Five Minute Friday: Recover

 Recover

  Every day we are hit with a barrage of stress, some lighter. Some heavier. Stress and life's hard stuff cannot be compared. Comparing anything in our lives to someone else's is never a positive approach to our own life or those around us. Jesus gives us each our own trees to climb and mountains to navigate.

   How we recover each day from all we have walked, swam, or maybe climbed over, is both individual and universal.  I have my challenges and joys and so do you. Whereas God leads on different paths, the recovery, rejuvenation at the end of the day is the same.

  Look to Jesus. Keep our eyes above the troubles in our land. Say that He alone is Good. In Him are the answers to all our trials, the source of all our joys. Seeing how we each travel in our own different strengths and weaknesses; some of us will stumble through, or dance rejoicing, hopefully maybe both. Jesus is our rest and source of restoration, where our recovery happens. 

  We cannot live in this world without being tainted in some way by its ignorance of God. At the end of the day tell Him what was hard. Triumphs you experienced, and your deepest yearnings for tomorrow. 

  Rest. Recover. Remember, He holds the whole world in His hands, as scary as that might seem during these uncertain times.  His world. His hands. Rest easy.

Yes and amen.

Five Minute Friday: excuse

 I am a writer. That doesn’t mean I write. Regularly. I know that God has gifted me with the ability to string words and phrases together in an interesting manner. I had a college professor tell me not to say, “I’m a wanna be writer. Or I hope to be one someday.” You either are a writer or your not. A writer has to write regularly. Practice their craft. Be diligent in becoming proficient in the stringing together of interesting, words, weaving them into something that someone would want to read  

I want to be consistently good at what I do. Writing a decent piece brings fulfillment and a sense of accomplishment. And, I’ve used my precious gift  

But yes, I’m full of excuses  “I’m tired. I’m not in the mood. I’m dry; I’ve got nothing today.” Without stretching myself  pushing through the excuses I will not grow and blossom in writing. I will shrivel and not produce the fruit I desire  

I wouldn’t let excuses like those stop me from doing chores or raising my grandsons. (Well, I might) 

 Please hold me accountable Lord. Remind to pursue my passion, and with much gratitude walk in my calling.  

Five Minure Fridy: Middle

                                             Middle  

Today we live in turbulent times. The media offers us more questions than answers. Social media is full of discord, division, and dysfunction. Sadly; friends, neighbors, casual and close relationships explode into negative conversations and criticism.  As a country we have decided that politicians and scientists are the answer to our problems and responsible for giving us living the lives we desire. 

Jesus lived and walked on this same earth during similar times. Cruel tyrants ruled the lands. Evil and oppressive Pharisees bullied the Hebrew church, using for their own gain the laws God had set in place for them to care and instruct His flocks. The people longed and prayed for a political leader, a king as they believed the old testament had promised them. A super leader who would strike down the Roman Empire and set them free from their bondage. Yearning for a change in governments and earthly king would bring them freedom. 

What they got was Jesus. The son of a carpenter from the measly town of Nazareth, what good could possibly come form Nazareth? Jesus, humble from birth and throughout his life came to give them life, freedom from sin and a pathway to eternal life with the great I AM. Not what they expected or really wanted. 

Jesus rocked the Hebrew world. And they killed Him.

Two thousand plus years later we live in a world of brokenness, confusion, and dependency on government and our philosophers. Expecting them to provide us with health and the lives we want to live. Our way. 

The Old Testament prophecies spoke of the Jesus to come. The New Testament, the story of Jesus here on earth, and the fulfillment of His mission.  

And now we live in the middle. The in between part. Jesus lived. Died. Left us with the Holy Spirit and the New Testament. And we wait. The written word is complete. We are waiting for His return. In a broken scary world. In the middle. Anxious for his return. But wanting His desired plan to be complete. 

We  can be fearful. I am sometimes. But like the Hebrews of the Old Testament we have been told to wait. For His return. The Word says no man knows time. Many seek to figure it out. Looking for signs. What I know is the Holy Spirit lives within me. Jesus walks by my side daily. And the Father in heaven holds my life in His hands.

Here in the middle I stand. I wait. But I live my life in confidence that the middle is not the end. Jesus will return. The old will be made new. And if will be more than we could ask or imagine. Amen.

Five Minute Friday: She

Brio

In the last few days i have learned a powerful lesson from my mare. A mare is a she in the equine world. It has been said that you tell a gelding but always ask a mare. A mare can have a mind of her own, and she is never afraid to let you know how she feels about a matter. She is quick to use her free will to convince you that the decision is always hers to make. Free will. Her decision. Her way. 

So goes the story. Brio, twelve years old. Independent. Basically a compliant personality. She can certainly have her moments. And there have been a few people she just did not care for, and was quick to let them know. In the past for the most part I have been able to remember the rules and let her think that my choices were hers. 

The vets were here this week and they shared the information I already knew but was not ready to admit. She is fat. Like obese fat. I had her to a trainer. She lost a few pounds. Fresh spring grass found them for her rather quickly. My good veterinarian offered a solution that had not occurred to me. Though it should have. A grazing muzzle. She had one, hanging in my feed room. She had used it in the past. It limits the amount of feed she can eat and slows down the process. So she eats less. 

Good plan. The next day I am running behind. Of course in a hurry. I rush to the barn to let the herd out to pasture for the day. Everyone is kicking their walls. whinnying loudly, impatient to get out to that great green pasture. I grab the muzzle and head into her stall. Brio's stall. Yes. I forgot the golden mare rule. Walking up to her with the apparatus in hand I reach for her head. Yea, she took one look at me and gave me her butt. He big quarter horse rear end. Not to worried, I walked around towards her head. Only her head again became her rear. After a few circles around the stall both of us are getting peeved. Problem is her twelve hundred pounds to my, well somewhat less than that creates a disadvantage for me.. I see the legs attached to that rear end beginning to pick themselves off the floor shavings and point in my direction. Now I am getting unsettled. She is working up to war. Fine! Stay inside today. I throw her a flake of hay and hurry out. 

OK. That didn't work. I knew it. I knew why. Later that day I go back out to the barn. Brio is calmer as am I. Lesson learned. I approach her slowly. Whispering gently and scratching her favorite itches. I walk slowly up her side to her head. Still whispering and rubbing. She knows what I am up to, but is not overly anxious. I gently swing a lead rope over her neck and quietly decrease the slack. She resits some, but I am able to slip the contraption over her muzzle and ears and set the clip. I continue to fuss and love on her as I slip a treat into the nylon cage. Front door is open. She turns her head back, twice for a second look and lopes off the her pals. 

Back in the house I think back over the the two interactions of the day. I am reminded of my free will granted by my Father in heaven. He never forces us to do His will. He asks. He does not tell.  He is gentle. Kind. Patient. He acts out of love. I love my silly stubborn Brio, but I must ask her gently, kindly, and she will trust me and do what I ask. God is the same. His loves draws us in, and even if we are not excited, maybe barely willing, His patience and kindness encourages us to trust him and follow His ways.

 

grazing muzzle