Where I Was Growing

Where I was growing I was doing alright.

It had taken me a while to take off, I was slow growing and spreading but I was growing. I was producing one or two flowers a season. But I was comfortable.

Then ...

§ for no reason

§ out of the blue

§ unexpectedly

§ without warning

I was uprooted …

in fact I lost about ½ of my roots and all of my natural dirt (My roots support me, they hold me close and tight during any kind of wind or storm, they keep me safe.) … I was placed in a pot … (I’m used to the ground … I like it that way) I was given new soil, sand,

and fertilizer (I had good dirt that I liked). The old wire that I used to lean on was replaced with a fancy climbing tower (The old wire was comfortable and I’d wound myself securely in, out, and around of all of those squares.) … and I was placed on the front porch instead of the back yard (In the back yard I didn’t worry about the world looking at me. It was relaxing and homey).

At first I thought I’d be ok, after all, I’m a strong plant. I thought I could handle it … but soon all that bravado faded and I began to wilt. In only one day I lost ALL of my leaves and I just sat there … naked … in pain … in mourning … for a week.

Then suddenly for no apparent reason I started growing again. I’ve never gr

own this fast or this full. Soon I’ll be bigger and fuller

than I ever was before.

There was nothing wrong where I was growing. I wasn’t in any trouble. I hadn’t do

ne anything wrong … it’s just that my master, my owner had different plans. She was moving on to

another place and wanted to take me along.

If your Maker decides to uproot you, to take you along where He is working, take heart dear friend that His plans are to “prosper you and not to harm you, to give you a hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11 and if you’ll trust Him and rely on the food and water He provides …

you will be more fruitful and useful than you ever thought possible.

What a Good Dad Does

My earliest memories of my Dad are just clips, snatches of a story. I remember him taking me to the nursery at the college he was attending. The nursery had blue walls and windows way up high near the ceiling. And even though I was too big to be in a crib they put me in a very tall crib, with very tall sides. Well, that’s the way it looks in my memory. It was very cold in that room. I remember my Daddy trying to take a picture of me holding a rose but I didn’t want to hold it. I remember riding on his shoulders. My Daddy would swing me up and it was so incredibly high … and a bit scary. But when I heard his voice reassuring me ... well, it made everything all right.

All of my life whenever I’ve been scared, or unsure I could call my Dad and just the sound of his voice made me feel that somehow things would be ok, that I would be safe.

The way my Dad talked about God made me want to know Him as well. And when I was about six years old my Dad introduced me to my Father, my heavenly Father.

Here’s the really neat thing about good earthly fathers: they set the example … the give a picture of what fatherhood is all about. I have a few friends whose dads were just plain awful or mostly absent, but the example of the good earthly fathers that they saw from afar gave them a picture of what a good dad was all about. And because of that picture they were able to see how wonderful it would be to have a heavenly Father.

Jesus tells us that He is the Good Shepherd and that when we belong to Him we know His voice. It is this voice that gives us directions, commands, and confidence (Hebrews 10:35,36). This is the voice that we must obey.

John 10:3-15

… the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out… he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” …

Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. … The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. …

“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. … They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.

I thank God today for my Dad who laid down his life … set aside things that he could’ve done in order to spend time with me, in order to make sure that I knew his voice, that I heard his voice, and that I followed his direction. I'm doubly blessed because He introduced me to the most important person in my life ... God.

Build New Barns
by Barbara Chadwick


This morning I held the cutest outfit before me. I remembered the places I had worn it. I smiled as I remembered the good times with friends in that outfit. However... I haven't worn it in over two years. It is the slightest bit tight over the hips now but how could I give it away? It has too many sweet memories. I went through the suitcase and held up one after another in the same manner. But the problem is my closet is too full already. Why is this so hard?

You notice the Lord didn't put me with the disciples that He sent out with the instructions, "Take no bag for the journey, or extra tunic, or sandals or a staff..." Matthew 10:10

We just moved back to Colorado after being two years and three months in Juneau, Alaska. Moving back in after only two years seems almost as big a hassle as if we had moved everything we had up there. I know, I know, the kitchen sink and all that but I was told to take everything I thought I'd need for at least a year. It turned out to be two but we're not counting because God really blessed our time there.

We visited a relative this summer where I was first reminded about the scripture where the man needed to build bigger barns to hold all his stuff.  Every closet and cabinet including the refrigerator was filled to overflowing.  The lady invited me to go to a clothing party. We had a good time and....bought more clothes.

I was told about a cousin whose house is so full you can hardly walk through it. There is a couch behind a couch and china closet behind the one you see, etc. We shake our heads at the picture, yet each of us has our own pile that we guard.

Several people we know are in the process of moving. One family told us about getting rid of things in order to downsize - kids have left home, etc. Another family had to pay for an additional storage unit because all their stuff wouldn't fit into the new home.

This afternoon I cleaned out a kitchen cabinet that had vases and candle holders. "Gee whiz," I thought to myself, "I didn't know I had so many of these!"  Whereupon I set aside a bunch of them to take to a Thrift Shop. But when I started to put them in a bag I noticed how dusty they were and started washing them. As I washed I muttered, "This would be neat to decorate with at Christmas, or Valentines, etc." So I put a few of them back on the shelf. When I finished and hung up the towel I had the thought that it will take my children a couple of weeks to get rid of all our "stuff!" 

Looking at your stuff do you sometimes think, "What if I'll need that sometime?" then, put it in the attic or basement? People who teach about organizing say, "If you haven't used it in a year get rid of it."

If your "stuff" can be used to glorify God then keep it. But remember that sometimes God is glorified in the giving when it can help someone in need.

Jesus told this parable in Luke 12:18. "The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. He thought to himself, "What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops. Then he said, "This is what i'll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I'll say to myself, "You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry." But God said to him, "You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?"  Jesus continued, "This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God."