"Open my eyes, that I might see...."

Spring this year has been a bit strange. We have experienced cold days and warmish days. We've had frosts and even April snow showers. Tornadoes have been spotted all over the Midwest. There have been quite a few injuries, a great deal of property damage and even several deaths related to the severe weather. We've had an unusually dismal Spring. We are all wondering....will it ever warm up???
However, right in the midst of this really bleak Springtime, there is, growing right next door to us, the most gorgeous blooming pink dogwood that I have even seen.
Our next door neighbor is rarely home. His house needs painting and the gutters are falling off of the eaves. His electric yard lamp has been useless for years, with the wires hanging limply from the light less pole. He mows his yard only occasionally, but since the green consists mainly of weeds, it doesn't grow very thick and long. Yet, in spite of this, the dogwood tree, in his front yard, is stunning.
Our neighbors, on the other side, have a beautiful house. They repaint every three or four years. Their lawn is manicured to perfection, and the trees are trimmed to perfect spheres. And, every Autumn, their wrought iron fence glistens with a new coat of black paint.
These neighbors also have a pink dogwood. And, this year, it looks pretty sad. There are a few spindly pink branches, but it looks pretty thin and scrawny.
Thinking about these two very different trees, I decided that we just don't know where and when God is going to bless us. In a perfect world, the beautiful house would have the beautiful tree. But in our real world, the run-down shabby house was awarded, this Spring,  with a gorgeous bloomer.

Stop and consider the wondrous works of God.

Kind and gracious Lord. Your handiwork is awesome. You surprise us with beauty everywhere we look. Remind us to look in unexpected places for your grace and glory. Your steadfast love endures forever.

How about a slice?

My very wise daughter is fond of telling me, "That is not your watermelon, mother". When she utters those words, I know in my heart that she is making sense. However, as a caring, sympathetic woman......of some age... it is, oh so hard, to walk by your huge watermelon which you parked, right there in front of me.
I don't know when I will ever learn that I cannot solve all of the world's issues. Logically, I know that I cannot carry the burdens of everyone who has a problem. After all, I have my own watermelons.We all have watermelons. I have enough burdens of my own. I don't need to take on your burdens, right now.
So tell me your problems, I'm a great listener. But please, don't expect me to solve your problems. I'm going to respond to your story by asking you a few questions. What are you going to do about your situation? What do you think the solution to your problem is? How will you move forward?
I'll help by bringing a knife and maybe some paper plates, forks and napkins. But, you, my fellow traveler, are going to have to tote that big old watermelon by yourself.

Kind and loving Lord. Life is often a  struggle for your children. But, you have blessed us with your healing compassion and love. Show us how to love without being overbearing and all-knowing. Remind us that you are the only one with all of the answers. Put us in our places and direct us to where we can truly be helpful and lighten the loads of our fellow travelers. 
We praise your holy name.

Pardon me?

Old age is tough. Knee joints, hip joints, and shoulders get sore and eventually fail. Backs ache. Physical labor gets harder and harder to do.
Those and other tell-tale signs of aging get more noticeable as time marches on.
Take, for instance, losing the ability to hear. I'm finding it much more difficult, these days, to hear lots of things. I was really concerned about it, until just recently.
That's when I realized that by sleeping with my "good" ear to the pillow, I was no longer aware of any disturbing sounds in the night. Nothing, not even the horrendous snoring next to me, keeps me awake after 10 p.m. Quietly, my life is improving.
And, I don't have to remember what's secret anymore. If anyone whispers something in my ear, I can't hear it. You can trust me with whatever you consider "top secret." I promise that I'll never tell. Because, I sincerely have no idea what you told me. Mums the word.
Diminished hearing isn't such a bad thing. My work place has several alarms that beep at regular intervals, every several seconds, all day long. They are driving my fellow workers mad. Praise the Lord, I can't hear them.
Life is getting better with each passing day.
What did you just say?

All knowing Lord. You are our strength in all phases of our lives. Guide us and lead us to do your work here on earth. Protect our loved ones and show then your love. We trust in your goodness and
mercy. You are all powerful.

