Spreading Seed

"But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop."  Luke 8:15 (NIV)

Rocks, lots of rocks.  In an effort to spare our lawn from the effects of snow plow trucks in the winter, many years ago we spread rocks at the edge of our property.  It seemed like a great idea at the time and did work well.  Yet, over the years, the rocks found their way into the lawn and produced a "less than desirable" lawn.  My husband lamented over this for years until one day I found him, shovel in hand, taking the rocks out.

Many of you know my dear husband - this job would not be done half-heartedly, and it would need to be done when HE wanted to get it done - one of the hottest weekends of the summer.  Moving from shovel to bobcat, the project continued.  One weekend it was getting all the rocks out.  The next weekend it was adding soil and seed in - the goal, continuous grass to the road.

As I spread the seed over the newly laid soil, my heart couldn't help but think of the wonderful parables Jesus shared about seed.  This particular one, Luke 8: 1-15, truly helped me to see His word come to life.  Days passed after our project was "complete".  We noticed, however, where we spread seed on soil that wasn't as rich or didn't get the full amount of water, the seed was not germinating.  In the area where soil and water were plentiful, so was the grass.  Newly laid seed that would last through the years.

The seed of God's word is plentiful.  The Bible is rich in words that fill not only our minds, but our hearts and souls.  One small seed, a verse that reaches the depths of our experiences, can not only "germinate" but can last a lifetime.  So is the word of God.  As with my seed in our lawn, sometimes His word falls onto soil that isn't fertile.  My heart may be hardened with life.  My mind may be questioning God.  My soul may be lost.  I have been there.  I would open up and read the Bible and expect it to "do its job" without me participating at all.  No good soil - no water.  

It was during those dark times, when I was at the end of my rope, I said to God, "I need you - I need your word - I need your grace."  What seemed like magic (but we know was the Holy Spirit), I would then open my Bible and the words were amazingly clear.  They filled my soul.  They filled my mind.  Most importantly, they filled my heart.  The seed of God's word continued to grow and spread, as it does with so many today.  

My friend, let me encourage you.  Take stock of your soil - is it rich to receive the seed of God's word?  Are you watering that seed with worship, prayer, and thanksgiving?  Life is hard, experiences happen.  Yet, if our soil is always ready to take in God's word, your soul will be strengthened and your faith will spread - just like grass seed!

Dearest Jesus, help us to have rich soil - in our hearts and souls.  May we seed that soil with your word and spread it to those around us.  In your gracious name I pray.  Amen!

Interviewing

"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 a future."  Jeremiah 29:10 (NIV)

This past week I had the pleasure of conducting interviews for my company.  We are reviewing people that will help to make our company successful.  Even as the person who is doing the interview, I prepare quite a bit for these times.  

Then I think about the people that are in front of me.  They have also prepared.  Typically, they have done research on the company.  With all of the social media available, I'm certain they also reviewed opportunities to research us on LinkedIn and Glassdoor.  Yet, I know the most preparation must have come in anticipating what types of questions we would ask and how they would answer them.  As with any interview, this can be the most daunting part for an interviewee.  Part of my job is to make them comfortable enough to reveal character traits and experiences.

As the candidates entered the room, I watched as each sat a certain way, took out items in order to take notes, and we began the process.  Ultimately, we are trying to determine the strengths that they may bring to the position as well as the gaps that they may have.  The best candidate will be asked to join our organization - in that job offer they will have a future with a great company and hope for themselves and their families.

As I was flying home thinking of my interviews that day, my thoughts turned to myself.  I am fortunate to not have to interview for a job right now, but if I did, who would I interview with?  Then I thought, "I would love to have a full time job for God"!  That drew my thoughts, to a scenario - what if I had an interview with God?  What would be my strengths and gaps?  Would I measure up to be able to join the organization?

The flurry of thinking started.  I have had some experiences in my life that have been able to show God that I want to be part of His kingdom.  I am hoping that my responses to people and situations have shown my faith.  Yet, certainly not always.  As I looked at the gaps that I have to enter His kingdom, that list started to grow.  I am not always a faithful prayer servant.  I try, but I know I'm not as good as I should be.  I am not always the perfect giver.  Again, I try, but I know there are times when I find excuses when I should just move forward in doing.  I don't always choose the right words or the right thoughts.  I am certainly not always patient.  Yes, my gaps were much greater than my strengths when thinking about entering God's organization.

