Make your home atmosphere fragrant with tender thoughtfulness.
Home is to be the center of the purest and most elevated affection. Peace, harmony, affection, and happiness should be perseveringly cherished every day, until these precious things abide in the hearts of those who compose the family. My Life Today, Pg 178 by Ellen White
In reading this devotional today, my heart couldn’t help but give a hearty Amen! to the thought of what our homes should be like. Imagine if every child grew up with tenderness in the home. How different our society might be. Fear, mistrust, pain, anger, insecurity — all would be abolished.
But, it won’t happen in this life. At least not in society as a whole. Little by little though, one by one, we can make a difference — each one reaching one.
If we love one another, God dwells in us, and His love is perfected in us. 1 John 4:12
Thinking back to when I was a child, I was wild, out of control, wanting to be loved but fearing it at the same time, unsure of myself, fearing rejection, dressing to be noticed but wanting no one to notice me, contrary but agreeable to please.
How does that compare with who I am today? Tame — okay, well, somewhat tame, still wanting to be loved but having some fear of being hurt either intentionally or unintentionally, more sure of myself but still questioning some things I do, fearing rejection, dressing for comfort, contrary but mainly to incite questions and make people think about what they say.
I wonder what Jesus thought to Himself as the people around Him rejected His love, His word, His very presence. Did He ever feel depressed at being misunderstood? Did He ever wonder why people didn’t want the best love one could find in the whole world?
He didn’t worry about wearing a tie to the synagogue – sandals and a tunic were good enough. He spoke what was in His heart and yet was careful not to come across as brash.
Only His and the Father’s love propelled Him to continue His work among humanity — the very people who would nail Him to a cross.
Humanity. Sometimes we just don’t get it. We’re all basically the same – the same needs and wants but on different rings of a ladder.
Thirty-one years ago, my family and I were camping in the Pacific Northwest. It was raining most of the weekend so it wasn’t the greatest experience for us. The ground and roads were sopping wet.
Packing up the tent and our supplies into our 1981 Datsun, my husband, 6 year old son and I left for home Sunday morning. As we drove on the road we noticed that they were a little slick. The speed limit sign showed 25 miles per hour. We were probably right at that limit.
The mountain snow was starting to melt and the creek to the left of the road was running quickly.
Suddenly, we skidded. The car rolled over on its side and half of it was on the road and half of it now lay resting on a large tree branch that protruded into the water. If it weren’t for that branch …
Being on the passenger side, the door to my side of the car was resting on the road so I was not able to get out without my husband, the driver, getting out. We unbuckled ourselves and looked back to make sure our son was okay. He was.
Suddenly we heard a man’s voice asking if we needed help. Yes! we screamed. He opened the driver’s side door and helped my husband out. The car rocked back and forth. We weren’t sure how stable it was lying half on the road and half over the creek. My son was then taken out and then I was helped out. With each movement, the car also moved.
Looking around, we noticed a Jeep-like vehicle that belonged to the stranger helping us. The man stated we needed to call a tow truck company to get the car out and he offered to take us to the closest house to do that. (This was before cell phones were in use.) My husband and I looked at each other and I agreed to go with the stranger. My son and I got in the man’s vehicle and we drove off.
I never thought about the danger of going off with a stranger. Being shaken by the accident, my concern was more along the lines of “Is everyone okay?”
We finally came to a house and called a tow truck. The stranger then drove us back to where my husband was waiting for us. As we waited for the tow truck, we assessed the damage to the car. We also assessed how fortunate we were not to have fallen into the quick-running creek.
When the tow truck came, they were able to get the car on the road but it was now shaped like an A (not that exaggerated though). It was driveable.
I looked to where the stranger and his vehicle were and he wasn’t there anymore. I don’t remember if we thanked him.
All of the conditions for tragedy were here – the rain, the slick road, the running creek. Instead we received all the blessings we could have asked for — immediate help, a house where someone was home, a driveable car.
Some would say we were lucky. I call this one of the miracles in my life.
I believe that even before the accident our Father in heaven arranged for our protection. The angels surrounded us and He let nothing touch us that would cause us harm.
Sometimes we go through things that we think are not beneficial for us because they cause deep pain with memories that won’t subside. But the Father is still there and He still sends His protecting angels. We don’t know why He allows some things to happen to some people and not to others. But in all the years I’ve trusted Him, He has never failed me.
So I will trust again that no matter what happens in my life or to those around me, things will be okay.
For I will restore health to you and I will heal you of your wounds. Jeremiah 30:17
I will not die but live, and will declare what the Lord has done. Psalm 118:17
The property at our house looks so different now than when we first bought it in April. And the screened-in porch we have lends itself to viewing the property untouched by insects. We now have furniture – time to relax, breathe in fresh air and enjoy the natural surroundings.
Before - Porch in the month of AprilAfter - Porch in mid-June
Sitting on the porch at midnight, the night is pitch black. I can hear the frogs croaking in the distance. A nice place to meditate and listen to one’s heart.
