Walking in Daddy’s Shoes

By Susan Dollyhigh –

Drew, my two-year-old grandson, wobbled into the living room with his daddy’s size eleven gray Nikes on his small feet. I watched as Drew held up his short arms for balance while his toothpick-looking legs shuffled one large shoe in front of the other. Beneath his blonde curls, his smiling face said, “Look at me, I’m walking in my Daddy’s shoes.”

Like most small boys, Drew wants to walk like his Daddy walks, talk like his Daddy talks, and mimic his every action. My son, Eric watched Drew struggle, stumble and even almost fall as he made his way across the room. But Eric never took his eyes off of Drew; he was ready to catch him if he fell. Drew finished his journey, and stood in front of his proud Daddy where he heard, “Good job, Drew!”

Major decisions, financial concerns, and family problems sometimes leave me feeling like I’m wobbling through life while trying to shuffle through problems that are way too big for me.

Yet, like Drew, I want to walk like my Father walks, talk like my Father talks, and mimic His every action. I know my Heavenly Father is watching as I struggle, stumble, and sometimes almost fall. But He never takes His eyes off of me; He is ready to catch me if I fall. So, I need to put a smile on my face, shuffle along, and focus on my Father. Someday, when I complete my journey here on earth, and stand before my Him, I hope I too will hear, “Good job!”

PRAYER: Father, I know my help comes from You, the Maker of heaven and earth. Thank You for keeping me from all harm and watching over my life.

BIBLE VERSE: “He will not let your foot slip – he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep” (Psalms 121:3-4 NIV).

Outta Sight, Outta Mind

By Susan Dollyhigh –

The Sweeper Vac’s battery charger resided on the counter in the butler’s pantry of my 1927 home. It was ready to connect with the batteries when they became weary and drained. After spending time in the charger, the batteries were rejuvenated and the Vac was ready to tackle whatever task the day might bring.

One day in a cleaning frenzy, I tucked the charger into a drawer instead of leaving it out for the world to see. As the saying goes, “outta sight, outta mind.” I soon forgot about my Sweeper Vac and returned to using a broom, even though it left me with a pile of crumbs to clean up.

Weeks later, I saw the neglected Sweeper Vac sitting forlornly in the corner of the cleaning closet. I pulled it out and pushed the button to turn it on, but all the life was drained from its batteries.

Just like that Sweeper Vac; I have a Charger, too. For many years, I kept it in a drawer instead of leaving it out for the world to see, and it became “outta sight, outta mind.”

But when I came to know my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, I discovered the importance of my Charger, which is God’s Holy Word. I removed my Bible from the drawer and placed it on my kitchen table where it resides, waiting for me to connect with my Father.

When I spend time in God’s Word each morning, I am spiritually rejuvenated and better equipped to tackle whatever task the day might bring. I’ve also found that with God’s Word hidden in my heart, there’s a lot less mess for me to have to clean up at the end of the day.

PRAYER: Father, I thank You for proving to me over and over that You are the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

BIBLE VERSE: “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Those who are far from you will perish; you destroy all who are unfaithful to you. But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds” (Psalms 73:26 – 28 NIV).

Uprooted

By Susan Dollyhigh –

The gladiolus plants stood tall and proud in my neighbors’ garden just waiting to burst forth into bloom with their beautiful pink, purple, red, white and orange flowers. But my neighbor decided she was tired of her gladiolus garden so she uprooted them – flowers, stems, bulbs and all. Tossed into a pile, they were destined to be thrown away.

As any good neighbor would do, I walked over to see what was going on and arrived just in the nick of time. I scooped up an armful of the long, green stems with the bulbs still attached and rescued those orphaned plants. As I prepared to transplant them in my garden, I noticed the dried-up, brown, onion-looking bulbs were actually, well…ugly. But I knew inside those bulbs lived everything they needed to once again grow strong, tall stems and produce beautiful flowers. The bulbs just needed someone who cared to replant them in just the right soil.

Sometimes we, too, may be uprooted in life. Major moves, divorce or loss of loved ones can all leave us feeling uprooted. We may feel that we’ve been thrown away by those we love and maybe, even by God. We may feel that our heart has withered down to just an ugly, brown bulb.

But just like that gladiolus bulb, inside we still have everything we need to grow back strong and tall. We just need someone who cares. That Someone is the Lord our God. When we cry out to the Lord in prayer, He hears our prayers and sees our tears and will heal our broken hearts. With our mended hearts planted in His love, we’ll survive any uprooting life may bring our way.

