As The Deer

 

As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God.  My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.  When can I go and meet with God? ~Psalm 42:1-2

My husband, Danny, is an awesome photographer.  So, where did he travel to get these fabulous photos of wild deer featured in this post?  No further than our own backyard!  

Even though we live in what is considered a suburban neighborhood here in Kennesaw, Georgia, we are surrounded by woods that stretch from ours to other subdivisions surrounding us.  It still amazes me that deer can survive and actually thrive in this environment of expansion and development demanded by the exponential growth of our nearby Kennesaw State University.

Here are a selected number of deer photos from previous years, including that majestic buck above; the last four are from this current season.

We endure an uncharacteristically hot and dry June here.  Fortunately, the deer have a running creek at the bottom of the hill and a large lake in an adjacent neighborhood where they can quench their thirst during the worst heat of the summer.  And recently, God has blessed us with some much-needed rain, welcomed and embraced by all the plants and animals living in our vicinity.

God provides for all His beloved creation, and yes, that includes us.  All of us!  When we find our souls panting and parched by the things of the world, longing for His Living Water, all we need to do is grab our Bibles and drink deeply from the endless spring that bubbles up and overflows in His life-giving Word.

And when we do, God will meet us there.

Amen!

The Greatest Story Ever Told

 

For the word of God is alive and active.  Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. ~Hebrews 4:12

I can't recall a time in my life when I didn't love words.  All those stories read aloud by my mom at bedtime; classic fairy tales, the lilting cadences of Mother Goose rhymes, and silly stories about Midgie, the mischievous elephant, my dad would make up on the fly for my brother and me.  Certainly, their own love of books and reading had a profound affect on this developmental aspect of both my brain and my heart.

By the time I was ready for first grade (we did not have public kindergarten at the time - yes, I'm old!), I was already reading way above grade level.  I could depend upon words to transport me in time and space to exotic lands and imaginary realms like nothing else could.  A trip to the library for me was like traveling to a coveted amusement park with no end of rides and excitement. 

Writing is the natural fallout for a word lover like me.  Ever since my fourth-grade teacher showed us a picture from a magazine (remember those?) which featured children happily fleeing the school house to embrace a carefree summer, and challenged us to write a short story about how the characters were feeling, I've been hooked!

So, what does any of this have to do with these Jumble puzzle books featured above?  While some people enjoy figuring out giant jig-saw puzzles to stimulate their minds, I prefer unscrambling words to help keep my cognition up to speed.  This not only relaxes me, but also gives me an advantage (I hope) in keeping the dementia wolves at bay as aging often invites these unwanted guests into our latter years, causing chaos and confusion.

This world in which we live is already chaotic and confusing enough, isn't it?  No need to add insult to injury!  When all seems to be spinning out of control, we can lean into our loving God and His eternal Word, as alive and active today as it always has been and ever will be.  We don't need to panic nor fear.  We know our Father is the One at the helm of our lives, and only He will judge the thoughts and attitudes of our hearts.

And when I find myself at my wit's end as I attempt to unscramble a Jumble word, I know I can turn to the answer key for direction.  In our Christian walk, God and His Word are the keys to all the answers we will ever need to live an abundant life, the life Jesus promised, to His honor and glory.

May we all fall in love with God's Word, the greatest story ever told.

Amen!

Our Vision of Hope

 

We don't yet see things clearly.  We're squinting in a fog, peering through a mist.  But it won't be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright!  We'll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us! ~1 Corinthians 13:12 (MSG)

Have you ever experienced fogged windows where you live?  Here in Georgia, we don't just entertain hot summer temperatures, but our humidity can also increase exponentially, making outdoor events unpleasant and downright impossible for many of us to enjoy.  I know my Florida friends can identify with that!

This fog phenomena occurs when the outside glass of a window matches or goes below the dew point temperature of the air.  As a result, the air cannot hold any more water in gas form; it must turn into liquid.  (Thank you, Danny, for explaining this in terms even I can understand!)

So yes, it is July in Kennesaw, and with the blessing of recent rain, we've awakened to misty window panes for two mornings in a row.  Will it happen again tomorrow?  Only if the air continues to be humid, which could most likely be the case.

Clouded windows obscure our usually clear view of the outdoors.  It reminds me of the steam which used to form on a bathroom mirror from a hot shower when the bather forgot to run the exhaust fan.  You certainly cannot see your own reflection unless the moisture is wiped off the glass and allowed time to dry.

In this life, as the apostle Paul states in 1 Corinthians 13:12, we cannot possibly see the entirety of our existence the way that God can and does.  Nothing can obstruct His always clear vision!  But even through the mist, we can know that God is leading us forward, and closer to Him, with every faltering step we take by faith.  We can rest assured that when we leave this darkened world, the clouds will lift, and we will see the Son shining brightly forever and ever.

May we resolve to fully live each precious day God gives us here on earth, and show others, by our actions in love, how He will help them see clearly one day, too.

He is our vision of hope!

Amen!

Celebrating Freedom

 

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.  Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. ~Galatians 5:1

Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.  We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream.  It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend out sunset years telling our children and our children's children what it was once like in the United States where men were free. ~Ronald Reagan

Happy Independence Day, America!  It's time for parades, picnics, patriotic music, pageantry, and masterful firework displays all over this great nation of ours.  As you plan your activities for this momentous holiday, I hope and pray that you will make special time to celebrate the fact that we were formed as one nation under God by visionary Founding Fathers immersed in the teachings of our deep and lasting Judeo-Christian values.

