Confrontation in the Park

May 14


Helen helps feeds the homeless in the park on Sunday afternoons. She is feeling ashamed. "Last Sunday" she confessed, " Bob called us a bunch of hypocrites and called God names. I lost it and I got in his face. Bob quivered and cried.” Then Wayne talked with him and he was ok.”

We praised Helen for speaking up for God. Helen was having trouble thinking God would use her in such a way.

"He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him." (John 14:21)

Forest Fire

May 13


In college I volunteered to help fight a forest fire. We are stationed at a farm near the chicken coops. We wait. There is a loud crack, like a crowd reacting at a football game. A wall of fire rushes toward us. The intense heat drives us back. Our small back pumps and shovels are useless against this inferno. The fire pauses at a dirt road. Now is our chance to stop it if the wind dies down. We pray for no wind. The air becomes still and we are able to contain the fire. Thank you Lord. You did it again.

“He rebuked the wind…there was a calm.” (Luke 8:24)

Pondering

May 12

Sitting under a pine tree with my feet in the Gulf is a wonderful place to meditate.

My pondering is interrupted by a voice in my head. “Go help somebody.” I rise taking some bottles left under this tree by people before me. I climb the bank to a walkway to search for a trash can. A woman and a little girl are approaching.

The woman says: "Nice of you to pick up someone else's trash.” How did she know it wasn't my trash? She couldn't see me down the bank.

“The ways of a man are before the eyes of the Lord, and He ponders all his paths.”

(Proverbs 5:21)

A gift from the Lord

May 11



We met at a church program for singles. She was a greeter and welcomed me with a big smile and she asked, "How was your week?"

I thought, 'it just got better.' I made sure I ended up sitting next to her in the breakout session.And I held her hand during a group prayer. Eighteen months later we were married in that same church.

Long after we had fallen in love I mentioned our age difference, I am eighteen years older. Her response was "I figured if you weren't going to bring it up, I wasn't either."

"A prudent wife is from the Lord." (Proverbs 19:14)

Playing with the Lord

May 10


This morning I woke up with a song in my heart and it brought a smile to my face. "Good Morning Lord. What would You like to do with this day?"

"We" went for a walk around the neighborhood and played a little game.

“We” exchanged I love you every other bird. Of course! I knew He would win. We were playing on His turf with His birds and in His sunlight. I know I cannot out-love my Lord but it is sure fun trying.

“God is love; and he that dwells in love dwells in God and God in him.” (1John 4:16)

Confronting a Neighbor

May 9

Joy asks the Lord to calm our hearts toward our neighbor and the cut Jasmine on our fence.

Today our neighbor appears, full of apologies. “I was devastated when I saw what our yard man had done.” He offers to make amends and we part friends.
Joy and I are glad we didn’t confront our neighbor last night with our emotions and that Joy had prayed instead.

“And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.”(Mark 11:25)

Trimming the Vines

May 8

Our neighbor asks if he can trim the vines that grow on his side of our wooden fence. Days later the leaves turn yellow. I look behind the fence. I’m shocked. Most of the vines had been cut to little nubs in the ground. Much of what is left hanging on my side of the fence are branches severed completely from their life-giving roots.

"As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in Me. I am the vine and you are the branches. He who abides in Me and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:3-5)