They Think They Own the Place

By Charlotte Riegel –

Last summer we moved from a large (5 bedroom, 4 level split) house to a small 2 bedroom bungalow. After a great deal of downsizing we squeezed our still-too-many-belongings into our wee new home. It’s actually not that small, but to us it seems very tiny. I’m delighted to have only one bathroom instead of three to keep clean, and grateful for only two bedrooms to keep tidy… if you stretch it a bit, actually only one, the guest bedroom. In anticipation of this move, I also looked forward to a much smaller house to dust and vacuum.

Alas, even the smaller space is proving challenging, mostly because we have no carpets. I have good equipment, even a house vac to use on hard floors, and a variety of mops that work very well. Nevertheless, getting down to floor level to capture the notorious dust bunnies that hide everywhere is proving more challenging than I anticipated. During the summer, I basically ignored them, but once the weather kept me inside more, they began to taunt me. “Catch me if you can” they seemed to be calling as they swirled around, seemingly dancing with glee as I caught one but saw two more skitter under a couch.

I conceded defeat in my ability to control this menace and hired a young, agile, college student to spend an hour a week, vacuuming and dusting. She admitted to having worked in a hotel for a while so knew how to capture my little enemies. Then the holidays arrived and she went home. Since we were gone for several days as well I was surprised by how quickly the dust bunnies returned and took over. They are relentless and seem to insist they own this space and have a right to be here. Not so, say I, and begin to sweep my mops around finding as many as I can until my housekeeper returns to capture the many who continue to hide in difficult to access places.

As I hunt down these household enemies I am reminded to be on the alert for the enemy of my soul, who also seeks to invade my space whenever I let down my guard. One dares not take a spiritual vacation for, like the dust bunnies, he and his cohorts sneak in and gleefully occupy, causing a dirty mess of life.

PRAYER: Thank You, Lord, for all Your provisions to help me keep my spiritual house clean and in order. I desire to be on the alert for invaders who choose to rob me of a life pleasing to You. Sound the alarm when they show up and grant me courage and forthrightness to remove them swiftly. Amen.

“Be alert, be on watch! Your enemy, the Devil, roams around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Be firm in your faith and resist him, because you know that other believers in all the world are going through the same kind of sufferings. But after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who calls you to share His eternal glory in union with Christ, will himself perfect you and give you firmness, strength, and a sure foundation. To Him be the power forever! Amen”(1 Peter 5: 8-11 GNT).

What Do You Love?

By Hally Franz –

It’s February – a time to recognize and appreciate the people, places and things that we love. In thinking about this month’s devotions, I was reminded of the old Tom T. Hall song in which he lists some of the things that he loves most. In Mr. Hall’s song “I Love” he names the following among the things that he loves: little baby ducks and little fuzzy pups, snow and rain, old pick-up trucks and slow-moving trains, coffee in a cup and bourbon in a glass, grass and hay. It’s an interesting list, and we can all identify with at least a few of his choices, I’m sure.

So, I thought for a moment about the things I love. I love the healing power of music and the snuggling potential of a rainy day. I love the change of seasons, watching marching bands, horse shows, architecture and dark chocolate. I love human frailty, and I love observing genetics at work. Add to my list pasta and Diet Coke, my family, friends, church and God. And, dare I say, sweatpants? Yes, I love sweatpants.

Reading.

Here’s the thing about reading. I didn’t always like it. I probably read fewer than a dozen complete books growing up, and my academic success was strictly due to listening well and taking great notes. I was slow and often had to re-read. It’s odd for one who writes to not read. Over time, I think God helped me to enjoy reading, even though I’m still slow. That new love has been a blessing to me.

Some of the activities we enjoy, the spaces that bring us contentment, and the people we like spending time with change over time. While my brain isn’t as sharp as it once was, my desire to read and learn is greater than ever before. I suppose that’s a bit of the irony of aging we may all experience in one form or another.

As parents, we ought to help our children find things they love and are passionate about. This world is full of loveable things, places and people, both God-made and man-made. It is easy to see the bad and the negative, but in this season of love and throughout the year, let’s take time to appreciate the big and small loves in our lives. Let’s encourage our kids to do the same.

PRAYER: Awesome Father, what an amazing world we live in! While there is evil and sadness, there is also beauty and brilliance in our midst. Help us to focus on the many people, places and things there are to enjoy, appreciate… and love!

“Mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you” (Jude 1:2 NKJV).

Love is the Message

By Judy Davis –

“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control. Against such things there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23).

