Katelyn’s Cross

By Susan Dollyhigh –

Instead of her usual style of bouncing, running, or skipping, six=year-old Katelyn walked into the house after church with her head lowered and forehead furrowed.

“What’s wrong, Katelyn?” I asked.

She looked up at me. The frown remained.

“My teacher told me something sad. Let me show you.”

She placed a white sheet of paper and a box of markers on the coffee table, got down on her knees, and went to work. I squinted, confused as Katelyn pulled a brown marker from the box.

“Don’t watch, Nana. I’ll show you when I’m finished.”

“Okay,” I said, and went into the kitchen to prepare lunch. Within a few minutes, Katelyn appeared.

“Here, Nana. This is what’s wrong.” She handed me her drawing; a yellow sun in one corner, grass sprouted from the bottom of the page, and a big brown cross reached to the sky. Scrawled in childish handwriting were these words: “Jesus died here. So sad.”

I looked at Katelyn and our eyes met. “He died, Nana. Jesus died on the cross, and I am sad. Does that make you sad, too?” She tried to choke back the sadness.

My precious granddaughter had learned what Jesus endured to be our Savior, and the awful truth broke her sweet heart.

“Oh Katelyn, yes, it makes me sad, but I need to tell you the rest of the story. Jesus died on the cross because He loves us so much. He died on the cross for you and for me and for everyone in the world so that we can be forgiven when we sin, or do something bad. Jesus died so that someday we can go to Heaven and live forever with all the people we love. And do you want to know the best part of the story, Katelyn? Jesus came back to life – did you know that? God raised Him from the dead and took Him to Heaven where He still lives today. We can talk to Him anytime we want by praying.”

“Oh,” she said. The sorrow melted from her face. “That’s good, Nana. Okay, I’m going to play.”

Katelyn heard the news, and joy returned to her heart. She bounced down the hallway to her room, all the while singing, “Jesus loves me, this I know….”

Katelyn’s reaction to hearing that Jesus died on the cross caused my heart to ache, and I experienced anew the sorrow of my Savior’s torturous death. But then I remembered the rest of the story, and like Katelyn, joy flooded my soul.

PRAYER: Thank you, Jesus – for the rest of the story.

“The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay” (Matthew 28:5-6 NIV).

Thank Goodness for Mercy

By Susan Dollyhigh –

Moca, my miniature dachshund, spent a week in the animal hospital recovering from pancreatitis. Afterwards, when I took Moca to the vet for a check-up, Dr. Brinegar asked,
“What’s going on with Moca?”

“Moca ate a baby bird,” I said.

Dr. Brinegar looked first at Moca and then at me. “I am an avian veterinarian, and I love birds,” he said.

I looked at Moca and thought; Puppy, you could be in big trouble. The man who holds your life in his hands loves birds. And he knows you ate one.

The vet’s knowing that Moca brought this illness upon herself by ending the life of an innocent baby bird could have impacted Dr. Brinegar’s compassion for my poor puppy. His mercy level could have plummeted upon hearing the dreadful news.

But it didn’t.

Dr. Brinegar spoke tenderly to the guilty puppy. He gently examined her belly. I think he cared…but he just didn’t judge what sin had gotten Moca into her predicament; he wanted to heal her and restore her to her loved ones.

Thank goodness for mercy.

Aren’t we glad that the One who holds our life in His hands has mercy on us?

King David, whom God referred to as a man after His own heart, cried out to God for mercy after a time of great sin in his life. King David committed adultery with Bathsheba and had her husband killed in battle. The child born of this affair died, and King David was a heartbroken man for a time.

But King David knew his healing could only come from God and he cried, “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion, blot out my transgressions.”

When we, like King David, go to God and confess whatever sin has gotten us into a predicament, thankfully, the details do not affect the amount of compassion God has for us. His mercy level does not plummet upon hearing the dreadful news.

God speaks tenderly to our guilty spirit. He gently examines our heart. Regardless of the sin that has gotten us into our predicament, Our Father wants to heal us and restore us to a right relationship with Him.

Thank goodness for mercy.

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for mercy, and unfailing love that You have for us.

I said, “O LORD, have mercy on me; heal me, for I have sinned against you” (Psalm 41:4 NIV).

I Wuv You Berry Much

By Susan Dollyhigh –

Pulling out of the parking lot of the church, I earnestly thanked God for ‘Mothers Morning Out’- in my case ‘Grandmothers Morning Out’ – and drove away to enjoy three blissful hours all alone in my quiet house.

I loved having the opportunity to care for Katelyn, my two-year-old granddaughter, during the day, but that little blessing of mine was a handful, and could zap every ounce of energy from her Nana’s body.

Some days when my daughter, Emily, came by to pick up Katelyn she would say, “Wow, Mom! You really look tired.”

I have to admit, there were days I could have collapsed as the door closed behind them.

Katelyn was funny, sweet and loving, and wide-open at this stage of her life. One day while chasing her to change her diaper, I stopped and said, “Katelyn, I’m not chasing you anymore.”

