Dandelions and Buttercups

See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? … But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. (Matthew 6:28b-30, 33-34a NIV)

Sometimes we just get too busy to notice. Life presses hard. Worries crowd our minds and trouble our hearts. It doesn’t even take a big crisis to topple us. The daily chores that never end numb our brains. How can the laundry basket be overflowing when a load from last week is still in the dryer? I need to phone the bank. Fill that prescription. Buy a dress for the wedding next month. What will I serve my parents when they visit this weekend? All the little errands and duties of life add up and can fill every hour of the day without our notice or attention. And then it’s past time for bed … again … and into it we tumble. Wiped out. Exhausted. Drained.

It had been one of those draining days for me. Up past midnight the night before helping to chaperone the prom at my husband’s school, my body ached from standing all evening and then helping take down decorations. I had to be up early in the morning, packed, and off to the airport to visit my daughter and family for a week. I arrived a bit tired, to say the least. After supper, she asked if I wanted to join her and the children on a short walk. She understood if I was too tired. Was I? She promised a “meandering kid walk.” No exercise, just a time to allow little ones to run off some steam. One look at three excited faces and the sleepy cuteness of a newborn baby nestled in his front pack, and I was all in. Of course, I’d take that walk.

As we started down the trail, we hadn’t progressed more than three feet when my two grandsons were off and running toward a field of dandelions and buttercups. The grass was spring green fresh and the bright sunny yellow of those humble flowers warmed my heart. My tiny granddaughter, never one to be left behind, toddled off the path to catch her brothers and join the awe and wonder and great delight. The best dandelions ever! Some were past their bloom and ripe for making wishes as we blew their seeds into the early evening air. Some were still full of shining yellow brightness. Buttercups, dainty and slender, were picked by the dozens and handed like great treasures to Nina and Mama. We received the gifts with the respect they were due.

And suddenly, I wasn’t tired. My mind was not filled with my “to do” list. I was focused on the glory of a buttercup in the hands of a little boy with a mile-wide smile. I took in the wonder and freshness of it all. So much beauty in the simple. Just waiting to be admired. And I almost missed it. The sunny field of flowers swayed in a gentle breeze and winked at me. See, silly? Why worry? The God who created the beauty and renewal of spring, the One who invented flowers, loves you. Knows your needs. Let tomorrow worry about itself. Treasure this day. This time. This moment. How grateful I am I didn’t miss it.

Heavenly good Father, thank You for little blessings like patches of buttercups planted for our enjoyment and wonder. Forgive me when I allow busyness to block out beauty. Thank You for Jesus’ wise words. Help me to abide “in today.” Help me to trust that You will meet me in my tomorrows as well—no matter what. I love You, and I love Your wonderful created works! In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Originally written by Sharon Gamble of Sweet Selah Ministries.

From Bitterness to Bliss

Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; 

without holiness no one will see the Lord. 

See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God

and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.

Hebrews 12:14-15, NIV

Absalom was a bitter man.  In 2 Samuel 13 the sordid story is told about the rape of Absalom’s sister, Tamar, by Absalom’s half-brother, Amnon. All three were David’s children. Nevertheless, when David heard of the offense, although he was angry, he did nothing.  Infuriated, Absalom nursed his rage and bitterness against both his brother and his father, plotting revenge and exacting judgement. Absalom eventually killed Amnon and, many years later, this same hostility birthed a coup against King David.  Their family was broken; Absalom was hard-hearted and, in the end, was found dangling from a tree by his hair, caught in a trap of his own making.

Bitterness gives birth to death and, like Absalom, I was a bitter woman.  I grew up in an unstable home with an alcoholic father and a mother whose spirit was crushed by childhood trauma. I hated my father for abandoning me, was deeply hurt by my mother’s inability to love, and harbored resentment toward my sister for rejecting me.  Consequently, I became an insecure, self-protecting, self-righteous, young woman.  Still, as a new bride I was hopeful.  In my mind I had “married up” and my Prince Charming would fill every crack in my broken heart, meet every physical need I might have and rescue me from my insecurity with his lavish, unconditional love.  However, we went from matrimony to acrimony within a few short years.  For reasons I could not understand, my husband was unable to rise to the occasion of being my savior.  His armor was tarnished, no longer glimmering with confident desire.  In fact, he was hardly ever home.  I was lonely, frustrated (angry), and overwhelmed with mommy-ness.   My two little boys were so sweet, but I found myself treating them harshly, unintentionally hurting their little hearts. 

