Monday, December 27, 2010

A December Walk


He restores my soul...Psalm 23: 3

I was awake most of the night listening to the wind howling, thankful for a cozy comforter to wrap up in and a warm house. The older I get the less I like the winter months. I find myself staying inside most of the time, not brave enough to venture out in the harsh temperatures. I was grateful to have the day off of work and to snuggle under the covers a bit longer for some much-needed rest and relaxation following a busy couple of months filled with holiday preparations and activities, which left me feeling anxious and worn out.

When I finally coaxed myself out of bed, I looked out the window and the birds were already busy flitting about in a fury from tree branch to bird feeder. I look forward to the arrival of the winter birds. They make the bitter harshness more bearable. Red-bellied woodpeckers were furiously pecking away at the new suet cake I had put out a few days ago. Several cardinals brightened up the barren trees with their colorful attire. I paused and sat down to enjoy the birds. I've missed watching them at my feeders.

Since I had to return to the work force last spring, I don't have time to enjoy a lot of the simple pleasures in life. Last month, I realized fall had passed and I missed it. I was rushing back and forth to work, rarely pausing long enough to see what was going on outside my window. When I leave the house at 4:30 AM it's still dark, so I only see the deer that cross the road in front of my car as I drive down the mountain on my way to work.

I pray one day I will be able to work from home again and get back to my quiet mornings enjoying the beauty of God's creation. There's nothing like working in the comfort of your own home and being able to take a break and go for a walk in the woods. I am blessed though! Even though I work in an office building now, my desk sits in front of a window with a bush outside. I'm often treated to busy sparrows darting in and out of it while I work, and occasionally a blue jay or cardinal will make an appearance to brighten my day. It sure beats a stuffy cubicle, so I always try to remember that things could be much worse.

As I watched the birds outside this morning, I felt the urge to go outside and take a walk by the pond. Though I don't venture out too often in the winter months, I bundled up and braved the wind and cold. The frozen ground crunched under my feet and the wind was strangely refreshing as it stung my face. I noticed deer tracks on the frozen surface of the pond. The echo of crows squawking in the distance was carried along with the wind. Left-over fall leaves danced across the ground before they were caught up in the breeze and carried away. Squirrels scampered up and down trees. The sun sparkled like millions of diamonds across the icy pond, and the deep blue sky could be seen in all it's glory through the leafless trees. And, I didn't have to watch for snakes while I was walking. That is one thing I love about winter...no snakes!

Though winter is my least favorite season of the year, it still has a beauty of its own, and a short December walk was just what I needed for restoration and renewal today. It eased my weariness and replaced my anxious thoughts with peace, preparing me to cope with the start of another busy work week tomorrow.

Lord, 

 Thank you for the blessing of a quiet morning walk to enjoy the beauty of Your creation. Thank You for refreshing my spirit and giving me renewed strength for another week. When I get busy and distracted by everyday life, remind me to be still and know You, for You are the One who restores my soul and refreshes my weary spirit.

In Jesus' name, Amen.

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Friday, June 4, 2010

When the Journey is too Much

Then he went on alone into the wilderness, traveling all day. He sat down under a solitary broom tree and prayed that he might die. "I have had enough, LORD," he said. I Kings 19:4

Do you ever feel as if you have had enough?  In the passage of scripture above the prophet Elijah had grown weary on his journey to the point he asked the Lord to take his life, then he laid down under a broom tree in the dessert and slept. He was awakened by an angel whom the Lord had sent to feed him and strengthen him. Elijah ate the food the Lord prepared to nourish his body and then he laid back down under the tree and rested some more. 

He looked around and there beside his head was some bread baked on hot stones and a jar of water. So he ate and drank and lay down again. I Kings 19:6

When we grow weary on our journey through life we usually don't think about resting and nourishing our bodies. We are often encouraged to rush off to our doctor who quickly writes out a prescription for anti-anxiety drugs or anti-depressants. Resting is seen as a sign of weakness in a performance-driven world where we are encouraged to keep pushing ourselves. Often what we need most is rest and nourishing food.  It's okay to rest when we grow tired, weary, anxious, or depressed.

Then the angel of the LORD came again and touched him and said, "Get up and eat some more, or the journey ahead will be too much for you." I Kings 19:7

I'm finding extra rest and eating healthy to be helpful to me as I go through a "wilderness" experience in my personal life. I  was feeling quite anxious and discouraged in recent weeks. I was pleasantly surprised that after just a few days of getting to bed earlier and taking a short nap after work how different I felt. The anxiety has lessened tremendously, and I feel as if I can cope much better with things. I've also let some things go. I'm not stressing myself out about the housework and yard work. When I feel up to it, it will get done. For now I need to curl up under the broom tree like Elijah did and rest and nourish my physical body so that I have the strength needed to continue on.

I type medical reports for my job, and the most common complaints people see their doctors for are exhaustion and depression. Even children are experiencing this at alarming rates. The outcome is always the same; usually a medication for depression and another for anxiety. Oddly, many of these patients return still exhausted and depressed, and the doctors add yet another medication on. I often wonder why these medications fail to help. Could it be possible that what is really lacking is rest combined with healthy nourishing food? 

When your walk through the wilderness seems long and tiring, and it feels as if the journey is too much to bear, remember it is okay to feel discouraged and in despair. These are normal emotions that all human beings experience at one time or another. Your journey through the wilderness won't last forever. It will pass. In the meantime, why not rest and nourish your weary body? Think about Elijah under the broom tree and let it be a reminder that when the journey becomes too much that God provides strengthening for our physical bodies through rest and nourishment. Rest is a God-given prescription that strengthens and refreshes weary travelers.
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Monday, May 24, 2010

Only One Thing is Needed

"Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her. Luke 10: 41-42. 

