The "Time Out"

Last weekend we had the pleasure of having our grandchildren, Jack and Emma, stay with us.  I may be biased, but these are two of the sweetest, smartest and delightful children I have ever met.  But then, I am their "Grannie Frannie."

Jack and Emma rarely give us any trouble.  Jack simply loves following the rules. His sister Emma, although fearless and adventuresome, follows them because she knows the consequences.  It is an odd thing when we have to enact discipline with them.  This past weekend was one of those odd times.

I had been in the living room, while the children played under the supervision of their Aunt Marie. Things were quiet and calm, until some bickering started between Jack and Emma.  This very shortly escalated into a fight.  Marie was quick to intervene, suggesting they both needed some "time out."  

It has been so long since either of them had any "time out" neither of them would fit in the tiny preschool chair we used for that purpose.  So I pulled two dining room chairs into the hall and made them face opposite walls for the appointed time (the average of their ages.)  I warned them that they were not to move or to speak during that time.  They were so still and quiet I wondered at one point if they were even breathing!

When the time was up, I made them turn towards me and this is what I told them:

"The hallmark of our family is respect and kindness.  This is how we want to treat everyone.  Anytime you are fighting with each other or someone else, it is because you are no longer being respectful or kind.  In this family we seek to put everyone else's wants and needs before our own, to think of others as "better than themselves."  If you are fighting, you are thinking that you are more important than the other person and that what you want is more important than what they want."

When I told Glen about this conversation he mentioned that it would be a good lesson for anyone to hear.  In fact, the Apostle Paul instructed us in this:

"Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.  Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others."  (Philippians 2: 3,4.)

The reason the Apostle Paul gave us this instruction was because our Lord lived a perfect example of this.  Our humility and attention to others comes not from our own efforts and sacrifice, but from His life and sacrifice.  It is His Spirit which empowers us, by faith, to live this life.  The Apostle continues this chapter with the wonderful description of the humility of our Lord:

"Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:  Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:  But made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:  and being found in fashion as a man He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name:  That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."  (Philippians 2: 5-11.)

I love the way I have heard one preacher say it, "the only Person who ever had any right to be proud, wasn't."  If our Lord is the example of humility, then we are to walk in His steps and His attitudes.  It shames me how often I have not followed that path, how often I have let my Greek-Irish temper flare in indignation.  Clearly I was not esteeming others as better than myself in those times.

Whenever pride, arrogance and indignation rise their ugly heads in our hearts and minds, let us remember the One who willingly humbled Himself, who gave up the glories of heaven to take upon Himself "the form of a servant."  Let us fall to our knees to thank Him for His incredible sacrifice and to ask that He work that same humility in and through us as we trust Him by faith.

What Kind of Nut Are You?

Yesterday my husband and I met our son for coffee and he had with him our granddaughter, Emma.  While Emma was eating her ice cream, I was asking her questions about her day at school.  At one point her father teasingly told her, "You're a nut, that's what you are!"

I picked right up on that subject and asked her, "Emma, what kind of nut are you, are you a peanut?"

"No," she said.

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

"Are you a cashew-nut?"  We have made enough trips to the Peanut Shoppe in our town which sells all varieties of roasted nuts, I knew she was well aware of what cashews were.

"No, ma'am."

"Are you a pecan?"   I thought perhaps she considered herself more of a Southern girl!

"No."

"Well," I was running out of nuts I thought she might know, "Are you a hazelnut?"

"No."

"Well, what type of nut are you then?"  I was very curious as to what her answer would be.

She sat for a minute with a thoughtful look on her face and then said very definitively, "A doughnut!"

What a perfect answer!  I would want to be a doughnut too!

Her father had told her she was a nut and she picked out the nut she wanted to be, she just picked out something none of us expected.

The Lord has a calling for each of His children.  Not everyone is intended to be a preacher, in fact, very few will be preachers.  Not everyone is called to be a teacher, or a singer. Maybe your calling is to perform a simple act of kindness for someone on a routine basis.  I know a gentleman in the retirement community where we do services who cuts out particular newspaper articles for one of the other residents there who doesn't get a newspaper, then brings them to her each week.  This is an example of something the Lord may call us to do.

