A Delightful Encounter

Last week I was reading a magazine article where the subscribers were told: “There are certain people we encounter regularly, even if only for a moment, who leave a lasting impression on us. Their presence makes an impact on our lives. Have you experienced such an encounter?” Following were words written by numerous subscribers with their story.

The question caused me to pause and consider. An encounter did come to my mind, and I smiled remembering it. I had wrote an article about this encounter and started looking for it. I was so excited when I found it. 

I had started a new job, and while driving to work one morning I saw a man walking his two Golden Retrievers. Each morning as I drove by, the man would be at a certain spot, and I smiled watching him and his dogs. One day I stopped my car and asked him if I could take a picture of him and his dogs. I explained that I was on my way to work and I always smile when I see them.

I'll let the article I wrote about this encounter tell you the rest of the story:

"I love dogs. I've owned a few most of my life. The wagging tail of Sammy, my purebred mutt, always makes me smile. It's no surprise when I saw a man walking his two Golden Retrievers in the same spot every day that I would smile and arrive at work happy.

"What is surprising are the words I heard one sunny morning: 'Take a picture of them.' 'Take a picture of them?' Where did that come from? I questioned out loud. 'You want me to go up to this man I don't know and take a picture of him and his dogs?'

"God's still, small voice always surprises me--send a note, bake a cake, make a breakfast date. I do my best to act on whatever God brings to my mind, but this request was out of my comfort zone. 'You just don't go around asking to take a picture of someone,' I argued.

"'What will he think of me?' I asked God. 'I'll feel so silly.' But, as the days passed, I found I took to the idea and started envisioning the picture on my desk at work. I have pictures of a lot of animals: calves, a baby donkey, goslings, birds, and of course, Sammy. 'It would be a treat,' I decided, 'to have the man and his dogs on my desk too.'

"Mustering all my confidence I pulled up beside him the following morning. Lowering the window I smiled and said, 'Can I take a picture of you and your dogs? You give me so much joy each morning.'

"Before he could say anything I jumped out of the car with my camera. 'Your dogs look so happy--I enjoy them so much,' I told him. He seemed a little flustered, but worked on getting the dogs to stand still.

'Are you done?' he asked, after I snapped a few pictures. 'Yes, I think I have enough,' I said. Thanking him again I got in my car and drove off.

"'I did it,' I yelled! 'I can't believe I did it. Thank you, Lord, for this joy.'

"I was gleaming when I arrived at work a few minutes later. Laughing, my friend, Melody, said: 'I saw you taking pictures of those dogs.' Melody follows the same route as I do the last two miles. 'They are beautiful animals,' she continued. Laughing with her I said, 'I can't believe I stopped and took their picture!'

"I enjoy photography. Six months ago I went digital and love the ability to see my pictures instantly. Editing them to just what I want gives me a whole new area of enjoyment. I was thrilled when I saw the pictures of the man and his dogs. After a little cropping around the edges so my car wasn't in view, I printed off two copies of the prints so I could give the man a set.

"The next morning I could hardly wait to see him and hand him the envelope of pictures, but he wasn't there. 'Oooh,' I muttered. 'I'll have to wait until tomorrow.' But he wasn't there the next morning. He wasn't there all week.

"'Maybe he went on vacation,' I thought. It was the Memorial Day Weekend. 'I'll see him soon.'

"But he wasn't there the next week either. 'Did I scare him?' I wondered. 'Was he uneasy about what happened.'

"'Lord, Why did you want me to do this,' I groaned. 'I feel so bad that he isn't there. Am I the reason?'

"Each morning as I past 'his spot' my disappointment grew. The weeks passed, but not my memory.

"'Melody, have you seen the man with the dogs lately,' I asked about five weeks later. 'Yes,' she replied. 'I saw him one day last week.' 'I'm so glad,' I told her. 'I haven't seen him since I took the pictures.'

"'There he is!' I whispered as I turned on the road. Stunned, there was only one dog. 'Oh no. Where's the other dog?' I wondered.

"I didn't stop. I couldn't. Was it my imagination or did he put his head down as I drove by? 'Oh, Lord,' I asked. 'Is that why I haven't seen him? Please let me see him again,' I asked.

"The next morning, my stomach in turmoil, I pulled up along side of him. Handing him the envelope with the pictures I said, 'These are the pictures I took. Is your other dog ok?'

"'He died of cancer,' the man said. 'Gone in a matter of five days.' Listening, I took his hand to transfer my sympathy.

