The Time Given To Us...

 

Daily Gratitude- Year 14 - Day 115: Today, I am grateful for the time given to us.

JRR Tolkien was no stranger to loss. Neither was his close friend. CS Lewis. Their relationship was more of an "iron sharpens iron" when discussions turned to God. 

Both loved storytelling and digging deep into the wonder of knowing God and coming into a relationship with him. Tolkien came to faith early in life. Lewis wrestled with the decision. Tolkien walked with him as a friend. Tolkien was a devout Catholic; Lewis returned to the Anglican (Episcopalian) church he left as a teen. They were lifelong friends with many shared experiences. They were quite a pair. They had a passion to know God better and deeper. 

"All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us." -JRR Tolkien, from Gandalf to Frodo, "Fellowship of the Ring"

None of us knows the number of our days. We must choose carefully how to spend each one of them. It was a reality the friends had experienced way too early in life. It helped them ask some of the big questions about what really matters in life. They worshiped under different roofs, but they were brothers in Christ. Oh to have been a fly on the wall when they were pondering the aspects of the Holy Trinity. 

CS Lewis dedicated "The Screwtape Letters" to Tolkien. It is a reminder that the enemy is alive and well, calculating our demise. I am confident Tolkien laughed aloud at times, and perhaps he saw glimpses of conversations shared in the writings. Iron sharpens iron. 

Tolkein was at the graveside when Lewis was buried. How his heart must have ached at the loss of his dear friend. He knew that the separation was temporary. He knew he would have to decide what to do with the remaining time on his clock. He was grateful for the times shared and the deeper walk with the Lord each knew because of the other. 

They did friendship well. 

"Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep." -Romans 12:15

Today, I am grateful for the time given to us.

Mixed Blessings

Daily Gratitude- Year 14 - Day 115: Today, I am grateful for the mixed blessings. 

Spring is a season that is full of many kinds of weather. The days can change quickly, and at times it takes us by surprise. This quote from Frances Hodgson Burnett's "Secret Garden" capture is well. 

"Is the spring coming? ... What is it like?" 

"It is the sun shining on the rain and the rain falling on the sunshine..." 

 The passage is a wonderful capture of the wonder and the beauty of it all. Is the sun shining on the rain or is the rain falling on the sunshine? I think the simple answer is "yes" to both. 

Soon the baby birds will hatch and learn to fly. The lilacs and peonies are coming soon. The bunnies are everywhere. I do love spring. Without the rain there would be no flowers. The sunshine warms the soil so the seeds come to life and take root. Both are necessary. 

"He makes all things beautiful in His time."

Today, I am grateful for the mixed blessings. 

Simple Memories

 

Daily Gratitude- Year 14 - Day 114: Today, I am grateful for simple memories that make me smile. 

This is the kind of phone I grew up with. I remember getting a push button phone but these old, solid rotary phones were still around the house. They didn't fail. They worked long after the push button versions didn't. 

This is the phone that could ring on a party line so you knew if you should answer or let it ring on for the neighbors on your party line (the Corbin's and the Krueger's). 

This is the phone that might confuse youth today. It seems so obvious to those who know how it works. I wonder if these still work with today's technology? 

After yesterday's post, my first thought was how slow this technology would seem with today's modern devices. Of course, at that time we only used area codes for long distance calls. 4-2504 was Grandpa and Grandma. 4-2002 what Uncle Larry and Aunt Judy. 4-2607 was Aunt Mary and Uncle Mel. That was all we needed. So, it really didn't take long. 

Phone technology has changed so much over the past 30 years. Now, we carry it with us. I am not always sure that is a good thing. We are living out what only Star Trek dreamed of in the 1960's. 

What is easy is not always good. Technology, like many things, has its good and its bad features. We are the ones who choose if we use them or they use us.  

"“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many." -Matthew 7:13

What are the simple memories that make you smile today? Where can you choose simple today? 

Today, I am grateful for simple memories that make me smile. 

Unhurried

 

Daily Gratitude- Year 14 - Day 113: Today, I am grateful for unhurried moments. 

This poem is beautiful: 

I WILL NOT HURRY
I will not hurry through this day!
Lord, I will listen by the way,
To humming bees and singing birds,
To speaking trees and friendly words;
And for the moments in between
Seek glimpses of Thy great Unseen.
I will not hurry through this day;
I will take time to think and pray;
I will look up into the sky,
Where fleecy clouds and swallows fly;
And somewhere in the day, maybe
I will catch whispers, Lord, from Thee! 

