Green Pastures

The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. Psalm 23:1-3a NIV

Every time I read this passage, it is so soothing to my soul, and the words green pastures, for some reason always makes me think of thick green grass. Don't ask me why; it's just what I imagine.

The area where we live invests part of taxpayers' money into the park system. Every park we visited so far has many really nice trails and walking paths, even simple neighborhood parks. And the grass is really thick and green. We are not talking about ordinary nice grass, but so green and so lush that it looks and feels like thick carpet. No exaggeration! Bare footin' kind of grass, in parks and along sidewalks and walkways. It's the kind of grass that I think about when I read verse 2 above.

I work from home, every day since my position is a remote position. My desk is set up against the window so that I can look outside and enjoy the view of trees and sky. Staring at a computer screen and reviewing documents all day calls for lots of breaks for the eyes. One day as I was taking a break from the computer, I looked out the window and what I saw so amused me that I laughed out loud.

Across the way, on a patch of thick grass next to a sidewalk was a bunny. Usually, when you see a rabbit, what does it do? It sits with its nose twitching, or frozen like a statue, most likely trying to decide whether to run or hide, or so it seems - right? What was this bunny doing? It wasn't just sitting there. It was on its back, all four paws up in the air wiggling and rubbing its back in the grass! It looked as if it had not a care in the world and it was not nervous about whether other people or other predators were around. It was the cutest, funniest thing I had ever seen a rabbit do!

Watching that bunny on its back with no fear and no worries enjoying the lush green grass made me think about some things. While most of us, for the most part, myself included, have no worries of the environment we live in (like animals do), how often do we fully take time to enjoy the "green pastures" around us. How often do we leave the fears the worries, the anxieties of life behind and enjoy what the Lord has blessed us - the green pastures. Sure we go on vacation, and we relax and hopefully, leave work and cares of routine life behind, but what about on a regular basis. So you say, "Susan, I can't go on vacation every week!" I totally agree with you. I can't either. But what I am thinking about is basking in all the goodness that the Lord has provided for us that the psalmist wrote about in the verse above referencing green pastures.

The bunny took advantage of what was present around him - the grass. (Okay, I have no idea of the bunny's gender but it looked like a "him" to me, LOL :) What are some things right around us or in front of us we have been blessed with that we may miss on a regular basis? I'm thinking "out loud" or in writing here with you.

Just about every Saturday morning, my husband and I enjoy sleeping in and then having a big breakfast: eggs, bacon, homemade waffles or pancakes, fruit, juice and coffee - the works. Coffee is usually last as we relax and talk while sipping coffee. Sometimes, our adult children can join us for breakfast, but usually, they join us for our weekly family dinner. My heart is full when we are together, sharing about the important and the not-so-important things in our lives and in the world, spiritual matters, laughing, and encouraging each other! That is one of my weekly green pastures.

With nice weather, we love being outdoors. Sometimes it's fiddling around the yard watering and enjoying the beauty of the flowers; sometimes it's sitting on the back deck enjoying the warmth of the sun on my face, and the peace & quiet; other times it's hiking and enjoying the beauty of God's creation. Green pastures.

When our guys were little, I was a stay-at-home mom. I remember full well the joy of being with them all day long. Sure there was physical fatigue from sleep-depravation, picking up and putting down, bending, lifting, and twisting, but there were plenty of green pastures: cute baby stages; solid food days making healthy homemade baby food; reading books; building Legos on the floor; being there when they can ride the bike w/o training wheels for the 1st time, and when they can swim the 1st time w/o floaties, etc. etc. Even through the occasional roller-coaster emotions due to hormonal changes during their teen years, there were green pastures: the joy of watching them grow physically, spiritually, and socially. 

Don't misunderstand me, please. I am in no way trying to make it sound like I have a perfect life. I don't; no one does even if they appear to. But what is a "perfect" life anyway? Is it where we have everything, and everything goes our way, and all relationships are wonderful? It doesn't matter what age you are, life has challenges and trials. Without challenges and trials, we cannot grow. Only God is perfect and only He can provide the green pastures for our soul when we can rest in Him and forget about what or who is around us, like the bunny did. God's Word says that He provides the peace that surpasses all understanding. I have, at times, experienced this peace in the midst of circumstances. It is His peace that is the green pasture in my soul. I want to be like that bunny - leave the cares and the worries behind - and enjoy the green pastures right in front of me -- all the time.

What would be a green pasture to you? What are some green pastures in your life and in your soul? Would love to hear about them. Send me a PM.

The Race

My husband and I have two adult sons and they both enjoyed sports growing up. They played Little League baseball and a little bit into the Babe Ruth level. In high school, they continued with sports and that extended into college as well.

In baseball, we cheered for them to get on first base, then second, and third, and eventually home. In swimming, we cheered during different events like the 50m or the relays. (Side note: I’ve always wondered why spectators cheered so hard, myself included, during swimming events since the swimmers can’t hear being partly under water and with a rubber cap on! :) In cross-country, we went to different parts along the course where we knew would be difficult such as up a steep hill or near the end when the breathing is hard and fatigue has long set in. 