"He looked at the envelope. 'Pictures of both dogs?' he asked. And then I knew. I had a treasure to give him. A reminder of his early morning walks with his two friends. 'Yes,' I said happily. He opened the envelope and looked at his friends. I reached for his hand again. 'I care,' I said.

"'You won't see me next week.' he said. 'I'm having shoulder surgery.' 'I will pray for you,' I shared.

"Every time I drive past 'his place' I send a prayer heavenward. One day I'll see him again, walking his friend. I'll stop and ask how he is and tell him of the prayers I said for him each day.

"I don't always know the reason for God's prompting me to do something. I've just learned to act when I hear Him. I have a feeling the memory I placed in this man's hands will hold a special place in his heart. An unexpected treasure. A gift from God.

"I smile when I look at the picture now on my desk. It's a reminder that even the smallest act can make a giant different in the life of another."

A lot more happened between this man and I as we stopped each morning to say hello. His wife invited me to have lunch with them one day, and they invited Jerry and me to have dinner with them and another couple at a special restaurant in the development.

This is a happy memory and a lasting impression of a time when a man and his dogs brought joy to my heart as I drove to work. And how I brought joy to his heart with a picture of his two best friends.

By His Grace . . .

Growing Old With Jesus

Me and my hot cocoa!

From "CottageWhimsy" Facebook page, with a little editing

In honor of my birthday on the 14th, I'm posting some words I found on the "Walking With Jesus" Facebook Page recently. Seems appropriate.

"Growing old isn’t easy. We lose strength, forget things, and come closer to the end of life. But I have no fear, because when my time here is done, I will step into a new world. My body and mind will be restored, and I will meet Jesus face to face.

"Growing old is not easy. Your body does not do what it used to do. The steps feel steeper. The mornings feel slower. You might walk into a room and forget why you went there. You might search for a name you have known for years. And some days, that can scare you more than you want to admit.

"Because it is not just about sore knees or tired hands. It is also the quiet losses. The changes you did not ask for. The hard truth that you are closer to the end of this life than you were before.

"If that is where you are today, take a gentle breath. God is not shocked by your weakness. He is not disappointed by your slowing down. He is not standing far away, watching you struggle. He is close. He is near. And He knows your frame.

"Jesus understands what it is to be human. He felt tired. He wept. He carried pain in His own flesh. So when your strength is not what it was, you are not alone. You are seen by a Savior who is tender with suffering.

"Sometimes faith looks like honesty. It looks like whispering, “Lord, I do not like this.” It looks like bringing your fear into the light and letting God hold it with you. And little by little, hope begins to rise.

"God does not measure your life by how strong you are. He does not love you less because you need help now. Your worth has never been in your energy. Your worth has always been in His love.

"Even now, your prayers matter. Your quiet faith matters. Your kindness still reaches people. Your life still carries fruit, even in a season that feels simple and hidden.

"And here is the truth that steadies the heart.

"This world is not the end of you.

"There will come a day when your tired body will not feel tired anymore. There will come a day when your mind will not feel scattered. God has promised a new beginning for His children. A day with no more pain. No more sorrow. No more death.

"No more fear of forgetting. No more nights where worry keeps you awake. No more feeling like your body is failing you.

"And best of all, Jesus will be there.

"Not far away. Not hidden behind faith alone. You will meet Him face to face.

"The One you have prayed to in the dark will be the One you see in the light. The One who carried you through grief will welcome you with joy. The One who forgave you will hold you with love.

"So if the thought of aging brings tears to your eyes, you do not have to pretend you are fine. God is gentle with you. When your hands tremble, His hands do not. When your memory slips, He remembers you fully. When your strength fades, His strength remains.

"And when your time here is done, you will not step into emptiness. You will step into home.

"So let today be a day of quiet courage. Not because aging is easy, but because Jesus is faithful. You are being carried toward restoration. And you are deeply loved, now and forever."

We all are going through it or will go through it sooner than we think. My favorite exclamation when I'm trying to do something is: "Why is this so hard!" This saying appeared shortly after I turned 65 and it's only gotten more frequent as the years go by.

No, growing old isn't easy, but I am thankful for the years I have and look forward to the eternity to come!

By His Grace . . . 

God Sees

 
I've always felt a kinship with Eeyore. So every March I decorate my Christmas tree

with ornaments of him. It's my birthday month and seeing him makes me smile.

"The best part of all Christian work is that part which only God sees."

Andrew Bonar

I thought this quote interesting. Bonar lived in the 1800s.  He was a minister of the Free Church of Scotland. I was reading in Warren Wiersbe's book, "50 People Every Christian Should Know" and came across this quote.