In the Nursing facility where we also do services there used to be a resident named Liz.  Mrs. Liz used to ride through the halls on her electric wheelchair and when she would pass another resident she would make a point to stop to talk to them and to try to encourage them and cheer them up.  Often she would sing "Jesus Loves Me" with them because she felt that it always seemed to make everyone feel better.  She had a definite calling of encouragement to the other residents where she lived.

It may be your calling is just to have a sweet countenance and a cheerful attitude toward others you see.  At first you may say, "That is too little a thing to be a calling!"  but think of it this way.  If a recipe called for pecans and we left those out, you would surely miss those nuts, wouldn't you?  They are little things, but with a big impact. Why some recipes call for only a pinch of salt, but without that pinch -- such a tiny little thing -- the recipe is ruined.

 If the Lord calls you to something it matters not how "big" the thing appears.  He may well call you to that little thing because He knows how important the little thing is.  The main thing is, whatever He calls you to do -- do it.  Do it heartily, with a joyful heart, unto Him, not unto men.  Think not if it is big or small, a peanut or a doughnut, just do it

"Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God."

1 Corinthians 10:31

Always Watching

This past weekend, we took our grandson Jackson to his T-ball game.  Our granddaughter Emma soon tired of watching little boys try to hit the ball off the tee.  She wanted to go to the colorful playground in the center of the ballpark.

I walked over there with her, sat on the "Mommy" bench and watched as she ran from one piece of equipment to another.  My eyes were never off of her, not so much because I was afraid someone would steal her away, but because Emma is fearless.  She climbs, she jumps and sometimes mistakenly thinks she can fly.  Her broken collarbone (the result of attempted flight) is far enough in the past now, she just might try again.

I noticed frequently throughout her play time she would turn and look back at me. I could tell she was pleased to see each time that I was intently watching her.  A grin would spread over that impish face, then she would flit on to the next activity before her.

At one point she did indeed climb higher than I would have liked.  Some of the older boys had found a way to climb on top of a piece of equipment that looked like a whale and were perched on the "whale's back."  She managed to get herself up there (not thinking much about the dress she had on, obviously).  She immediately looked backward at me to see my reaction.  I didn't get on to her in anyway and I didn't tell her to come down. . .I wanted to see how she would accomplish the feat of extracting herself from where she was perched and I wanted to see how long it would take her to attempt it.

She had a little difficulty at one point, but I just sat still.  I let her figure it out and figure it out she did.  She managed to get both her feet back on the safety of the platform and appeared to be quite proud of herself for her accomplishment.  Again, her face turned back to me to see if I had watched her.

Then she slid down the slide in front of me and ran to tell me about sitting "on top of the whale."

"I saw that," I told her, "but you looked a little frightened at one point."

"Yeah," she sort of brushed it off, "sometimes I get scared up high."

She must not get very scared up high, because this girl climbs and jumps and dances and I swear if she could flap her arms fast enough she would fly.

But in all that activity, it was important for her to frequently look back and see if someone was watching her. She was so glad they were, and I was so glad I was there to do so.

It should be a comfort to us to know that as Christians there is One that always watches over us as well.  His eye is always on us with a heart full of love and care and tenderness.  We will never look at Him that we do not catch His eye first looking at us.

Matthew 10: 29-31 

"Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.  But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows."

"My Book"

Our grandson Jackson, who is just finishing the first grade, loves to read.

I am amazed at the words he easily reads without any hesitation or  difficulty.  I am quite sure I was in at least the third grade before I knew many of the words he reads today without even finishing the first grade.

When Jackson was almost ten months old I started writing a journal for him.  I wrote thoughts I had of him, stories of things we have done together, stories about his father, his aunts and his grandfather.  He and his sister Emma love to take down "their books" and look at them.