What, me worry?

Remember the Franklin Delano Roosevelt quote? " The only thing we have to fear is fear itself."? Well, I remember it and I believe that fear is a huge probelem for many of us.
Fear often consumes a great deal of our time. When we are afraid and worry about what might happen, it takes up our time. Fear is a tremendous time waster. And, time spent on worry can never be regained.
It doesn't do us any good to worry.When we spend time worrying about the worst case scenario, it rarely helps the situation. Often, the effect of our worrying does not change the eventual outcome, one tiny little bit.
The other night I couldn't sleep, because I was worried about the future. What did my lack of sleep do for me? Nothing, except make me tired the next day. Most problems, including mine, cannot be solved in the dead of night. Why did I waste the time worrying? A good night's sleep might have given me a much better perspective on my problem!
I have a friend who worries about the weather. She is consumed by the fact that her home might flood or a tornado might come or she might get snowed in. These things have never happened to her, but she continues to worry.
Jesus told us not to worry. The seasons come. Life continues. Just, count your blessings and quit worrying. It won't help.

Dear Lord: We are blessed in so many ways. Hold us in your loving arms and help us to realize that your steadfast love endures forever. Our problems are insignificant. Your mercy is great.

Gone, but not forgotten.

Just the other day, or maybe it was the other evening, I was thinking about lost stuff. Not the little things that I misplace, such as my car keys or my glasses. And, not the big things that I lose regularly, like my car in a parking lot.
No. Really lost things, like gas station attendants. Remember when guys would actually come up to your window, when you drove up to the island, and ask you how much gas you wanted? Then they would proceed to pump it for you. Oh, and of course they would finish it all off by washing your  windshield. Where did that go?
Or milk delivered right to your door! Usually twice a week. That's lost, too.
What about those dime-a-ride horses and stage coaches that we used to ride (or at least get to look at) in front of the grocery stores? Where did they go?
Whatever happened to sidewalk roller skates, jacks or cat's eye marbles?
All of those items are lost!
I wonder what will vanish next?

Good Lord. Things change constantly. Our lives are very different now from when we began them, many years ago. We miss the way it used to be. But, we are blessed with what we have become. Maybe we really don't need those "lost items" so very much. Because, no matter what, we will always have the memories.
We thank you for our lives and for your very presence in all that we do.

Deja Vu, again.

So, quite a few years ago, in the midst of my substitute teaching career, I had a bit of an on-the job-injury. Putting it briefly, let's say that it was a combustable combination of large middle school male, rolling computer-lab chair and a small teacher with fashionable, open-toed sandals. The result was extremely painful and rather than killing the young man on the spot, I decided that his punishment should be to stand for the rest of the academic period. We all survived.
Fast forward to the present. I have a new job. I am much older and presumably much wiser. However, today I was injured in a very similar manner. This time the incident involved an octagenarian, a wheel chair ramp, an electric wheel chair and a small van driver wearing sensible flat shoes.
My toes fared the same in both incidents. I will be sore tomorrow, but I will only be impaired by a slight temporary limp. I will survive.
My point here is......life goes on, circumstances do change but sometimes we just never learn to GET OUT OF THE WAY.

Great Lord. When will we ever learn? We think we know everything there is to know. We are so wise and successful. When will we realize that without You and Your unceasing love, we are nothing? You are our source of power and knowledge.
Thank you God, for your everlasting care and concern for each and everyone of us.

PTL

Did you ever have one of those days when everything you did was great? When everything that happened to you went well? Today was one of those days, for me. This was a super duper day. The bestest day ever!
My entire day today was wonderful. I couldn't have had a better day. It was perfect.
I am blessed. Praise God from whom all blessings flow!
Unfortunately, not every day is perfect. Tomorrow may be a bummer.
But, on the other hand,  tomorrow may be as perfect as today.
We just don't know.
I'm looking forward to tomorrow. I'm going to do the best with whatever I am dealt.

Precious Lord. Today was a blessing. Tomorrow may bring a whole bunch of trouble and worry. But, I know that you will be with me, no matter what happens.
You are my strength and my salvation. Bring it on.