The Details Are a Little Etch-a-Sketchy

By Rhonda Rhea –

I was working on a book in a wild fury. My fingers had been flying across the keyboard for the better part of an afternoon. I was in “the zone,” man. The zone is a very happy place for a writer to be—especially when a deadline is inching nearer. And by “inching” I actually mean barreling down like a locomotive.

Procrastination, however, just seems to be my way. I think it’s because I work so much better with that good, panic-driven rush of adrenaline. I’m pretty sure I do my best writing when I’m just this side of hyperventilation.

My computer had been misbehaving for days, and as the deadline loomed and I was rounding the corner of Chapter 21, my computer did something very evil. It swallowed an entire afternoon’s work. No recovery options. Gone. All that adrenaline down the drain! I felt like I’d been run over by The Little Engine That Couldn’t. I’m still considering typing my next manuscript on an Etch-a-Sketch.

There was no way to replace what I’d written. It’s not even that the details I’d put in there were sketchy. They were completely gone from my head. With any creative thought that might crop up in my little brain, the words slowly ooze out of the brain cells, track down the arms and through the fingers, then roll into the computer. But it’s a one-way track. Just trying to remember little tidbits of the book parts I’d lost, I was working myself into a good cry and a whole new level of hyperventilation.

Those times of tears and hyperventilation have a distinctive way of snapping me around to the most basic reality: God is in control. He wasn’t freaking out about those couple of chapters I’d lost. He didn’t have a hand on each of His cheeks with an “Oh no! Never saw that coming. How can I make any ministry happen here now?”

He is in control—and He’s the one I should run to and rest in. When I’m in the midst of a train wreck, and just as enthusiastically when life is clicking along on the smoothest tracks. Even when I’m in “the zone.”

He tells us in Isaiah 46:10, “I declare the end from the beginning, and from long ago what is not yet done, saying: My plan will take place, and I will do all My will,” (HCSB). Beginning, end and everything in between. He’s already written the story. Every chapter.

The psalmist speaks of “the one who by his strength established the mountains, being girded with might; who stills the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, the tumult of the peoples,” (Psalm 65:6-7, ESV). A paraphrase of His name here is “Earth-Tamer, Ocean-Pourer, Mountain-Maker, Hill-Dresser, Muzzler of sea storm and wave crash” (MSG).

The God who can muzzle the wave crash is certainly not undone by a computer crash. He is the sovereign all-powerful One. The Most High. He is the Redeemer. To say He’s more powerful than a locomotive is the ultimate in understatement. He’s just…MORE.

As you might guess, He was more than powerful enough to redeem the chapters I lost. I even liked the new ones better. Makes me wonder why I ever hyperventilate. Trusting in His power is so much better than breathing into a brown paper bag. And it’s for sure, He’s the only one who can put my loco in any kind of motion.

What? It’s Not About Me?

By Charlotte Riegel –

The audience at the live theatre production of The Book of Jobes, was challenged to consider why bad things sometimes happen to good people. The play was based on the true story of a woman born with cerebral palsy.

It began with the young woman standing before the courts of heaven pleading her case to take her life because frankly, she’d had quite enough of the misery. The various scenes skipped through her life of challenges, and indeed, most of the audience could empathize with her plea to ‘be done already with all this misery’.

Nevertheless, each time she presented another grievance to the presiding judge of heaven, she was reminded of God’s provision for her during that trial. His comfort and guidance usually came in the form of another person….a classmate in grade school, a college professor; and always her mother was there supporting her, encouraging her, and believing in her daughter, convinced God had not made a mistake.

The final ordeal of her life, an assault, brought her to the point of ‘I can’t take any more of this, God. Please remove me from this earthly hell.’ An intruder into her apartment left her body and spirit battered and bruised, lying on the floor beside her wheelchair.

Frequently throughout the story’s telling, the ‘judge’ confronted her with, “You have so much to say and you know so little.” Near the end of the performance he asked, “Whose prayer would you have God answer?” She then silently, slowly, maneuvered throughout the many different characters on stage, not the least being the young man who assaulted her. Quietly she studied all their faces, and finally returned to face the judge not knowing how to answer his question. His final words to her were, “Maybe it’s not about you.”

At his trial, the young man who assaulted her confessed his intention had been to rob and kill her, however, while in her apartment beginning this deed he saw a very bright light and fled in fear. He was caught and sentenced to time in prison. His trial revealed a very troubled childhood including abandonment. He had become a fugitive. Perhaps it was his encounter with this disabled young woman that began his journey to healing and restoration.

Audience members left the play asking questions like, “When I feel hard done by and think God has dealt me a bad hand is He actually wanting me to influence someone else for His Kingdom by shining His light into their world?” “Is God using me for His greater purposes of which I am blissfully unaware?”

Yes, indeed, I often whine and complain and say too much when I know so little about the big picture. Please forgive me, Lord. I desire to shine Your light into the lives of others.

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4 NIV).

Leftovers

By Cheri Cowell –

Today’s restaurant portions are so big I almost feel like I should order the to-go box when I order the food. This is not a problem for me because I love leftovers. It is so convenient the next day to just grab it and go. Even if there is a little bit from this dish and a little from that one I can usually make a meal of it.

