Friday, April 26, 2024

Celebrating Our Differences



Daily Gratitude Year 12 - Day 107: Today, I am grateful  we can celebrate our differences. 

Animals are great. In the wild, these two would have a different relationship. When humans are near, it seems to be in our nature to widen the scope of family. Our fur-babies are family.

This image cracks me up. It is such a raccoon thing to do... and the dog's response is so "dog-like." Raccoons love to pet faces. Dogs let us do as we please, for a belly rub and occasional treat. 

Cats rule the roost and believe we live to serve them. There is evidence to support their belief.  

I love seeing cats, dogs,  humans and other animals living together in harmony. 

When I was a teen, we "bird-sat" for many years while our friend, Nancy Hirstein, was in college. Her cockatiel, Ike, fell in love with our Shit-Zu dog, Misti Sue. When Nancy finished college, she took Ike home with her. The problem was, both Misti Sue and Ike were depressed when they were separated. Ike drove Nancy crazy and Misti Sue stopped eating.  Nancy ended up returning Ike. The dog and the cockatiel were best friends and family. Once they were reunited, life was good.

I think we kept Ike until Misty Sue died. 

Common ground helps relationships grow deep and strong roots. Differences make life more interesting. 

“When you are on the way to court with your adversary, settle your differences quickly. Otherwise, your accuser may hand you over to the judge, who will hand you over to an officer, and you will be thrown into prison." -Matthew 5:25

I love there is great advice in that passage. It is better to settle your differences without the courts. 

Today, I am grateful  we can celebrate our differences.



Thursday, April 25, 2024

Painted Rocks

 

Daily Gratitude Year 12 - Day 106: Today, I am grateful for painted rocks. 

Painting rocks and hiding them was a thing for a while. They are fun to find. 

Growing up, we spent time looking for rocks, hoping for arrowheads, and fossils. We always found cool rocks. Never a woolly mammoth or T-Rex, but a kid can dream.

Sitting down to create something from nothing, it is always good for my soul. Even if it is not an artistic masterpiece.

I need to try some rock painting. This little cottage in the picture is so cute. 

I cannot help but think of "The Painted Desert" when I think of painted rocks. Or what about  the amazing colorful stones found within the rock? This passage mentions lapis and gold:

"Here the rocks contain precious lapis lazuli, and the dust contains gold." -Job 28:6

Today, I am grateful for painted rocks. 

Wednesday, April 24, 2024

 

Daily Gratitude Year 12 - Day 105: Today, I am grateful for a sense of humor.

Does God have a sense of humor? Well, we are told that God created man in his own image. Babies laugh. They do not need to be taught. It is a reflex to something they find funny.

"So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them." -Genesis 1:27

This quote made me giggle: "When God created ducks, He said, "Waterproof that chicken and give it a kazoo." That's funny!

Shelley - I know you are going to hear the "kazoo" in the next duck you hear. (Love you!)

Today, I am grateful for a sense of humor.

Tuesday, April 23, 2024

Beauty from Ashes

 

Daily Gratitude Year 12 - Day 104: Today, I am grateful for the beauty from ashes.

"Satan loves to take what's beautiful and ruin it. God loves to take what is ruined and make it beautiful."

The battle for our souls is real. The enemy of our soul wants us to feel ugly, broken, and unloved. He wants us to feel ruined.

Like the Japanese art of kintsugi, repairing broken pottery with gold, silver, or platinum... it becomes more beautiful in its broken, mended places at the touch of the Master's hand.

As a little girl, I fell in love with "The Velveteen Rabbit" by Margery Williams. I think it is where I first discovered that children's literature could speak great truth.

“Real isn't how you are made,' said the Skin Horse. 'It's a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real.'
'Does it hurt?' asked the Rabbit.

'Sometimes,' said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. 'When you are Real you don't mind being hurt.'

'Does it happen all at once, like being wound up,' he asked, 'or bit by bit?'

'It doesn't happen all at once,' said the Skin Horse. 'You become. It takes a long time. That's why it doesn't happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand.”
― Margery Williams Bianco, The Velveteen Rabbit
You can never be ugly again. That is how we are loved. He wants to trade beauty for ashes. 