Then, it was always exciting when they finished! They did it! They gave it their all and they finished. Sometimes they ranked in the top whatever number it was that mattered for that particular sport or race – top three or top 10; other times they ranked lower, but they always improved. And we always told them, “Great job!” for their effort knowing they truly tried hard.

Through attending all these competitions, I thought about all the different events in my life. Some are celebrations, while others are struggles that I face. There have been accomplishments, and there were “hills” that I climbed that made me so tired. Yet through it all, I know there is One who cheers me on through my accomplishments, but more importantly, is with me through my struggles – my Lord and Savior Jesus. How do I know this? He is there with me because His Word said, “I will never leave or forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5b)

When I achieve an accomplishment, I know He is there and is proud of me for my hard work. When someone is unkind to me and I am sad, hurt, and disappointed, I know He is right there telling me that it is okay, that He is with me, and totally understands how I feel. Hebrews 4:15-16 says “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are – yet He did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy, and find grace to help us in our time of need.” Jesus Himself was betrayed by someone really close to Him, so I know He can sympathize with me when people are unkind to me. (Matthew 26:69-75)

Philippians 3:12 says “Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on…” By all means, it is never easy when we face hard times and I do not immediately overcome the struggles. I feel the pain and I feel the struggles. Like this verse says, I do not have it all together and seek the Lord right away every time. However, when I do seek His help to deal with struggles, I always find Him because He was there all along, and I receive the peace and comfort only He can provide.

In my life situations, when it seems I am “running up a hill”, and feel like I cannot do it, I need to be reminded that I am not alone. Unlike our sons’ athletic events where I as a parent was only allowed to stand at certain points behind the fence or the ropes to cheer, Jesus is always alongside me, everywhere, and cheering me on so that I can continue and finish. Are you struggling or have you struggled and do not know where to turn or how to deal with it? Do you have a relationship with Jesus who can help you through situations? Send me a private message and I would love to chat with you.

Maybe you have never had any struggles. I am happy for you. However, another thing I have learned about sports is that athletes cheer each other on. If you have never had any struggles, you can encourage someone today whom you know is struggling with something. A private message, a text, or a phone call telling them you are thinking of them – or better yet, you are praying for them – makes a big difference. Even if you are struggling, you can still encourage or sympathize with someone. We all need encouragement.

The Ultimate Graduation

Springtime holds so much promise and delightful expectations when leaves start to come in on trees, and plants and flowers bloom after a dormant winter. After the bursting forth of creation, the weather warms up giving us a glimpse of summer. That’s when students everywhere look forward to the end of the school year, and Seniors in high schools look forward to graduating.

Most of us have attended at least one graduation at one time or another. Seats are limited so we usually don’t attend for the sake of attending. We attend because someone dear to us is graduating, like our children, grandchildren, or someone very special in our lives for whom we are excited over their hard work, endurance, and accomplishment.

Many graduations are conducted in similar fashion. Family and friends find their seats and wait for the program to begin. Then, the graduates march in to take their seats. In a crowd of graduates, whether it’s 500 or 20,000, we look for our loved ones, trying our hardest to spot where they are. We are proud of them for this special day. The speaker of the event delivers a speech, and we tune in to the message if it's really interesting. But what we anxiously wait for is the moment our loved one’s name is called. As we cheer, our hearts burst with happiness for them. We are proud of them because we know they persevered through a lot of hard work.

I have attended a handful of graduations, and each time, I cannot help but think about my life’s ultimate graduation, when the sun sets on my life, and I enter Heaven. With my finite mind, I wonder if it might be a little bit similar to graduation. (Maybe?) I think about those who have gone before me who will be in the crowd looking for me, waiting for my name to be called. And then I think about The Speaker. It will not be someone to deliver an inspirational speech, but it will be the Lord God Himself, my Creator, who knows me because He made me. He would be telling everyone about my life. Hopefully, it will be about how I have loved people, how I have lived my life for Jesus, how I have obeyed, and done what He had asked me to do. Instead of receiving a handshake and a piece of paper like in an earthly graduation, I look forward to hearing Him say, “… Well done, good and faithful servant!...” Matthew 25:21 NIV

YOU-niquely You

I love artwork by famous artists such as Picasso or Monet. Some of their works are masterpieces. I even enjoy paintings from non-famous artists. When our oldest son was around seven or eight years old, he created the image shown here which I thought was so beautiful and the composition was well thought out for such a young age. I kept it all these years and had it framed. At different times, it has been hung in different rooms around the house in the fall which was the season he created it. I can look at this or at famous pieces for a long time and not get tired of looking at them.

Guess what? God looks at us the same way. Ephesians 2:10 NLT says, “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago.” Don’t read it too fast that you miss it. It says we are God’s masterpiece. Can you believe it? Read that again, except this time, replace “we” with “I”. For I am God’s masterpiece… Read it slowly and let it sink in. I. Am. God’s masterpiece. I don’t know about you, but when I internalized that, I felt so valuable! Picasso and Monet got their talents from God and their pieces have large monetary values placed on them. But you know what? You can’t even put a number on your value to God!