This weekend when Jackson and Emma were staying with us, Jackson took down his book and turned to the very first page.  There on the end-page I had written these words:

"Jackson,

I wish I had started this sooner, and I guess I will stop it when it ends, but I wanted to take some time to let you know you are special and loved and that you have a wonderful place in my heart.
                                                                                 Grannie Frannie"

Since I print more than I write in cursive, Jackson easily began to read the words aloud, not having any idea what he was reading, or who they were from.  When he came to the last two, he pointed to them and said, "What's that say?"

When I told him "Grannie Frannie,"  he got the biggest smile on his face and immediately turned around to me for a huge, and I mean HUGE, hug.  It was obvious the words had touched his little heart.  It was even more special that this very first time he read the words himself he did so when the author was right there beside him waiting for his response.  It was a moment I will never forget and I will be sure to write it in his journal so he will be able to remember it later as well.

We, too, have a "journal" written to us by One who loves us, who finds us to be special and who has made a special place for us in His heart.  How wonderful when we read the words of those pages and discover, as did little Jackson, that Someone loves us enough to write it down, to record it, to put it to paper.  Even more wonderful when we know that the Author is right there with us waiting for our response.  Our heavenly Father can be no less blessed with our reading His words than I was blessed by Jackson reading what I had written to him.  And the cost of our Father's "journal" is so much greater.

I have written in Jackson's journal so that he could know me long after I am gone, so he could know things of his parents, his grandfather, his aunts that he might not remember or ever have opportunity to know otherwise.  Mostly I wanted him to know just how greatly loved he is.  The same is true with the Scriptures given to us as our "journal" from the Lord.  Let us take every opportunity we can to explore what is written in "our book" and to learn what our Lord has said for us, to us and about us.

Psalms 119:16

"I will delight myself in Thy statutes: I will not forget Thy word."

"I Must Be Really Special. . ."

Whenever our grandchildren come to visit, one thing our granddaughter Emma loves to do is to look at "her book." 

By that she is referring to a pink journal which I started for her before she was even born.  I have written in this journal for the last five years.  When her father was away in various training and deployments with the Marine Corps, I would put his letters for her in there.  Last Valentine's Day, he sent her a beautiful card full of pictures of Disney princesses, which she loves.

Emma loves to look at her "book," even though she can't yet read any of the words.  She especially loves to take out her father's letters and open up her card and have me read it to her.  This weekend, as she was looking at these things, she said, "I must be really special for my daddy to have sent me all of this!"

That was exactly the thought her daddy wanted her to have because she is very special to him, and to all of us, and she has the book to prove it.  Perhaps that's why she loves to look at it every time she is here.

One day, when she is older, she will be able to sit down and read all the things "Grannie Frannie" has written to her over the years in her book. She will read about things we have done that she has long since forgotten, which will remind her of just how much she is loved and just how "really special" she is to all of us.

As Christians, we each have a "book" that we can look at as well, and the pages of that book reveal to us that we are "really special" to the Lord.  Every page reveals the Lord Jesus and His great love for us.  We don't have to read very far to be reminded that His thoughts are always on us, that His love is shed abroad in our hearts, and that one day He is coming again to take us back to be with Him.  We can turn to those pages for comfort, for encouragment, for instruction, for wisdom, for correction, and simply to be reminded that our God loves us.

Jackson and Little Bear

 Little Bear's Trousers

This past Saturday night our grandchildren, Jackson and Emma, spent the night with us.  At bedtime I picked out the book, Little Bear's Trousers by Jane Hissey, to read to them.  After I had read the first page, six-year-old Jackson asked if he could read some, too, and I was amazed at how well he could read. 

I am quite sure at six my tongue could not skip easily over words like "scrambled," "disappear" and "direction," but Jackson read the words as if he had been born reading.

When Jackson began reading, his sister "scrambled" out of her bed and climbed between us to be part of the action.  Although she can't yet read, she could sense there was more to this story-time than just a bedtime story.

At one point the character's words in the story were presented in all-caps and I wondered if Jackson would recognize the significance.  Without hesitation he raised his voice to the perfect pitch as he read Little Bear's exclamation of dismay.  He had not only read the sentence perfectly, he also portrayed it that way as well.

