Rindy's Devotional Tidbits
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The Spiritual Cafe is pleased to share her daily facebook thoughts. It is our hope that her reflections will be a service to you on your spiritual growth journey.
Week 48 Archives
Year 5; Day 331 Entering With Thanksgiving
I have sensed God speaking to my heart and an awareness of God in "the little things"...things that most would say are coincidence or luck or chance...but I have sensed God whispering, "I love you and no detail is too small and no part of your life too trivial." A few weeks ago I said, "Let's go look at freezers." I just felt impressed at that moment. We walked into the store and there was an upright on sale. In the conversation, the saleswoman mentioned there was a bigger one (not on the floor) for sale for the same price if it was still available. It was and we got it. I sensed God's timing. I did a quilting project with some friends and then we were able to help others when the guild did a workshop on the same project. It felt good. I saw the exact same quilting project in an old magazine (that I bought for 69¢ at a thrift store) that friend was having trouble with and we were able to resolve the problem. I felt God's hug. We did our grocery shopping not on our usual day and ran into a friend we haven't seen in months who had a question for husband. Not a coincidence. I have been particularly thankful for my away family...a sister who calls every week, parents who are cheerful and uncomplaining, a brother who so enriches every visit, a cousin who has become a dear friend, and friends who remember I love salami, lime sherbet, and Combos every time I visit and never fail in their friendship or hospitality. Through it all I sense God's hand...even in the smallest of things. He is always there. Today is Monday. "Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations." (Psalm 100:4,5).
I have sensed God speaking to my heart and an awareness of God in "the little things"...things that most would say are coincidence or luck or chance...but I have sensed God whispering, "I love you and no detail is too small and no part of your life too trivial." A few weeks ago I said, "Let's go look at freezers." I just felt impressed at that moment. We walked into the store and there was an upright on sale. In the conversation, the saleswoman mentioned there was a bigger one (not on the floor) for sale for the same price if it was still available. It was and we got it. I sensed God's timing. I did a quilting project with some friends and then we were able to help others when the guild did a workshop on the same project. It felt good. I saw the exact same quilting project in an old magazine (that I bought for 69¢ at a thrift store) that friend was having trouble with and we were able to resolve the problem. I felt God's hug. We did our grocery shopping not on our usual day and ran into a friend we haven't seen in months who had a question for husband. Not a coincidence. I have been particularly thankful for my away family...a sister who calls every week, parents who are cheerful and uncomplaining, a brother who so enriches every visit, a cousin who has become a dear friend, and friends who remember I love salami, lime sherbet, and Combos every time I visit and never fail in their friendship or hospitality. Through it all I sense God's hand...even in the smallest of things. He is always there. Today is Monday. "Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations." (Psalm 100:4,5).
Year 5; Day 332 Wait on the Lord
Some years ago I read an article by a woman who asked the Lord to give her a theme word for the year and it really resonated with me so I did the same. For several years the word was "wait"...a word that teaches valuable lessons. It is kind of a universal theme for any follower of Christ. Wait for His timing. Wait for His instructions. Wait for His answers. Wait for promises to be fulfilled. Wait while doing other things. Someone I know has been having health issues. They had to wait to see a specialist and wait for some specialized testing. Then they had to wait for the results only to be told more waiting was needed. In all this waiting there was little I could say to comfort as I didn't know anything. But I found myself being comforted by the fact that even though I could only wait along with them, the Lord already knows the outcome. He already knows the problem, the situation, the results. I really don't know anything. We have no choice but to wait. However, we do have a choice as to the type of waiting we do. It can be hand-wringing, nail biting, acid stomach waiting or it can be "Trust in the Lord with all your heart..." (Proverbs 3:5) waiting. Worry or trust. And we can choose who we wait on. We can wait on time and other people and reports or we can wait on the Lord. "But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength;..." (Isaiah 40:31) Today is Tuesday. I am still learning to wait on the Lord.
