Are You Plugged In?

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.               2 Timothy 3: 16-17

During some rough play in my family room, tiny items fell off of a shelf and landed behind the TV stand. They remained there for quite a while as I dreaded the task of looking for them among the cords and dust bunnies. Finally a friend offered to take on the task for me and her findings were great.  In the tangled web of cords and dust she found the little glass teddy bear drinking a cup of tea and also 4 cords that were either not plugged in at all or were plugged in at one end only.  They were actually power cords that were providing power to nothing.

This reminded me of our scripture reading. Sometimes our Bibles are like those power cords, powerful, yet not plugged in to anything.  Timothy explained that all scripture is God-breathed and useful.  However, just like power cords, it is only useful if it is used as it was intended.  We will grow in our faith and our relationship with God as we read and allow His word to teach, rebuke, correct and train us in righteousness.  The Bible is our powerful connection to the One in charge.  To leave it buried in a stack of books collecting dust would be as effective as those worthless cords behind my TV.  I challenge you to find your Bible and plug in to your power source.

 

Snapshots in My Mind

A few weeks ago, as I sat in the choir loft at church, I looked down at the two children who were listening to the children’s sermon.  It was my eight year old daughter and her 18 month old cousin.  They were sitting on the front pew and little Ella was listening as intently as I have ever seen her.  Even the Pastor mentioned how she appeared to be taking it all in.  When it was time for the prayer, my daughter put her arms around Ella and took her hands in her own to show her how to fold her hands in prayer.  They were both dressed in black and white and it looked like they were posing for a picture to be used as an advertisement for a church or something.  It was a perfect scene and I so wished I had had my camera to take a picture.   I took a moment for prayer myself.  I prayed that God would allow me to take a snapshot with my mind of that very moment so that I could always remember these two little girls, their innocence, their sincerity.  I looked at them with intent and clicked a button in my mind.

This wasn’t the first snapshot that I’ve taken without a camera in my hand.  I remember another occasion where my older daughters were playing in the sandbox.  They were probably 5 and 3 and they were just chattering and playing nicely.  I remember looking at them through my kitchen window while doing lunch dishes and wanting to remember that moment forever.  When would it ever be like this again?  They were both wearing pink and they were smiling and giggling as they dug.  I took the picture for my memory.  Years later, when my oldest daughter returned from college for a weekend, I looked out the kitchen window and saw them sitting in the sand box.  The sun was shining and their long, lanky legs were bent, they really didn’t fit in the box, but were seated on the edge.  They weren’t giggling, they were talking very seriously while they watched sand trickle out of their hands.  Again, click, Lord let me remember this moment.  My daughters, still friends, still in the sandbox.

Today I drove to the end of the lane to get my youngest on the school bus.  With a cup of tea in hand, I sit in the car and watch her board Bus #13 every day.  Our routine.  I watch her greet the driver, walk back the aisle to the 4th seat on the right, she slides in and she looks out the dirty window and waves as the bus pulls away.  Click.  Lord, let me remember this moment.

Reminders

If you are like me,  you LOVE post-it notes.  Notes here and there telling me to “Mail Birthday Card,’ ‘Get Milk,’ ‘Call So & So.”  I appreciate reminders and need them constantly.  In addition to the temporary post-it note reminders on my walls and cabinet doors, I also have many, many reminders framed and hanging on my walls.  I walk by them so often, I forget what they are reminding me of.  When I walked through my living room, dining room, family room, kitchen and entryway, I was absolutely amazed that all of the following hang there.

Attitude is Everything.

Thank God for What You Have, Trust God for What You Need.

You are my Sunshine.

In the strength of the Lord, I can do all things.

Life is Short, Eat Dessert First.

As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

You Call It Chaos, We Call It Family.

Rejoice in every good thing the Lord thy God has given unto Thee.

Believe.

God’s Answers are Wiser Than Our Prayers.

BKLVR (Book Lover)

When We Put Our Cares in His Hands, He puts His Peace into Our Hearts.

Every good and perfect gift is from above.

The Sooner You Fall Behind, the More Time You have to Catch Up.

Don’t Judge Each Day By the Harvest You Reap, but By the Seeds You Plant.

Let It Snow!

Milk, Instant Rice, Cream of Mushroom Soup……….WAIT!  That’s a post it note!

All this inspiration (except for those last two.  I’m not really inspired by snow or grocery shopping!) around me every day.  I walk by the words and hope to receive them through osmosis.  If I could simply abide by the words on my wall, my life would be so much richer.  Just for today, I intend to rest in the peace the words provide…….and definitely…..Eat Dessert First!

What are the words on your wall?  Feel free to share!