Jackson's father tells me reads everything...song titles on the car stereo, signs on the road, virtually anything that has words, Jack tries to sound it out and read it.  It doesn't surprise me.  He comes from a family of people who love books, who love to read and whose lives are somewhat centered around words.

One reason Jack loves to read is because he knows words open up a whole new world of understanding to him.  Knowledge unattainable to him before he could read is now within his grasp and he wants to devour it all as quickly as possible. Considering that thought, is it any wonder that the Bible describes the Lord Jesus as "the Word"? 

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him; and without Him was not any thing made that was made.  In Him was life; and the life was the light of men.  And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." John 1:1-4, 14

Once we see the Lord Jesus is indeed the "Word" for our lives we will, like Jackson, realize that we have within our grasp something more marvelous than we can imagine.  Jackson sees words as miracles, but the true miracle is that the "Word was made flesh and dwelt among us".  The miracle is that ". . as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name:  Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God," (John 1:12,13).

We  have within our grasp the written Word of God to devour and, as Christians, we have within our hearts the Living Word of God, full of grace and truth, the Life, the Light of men.  Let us have the same joy and diligence in learning these Words as little Jackson does his.

"What Is Love, Biscuit?"

My grandchildren, Jack and Emma, love for me to read books to them.  In fact, I am thrilled my husband and I had the pleasure of taking them to the library for the first time.  They had been instructed before entering they could each check out one book.  They slowly walked along the rows of children's books, then they would each pull out a book, and in their little "library voice" whisper, "I want this one!"

As they continued down the row, they would put the book back and find another, again whispering, "I want this one!"  Finally, our selections were complete and we headed home.  They couldn't wait to pile up on the couch and have Grannie Frannie read to them their new treasures.

One of the books we have that they love to read is "Where is Love, Biscuit?"  Biscuit is a cute little dog featured in a series of "Biscuit" books. 

In our book, the little girl in the house points out to Biscuit all the places where she sees love.  She sees love in the blanket the cat shares with her kittens, in the crunchy cookies Daddy makes, in the sweaters Grandma knits, in the stories Momma reads at bedtime, and of course, in the hugs and kisses Biscuit gives.

To emphasize what the girl is speaking about, each page also has a textured place that the children can feel.  They love putting their little fingers on the soft blanket, or crunchy cookies, even though they have felt these things over and over again.

I love reading this book to Jack and Emma because I love impressing upon them that love isn't just a feeling, it is seen and expressed in actions.  Our love toward someone does nothing if there are no "feet" in it.  If there are no outward expressions of that love, can we really say it is love at all?

More importantly, the Scriptures tell us love is a Person.  "God is love," is not only a verse in Scripture, it is the essence of the entire book.  The living, breathing expression of that Love is the Lord Jesus, who "being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross," (Philippians 2:6-8).

Let us choose to make love, His love, the guiding essence of our lives and in honoring His words, "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another," (John 13:34), remember to put "feet" on our love.

"My little children, let us not love in word, 

neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth."

I John 3:18

More Than a Million

Sunday morning, my husband and I were preparing to go to church.  Our grandchildren had spent the night and their father was about to take them home.  I had been hugging my grandson telling him just how much I love him.  He replied with this wonderful sentence, "I love you more than a million!"

I am quite aware that at the age of five my grandson Jackson has no concept of just how big "a million" is, but to him it was the biggest thing he could think of, and to me it was some of the sweetest words I have ever heard.

Jackson has no idea that his sweet, little-boy sentence was so endearing to me.  It reminded me of times his daddy used to say similar things to me.  Jackson cannot understand how much the love of a child means to an adult.

Similarly, I don't think we can understand how much our expressions of love -- no matter how feeble and inadequate we think they are -- mean to the Lord.  Our simple expression of "I love you more than a million" to our Lord is possibly the sweetest sounds He hears.

" . . .the prayer of the upright is His delight."

Proverbs 15:8

Chalk in the Driveway

I had picked it up at the store almost as an afterthought.  Once home, I put it on top of the refrigerator and then promptly forgot about it.  That is until the next week when Jack and Emma came to visit.


