A-a-choo!

A-a-choo!

August 23, 2014

At home while I was growing up my folks never used foul language but they weren't without some colorful ephitaphs. When my mom was frustrated or exasperate, she'd spit out, “Oh, for corn's sake!” A funny expression by today's standards but one I recall every summer at this time.

We returned home from vacation at the end of July to find that the field corn, which surrounds us on three sides, had grown by two feet (at least!) and tasseled into bloom. Until living here, I didn't realize I was allergic to corn. But maybe it's just that there is so much of it blooming all at the same time? Whatever the reason, I suffer through allergic reaction in varying degrees each August. Like Mom used to say, “Oh, for corn's sake!”

Life outdoors in the country is filled with allergins. Winter is the only exception but, brrrrr, who wants to stay outside then? There are some allergies we can't avoid but just have to wade through the tissues and eye drops, hoping to find some antihistimines that curb our symptoms. Our spiritual lives can be like that, too. There are temptations and trials that cross our path every day. What causes a violent reaction from me may not do the same for you. You know, those triggers that frazzle and exasperate? Just as our outdoor allergies may vary, so do our reactions to life's foibles.

One way to combat allergies is to eliminate the irritant. Obviously, I can't stay someplace else while the corn wafts proud plumes of pollen (hey, three p's!) across the countryside. Your allergies may be just as impossible to avoid. So, spiritually speaking, how can we avoid those commonplace issues that cause us such turmoil? Jesus told a very interesting story about that in Matthew 12:43;

“When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it.”

Great! Now we've rid ourselves of that exasperating circumstance, habit or person, that caused us so much distress. But that's not the end of Jesus' story. Let's return to Farmer Jeff's corn field across the street. I've noticed that he plants corn for 2 years and then plants a summer of potatoes. Potatoes I can handle! I've noticed that farmers don't let their fields lie fallow for a season. Obviously, that would allow weeds to spread and proliferate. Let's read on in verses 44-45;

“Then it (the evil spirit) says, 'I will return to the house I left.' When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that man is worse than the first. That is how it will be with this wicked generation.” (NIV)

Oops! Cleaning house wasn't such a good thing. But why? It's because the original host (you and I) left a vacancy that wasn't being inhabited. When we cast out what gives us such unpleasant reactions, we have to fill the time, space, and thoughts with something more wholesome. A blank space in our lives WILL be filled. We have opportunity to choose what we will fill that space with. We need to take to heart the warning from Jesus Christ. “the final condition of that man is worse than the first”!

Love as always, Elaine (Please pass the tissues!)

The Big Scary Thing

The Big Scary Thing

July 23, 2014

Summers in Georgia are oppressively hot, as you can imagine. Even the birds land panting in the afternoon heat. I hate to be closeted in the house all day so I brave the heat to sit slowly rocking on the porch, enjoying the occasional breeze. As I sit on the porch, a man passes by and greetes me in a generic way and I reply with, “A hot one, isn't it?” His reply is very interesting...

“Oh, I'm used to this – it ain't hurtin' nobody.”

Of couse he's right. The heat isn't really a burden, just uncomfortable.

I'm waiting out here to catch a mother wren bringing food to her newly hatched young. She built a nest in a most unlikely place – a cloth bag hanging under the mail box awaiting newspapers. The mailman delivers mail above her nest each day. Fortunately, there are no longer any newspaper subscriptions here. Our family comes and goes through the front door every day, sometimes with a great hub-bub. If there's a Big Scary Thing on the porch she hangs back, refusing to give away the treasure she's hidden in the yellow bag. She flutters worriedly from bush to vine, railing to pillar waiting for the danger to pass. She doesn't know that her young have already been discovered and we peek daily into the bag to watch the bare skinned chicks growing. Today, they opened their gaping mouths as I “tsk, tsked” at them before settling in to wait for Mom's delivery.

I have to sit very still in the far corner of the porch for her to feel the coast is clear. She plots a circuitous route onto the railing, hops to a potted plant, sidesteps to the chair leg; always keeping low and quick moving. It's almost comical, the time and effort she puts into her stealthy approach. It's all for nothing! We pose absolutely no threat to her little treasures. But to her, we are a Big Scary Thing.