Unfortunately, when my husband was home he usually found himself watching a performance of Ten Reasons Why You are not a Good Husband.  The drama included dialogue, yes, but mostly the story was told through an attitude of indifference, physical and emotional withdrawal and just general busyness and exhaustion (because of the kids, of course.)  Yes, I know what bitterness is like and I also know the cancer-like effect it has on relationships.  Within five years we were headed for divorce – the actual death and tearing apart of, “What God had joined together.”  In my own way I tried to be like Absalom.  I plotted and planned ways to exact judgement, punishing those in my life who hurt me, all the while projecting the cause of the pain onto my husband who seemingly did not care and, like David, did nothing at all to comfort me. 

Fortunately, God captured my heart, and, unlike Absalom, I did not find myself dangling form a tree by my hair.  Miraculously, God not only saved me for eternity through this trial but also began restoring our marriage.  It took a lot of time because the damage was severe.  But, now that I was a new creation, God revealed the mold of bitterness in the walls of my heart that caused me to sin against my husband.  I knew I was forgiven but I also knew restoration could not happen without confession.  My heart needed to be softened.  Fortunately, I was grieved and humbled to the point of repentance.  I confessed my bitterness, hard heart, and neglect and asked my husband to forgive me.  At the time he was not a believer. However, even though he had already condemned the “building” and moved out, God brought us back together and began restoring our home. 

Moreover, God stripped our marriage down to the studs, revealing the idol my husband had become in one closet and the unmet needs of my heart that only Jesus could fulfill in another.  It took several years and a monumental move to get me to trust God.  Through trials, stripping, tearing down and building up God taught me to lean into Him.  He brought people into my life that walked shoulder to shoulder with me through some difficult times of healing, forgiving and releasing to God the right to exact payment.  His gentle, faithful love guided me as I pressed into His Word, prayed the prayers of David and asked Him to Search my heart.

Now, freed from the acrid dungeon of bitterness, I can truly say I am thankful for this dark chapter of my life.  The contrast, so stark, from darkness to light, reminds me of God’s faithfulness.  Fourteen years later my husband was also ushered into the Kingdom of God.  We are not the same people we were twenty years ago.  Our hearts are for each other now.  God is the center of our lives now.  My needs are met through Christ now. The One who sustained me through years of being unequally yoked sustains me still.  These are things He will do for you as well if you surrender your life to Christ.  He takes up the mantel of your cause, fights your battles and restores your soul, enabling you to love the seemingly unlovable, even if it happens to be your husband, because you can be used as a conduit for God’s love when your heart is free of acrimony.

“But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:

‘God opposes the proud
    but shows favor to the humble.’

 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.”

James 4:6-10, NIV

Written by Marlene McKenna of havhope.

Staying at The Well

This season I’m in is teaching me that instead of always going back to the well- I can actually choose to stay at the well. I’ve been running back and forth to it for a while, but only when I’m running on empty, and ready to burn out. When my feelings are too overwhelming- And we can do that, we can run to it whenever and forever.

But He has something better than that for us that just momentary spurts of strength and peace. He has this constant strength that we can hang on to- if we choose to Abide in Him. If we let our grip go and live open handed, if we sit at His feet in all of the things, including the small ones. Living in His abundance is staying at the well, letting Him care for our souls. Stopping to remind myself of His goodness and grace. Communing with Him through out the day. Remembering His promises.

Tending to us in the day to day. It’s choosing those, though. Choosing to stay there and not run off of our own dependency. Admitting and seeing that we are always in need of Him, and that on our own - we cannot do the good work he’s called us to. There is not one good thing done apart from Him. And I’m good owning that without Him and His strength, I just cannot do this. And friends, I’ve tasted and seen- and don’t want to do it without Him- can’t do it without Him.

Originally written and posted on Instagram by Alexandra Hoover of Hoover and Grace.

Dear Child

These fleeting, precious moments

I get to watch you sleep

It’s quiet, dark and peaceful

You’ve been resting a while

My list to do is only somewhat done

I’d rather lay down right beside you

Watch your chest rise and fall

Smell your soft little head

Hear your short breaths, in and out

Memorize your tiny, intricate features

Listen to your murmurs and noises

I’d kiss you and hold you all day if I could

You’re perfect, how God wanted you to be

Every crevice, every hair

Every movement and wiggle

You’re the sweetest, little one

You’re God’s bundle of miracle

I’m thankful, so grateful

I love you, dear child

Written by Amy Parsons