PRAYER: Father, thank you that you hear out prayers and see our tears. Thank you for healing our broken hearts.

“The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing” (Zephaniah 3:17 NIV).

Three Loved Ones Go Home for Easter

By Susan Dollyhigh-

Isa and Jorge, my sister-in-law and her husband, came home Easter weekend to celebrate the holiday with the family. They came to spend the weekend with Coleen, Isa’s mother. Isa and Jorge brought along Kivette, their beloved lab-collie mix. Flamboyant, exuberant, effervescent Isa. Unpretentious, restrained, humble Jorge. Sweet, lovable Kivette. And Coleen. Strong, solid, firm. A rock as her children called her. Coleen. Mother, Grandmother, Great-grandmother, Sister, Aunt, Cousin, Friend. Coleen, not very fond of dogs and especially not dogs in her house. But Coleen, who couldn’t deny room and board to Kivette, that sweet granddog of hers. Kivette who easily nuzzled her way into all of our hearts and soon came to spend every holiday with the family.

Isa, Jorge and Kivette came home Easter weekend to celebrate the holiday with the family. The family planned to have Sunday lunch together. Coleen’s refrigerator was overflowing with her delicious home-cooked food. But the sun rose that Easter morning to the saddest day ever experienced by the remainder of the family. Sad and terribly painful. Easter Sunday spent not in church as planned. Easter Sunday spent planning three funerals.

Isa, Jorge and Kivette came home to Mount Airy Easter weekend to celebrate the holiday with the family. Only Mount Airy wasn’t their final destination. Seems they only came through to pick up Coleen. On Saturday morning, Isa, Jorge, Coleen and Kivette traveled up Interstate 77 North. On that beautiful spring morning surrounded by the breathtaking panoramic view of the Blue Ridge Mountains, they were ushered into the very presence of God the Father. And seated there at His right hand, His Son, Jesus Christ.

Jesus who was sent into this world as a baby born of a virgin. Jesus who lived a sinless life yet died on a cross to pay the penalty for our sins. Jesus who on the third day rose from the dead. Jesus who now lives in heaven with God, His Father. And that’s what Easter is all about. Yes, Isa, Jorge, Coleen and Kivette went home that weekend to celebrate Easter. I can only imagine what a wonderful, glorious celebration that must have been.

In memory of Coleen, Jorge, Isa and beloved pet Kivette who went Home for Easter in March 22, 2008.

Bumper Bowling

By Susan Dollyhigh –

Bumper Bowling is like a bumper life. I watched as my granddaughter, Katelyn, rolled the pink bowling ball around in the carousel until her five-year-old fingers found the holes to slide into. She picked up the six-pound ball and in a wobbly run made her way to the foul line where she came to an abrupt stop. Swinging her small upper body around to the right, she brought the ball up with both hands and heaved it down the bowling lane. Thump. Thump. Thump. The ball dribbled out of control before making contact with the lane where it swirled from the right gutter to the left gutter and once more to the right before reaching the pins and slowly knocking over all ten. With a celebratory jump, Katelyn smiled, “Yes, a strike.” Katelyn was Bumper Bowling, a game for children, which meant her ball was protected from falling into the gutters by pads positioned on each side of the bowling lane.

Marital problems, health issues and financial concerns had left me feeling like a bowling ball dropped and thumped from one crisis to the next before swirling out of control, rolling into the gutter and landing in a pit. Faced with so many difficult decisions, I didn’t know what to pray for, so I prayed as David did in Psalm 25:4, “Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths.” If I could get out of the pit and onto the Lord’s path, I would find the hope and peace promised in God’s Word. Remembering Katelyn’s Bumper Bowling, I asked the Lord to place bumpers so I couldn’t veer from His path. “Lord,” I prayed, “I want to go Bumper Bowling.”

Susan Shelton Dollyhigh is a freelance writer, columnist and speaker. Susan is a contributing author in Spirit and Heart: A Devotional Journey, Faith and Finances: In God We Trust and The Ultimate Christian Living. Susan’s articles and devotionals have appeared in Connection Magazine, Exemplify Magazine, Mustard Seed Ministry, P31 Woman, The Upper Room and The Secret Place. She is also a contributing online writer for ChristianDevotions.us and InternetCafeDevotions.com.

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