How often do we do this with our resources for God? I have to admit that I can easily fall into this trap. I’m not talking about church things; rather I’m talking about the time we spend growing our personal relationship with Him. It is tempting to give God my leftovers after I’ve spent my most valued time on other things. I’m really good at taking a little bit here, adding a little bit there, and passing this off as a whole meal with God. However, God doesn’t want my leftovers no matter how good I am at dressing them up. He doesn’t want yours either.
“A son honors his father, and a slave his master. If I am a father, where is the honor due me? If I am a master, where is the respect due me?” says the Lord Almighty. “It is you priests who show contempt for my name. “But you ask, ‘How have we shown contempt for your name?’ “By offering defiled food on my altar. “But you ask, ‘How have we defiled you?’ “By saying that the Lord’s table is contemptible. When you offer blind animals for sacrifice, is that not wrong? When you sacrifice lame or diseased animals, is that not wrong? Try offering them to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you?” says the Lord Almighty” (Malachi 1:6-8 NIV).

Malachi was a prophet called to preach to the Israelites. Here he is accusing them of just going through the motions without joy from a heart filled with adoration. Verses 6–8 refer to the requirement of a perfect animal to be sacrificed, which in the New Testament becomes Jesus Christ, the perfect sacrifice. We now know that our lives are to be our sacrifice, and therefore, should be the best we have to give. How are you doing in giving your best to God?

PRAYER: Thank You, Lord, for Your gift of the perfect sacrifice, Your perfect Son. Help me discover new ways to give You the best sacrifices of my time this week.

Snoopy’s Heading East

By Charlotte Riegel –

“Snoopy’s heading east,” I told my husband on a recent trip to the city. He was baffled until I pointed to a cloud in the sky. “See, his ears and hair are streaming out behind him indicating he is moving very fast.” I smiled and my husband reminded me he was driving and could not examine the cloud to which I referred.

I love looking at clouds. Living on the Canadian prairies where sky scenes abound offers many delightful opportunities to see cloud formations that resemble dinosaurs, bears, rabbits, funny faces with long hair, warriors, pretty ladies in long dresses, Snoopy and angels.

Several years ago I had the privilege of attending a Christian Writer’s Conference in New Mexico. Three other ladies from my church also attended and we travelled together between airport and conference grounds and return, a two hour trip each direction. On that return trip we stopped at the edge of the conference grounds for some final pictures of a rustic homestead and the breathtaking scenery around us. While sharing a prayer for safety in our travels and gratitude for the amazing time we had experienced at the conference, I looked up (I often pray with my eyes open) and saw a cloud that looked like an angel. After the ‘amen’ I pointed to it and said to my companions, “Look, there is our guardian angel for this trip.” They looked, and teased me, having gotten used to my cloud pictures, but not totally convinced it looked like an angel.

About thirty minutes down the road one lady asked the driver to stop so she could get some better pictures. While she was out of the vehicle I looked to the sky and saw the guardian angel cloud, still keeping watch over us. I also saw the face of a woman in that cloud and drew the other’s attention to it. They all saw the face and were in awe.

I have learned it’s possible to train someone else to see things I see when at first they don’t. My husband used to tease me as I pointed out cloud pictures to him. It delights me now to have him drawing my attention to cloud pictures he sees before I do.

In the same way we can train others to focus in on God and a relationship of faith and close communion with Him by repeatedly drawing their attention to His work in our lives and in the world around us.
“You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:14-16 MSG).

Popping, Snapping, Clicking, Whoosh!

By Liz Cowen Furman –

Our little motel near Yellowstone in Wyoming finally joined the 21st century. Armed with a grant to cover the cost, the telephone and power companies joined forces and installed new fiber optics and updated power cables.

When the men came to visit with me about their plan and how they would have to trash my big flower bed, they seemed so afraid to tell me. They were scared of my reaction. It was early August and my flower beds gush flowers during August.

What they didn’t know is that even though I was able to coax and cajole that particular flower bed to produce beautiful blooms, it had been quite difficult to do. Rocks, rocks and more rocks, an old tree stump and old water and power lines made it nearly impossible to turn over the dirt. When I heard they would be coming to dig it up I was so excited! Their shocked faces were priceless when I asked “How soon can you get here to begin?”

Finally, our day came. The men arrived early in the morning to warn me so I could transfer the perennials to holding crates until they were finished. I watched them as they began the process of gouging across the bed and through the drive.

Standing near the edge of the 5 foot-deep hole, I discovered that the old stump was actually an old telephone pole that had been sawed off. It was three feet long. No wonder I couldn’t dig it up.

The man running the back hoe was coaxing giant rocks out of the opening. Just as I was about to say how close he looked to the wires, we heard a popping-snapping-clicking sound, and then “WHOOSH”.

Black smoke and big flames sprang from the line as it snapped. The man standing in the hole with a shovel jumped out in one terrified leap.

We looked up just in time to see the same flames and black smoke enveloping the side of our motel. And then nothing. The power was out. Not just on our property but all over town.

I had guests arriving in a few hours and no electricity. Our motel is not posh, but we at least have electricity. We waited for the electricians to come check it out. It took several hours and what they discovered was that the old telephone box, the one that is no longer in use, took the hit for the entire motel. I couldn’t believe it. (Secretly, I had hoped for new wiring…ha ha).

The electricity was knocked out clear to the substation but in just a few hours they had us back online. Before the guests even arrived.

I couldn’t help but think how amazing it was that the box took the hit for the entire motel. It kind of reminded me of how Jesus took the hit for the entire human race. I am ever thankful for that fact, and ever amazed that he would die for my sins, before I ever committed them. He died for you, too.

« Previous Page — Next Page »