Faith

You must be wondering, Joi, whatever happened to the rest of “God’s Love Shines” from last week? I know, I’m wondering the same thing myself. I’m sorry. Too caught up with other activities… again! Maybe I haven’t yet sufficiently learned that last lesson yet…

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On the road once more.  That seems to be my life right now. My family and I often drive this route, ever since I was small. I see the same scenery I've always seen. The teeming highways of the same ever congested big city, the familiar golden arches of the same McDonald's where we stop for bathroom breaks, the quaint hamlets nestled on on the mountainside. Even the dips and curves on the roads are familiar to me. Above that, I've become accustomed to a rickety, old bridge that gives the appearance of collapsing -any moment now. (In my opinion, this bridge has not been fit for vehicles in the last 20+ years. But, what do I know about that kind of stuff, anyway?) I used to be pretty anxious to cross it, but now, even though it doesn't look like it’s getting any stronger, I’m fairly comfortable traveling it.

Faith.

Sometimes I wonder, why am I more willing to trust an old rusty bridge, built by who knows who, and not a God who I know loves me and cares for me. Have you ever considered that? How much easier we place  faith in man made things and the unknown people who made them. 

Really? How silly is that...

Sunday School... A Lesson

It was a golden Sunday morning. My family and I were up early and off we went to the park.
As we strolled along, we took in the scenes of the morning and the sound of the river flowing quickly beside us.

This must have been one of those days that brings " the exerciser" out in folks. The trail was teeming with bikers, walkers and runners. Some people walked with quick, energized steps. Runners flew by at record speed. Still others huffed and puffed looking as if they were hardly going to make it.

As we got deeper into the trail, less people were seen. The trail was getting more and more scarce. Funny, isn't it? (But that's not my point.)

After some time, coming down the trail toward us was a little girl walking a little dog. She was all alone. No seeming guardian was in sight. Hmm... that's strange. I wonder where her parents are?
As we got closer, I saw her face. It wore a scrunched up, pained expression. I sure hope she's okay, I thought, and we passed her by.

{ I've lost my mom and I can't find her!}

"Hold on, let me make sure she is alright." My mom did a 180° and went over to her.
" Is everything okay?" my mom asked.
" I've lost my mom and I can't find her!" the poor little girl moaned.

Lost. This 8 year old  girl was lost, left alone in a wide- open and unprotected place.
And what had I done? Passed right by her just thinking, "I sure hope she's okay."

I learned my lesson. We walked with her and helped her search for her family until they were found.
                                                                  ~

How many people do we pass by who are lost and searching?  They are looking for some caring person who will direct them to our Heavenly Father by being the hands and feet of Jesus.
Will you pass right by or offer them help?

They drank up all my water!

I had just finished a time consuming job of weed- whacking when looking up and to my surprise, visitors were coming to see me! It was June, a new friend whom I had met a few months before and her brother, Gus. How delightful! 

I called to my sister to come and greet them. We visited with them for a few minutes and expected them soon to leave, being that they came at a later hour in the evening. June is not normally prone to long visits, but, strangely, today they were in no mood for leaving- or hint taking either.

After some time, my sister went inside and I was left to entertain them. Southern hospitality dictated that I could never be a rude hostess and make them leave, so we continued in one another's company. Eventually, they seemed to stop paying much attention to what I was saying. They became distracted and probing with their expressions as if looking for something... I quickly realized what it was. Dear, dear I had been a rude hostess and not offered them water! Seeing that, they decided to take matters into their own -eh ehm "hands". Catching a glimpse of a nearby container with water in it, they simultaneously darted to it, and very discourteously drank it all up! 

Realizing  their desperate need of water , I quickly ran to the hose and turned it on so they could drink freely  Gus drank, and drank, and drank. He was so absorbed in drinking that he bit me and the end of the hose!

I am sure you have never experienced any of these type guests, or at least I hope not! 

While writing about this, I remembered that on a previous visit from June, she received water. She must have gone home and told her brother about the free water source she had here. Maybe this was reason she brought her brother . She wanted him to come so he too could satisfy his parched snout on their regular explorations (you can probably guess what type of visitors I had).  

This experience reminds me a lot of a story about Jesus and a woman at a well in her town in Samaria. Jesus realized that she was very thirsty too. Not thirsty for water that she could find at the town well, but a type water that satisfies thirst for life. What is this type of water? Jesus says that He is that water. He is the only one that can satisfy the drought and emptiness of our lives that we try to fill with stuff that seems to make us happy but in the end we still feel thirsty.  He will give us all the water that we need. How do we drink this water? Once again, we must spend time with Jesus. When talking to Jesus, reading about Him and asking Him to be in our hearts, He fills us with His wonderful water- water that never runs outs!

That woman did the same thing as June. Once she found out where to get this wonderful water, she ran home and told her friends and family about it!

Let's be like June and share Jesus, the true source of water.

~Joi

reflections

Situated on a quiet lake, hedged by rolling pasture land and woods, is where I like to call home. 


Since my family and I recently moved to this area, I  take keen interest in what is around me. I've noticed that the lake looks different every day. Some days it looks clear and other days dark and murky. I began to think about what makes it look different. It dawned on me that the lake was just a reflection of the sky.

When the sky is cloudy and dull, so is the lake.

 And when the sky is clear and sunny, then the lake is clear and beautiful.

 This reminds me of a Scripture that  talks about reflecting Christ's character. It says:

But we all...beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image ...

If by looking at Jesus, we are changed to reflect His image, then isn't it the same with anything else? If I am constantly looking at things of the world that show greed, selfishness, sexual inappropriateness, impatience and unkindness , I will be changed to act in these ways. But if I want to be a reflection of Christ than I must keep myself focused on Christ, who is pure, caring, patient, unselfish and loving. 

Photo Courtesy of Sarah A.