We are told to do things in secret in Matthew 6:3-4 for God will see what is done and will reward us. There is something special about doing something for God and no one knowing about it.

There's the preparation in doing something for God before you do it in public. A pastor researches and prepares sermons. A Sunday School teacher reads and studies the lesson. A choir director prepares music. A cook prepares food. A worker prepares what he or she will need to accomplish something. These are things that only God sees as you prepare to do work for Him.

And knowing only God sees as you prepare for something makes it special. You are trusting Him to help you put together what is needed so you can accomplish the service He's called you to do.

When you spend time preparing yourself for God's service, He makes it a special time between you and Him. No matter what we are called to do, although God qualifies us to do it, we still have to research and plan to get it done, all with God's help.

And that may very well be the best part of working for God!

By His Grace . . . 

 

God's Power

 

“God’s power is restrained by God’s wisdom and judgment . . .

He knows what is best and never makes a mistake.”

David Jeremiah

We all know God’s power has no boundaries. He is able to do all things. Difficult is not a word in His vocabulary. It doesn’t matter how hard something is, how unbelievable something is or how mysterious something is. There are no limits to what God can do.

David Jeremiah shares that God doesn’t always use the power He has. Since He makes no mistakes, God uses His wisdom and judgment when He is doing something. He knows the past, the present and the future, and He knows how to determine what is best at all times.

It’s wonderful to know that His choice is always the right one. He will do what is best for us no matter how much we’d like something to be different. We may not understand or like it, but we have the confidence that He does.

Biblehub.com: “Understanding God's power is essential for comprehending His nature and His work in the world. It is a source of awe, reverence, and hope for believers, providing assurance of His ability to accomplish His will and fulfill His promises. Through creation, miracles, salvation, sovereignty, and empowerment, God's power is a central and defining attribute of His divine character.”

God is able to accomplish anything and gives believers hope during all situations and future happenings. We can have confidence that God will do what is good and right for each one of us. “He knows what is best and never makes a mistake.”

Matthew 22:29

“Jesus replied, “’You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God.’”

 Biblerepository: “’Or the power of God,’ emphasizes that God’s abilities are beyond human comprehension. He has the power to influence the world, perform miracles, and even bring about resurrection. Understanding both the Scriptures and the power of God is significant in our faith journey and relationship with Him . . . God is not limited by our understanding of reality. His ability to perform miracles, to change hearts, and to resurrect the dead is a cornerstone of our faith. Recognizing His power gives us hope in seemingly hopeless situations and confidence that God can do great things in our lives.”

We don't always understand why things happen like they do, but we have complete assurance that God knows and has chosen the very best for us. Now that's God's Power!

By His Grace . . . 

Finally! An Answer

This may just be my problem or lack of understanding, but maybe there's someone else out there that has wondered about this.

We hear frequently that we will know each other when we get to heaven, and how good it will be to see our mother, father, sister, brother or any number of individuals we knew here during our earthly life.

And we hear frequently that there will be no tears in heaven (Revelation 21:4: "He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."). Maybe this indicates that we won't remember any bad things here on earth, but it was never enough for me.

Well, I finally heard a message that speaks to this! I was listening to Dr. Anthony George, at First Baptist in Atlanta, and in his message he said: "One of the greatest gifts in heaven is going to be glorified amnesia . . . where God is going to forever purge from your memory all of the things that you regret, or are embarrassed about, or ashamed of. They will be forever forgotten when you get to heaven. That's what I believe."

My ears perked up when I heard that. The next day I wrote their online contact and asked if Dr. George had a Scripture verse regarding what he taught. The next day I received an answer.

Isaiah 65:16-17, "So that he who blessed himself in the earth Shall bless himself in the God of truth; And he who swears in the earth Shall swear by the God of truth; Because the former troubles are forgotten, And because they are hidden from My eyes. 'For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; And the former shall not be remembered or come to mind.'"

The person who replied to my email wrote: "It is important to note, however, this prophecy in Isaiah is referencing the eternal heaven (new heaven and new earth), which takes place after the tribulation, not the current heaven. We know, for example, John saw sorrow in heaven when he visited heaven in his vision (Revelation 6:9-10), and the rich man asked Abraham to send Lazarus, the beggar, back to warm his brothers of the fate of the unrighteous (Luke 17:19-31). Both the Revelation and Luke passages indicate we will be aware of our lives on earth, including the bad things, in the current heaven."

I then checked out some commentaries on Isaiah 65:16-17. One online resource on Studylight.org said: "The former sorrows of the earth, under the fall, shall be so far from recurring, that their very remembrance shall be obliterated by the many mercies I [God] will bestow on the new earth."

