Suppose with Rose

I found myself at sunrise overlooking water on a pier, just beyond the boughs of a weeping willow with lots of wildlife near.

Often when I’m out like this I’ll play a silent game; I try to move without disturbing what was there when I came.

An egret perched upon the rail, two squirrels ate at the base of a tree, and fifteen deer just grazed all aware but without care of me. 

Then as I gazed across the water, releasing fear, doubt, and worry in prayer a pair of cardinals joined me, they sat flittered and stared.

I wonder what they were thinking when they investigated me, with tears silently flowing near the weeping willow tree.

God, help this selfish sinner often, my problems seem bigger than You. Lord help me walk forgiven, loving others by pointing to the Truth.

When there is so much more to say Lord, You know how to reach Your own. Thank You for reminding me I don’t weep alone. 

“I’m going to get him this time!”

The little girl thought to herself as she sat his cup down, and turned to tip-toe away.

Trying not to giggle she turned back quickly. “Got you!” She blurted.

Great-Grandpa had “got” her playfully many times before but this time Grandpa didn’t sit up, he didn’t get her, his tummy wasn’t moving.

She didn’t say a word. They had to get back to pick brother up from school. Buckled up in the back of that station wagon the little girl mustered up the words, “Momma Grandpa’s tummy wasn’t moving.”

“Are you sure?” Mom hoped the young girl was wrong.

On the way home the little girl learned just how deafening silence could be. And a call that evening confirmed she wasn’t wrong.

This is part of my story.

Death became something feared and sleep became something watched over. Every. Single. Night. Once I thought all were asleep I’d peer into every room watch and wait for tummies to move. Then and only then could I truly rest. This continued far longer than I care to admit. But praise be to God death is no longer something feared.

When you’re secure in your tomorrow. Today doesn’t seem so frightening.

How? One of the disciples asked Jesus a similar question and his response is in John 14:6:

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

I, once so frightened and lived in extreme fear, was given peace and hope. My life was able to transform from fear to freedom through faith in Jesus Christ.

Tomorrow will come for all of us. The question is where are you going to spend it?

1. On Earth in this vessel of our sin prone flesh and fallen world.
2. Eternally with your Creator through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
3. Or eternally absent of Him in hell.

If you are reading this you still have the opportunity to choose. I’d be happy to text/ or private message with you about questions.

Prayer: In July we remember freedom in America Father. As we do some walk in fear. Help us remember and learn more about the freedom brought to us by our Savior and Lord, Your Son, Jesus Christ. Help us have faith over fear. 

My daughter has a garden in our backyard, I’ve written about it before. It’s her special responsibility and she feels she has contributed to the family every time one of her vegetables makes its presence in a salad or on the plate.

She tends and waters it twice a day and it’s a special time between her and her great-grandpa who regularly comes to provide sage wisdom. Often, it appears she hasn’t  watered despite spending the time daily hose in hand.

This made it time for some mom investigation.

After spending time spying, thinking I was going to catch her in some extravagant fib I discovered she was indeed watering. But her water wasn’t going to the right place. You see water fell on the leaves rather than the foundation and the soil of the plant leaving it quenched. 

As I was praying regarding the social climate the Holy Spirit said gently, “Water the soil.”

If water for the garden is like love for the human, I believe we often water the wrong place. We water what can be seen rather than the root or soil. Our worth or wether or not we should be watered, yours or mine, is not determined by a skin tone, a political affiliation, possessions, wealth, or an interest external choice. Our worth simply is because God said it is.

My Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, tells me to LOVE. Just like my daughter was told to water the soil. I am to Love the Lord my God and Love others as myself.

This begs the question of what is love? Here is a good place to start.

1 Corinthians 13: 4-13 (NIV)

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. 12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Just like I felt a need to investigate my daughters watering actions. It’s time that each of us, especially those of us rooted in the Lord, do some serious investigation.

Am I patient and kind in my action and word? Do I want what someone else has or boast proudly in myself rather than the Lord? Do I honor others for loves sake and not my own? Am I angry and focused on the past rather than making positive change for the future? Am I delighting in good and things that are true? Am I protecting, trusting, hoping, persevering?
Do I recognize I do not know the whole story and that I have limits; that I will pass away and this opportunity to love others well will cease? Will I know love when it is right before me face to face? Will I allow love to be the greatest of all?