My friend Ann asked me if I would teach a Bible study to women in a detention center. As I gave each woman a copy of my book, Women of the Bible, they seemed eager to learn. It was during Valentine’s week so I also took a bag of Valentine candy. Each piece had words written across the top such as Love, Peace, Joy, and Sweet. This act of kindness not only blessed them, but they seemed to be more attentive to the study.

I thought this was a great idea and didn’t see anything wrong with giving the women a few pieces of candy. But I learned later we were not supposed to take candy into the jail. Oh, to live and learn….

Our message is not only to tell others that love is a powerful gift from God. We also need to show people the power of love in action. Be observant; a vessel asking God to help us in all of life’s situations. One of the women in jail was crying. She missed her children. It was an opportune time to give her a hug….let her know someone cares. And pray for her to allow God’s love to change her life.

Everywhere we go there are people worse off than we can imagine. We must pray for them, help them, and most of all love them. Do you know some one in need today? During the Christmas holidays we were so quick to give not only gifts but ourselves. May we be willing to give of ourselves all year. This pleases God!

One way to reach out to those in need is to buy cards and place money or a gift certificate in them. You can buy gift certificates at many restaurants. We are blessed to be a blessing.

Loving others is the most important gift we can give.

“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love” (1Corinthians 13:13 NIV).

PRAYER: Father, help me today to be a vessel of love. So many people are hurting and need a hug, or maybe just a kind word. Guide me to be more in tune to the needs of others.

Mi Pooky

By Elaine James –

“MI POOKY” were the words on the car license plate I was driving behind. The phrase reminded me of all the endearing salutations I look forward to from my husband each Valentine’s Day. Admittedly my favorite is Honey Bun. I have to celebrate the day, don’t I? I feel guilty even questioning it. I regretfully think of the pressure of squeezing another thing into my already full schedule. It’s bittersweet. Love is what makes the world go round, yet I just got finished paying off my Christmas debt.

It drags me down when I start thinking about Valentine’s Day and the commercialism. Emotions rise up within as another Hallmark Holiday rolls around. But then the license plate caught my eye. Exchanging words of endearment with our friends, family and significant others should cost me nothing! Years ago, I started a tradition of preparing a red meal. Everything from the plates to the drinks and food is red. It’s a challenge but my family is hooked. Especially when they receive homemade love coupons that can be redeemed for back rubs.

The Holy Spirit gently guides me back to God’s love command so eloquently stated in the King James Version. “And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up” (Deuteronomy 6:5-7).

My computer wants me to auto correct this verse. For me seeing it in this version causes me to read it slowly. Love! It reassures me and allows me to rest as I put my head on my pillow. In my waking moments it permeates my soul with a desire to continue living.

A Google search of the origin of Valentine’s Day reveals it started with a Roman Saint named Valentine. The world’s blitz of love symbolized in red, pink and white celebrates a tradition that dates back nearly 2,000 years. Our greeting card, the Bible, emphasizes its greatest symbol of love “The Cross” with its origin occurring over 2000 years ago.

PRAYER: Bless me with the ability to love you Lord with thine heart, soul and with all thy might. Help me to express this love to others that you put on my heart right now. May it give you glory. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

He Lost His Head

By Cynthia Ruchti –

“I promise it won’t hurt.”

“I’ll be there on time. I promise.”

I heard it again the other day. A dad promised his young son something not within his power to control. “I promise we’ll find your bike.”

He can promise they’ll try as hard as they can to find it. But no dad can truthfully promise the bike will be found.

King Herod feared John the Baptist. He was confused and convicted by John’s teaching, but the Bible tells us the king liked to listen to him.

John the Baptist was a truth-teller who plainly told Herod he was in an adulterous affair with Herodius, his brother’s wife. Herod had John arrested but gave him preferential treatment because he understood John was a righteous, holy man.

But Herod made a foolish promise for a foolish reason. He liked the way Herodius’ daughter danced. He promised her anything she wanted.

The girl, egged on by her hateful mother, asked for the head of John the Baptist on a platter. “The king was greatly distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he did not want to refuse her.” (Mark 6:26 NIV)

Herod knew the right thing to do. But he caved to the wrong thing because he’d made a rash, unwise promise. And John the Baptist lost his head because of it.

What kind of trouble can parents cause when they promise something to please a child, but can’t deliver on the promise? We can promise we’ll do our best. We can promise the pain is survivable and temporary. We can promise we’ll try. But only God’s promises are unfailingly reliable, because He has the power to control the outcome.

PRAYER: Lord, keep me from making ridiculous promises, and keep me faithful to my Christ-created promises to You.

“For no matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘yes’ in Christ.”( II Corinthians 1:20 NIV)

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