledge came from you, and it has provided me with comfort and peace countless times through this modern advancement.  Amen.

Smiles...

I was sick, tired and crabby.  It had been a long day, and I didn't want to be standing in line at the checkout.  All I wanted was to go home and crawl under the blankets and feel sorry for myself.  I was frowning, and probably looking as miserable as I felt.  I wanted a pity party, and I wasn't going to be denied.

That is when I saw the transforming smile of the checkout person.  It wasn't a huge gesture.  It wasn't one of those life changing events.  It was a simple smile, genuinely directed at me.  She saw I was having A Day, she commiserated with me, and she smiled from her eyes, because she understood.  Which caused me to smile in return, and changed my entire day.

Sometimes, all it takes to turn your day around is a simple act of kindness on the part of another.  It doesn't have to be the grand gesture to make a difference for someone else, as fun as that can be.  Sometimes, a simple smile is enough.  It is a good lesson to remember when we encounter someone who is out of sorts.

In Proverbs 15:1 we read,

A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

How true those words are.

Today I am grateful for the random smiles that get thrown my way.  They give me peace, comfort and uplift as I make my way through this often confusing and overwhelming life.

Dear Lord.  Thank you for giving us the ability to smile.  It enhances the lives of everyone involved, and changes us for the better each time we see one.  Amen.

Time....

We all look forward to special time spent on vacation or doing special things.  It is fun to do something different, and those moments are important.  But there is also joy in the everyday, ordinary things of life, when we step away from the pressures of the world and simply relax and do what we love in the comfort of our own space.

There is pleasure in the simple things of life.  Sewing, scrapbooking, working on cars or woodworking, cooking, cleaning, whatever you enjoy and find relaxing is a simple pleasure.  And there is nothing more satisfying than completing a long awaited project, no matter how mundane it may seem to others.

The last few days, I have spent time with my daughter and grandsons while daddy is away working.  We haven't done anything extraordinary, or even different from a regular day in their lives, save for my being here to do it with them.  I have spent the days playing with the little ones, giving my daughter some help for cooking, running to the grocery store and making a quick trip to the toy store.  Nothing out of the ordinary, nothing extra special.  And yet, these very ordinary days are the most special time I can have, because I am building a bond with the loves of my aging heart, seeing them living their lives in real time, as they are, for better and for worse.

I am grateful for this time together.  I know that they are too little to remember much about it, but it is special to me to have this time with them, and my memories will uplift me when I am back home and away from them again.

God understood how important grandchildren are.  In Proverbs 17:6 we read,

"Grandchildren are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children."

The legacy I leave in this world is found in my children and their children.  There is nothing more important in the simple life I lead.

Dear Lord.  Thank you for my grandchildren, and the ordinary, every day time I am having with them.  They are a blessing of my heart.  Amen.

Eyes....

Recently, my eyesight has been challenging due to the side effect of a drug I had to take.  It is frustrating to suddenly not see what I have always been able to see, and a little scary.  We only have one set of eyes, they are irreplaceable, and yet, we take them for granted until they don't work the way we expect.  Only then do we stop to think what a blessing our eyes can be.

When you spend time with a child, you see everything in a whole new way.  The jaded view of adulthood falls away, and once again, you get a fresh look at the world.  It is not the world which has changed, it is you who are seeing things from a different perspective.  It is easy to dismiss the child's view - they are inexperienced, and often misunderstand what is going on around them.  But sometimes, through their eyes, we see more clearly, because we make things more complicated, when really, it is simple.

In Nehemiah 1:6a we read,

"Please let your ear be attentive and your eyes open, that you may hear the prayer of your servant which I pray before you now, day and night..."

When you spend time with a child, pay attention to what they see, and look at the world through their eyes.  God's world is new every day, and fresh opportunity is always right there.

Today I am grateful for the opportunity of new eyes.  While the old ones fail me at times, the new vision I have is eternal, and unfailing.

Dear Lord.  Thank you for my eyes, that I may see your way more clearly.  I pray that my vision is always set on your path.  Amen.

Sliding Doors....

Quite a few years ago, I saw a movie by the name of "Sliding Doors."  It was an interesting concept; a few moments of time changes your personal history, for better or worse.  The name came from the two parallel story lines -  each outcome dependent on whether or not the main character got into a train before the doors slid closed.  I have been thinking about that, and what a blessing those few moments in time can be.

I had a long drive the other day, and I was a little slower to get going that I intended.  The weather was terrible, and I drove in tough conditions for several hours before I finally started to get out of it.  On the very edge of real improvement, the pavement wet but no longer icy, I got stuck in the worst traffic hold up I have ever been in.  Because of an accident just down the road, I sat in one place on the freeway for well over an hour before we all started moving, diverted off the freeway and onto a county road to go around the mess just ahead.