On Blueletterbible.org, Matthew Henry wrote: "The former troubles were forgotten; but here it rises much higher; even the former world shall be forgotten and shall no more come into mind . . . The glorified saints will therefore have forgotten this world, because they will be entirely taken up with the other . . . The future glory of the saints will be so entirely different from what they ever knew before that it may well be called new heaven and a new earth."

And on Godsbless.ing: "The former troubles are forgotten and hidden from my eyes" resonates with God's pledge to wipe away past sufferings and sins, ushering in a fresh start devoid of the burdens that once weighed us down."

I now feel like I have an adequate answer to why we won't remember the sorrow experienced here on earth. I think Dr. George is right: "Where God is going to forever purge from your memory all of the things that you regret, or are embarrassed about, or ashamed of [or that you are heartbroken about]. They will be forever forgotten when you get to heaven."

Finally! An answer.

By His Grace . . . 

The Glory of God

  

What does the "Glory of God" mean to you? His splendor? His greatness? His power?

God's Glory means all of the above and so much more.  Scripture is full of verses that speak of God's Glory.

No dictionary definition can do justice in describing the word glory, when we refer to God's Glory. It's beyond our comprehension. It will take all eternity to fully understand and experience the wonder of God's Glory.

"We’re told Jesus is the radiance of God's Glory and the exact representation of His Being. Everything we've learned and know about Jesus is exactly who our God is." Hebrews 1:3

God's Glory has multiple meanings in Scripture. The display of His magnificence, the praise and honor showered upon His great Name, and awesome splendor barely touch how awesome our God is.

God's Glory is important because we see His power and majestic beauty. When we praise God, it reminds us of how good He is.

How do you take the One who is Omnipotent, Omniscient, Omnipresent, Eternal, Holy, Glorious, and try to wrap all that glory into an answer? It is hard to do.

Why is His Glory so important? Seeing God's Glory in the heavens and the earth points to how amazing and wonderful He is. We see His power and majestic beauty.

Moses wanted to see His Glory, but God put him in the cleft of the rock and covered him until He passed by. Today God's presence dwells within us. As we surrender to the Holy Spirit, God's Glory within will radiate to those around us.

"And they were calling to one another: Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of His Glory." Isaiah 6:3

 By His Grace . . .

Those Who Help

1 Corinthians 12:28

"And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues."

Bobbi Rae Facebook Page

Helping. It's a big thing. It's one of the gifts God gives to His children. All His children should help when they can, but some of His children have been gifted specifically to help others. I'm sure a few names come to your mind of those who help.

In the days of the apostles, "the helpers may have been those who accompanied them, baptized those who were converted by them, and were sent by them to such places as they could not attend to, being otherwise employed." Studylight.org, Clarke's Commentary

 

Over the centuries Christians are encouraged to help those in need, and I've witnessed this during the crisis of snow and frigid temperatures we experienced last week and into this week. I've heard of a number of people who have been helped during this time of crisis. 

Hebrews 6:10

"God is not unjust; He will not forget your work and the love you have shown Him as you have helped His people and continue to helop them."

Biblehub.com, Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary: "The works of love, done for the glory of Christ, or done to His saints for Christ's sake, from time to time, as God gives occasion, are evident marks of a man's salvation."

Godsbless.ing: This verse reminds us of the importance of our actions and how they are seen and remembered by God. When we serve others with love and compassion, we are not only making a difference in their lives but also leaving a lasting impact in the eyes of God. It's a powerful reminder that our deeds, no matter how small they may seem, are recognized and cherished by God."

Scripturesavvy.com: "Another valuable lesson is the call to serve others. We see that no role is insignificant; every contribution is vital to the overall purpose of the church. When we shift our focus from ourselves to the needs of others, we exemplify that love of Christ and fulfill our calling as His followers."

Helping others isn't always a physical thing. Sometimes people just need a listening ear or kind word or someone to sit with them for a few minutes. This kind of help restores connection with another person. If you are alone, this is a mighty big help.

"Help Somebody Today"

"Look all around you, find someone in need,

Help somebody today!

Tho' it be little--a neighborly deed--

Help somebody today!"

Chorus

"Help somebody today,

Somebody along life's way;

Let sorrow be ended the friendless befriended,

Oh, help somebody today!"

A GIANT thank you to all those who have helped others last week recovering from this storm. I am thankful for the help we were given by our neighbors.

Why not live these words from the above hymn: "Help somebody today."

By His Grace . . .