I’ve been informed that bats eat mosquitoes. I don’t know if there are any bats in our neighborhood. And if there were, would it be a megabat or a microbat?
The megabat eats insects. Perhaps it would be good to have bats in areas where mosquitoes live. But I don’t know if the bat and the dragonfly would then be in competition for the mosquitoes – would the bats eat the dragonfly? It has been “said” that one bat can eat 600 mosquitoes in an hour. Hmmm …
I learned in a Wikipedia article that bats don’t like to fly in rain as it upsets their sense of location since they use “echos” to find where they should go.
I could go out at twilight when bats are active to see if there are any flying around. However …
When I was about 5 years old, we lived in a 3rd floor apartment building. There were cots in the living room and I was sleeping in one of the cots with a couple of other kids. All of a sudden someone screamed. There was something flying around in our living room.
As I recall, my mother turned on the light and asked everyone to put the bed sheet over their heads. We did so. The bat was flopping around trying to find its way and landed on someone’s head. I can’t recall if it was mine or not. My mother somehow killed it (a broom?) and put the bat in a plastic zippered sleeve with alcohol in it.
My mother was superstitious and believed that someone had sent the bat out to harm us. I don’t know if she still has the bat. About 15 years ago I recall seeing it in her possession.
Perhaps instead of building bird houses I should build bat houses to help the Minnesota mosquito population.
On a drive this morning, I saw a dark lump in the road. Hmmm … a dead bird I thought. But the lump started moving very slowly. As I got closer, I noticed that it was a turtle – a large turtle crossing from one side of the street to the other.
Turtle On the Loose
This is the second time I’ve seen a turtle crossing the road — possibly the same one.
I take this as a sign to slow down which I had planned on doing today anyway. My painting days are over for a couple of weeks.
I have unpacked 7 boxes today, finished 5 loads of laundry, ironed and paid bills. Not bad for one day of work. Tomorrow — paperwork. Boxes of paperwork that need to be put away.
On a recent trip to Seattle, I was impressed by the remarks of a young man who spoke to his fellow classmates at graduation. He stated that he was a collage made up of all the people he knew and proceeded to name each person stating what impact they had on his life. This young man was very wise for his years.
We seldom take the time to meditate on who we are and how we were/are shaped by the people around us. Each person in our life brings a small bit of themselves that helps to shape our hearts into a collage – fragments of other people.
Lilly Pads
The experiences vary – love, rejection, trust, mistrust, laughter, pain, sorrow, healing, anxiety, anticipation, temptation, hope, failure, disappointment, joy – the list goes on.
Each experience brought to my heart by people whose own hearts have been “collaged.”
I could list each person I know by name and what they have brought to my life but perhaps it’s better to let them know directly, one by one, of the piece they have helped to form my collaged heart with.
We normally focus on the good attributes of what is brought into our hearts. But I believe bad can also be good.
Negative and difficult experiences help make me stronger because I learn to bend and stretch as my heart grows in patience and perseverance. Every day I am a better person because of experiences given to me (knowingly or unknowingly) from another person’s collaged heart.
There is One who I will credit for allowing these experiences to form the collage in my heart – always interceding whether through people or through Himself directly – My Father in heaven. For He allowed all these people to be in my life. And …
He allowed me to experience rejection so that I may know acceptance
Sadness so that I may know joy
Death so that I may know life
Turmoil so that I may experience peace
Failure so that I may know victory
He taught me to lean only on Him – the Creator of my humanity.
My collaged heart is grateful today.
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28
When John, who was in prison, heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples to ask him, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?†Matthew 11:2, 3
Sunshine in Woodbury, MN
John shows his humanity when he sends his friends to Jesus to ask Him if he is truly the one. Even though John baptized Jesus and had knowledge of what Jesus had done, He still needed assurance that Jesus was THE one, the ONE and ONLY Messiah.
Jesus sent John’s friends back to him saying ““Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.”
Actions – Jesus’ own actions are what He points to.
So often I find myself in similar predicaments. Is THIS what you want me to do or is there something else? I walk around wondering if I’m in the right place at the right time or if I should be some place else.
And Jesus, as He so often does, says to me as He said to John “Look around you and what do you see?” I get affirmed of my place in life by reading the Bible, prayer, friends, and the church community.
The affirmation from above can only be found if I am searching and listening for it in the right places. Then, and only then, can I know that indeed, I am at the right place at the right time.
In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths. Proverbs 3:6
I like Italian restaurants as they are so varied. The more homey ones serve lots of food – an entree is enough for two people with a little bit of leftovers to take home.
Donatelli’s is in White Bear Lake, Minnesota. The kitchen is located right when you walk in. When we arrived around 5:15 pm, it wasn’t very full but by the time we left the place was bustling with local patrons.
I liked the outside of Donatelli’s menu.
And the meal was good although they really slathered on the sauce for both entrees – baked mostaccioli and spinach noodles with a cream sauce. The garlic bread was delicious!
Baked MostaccioliSpinach Noodles with White Sauce
Yum! We’ll have to go back with empty stomachs. The sauces are rich.