Some years ago I read an article by a woman who asked the Lord to give her a theme word for the year and it really resonated with me so I did the same. For several years the word was "wait"...a word that teaches valuable lessons. It is kind of a universal theme for any follower of Christ. Wait for His timing. Wait for His instructions. Wait for His answers. Wait for promises to be fulfilled. Wait while doing other things. Someone I know has been having health issues. They had to wait to see a specialist and wait for some specialized testing. Then they had to wait for the results only to be told more waiting was needed. In all this waiting there was little I could say to comfort as I didn't know anything. But I found myself being comforted by the fact that even though I could only wait along with them, the Lord already knows the outcome. He already knows the problem, the situation, the results. I really don't know anything. We have no choice but to wait. However, we do have a choice as to the type of waiting we do. It can be hand-wringing, nail biting, acid stomach waiting or it can be "Trust in the Lord with all your heart..." (Proverbs 3:5) waiting. Worry or trust. And we can choose who we wait on. We can wait on time and other people and reports or we can wait on the Lord. "But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength;..." (Isaiah 40:31) Today is Tuesday. I am still learning to wait on the Lord.
Year 5; Day 333 Not Good...but Not Hopeless
A title of a book popped into my head sometime last night. "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day" by Judith Viorst. I don't even remember the storyline but the title pretty much sums up my yesterday. Not a Christ-like, full of thanksgiving, joyful, kind of day. Terrible. Horrible. No good. Very bad kind of day. The reasons don't matter...there were many. It happened. I haven't been reading my commentary on Psalms by George O. Wood (A Psalm in Your Heart; Vol. 2) regularly for months but turned to it last night. I was at Psalm 121. "I lift up my eyes to the hills---where does my help come from?" (verse 1) Good question. Nowhere if you're in attack mode, mad mode, get outta my way mode. Nowhere if you allow anger to have the upper hand, your tongue is in runaway gear, and your thoughts are so not charitable. "My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth." (verse 2) Quite the unique resume...Maker of heaven and earth. Nobody I ever heard of comes close to those credentials. And I sort of tossed a few SOS's upward but didn't really stick around to listen or receive. Today is a new day. "Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassion's never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, "The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him." (Lamentations 3:22-24) Great love. Never fail. New every morning. Faithful. My portion. Wait for Him (with closed mouth). With His help, I will. Today is Wednesday. I am so thankful I am not my source of help.
A title of a book popped into my head sometime last night. "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day" by Judith Viorst. I don't even remember the storyline but the title pretty much sums up my yesterday. Not a Christ-like, full of thanksgiving, joyful, kind of day. Terrible. Horrible. No good. Very bad kind of day. The reasons don't matter...there were many. It happened. I haven't been reading my commentary on Psalms by George O. Wood (A Psalm in Your Heart; Vol. 2) regularly for months but turned to it last night. I was at Psalm 121. "I lift up my eyes to the hills---where does my help come from?" (verse 1) Good question. Nowhere if you're in attack mode, mad mode, get outta my way mode. Nowhere if you allow anger to have the upper hand, your tongue is in runaway gear, and your thoughts are so not charitable. "My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth." (verse 2) Quite the unique resume...Maker of heaven and earth. Nobody I ever heard of comes close to those credentials. And I sort of tossed a few SOS's upward but didn't really stick around to listen or receive. Today is a new day. "Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassion's never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, "The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him." (Lamentations 3:22-24) Great love. Never fail. New every morning. Faithful. My portion. Wait for Him (with closed mouth). With His help, I will. Today is Wednesday. I am so thankful I am not my source of help.
Year 5; Day 334 The Day After
So...what happens after a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day? Forgiveness, for one. Reflection, for another, and peace...His peace...the kind God promises but we don't really expect. As I thought about my not quite total meltdown, I considered how I got there. An accumulation of irritations that I didn't let go, pressure to do too much, stress over not accomplishing enough, and a mind who thinks young coupled with a body that moves old. Somehow self-control lost control. Not a nice feeling. Not Christ-like. Not spiritual. So I took it all to Jesus...because He already knew and loves me anyway. Yesterday when I woke up, I kind of laid there for a few minutes waiting. Testing my emotions...trying to get a sense of whether I should stay in bed with my head covered or get up and be thankful for another day. I felt His peace...literally. I was cautious as I went through the day. Cautious and comforted. I received comfort and encouragement from an unexpected source. I had some good phone calls including talking to the grandchildren. Things are coming together for the big visit. I temporarily forgot where my help comes from. "My help comes from the Lord...he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore." (Psalm 121:2,7,8) Today is Thursday. I have been strengthened. I have been helped.