Prayer: Lord I don’t know the words to say. Allow Your Holy Spirit to speak.

Once upon a time there was a virus.
It went by many different names.
At first many thought it was “harmless,”
like it and flu were the same.

Then, fear led the surge across the land.
Time passed and this virus grew.
CoVid 19 has claimed many lives
and, for a time, changed the life most knew.

Some children who once “hated”
school days began to see
the gift of school they once had
they wished normal could once again be.

Some parents before so busy
spent time with family
a treasure had been missing
perhaps they’ll rethink the time called free.

Distancing from people,
deepened the yearning for them more.
Simple things like church, school, work or shopping
were seen more like a blessing than a chore.

Prayer became more known and needed
for some than it ever had before.
And caring for your neighbor
began to happen more and more.

Many things have become idols Lord
standing between Your beloved and You.
Some things were taken for a time
Father, You’ll stop at nothing, it’s true.

The attitude of appreciation
seems for now to have grown
but when things get back to “normal”
Lord will this lesson prove known?

Will Your people remember
these lessons learned in strife?
Will relationships continue to matter
in this thing we call life?
Will Your love and blessings
be more proclaimed than before?
Or will “business as usual”
return in this world once more?

Father I pray after this
there is less hatred and less haste
Oh Lord, How I pray all the hurt and pain
isn’t just for waste.

I pray we step back from opinions
too see the Truth of what really is “deserved”
bend our knees and bow our heads
for the cup we have been served.

A Savior many years ago
came to heal the land.
Jesus bore the wage of sin and death
at our selfish demand.

He suffered such deep sorrow
much more than physical pain.
He made the way that tomorrow
together with God we can remain.

Lord, let us not be like the rich young ruler,
that couldn’t bear to deny himself.
Help us lean into your direction
and deny this worlds “rights and wealth.”

I pray Father,
Your people lean into Your Holy Word.
That Christians start to live forgiven,
that your Holy Spirit may be heard.

Father forgive me for all the ways
I have failed to shine for You.
Help me Lord to remain
in this life honored to glorify You.

Keep my heart tender to conviction
turning callus Lord is so easy to do.
Help me Lord make corrections,
and be a life You redeem others through.

And as for this virus You’re allowing Lord,
as painful for many as it may be,
help me live changed by the lesson,
that You Lord are indeed all I really need.

Greetings!

I’m Owlie the Owl, many see me as wise,
I see the way things are going, I watch with both my heart and my eyes.

Sometimes I share stories, some are silly, but most are true.
The story I have today is an experience had by only a few.

There once was a small garden, in a back yard is where it grew.
It was tended by a little girl, her great-grandpa showed her what to do.

Together they planted this garden some plants were started from seeds,
others started from potted plants; the girl tended the daily watering needs.

The little girl liked watching how all the different plants would do.
She saw onions, carrots, and potatoes hid from the sun ,
while cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower grew to be seen by everyone.

The great-grandpa liked watching everything that grew.
You see plants weren’t all that grew in the garden the precious child grew too.

Purpose, responsibility, and patience along with knowledge, confidence and grace.
He’d answer all of her questions, with a sparkle in his eye and a smile on his face.

So there you go my friendly readers, a story experienced by few,
about a child and her great-grandpa in a garden, that loved each other through and through!

I am Owlie the Owl, here to remind you it is wise,
to seek God’s goodness in all things, with a grateful heart and watchful eyes.

For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power and of love, and of a sound mind.

1 Timothy 1:7 (KJV)

There is a four letter word that perks my attention, turns my head, and warrants a brief explanation to little eves droppers. Then results in prayer both confessing my judgment and for the person. But I’m not referring to THAT word.

This “F” word does all these things and I’m guilty of it’s use. I would argue we all are or, at least, have been.

For many, fear touches our lives daily. For most it runs our life. Fear causes me to hold back, work around, worry, compromise.