Glory be to God that I don't have to have all the gaps filled to "get the job"!!  Jesus took all my sins, all my gaps, all my doubts, and all my fears and said to me "Your hope and your future is in me, Susan!"  As in our verse for today, I know that his plans will bring me into the best job anyone can have, being a faithful servant for God.  I may not have all the qualifications and I certainly don't have all the behaviors necessary to succeed with God.  The best part is God doesn't care.  God will take me just as I am to be in His kingdom.  I have the greatest job in the world, here and in eternity!!

Looking for a new job can be stressful.  Sometimes we aren't sure if we have all the qualifications for success.  Know that in God's world, we have nothing to stress about.  God's plans for us are so great, our hope and future is secure in Him.  Thanks be to God for so richly blessing us with the best job - being part of his kingdom.

Heavenly Father, thank you for the blessings you have provided to be a part of your kingdom.  Although we know we aren't nearly as qualified as we should be, you don't care.  All you want is our simple faith and love.  You will work with the rest!  Thank you, God, for taking me in and giving me a path for peace.  In your name I pray.  Amen.

Family Reunion

"And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am."  John 14:3 (NIV)

When our family gets back together, it is a precious time.  Our children, now young adults, all have lives of their own - therefore, these times are few and far between.  A couple of weeks ago, our son returned from deployment and we were expecting him to return to New Hampshire.  This meant that our family would rally around and all come together to celebrate.  We prepared by cooking, cleaning and scheduling to ensure everyone was available.  We all waited anxiously for his truck to come into the driveway.  I have to admit, I didn't even wait for him to come into the house - I ran out of the house to greet him.  Almost felt like the father in the parable of the prodigal son!  

The weekend has been filled with the children (now young adults) speaking of childhood memories and all the fun that they have had over the past years.  It warmed this mama's heart to hear them speak of such great times. When our family reunites, it is as if we haven't skipped a beat.  I'm sure many of you experience the same feelings.  Everyone "fits right in" to hugs, smiles, joking, laughing and a room of love.  I long for those moments, and cherish as the family settles into a few hours of familiarity.  There is a great deal of joy and love that encompasses those times.   All the preparation resulted in happy times and more memories made to hold us over until the next time we are together.

It reminded me of the joy we will all feel when we reunite with our Heavenly Father.  Just as I prepared for our son's arrival, Jesus is preparing for us to arrive as well.  As shared in our verse for today, he is preparing a place for us.  He is looking as forward to our reunion with him as we do when we reunion with family.  To be honest, I'm looking forward to that day as well.  The wonderful song by Mercy Me, "I Can Only Imagine", states it all so perfectly.  Although I'm not sure what will come, with simple faith I am confident that it will be glorious.  

How can we compare our family reunions to the reunion we will have with Christ?  Because we are His family - we are His children who will be returning home to Him.  When we share our memories of the goodness and blessings He has provided to us it is just like the memories we share between our family members.  Talking to Jesus and letting Him know how much we are grateful for those memories is part of our constant connection to Him.  

As we reunite with families here on earth, whether it is with members far away or close by, cherish each of those times.  Reflect on the goodness and focus on the love.  I encourage you as well, to spend time with Jesus, reflecting on the goodness He provides and talking about the day we will be able to spend time face to face in paradise!!

"Heavenly Father, thank you for family reunions.  We appreciate the opportunities you give us to gather around the table and speak of times of love.  Let us also look forward to the family reunion we will have with you in paradise.  We can only imagine how wonderful that day will be.  In your name we pray.  Amen!"

Staying Silent

"But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord.  Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.  But do this with gentleness and respect."

1 Peter 3:15

Silence certainly has its wonderful benefits.  Sometimes, I revel in the silence that is around me, whether it is the beauty of the outdoors, the evening hours, or even when my husband and I are just quiet together.  With the busyness of the world silence can seem like a cherished moment.

Yet, silence can also lead to other outcomes.  A few weeks ago, I found myself silent in understanding.  There was a situation that I didn't completely understand.  Instead of speaking up and asking questions, I stayed silent and made assumptions.  The silence and assumptions actually led to a great deal of frustration.  The more I assumed, the frustration increased.  I found myself moving from frustration to anger.  I finally spoke up (and it wasn't in a kind and gentle manner).  What resulted were a series of not-so-kind words that led to me admitting that I shouldn't have stayed silent - I should have asked questions for understanding and the assumptions would have been buried.  If I had asked questions, I would have learned the truth and wouldn't have been stagnant with frustration.

