Monday, October 24, 2011

NO OTHER FRIEND....

I have been blessed over the years to have many precious friends.  Each brings something special to my life.  I have friends that have lasted through the ages...we have a shared history.  We have shared the highs and lows together.  I have friends that I've only known for a short time, but have become so dear to me that I can't imagine my life without them.  Friends add so much joy to life.  They adorn our lives, giving it rich color and they add sparkle to dreary days.

Many friends come and go as our lives and circumstances change, distance separates or they were meant only for a season. 

Yet friends are only human.  Their capacity to love and give and care is limited.  Their ability to share your burdens can be compromised by their own problems, time constaints or simply friend fatigue.  

But there is one friend who will NEVER leave you or forsake you....JESUS.  His love is limitless!  His shoulders are broad and He invites us to give Him all of our troubles.

Yes, no one cares for me like JESUS.

As the song writer penned "What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear.  What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer."

When friends grow weary of our tears and our burdens are too heavy to carry any longer, He is there.  All of our burdens He will bear. 

He will walk with me through the darkness, my candle He will be. 

He thinks about me constantly.  He never forgets me.  He is never too busy.  His door is always open.  In fact, He yearns to spend time with me.  He wants me to pour my heart out to Him, even if I've already told him 100 times already.  He never grows weary of my coming.

Take my hand, Jesus.  Walk with me today.  Whisper your love to me.  Calm my fears.  Wipe away all the tears.  Plant YOUR joy in my heart.  Fill me with your peace.  Chase away all the fearful thoughts.  Reassure me you are in control and all is well.  Walk with me Jesus and hold my hand.  Never let me go.  Til my time on earth is done and my heart beats its last, then open the gates to Heaven and walk me through the door where I will FINALLY be home with You for all eternity.

Saturday, October 8, 2011

GOD IS IN THE LITTLE THINGS

"So I will praise you as long as I live; at Your name, I will lift up my hands.  You satisfy me AS WITH RICH FOOD; my mouth will praise you with joyful lips." Psalm 63: 4,5.

I call this my TRUFFLES verse.  I can't think of any richer food than truffles and the psalmist declares in this verse that is how God satisfies me "as with [truffles]".  Now how sweet is that?!! (No pun intended)

Yes, God satisfies me with so many truffles, sweet little things that are just blessings many would never notice.

Let me share just a few from the last few days.

Thursday I was getting ready to leave for Bible study and I reached for my white jacket.  It was not in my closet nor was it in the coat closet.  Puzzled, but no time for searching, I got in the car with a quick glance over my shoulder to be sure it was not in the backseat and headed off to church.  Bible study.  A lunch meeting.  Then waiting to meet with our women's director while I casually chatted with a friend.  I had not mentioned the missing jacket to anyone.  As we are standing there talking, in walks a gentleman who works in the kitchen.  Guess what he was carrying?  You guessed it!  My white jacket, neatly hung on a hangar!!  He had come to ask my friend who works at the church if she knew who it belonged to.  She had no clue.  But I was astounded to see MY jacket in HIS hands!!  He had no idea it was mine!  So totally a God thing!!  And how sweet of God (one of those "truffles",don't you see) to have it hand delivered to me even on a hangar!!

Today I had planned to attend a writing retreat.  I have had it on my calendar for months.  But today I was SO tired, had so much that needed to be done at home, so many other things I could be doing that I almost talked myself out of going.  Yet I sensed that I was supposed to go.  I knew no one who was going, which also made it a little less appealing.  Still, I decided I needed to go. 

I headed off to Bartlett with my Mapquest map in hand.  Somehow though it did not jive with the road signs and I took several wrong turns before finally locating the church.  Oddly, we were meeting at an outdoor sanctuary for opening worship.  I couldn't quite feature that and was not overly excited at the prospect.  (Like I said, I was tired).  But oh did God have a treat (aka "truffle") waiting for me.

Out from the parking lot of this church was a gravel path that led to a wooded area at the rear of their property.  As you walked through the gate, you walked into an open area surrounded by trees... a perfect sanctuary in the woods!  At the front was a large wooden cross.  To the side was a stone fire pit which was burning to chase away the chill and to the right of that was a stone pulpit.  The area was even equipped with a sound system and lights for use at night! 

As we sat in that little piece of Heaven, tucked away beyond a concrete parking lot, the musicians played worship songs and we sang praises to Him.  A gentle breeze blew through the trees as a shower of golden leaves fluttered about, drifting ever so quietly to the ground.  Such a peaceful place.  Such a respite from a busy, hectic week.  I knew I was where I was supposed to be.  Praise God I had not turned a deaf ear and chosen to stay home to do laundry. 

After the  music, a young woman came to speak on Psalm 103.  I love the book of Psalms so she definitely had a captive audience with me.  She was a great communicator and God blessed again as she spoke, reminding me that I am a beloved daughter of the King and He desires to give me the desires of my heart.  Another truffle for the day.

Inside we made our way to tables to begin the "learning" part of the day.  A woman approached my table and said "Don't I know you?"  Her face did look very familiar and we soon realized that she had been in one of the Bible studies I had led a while back.  She joined me at my table and we had a great time together, both sharing our love for writing and later, sharing our joys over being grandmothers.  What a sweet time we had!!  I was so thankful that God had brought her across my path again.  I have a feeling that we will be keeping in touch in the future, and I look forward to getting to know this sweet sister in Christ even more.

Later in the day, we switched tables.  Here I met an older woman who teaches at the University of Memphis.  She had spent most of her life writing professionally in line with her career, but now is enjoying writing children's books.  Her latest project is writing about tea parties for little girls.  Are you ready for this?  My oldest granddaughter LOVES tea parties and I'm hoping my youngest will, too, in another year or so.  She told me all about her plans for this delightful series of books which will be designed for little girls to teach them in a fun way about manners, social graces and being feminine.  How sweet of the Lord to introduce me to this dear lady.  She has taken my information with a promise to email me as soon as they go to print. 

Yes, I truly believe that God is in the little things.  The seemingly insignificant things of life.  But nothing is insignificant when lovingly handed to us by our great and gracious God.  I am so thankful for the way He touches my life, handing me truffles on an ordinary Saturday morning for no other reason than the fact that He loves me so!!

Have you had any truffles today?