Friday, April 5, 2013

Seek, and Ye Shall Find . . .


Deuteronomy 4:29
But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul.

I don't think there's anything more delightful than watching a young child hunting for Easter eggs, especially when that child is our granddaughter, Virginia Rose.  Last year, when she was 21-months-old, we initiate Virginia into this Easter tradition by "hiding" the brightly-colored, plastic eggs in our living room and dining room.  With assistance from her mom and dad, she manages to locate all of them, putting each one carefully in her basket.








Virginia understands it's a game of sorts with the goal being to find the eggs, but she is not aware that her Gammie has placed a sweet treat inside each of them.  She doesn't even attempt to pull them apart.

This Easter takes a completely different turn.  We decide that an outdoor Easter egg hunt would be much more exciting and challenging for Virginia as she will be turning three in a matter of months.  Oh, what fun my husband, Danny, and I have finding nesting places for the twelve eggs!

When Virginia arrives with her parents for the big event, she eagerly takes the basket I hand her.  Her mom, Sarah, has shown her pictures of Easter eggs, so Virginia is somewhat prepared for what she is seeking once she comes outside.

Still, she doesn't see them right away.  She still needs a little guidance.  Needs to be pointed in the right direction.








Once Virginia puts her heart and soul into the task at hand, it's off to the races!












And, this time, when we bring her with her stash of eggs into the house, Virginia wastes no time in opening each one and lining up the candies on our table.  She even tries to count them!





What a joy it is to see how far Virginia has come and how much she has grown in just one short year!

~

In learning to seek God, maybe we all feel, at first, like a young child embarking on a first Easter egg hunt.  We are confused as to where to look or where to go.  But, with the right guidance and encouragement, we begin to see God's presence, active and alive in the world around us.

And, when we seek the Lord diligently, through prayer and scripture, with all our heart and soul, Deuteronomy 4:29 assures us:  We shall find Him!

~

Where are you finding God in your life today?

Will you pray with me?
May we always and earnestly seek You, Father, with all our hearts and souls.  Reveal Yourself to us.  Reveal Your will for our lives.  Let us do Your will and walk in Your ways to the honor and glory of Your name.  Amen.

26 comments:

  1. Martha, this was so beautiful. The example you used of your cutie granddaughter in seeking and finding the little Easter eggs was so apt. We do need the proper guidance to not only find God, but see his mercy manifesting in our lives. Thank you so much!

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    1. Thanks so much for visiting, Vrndavana!
      I love what you said here - that we need guidance to see "his mercy manifesting in our lives." So true!
      Glad you enjoyed the post.
      Blessings and love!

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  2. Only one year? That's a marvellous achievement, Martha. How sweet this post was. Looking at pictures of Virginia is such a delight for us. The bigger message in this post is equally meaningful. Thanks for the post, dear Martha.

    Joy always,
    Susan

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    1. Thanks for coming by, Susan, and so glad you enjoyed the post!
      Yes, only one year - boy, has it flown by! Virginia is growing by leaps and bounds, and I'm so thankful that Danny has taken so many beautiful photos of her.
      Blessings and love!

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  3. Adorable! Great metaphor for spiritual growth, Martha. Matthew 18:3 tells us: "...Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."

    Where am I finding God in my life today? I've been exploring a scenario that played out with my art students yesterday. Similar to you, I see a lesson for us adults demonstrated by the babes. I'm writing a blog post about it too -- We are synchronized once again...

    XOXO

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    1. Oh, I'm so looking forward to reading your next post, Linda! There is so very much the little ones can teach us about God and His world. In synch? Yes, indeed! :)
      Glad you stopped by and enjoyed the post!
      Blessings and love!

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  4. Aww, you're granddaughter is precious! Loved how you used the experience of Virginia Rose searching for Easter eggs as a great illustration to highlight important spiritual truths. Loved it!

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    1. Thanks so much for visiting, Jessica, and for your sweet words about Virginia!
      And, I'm with you - once we see the spiritual "eggs", we begin seeing them everywhere we turn. We can't stop! :)
      Blessings and love!

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  5. AMEN!!! What PRECIOUS photo's. The eggs are like hidden treasures, that we are seeking to find and open up, and enjoy the SWEETNESS inside. Much like the Kingdom of Heaven. ;)

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    1. Thanks for coming by today, Lisa Marie!
      I love your comparison of the eggs with a sweet treat inside to the Kingdom of Heaven. Wow! It is all around us when we take the time to look.
      Blessings and love!

