An Afterthought

So, this morning when I took Jack out, I looked to the east for the morning star. Instead of the brightness of that beautiful light, however, I only saw clouds.


Clouds obscuring what I expected to see. It was darker today than yesterday. The light was blocked.


What obscures your view of Christ? What is standing between you, hindering your relationship with the lover of your soul?


Sin. Simple as that. Sin. Pick your poison. Bitterness. Hatred. Unforgiveness. Gossip. That grudge you won't let go of....


My mug this morning has this scripture on it -


All things are possible to those who believe. Mark 9:23


Sometimes when life gets cloudy, we feel hopeless. Don't give up, my friend. Confess your sin and God will forgive you. Then the clouds that have blocked your path will clear away and you will be back to enjoying The Bright and Morning Star.


Have a good day!  And enjoy your coffee!!

Straightening Out the Rabbit Trail

This morning as I was walking Jack, way before the sun peaked over the horizon, he sniffed out a rabbit trail. Now, the question needs to be asked, have you ever watched a rabbit dart across the yard? They don't go in a straight line. They zig and zag, constantly changing direction as they hop, hop, hop away from their perceived danger to a place they deem relatively safe.  Often we see them zipping across the driveway from the field when we come home at night.


So, as Jack sniffed out his newfound adventure this morning, he was all over the place. Nose to the ground, he went this way and that trying to find his little furry friend.


As he played around, I looked up at the stars still bright in the very early morning sky. I watched an airplane way, way up there and wondered what type of adventures await the people aboard and where they might be going. I pulled my new warm, fuzzy robe a little tighter against the wind and looked toward the east.


And there it was. The morning star. Bright and beautiful. Where it always is. Steady and sure. Reliable. Marking the end of the darkness just before the sun brightens the day.


Jesus. Always right there. Exactly where He's always been. Bright and beautiful. Reliable. He marks the end of the darkness of my sin and brightens my life with the light of His truth.


Yet, here we are, darting around like a little bunnies. Hopping from one trail to the other. Perhaps we are trying to escape our perceived danger (sin) and constantly change direction because we are depending on our own selves and thinking we have to make our own way in this life. But we don't.


We have our Morning Star. Jesus uses the term in reference to himself. Revelation 22:16 - "I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star." One Native American site I read said this, "The morning star is a symbol of hope and guidance."


And here is our AhHa moment, people! Our hope is in Jesus and he guides us down the path of life. Proverbs 3:6 - In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.


II Corinthians 1:10 - On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again.


Psalm 119: 105 - Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.


Read your Bible, friend. Learn God's word. Put your trust in him and him alone. It's time we stopped running around this world like rabbits running from the danger of the night. Our hope is in Christ.


Ask yourself this question today:


If I was the only way someone was going to find Jesus, would they have to chase a detached, disrupted trail or would my life lead them directly to Christ? It's time to take the path He has prepared for you and get off the bunny trail.

Planted by the Water

After the record drought this summer, the chatter has been whether we would have any colorful leaves this autumn. Mostly they seemed to be dying and falling to the ground. I was saddened to think we wouldn't get to enjoy the beauty that comes when summer yields to fall. My favorite time of year is when the trees display their vibrant beauty for us as we watch the scorching summer days fade away into sunny, cooler, refreshing days of autumn.


Well, summer isn't fading so quickly this year, is it? Today is October 18th and it has been HOT! I don't know if we broke a record, but I do know I got a little too much sun while I was working outside. I'm ready for cool weather! And bon fires. To roast marshmallows over. And hot cider. Boots. Jackets. And scarves. Oh well. Maybe soon.


Anyway, I digress. This is supposed to be about the beauty of the fall colors.


A couple of weeks ago I was returning home from my mother's house. As I came through the gap of the mountain and drove past the creek that runs beside the road, I noticed the trees near the water were absolutely stunning. The reds were brilliant. The yellows so bright and cheerful. The oranges glistened in the sunlight.


The only trees I saw that had those gorgeous colors were right there beside the water. And it got me thinking.


Aren't the colors of our lives brighter when we are soaking up the Living Water? When we wander away and find ourselves in a desert place, we are dry and brittle. Our leaves die and fall away before they can show the glory they were intended for.


We must be aware of and maintain our relationship with the Lord. We need to spend time with Him daily. Reading his Word. Sitting quietly at His feet. Listening to His soft, still voice lovingly guiding us along life's journey. We need to sing praises to His name and rejoice in His presence.


Then, and only then, we will reflect His glory, displaying the beauty that glorifies our God. By living close to His side, our roots grow deep and soak up the Living Water. Drinking it in, we have everything we need to grow and become who He created us to be.


Jeremiah 17:7-8 (NIV)

⁷ “But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,
    whose confidence is in him.
⁸ They will be like a tree planted by the water
    that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
    its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
    and never fails to bear fruit.”

Drink up, my friend, drink up. Like the song says, "Just like a tree that's planted by the water, I shall not be moved!"