“Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?”
Matthew 6: 25-27

                                                                      Birds

This morning I was sitting with a group of ladies on a front porch during a Bible study.  We commented on the beautiful flowers that surrounded us and the singing of the birds.  That led one lady to tell a story about a nest that a bird had built in a low hanging plant in her carport.  She said she enjoyed watching the young birds over time as the mother flew back and forth bringing them food.  As she watched them grow, she noticed that when they were ready to leave the nest and try out their wings, they didn’t go very far.  The nest was too close to the ground. You see young birds don’t have the ability to fly up, only out or down. All they could do was fly around the carport or sit on the ground.  My friend’s husband realized the problem and somehow put the nest with the young birds in it on the edge of the roof.  Soon they took off, flying high and strong. 

I started thinking about that story and realized that I was so much like those young birds.  So many times I have found myself in a “low” place..too close to the ground, and closed in.  I fly in circles, never going anywhere.  Then it never fails, my Heavenly Father reaches down and picks me up.   He gently puts me in a higher place where I can leap out in faith and fly. 

What a wonderful feeling!

Peace,

Kelly

Last night as we were walking on the beach we saw the most beautiful sunset behind us, and a full moon that appeared to be the largest of the year before us.  We watched as it slowly rose over the horizon, shedding light on the water below.  At one point it look as though there was a lighted path from as far as  we could see in the  distance over the water right up to the shoreline where we were standing.  (the picture doesn't do the moon justice).   As I stood there in awe, I imagined Jesus walking down that path on the water with his hands reaching out toward me.  I had a sense of peace as I thought of when He would return one day.  While no one knows the time or the place of His return, we know He is coming. But as I continued to look out over the ocean, I felt as if He were saying to me from the glow of the moon "I am here, And I am now".  We watched as the moon continued to rise, peeking in and out of the clouds.  I looked behind to see the last brush of color across the sky from the setting sun.  I was surrounded by glory.   It was a good night. 

 "......and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters".  Genesis 1:1

The Hike                                      

We had the privilege of spending last week in the mountains of South Carolina.  Needless to say the trails and waterfalls were amazing.  However I must admit that while I do enjoy short trips romping through the woods dodging low hanging limbs and tripping over large roots and rocks, the longer hikes are not for me.  Steve can hike for miles and miles and be in heaven while I try to contain my bad attitude and wonder why all the trees look the same.  

 However my attitude always changes when we finally come upon that one spot that we were looking for.  My eyes are open to the beauty that surrounds us as we stare at the waterfall ahead; a stream of water forcefully flowing over a series of rocks and ledges.  It is truly an amazing sight. We climb down to get as close as we can to the creation God has made.  Each time we must choose our steps carefully.  The ground is loose and the rocks are wet and slippery, but the view is spectacular.

While the waterfalls that we saw on our trip were as different as the trails were to get to them, the sound was always the same; the silent river above giving way to the crashing force of the water pouring over the rocks below.  In an instant that sound could wash away all my complaints of aching feet and bug bites.  How dare I worry about my own needs and desires, when I see what God has created before me?

The sight of water can be such a cleansing thing on so many levels.  Of course we use water ever day to physically wash away dirt and grime.  But the sound of water rushing over the jagged rocks of the falls makes me think of how God’s love rushes over the jagged rocks of our lives.  Nothing can get in the way of His love as he washes away our sins and doubts.  Just as the water flows over or around the obstacles of nature (fallen trees, rocks, etc.) God’s love finds a way to flow over the obstacles of our lives.   

Without a moment’s notice, the silent river that we have been floating on can turn into a rush of water that only God can guide us through.  That is when we should travel as close as we can to see His glory.  There may be some low hanging limbs that we must dodge, or some roots we will trip over, but the journey is worth it.  His love can reshape our lives just as the water reshapes the rocks of the falls over time.  God’s beauty is all around us.  We just have to make sure that we choose the right path so we don’t miss it. 

Let your love flow!

Peace,

Kelly

                                                                                                                   




A friend of mine shared this story...please read!

A Dog’s Purpose? (from a 6-year-old)

Being a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish Wolfhound named Belker. The dog’s owners, Ron, his wife Lisa , and their little boy Shane, were all very attached to Belker, and they were hoping for a miracle.

I examined Belker and found he was dying of cancer. I told the family we couldn’t do anything for Belker, and offered to perform the euthanasia procedure for the old dog in their home.

As we made arrangements, Ron and Lisa told me they thought it would be good for six-year-old Shane to observe the procedure. They felt as though Shane might learn something from the experience.

The next day, I felt the familiar catch in my throat as Belker ‘s family surrounded him. Shane seemed so calm, petting the old dog for the last time, that I wondered if he understood what was going on. Within a few minutes, Belker slipped peacefully away.

The little boy seemed to accept Belker’s transition without any difficulty or confusion. We sat together for a while after Belker’s Death, wondering aloud about the sad fact that animal lives are shorter than human lives.
Shane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, ”I know why.”

Startled, we all turned to him. What came out of his mouth next stunned me. I’d never heard a more comforting explanation. It has changed the way I try and live.

He said,”People are born so that they can learn how to live a good life — like loving everybody all the time and being nice, right?” The Six-year-old continued,

”Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don’t have to stay as long.”  If we could all live more like dogs:

Live simply.

Love generously.

Care deeply.

Speak kindly.

Remember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:

When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.

Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.

Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure Ecstasy.

Take naps.

Stretch before rising.

Run, romp, and play daily.

Thrive on attention and let people touch you.

Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.

On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass.

On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.

When you’re happy, dance around and wag your entire body.

Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.

Be loyal.

Never pretend to be something you’re not.

If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.

