Wednesday, November 22, 2017

She had but a little oil, not enough to hold on to hope. The widow cried out to Elisha, her creditor threatened to enslave her only treasure: her precious sons. 
A mama bird does most anything to protect her chicks.
Elisha had a plan in mind; God had a miracle in store.
The widow did not just sit and wait, but obediently sprang into action. Can you imagine the neighbors' reaction as she ran from house to house, asking for empty jars?
Has she lost her mind? She has no use for them; she doesn't have a single thing with which to fill them.
Then, God sprang into action, filling every one of those jars with oil; not a drop less, not a drop more.
Elisha instructed her to go sell the oil, pay her debts and be comforted that she would have enough left over to provide for her family of three.
Crisis diverted; hope restored. 
I love this story, but I always want to finish it with this single mother's reaction. I imagine her relief, her gratitude, her amazement. Does she hug Elisha and her boys, drenching them with her tears of gratitude or does she sit quietly, soaking in the magnitude of grace?
Every widow, every single mom could spill her own 2Kings story.  We've all been in her sandals, not knowing where to turn or what to do...then we are rescued. We are gifted with grace!
This Thanksgiving I sit soaking in the blessings of the past three months. My grateful heart is overflowing.
You have filled my jars, every last one of them.
You've listened, held my tears, mucked my house, washed my dishes, and filled my mailbox. 
You've filled my belly, you've covered my nose and blistered feet, you've washed my clothes and tackled my inventory.  You've waded through chest high water to restore my hope.
You know who you are, you generous, praying balcony people who cheer, encourage, spur me. I've known some of you for a very long time; others of you are now my new brothers and sisters. 
I name each of you in my prayers.
Grace...it's an overwhelming thing. My natural reaction is to pay everyone back just like Elisha's widow, but how can one ever satisfy such extravagant love and sacrifice?  I recently received a note in the mail that was accompanied with thoughtful gift cards. The "angels" simply asked that I pay it forward when given the opportunity.  Maybe grace and gratitude is a lot like miracle jars filled with oil. But, instead of selling them, we just keep pouring them out on others in need. 
This Thanksgiving I thank the church...not a building, but a community from so many walks of life.
We are a complicated, talented, and flawed lot of jars, waiting to be filled with God's Spirit and Plan.
We don't go by an acronym, like FEMA; we are the hands and feet of the Name above all names: Jesus.
You have been my James 1:27 church and I continually offer thanks for you.
May God bless you this Thanksgiving and fill your jars!








Monday, November 6, 2017

Lately, I've been asked how I'm doing in the aftermath of Harvey. My honest response: I'm hanging by a thread, but I'm still hanging. After yesterday's senseless attack on a small town church, it's frayed even more. 
I'm having a hard time holding on like so many I know. Maybe that's the problem; I'm doing all of the hanging. I stumbled across Deuteronomy 33:12 this weary morning...
Of Benjamin he said, "The beloved of the LORD dwells in safety. The High God surrounds him all day long and [he] dwells between his shoulders."

Maybe I'm expending so much energy clinging to my own frazzled fear of unknowns, that I'm not allowing God's promise to his children to carry me instead.

Let go! Like the climber who nestles herself into a harness and trusts the belay set, I need to trust the High God, the Anchor, who surrounds and carries me like a protective Father.

His anchor line is Triune; it runs through the entire Story with crimson security. He will not let my foot slip.
His harness offers rest for the weary.

So it's time to let go, be carried, and offer a new response:
I'm dwelling between His strong shoulders!

Jesus! I am resting, resting
In the joy of what Thou art;
I am finding out the greatness
  Of Thy loving heart.
Thou hast bid me gaze upon Thee,
And Thy beauty fills my soul,
For, by Thy transforming power,
  Thou hast made me whole. Jean S. Pigott




Friday, November 3, 2017

Springer goes YARD!
We all love home runs.  If you are even an inkling of a Houston Astros fan, you have celebrated every one of those balls hit out of the park during post season play. 
Life, though, rarely offers us the opportunity to sail the bases toward home plate without fear of being tagged or stranded. More likely, we find ourselves chipping away, one dusty bag at a time. 
I often get so caught up in the final outcome that I lose sight of taking life in small manageable steps of faith. That's when frustration and fatigue tries to get the best of me and I lose hope of overcoming life's giants. David didn't hurl his whole bag of stones at Goliath; he simply took out one smooth stone. Can you imagine Noah's overwhelming state when charged with building an ark of such magnitude? I'm not sure the animals would have ever been led in for their extended stay had Noah not tackled God's project one cubit at a time.
Many of us can still see light peeking through the brick of our flood ravaged homes. Others see a long uphill battle back to health and wholeness; it's a long battle to the ninth inning. Life just isn't an easy jaunt home. 
But, base by base, chipping away at the score, victory is coming our way! God is carrying us to his finish line, step by step, trial by trial.

Yet He knows the way I have taken; when He has tested me, I will emerge as pure gold. Job 23:10 HCSB


Wednesday, November 1, 2017

My favorite photo was damaged in the flood.
It's my only copy. 
I loved everything about this picture; it represented our college years and it has been on my bulletin board for as long as I can remember.
Unfortunately, it fell into contaminated waters like so many things, but 
I managed to at least snap a picture in the chaos.
Now this photo captures my life so well.
So many sweet things are now blurred and scarred, but if I look hard enough I am able to see beauty. Rob is still visible, although not as clear as once before. 
Life is messy, I can't see all the details, but I know what once felt whole will be again.
By Him all things hold together. Colossians 1:17