So...what happens after a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day? Forgiveness, for one. Reflection, for another, and peace...His peace...the kind God promises but we don't really expect. As I thought about my not quite total meltdown, I considered how I got there. An accumulation of irritations that I didn't let go, pressure to do too much, stress over not accomplishing enough, and a mind who thinks young coupled with a body that moves old. Somehow self-control lost control. Not a nice feeling. Not Christ-like. Not spiritual. So I took it all to Jesus...because He already knew and loves me anyway. Yesterday when I woke up, I kind of laid there for a few minutes waiting. Testing my emotions...trying to get a sense of whether I should stay in bed with my head covered or get up and be thankful for another day. I felt His peace...literally. I was cautious as I went through the day. Cautious and comforted. I received comfort and encouragement from an unexpected source. I had some good phone calls including talking to the grandchildren. Things are coming together for the big visit. I temporarily forgot where my help comes from. "My help comes from the Lord...he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore." (Psalm 121:2,7,8) Today is Thursday. I have been strengthened. I have been helped.
Year 5; Day 335 An Anchoring Orientation
I read a phrase yesterday in "A Psalm in Your Heart; Vol. 2" by George O. Wood that captivated my imagination. In Psalm 121:1 the writer said, "I lift up my eyes to the hills---where does my help come from?" All he sees are hills, a blocked view, and no source of help. But in chapter 123:1, the view has changed. "I lift my eyes to you, to you whose throne is in heaven." Wood says that we need "an anchoring orientation"...something to fix our gaze upon...something or someone to hold us steady. The psalmist realized that unless and until his gaze was fixed on the Lord, he would be disoriented and anchorless. That we cannot be and are not our own anchor is evidenced by the cultural and societal breakdown we are witnessing everyday in the news and around us. It is as if the moral compass is in a free fall. Trustworthiness, integrity, honesty, self-control, kindness...these words seem obsolete much to our detriment. What can we do? We need to fix our eyes on what never changes...on One who never changes. We need an "anchoring orientation" as we journey through this life of twists and turns and pulls and pushes. We need an "anchoring orientation" as viewpoints get shuffled like a deck of cards and values change with the seasons. We need an "anchoring orientation" as this world seems to learn nothing from the past, the present is chaotic, and the future...who knows. Bleak, to say the least. "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith,...Consider him...so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." (Hebrews 12:2,3) Let us do that today and every day. Today is Friday. He is our "anchor of orientation".
I read a phrase yesterday in "A Psalm in Your Heart; Vol. 2" by George O. Wood that captivated my imagination. In Psalm 121:1 the writer said, "I lift up my eyes to the hills---where does my help come from?" All he sees are hills, a blocked view, and no source of help. But in chapter 123:1, the view has changed. "I lift my eyes to you, to you whose throne is in heaven." Wood says that we need "an anchoring orientation"...something to fix our gaze upon...something or someone to hold us steady. The psalmist realized that unless and until his gaze was fixed on the Lord, he would be disoriented and anchorless. That we cannot be and are not our own anchor is evidenced by the cultural and societal breakdown we are witnessing everyday in the news and around us. It is as if the moral compass is in a free fall. Trustworthiness, integrity, honesty, self-control, kindness...these words seem obsolete much to our detriment. What can we do? We need to fix our eyes on what never changes...on One who never changes. We need an "anchoring orientation" as we journey through this life of twists and turns and pulls and pushes. We need an "anchoring orientation" as viewpoints get shuffled like a deck of cards and values change with the seasons. We need an "anchoring orientation" as this world seems to learn nothing from the past, the present is chaotic, and the future...who knows. Bleak, to say the least. "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith,...Consider him...so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." (Hebrews 12:2,3) Let us do that today and every day. Today is Friday. He is our "anchor of orientation".