The writer of Psalm 139 beautifully reflects on the beautiful work of God when He created us. “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful. I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” (Psalm 139:13-16).

We hear a lot of messages and go through a lot of experiences throughout our lifetime. Self-image is derived from these messages and experiences. It is what we think of ourselves, based on how we think others think of us, speak to us, treat us, and look at us. How we see ourselves is important as it can affect how we make decisions.

Self-image can fluctuate at different times in life due to circumstances. However, for an overall sense of self, I would encourage you to look at yourself the way God looks at you. A healthy self-image is not one that is prideful. It is not based on having $____ in the bank. It is not based on having clothes that are in style, or a home that is magazine-worthy, or ____ (you can fill in the blank). It is not based on anything that can change at the drop of a hat like sickness, unemployment, fire, etc.

If you struggle with your self-image, I encourage you to figure out the cause, and then realign your thinking with God’s viewpoint. A healthy self-image comes upon the acceptance of God’s valuation of who we are. It is seeing ourselves the way God sees us -- no more, no less. We grow and thrive when we see ourselves the way God sees us and allow Him to make us into who He designed us to be.

The world’s messages tell us that we are beautiful if we look a certain way, use a certain brand makeup, or wear a certain brand of clothing, all of which are temporary as they fade away, wear out, and change with the times. God says we are His masterpiece because He created us, and loves us the way He created us, without makeup, without our hair done/curled/colored, without creams, or anything that we think make us look pretty.

God made each one of us uniquely different from other people. We all have different fingerprints, different DNAs, different teeth, different personalities, and different skill sets. He thoughtfully planned all the details when He created you to be used for your family, for others, and most importantly, for Him, that no one else can. So why in the world would you want to look or be like someone else?! How boring would it be if all art masterpieces looked the same?

You are beautiful as you. You are unique. You are loved. You are treasured. Be you-niquely you the way God designed you as His masterpiece!

 

Purpose in Waiting

I hope you have had a great start to 2021! This whole month saw me doing a lot of reflecting, praying, and listening to what God is trying to reveal to me for this year. It started with my church's annual 21 Days of Prayer event. Each morning at 6am, there would be worship time, a devotional, followed by 30 minutes of personal quiet time in prayer, and a wrap up by our senior pastor. Near the end of the 21 days, I shared what the Lord had revealed to me through His word that helped me understand some of what I had been struggling with. Here's the video. (Note: My devotional doesn't begin for a full minute after it starts.)

As you heard in the video, the Lord had used me for His purpose, two different times while I was in the hospital. There had been other times as well including a recent occurrence in a group to which I belong. This is an online support group for people of like condition where the 5,000+ members are of different ages and reside in different countries all over the world. We exchange information, struggles, and encouragement.

As I continued to seek His direction for me this year, the Lord gave me a nudge one day to post my video in the support group. I just sat on that prompting for a few days because I had all kinds of thoughts running through my mind. Thoughts like, 'What if Admin of that page takes it down because of "religious" content?' What if before they take it down they chastise me? That would be embarrassing! Even if Admin doesn't take it down, what if others say negative things to me because they are offended by the "religious" content? On and on my thoughts went. So I didn't do anything but continued to pray about whether I should post it or not, even though I thought the Holy Spirit gave me that idea.

One day I got back online to my support group. Post after post after post was about people suffering with various aspects of the condition. Right there I decided that people really needed hope, encouragement, and God. That was the springboard and confirmation for me to post my video. I provided a disclaimer that the video content included faith and God. I figured anyone who didn't care for that would not watch it. I was wrong.

While I had a lot of great positive comments, one lady said she was an atheist, and that "if an invisible being through myths from long ago" could help me so be it, but she didn't believe in a god that doesn't heal everyone. I proceeded to have a respectful discussion with her. After a few exchanges, I provided her book suggestions to read such as Case for Christ, Evidence that Demands a Verdict, and I Don't Have Enough Faith to be an Atheist. The discussion between us ended when she sidetracked into other things, and I felt it best to leave it rather than continue on.

I don't know about you but sometimes I second-guess my decisions. I wondered if I should have posted that, if I had heard from the Holy Spirit correctly. I wondered if I should have done this and should have said that. But I continued to pray for her and all who have seen it or will see it and not comment. God is so amazing and knows me so well. He knew all these thoughts I had because today, my church had a guest speaker who talked about the same Bible story that I shared in my video and at one point said this:

"Sometimes God will allow something to happen to us because He knows that there's somebody in close proximity to us that He needs them to see Him work in our lives so He can encourage them... Don't ever negate the fact that God not only is moving in your life, but there's somebody connected to you that God is wanting to minister to. God is never going to waste something."

I started this post saying that I had been searching to see what God is trying to show me moving forward in this year. What this pastor said felt like a direct message from the Lord to me, that He is using me in my current health situation because He wants me to minister to people through and in my situation. Have you ever struggled while waiting for something to pass and wondering where God is? Feel free to send me a PM as I would love to chat with you.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.