Pass It On
My son, Dan is working at Summer Camp now that his semester has ended at college.
The thought of camp makes me think back to my own experiences during childhood with camps and Vacation Bible School.
Snack time and crafts.
Meeting new friends.
But it is the music that stands out in my mind the most.
A song written by Kurt Kaiser will forever be embedded in my heart.
Pass It On.
As an adult, I realize now that it was also laying the foundation for what we are all called to do: share His love.
Once you have experienced it, you do not want to keep it to yourself.
Here are some of the lyrics:
“It only takes a spark
To get a fire going
And soon all those around
Can warm up in its glowing
That’s how it is with God’s love
Once you’ve experienced it
You spread His love to ev’ryone
You want to pass it on.”Have you experienced His love?
Who can you pass it onto today?
It only takes a spark.
Share His love.
“Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations,[a] baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Matthew 28:19-20 NLTShare this:
Where Will You Fix Your Eyes?
The skies on Saturday were spectacular.
A reminder of the beauty of His creation.
Each view gave a different perspective.
As we were driving home, I felt like my head was on a swivel, looking in all directions to take it all in.
It was hard to keep my eyes focused forward.
But this was the view that displayed a beautiful rainbow.
The reminder of God’s covenant with His people.
This is true on other days as well.
I get distracted by the things around me and forget to fix my eyes on His promises.
The things of this world may provide beauty, but will never provide what He can.
Where will you fix your eyes today?
“And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth.”
Genesis 9:12-13 NIVShare this:
Where to Walk
Somedays it is hard to know where to start.
A long to-do list.
Too many tabs open on your computer.
Multiple voices pulling you in different directions.
This is when I need God to direct my steps the most.
Before the day begins, listen for His unfailing love.
Trust Him.
He will show you where to go.
Blessings to you weekend!
“Let me hear of Your unfailing love each morning, for I am trusting You. Show me where to walk, for I give myself to You.”
Psalms 143:8 (NLT)Share this:
Remembering
“For the greatest love of all is a love that sacrifices all. And this great love is demonstrated when a person sacrifices his life for his friends.”
John 15:13 TPTRemembering those who bravely sacrificed their lives this Memorial Day.
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We Are Family
I didn’t need to look at a picture, because I can still see it in my mind so clearly.
My Facebook memories jolted me back to this day 15 years ago.
There would always be music playing during my treatments.
May 23, 2011
“We Are Family” today, which was appropriate as Dad and I were both there
for radiation…
“Have faith in you and the things you
You can’t go wrong, oh no..
This is our family jewel…”This was not the experience we planned on having together.
But having been diagnosed a year apart, we found ourselves in that small cancer center awaiting radiation treatment at the same time.
I have said this many times over the years.
Of the literal thousands of photos that I have, this is my most cherished one.
It encompasses my life verses in one snap shot .
“Two are better off than one, because together they can work more effectively. If one of them falls down, the other can help him up. But if someone is alone and falls, it’s just too bad, because there is no one to help him. If it is cold, two can sleep together and stay warm, but how can you keep warm by yourself? Two people can resist an attack that would defeat one person alone. A rope made of three cords is hard to break.”
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 GNTDFighting cancer alone would have defeated us.
But we were fighting together.
“Let love be your highest goal…”
1 Corinthians 14:1 NLTThere may have been just the two of us in this picture, but the outpouring of love we both received during this time included so many people that you don’t see here.
And we were constantly surrounded by His love.
Side by side, we were never alone, never unloved.
Friend, I don’t know what memories will pop up for you today.
My prayer is that you are reminded whatever you are facing, that He is with you.
You are part of His family.
We are family.
Blessings to all this weekend!
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Son Seekers
I learned a new word this morning.
Full disclosure.
I am a bit of a word nerd.
Here it is : heliotropism.
This is the act of flowers or leaves tracking the sun.
It is sometimes referred to as solar tracking.
Young sunflowers are one example, following the sun for growth.
The interesting fact is that two types of heliotropism exist.
Positive heliotropism is when plants move towards the sun.
Negative heliotropism is when plants move away from the sun.
Here is the most fascinating part of the this process to me: the movement is a daily, reversible process.
I love how God can use His creation to reflect our human nature so perfectly.
We can choose to follow the Son.
It is a daily, reversible process.
It is easy to be distracted by the things of this world and move away from the Son.
But if we want to grow, we need to follow Him daily.
My prayer today is that we all become Son-seekers and grow closer to Him.
Blessings in heaps to your week!
“Seek more of His strength! Seek more of Him! Let’s always be seeking the light of His face.”
Psalms 105:4 TPTShare this:
Finding Peace Right Where You Are
Nature has a way of quieting the noise of the world.
The birds chirping outside.
The gentle falling of the rain.
The sound of the waves as you walk along the beach.
It is hard to describe how almost instantly that sound calms my spirit.
Standing by the ocean brings me such peace.
Maybe it is because during these times I pause to listen and let my worries go.
I can’t always get to the beach, lovely as that would be, to find that peace.
But there is another place I have access to every day.
No car ride or flights required.
It’s in His Presence.
A place where I can sit and calm the storms in my mind.
It is the place where I know I can always find peace and restoration.
“Don’t fret or worry.
Instead of worrying, pray.
Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.”
Philippians 4:6-7 MSGFriend, if you want to experience His peace today, take the time to sit with Him for a while.
He is always near.
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Receive It in Your Heart
Somedays feel a little more chaotic than others.
On those days, it is easy to turn to the things of the world to calm our anxious hearts.
Music often soothes the soul in ways nothing else can.
And when His message is woven into the lyrics, a certain sense of peace can wash over us.
The other day this hymn written by Elinor J. Di Falco popped into my head.
It was one I had committed to memory from my childhood.
Nostalgia and comfort flowed through me quickly.
“The peace of the Lord is given to you, receive it in your heart.
The joy of the Lord is with you too, receive it in your heart.
Make it grow in you and me; make it glow for all to see.
Show his love to all the world, it is in your heart.”
The peace of the Lord is given to us all.
Will you receive it in your heart?
“I leave the gift of peace with you—My peace. Not the kind of fragile peace given by the world, but My perfect peace. Don’t yield to fear or be troubled in your hearts—instead, be courageous!”
John 14:27 TPTShare this:
In His Presence
Each year I drive back to this spot along the river.
The menu has not changed in the 40 plus years since I have worked there as a waitress.
In a world that is always changing, this brings me comfort.
I sit across from a friend and have my favorite meal, dipping my fries in the homemade tartar sauce.
Cars pack the parking lot and all of the picnic tables are filled.
Families having conversations.
A group of friends taking pictures together by the river bank.
There is joy in watching people pause and enjoy His creation.
And just like this place has not changed in all this time, there is another place that I can go to that brings me even more comfort.
I don’t need to drive 2 hours to get there and it is available 24 hours a day.
It is in His presence.
This is where I find my peace.
In a world that is always changing, spending time with the One who never changes will bring you comfort like nothing else can.
Will you pause today to spend time with Him?
“Whenever my busy thoughts were out of control, the soothing comfort of Your presence calmed me down and overwhelmed me with delight.”
Psalms 94:19 TPTShare this:
Still Beautiful
The petals hugged the edge of the curb.
They had fallen into random piles on the road.
I decided to reshape one of the piles and add a heart in the middle.
Even though the petals had fallen from their original place, they were still beautiful.
And that is what God does with us.
Regardless of our falling away, He still sees us as beautiful.
Worthy of His love.
He helps to reshape our hearts when we let Him in.
Will you let Him into your heart today?
“And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart.”
Ezekiel 36:26 NLTShare this:
