Your Father Knows It!

“What is the price of two sparrows – one penny? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows” (Mathew 10:29-31).

Greetings,

Sometimes I’ll be running errands and I’ll drive through an intersection near my house that, for whatever reason, is a meeting place for birds.  Not just one or two, but hundreds and hundreds.  They congregate on the electric lines, and you can hear their sonorous (maybe ear-splitting?) chirping a mile away.  Sometimes they swoon down in clusters looking for food, like French fry fragments left behind by hurried commuters, but seem just as content pecking at a half-smoked cigarette. And those of us who have lived here long enough know to avoid certain hot spots too.  These little feathered ones don’t mind leaving “deposits” on your car. So much so that one time I literally had to go through a car wash just to be able to see through my windshield again.

What I find remarkable, however, is that our Lord, in His unparalleled power and glory, is keenly aware of every single move these birds make.  Why is this important?  Because If He extends His care and concern to the flocks of the world, how much more will He care for us - His valued and treasured children?  I’ll tell you how much.  He keeps record of every little detail in our lives, including the number of hairs on our heads.  That’s seems so incredibly trivial to me.  But not to God.    I see this verse as a wide-open invitation to pour my heart out to the Lord because EVERYTHING MATTERS. 

PRAYER: Dear Lord, thank You for knowing everything there is to know about us.  You know our concerns and worries, our hopes and fears.  You have taken inventory of all the hairs on heads and all the questions in our hearts.  Our faith is strengthened today because we know You care.  Nothing in our lives is trivial or unimportant to You.  You watch out for us, know everything about us, love us, and remind us not to be afraid.  As we wait upon You for answers to prayers, comfort us with Your peace and joy; we know that You are on the job!   In Jesus’ name, AMEN.

Unnecessary Laws~

Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  Against such things there is no law.

Greetings,

Recently as I was scouring the internet for my daily dose of news, I came across an article entitled, The Strangest Law in Every State.  Of course, I read the entire thing.  In Florida you are not allowed to break more than three dishes per day.  In Georgia, donkeys may not be kept in bathtubs. In Hawaii putting coins in your ears can get you in trouble, and sorry, dear husband, singing off key in North Carolina is a big no no! 

"Strange" is the perfect word to describes these laws. They don't make sense, and they are unnecessary.

The verse above provides another scenario for unnecessary laws. There is no law against being kind. No prohibitions where self-control is concerned.  Being joyful won’t send you to jail.  We never have to second guess if somehow having patience is the wrong response. We won't get in trouble for having peace, and we won't be prosecuted for having unselfish concerns for others. 

In other words, we are free to be good and do good!

PRAYER:  Dear Lord, we invite Your Spirit into our lives because we desire the fruit that comes from Him guiding us and blessing us.  Thank You that there is no law against the good things You want to produce in our lives.  We welcome extra doses of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control today.  In Jesus' name, AMEN~

God is on Our Side~

“Friends, when life gets really difficult, don’t jump to the conclusion that God isn’t on the job. Instead, be glad that you are in the very thick of what Christ experienced. This is a spiritual refining process, with glory [and joy] just around the corner” 1 Peter 4:12-13.

Greetings in the mighty name of Jesus!

Five years ago my garage caught fire, and it was almost a total loss.  Among the items that were destroyed, however, was a little white linen dress I wore as a baby.   I mourned the loss of that remnant from my infancy because I had hoped to photograph one of my grandchildren in it one day. But a few days later there was news of another fire up north that completely destroyed a home and every single belonging inside of it displacing a family with children. Some family members had to be rushed to the hospital for treatment and were in critical condition. Immediately I found myself thanking God that my material loss was insignificant, and that no one in my family was hurt.  

Plus, the fire happened a couple of weeks after my daughter got married.  Had it happened earlier, the wedding items I was storing would have been lost.  Or what if it would had happened the actual weekend of the wedding when we were all out of town? 

The more and more I thought about it, the more and more I praised God.  It was a powerful reminder of what is truly important in my life, and that God is on the job and on my side.  And then, as I was unpacking some of the boxes that the fire remediation team had taken for clean-up and salvage, I came across a little coat and bonnet that was also from my childhood.

I recently had the pleasure of dressing up my granddaughter in the little outfit, and I was reminded all over again that joy is “just around the corner.”