"Oh, look," I said to Jack, taking down the small box of sidewalk chalk, "I bought some sidewalk chalk for you."

Jack took the blue box from my hand and ran to Emma, his excitement audible in his voice, "Emma, look!  We have chalk!  Frannie  bought us some chalk!"

Nothing else would do but we had to put on our shoes and head out to the sidewalk.  We all sat down and began to draw this and that, nothing and everything.  Jack was so excited when he drew his first stick-man.  Emma and I drew hearts and flowers and curley-que nothings.  But you would have thought in possessing the sidewalk chalk those children possessed the greatest treasure of the ages.

It reminded me of this verse:

"Delight thyself also in the LORD;

and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart." 

Psalms 37:4

I once heard a preacher say that if you don't think the Lord will give you the desires of your heart, it's just that you don't know what the desires of your heart really are!
His point was that what we really desire is Jesus and when we delight ourselves in the Lord, He gives us what our heart really desires.

Our grandchildren may have thought they desired many things if I had asked them what they wanted before I handed them the chalk, but they wanted the chalk.  They wanted the chalk not because they wanted to draw, not because they love the colors of the chalk, but because they know when they draw with the chalk they draw with Frannie.  (If they are really lucky, Emmie will come out and draw with them, too!)  It is the being together, the sharing the drawing, the love they feel that causes the excitement with the sidewalk chalk.

The Lord knows those things of which we need.  He knows as well those things which we desire, but He knows those things after which our spirits truly thirst.  He knows exactly what it is which will satisfy that thirst, it is Him.  And having Him, we have all.

 "Fear not, little flock;

for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." 

Luke 12:32

"Jack and Emma Were Here"

As I walked out the driveway to walk our beagle, Sparrow, I noticed the small pieces of green and blue water balloons littering the yard.  These were signs our grandchildren had been there, shouting clearly: "Jack and Emma were here!"

The little bits of latex balloons were the remnants of a weekend of fun and laughter shared not only with our grandchildren, Jackson and Emma, but also with our daughters and our youngest daughter's boyfriend, Sheldon.

Image by adwriter via FlickrWe had made a trip to the store prior to Jack and Emma arriving and purchased a "slip and slide".  I remember my Uncle Poppy making one of these for us to play with when I was a child and it was great fun.  I had hoped our grandchildren would have the same impression.  

Their aunts filled I can't tell how many water balloons and both afternoons of the weekend were filled with sliding, slipping, tossing balloons and basically getting completely soaked. At least one afternoon included the obligatory water-hose battle.   It was all fun -- not only for the three and four-year-old -- but for the adults as well.

As I looked in the yard at the remnants of the water balloons, I was immediately taken back to the time we had spent together playing in the water.

Our lives should each be that way.  There should be remnants that we "have been there."  There should be reminders that we have walked through life, that we touched others.  Along the way should be remnants of comfort we have given, encouragement we have shared, love we have bestowed.  Others should be able to think back to those moments shared between us and be thankful for the time spent together.

Our investment in the lives of others doesn't have to be expensive.  Like our water balloons and "slip and slide", sometimes the most meaningful things are relatively inexpensive, fairly simple.  They just mean we must make the effort, take the thought about someone else.  Let us be resolved to leave a trail of little bits of green and blue latex everywhere we have walked, a trail of the Love of Christ we have so generously shared with others.

 "No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us."  I John 4:12

"Jesus and the Two Bad Guys"

The other day while our grandchildren were at our house playing, our three-year-old granddaughter Emmie had built a tower out of small rectangular blocks. Her four-year-old brother, not to be outdone, decided to build an even bigger tower.

He poised single blocks in front of his tower. "They are the people waiting to get in," he explained. Then he decided to build two smaller towers on each side. A moment later his face lit up, his eyes grew wide and he waved his hands in excitement. It was clear a brilliant inspiration had entered his mind.

"Look," he said excitedly, "it's Jesus and the two bad guys!"

