Amazing Grace

Going through old email, I came across one sent by my brother. A cute email, one with cats and dogs and horses and birds, and in the background is playing Amazing Grace.  This is my theme song - I once was lost but now am found, was blind but now I see.  God's grace never ceases to amaze me!  He surely does take the weak things of the world to confound the wise - such has been my life.  My life is so much bigger than I in myself could ever have created. On the contrary, He has taken a mess of a life and turned it in to one filled with beauty and grace, forgiveness and love.  I am surrounded by it - how can this be, I ask myself? I know of only One Way and that is by Him and through Him and from Him. Right now as I sit and look out on our beautiful Lake Erie, it is frozen and white and the sun is out which makes the ice sparkle.  How many snowflakes does it take to make one square inch of snow, I wonder? What a miracle!  Miracles are everywhere, and if I do not take the time to look for them, I will miss so very much. Thank you for allowing me to share my thoughts with each of you, such as they are.  This is but one more blessing to add to my list - my new group of friends who will take time from their day to read my thoughts.  May they be a blessing to you today as you are to me....

Reflections

Hello again!  Well the Christmas presents have been opened, more food than makes any kind of sense has been consumed, and most important of all, time has been spent with those we love, our dearest family members and friends.  It is a time to celebrate the birth of a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.  I for one absolutely LOVE Christmas time!  The planning and preparations, Christmas trees and decorations, shopping, the Salvation Army ringing the bell to remind us of those in need, Christmas Eve service, candles galore, and of course sharing these moments with our loved ones.  I am not the least bit bothered that Christmas has become "too commercial!"  On the contrary, I believe it is the one time of year when families gather; when a huge amount of time is spent to find that "perfect gift" to bring a smile to someone's face; when we are given vacation time just so that we can have this much needed time to think past ourselves to the needs of others!  We remember and contribute to charitable organizations at Christmas more than any other time of the year - St. Jude's Hospital, Clothe-a-Child, Coats for Kids - and so many great organizations whose sole function is to care for those in need. And it is a time to reflect on the many blessings we have and to be thankful for the truly important things in our lives.  No Bah Humbug from me!  I believe the true Spirit of Christmas remains - that you might Love one another as I have Loved you - is there any other time of the year that brings us closer to following His example?  I think not!

Who Are YOU?

Hello again! 

One of my favorite things to do is to get up early – well, not too early – and sit in my “marshmallow chair” with my dog Daisy at my side, light the fireplace (in the winter of course), look out at our beautiful Lake Erie, drink my coffee and spend time with my Lord.  I have been walking with Him for over thirty years, and it has been such an amazing adventure!

One of the things I do, and have done during these 30 years, is to journal – my Letters to the Lord. In these letters, I have had and still have so very many questions for Him.  One of my favorite questions of course is - Who are You, Lord?  I am fascinated by Him!  He never changes, yet my understanding of who He is always changes, because He absolutely refuses to be kept a box.  And as He reveals Himself to me, and I begin to think, Oh so THAT is Who You are – He says yes, but… I am also this and this and that!  He surprises me, He challenges me and He always, always Loves me and is in my corner. 

And as I seek Him and grow in my knowledge of Him, I cannot help but think if people, Your creation, really knew Who You are they would gladly and gratefully follow You for You are Life, abundant and full and exciting! You are never boring, or dull, or without purpose.  As  I look around and realize that my life is full of His Love, His Beauty and His Grace, I begin to have a better understanding of Who He is to me.  He is everywhere in my life – in my family, in my job, in my relationships.  He rejoices with me in my successes and teaches me to learn from my failures, and then on top of that, He causes all of it to work for my good.

So those are my thoughts as I begin the week of Christmas.  May your day be filled with Blessings abundant and Joy overflowing as we celebrate the event that has changed the world – the promise come to be, the Light of the World.  Amen.

A greeting

I pray this finds each of you healthy and prosperous and filled with joy!  As we enter this wondrous season, I love to take time to reflect on all that the Lord has done over the past year, the things He has taught me, the prayers He has answered, and the beauty of His creation: babies, the first snow of the season, a warm fireplace on a cold day, especially coupled with my “coffee with the Lord” time in the morning to mention just a few!  I have so very much to be grateful for that I could spend hours/days/years thanking Him and not even begin to touch on the things He has done. 

I have been doing a lot of traveling lately (I work out of a home office normally but have had lots of out of town projects for the past several months).  Anyway, I have been “out there” much more than normal, and in that, have been so very aware that, as I meet with people, and walk through airports, and chat with co-workers, my heart swells with gratitude to Him who holds me and keeps me and watches over me with the tender love of a most Loving and Protective Father. I so cannot keep myself…..

At the same time, as I listen and “see”  my heart goes out to those in the world who truly do not see – the lost and blind.  Conversations with my brothers and sisters in Christ are so full and rich and meaningful – so other than much of what is shared in “the world.”  And my thought yesterday was how thankful I am to be a part of the Body of Christ, for if you do not know Who you believe in and WHAT you believe then you can believe in anything and everything becomes “OK’ – and then suddenly, nothing is OK because you have nothing to hold on to or anchor on to – truly a ship without a map/direction or a rudder or a purpose.  And that sinking feeling permeates your soul – is this all there is?  I remember those days, the sadness and emptiness in my soul and in my spirit.  And as I pray for each of them, back to square one I go – for God so loved the world…..and I am once again safe and secure in the Knowledge of Him.  Are we not the most Blessed of all?