An Oregon beach in February ~
wonderful crisp air and beautiful waves ~ a very rare surprise.
Reminding us that HE delights in giving us good things.
Be still and Know that HE is God and remember
He refreshes our soul if we let Him.
(photo by Melissa G of Oregon)
Linking up with Deidra from Jumping tandem.net on Sunday.
We were shopping as we normally do
following our list and planning the menu items needed for the week
when I saw her.
She used to come into the pharmacy where I worked and we had spoken to each other on many occasions.
Leaning against her shopping cart while holding onto a cane she saw me as I saw her and we both said ‘hello’.
An elderly lady in her 80’s with white grey hair folded and rolled into a bun on the top of her head.
Her aged face showing deep wrinkles and life experiences.
So often when she would come into the pharmacy I would imagine her sitting on a bench in front of a vanity mirror brushing her long white locks carefully counting 100 times before bed.
She was always very sweet and kind and I imagined she was somewhat independent in her younger years.
This day she looked a bit different as fatigue seemed to weigh heavy on her shoulders like an uninvited guest.
I asked her how she was doing and she began to unravel a story that touched me deeply.
A close friend of hers recently passed away and it broke her heart to say good bye to her.
Every Sunday they would share the day and enjoy each others friendship and now it would be different.
She said ‘Sundays won’t be the same anymore without her’
with tears in her eyes she shared how precious this friend was.
How they would lay on the hospice bed and talk and cry and pray and support each other as the call of death came closer each day.
She looked at me and said,
“I was with her when she took her last breath”.
As soon as I heard those words I knew the moment called for gentle understanding as I put my hand on her arm and said in an almost whispered voice,
“You gave her a gift, your friendship blessed her and she did not pass away alone.”
She took a deep breath and I could see the grief paint its way across her face as the memory of her dear friend came near.
Silence and sorrow stood beside her and held her up as she leaned against the shopping cart.
We talked about her two story house feeling even more big these days. We talked about her moving into a retirement community… someday.
I told her the good points and how the atmosphere of safety was a glamorous thought.
She asked questions and I answered them sounding like I knew what I was talking about.
She appreciated my encouragement.
I even offered to go with her to visit the retirement community so she wouldn’t have to go alone.
We continued to talk and share for over 20 minutes in the middle of the jello pudding and pie filling aisle.
Between cans and boxes and people walking by
her hurting heart and my willingness to help.
It didn’t matter that we were in a big store in the middle of a shopping aisle.
For a few moments it was just the two of us sharing matters of the heart together.
She thanked me for taking the time to listen to her and
she even asked if she could hug me.
Taking the time to listen that afternoon made me wonder
if this was the only conversation she had shared with anyone
since her friend passed away. Her need to talk and share was so evident I couldn’t have walked away.
Our shopping list was finished by a husband who knows his wife.
Matters of the heart are not often convenient or scheduled
they are opportunities to take hold of and observe.
When we begin to say our first ‘hello’ to someone
we need to look into their eyes and really see what they are not telling and then be willing to listen when we ask them “how are you doing?”
Matters of the heart are all around us
we just need to pay attention and be open to the process of caring.
Continuing onto the topic of:
What captivates your heart controls your destiny.
Pastor was talking on Sunday about the book of Ephesians again and he started out with a statement.
Contrast defines capacity.
Meaning the depth of contrast you have between your life and things that affect your life negatively will deepen your capacity to understand the difference.
I hope that makes sense.
He said when we understand the depth of sin we begin to understand the depth of his love for us.
When we understand that God cared for us even when we didn’t know him we open ourselves to the deep deep love he has for our hearts condition.
Then pastor shared some myths we tend to believe when it comes to our personal sins.
Myth one: It is not a sin if no one is getting hurt
Myth two: The devil made me do it (therefore I am not responsible)
Myth three: I am not that bad (comparing myself to bad people)
Myth four: What happens here stays here
(it is not affecting anyone else)
All of these myths remove us from real relationship with God and his love for us.
No matter how deep we are in denial or omission or rationalization or apathy.
His love never changes.
Even when we fail… BUT GOD loves.