Looking again at his creation, it was easy to visualize the abstract version of the cross of Calvary, flanked by two lesser crosses. In front, the single rectangular blocks represented those watching at the foot of the cross.

I was amazed, not only at Jackson's inspired interpretation of his blocks, but by the sheer excitement of his realization. In the little blocks he saw the Crucifixion, something you or I might have never seen in the formation.

It was a good lesson for me. The wonders of our Lord, of His creation and indeed, as Jackson pointed out, even His crucifixion, exists all around us. Our eyes however have become dull to see these truths.

When we begin to exercise our sensibilities to see these expressions of our Lord which surround us in every moment of our lives, our vision will become clearer and clearer. More and more we will see the secrets of our Lord in whom we "live and move and have our being."

"And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of His glory. " Isaiah 6:3

"When Are You Going To Read It?"

My granddaughter Emma was in my bedroom the other day, and picked up my Bible off the table by my bed.  At first she asked me if it was Granddaddy's.  I told her no, it was mine.  Her next question was so innocent, and yet, so profound. 

"When are you going to read it?"


For three-year-old  Emma, who loves to have books read to her, a Bible - or any book for that matter - must have a need to be read. 

Her question though, was a good one.  "When are you going to read it?"  It is a question for us all.  Just when are we going to read it?  Do we read it as a matter of course, a matter of pattern, or only haphazardly?  I would have to confess I have not read the Scriptures as much as I would like to be able to admit to have done.

Perhaps an even better question would be, "Why are you going to read it?"  Do we ready the Bible merely to be able to say we had done so?  Do we do it as a rote thing, or do we do it to communicate with our Lord?

I have a beautiful box with pictures of hydrangeas on the top.  As pretty as the box is, what is inside the box is even better.  The box is full of love letters from my husband.  Well, they aren't actually letters as having been written by hand and sent through the mail, they are emails.  But in this computer generation, we can call them letters.  As love letters should be, they are tied with silk ribbons and are full of expressions of his love for me.


If I were to sit with this box at my feet and read those these letters, perhaps without really even seeing the words, what would be the affect upon his heart?  If I could read letter after letter, then rise without my own heart being touched in any way, what would he think of my response to his outpouring of love and emotion?

Yet, how many times have we perhaps done the same with the Scriptures?  We have looked over the words with our eyes, but never let them reach down to our hearts.  Perhaps we have read the words and then scooted up to our various errands without another thought to what we have read.

One look at Psalm 119 shows us this is not the type of attitude David had regarding the Word of the Lord.  Verse after verse shows the Scriptures to be a lamp, a light and a protection.

"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." 

Psalm 119:105

"Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against Thee." Psalm 119:11

David said the Word was something to strengthen, to quicken and to show the way of Truth.

"My soul cleaveth unto the dust: 

quicken Thou me according to Thy word." 

Psalm 119:25 

"My soul melteth for heaviness: 

strengthen Thou me according unto Thy word." 

Psalm 119:28

"I have chosen the way of truth: 

Thy judgments have I laid before me. " 

Psalm 119:30

David didn't confine himself to what the Word would do, he also committed himself to action, to meditate on the Scriptures, to delight in the Word and to not forget it.

"I will meditate in Thy precepts, 

and have respect unto Thy ways." 

Psalm 119:15

  

"I will delight myself in Thy statutes: 

I will not forget Thy word." Psalm 119:16

Let us approach the reading of the Bible as it is, the expression of love from the Lord God to us, to each of us personally.  Let us, like David, "meditate" in the precepts we find therein and "have respect" unto His ways.  Let us choose to delight ourselves in His Word and in return we will discover ". . .the LORD taketh pleasure in His people: He will beautify the meek with salvation. " Psalm 149:4 

It's A Match!

My grandchildren and I enjoy playing the “match game”.

Spreading out 36 cards with 18 matching pairs, we take turns trying to find the matches among the face down cards. If you find a match you are rewarded by getting another turn. My grandson is particularly talented at this game and can frequently have a run of four matches in a row.