PRAYER: Dear Lord, sometimes life gets really difficult, and we assume You’re not on the job.  Never ever let us jump to the wrong conclusion. Rather, help us see You in everything we face because this leads to gratitude and joy. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.

Ellie in Yenisita's Coat and Bonnet

God's Wardrobe~

Greetings,

Easter Sunday is almost here, and it reminds me of my mom.  She always made sure my sister, Delvys, and I were dressed in brand new frilly spring dresses.  She always wanted us to look our best, but especially on Christ’s Resurrection Day!  I have memories of shopping at Rich’s, the main department store at that time, looking for the perfect outfits. And I loved the brand new patent leather white shoes, socks, and coordinating hairbows that would finish off our new matching ensembles.  

God cares about clothes too, and He has picked out some very stylish pieces for us to wear.

“Dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline…and regardless of what else you put on, wear love.  It’s your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it” (Colossians 3:12-14 The Message Version).

The end result of dressing in God’s wardrobe?

“God Himself will reward you” (v 24).

We all desperately need the rewards of peace, calm, joy, hope, self-control, and health that come when we do the right thing and have the right reaction.  The best part? God always helps us get dressed.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, thank You that we don’t have to zip our zippers, button our buttons, or tie our shoes without You. You help us each step of the way to clothe ourselves with Your life-blessing wardrobe.  Help us especially, to never go anywhere without the most important garment of all, LOVE! In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Easter Sunday, April 22,1973, Yenisita (on the right), seven years old

Remember Me~

Greetings,

Luke 23 in the Bible details the crucifixion of Jesus, and we learn in verse 32 that two other men, convicted criminals, were also crucified – one on each side of Christ. Verse 39 says one of them "hurled insults at Jesus." Verses 42, however, paints a different picture of the other criminal: “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.”

How did Jesus respond?

“Today you will be with me in paradise.”

No harsh words about a crime-filled life. No judgment, no condemnation, no criticism. The criminal wanted forgiveness, and Jesus gave it.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, today we unite our voice with the forgiven criminal who realized his need for Jesus and say, "Remember us!"  We look forward to being with You in Paradise. In the meantime, thank You that You are with us each step of the way on planet earth. In Jesus' name, AMEN~

A Clear Message~

Greetings,

The other day I was talking to a high school buddy who shared a funny story.  When she got married her Pekingese didn’t care too much for her new husband.  Mr. Puppy would snark, growl, and aim his bottom at this poor newlywed.  (I have no clue what that last part means).  One day, when the otherwise happy couple arrived home, they saw just how far Mr. Puppy was willing to go to show his disdain for the other man in the house.  

Somehow, he had gotten into the dirty clothes hamper and one by one, brought out all the clothes belonging to his arch nemesis and piled them by the front door.  Not one garment belonging to his mommy - my friend - was touched!  Talk about sending a clear message! What a smart and phenomenal dog.

Jesus sends a clear message too: 

“Jesus was at the table in Levi’s house having supper with a collection of disreputable guests.  The religion scholars saw Him keeping this kind of company and lit into His disciples: ‘What kind of example is this, acting cozy with the riffraff’” (Mark 2:15

The Message Version)?

Jesus acted cozy with the “riffraff” because He was and is a Savior for all.  Unlike Mr. Puppy, Christ loves everybody, and His blessings are meant for anyone who invites Him in.  

That’s good news for us.  We don’t have to worry about whether we are good enough, deserving enough, or worthy enough.  We just have to be willing to sit at the table with Him.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, the message is clear. You love and always welcome us. You will always sit with us when we ask You to.  We invite Your presence into our life right now and ask for peace and healing.   Let Your goodness wash over us! In Jesus’ name, AMEN.

This is the Day~

Greetings,

I’ve noticed over the years that as I’ve grown older, I have also gotten more concerned about the weather. (Oh no! I really am turning into my grandmother.) I check my weather app a few times a day, and as my family’s self-appointed meteorologist, I make sure and let everyone know if they need a sweater or umbrella for the morning commute.  Just last night as I was ushering my kids on their way out I said, “It will be raining all day tomorrow, so please prepare accordingly…it will be a terrible day.”