After that, Katelyn’s new favorite saying became, “I not chase you anymore, Nana.”

Sometimes it was hard to keep a straight face around that little girl.

Katelyn was perceptive for her young age. She could tell when Nana was at the end of her rope, and she learned just how to handle the situation. One day as we were driving to the store, I looked back to see ten wiggling little toes. I had just put socks and shoes on those feet and asked Katelyn to please leave them on.

Just as I thought, this child is going to get the best of me yet, she said, “Nana?”

“Yes, Katelyn?” I replied in a weary voice.

“I wuv you berry much.”

I glanced in the rearview mirror and couldn’t help but smile.

“I love you very much too, Katelyn”, as my heart grew warm with love — Nana’s hearts are just like that.

I know there has to have been days that if God ever did get tired, I would have exhausted Him; days when He might have felt He was at the end of His rope with me.

Yet, God’s Word tells me He is forgiving, gracious, compassionate, slow to anger, and abounding in love.”

Katelyn has taught me to remember to say, “Father, I love you very much.”

I believe His heart grows warm with love when I say so, same as ours – Father’s hearts are just like that.

PRAYER: Father in Heaven, thank You that Your Word tells us that we are Your children. Thank You for being slow to anger and abounding in love. Thank you for lavishing us with great love. Help us to lavish others with that same great love. In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.

“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are” (1 John 3:1 NIV).

Hidden Gifts

By Susan Dollyhigh –

I discovered the tiny red package hidden behind the Christmas tree. The white bow I’d taken such pains to tie was undone, a ragged corner had been chewed by the dog, and the once shiny wrapping paper was dull and wrinkled from water that had leaked from the tree stand. Even in its tattered state, I recognized this package that held a precious gift I had purchased for my niece. On Christmas Eve, my large family became caught up in the frenzy of ripping off bows, tearing into packages, and oohing and aahing over presents, and this gift remained hidden and was overlooked. I delivered the sad-looking little box to my niece and told her, “This package has had a rough life but the gift inside should be fine.” My niece gently opened the neglected and overlooked box and found a shining golden locket inside, perfect and intact.

My heart was much like that battered Christmas package. A difficult childhood, an early marriage and a tumultuous life had left me feeling that I didn’t have even one gift to enjoy, much less one I could share with the world. Even though I’d accepted Christ as my Savior as a young girl, it wasn’t until my adult years that I became intimately acquainted and fell in love with Him.

Finally accepting the fact that He created me and unconditionally loves me allowed my tattered heart to heal and as it did, I discovered precious gifts, perfect and intact, that had been hidden for decades. I found self-worth and self-esteem, laughter and playfulness, a deep love and caring for others, and the totally unexpected gift of writing. My loving Father had given me many gifts to enjoy – even ones that I could share with the world; I just hadn’t guarded my heart and had almost missed out on His blessings.

When we allow Jesus into our hearts, He can heal the scars caused by abuse and repair the broken spirit. Wonderful God-given gifts are then just waiting to be discovered.

PRAYER: Loving Father, thank you for your healing grace. Thank you that it’s never too late to discover the gifts that you have given us and to use them to bring glory to You.

BIBLE VERSE: “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” (Proverbs 4:23 NIV)

A Season of Peace

By Susan Dollyhigh

Gathering around the kitchen table at the homeless shelter, we lit the purple Advent candle that symbolizes peace. Peace that is sometimes in short supply for those living at the shelter. Peace that is sometimes elusive in my life as well.

This small group of women and I talked about the different things we once used to fill our soul’s desperate need for peace: relaxing music, bubble baths, soothing candles, food, cigarettes, and even turning to the escape found in alcohol and drugs. We talked about addictions that had destroyed all illusions of peace for some—along with jobs, relationships, and even health.

We discussed what happens when the music is turned off, the bath water grows cold, and the candle melts down into a puddle of cold wax. We commiserated about feeling miserable after a food binge and how the desire for one cigarette just produces the desire for another. We agreed that when the high is gone and a hangover has taken its place, we are left once again searching for peace.

As we talked, we began to realize what a wonderful gift peace actually is. But how do we find true and lasting peace? How do we hold on to peace when our situations are anything but peaceful? We found the answer in Isaiah’s prophecy that a child would be given us whose name would be the Prince of Peace.

We reflected on the times when we had turned to Christ seeking peace and how He had always proven Himself faithful. In that small kitchen, with the flame flickering on the candle of peace, peace began to flicker in our souls as well. No, our situations hadn’t changed but our minds and souls had been transformed by the peace of God that transcends understanding.

Glory to God in the highest, for to us a child was born and He is the Prince of Peace.

QUOTE: “Remember this. When people choose to withdraw far from a fire, the fire continues to give warmth, but they grow cold. When people choose to withdraw far from light, the light continues to be bright in itself but they are in darkness. This is also the case when people withdraw from God”.
~Augustine

BIBLE VERSE: “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government shall be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6 NIV).

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