Bede, Graham and Peonies

"If history records good things of good men, the thoughtful hearer is encouraged to imitate what is good. Or if it records evil of wicked men, the religious listener or reader is encouraged to avoid all that is sinful and perverse and to follow what he knows to be good and pleasing to God."

Thus said Bede, a British monk in 735. Bede was a monk at the English monastery of Wearmouth and Jarrow, in Northumbria. From the age of seven, he spent all his life at that monastery except for a few brief visits to nearby sites. He says of himself: "I have devoted my energies to a study of the Scriptures, observing monastic discipline, and singing the daily services in church; study, teaching, and writing have always been my delight."

These words were in the devotion on May 26th from the Christian History Devotional I started reading the first of the year. The scripture verse for the day was: "One generation will commend your works to another." Psalm 145:4a

It has been quite an adventure reading about so many individuals and the work they did for Christ. Of course, we are encouraged to read historical events to learn about saints of old. The wealth of information left to guide and encourage us is extensive, to say the least. The stories inspire me to stand tall because I have a Mighty God in control of all things.

I'm also reading Billy Graham and Me, where 101 individuals tell their personal stories of knowing Billy Graham. The key words that keep popping out at me are humility, obedience, narrow-focused and caring.  People such as Tony Blair, John Carter Cash, Jim Cymbala, Tony Dungy, Al Gore, Henry Kissinger, Rocky Slaggs, Rick Warren and Efrem Zimbalist, Jr. tell about meeting Billy Graham and the affect he had on their lives.

In one story, Joe Stowell, host of Strength for the Journey ministry and president of Cornerstone University asked Billy Graham this question: "What have you enjoyed the most about your ministry?" The answer he gave: "By far and away, the best thing in my life has been my fellowship with Jesus, walking with Him, relying on His wisdom and sensing His presence with me."

I thought about my own ministry of encouraging through note writing and what I have enjoyed the most: "God continually amazes me as He provides words for me to write. There will be nothing in my mind except bewilderment and when I finally pick up a pen the words come out of no where and are written down on the note card. When I'm done writing, I sit there in amazement."

Billy Graham, indeed, is a giant in our world, and I've enjoyed hearing up front and personal experiences from an array of people. To many of our young folk, Billy Graham will be a historical character to be read and learned from in the future.

Both of these books are worthy of reading, and I encourage you to allow folks from ages past to share their lives to inspire and refresh you.

The snap above is from a photo shoot I created with my first peony bloom this year. The bloom is sitting in my Longaberger peony basket with some cards, books, vase and a "friend" block it around it. There's a funny story associated with peonies. When Jerry and I first wed and moved into our first home (and current one still) there was a peony garden at the end of our driveway, near the street. I was young and foolish and didn't want the peony garden because ants were in the blooms. Gardening was not anywhere in my mind so my sister-in-law came and dug the peonies up and took them home.

It wasn't until many years later when my friend, Karla Dornahcer, shared a post on her blog about peonies that my mind changed it's opinion. (www.karladornacher.typepad.com) Following is a summary of sorts, of her post: There had been a serious thunderstorm and her beautiful peony bush was bent and broken. She went out to see if she could save any of the blossoms, which were weighted down with water and mud. She brought in more than twenty stems laden with blossoms and buds inside. She worked with them and was able to fill two large vases with beautiful bouquet of peonies."

Karla shared how God used this experience to remind her that "the fury of winds and rain of this world leave us broken and bent over with great heaviness and sorrow . . . We lose hope as we are not able to lift ourselves up and out of the pit we're in . . . When we put our hope back in Him as the Lover of our souls and Master Gardener of our hearts and lives, He reaches down and gently lifts our heads, washes us with His Holy Spirit and Truth, and He carefully places us in a vase with other broken people, church bouquets, for our own blessing . . . giving ourselves to the world who need to see what great things God has done for us."

You can read it in it's entirety at: http://karladornacher.typepad.com/karlas_korner/2009/06/index.html

Her post of encouragement has ever since changed my opnion of peonies and I eagerly wait for their blossoms each year. The below snap is from my peony garden this year! The ants don't bother me anymore!