Be Ready

 

 

September 29

 We don't know when a moment might be our last one. September 11th is a stark reminder

for all of us of how suddenly this life could end. I need to treat each moment as special. It

might be the last one. 

 “Be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” (Luke 12:40)

Hospital Visitor

 

 

September 27

 

Before we enter the hospital Joy goes to an art shop. In her mother's hospital room family sit around the bed talking about medications and pain. Joy parts the curtains, tapes color paper to the walls and ties ribbons on the green plants. Within minutes that sterile room is warmed by sunlight and color and even the bedside conversation brightens.

God loves on us with light. You can’t see  the beautiful colors in the dark.

"Then God said, 'let there be light'; and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness." (Genesis 1:3-4)

A Guest at Church

 

September 24

 My friend is excited, her neighbor finally attends our church service. She tells me:

“I ‘m glancing sideways during the service to see how she is reacting.  Her face seems non expressive.. During the message she stares at her feet and I’m confused. The service ends and I ask my friend, 'Is there anything you liked?"

Her neighbor smiles, “Oh! I saw God’s love before the service even started when your pastor walked in and kissed that boy in the wheelchair."

“Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me.” (Matthew 18:5)

Live the Moment

September 20

 Paraphrasing Thomas Merton Joy says "Live in the moment and see all that God has provided...it’s awesome." She asks how my day has been. I pause. Typically, another day has gone by and I have missed those precious moments.

Keeping a daily journal helps as does reading the Bible, taking a hike or listening to a child. Joy listens to chants or other music she enjoys as part of her quiet moments. I think I'll go for a walk and notice what's around me.

“This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” (Psalm 118:24)

Flat Tire

September 20

 

I hear a familiar thump, thump coming from the car so I pull off to the side of the country road into an vacant lot. Yep! A  flat. A young man, Ryan offers assistance. 

He is there to meet his boss, a carpenter.

" My boss was a carpenter once," I say adding, "I 'm talking about Jesus.”

Ryan looks up at me, then continues what he is doing in silence. The next moment his boss drives up and I tell him what a Godsend Ryan is. I know who sent him.

 

"The Father knows the things you have need of before you ask him."

(Matthew 6:8)

Is that you God?

 

 

September 17   

 

How do I know when a thought or message is from God? When it is not?

How can I be sure? When I ask the Lord for direction how do I know the response is from God and not the great deceiver? These questions remained until I was shown a simple way to test if the Spirit bringing the thought is of God. I have found that this test works quite well.

 

“By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not from God. (1 John 4:2-3)     

Bikers Nightmare

 

We were biking through the mountains of West Virginia when we encountered hair pin curves on wet pavement. We drifted off the road and our bike spun and lunged forward.

 

“What's happening,” I screamed, tightening my grip on Pat.

 

“I'm trying to get us back,” my husband yells.

 

We hit something and became airborne. That's all I remember.

Our friends Randy and Carrie Carr, who were cycling with us since we left Cleveland for Charleston, later told us our Harley had hit a rock and catapulted into the air doing a complete somersault. Both of us lost our grip and fell off.

 

I landed in a ditch and 1,200 pounds of motorcycle landed on top of me. Randy, being a large strong man, lifted that bike off of me and set it aside. He said my eyes had receded back into my head and he thought I was dead.

 

Patrick was cut and immobile. He kept asking, “How's Julie?” They didn't want to upset him further so they replied, “She's going to be ok.”

 

Earlier we had passed a couple on a bike towing a small trailer. It was a God thing that the gal on that bike was a nurse. When I regained consciousness she was cradling my head in her lap. She told me in a soft voice to remain calm and to be still.

 

Two helicopters arrived and landed on the road. They put one of us in each chopper. I remember thinking how odd, I had always wanted to fly in a helicopter but I won't be able to see anything lying flat on my aching back. I passed out again.

Hours later, when I woke up in the hospital, it seems I had been given an MRI of everything except my hurting back. I was sick that night from a concussion.

 

It is a miracle that we both survived. Patrick had a broken T-5, T-7 vertebrae and a broken neck. When we left the hospital days later, we were quite a sight. He was in a full body brace and I was in a neck brace.