Ephesians 2: 4-7
4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. (NIV)
Grace is: ‘His power and gift reaching out to us’ when we are lost.
God says: “I don’t care how you feel on earth I care about how you are seen in heaven.”
We must begin to deepen the contrast between the darkness and the light in order for us to fully grasp his powerful love and desire for us to change.
Then pastor finished with this thought.
“You can’t get people found until they realize they are lost.”
Lord help us to realize the lost places in our lives and help us also to renew our capacity to understand your love and faithfulness to us.
(photograph by Shelley Collis of Oregon)
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and
I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.”
Psalm 23:1-6 (ESV)
READ IT AGAIN and see that:
He makes me
He leads me
He restores me
He leads me
He comforts me
He restores me
He is with me
He provides for me
He prepares me
He anoints me
He holds me
Isn’t it wonderful that HE who made the heavens and the earth
cares deeply for you and I?
I cannot sometimes believe this yet I know it to be true.
How could I ever doubt that HE LOVES ME?
So my question is:
How do you feel about His love for you?
His love is deep and wide and always.
I pray this will be an encouragement for you today.
(photograph by Shelley Collis of an Oregon valley)
“I would like to believe when I die that I have given myself away like a tree that sows seeds every spring and never counts the loss, because it is not loss, it is adding to future life.
It’s the trees way of being strongly rooted perhaps, but spilling out it’s treasure in the wind.”
quote is by Mary Sarton
( I don’t know who Mary Sarton is but I do love this thought and wanted to share it)
[photograph is by my son Christopher O]
Continuing on the topic:
Whatever captivates your heart controls your destiny.
Our pastor has been teaching through the book of Ephesians found in the New Testament by a writer who was writing from prison. It is a powerful encouraging book and one we can learn many things from.
As Pastor began his teaching he shared that when we begin to walk with Jesus we experience a spiritual change within us from the inside out.
An internal shift takes place as our faith matures.
He said so often in the beginning we are taught to want a comfortable faith and one that makes it easy for ourselves.
Such as a comfortable church with padded cozy pews and music that is what ‘I’ like with teachings that make me feel good and don’t push me to dig deeper.
(I am not saying padded pews are bad it is for example only)
In the beginning we learn to go to church with the ‘serve me’ attitude instead of entering the thought process of how can I serve others.
He said responsible Christians are not necessarily doing it right.
The real goal for us is intentionality.
Our pastor teaches the concept of the church in different settings how people meet us and we meet them within the context of where we all live.
That might be in a coffee shop, a living room or a restaurant or maybe even in a workplace.
He encourages us to become intentional in our belief and walk with God so that it becomes a decision we make on purpose.
To live a life purposely intentionally relating and listening to the spirit of God within us.
It is through that intentionality that others ‘see’ him through us.
He said we determine our confidence and identity in God
through our direct relationship to him and his word.
If there is no relationship we can’t share in a meaningful way.
If our true identity is not ‘identified’ with a loving God we can’t really share that love with others.
Then he leaned in and said to us,
“Your intimacy with God is your greatest intimidation to the enemy.”
The enemy is anything opposing God’s truth within us.
What captivates our hearts will control our destiny especially if
our destiny is not following after a Holy personal God.
Pastor left us with many thoughts and a question,
“Have you lost the AWE of who He is?”
For me that question brought a deeper meaning.
I thought about the way we displayed our Christmas nativities
and I wondered are we in awe over the story in January
just as we were in December?
What captivates our hearts I think comes from the decisions we choose to make and whether we have lost our feeling of awe towards him.
A question for us is this:
What would it take for us to educe awe in such a way
that what captivates our hearts will control our destiny towards him.
(Educe: to draw forth or bring out, as something potential;
Awe: an overwhelming feeling of reverence, admiration, fear,
produced by that which is grand or extremely powerful. Inspired with wonder)
Is our passion and longing like the shepherds in the field bowing down in awe of what the angels told them or have we lost the feeling of who He is in our hearts?
Something for us to ask ourselves and think about as we start this new year.
Where is our intimacy and awe today?
Simplicity
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