"To all who mourn in Israel, he will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the LORD has planted for his own glory." - Isaiah 61:3

Be brave. Be real. Be willing to "make the trade."

Today, I am grateful for the beauty from ashes.


Monday, April 22, 2024

Matthew

Daily Gratitude Year 12 - Day 103: Today, I am grateful for Matthew.

A picture of the two of us is rare, so I had to share it. Happy Birthday, little brother! I am so grateful he came along.

I am grateful for all of the seasons we have shared. Each one has its sweetness and its sorrows. We have known the simple joys of being raised in the dirt with plenty of trees to climb, and creeks to explore.

We grew up with the intoxicating fragrance of grain falling from the auger into a wagon and the scent of rain as it hits the thirsty soil in the summer heat. We can spot the clouds that look like trouble when the conditions are right for a tornado, especially in the spring. We've spent winter nights listening to the cold winds shake the house. We grew up with "old wives tales" and "farmer sayings" and have found them to often ring with truth. We would not change a thing.

He was in 6th grade when I graduated from High School and went off to college. I blinked and he was a man... and a good one. How swiftly the years pass by! I am grateful for every one... even the hard ones, because we learned together what matters most.

I love you little brother. Wishing you many more trips around the sun.

"Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love." -1 Corinthians 13:13

Today, I am grateful for Matthew.

Sunday, April 21, 2024

Mama Ina Mae's Wisdom

 

Daily Gratitude Year 12 - Day 102: Today, I am grateful for Mama's wisdom.

Happy Heavenly Birthday to Mama! I miss you.  

April, Matthew, and I had the most patient, wise and loving soul on the planet as our Mama. She was gentle, but it only too a look when Dad stepped out of line. Those who knew them know exactly what I mean. "Kenneth!" meant he was really in trouble. 

She used to say, "Learn something new every day." She was a slow reader but what she read she retained. She knew her Bible. She loved owning her own "Strong's Concordance" so she could better study The Word. She studied healing plants from the earth, before it was "cool." I wish I had written down more. 

I sure miss her light and her life. I am so grateful she is dancing, singing, and playing music in Heaven. 

The sermon today talked about the Holy Spirit and she was full of it. She was always a good girl, but when she said her best "yes" it was to Jesus... her life became a living sacrifice.  

She loved my Dad with every beat of her heart... even when he was in the dog house. She loved us... including and maybe especially... Randy and Jennifer without reservation. There were no "in-laws".. only "in-love." 

We did not have to earn Mama's love. It was as steady and warm as the sun. She loved the title of "Grandma" best, and loved practicing on her great nieces and nephews.  Brothers, sisters, cousins, aunts, uncles, nieces, and nephews.. each one was special in her sight. 

She was a "love not judge" kind of girl. She chose wisely and with intention. 

"So give your father and mother joy! May she who gave you birth be happy." -Proverbs 23:25

Today, I am grateful for Mama's wisdom and her example of love. 

Saturday, April 20, 2024

Wild Vines


Daily Gratitude Year 12 - Day 101: Today, I am grateful for wild vines. 

Wisteria is a bit of a mystery to me. Is it a tree, a bush, or a wild vine? For us, it has always been a surprise from bird droppings. I love it. 

It is strong, wild, and beautiful. If controlled, it can be spectacular shade. We are watching the rehab of an old building in Italy where they are trying to save the wisteria. I understand their desire. It is gorgeous. 

I wonder if that is how God sees us at times? Strong, wild, and beautiful. I hope so. That might explain his patience and abiding love, even when we do the things we know we should not do. 

He allows consequences... some of them are hard... but I wonder if he relishes in us "submitting our lives to him as a living sacrifice" not only because His ways are always better for us... but because he designed the very part of us that wants to be wild and free in our own strength. Submission of our will and handing Him our hearts is evidence that we are choosing him back. 

He knows our minds and our hearts. 

"And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect." -Romans 12:1-2 

Be like wisteria... strong, wild and free, but submit to the Master Gardener's Hand. 

Today, I am grateful for wild vines.