Don't Cry Over Spilled Milk

It was one of those days. Everything seemed to be going wrong.

The shelf on the refrigerator broke. I needed to put the milk and other containers on other shelves, sideways. Later when I opened the refrigerator - yes - the milk had leaked.

While cleaning up the mess caused by spilled milk, I knocked over a container of sunflower seeds. Sunflower seeds went flying all over. Another mess.

While I was out driving, I missed the street where I wanted to turn. Looking for a way to get back on the right road, I managed to hit a HUGE pothole! I thought I damaged the car. I just wanted to get back home.

Home again, I checked email and Meta facebook. Lo and behold, I see my cable bill was posted on messages to several of my friends! along with a video of a broadcast I never watch! I had been hacked. 

I was feeling quite defeated. Then I felt discouraged about feeling defeated. 

I thought about the little setbacks I had during the day. They are truly minor compared to the major problems happening in our world. There are wars, there is poverty, there are people imprisoned unjustly and inhumanely. There are people in deep pain and feeling hopeless. "Spilled milk" is nothing compared to all of that.

I wanted to pray about my problems and how I was feeling, to bring my own situation to the Lord. But how can I pray about these minor inconveniences? So added to this, I started to feel selfish.

I was reminded about little children who may break a favorite toy, scrape a knee, lose a balloon - nothing major. And parents who may be struggling with all of their grown-up problems take the time and attention to comfort their children. The relationship and the love is all important.

In the same way, my heavenly Father cares about the brokenness of our world throughout all generations, and He still cares about every single detail of my life, even those that seem so very insignificant. He wants to bring healing to our world. He wants to bring healing to my life. It's about love and our relationship with Him.

So I pray about the "small things" and I pray about the "big things."

And I know "in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28. All things - even spilled milk.

 Photo by Daniel Sinoca on Unsplash

Lessons in the Garden

There's been a definite change in the weather from frosty to nearly 90 degrees! I spent time at a local garden center wandering through the aisles admiring the flowers. I wanted to purchase some for my yard, but the choices were nearly overwhelming. I finally picked out multi-colored petunias and a hanging planter of coral begonias.

 

When I returned home I went out to plant them. I tried to pick the perfect location and to space them out for room to grow. I dug deep into the clay soil and worked it with my hands. I carefully took each petunia pod, "teased" the roots so they would spread, and placed each plant into the holes I had prepared. I covered the roots and pressed the soil firmly around each one. Then I watered them.

 

I looked at my hands. They were covered with moist soil that even caked under my fingernails. My clothes had soil clinging to them, especially around the knees where I had knelt to plant my flowers. I definitely felt close to nature! 

 

The next day I looked to see if the flowers survived. They did, and I was glad to see that they looked healthy and happy.

Today I read in the Magnificat: "the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground..." Gen 2:7; and, "Lord, you are our Father. We are clay, and you are our maker. We are all the work of your hands." Isaiah 64: 8.

 

These verses I reflected on made an impression on me, with my recent experience of clay soil. They spoke of God's intimacy with us, even in our creation. He got his hands into the soil, so to speak, to create us. And just as the soil clung to me and I felt at one with nature, so God as our Father and Maker is not a distant God, but One who creates us to be close to Him. He desires communion with us.

 

As I carefully selected the right location for my plants, so God has selected just the right location for me. Just as I care for my plants and take delight in them, so God cares for me that I may grow and be a delight to Him and hopefully to others whom He brings into my life.

                       How many are your works, Lord! 

                          In wisdom you made them all; 

                        the earth is full of your creatures.

                                                         Psalm 104:24

Praise God for flowers and for all living things. Praise God for the beauty of nature. Praise God that He created us to be in loving relationship with Him forever.

The Transformation

For some reason, I had difficulty sleeping last night. When I did, I had a very vivid dream. In my dream I was in the middle of our home that was in an absolute wreck around me. I was in the process of remodeling. All I could see was the chaos. I had a hard time moving without bumping into some obstacle. A workman had left the water running in the bathtub upstairs so that water was dripping through the ceiling into the living room! When I spoke up about the probem, I was made to feel guilty for the bathroom being located above the living room. What a dream!

 
I began to reflect on a home remodeling project. The homeowner may have an idea what the "perfect" home could look like, but may not have full knowledge of design, color schemes, fabrics, and available upgrades. Also, he or she may not have the tools, raw materials, and the know-how to make the desired changes. Skilled professionals have the expertise the homeowner can rely on. Often, the old construction or furnishings need to be removed to make way for the new. 

 

Photo by Milivoj Kuhar on Unsplash 

This is somewhat like my life. In a way, I am being "remodeled," created in the image of God and hopefully becoming more and more like Jesus. God has a definite plan for my life, but I don't always see it. What I do see more easily, and experience, are the problems I am dealing with, and the pain those problems cause. I seem to bump into unexpected obstacles when I move forward with decisions I make. Sometimes I feel unfairly blamed when I haven't tried to offend anyone.

When I rely on myself to be the one totally in control of the process of becoming the person God intends me to be, I fail. His plans for me are more than I can even possibly imagine. My natural talents and abilities are good and helpful, but so very limited. Like a homeowner who calls on a professional designer, I call upon my Designer. I am inspired by the vision of the Holy Spirit. As the remodeling happens, some of my usual habits need to be removed to make way for a new way of accomplishing things. When I look at the problems around me, I can trust the Master Builder is able to make use of all of it to create something beautiful. "We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28.

The transformation is a process. "...he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." Phllippians 1:6.  Amen.

Mighty Mustard Seeds

I was driving home yesterday after doing errands. I began to think of the many people who had helped me that morning. There was the teller at the bank who cashed checks for me. There was the tire guy who added air to my tires that had lost pressure. A woman checked out my groceries and another put them into bags. A teen boy held a door open for me. A postal worker weighed my envelopes for the correct amount of postage. All these actions were done pleasantly and with smiles. I realized that I truly appreciated these kind actions.

I am readily grateful for the major things people have done for me, like the time our basement flooded and neighbors came to the rescue. Or when our car broke down on the highway and AAA was there to help. The daily smaller acts of kindness, however, I frequently take for granted. And I became more aware of the many "little things" I can do intentionally to help others.

This morning I read in the Magnificat: "Out of the nothingness of something as meager as a mustard seed, greateness springs." The acts of kindness I experienced are like mustard seeds that made my day go much more smoothly and have inspired me to do likewise. I may not be able bring about major accomplishments to change our world for the better, but I can do good works to help another's day go more smoothly. I can actually look for these opportunities. May my small acts of kindness bring forth much good fruit.

Photo by Avinash Kumar on Unsplash

Let us not become weary in doing good, 
for at the proper time we will reap a harvest 
if we do not give up. Galatians 6:9