When we begin playing the game, we have no idea where each of the cards is located among the 36. This means we frequently do not turn over the correct card the first time. However, we might remember by our next turn, correct our mistake, find the match and be rewarded with another turn.

I have found this to be true in my own life as well. When life presents with opportunities for faith, I don’t always turn over the “right card” the first time. Sometimes it even takes a turn or two before I remember the lesson and choose to pick up the card of faith and obedience.

I have even joked with my husband before that, with so much Greek blood in my veins, he has to “let me be mad” a little bit before I forgive someone, or choose to accept circumstances I don’t like. The truth of the matter is, the Lord wants us to turn over the “right card” each and every time, the first time. And He has given us everything we need to do so.

"According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:” 2 Peter 1:3


When I play the Match Game with Jackson and Emma, I sincerely want them to win. I love to see Jackson find his four matches in a row. I love to see Emma studiously pour over the cards, as if she will be able to see the other side of the card if she just looks long enough. If my pile of “matches” has no cards in it, I am satisfied as long as theirs is piled high.

This is the Lord’s attitude toward us. He has given all that we might have that same all which He gave up.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16).

The Lord wants us to succeed, He wants us to “. . .grow in grace, and the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ,” (2 Peter 3:18). He delights in our steps of obedience and faith toward Him and not only does He desire to shower us with blessings, He already has.

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:" Ephesians 1:3

“Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” Luke 12:32

So as we approach each day, let us seek to turn over the right card first, and quickly, too. Let us seek to be about "our Father's business" of faith and obedience, knowing that each turn of the cards will lead to another chance, another opportunity to trust our Lord and to see His faithfulness and love.

The Shamrock

With names such as Maloney, Newlin, Paggott, Cowan and Donaldson in my family tree, having an Irish heritage is a serious thing to me.  

Although my father's father was from Greece, my  father's maternal grandfather came here from Ireland.  His  grandmother's family also boasted Irish roots, as well did some from my mother's family. 

We are nearing the time of year when every one wants to be Irish and this will reach a fever pitch on March 17th as the world celebrates Saint Patrick's Day.

The Shamrock in the picture was sent to me from my cousin Rebekah who will be celebrating St. Patrick's Day this year by getting married. The shamrock is the quintessential icon of Ireland, but many don't know why.  I'll explain it to you and it will explain why I am wearing this very shamrock pin as I type this.

When Patrick wanted to share the concept of the Trinity with the Irish, he used the shamrock.

Patrick would hold up a shamrock and challenge his hearers, "Is it one leaf or three?" 
"It is both one leaf and three," was their reply. 
 "And so it is with God," he would conclude. 

Image by cobalt123 via FlickrThis is the same thought process I used to share with my three-year-old granddaughter this weekend.  Using clover from our yard, I  explained to her that God was one God, but He God the Father and Jesus, God the Son and also God the Spirit.  But He was still one God.  I also pointed out to her that the petals each looked like little hearts, which reminded us that no matter what, God always loves us and that if we trust and believe in Him, He will come into our hearts to stay forever. 


I showed her the little ring of white toward the center of the clover and explained that a circle has no starting point or ending point and God had no beginning point and has no ending point.


So as March 17th approaches and shamrocks are posted all over in celebration, remember why they are so famous in Ireland and think of these words from  "Patrick's Confession":


"For there is no other God, nor ever was before, nor shall be hereafter, but God the Father, unbegotten and without beginning, in whom all things began, whose are all things, as we have been taught;and His son Jesus Christ, who manifestly always existed with the Father, before the beginning of time in the Spirit with the Father,indescribably begotten before all things, and all things visible and invisible were made by Him. He was made man, conquered death and was received into Heaven, to the Father who gave Him all power over every name in Heaven and on Earth and in Hell, so that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord and God, in whom we believe. And we look to His imminent coming again, the judge of the living and the dead, who will render to each according to His deeds. And He poured out his Holy Spirit on us in abundance, the gift and pledge of immortality, which makes the believers and the obedient into sons of God and co-heirs of Christ who is revealed, and we worship one God in the Trinity of holy name."