Year 5; Day 336 Our Help and Strength
I don't know why it surprises me...and maybe surprise isn't the right word...maybe humbles or awes would be better...when I sense the Lord ministering to me specifically and personally. The word "waiting" sometimes conjures up mixed emotions. It seems impossible to follow Christ without wrestling with that word. Waiting for prayers to be answered. Waiting for God's timing. It feels like there is a lot more waiting than fulfilling. Last week I opened a devotional and the topic was "waiting". Two nights ago I had trouble going to sleep, turned on the radio, and there was a sermon given on...waiting (hadn't listened to a radio sermon in months). I recently felt impressed to go back to reading George Wood's "A Psalm in Your Heart; Vol.2". I picked up at Psalm 120 which begins a series of chapters called "A song of ascents". It is believed these chapters were sung as pilgrims made the difficult ascent from Jericho to Jerusalem. I have been reminded that my strength is weak. That my self-control can become self-not-in-control. But I have a source of help. "Our help is in the name of the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth." (Psalm 124:8) Yesterday in the chaos of grocery shopping...too small aisles made smaller with boxed goods waiting to be shelved, rules of the shopping cart road being disregarded, and waiting in line, I felt, sensed, knew that I was not alone. He is my strength, my help, and my "anchoring orientation". As December ramps up, I trust He is the same for you. Today is Saturday. "...I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation." (Isaiah 12:2)
I don't know why it surprises me...and maybe surprise isn't the right word...maybe humbles or awes would be better...when I sense the Lord ministering to me specifically and personally. The word "waiting" sometimes conjures up mixed emotions. It seems impossible to follow Christ without wrestling with that word. Waiting for prayers to be answered. Waiting for God's timing. It feels like there is a lot more waiting than fulfilling. Last week I opened a devotional and the topic was "waiting". Two nights ago I had trouble going to sleep, turned on the radio, and there was a sermon given on...waiting (hadn't listened to a radio sermon in months). I recently felt impressed to go back to reading George Wood's "A Psalm in Your Heart; Vol.2". I picked up at Psalm 120 which begins a series of chapters called "A song of ascents". It is believed these chapters were sung as pilgrims made the difficult ascent from Jericho to Jerusalem. I have been reminded that my strength is weak. That my self-control can become self-not-in-control. But I have a source of help. "Our help is in the name of the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth." (Psalm 124:8) Yesterday in the chaos of grocery shopping...too small aisles made smaller with boxed goods waiting to be shelved, rules of the shopping cart road being disregarded, and waiting in line, I felt, sensed, knew that I was not alone. He is my strength, my help, and my "anchoring orientation". As December ramps up, I trust He is the same for you. Today is Saturday. "...I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation." (Isaiah 12:2)
Year 5; Day 337 Seeing Potential
Last night I watched a few episodes of "Vintage Flip". I had never seen it before. A couple buy vintage houses and restore them as authentically as possible to reflect the era in which they were built. They would buy a house that looked pretty bad...at least to me. Sagging porch, broken fence, poor-looking exterior with an unwelcoming door. The inside was usually worse. Dirty, poorly laid out, old fixtures and plumbing. Through my eyes I saw nothing but a mess. I couldn't see past what was actually there. However, when this couple walked through the house, they did so with excitement and anticipation. As they went from room to room they envisioned what could be. Knock down a wall to open up a space. Remove shutters to let in more light. Strip, sand, and stain hardwood floors to make them gleam. Redo a claw-foot bathtub. Change a blah brick fireplace into a coloured tile focal point. They were so enthused as they envisioned what could be. After the couple's initial assessment, husband looked at me and said, "I don't see it." But they did. I thought about the Lord. How many times does He look at us and see not what is, but what can be? Would we have chosen Joseph or Moses or David or Mary or Peter or Paul? Not likely. Would we have chosen ourselves? Thankfully, the Lord sees potential. "...The Lord does not look at things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." (1 Samuel 16:7). Today is Sunday. Does He see a willing heart?
Last night I watched a few episodes of "Vintage Flip". I had never seen it before. A couple buy vintage houses and restore them as authentically as possible to reflect the era in which they were built. They would buy a house that looked pretty bad...at least to me. Sagging porch, broken fence, poor-looking exterior with an unwelcoming door. The inside was usually worse. Dirty, poorly laid out, old fixtures and plumbing. Through my eyes I saw nothing but a mess. I couldn't see past what was actually there. However, when this couple walked through the house, they did so with excitement and anticipation. As they went from room to room they envisioned what could be. Knock down a wall to open up a space. Remove shutters to let in more light. Strip, sand, and stain hardwood floors to make them gleam. Redo a claw-foot bathtub. Change a blah brick fireplace into a coloured tile focal point. They were so enthused as they envisioned what could be. After the couple's initial assessment, husband looked at me and said, "I don't see it." But they did. I thought about the Lord. How many times does He look at us and see not what is, but what can be? Would we have chosen Joseph or Moses or David or Mary or Peter or Paul? Not likely. Would we have chosen ourselves? Thankfully, the Lord sees potential. "...The Lord does not look at things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." (1 Samuel 16:7). Today is Sunday. Does He see a willing heart?