 

I was in physical therapy for five months before an MRI was taken of my back. I had broken the same bones as my husband. I should have been in a full body brace like he was.

 

It is frightening to think that since I didn't have a full body brace, I could have easily done something to exert myself that would have left me paralyzed. I couldn't have surgery because the break was too close to my lungs.

 

Today we are both walking miracles, Pat is back riding his Harley, but it is not for me. I still have back pain which I manage daily best I can, “thank you Lord.”

I'm grateful to God and praise him to this day for his mercy and blessings.

 

Julie Clarke

Charleston, WV

Share the Hope You Have

Share the Hope

 

 

Weekend of September 14

 It has been a week since the horrific events of September 11 when America was attacked by terrorists. The country is still trying to pick its sanity out of the ashes.

Our small group shares feelings ranging from depression and fear to outrage.

“What can we be doing as individual Christians?” someone asks. We are quiet.

A woman responds, “We can share why we have hope. I’m calling my neighbors.”

 

“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you.”

(1 Peter 3:15)

Talking to a Porpoise

September 13

 

I never met a porpoise I didn’t like.

My first personal meeting with a porpoise outside of an aquarium was in waters off Panama. I was out on the bowsprit of a fishing boat and one swam along side and rolled inside our bow wake, looked at me a squealed. I leaned over and said hello. The porpoise squealed a greeting at me.  This went on for several minutes. It was a friendly encounter I still cherish. I wonder what the porpoise was thinking?

"So God created great creatures of the sea and every living and moving thing. And God saw that it was good.” (Genesis 1:21)

A Parking Ticket

 September 12

 This morning I drive downtown for a meeting. There are two parking spaces on the street near the hotel. I take the one nearest the corner so I can get out quickly.

When I return there is a ticket on my windshield. I had parked in a no parking area and the quarters I had put in the meter were for the parking space in front of me.

A friend says, " Don’t fuss over it, or it will cost you more than the amount on the ticket."  That tip is 2,000 years old.

 "Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." (Matthew 22:21)

Soft and Hard Putty

September 8

The preacher came down the aisle holding two cans of putty, one contained putty which, had hardened after exposure to the air and the other was a new can that contained soft pliable putty. "When our hearts are open we are pliable and God can mold us like clay but when our hearts are neglected they become hard.” I need to give up what I think I am and let God mold me into what He intends me to be.

Jeremiah said only with God's help can we be softened.  God says, “When you search for Me you will find Me; if you seek Me with all your heart!” (Jeremiah 29:13.)

A very Special Day

September 7

 

This is a very special day for Joy and me.  Pastor Pat baptizes us in our lake. We both emerge from the water shivering but it is not from the coolness of the water. We praise the Lord while we huddle together at the water’s edge draped in towels. We are all trembling with excitement and for good reason.

 

"He who believes and is baptized will be saved." (Mark 16:16)

"Indeed I baptize you with water unto repentance but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit." (Matthew 3:11)

Dealing with Anger

September 6

 

We are in the house, voices raised. Joy yells, "pray."  We both kneel. I reach out to hold her. She pulls back and snaps, "don't touch me, I don't even like you now."  She demands, “Jesus we can't handle this, we need You now!" Her arms come around me. The anger subsides and our voices are now soft. We forgive each other. God answers knee-mail.

 

"Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another; even as Christ forgave you, so you must do. (Colossians 4:13)

South Shore Community Church

September 5

 Joy and I moved to Florida some 25 years ago where our home church is South Shore in Sarasota Fl. Here the love of God and each other is clear. The young and vivacious pastor ends every service
saying: At South Shore we don't go to church." The congregation enthusiastically responds, "We are the church." The pastor says, "Go be the church."

"This is my command: Love each other." (Jesus) John 15:17)

gofigure america.blogspot.com

First Church

                                                  
September 4

Before Joy and I came to Florida we attended First Church of Wethersfield. It was a church where Believers shine brightly for any doubters to see. God's love abounds. Every Sunday the minister
opened the service quoting Isaiah.

"Those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint." (Isaiah 40:31)