When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by, and nuzzle them gently.

By: Karen McNeill

37.489498-122.238473

 Up To Your Neck

Have you ever felt like you were up to your neck in something and you didn’t know how to get out of it? I was looking over some pictures I had taken last year and I  came across this picture of our sweet dog Ellie.  As you can see it was taken in the fall after a morning of raking leaves.  One minute poor innocent Ellie was just watching me rake the front yard and the next minute she was buried in a pile of leaves up to her neck.  The look on her face told me she was not happy, but she had given in to her situation.  (I had to pull her out).    

I’m sure that she would have eventually wiggled her way out of the leaves, but I think it was easier for her to just lay there and wait for some help.  She knew I was close by and I wouldn’t leave her even though I was the one who put her there in the first place. 

Do you think that God puts us in some situations just to see if we can get out of them ourselves?  I am not one to believe that God “punishes” people for their sins by having bad things happen to them, but I do believe that it is God’s desire for us to grow in our faith.  I think that He may allow things to happen in order for us to seek His help.   Of course, just like Ellie, we make things worse for ourselves sometimes.  Ellie could have gotten out of the leaves before they got up to her neck, but she chose not to.  Before long it was too late and she was stuck. 

As Christians we get stuck all the time.  Things happen.  We wait, we watch and we do nothing.  Before long it is too late. We are blaming others, and at times God for “allowing” the leaves to fall down around us.  Instead of running, we stand there and get buried.   I don’t want to be that type of believer.  I don’t want to lay and wait for someone else to come along and help me when I can help myself through the power and strength of Christ.   I know that many days will come when I feel overwhelmed and buried in the struggles of life, but I also know that I can get out with His help!

Praise God,

Peace,

Kelly

In The Garden

I come to the garden alone
While the dew is still on the roses
And the voice I hear falling on my ear
The Son of God discloses.

And He walks with me, and He talks with me,
And He tells me I am His own;
And the joy we share as we tarry there,
None other has ever known.

     I just spent the last several hours this morning working in the vegetable garden that my husband planted a few weeks ago.  We have rows of okra, beans, corn and tomato plants along with peppers and squash.  We also have weeds!!!! 

     It may sound strange to people who haven’t heard this about me, but I  am not a big fan of vegetables.  I do eat some…but very few if they are hidden in a casserole with lots of cheese.  However I do love to watch them grow.

      As I was hoeing the weeds this morning, I couldn’t help but think of the song “In The Garden”.  We recently sang this song in church and it had been on my mind.  I thought of how peaceful it was for me this morning, working hard, but working on something as simple as turning the dirt over and getting rid of unwanted grass and weeds.  I wasn’t thinking about the problems of the world as I listened to the birds sing in the nearby trees.  I wasn’t thinking about my friend who just had surgery and has a long road of recovery ahead of her. And I wasn’t thinking of the regret and pain that so many of us face on a daily basis.  I was just “in the garden” working and thinking of how lucky I was.  No T.V, no cell phone, no internet.  Just the soft breeze, the gentle clanging of chimes, and the feeling of knowing my God was right beside me. 

     I hope that you will let God walk with you in your garden.  It doesn’t matter what kind of garden it is..all that matters is that you take time to be with Him..maybe while doing something you love.  You could be surrounded by a beautiful bed of roses, or the waves of the ocean.   Even unwanted weeds.  All that matters is that you are seeking Him, walking with Him, and feeling His presences.  
     We all reap what we sow, but time with God gives us the strength to continue the work. 
     I can’t wait for the day that I will walk through the gardens in Heaven surrounded by peace and joy.

Peace,

Kelly

Inspiration Comes From Discipline

Well as you can see I again have stopped writing my blog for some time now.  I was proud of myself, taking the time each day to try and focus on quiet times and reflection, but I let time slip by one day, and then the next…you know the drill.   I never wanted to think of spending time with God as a “habit”, and so I decided to hold myself accountable by writing.  After all I really enjoy it, but like anything else it takes time.  I was talking to my husband about this one day and trying to make excuses as to why I had stopped.  I tried to blame my lack of enthusiasm (and laziness) on a lack of inspiration.  After all isn’t that what writing is all about…you have to be inspired to do something that takes time and effort?  NOT SO.  My very wise husband made a very profound statement and put me in my place!  He said that inspiration comes from discipline.  When I thought about it, I got a little mad because I knew he was right. 

      We all know what the word discipline means, especially when it comes to our children, but I wanted to fully understand the other meaning of the word.  There were several definitions in the dictionary but I think this one was what I was looking for; “activity, exercise, or a regimen that develops or improves a skill; training”.

     I started thinking about this definition and of course understood it immediately.  A world class runner doesn’t win races when he feels “inspired” to run.  It takes years of training, running miles and miles even if he doesn’t feel like it.  A surgeon can’t perform life saving operations only when he feels “inspired” to.  He must spend years in med school putting in long hours and doing what he has to do in order to learn, not what he wants to do. 

     We all get the picture….and so I won’t rely (or use the excuse) that I’m lacking inspiration to do what I need to do.   As my husband said, true inspiration comes from discipline.  It comes from taking time each day to spend with God; praying, reading the Bible…being in His presences.  That does take discipline!   I have so many excuses, but none of them are good enough to justify my lack of discipline. How can I expect to hear God’s voice for my inspiration if I don’t spend time with Him?

     I’m so glad that Jesus didn’t die for us because he was “inspired” to, but because He lived his life everyday displaying dedication and discipline for what he knew was right. He knew what his heavenly father expected of Him.

     As for me, I will dedicate myself to Him, and pray for discipline in my life.  Good days, bad days, rain or shine,  He will be my inspiration!

Peace,

Kelly