"Just One Letter . . . "

Have you ever received a note or letter that spoke to your heart and changed your course of action for the rest of your life? I received one some 28 years ago that so affected me that my life goal and future service were defined that day.

That’s when my note writing to encourage others began. And by God’s grace, I’ve been faithful through the years. Having firsthand experience in what a note can do in a life has kept me busy sending God’s love to those He directs me too. And He does direct me!

Consider the following excerpt from “The Fragrance of Kindness” by Cheri Fuller. One of the stories is written by Alexandra Stoddard:

“Sit by a crackling fire and read some of your favorite letters. While sitting there soaking up all the love and support, think of one person you love and write a beautiful, loving letter to that person. Let the flame in your hearth warm your heart. One letter in a lifetime . . . to a special friend could make a greater difference than you dare to believe.”

I’ve literally sat by a crackling fire and twice wrote a beautiful, loving letter to a friend. It not only inspired me and provided many memories for me to enjoy, but it gave both of my friends warm and loving thoughts to remember for a lifetime.

All it takes is just one note or letter. In these days of speed, you’d be surprised how important a note or letter is that arrives via snail mail. My baskets are full of ones I’ve received, and through the years the encouraging words keep me going.

Christmas, 2009, my friend, Kathy Kreyling, gave me a note a month for 2010. Some loving friend had gifted her the year before and she wanted to pass on that gift. It warms my heart to know I have a packet of notes just waiting to be opened each month of this year.

Why not give it a try? It certainly isn’t hard. It’s doesn’t consume a lot of time. I guarantee it will be one of the most important things you’ll ever do!

I found the picture on the blog Encouragement From The Heart. If anyone knows where it originated from please let me know so I can give proper credit.

Majesty and Control

I was drawn to one of my favorite books in the Bible this week: Job, and it is the majesty and splendor of God's words from Chapter 38 to the end of the book that thrill my soul. You cannot read these words without realizing that God is All Powerful, All Mighty and in control of All things. It brings a renewed awe of all He has created, and reminds me that He is in control of all things, even though I don't understand.

But there is also another point made that demands our attention. Affliction. Job shows us "that there is a benevolent divine purpose running through the sufferings of the godly, and that life's bitterest enigmas are reconcilable with this purpose did we but know the facts."1 As with Job, when baffling affliction comes my way I may know, as a believer, that the same holds good for me--"that there is a purpose for it in the counsel of heaven, and a foreknown outcome of blessing."1

These thoughts and words were affirmed to me, when in chapel at my work this week, the teacher spoke from Isaish 55:8&9: "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."

It helps me to know it doesn't matter if I know why things happen . . . God knows! "God permitted Job's trials to prove that a person could love God for Himself without thought of reward, and that a loving, sovereign God is always in control though our own knowledge and understanding are limited."1

"Faith enables me to relinquish my need to know why the unthinkable happens and instead to trust the One who so irrefutably proved Himself worthy of my trust by the sacrifice of His own Son's life for my sake." Mayo Mathers

Job thrills my soul with all God is and comforts my soul that He is in control. This inspires me!

and Job also gives me ". . . treasures of the snow . . . " (38:22) and I like that!




1 The Liberty Bible Commentary

A serendipity find . . .

On a beautiful morning this week, about 7 a.m., I was driving one of my favorite roads and spotted someone enjoying the beauty too! Need a peaceful heart? Find roads to enjoy as you travel along.

"Did you ever get stuck?" and "What is Love . . . ?"

That's Sam, as she tried to turn around in the middle of a narrow path after the first storm six days ago. We'd walked to the back gate where we put corn for the deer, just pushing the snow as we walked. 24" is a lot of snow to push around!

The second storm brought our total to 40+ inches. We may have had two blizzards, but 40+ inches of snow is not going to stop me from posting my Valentine post . . . What Is Love? Hope it touches your heart . . .

What is Love? Brocade curtains . . . boots Ingrid’s father wore, and an engagement ring . . .

I rarely watch television anymore, and we don’t have cable, which is a good thing I suppose. I’d rather read or watch DVDs of my own choosing for my entertainment. But a number of years ago, there was one television series that I loved to watch– Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman. Maybe it was the romance of life on the frontier that drew me to it. Whatever it was, I watched faithfully from it’s beginning in 1993 to the last show in 1998.

As a gift to myself, I recently purchased the complete series, and I’ve been enjoying the shows as I go through the box of 42 CDs. Thankfully, Jerry liked the show too, so he watches with me.

The other night we watched “What is Love?” as the cast prepared to perform Romeo and Juliet. Brian, the young boy, was writing an essay about love, and as the show ended his essay declared brocade curtains, boots Ingrid’s father wore and an engagement ring love. These were stories in that episode.

But Jerry topped this saying, “Love is trying to explain ice cream to someone who’s never tasted it.” It brought fun laughter to my face–we love ice cream! A little while after, the thought came to me on how to explain faith to someone who doesn’t believe.

Many words came to my mind . . . hope, trust, forgiveness, comfort, rest, peace, and integrity all came to mind. Following are words from faithful men and women:

“Faith is not a sense, nor sight, nor reason, but taking God at his Word.” Arthur Benoni Evans (1781-1854)

“Faith is deliberate confidence in the character of God whose ways you cannot understand at the time.” Oswald Chambers (1874-1917)

“Faith is not anti-intellectual. It is an act of man that reaches beyond the limits of our fives senses.” Billy Graham.

