The Right Clothes
December 28, 2024 by Virginia Smith
Filed under Daily Devotions, Humorous
By Virginia Smith
My husband and I enjoy taking trips together on his motorcycle. Last summer we rode down to Escalante National Park in southern Utah, and before we left I took the opportunity to do a little shopping. I had a jacket and helmet, but they were out of style. Now, that doesn’t matter one bit to my husband, but it does to me. I mean, what will the other biker chicks think if I zoom down the road sporting out-of-date clothes?
So, I went shopping for some snazzy new biker gear. Motorcycle clothing is expensive, but I was prepared to spend big bucks for a helmet, because I know how important head protection is. And I wanted a new riding jacket made of reinforced mesh with protective pads at the shoulders and elbows. The saleslady stuck with me, showing me different styles and commenting on the way certain colors complimented my complexion, – you know, the important stuff.
Books and Covers… and People
December 27, 2024 by Virginia Smith
Filed under Daily Devotions, Life Topics
By Virginia Smith
You can’t judge a book by its cover. We’ve all heard that saying. I know it’s true literally. I received a book as a gift not long ago, and when I saw the cover, I thought, “Nah. That story doesn’t appeal to me.” Then a week or so later I became desperate for fresh reading material and opened the book. Wow. Within a page or so I was into the story, hooked by the author’s writing and the character’s conflicts.
Perhaps more importantly, the saying is true figuratively. How many times have I formed an opinion about people because of the way they look? Oh, I’m never rude. But have I missed getting to know a truly delightful person because I didn’t take the time to see behind the façade? Have I been put off by a scowl, perhaps? Or by clothing that isn’t “appropriate,” by my personal standards? Have I discounted someone because they don’t speak my language well enough? Or because their beliefs aren’t the same as mine? Or even because I’m intimidated by the air of success they project? Am I missing some truly great stories because the cover doesn’t look all that appealing to me?
Our Cry to the Father
December 24, 2024 by Peter Lundell
Filed under Daily Devotions, Worship
By Peter Lundell
On an out-of-town trip, I stayed at the home of our church members. Their baby cried at 3:00 a.m. and again at 6:30 in the morning. Parents of newborns may yearn for the time when their child sleeps through the night. But, not being in such a position, I just listened.
The cry sounded almost like a song calling out to parents. I thought of the babies I’d heard cry: in Minnesota, where I grew up; in Haiti, where they’re born into abject poverty; in Japan, a completely different race and culture. The cries were similar. Rich or poor, Eastern or Western, the babies all called out to parents.
Inside Out
December 22, 2024 by Cheri Cowell
Filed under Daily Devotions, Personal Growth
By Cheri Cowell
Today I met a friend for lunch and through our conversation she learned that I indeed wore a southern belle gown and big picture hat for my wedding. For proof I pulled the picture from my purse. As she looked at the image she said, “Funny, I didn’t picture you as the southern belle type,” to which I replied, “You’re right. I guess I was filling a role I thought I should play.”
Come to think of it, I have played many roles in my life that were not accurate reflections of my inner self. Jesus can see beneath the surface and calls us to be who we really are.
Indescribable Love
December 20, 2024 by Virginia Smith
Filed under Daily Devotions, Family
By Virginia Smith
From an aging photograph on the bedside table, a bride and groom smile at one another with eyes full of love. The woman in the nursing home bed bears no resemblance to the bride. Dull, sightless eyes stare toward the ceiling, and sagging skin clings to the bones of her face like winter leaves reluctant to loose their fragile grip on the tree that gave them life.
As I hand a damp cloth to the man seated beside her bed, I detect a similarity to the groom in his wrinkled face. He raises the cloth to her forehead, and from the tenderness in his eyes I know he does not see her as I do. He sees instead every smile she has ever given him, every tear she has shed, every night spent together. He sees her as he knows she has been, and as he hopes she will be again. He sees her with love.