Rich and I are soon returning home from vacation to face our own “Big Scary Thing”. We received a diagnosis that no one wants to hear – Cancer. Many others have faced this before and are still battling it. That provides some comfort, knowing that others are walking this hard road. But what if cancer is as we are to this little, busy wren?. Maybe I am seeing this as a Big Scary Thing when it is merely a bump in the road of life? Maybe I'm imagining a heavy burden where there is just discomfort? Jesus wants us to find the rest that is waiting with Him;

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden light.” Matthew 11:28-30

Love as always, Elaine

MY SHRINKING WORLD

March 14, 2014

Our latest 12 inch addition to our snow pack took me back several weeks to our biggest storm of the new year – join me in My Shrinking World...

Lake effect storms seal our house in a shrink wrap of snow. The wind has plastered the snow over all the back windows, making a cozy igloo of my kitchen. This tends to make one a bit claustrophobic. The bathroom windows have been shielded in curtains of icicles – who needs privacy glazing? I'm so thankful the front windows are mostly clear so I can actually see what kind of weather we're getting! You know that claustrophobic feeling you an get in elevators?

For troubles without number surround me; my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see. They are more than the hairs of my head, and my heart fails within me. Psalm 40:12

Apparently David knew the press of worldly troubles and confusion! He was on the run from King Saul for much of his early life. For me, it feels like my world is shrinking in on itself, isolating me from news and neighbors. It's easy for me to get caught up in household chores, as if they were the most important things in my life. I could probably keep busy all winter, locked in a prison of ice, with all the projects I have going.

But I doubt that God has such busy work in mind for me. I have to tear myself away from this icy cave and get back to the comfort and encouragement of His Word.

Lord; may your love and faithfulness always protect me...Be pleased to save me, Lord;

come quickly, Lord, to help me. Psalm 40:11 + 13

Suddenly my world opens up and I can breathe again!

Love as always, Elaine

A Fresh Start

A Fresh Start

March 3, 2014

January's deep freeze left us peering through heavy icicles onto a scene buried in white. What a relief to have a late February thaw bringing a tease of spring to come. Icicles came crashing down, releasing think ice dams to bury in the two foot drifts under the eaves. Bare ground began to appear in our driveway that Rich worked so hard to keep open and I could smell the scent of damp earth. Then several days of lake effect covered all in a 2 foot blanket of pristine white. It covered all the dirt and gravel thrown aside by the snow plows and once again the rusty leftover farm equipment and assorted trash of daily life was out of sight. The winds lift the snow into whipped cream drifts of dazzling white. We awaken each day to a clean tablecloth that God refreshed during the sub-zero nights.

In spite of the beauty winter is such a hardship to our many widows left alone to care for their property. Equipment breaks down, roofs start to leak, water pipes freeze and supplies run low. Driving conditions are so bad that help can be a long time coming. It's easy to get discouraged awaiting the spring that seems too long in coming. I am comforted each morning by His continued care, in spite of all the storms of life.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

As February wanes, you may, like many of us, have given up on your New Year's resolutions by now. But God's resolve never wavers or weakens. His plan is to refresh us each day.

“Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him." The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him" Lamentations 3:22-25.

Love as always, Elaine

Blurred Vision

Recent facial surgery has me fumbling about without any eyeglasses.  My trifocals (which I wear constantly) are too big and heavy to rest on the pressure dressing.  My “computer” glasses aren’t much better even though they correct only two fields of vision.  I’m thankful to have a lightweight pair for distance and TV viewing.  At least I can wear those!  But that means I can’t read the calendar, recipes or books.  I can’t do any crafts or use my sewing machine.  Even Bible study is out of the question since I use a small print, four translation parallel Bible.  What a dilemma!

That had me searching the scriptures (on the computer only) for NT references to blindness.  What a wealth of teachings I happened upon!  The Gospels alone contain 46 references using the word blind!  The most endearing incidents are of Jesus giving sight to the blind, like the following which appears in all three Synoptic Gospels;

Then they brought him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute, and Jesus healed him, so that he could both talk and see.  All the people were astonished and said, "Could this be the Son of David?"    Matthew 12:22; Mark 3:23-27 and Luke 11:17-22

Sadly enough, the Pharisees were unconvinced by this display of Heavenly power and accused Jesus of using the power of demons;

…But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, "It is only by Beelzebub, the prince of demons, that this fellow drives out demons."    Matthew 12:24

It’s easy enough for me to condemn these Pharisees as hard-hearted or perhaps foolish not to recognize the power of God.  If I’m honest, however, there are some ways in which I become blind to God’s Truth.  What about the “air pollution” and “smog” that hovers around me when I’m too distracted by worldly things to concentrate on the Heavenly ones?