This scenario can raise its head again when we have questions on our faith.  Having a clear understanding of everything in the Good Book is nearly impossible.  There are Biblical scholars who still don't have all the answers.  Many times, we may feel as if asking faith-based questions is a questioning of our faith, that somehow if we ask these questions our faith is jeopardized.  May I share a resounding "NO"!  By not asking questions about the word of God, we are stagnant.  Diving deep into the Bible brings up a series of questions and wonder.  That isn't a bad thing - that is a WONDERFUL thing!  Staying silent on those questions can lead to not only a stagnant faith but a strong level of assumption.  As in my example, that assumption can lead to frustration.

So where do you go to have your questions answered?  Seek out others in Christ.  Speak to a pastor, talk with fellow Christians, join a Bible Study, read more about God's word.  By spending time sharing and talking, we move from assumptions and frustration to truth and growth.  Having a simple faith in our Dear Lord doesn't mean that we won't have questions.  Ask your questions.  Seek to understand.  Live in the glory that God's greatness expands to our personal growth.  When you have the answers, share them with others.  As our verse for today states, share with others where you find your hope, your joy.  Let them know about your faith.  Don't stay silent, but speak with words God gives you to share your faith and live in His Word.

"Dearest Lord, there are many times that staying silent can be good.  Yet, when it comes to questions about you, God, direct us to those here on earth who can provide us the answers.  Let us have a healthy inquiry to grow in your truth.  May we not be stagnant and frustrated, may we gain knowledge and growth.  In your name we pray.  Amen!"

Too Tired

"The Lord replied, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest."  Exodus 33:14 (NIV)

BUZZ!!  The alarm went off.  I typically never hear the alarm go off.  On this particular day, I was tired - way too tired to get out of bed.  Yet, I managed to put one foot on the floor and the day began.  That evening, I reflected on why I might have been so tired and the many times in my life when I have felt that way.  Working all week and then working all weekend on house projects has left me totally exhausted - usually physically exhausted.  There have also been times at work, that have left me absolutely mentally exhausted.  Yes, there have also been times when situations with certain relationships have left me emotionally exhausted.  I am sure many of you can relate to this type of exhaustion - when anything more has me saying, "I'm just too tired."  

Nothing prepared me for the words, "You have cancer."  Nothing prepared me for the journey that was in front of me after hearing those words.  Nothing prepared me for the utter exhaustion of that journey.  In this case, the exhaustion was certainly:

   Physical - the chemo and radiation took its toll on my body

   Emotional - the up and down of emotions that come with cancer

   Mental - the constant thoughts of "what ifs"

Yet, the exhaustion that also came to light at this point in my life was spiritual exhaustion.  As the days of my cancer journey moved forward, praying and talking to God seemed to yield nothing.  Treatments moved forward, I felt worst.  The pain, the exhaustion, the sickness were all signs that I was getting better but it certainly didn't feel that way.  Eventually, I became too tired to talk to God anymore.  I was too tired to pray.  God did continue to give me many things - one that I hung on to, Simple Faith.

Although we may be Christians, we have never been promised a perfect life here on Earth.  Things have happened to all of us that have brought forward exhaustion - painful, physical traumas; disappointing and abusive relationships; death of loved ones; financial crisis.  All of these things can lead us to being too tired to talk to God.  Yet, the beauty of God shines through in many different ways - as expressed in our verse for today.  Our Dear Lord will continue to walk with us and give us rest, we just need to have Simple Faith.  Maybe you are exhausted and don't know where to turn.  Do one thing for me.  Take two minutes, close your eyes, and imagine Jesus sitting next to you, holding your hand.  Open your eyes and know that He IS there - providing you the hope and will to go on.  Too Tired?  Get Faith - Simple Faith - that God is right there with you helping you move on.

Dearest Jesus, sometimes this earthly life has us feeling too tired to give any more.  During these times, may we turn to you and know you are there with us, taking us by the arm, and helping us to move forward.  May we continue to have faith that you are there for us each and every moment, guiding us with your forever love and hope.  In your name we pray, Amen~

Moving Away

"For the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope."  Jeremiah 29:11 (ESV)

If I had to sum up in one word for our family what this spring and summer holds for us, it would be the word MOVING.  Almost every member of our family seems to be doing some sort of moving.  It began with my mom moving out of her home of 20+ years into a smaller, more manageable, apartment.  Next saw our son moving from a cramped bed on an aircraft carrier, to a nice apartment with a regular-sized bed.  The next move will be one of our daughters from an older home to an apartment building a bit closer to the city of Boston.  The last move will be another daughter moving from an older home into an apartment building as well.  What has all this moving taught me?

