550 - 38 =

Bet you are wondering about the title of this writing. It is a bit strange but might make sense as you read on.

I love our local library book sales. Good books at great prices and the book sales help the library in so many ways. 50¢ here and $1 there can quickly add up to extra prizes for the summer reading program.

This year, as I was helping with set-up, I saw it. Sitting there just waiting for me. The fringe benefit of helping set-up is that you can purchase books that day. But this wasn’t a book. It was a puzzle. A jigsaw puzzle. And it was going to be mine!

Isn’t that a beautiful picture? I could hardly wait. Those little faces as they looked at Jesus. The lamb. I was excited as I turned each piece over and pulled out the red pieces. That is where I would start. I would start with Jesus and then work around Him.

Then it happened. There was a red piece missing. I looked on the floor to see if I had dropped it. I checked the box again to see if I had left it in the bag. Oh, well. One missing piece would be okay. I continued on.

The trouble soon became worse. All of Jesus wasn’t there. A piece of the lamb was missing. One child was missing hair. I was now really ticked!!! What puzzle lover would put a puzzle in a book sale that was missing so many pieces? And just how many pieces were missing? I was now determined to find out.

Find out, I did. Out of 550 pieces 38 were missing!!

SCRIPTURE: ACTS 17:24-28

The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. For in him we live and move and have our being. As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’

AND NOW

When we do not have God in our lives, we are like the puzzle with the pieces missing. We are not all there. We are not complete.

Do you feel that way? Like something is missing from your life? And no matter what you try to do or where you turn, it doesn’t help? There is just an empty feeling that will not go away? Maybe you need to seek Him.

God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. For in him we live and move and have our being.

Fill yourself! He is not far.

TOO LATE

Last week was so busy and I honestly thought this week would be a bit less hectic. And it has been, but somehow it filled up. I think a few times I got distracted by Candy Crush. I can get distracted easily. Just now I looked over my shoulder and there are rainbows dancing on the office wall. So way cool! Yes, I can get distracted by small things.

And distractions lead to not getting things done and putting things off till tomorrow. Then maybe till the next day. Besides, I don’t have to have the message for church ready until June 16 so there is not big hurry. There will be time.

SCRIPTURES: MATTHEW 24:36, 40-42, 44

No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left. Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.

AND NOW

There are things we can put off until tomorrow. It really doesn’t matter if I beat the next level of Candy Crush or not. BUT there are things we cannot put off.

God loves you. He wants to spend eternity with you. Have you made the decision to spend eternity with Him? Or are you waiting until tomorrow to make that decision?

Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.

LET US PRAY

O God, I want to be assured of my eternal life today. I do not want to put it off until tomorrow. Amen.

(Now, open your heart and just talk to God. He will accept your prayer. It doesn’t have to be fancy. It doesn’t have to be long. It just has to be honest.)

BOY IT IS QUIET

Bill has been working in the fields the last couple of weeks and boy has it been quiet. Now, I am not complaining! He loves to get in big boy toys and go back and forth across the field at eight miles per hour. (Go figure. Eight miles per hour would drive me crazy.) (Okay, crazier.) He totally understands that I am not getting up at 4:30 to tell him goodbye or fix his lunch. (Not part of my retirement package.) and he chuckles when he says, “The yard needs mowed.” (He chuckles because he knows I hate to mow and, again, not part of my retirement package.)

I do not mind being alone and I have actually enjoyed the last two weeks. Enjoyed, except for one thing. Boy it is quiet!

I was surprised when I realized how quiet the house is. I turned on the TV and the radio, but that made no difference.

Now Bill would say what I am missing is someone to listen to me rattle on like a junk car. And there might be just a bit of truth in that. But that isn’t it either.

Something was missing. And what was missing wasn’t noise.