As soon as those words left my mouth, I immediately backpedaled and said, “I take it back.  It will be a lovely day full of life-giving rain!”  My son called me “dramatic” and told me to “get over yourself.”  But I didn’t care.  Who did I think I was going against God?

“This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24).

There are no exceptions to this verse.

Rain, sleet, or shine.  Money in the bank or not.  Arguing with your spouse or not.  Flustered at work or not. Obedient kids or not.  Teething baby or not. You get the idea.  God is in your day; He made your day. Down to the last detail and temperature reading.  We celebrate because He Who made the day knows how to get us through it.  It starts by deciding to rejoice.  

PRAYER: Dear Lord, we shout for joy because You are the Maker of our day.  With You in it, we will have guidance, protection, wisdom, and strength.  Everything we need for a blessed day - and life - is found in You.  We are glad.  In Jesus’ name, AMEN. 

Pitch Your Tent

Thursday greetings,

Growing up I went to Camp Calvin in Hampton, GA every year.  I still recall singing Kumbaya, The Bear Went Over the Mountain, and Magalina Hagalina.  I loved every minute of the arts and crafts, cafeteria food, canoeing in the murky lake, and swimming in the huge pool.  Archery lessons were fun, and playing with the seemingly millions of tiny wood frogs was entertaining.  But my favorite part of camp was sleeping in the hogans.  A hogan is a hut made of logs and mud, and the ones we slept in where covered in canvas and smelled earthy.

The counselors, on the other hand, slept in tents.  Regular, pegs-in-the-ground tents that, if necessary, could be moved from location to location.  I remember thinking that we had the better end of the bargain as far as housing was concerned - until I learned the counselors regularly slept by the lake, by a fireplace, or out in the field under a thousand stars.

In other words, they had options that really enhanced their camping experience.  We do too.

"...I’ve pitched my tent in the land of hope Acts 2:26 (The Message Version)."

Where are we going to pitch our tent?  Those camp counselors were smart; they didn’t set up over an ant's nest or muddy pit. It was always in a prime location. We have options too.  Are we going to dwell in the valley of fear? Or are we going to set up camp in the lush green meadows of joy and peace?

We pitch our tent in God’s blessed and hopeful land when we decide that no matter what is happening all around us, we will focus on our Lord and His goodness.  And if the going gets rough, we refuse to pull at the stakes and move our tent.

Prayer is the key to keeping us firmly rooted and focused on the Lord!

PRAYER: Dear Lord, we have decided to pitch our tents in the land of blessings.  Whenever we are tempted to move out of that land into a negative one, use your holy hammer to drive those pegs deeper still so that we stay tethered to hope. As the source of everything good in our lives, fill us today until we are too full to move.  In Jesus' name, AMEN~

Embrace Your Territory~

Acts 17:26 "From one man He made all the nations, and He marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands."

Greetings,

One of my all-time favorite TV programs is Little House on the Prairie.  I love that there was such a huge emphasis on family and faith, and I have often wondered what my life would have been like if I would have been born in 1865 as opposed to 1965.  Riding horses everywhere and using outdoor toilets anyone?

Come to think of it, why did my family choose to live in Georgia after immigrating from Cuba?  Sure, other relatives had already established roots there, but most settled in Miami.  It took us 17 years to head far south to the Magic City.

And why were my kids born the day they were born? If either of them had been born a couple days later, they would have started school an entire year later.  That would have meant a whole other group of friends for them and for me. 

All these questions have an easy answer: We were born when we were born, to the parents we have, and we live where we live, work where we work, and are friends with the friends we have because every aspect of our time in history and the boundaries wherein God has placed us is a result of His purpose for our lives. 

Nothing happens to us by chance or accident.  In God’s infinite wisdom, He decided we should be where we are and with the people we are with.

Maybe you are reading this from your desk at work surrounded by some colleagues you love and some who frustrate you.  God has placed you there, so embrace your territory and be happy.  It has meaning, and it has purpose.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, how might our perspectives change if we truly embraced that You marked out this time for us in history and established our little corner of the universe for us?  Today we choose to believe that You know what You are doing and that nothing in our life is by chance.  Thank You for giving us life.  Thank You for our families.  Thank You for our friends. Help us live life to the fullest by filling us with Your peace, love, hope, faith, joy, wellness, and goodness.  In Jesus' name, AMEN.