-Ralph Spaulding Cushman 1879-1960

The unhurried moments are where we find some of the best things in the day. The cool scent of the morning before the day heats up, the scent of fresh coffee, the sun peeking at daybreak before it fully rises to light and warm the day are just a few of the moments I do not want to hurry.

Hurrying too often distracts us from what is important. 

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.” – Ecclesiastes 3:1

Today, I am grateful for unhurried moments. 

My Little Brother

Daily Gratitude- Year 14 - Day 112: Today, I am grateful for my little brother. 

My world changed on this day. It is the anniversary of  my baby brother's arrival. I was six years older and it was so fun to have a real baby of my own. Well, he wasn't exactly mine, but I bossed him around like a mom. We've often said it is a wonder he even likes me, let alone loves me. 

My side of the story is that it took all three of us... Mom, Dad, and me... to keep him alive. April was sometimes his keeper, and sometimes his partner in crime. We grew up running barefoot with plenty of sunshine. 

My first gray hairs likely came from him. I adore him! It is probably good that I was gone before his teen years. He walked at 7 months and climbed grain silos... alone... when he was two. 

He taught me to drive a stick shift when he was twelve and I was 17 after Dad tried and failed. Dad was mad. I was in tears. Matt said, "Let's go, Babe." It was not his usual name for me... but at that moment he was the big brother. 15 minutes later, I was on my way to perfecting the skill. 

I love his quick wit, common sense, and wisdom. I love that we laugh together and are touched by many of the same things. Who knew that he would grow up to be one of my best friends, too? I am grateful for the wife he chose and that she said yes. Laughing together is one of life's greatest pleasures. The time together is never long enough. Be it as two couples... or even better with all of our children (by birth and by blessing-in-love) ... it is always good to be together. 

He is a wonderful husband, dad, brother, uncle, and he loves the land just like Grandpa, Dad, and Uncle Mel. He is my brother, and I celebrate the gift of another year added to his count. 

“‘“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.”’ -Numbers 6:24-26

Today, I am grateful for my little brother. 

The Right Key

 

Daily Gratitude- Year 14 - Day 111: Today, I am grateful for the right key.

When I was younger, I used to glance at the front pages of the celebrities on the gossip newspapers like the National Enquirer while waiting to pay for groceries. The drama was always big and much of it false, but, curiosity kept my eye glued to the cover. Now, I see them and all I feel is sad. Fame and fortune leaves many of the celebrities broken and sad. 

If you grew up in the country or small town, you have likely been teased for it. Not the good type of teasing that I enjoyed from my friends who lived in the city and the burbs (I enjoyed it all and especially bringing you to one lane roads with no yellow lines that made you panic.). It was the arrogant superiority that really looked down on those who live more simply. 

Dad always called it "the accident of birth" when he referred to where you lived, the color of your skin, the color of your eyes or hair, or who your parents happen to be. He was a Gideon and believed in getting Bibles into the hands of those who might not know the gospel near and far away. Jail was his favorite place to take Bibles. We used to joke that it was a captive audience. He carried the truth. Some found freedom behind bars. It fueled his soul. 

As far as I can tell, extreme wealth, fame, and fortune more often than not, suck the goodness from life as there seems to be an addiction that comes with chasing more. More money, more fame, and more power. Some... often at the birth of children or a crisis moment, step away from the limelight and look for a quiet, often rural, existence. They seek the simple and the true. 

Happiness chased is fleeting; deep, frequent gratitude sparks joy daily. In seeking Jesus we find truth; the truth sets us free from the shame, the blame, and the broken. Gratitude is the key. 

"and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” -John 8:32

The bars are left behind and the chains are broken. Unlocked by truth, grace, gratitude, and the cancelled sin debt paid by a guy who spent his first night on earth in a manger.  

Today, I am grateful for the right key.  

Favorite Verses

Daily Gratitude- Year 14 - Day 110: Today, I am grateful for my favorite verses. 

I have so many, but there are certainly some that make the top 10 list... and I might be able to do a top five if pressed. This has been one since my teen years. It was highlighted well in my Bible (NIV). Even then, I recognized the power grab. 

“O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." -1 Corinthians 15:55-57

A great companion scripture is: 

"I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! -Philippians 1:20-22

There is so much encouragement in these verses. They declare death a door with no reason to fear. In fact, there is an element of excitement in Paul's letters. His biggest concern is that he will have the courage to face whatever painful death might be ahead of him. He is confident of his destination. The scripture rings with victory and purpose. 

This passage is definitely in my top five. If we follow this simple instruction, we will get many things right. 

"Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep." -Romans 12:15

Celebrate the joys. Share in the sorrows. 

Today, I am grateful for my favorite verses.