• Moving away from something you have been attached to for a long time can be difficult.  There were lots of memories in my mom's house, memories for her and our family.  Also, being so attached to a home can have you wondering at times, "Am I making the right decision?"
• Moving can take us out of our comfort zone.  When I saw where our son has been sleeping for the last year, I was excited that he will have an opportunity to sprawl out a bit and be more comfortable - that alone was exciting.  Yet, he will have different responsibilities now with his first apartment that may take him out of his comfort zone.
• Moving can be scary.  Will the new apartments coincide to the finances that are necessary?  Will there be unexpected costs that weren't planned for?
• Moving can yield uncertainty.  There are plenty of times when moving family members already where the words, "What if. . . ." have been at the beginning of a sentence.

Moving away from comfort, whether it is a home of 20+ years or a small bunk, can yield all sorts of emotions.  Among the uncertainty, is a great big God that says, "Bring it on!"  These new and different scenarios are important for our growth here on earth.  It is also important for our growth with our Heavenly Father.  While life around one moving can bring up many different emotions, we can be grounded in the One that knows the plans that lie ahead for us.  He is there, guiding the way, as long as we allow Him to do the guiding.

As our verse for today shares, He has a future and a hope for us.  By putting the words, future, hope and God all in one sentence, I feel confident that what is ahead for my family will be surrounded in Jesus' love.  He will watch over all of them.  He will guide them to goodness.  He will provide for them.  For the couple of us who aren't moving this year?  Have simple faith that He will provide that same assurance for our future needs as well.  Moving can hold many anxious moments.  Remember, that moving can also hold a future and a hope - one that rests squarely with God.

Heavenly Father, change, especially moving, can move us not just physically, but emotionally as well.  Help us to remember that you are with us, guiding our needs and our future.  May we rely on your judgment to bring us all that we need, simple faith that you have our best interest in your hands.  Thank you Jesus!!

Coming Together

"Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble."  1 Peter 3:8 (NIV)

As the days passed, I thought about the twelve Thailand boys that waited, patiently, to be rescued.  In a dark cave, with no light, no food and no water, these boys and their coach waited.  They waited together.  They waited with hope.  They waited with guidance from ones with knowledge.  They waited to be rescued.  Along with many of you, my heart were transferred to them, praying for them when we learned the news of what was happening.

They were found, but the waiting fight was not over.  Although they were now privy to food and water, we watched the world surrounding them come together to decide how to rescue them.  People thousands of miles away joined the team of people dedicated to their survival.  Rescue workers from many countries came together. Resources from many countries came together.  Prayers from many countries came together.  I watched this and my heart swelled for mankind.  As they all took a step forward to bring these boys and their coach to safety, my amazement increased.  

I have been those boys.  I have passed through times when I have felt as if I was in a dark cave with no sustenance.  I waited with hope.  I waited with guidance from others.  I waited to be rescued from the darkness I was experiencing.  Those times of my life have been excruciating. During those dark times, there were those that judged what was happening in my life and it hurt as much as the darkness did.  Yet, as I look back upon those times, I realize that that there were people from many different areas of my life praying for me.  Just as prayers encircled those boys, there were teams of people praying for my rescue.  It was hard to recognize it at that time.  Yet, I know it is true.  How?

Just like these boys and their coach, I was brought to the light.  Through rescue efforts of those around me, through prayers of many, through the guidance of my Heavenly Father, I was able to leave the cave of darkness and reach for the joyous light.  Jesus showed me the way.  He gave me the courage to leave the darkness and live on in His ever-radiant light. 

People and countries find so many differences in each other.  We look at why we are different and build our thoughts and prejudices around that.  Yet, for a moment in time in Thailand, all the differences were thrown away and faith, hope, knowledge and guidance brought peace to those in need.  The word miracle is the only way to describe that. 

Maybe you are in a dark place right now.  Maybe you have experienced being in a dark place before.  Brothers and sisters, I know what that is.  Know that you have a circle of people around you, praying for you, waiting with you and a loving Jesus who is ready to guide you into the light.  Follow him in His word - it will bring you the joy you need.  Hope and guidance is gained in the simple faith that we can all come together into the light. 

Dearest Jesus, we thank you for being with the boys and coach in the cave.  Thank you for giving them hope and faith as they waited to come into the light.  I ask that you be with those that are, or that know of, people who are in the dark right now.  Jesus, provide them the hope that they need to wait with hope, receive guidance with knowledge, and feel your loving arms around them.  Bring those from the darkness into the light - the light that only You can provide.  In your gracious name we ask these things.  Amen!