SCRIPTURES: ROMANS: 8:37-39

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

AND NOW

That is it! We have been married almost 48 years and many times, because of family needs, business needs or vacations we have been apart. Sometimes for a week or two at a time. Besides, he comes home each night. Why did it seem so quiet this time? Then I realized the quiet was making me think how it would feel to be separated from God. The quiet was like a void.

Although Bill and I will always be connected by our love, we can be apart - separated - by miles and someday, for only a brief time, by death. But separated from God? NO WAY!!!!

How quiet would it be, what void would there be to feel separated from God? If you feel that way, go back and read the scripture. Separated from God? NO WAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

LET US PRAY (Please use this as a beginning of your prayer. Finish in your own words, words from your heart.)

God, I love all the “neithers and nors.” Knowing I am never separated from you takes away my quiet. Fills the void. Thank you for always being with me. Amen

A MOTHER’S DAY THANK YOU

With Mother’s Day only two days away, I am feeling very grateful. I would like to thank two people: Bill (aka Willie) and Terri.

You see, without them I would not be a mother. And my life would not be complete without the lessons they have taught me.

MODESTY: I quickly learned that modesty is not always an option. Not sure if I learned this the first time I went to the doctor and he explained what those stirrups were for or in the delivery room surrounded by people I did not know. (Back in “the day” even fathers were not allowed in the delivery room.) --- Modesty had to be lost in the doctor’s office because by the time I went into the delivery room I just wanted it over with. I did not care who was watching. Yup, modesty went right out the window along with trying to keep that hospital gown tied in the back.

SLEEP: Did you know you can stay awake for days on end? Sleep is so over-rated. Now, I must admit, Willie and Terri were very easy babies to take care of. There was the nightly feeding, but that was a breeze. The lack of sleep hits with the first case of teething. Or the first case of flu. Or an extremely high fever. Those times when only “mommy” will do. When you sit on the couch putting one cold cloth after another on a very hot forehead. Or read the same story over and over because that is the only thing that will help them relax. Those times when you finally, finally get them laid down. When your head hits the pillow -- and the phone rings. Yes, sleep is so over-rated.

INTELLIGENCE: Now I do not claim to be a rocket scientist and my spelling is atrocious (thank you spell check), but I am not the dullest pencil the box either. Or at least I didn’t think so until I discovered I could not answer simple questions, like: Which came first the chicken or the egg? Did the cow really jump over the moon? What is 2 X a(b+c) ÷ 4? (If that is a real problem, then it is a result of dumb luck.) Luckily, I did not have to answer the question of where do babies come from because our cat Cottage Cheese (Yes that was her name.) gave birth in front of all the neighborhood kids. Lesson learned -- there were way more questions that I could not answer than I could. Do not feel sorry for me though. I do know how to get an elephant in the fridge and that you do not bury the survivors.

IDENTITY: To be honest, my identity left when I got married. I became “Bill’s wife.” That was followed with, “Oh, you are Willie’s mom.” And then, “Oh, you are Terri’s mom.” I honestly thought I would, someday resume being Mary. Know what?

I like my identity just fine! I love being a mother. I love being Willie’s mother. I love being Terri’s mother.

With Mother’s Day only two days away, I am feeling very grateful. I would like to thank two people: Bill (aka Willie) and Terri. You see, without them I would not be a mother. And my life would not be complete without the lessons they have taught me.

CHILD’S LAUGHTER: The sound of a child’s laughter is magic. It is sweeter than the softest melody and more powerful than the grandest symphony.

HANDS: I will forever treasure the feel of their hands in mine. A small hand taking mine, as we walked across the street. A small hand holding mine, as we watched a scary cartoon. A small hand holding mine, just because.

INSTANT LOVE: I loved them as they were safe within my womb. I loved them deeply the moment I saw them. I love them now.

Thank you Bill. Thank you Terri. I am so grateful you call me mommy.

SCRIPTURE: PSALM 113:9

He settles the barren woman in her home as a happy mother of children. Praise the LORD.

PRAYER

Praise the Lord indeed! I am a happy mother! AMEN