I was annoyed and frustrated by the long delay, anxious to reach my destination still many hours down the road.  I knew the accident must have been serious, and I felt sorry for the people involved, especially if there were fatalities.  But I didn't understand why they couldn't at least let one lane of traffic by, so the thousands of people who were being held up could at least get going.

It wasn't until many hours later that I learned the delay was caused by a 70 car pileup just beyond where I gotten stopped, due to the icy road conditions.  When I heard how serious the accident was, and realized it happened just before I got there, I recognized how fortunate I was that I hadn't left earlier, and that I was not the one in the middle of the mess.

Sliding Doors indeed.  It could have been me.  I could have been the one who no longer had a car to carry me safely to my destination, many hours down the road.  Instead of inconvenience, which didn't change my life in any way, I could have been stranded many hours from home and having to cope with the aftermath of a serious accident, perhaps even injuries.

We don't usually have the opportunity to see the impact of those Sliding Door moments on our lives.  We don't know how life may be different, if only things had gone the other way.  We may not even realize we've had a Sliding Door moment at all, because we have gone on, blissfully unaware of how close we came to a different outcome.  It is sobering to think about how life could change in an instant, if things had gone differently.

God allowed harm to come to some that day, while thousands more were kept safe.  We don't understand the reasons why, whether we are the lucky one or the unfortunate.  But God's plan is perfect, and he knows why each person was placed as they were.

I am reminded of Ephesians 3:20.

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us...."

God's power is eternal, and his plan encompasses the bigger picture.  Our temporal vision is insufficient for complete understanding.  What doesn't make sense to us here and now may be only a small part of his larger plan, if only we understood.

Today I am grateful for the Sliding Door moment I experienced.  It is too easy to take life for granted, thinking we have control over our universe. The reminder that the world is big and random, while I am small and not in charge, is valuable and needed every now and then.

Dear Lord, thank you for allowing me to remain safe on that long drive, and for granting me the blessing of arriving at my destination while others did not.  I don't understand the reasons why, but you do, and that is sufficient for me today.  Amen.

Disappointment...

Every life is rife with unfulfilled expectations.  It is hard to accept disappointment, especially in big things.  When we fail to get that job, buy that house, get that date - it hurts.  But the biggest disappointment of all is when someone we thought we knew well, someone we counted on to have our best interests at heart, lets us down.  Failed marriages, broken friendships, cracked family relationships - all bring a unique suffering into our hearts.  Each person, no matter their status, is subject to the whims of others, and will feel the pain of heartbreak and rejection.  It is part of the human experience, and no one escapes the sting.

Research has shown a heart can actually be broken, damaged by the stress of a failed relationship.  I believe it.  My heart has hurt so badly that I couldn't breathe at times.  Betrayal attacks all the emotions at once, leaving a devastation that is hard to overcome.  The closer you are to someone, the deeper the cut when they let you down.

But God has his plan, and sometimes, the lessons we learn in the midst of great pain are the ones we need to move forward in our lives.  It is too easy to float along, unquestioning, even when we know we should do something different.  Sometimes it takes a great disappointment to force us to do what we should have done already.

I have often said I find God at the end of my rope.  When I feel like I am hanging on by my fingernails, God is there to lift me up into something better, if I hold on tight and patiently wait.  Without the disappointment forcing a change, I may not have had the courage to find that new path, and would have missed out on some of the best things that have happened in my life.

One of my favorite Bible verses is Jeremiah 29:11.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "Plans to prosper you, and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and future."

Today I am grateful for the lessons of disappointment.  The promise that there is a bigger plan, something better on the horizon, if we have faith and allow God to work his will in our life, has never failed me.

Dear Lord, thank you for allowing the disappointments of my life to show me my need to depend on you alone.  Amen.

Accidental lessons....

The day I got my driver's license, my mother graciously allowed me to take my first drive alone, but with strict instructions to be home in half an hour.  I was so very excited to take my first drive alone, but I am sure my mother was as nervous as I was enthusiastic as I pulled out of the driveway and went on my way.  I didn't have anywhere in particular to go, it was purely the joy of the freedom that I was savoring.

As is so often the case in life, things did not go according to plan.   I lost track of time, meandering along the country roads, and before I knew it, I was going to be late.  There were no cell phones back then, and no way to let her know what was going on.  I knew she would worry, and I panicked, because I didn't want to mess up on the first time she trusted me with her car on my own.  In my inexperience, I drove way too fast on a freshly graded gravel road.  I was fortunate to end up in the ditch on the left side of the road, rather than the ravine on the right side, or this story may never have been written.

As it happened, the field I ended up driving through to get out of my predicament belonged to the father of one of my closest friends.  I drove up to their home, and used their phone to call my mother and tell her where I was and that I would be a few minutes late.  I spent a few minutes collecting myself, dug the dirt out of the tailpipe, and continued on my way home at a safe speed.