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  6. Wonderful photos, and I love that verse! Today I'm finding God in my daughter, who, on her own initiative, came over and helped me clean my house today. My back has been hurting, so she did all the heavy stuff. Even better, she did it all with a loving and generous attitude. When I kept thanking her, she replied that I do so much for her that she is happy to help me. A long way from her younger years of helping only when told and then with a surly attitude. Talk about miracles!!

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    1. Thanks so much for stopping by, Galen, and glad you enjoyed the photos and the verse!
      It sounds like your daughter is truly a blessing to you. My sweet Sarah gave me some tough times in her teenage years, too, but has, like your daughter, turned into a wonderful, thoughtful, and generous person. Yes, miracles, indeed, abound for the both of us!
      Love and blessings!

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  7. Part of me can't wait to have grandchildren, the other part still keeps seeing my kids as babies! I have grandkittens now, it's a good place to start. Thanks for the lovely post Martha :)

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    1. Thanks so much for coming by today, Cairn!
      Grandkittens . . . I love it! :) There's nothing like being a grandparent - it has brought me more joy than I ever thought possible. One day, you'll know, my friend!
      Glad you enjoyed the post.
      Love and blessings!

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  8. This made me smile, particularly the part where you pointed out that Virginia Rose still needs gentle guidance to learn this new process. Don't we all! It's a beautiful reminder that we're all gently guided and we're never abandoned, even though we may feel completely alone at times. The analogy of opening the eggs to find the candies inside - that was yet another reminder of the treasures we have within. When I'm meditating and I feel an energetic shift at a Chakra level, I'm quite aware that there is Divine Presence at work, guiding me and helping me to achieve that next level of awareness.

    Much love to you, my sweet friend!

    - Dawn

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    1. I'm so glad this post made you smile, Dawn. Yes, we all need those gentle reminders now and again. I think it's wonderful that you truly sense the Divine Presence when meditating - that's such a gift!
      Thanks so much for visiting today!
      Blessings and love, my friend!

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  9. Thanks for sharing your Easter memories with us, Martha. I especially appreciated the fact that your granddaughter was searching for the eggs with no other intention than to find them. Similar to how we seek God, we should not be searching God to find the chocolate (favors, help, miracles) but simply to live in faith and God's blessings. Your granddaughter understands that at such a small age and what a true surprise when she hears about the chocolate part!

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    1. Thanks so much for stopping by, Vishnu!
      You are so right! We should look for God "just because" He's God, and not for any other reason. Beautiful point made here, my friend!
      Glad you enjoyed the post!
      Blessings to you always!

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  10. Thanks for sharing these precious moments with Virginia. There's nothing like seeing the world through the eyes of a child to remind us of the wonders of the world.

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    1. Thanks so much for coming by, Adriene!
      It is, indeed, such a blessing to see the world through the eyes of a child. We must become as little children . . .
      Blessings and love!

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  11. It's always a joy to see pictures of little Virginia Rose and she has grown so much in a year! I marvel at how God watches over us and seems to 'hide' treasures for us to find, if only we'd take the time and seek like a little child...

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    1. Thanks so much for visiting, Corinne!
      So glad you liked the photos - yes, she is getting so big, and is talking up a storm. And, she is finally calling me "Gammie"! Love to hear it.
      And, if we seek as little children, God will always be there for us to find.
      Love and blessings, my friend!

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  12. such lovely moments --I love the curiosity and wonder captured in the 1st of the current pictures of Virginia Rose.

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    1. Thanks so much for coming by, Mommetime!
      Yes, Danny got some amazing shots of her that day - I, too, love the photo to which you're referring. :)
      Blessings and love!

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  13. Wow! She's all grown up :D I love her, the Easter egg hunt and your prayer.

    The Lord is risen and I truly believe that...but I also fail to recognize the Lord in His resurrected form...I keep looking for Him in the tomb...

    I love how you've connected the hunt with the Resurrection... I have understood it now :)

    Praying with you...that I may see the delights WITHIN in the Risen Lord... Lots of love always!

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    1. Happy, if belated, Easter, dear Melissa!
      Virginia is, indeed, growing so fast and is a wonder and delight to be around always. And, now, she's finally saying "Gammie" and speaking in sentences! Wow!
      So glad you enjoyed the photos and the post, my friend.
      Blessings and love always!

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. . . Good Tidings of Great Joy . . .

  . . . Good tidings of great joy . . . ~Luke 2:10 Pictured above are my daughter, Sarah, son-in-law, John, and their three girls, Virginia,...