“Faith is knowing something is true, but you can’t prove it, and you prove faith by the way you live your life and treat others in Jesus name.” Jerry

“Faith means being grasped by a power that is greater than we are, a power that shakes us and turns us, and transforms and heals us. Surrender to this power is faith.” Paul Johannes Oskar Tillich (1886-1965)

"Faith see’s the invisible, believes the unbelievable, and receives the impossible.” Corrie Ten Boom (1892-1983)

All this because of trying to explain love. I can certainly identify with this description: “Love is like swallowing hot chocolate before it has cooled off. It takes you by surprise at first, but keeps you warm for a long time.” Anonymous

I hope your Valentine's day will include special care for those you love. And a warm and sincere thank you to God for the greatest love gift of all . . . Jesus!

Sometimes I'd like to be a duck . . .

Many years ago as I drove to work in the morning, I’d past a pond half frozen and watch ducks taking a bath. What a chuckle I’d have! Frigid temperatures and here those ducks were relishing a fresh bath! I’d still be slowly warming up to the heat in the car.

I enjoyed that scene again, recently, and it just brought back good memories. The other week I stopped at a pond I pass and shot the above scene. Serene and tranquil, the geese having a quiet start to their day . . . some bathing . . . a beautiful example of God’s handiwork.

The rushed drivers who watched me pull over and walk to the pond probably were wondering what that crazy woman was doing. But once God has opened your eyes to His beauty and creation, well, I’ll do just about anything to get that shot!

The scene below is a fountain that refreshed me as I drove by.




The next time you pass a pond in the middle of winter and see those ducks taking a bath, thank God for His beautiful creation and His amazing works. What a delight!

The scene below was taken the morning after our fresh snow Tuesday night. It's a favorite farm I love to photograph in any season. I got a different view that morning through the fence. There were many geese in the pond and they began taking off. It's just a delightful memory!

"Those Hidden Graces . . . "

I recently purchased a CD by Amy Gaither-Hayes. She is the middle daughter of Bill and Gloria Gaither. I heard her sing a song on one of the Gaither Homecoming videos and liked both the song and her voice. I was hoping this first CD she’s recorded would be similar. I wasn’t disappointed.

Three of my favorites are “Hidden Graces”, “Before the Sun Goes Down” and “Grace for the Moment.” Amy wanted these new songs “to be about paying attention to the present and choosing to stay in the moment.”

The words in “Hidden Graces” are short lines giving a glimpse of where you might find hidden graces: “ ... beside the woman softly humming . . . in the letter you might send (of course I’d like this one) . . . on the top of every mountain . . . and in every valley low.” These simple expressions inspire your mind to consider all things around you.

“Before the Sun Goes Down” provides questions on living, prompting you to consider if you’ve lived for God today. I like at the end when she sings “ ... As I reflect, I must confess That I might not have passed some tests.” A clear reminder that we fail everyday, thankfully falling into the arms of God. And the words in “Grace for the Moment” brings in the light that God is always with us, “providing more grace faithfully” to us.

The song Amy sang on the Homecoming video is titled “What Belongs To You” and is the song that caught my heart. Everything belongs to God. “All that I know . . . all that I see . . . all that I am . . . and all that I do .”

As I’ve noted on my blog, I strive for simple . . . simple words, simple actions and simple thoughts. We really don’t have to dig deep to be covered in God’s truth. As Jesus said in Luke 10:21, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.”

Simplicity is able to touch hearts and change lives. Innocence and trust . . . as a child, and you will find those “hidden graces.”

The picture above is one of those hidden graces. Jerry pulled it up in our backyard . . . a mighty oak from an acorn. Simple joys.

"A Happy Soul . . . "

George Mueller, 1805-1898, has some thoughtful words to say on what he considers to be “the first great and primary business to which [he] ought to attend.” I love reading words written from earlier centuries. They seem so grand.

“While I was staying at Nailsworth, it pleased the Lord to teach me a truth, irrespective of human instrumentality, as far as I know, the benefit of which I have not lost though now ... more than forty years have since passed away. The point is this: I saw more clearly than ever, that the first great and primary business to which I ought to attend every day was, to have my soul happy in the Lord. The first thing to be concerned about was not how much I might serve the Lord; how I might glorify the Lord; but how I might get my soul into a happy state, and how my inner man might be nourished . . .

“It often now astonishes me that I did not sooner see this . . . that the first thing the child of God has to do morning by morning is to obtain food for his inner man . . . What is the food for the inner man: not prayer, but the Word of God, so that it not only passes through our minds, just as water rungs through a pipe, but considering what we read, pondering over it, and applying it to our hearts . . .

“How different when the soul is refreshed and made happy early in the morning, from what it is when, without spiritual preparation, the service, the trials and the temptations of the day come upon one!”

To have a happy soul. Is your soul happy when you read God’s word or listen to His music? Mine is. I believe His word so strongly that my soul is thrilled every time I read it or listen to it being preached. The question for me is: Does it keep me happy? I think I have to work on that a little harder.

George Mueller was a great man. I like what he said. Although I've always had devotions in the morning, I think if I set my mind to be closer to God, pondering what I read more intensely, my soul will indeed be tickled because He is truth, and if my soul is tickled I think my soul will be very happy all day!

The above picture was taken from my writing room window.The young hawk just started flapping his wings and prancing around. That definitely tickled my funny bone!