The story of Martha and Mary was one I desperately needed to be reminded of during my morning devotional time. Too often I find myself rushing about worried and upset over many things. I'm not alone. Most of the women I know have Martha personalities. 

Martha had opened her home to Jesus and his disciples. She obviously had a servant's heart and the gift of hospitality, but she became so busy and distracted by all the preparations that had to be made that she grew irritable and resentful of her sister, Mary, who instead of helping her was sitting at the feet of Jesus listening to what he was saying. We see this clearly in the following passage of scripture: 

"But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!" Luke 10: 40.

I find being distracted to be a huge problem for many women today, myself included. We get distracted by what seems so urgent but really isn't, and it's those things that keep us from doing what truly is important. We are admired if our days are full and busy. We are seen as strong women if we can multitask and juggle many roles. We tend to take on much more than we can handle, and then find ourselves stressed out and irritable. Like Martha, we become resentful when we feel overwhelmed and nobody is helping us. Often what we are stressed out about is the chaos that we created by taking on more than we can handle, and  never allowing ourselves any time to rest and sit and listen to what Jesus is saying to us. 

Schedules that are overflowing allow no time for what is truly important. We must remember that Jesus said only one thing is needed. What is that one thing? Time spent with Him. Time listening to Him speak to us through His word. Time to seek Him. When our life comes to an end here on this earth the only thing that will matter is our relationship with Jesus. Do we truly know Him? Are we taking time to listen to what He is teaching us? Do we apply His teaching to our everyday lives? Do our daily schedules reflect that He is first in our life, or do our schedules reveal days running over with a flurry of activity with no mention of Jesus? Are we allowing ourselves time to rest in His presence? When we find ourselves rushing about, distracted by many preparations, upset, and worried, I pray we will all remember clearly the words of Jesus: "only one thing is needed."

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Shifting Seasons

 God is our refuge and our strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. Psalms 46: 1-3

How quickly seasons shift and change. It seems like yesterday I was surrounded by snow drifts wondering if Spring would ever arrive. Just weeks later I was greeted by the welcome sight of tulips poking their colorful heads out from the snow drenched ground. Soon the tranquil quietness of Winter's landscape was replaced with the sound of honking and squawking resounding through the woods as the geese arrived at the pond and once again began their seasonal ritual of mating and preparing  nesting sites. The transition was abrupt as Winter faded away and Spring slipped in to take its place.

As Spring arrived on the scene to replace Winter, a new season in my personal life slipped in to replace the previous season when I was least expecting it. I had finally grown accustomed to the empty nest when I was forced into yet another new season; my husband of 34 years has left and wants a divorce. I did not choose this season, but nonetheless it is one I must endure. I've also started a new job working outside the home. This is a huge change also since I've spent most of my married life raising the four children and working from home. I am thankful that God supplied the perfect job for me in His perfect timing, exactly when I needed it and with great health benefits to go with it. I'm truly blessed. I do not know what the future holds but I know who holds it. I have absolutely no doubt that God will supply every need that I have.  I will trust in his promises and provision. 

As I grow older I realize that one should never grow too comfortable in any season we are in, because we can be sure of one thing...seasons always change. In many ways this new season will be by far the most challenging one I have faced so far in my life, but I am thankful for my faith in God which has never once failed to sustain me through the storms of life. He is faithful. He will always be with me.

Just as certainly as Spring will soon fade away ushering in the sweltering days of the Summer season, I know my personal life will be filled with new seasons as well and that some seasons will be more welcome than others. Life truly is ever changing. In an uncertain world, we can rest assured that while seasons will continue to shift and change God will always be with us, and He never changes.

Sunday, February 21, 2010

Longing for Spring


He will once again fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy. Job 8: 21

Winter has been long and harsh here in the mountains. Frigid temperatures and heavy snowfall have been unrelenting. I find myself longing for Spring, which seems like a distant dream when I look out the window and see nothing but huge mounds of snow and ice. Yet I know the promise of Spring awaits. The winter will pass and the earth will come alive with flowers, green grass, and budding trees, but it's hard to imagine the nearness of Spring when I look outside and see nothing but Winter.

Life is a lot like that. When going through a difficult "winter" season it can be hard to grasp the reality that "spring" will ever arrive again. Our trials and troubles won't last forever, but when we look at our situation we see nothing but the difficult winter season we are currently facing. It can be hard to see beyond it. The enemy of our souls would like us to feel hopeless in what feels like a never-ending season of sickness, financial woes, relationship issues, job stress, or depression. Perhaps we struggle with some form of addiction that seems to have taken over our life and we can't seem to break free no matter how hard we try. We begin to feel as if our situation is hopeless and that it will never change, but we can rest assured that our earthly problems will not last forever when we are followers of Jesus Christ. Spring is just around the corner, even though we may not see it now.We can trust in God's promises because not one of them has ever failed. We need not lose hope, for we know Spring always follows Winter, and for that we can rejoice and be glad!

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Ode to Winter


Ode to Winter

Winter's breath harsh and shrill,
blankets the mountain with a blustery chill,

as snow cloaked trees dance to and fro,
their branches laden with heavy snow,

and moonlight glisten's on a February night,
sprinkling the woods with snowy light.

Outside my window I see once more,
Winter's attire serene and pure.
 

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