Tranquility

Image by Henryk Niestrój from Pixabay

Although I love summer, I’m tiring of the extra yardwork, and I’m ready for the change of seasons and a lessoning of the chores. Not surprising, God addressed my need for rest.  

Our pastor’s sermons are on The Lord’s Prayer. Last Sunday was “Give us this day our daily bread.” There’s much debate about whether that is physical or spiritual food. I think both, at least for me personally. Pastor also quoted Matthew 6:27-30: “And which of you by taking thought can add to his stature by one cubit? And for raiment, why are you solicitous? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they labor not, neither do they spin. But I say to you, that not even Solomon in all his glory was arrayed as one of these. And if the grass of the field, which is today, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, God doth so clothe: how much more you, O ye of little faith?”

I smiled. I even wore my gold and pearl calla lily earrings that morning.

The coincidences continued. My from Good Morning, Lord, by Joseph T. Sullivan also mentioned the lilies of the field. Our Daily Bread quoted Matthew 11:28-30: “Come to me, all you that labor, and are burdened, and I will refresh you. Take up my yoke upon you, and learn of me, because I am meek, and humble of heart: and you shall find rest to your souls. For my yoke is sweet and my burden light.”

Our Daily Bread also quoted Numbers 11, Moses’ lament to God of the heavy burdened he carried. God heard his cry and sent him helpers.

I understood God was promising me the same. He would give me the strength I needed to carry out my tasks or send me help. He did both.

By making slight changes, like not taking a one and a half-mile walk before I weed the flower beds, and by limiting other tasks I do on those days, I haven’t been as tired. Same with the housework. On days with the bigger chores, I limit other tasks. 

My husband has an injured shoulder and residual effects from Covid, which limits how much he can do, but he refuses to let me carry all the burden of maintaining our home. He has stepped up and taken on tasks he knows he can handle. These may seem small to some, but they lifted a good portion of my burden.

Things may change again as we both age, but I’m not worried. God will ease my burdens. I have his promise, and as if to emphasize that, once again, rainbows are appearing — reminders that God keeps his promises.

Dear Lord, thank you for not only the physical rest but also the tranquility of knowing you will take care of all my needs. I love you. Amen.

Light in the Darkness

I’ve been reflecting on the recent tragedies, seeking a way to cope with the sense of hopelessness and despair these horrific events seem to nurture.

A meme a dear soul posted on Facebook had one answer. Mr. Rodgers said, “Look for the helpers.” There are always men and women who risk everything to help others whether it is horrific fires like those in California, shootings or floods.

I want to be a helper rather than sitting back, crying and wringing my hands, or worse criticizing. I may never race through flames, face a crazed gunman, or slog through flood waters to save a life, but I can refuse to give into frustrations and irritations. I can be polite, smile, and carry a pleasant attitude whether I am at the grocery store, driving or doing my civic duty.

These thoughts reminded me of the Prayer of St. Francis. I memorized it years ago but I forget to pray it, so I created a prayer card which I printed out and placed with my devotions, a reminder of how I can be a helper, every day, wherever I am.

May we be thankful for the helpers God sends to those in need.

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you. May your day be filled with family, joy and many blessings.

(You are welcome to save, print, and share.)

Beside Restful Waters

I have always loved Psalm 23, the green pastures and restful waters. Those have taken on new meaning in our new home. A few steps in any direction and I can sit beside gurgling creeks or still ponds, surrounded by verdant pastures.

However, even in Idyllic surroundings, life can become complicated and worrisome.

Since the year 2009, I have been without health care insurance and have put off preventive exams due to the expense. Since turning a certain age and I now have insurance, my doctor has scheduled the tests. My brain went into overdrive. What if?

Streams in the Desert quoted 1 Samuel 7:12: “Thus far the Lord has helped us.”

He has helped through financial struggles, health issues, and personal challenges. He has provided compassion, strength, wisdom, and a miracle or two. Will he not continue? 

“For though I should walk in the midst of the shadow of death, I will fear no evils, for thou art with me.”

Life Doesn’t Need to Be This Hard

Life is hard enough without adding more weight than I need to carry – literally. Why do I pack my purse and my tote with so much just-in-case-I-need-it stuff? Some of those necessities never see daylight, so why do I insist on carrying it around?

I look at my husband. When we head out on errands, he has car keys and a wallet. I have my purse loaded with a year’s worth of survival gear. Why?

A week ago I woke with a horrific stiff neck. The pain moved down from the base of my skull and into my left shoulder. This is where I carry all of my tension and the arm I use to carry my work tote. Yes, the one loaded with more survival gear than the purse.

Spurred on by the discomfort of my knotted muscles, I cleaned house. I simplified everything down to what I actually used on a daily basis and pulled out everything else. I think I removed ten about pounds of stuff from the purse and the tote. At least it feels like it.

From that point, I thought about all the other baggage I carry around and decided an emotional and spiritual house cleaning was in order as well. Oh, I have done sporadic spring cleaning before, but I had not delved quite this deep. It was time. I needed to learn better ways of handling stress, or at least consistently practice the ones I knew.

Martha, Don't Look!

Where does the time go? Every day I promise myself to step back, take a deep breath and enjoy my cup of coffee a bit longer, spend more time in conversation with my husband, talk more often to friends and family, and take time to read a little more, but it seems I am always racing the clock.

In my morning devotions, the scripture detailed how often Jesus stepped out alone into the desert to pray. We Martha's have a hard time relating to that. What? Just drop everything and go off by ourselves? Who has the time to do that? Our world would just fall apart, wouldn't it?

Who would do all the dishes, the laundry, cook, clean, pay bills, and run errands while we were off selfishly indulging in quiet time? We'd be so far behind on our To-Do-List we'd never catch up, right?

 Maybe not. What if we actually allowed someone else to help - without criticizing how they did it?

I received a personal lesson in this when my husband retired. My sweetheart offered to take over all the household chores - all of them - until I could retire. You bet I took him up on that, until -

Yes.  I noticed things.

Thus Far He Has Helped Us

Although there is nothing magical about January 1, as it is only a man made date on a calendar, we have over the centuries attributed it to new beginnings.  We make new resolutions, we plan, and we hope.

With so many changes in our world and our society, this new year brings more anxiety and I struggle with hope. The escalating tragedies, the fiscal cliff, the threat of higher taxes, another personal financial blow, uncertainty with my job (still working in a temp position), and on and on goes the list.


Then, I opened Streams in the Desert for December 31.

"Thus far the Lord has helped us. (Samuel 7:12.)  

The Lord who "thus far" has helped you

Will help you all your journey through. 

And He has. I can look back not only over last year, but the year before and the year before that and back as far as I can remember. He has helped me. Comforted during the hard times, always offering hope for a brighter tomorrow. The hard times were only for a time, not a lifetime. This blog has many, many posts describing miracles and Divine interventions. Why would I believe He would stop helping me now? 

I fall into this trap when I take my eyes off Him and look at my circumstances. Like Peter walking to the Lord on the water, when I take my eyes off Him, I see only the impossibility of my circumstances. I become afraid and begin to sink under their burdens. Our compassionate God reaches down, grasps my hand, and encourages me to look up. 

And so, instead of a single word for this New Year, I prefer a scriptural quote: "Thus far the Lord has helped us." And, I can take that to the bank, literally.