And unless we teach our children and grandchildren why our Constitution and Declaration of Independence formed a system of government unlike anything this tired, weary world had ever known, how will they be equipped and eager to preserve it for posterity?

I am so heartened by the stance recently taken by Oklahoma's state legislature.  It passed a law which requires all public schools to display the Ten Commandments, and to equip classrooms with copies of the Bible.  A curriculum is being developed for grades 5 - 12 to instruct them about how both have influenced the rule of law in our judicial system and in our country's exceptional precepts that declare our freedoms are given us by God alone.  I'm not so naive as to think there won't be push-back from entrenched secular forces in our government, and from those who despise Western civilization in general, but let us, as Christians, not allow those forces to poison the minds of our children with disingenuous lies.

I do believe, with all my heart, that our loving Father is giving us another chance as a country to surrender to His will and be renewed by His Holy Spirit; the same Spirit who, despite all unimaginable odds, inspired this fledgling nation to overthrow the burdensome yoke of the British Empire that we might live free.

As former President Reagan so succinctly expressed, "Freedom is never more than a generation away from extinction."  May God grant us the grace and wisdom to understand and appreciate, to the very depths of our beings, how generously He has blessed us.

And with God's help, let us resolve to maintain His blessing for generation to come.

Amen!

A Win-Win

 

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize?  Run in such a way as to get the prize. ~1 Corinthians 9:24

Don't forget to enjoy the game. ~Quote from G. H. W. Bush as recalled by his granddaughter, Jenna Bush Hagar.

Danny and I still love playing backgammon every evening while we listen to mostly country or Christian music.  Before all his health issues arise in January, we would keep score on our kitchen whiteboard for an entire week so we could assess that week's winner.  That practice, in and of itself, isn't a bad thing.  We are both extremely competitive players, but while Danny is able to lose gracefully, I find myself too obsessed with winning to simply embrace the game in the moment.

I'm not proud of this aspect of my personality.  To win, no matter what, obstructs the purpose of the game, period.  Just relax and enjoy it!

After all we've endured these last months, I realize that truth more than ever.  Life is not a sprint, but a marathon.  And living well leaves no room for petty tantrums or poor sportsmanship.  Honestly, who wants to play with a sore loser?  I wouldn't want to, yet Danny doesn't give up on me.  He has taught me so much about both patience and perseverance in this challenging game he's so passionate about.

We no longer keep score on the board to remind, usually me, of my pathetic losing streaks.  Now don't get me wrong; I still relish a win here and there, and Danny notices how much better I've become in dealing with the plays the dice give me, but I no longer angst about besting him in any contest.  I'm just so thankful to have him here to play the game at all!

Isn't it amazing how realities can alter, for the better, our perspectives on this game called life?

Yes, if we are honest with ourselves, we all want to be winners, but there are no losers when we accept Jesus' training of us for the long haul.  Knowing He is beside us and before us, trusting in His strength alone, we can run a steady race until we all receive that ultimate crown of victory in God's eternal kingdom.

So, let's resolve to run that race He's set before us, knowing Jesus is the best prize of all, and enjoy the game of abundant life He's given to us along the way.

That's a win-win in my book!

Amen!

How Could We Ask for Anything More?

 

For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. ~Psalm 103:11-12

Daughter, Sarah, her husband, John, their three girls, plus dog, Finn, and their two kitty rescues, Riley and Rocky, move successfully to their new home in North Carolina around the first of June.  The photo above is one Sarah takes from their new bedroom window as the sun begins to peek over the horizon to greet a new day.  Oh, what a great joy to awake to such a splendid view!

God is blessing all of them so richly in every way.  The reason for the move is John's promotion in the company he has been working with for many years.  Sarah is able to secure a job, too, with the grocery store chain that employed her previously, and starts work almost before she can catch her breath.  The girls are excited to live in a neighborhood where they can enjoy a big backyard, something they've never had before, and sidewalks throughout the development.  As the summer progresses, Danny and I are confident that they will all make friends in their new place, and be set for school when it resumes in August.

While this state park they explore recently is not adjacent to their neighborhood, it is only a three-mile drive away.  Sarah and John take the girls there one evening to explore the grounds.  Here are some gorgeous photos Sarah takes while they are there.

Just indulge yourself in this dramatic sunset!

From the beauty of the sunrise to its setting, I'm reminded that God has created all the earth and the heavens to His honor and glory.  We see His majesty and splendor, and we cannot help but be awed by His mighty works and be humbled by His wonders all around us.

Best of all, for us who revere His precious Son, Jesus, our heavenly Father promises to remove all our sins, as far as the east is from the west.

How could we ask for anything more?

Amen!

Sing a New Song

 

Danny and I in his new music studio

Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth. ~Psalm 96:1

A new song shall I sing unto the Lord

When I, in doubt, surrender to His might

In fears I've faced, forgiveness love, finds

Me, through Him who will forever fight

For justice, peace, truth, righteousness

Though earth dissolve, faith will not betray

God's Word, His pledge, His presence, promises.

His mercies new at dawn of every day.

Amen!