Or, when I’m constantly in motion doing, doing, and doing – am I too busy to hear that “still, small Voice”?  I’m reminded that Jesus used the metaphor of blindness to condemn the unbelief of the Jewish religious leaders. 

“Leave them; they are blind guides. If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit.”  Matthew 15:14

At other times I’ve allowed petty, nagging worries to block my view of the Divine.  I need to get around all the underbrush for a clear and inspiring vista, just like Mt. Rainier appearing around the next bend!

Love as always,  Elaine (changing lenses again!)

Perpetual Spring

As the daffodils fade, the tulips burst open with their vibrant colors.  By the time they are pale and tattered by April winds, irises spread their orchid throats to the bees.  Lilies rise to spread their pollen over daisies and lupines.  They drop their petals as black-eyed Susans follow the sun at its zenith.  Step by step my gardens tell their tale of summer – and of our lives.

As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him; for He knows how we are formed, He remembers that we are dust.  As for man, his days are like grass, he flourishes like a flower of the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more.  Psalm 103:13-16

After visiting with our children and grandchildren, I realize that families follow that same procession of life.  As our generation fades and loses energy, the next generation comes to full bloom lifting up the next beautiful “bloomers” to replace them in due time.

What a joy it is to see our not-so-little boys with their own little ones.  I rejoice knowing our family memories will live beyond us through generation after generation.  Some will be born with a love of gardening.  Others will bake or cook with a passion.  There will be readers and writers and painters.  My straight hair will plague some future great, great granddaughter who needs braces on her teeth!

I was very close to my Grandma and Pap-pap, so I treasure all my memories of them.  Those memories seem to grow clearer to me the older I get.  Because of God’s blessing in my life, I’m able to build memories for grandchildren to treasure long after I am gone.  Of course, I will be gone someday as Moses wrote in the one Psalm attributed to him:

You sweep men away in the sleep of death; they are like the new grass of the morning— though in the morning it springs up new, by evening it is dry and withered.  Psalm 90:5-6

As I watch the seasons change my garden, the urgency of my limited life span is brought home.  May we all echo the Psalmist’s prayer:

Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.  Psalm 90:12

Love as always,  Elaine (deadheading in the garden)

Are You Really Hungry?

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.  Matthew 5:6

 

In a trip to an Ohio camp meeting, Rich and I had opportunity to stop by one of our favorite state parks at Pymatuning, PA.  This area was the scene of many family camping trips and is filled with fond memories.  We visited the Espyville spillway and bought stale bread to feed to the fish.  If you visit the park, don’t miss this local wonder.

The spillway teems with fish waiting for tourists to throw bread down to them.  Ducks and seagulls float as close as they dare, hoping for handouts.  When bread hits the water, a feeding frenzy breaks out.  Ducks even dance precariously on the backs of the huge carp in order to snatch any stray crumbs.  Imagine being so hungry that you would trample on others to get just a bite of bread!

Wouldn’t it be great if we were that hungry for the Word of God?  To keep watch, eagerly awaiting Bible study and prayer time?  In Psalm 63:1, David writes of his longing for God while running from Saul in the wilderness:

O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.  Psalm 63:1

Now that’s a real hunger!  In his time of exile, David longed to be among the worshippers before the tabernacle in Jerusalem.  How blessed we are to live under the new covenant.  We have the completed Word of God right in our hands!  There are so many in the world still yearning for the Bread and Water that satisfies.  I’ve seen photos of crowds of people reaching up to a missionary handing out Bibles from the back of a truck.  Thanks be to God that the salvation He offers cuts across all cultural and language barriers:

Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.”  John 6:35

Although you may not know it, there are many around you who are thirsting for that which eternally satisfies.  May you slake your thirst in God’s Word daily in order to share it with others.

Love as always,  Elaine (feasting on the Word)