God wants fear in my Christian walk to be just as head turning, equally explained, confronted and confessed as that other word. He desires that I place fear before Him in prayer and call upon the power of the name of Jesus Christ.

A woman after God’s heart, shared with me years ago, “”FEAR” is False Evidence Appearing Real. As a Christian nothing should be bigger than God in our lives.”

Those words cut my soul then and they still do. My entire life had been lived in fear of something or someone at that time, and the temptation is ever present.

Until I embrace fear for what it is and who it is from. Place it under my feet and on the other side of God’s encircling love, fear can and will rule my life thus inhibit the flow of the Holy Spirit through me.

Does fear have you in a strong hold?
Believe me, I get it!

CoVid-19 is something new, it’s painful to watch, it can be scary. 

I am “immune compromised.” My husband is a truck driver delivering groceries, he must go out there. Mom, depends on breathing equipment 24/7 already. My children are in peek seasonal allergy induced asthma time. Many whom I love have lives seasoned with time and others with new babies to come soon.

Even with all of these facts, I have choice.

I could let fear be bigger than my faith.  Or, I can choose to allow the love of God, my faith in His promises, be bigger than my fear.

Prayer:

Lord, You gave us a sound mind, and we grieve the pain and suffering of many. We lift the ill and those on the front lines to You Lord. I pray each of Your children does their part to help, not only by sheltering at home, but in every way possible, to shine the Your light to others during this time. Fear is not from You. I call upon the powerful blood of Jesus Christ, help us walk with faith bigger than fear, and Lord, choose to walk knowing You are here. 

I love animals.
I know it’s hard to believe but it’s true.
Since I was young I loved animals,
more than average kids do!

I’ve named some kind of silly.
In a big way because it is fun.
But really it’s often because of something that particular animal has done.

Like Squirrel’s not a squirrel but a chicken,
who lays an egg for me each day.
She’s brown with black, small, hyper,
And bounces around in a squirrelly way.

Then there was a bull I called Rooster,
I raised him from when he was very small.
But when the sun came up every morning
I didn’t hear a crow but a bawl!

I’ve taken care of:
a duck called Quackers,
a pig named Hammy,
Pepper the heifer,
a fawn named Bambi,
a turtle named Ted,
Bacon the hog,
Pumpkin the cat,
Jumpy the frog.

My favorite of them all is a pony.
He’s white and I braid his mane.
He pulls me behind him in a carriage.
Puff the magic Pony is his name!

Have I told you that I love animals?
If I haven’t you should know it’s true!
And I want you to know it’s been my pleasure,
to share the names of some animals names with you!

Awake one night I heard some chirping.
I wondered to myself what could it be?
I thought it could be baby birds calling,
from a nest, outside my window, in the tree.

I shook my head and said, “Maybe,
but this doesn’t sound like a bird I’d ever heard.”
I imagined some kind of creature singing.
In the still of night without music or words.

I walked to my window very slowly.
I didn’t interrupt the interesting song.
It sure wasn’t birdies that were lonely,
turned out I was totally wrong.

Hanging by tails eyes gleaming like a gem,
was Mrs. Opossum and her opossum family.
Some say they’re pests but I watched them.
It was like they became pets for me.

A family of upside down singing opossums,
hung out side my window from a tree!
I don’t mind saying I think it was pretty awesome
to watch them grow and hear them sing!

Upside down singing opossums are really very misunderstood.
Research, maybe you’ll agree it’s awesome,
even if yours doesn’t sing as good,
to meet a family of upside down singing opossums!

Mr. Skunk

Out in the moon light under the stars there Mr. Skunk went, him minding his business and us minding ours.

All of a sudden, we each were surprised, when we found ourselves staring in each other eyes.

We both had choices we could make but really each hoped the other no action would take.

We started to step backwards, one step at a time, and Mr. Skunk stood still frozen, his eyes watching mine.

Trip the dog however just wouldn’t stay and Mr. Skunk was left with no choice but to spray.

It’s morning now.  Wow! Does Trip the dog stink! But  I am left with a question, does a skunk, who can make such a stink, not stink before spraying? What do you think?