When I walked in the door, my mother took one look at my face and said, "Are you all right?" Then she came rushing over to hug me.  (For those who know my mom, she is not exactly one to wear her heart on her sleeve, so this was unusual for her!)  She knew, just by seeing my face, that something had gone wrong.  But even though I was standing in front of her, obviously okay enough to get back home again, she didn't even think about the car, or whether or not her valuable possession had been damaged.  The only thing she cared about in that moment was me and my well being.  It was a life lesson, and a gift, I have never forgotten.

That accident turned out to be the best driving lesson I ever had.  It taught me on day one how quickly things go wrong, and how easy it is to make mistakes that could be deadly.  I have never been arrogant behind the wheel again, because I know, from my own experience, that I could have been the casualty instead of the rows of corn I had to drive over to get out of that predicament.

But even more importantly, I learned a lesson about grace that day which I have never forgotten.  My mother could easily have yelled at me when I walked through the door an hour late.  She could have chastised me for driving irresponsibly.  She could have complained about the cost to repair the tail pipe I wrecked, and she could have made me pay for it myself.  She could have grounded me, or not trusted me to drive on my own again.  I would have deserved any or all of it, and I knew it.

But she didn't do any of those things.  She simply hugged me and told me how glad she was I was safe, and the next time we had to go somewhere, she made me drive, so I wouldn't be afraid to get behind the wheel again.  She understood that I had already learned the lesson, and nothing she could say would bring it home more than the grace she offered me that day.  I didn't earn it.  I didn't deserve it.  But she loved me more than the car.  I was all that mattered to her.

God's grace is unearned.  There is nothing I can do to be worthy.  God extended his grace to me, not because I deserve it, but simply because he loves me more than anything.  It is just that simple.

2 Corinthians 12:9  "My grace is sufficent for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."

Dear Lord, thank you for small accidents which teach big lessons.  I am grateful for everything that happened that long ago day, because it taught me true grace.  Amen.

Quilts....

Quilts are special in my life.  As a child, I climbed into a quilt covered bed each night, and its heaviness comforted me, even as it warmed my cold hands and feet.  I felt safe under the old quilt, protected from the scary shadows which haunted my room at night.  It was, in a very real sense, the armor I put on each night when I went to bed, and the presence of the quilt maker brought me peace as I drifted off to sleep.

As an adult, I have a quilt rack hanging in my living room.  The quilts which hang on that rack are functional, of course, and we use them all the time to warm ourselves on a cold night.  But just the sight of them hanging there is reminder of the love that went into making each one, and a reminder of how much we are loved by those who spent the time to do that.  My sister-in-law, my mother-in-law, my mother... all have made special quilts just for us.  They warm the body, and they bring comfort to the soul when we are weary.

I feel the love of God through those whom he has sent into my life, and who gift me with their time and talents.  The gift of the quilt makers continues to be an armor against the cares of the world which would weigh me down.  The quilts remind me that God has provided loving family to sustain me in my life and faith, a shield against the arrows which Satan would fling my way.

Ephesians 6:13 says, "Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand."

Dear Lord, thank you for the gift of quilts.  They provide warmth and comfort for my body, and more importantly, are a tangible reminder that I am covered in love.  Thank you for the quilt makers who show me your love in their handiwork.  I am grateful for them, and for their gift they have shared with me.  Amen.

Words...

I begin every day with a short devotional, and pray over those who are on my heart.  As I read the words of others, it brings new perspective and direction to my own faith.  It is easy for me to become myopic, lost in my own thoughts.  By reading what others have written, it brings out new ideas, causes me to consider my own faith in a new way, and brings an awareness that there are always alternatives to my own way of thinking.  Faith is filled with challenges, and it is always good to see that I am not alone in the struggle.

Today, I am grateful for other people's words.  Words are small, fleeting, impermanent.  But the right words, well chosen, leave a lasting impact on my faith.

Proverbs 16:24  "Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones."

Lord, thank you for the gift of other people's words.  Allow their perspective to fill my heart with new ways of seeking you in my own faith life.  Amen.

The side of the mountain....

It is Ash Wednesday, and once again, I am turning my mind to my usual 40 Days of Gratitude.  But this year, I have a slightly different focus.

The mountaintop moments of life are wonderful, and the valleys deep and difficult.  But most of us don't spend our daily lives in either place.  Most of life is lived on the slope, pulling ourselves up, or sliding down and trying not to fall any further than we have to.

From a distance, the trail on the side of a mountain looks uniform and smooth.  But when you are there, the path is usually rough, the climb is steep, and the way is strewn with rocks and debris.  It can be hard going, when viewed up close and personal.