SPRING

Spring bounces into summer.  Summer chills into fall.  Fall freezes into winter.  Winter melts into spring.  And the cycle begins again.  (My goodness, that came out like a writing exercise for an English class.)

Some like one season and some like another.  Me?  I like spring.  The flowers break through the soil and bloom.  Color comes back.  The grass gets really green and leaves pop out.  Toes are allowed to wiggle free.  Calves and lambs race around the pasture.  Yup, I love spring.

Except for mud that comes with the spring thaw.  And getting the winter coat out again because it is Indiana and snow can come anytime.  And ants that think they need to check out kitchen counter crumbs.  And changing the clocks which means it is still daylight when I want to go to bed.  AND OF COURSE INCOME TAXES ARE DUE! 

Maybe I need to rethink this “spring is my favorite season” thing. 

Or maybe, I am just never satisfied.  Summer is too hot.  Fall is beautiful but the flower beds have to be cut back.  Winter has ice.  Spring has taxes. 

Or maybe – Spring might bring mud, but putting bare feet into mud is sooooo much fun.  Mud squishes around my toes and tickles.  Summer may be hot, but there is nothing like a fresh tomato or eating corn on the cob.  A fall day is the perfect time to open the windows and allow the breeze to “air out the house.”  Winter snow makes everything clean and quiet.

It would be a bit boring if every day was the same.  Same weather.  Same people.  Same clothes.  Same food.  Same show on TV.  Same team winning the game.  Same book.  Same blog. 

I might prefer spring, but each season comes with its pros and cons.  Each season comes with change.  Each season makes our lives interesting.  No matter what, each season comes.

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And never again will I destroy all living creatures, as I have done.

As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest,

cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease.”

Genesis8:21-22

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What is your favorite season?

What has God put into that particular season that brings you joy?

What is your “except for” (something you do not like) in that season?

What is one thing you like about each of the other three seasons?

I think I will keep spring as my favorite season.  Warm days and releasing toes to wiggle in mud and grass are the deal breakers. 

BUT I STILL DO NOT LIKE TAX DAY!!!

OOPS

I love to talk to strangers.  I love to hear their stories.  But sometimes ……

A couple weeks ago, I made a quick visit to see my sister.  We stayed in a hotel close to where she lives.  We yacked until midnight.  Slept.  Went down to breakfast.  And there sat two ladies, probably 75 to 80 years old.  We nodded and said good morning.  As they were leaving, I said, “Now do not get into too much trouble today.”  They smiled and said they would do their best.  We talked for a few minutes, decided they could get into trouble if they wanted and, as they were walking away, I added, “Have a nice day.”

They turned and said, “We are headed to a funeral.”

Later that afternoon, sis and I were playing a game when she started to giggle.  I asked why.  Smiling (that smile only sisters can give each other) she said; “Only you would say have a nice day to someone headed to a funeral.”  Then she giggled more.  And more.  And more.

Because she had to work the next day, she went home but I stayed the night.  (Extra quiet time for hubby and I did not have to find my way home in the dark.)  Deciding to partake of the evening snacks, I headed to the lobby.  And there sat the two ladies.

I joined them and we had a blast.  You know how, in the movies, other diners never turn to look at the person that breaks out in song?  Or looks when a man gets down on one knee to propose?  Or barely reacts when someone spills something?  Well, let me tell you ----

When three old ladies are laughing out loud (emphasis on the loud part), everyone turns to look!  We giggled!  People looked our way.  We talked quietly.  People still looked.  I think to see why we got quiet.  I noticed one woman leaning our way, listening and then giggling too.  Maybe we should have just invited everyone to join us.

Are you smiling?  Would you have enjoyed being at the table?  Exactly the point I want to make.

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.  And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”     Matthew 28:18-20

We – that would be you and me and him and her and them – are to make disciples.  BUT - they have to want to come.  AND – they will want to come if they see us celebrating and joyous and happy.  They will look at us.  They will lean toward us so they can hear.  They will join us at the table.

Do our lives make people want what we have?

A good son and a good Son

FROM JOHN 2:1-12

Jesus, his mother and the disciples were at a wedding in Cana in Galilee when there was a great catastrophe.  They ran out of wine!  (This would not look good in the social column of the weekly Galilee News.)  Jesus’ mother knew just how to remedy this situation and said to Jesus, “They have no more wine.”  Jesus tried to tell her it was not the time for him to perform a miracle.  His mother acted like she did not even hear him and told the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”

Jesus was a good son.  He had the jars filled with water and turned it into wine.  The banquet master thought it was better than the wine that had been offered first. 

That was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory.  Then he traveled to Capernaum, with his mother, brothers and disciples, where they visited for a few days.

FROM JOHN 2:13-17

Jesus went up to Jerusalem and entered the temple courts.  He looked around and saw people selling cattle, sheep and doves.  He saw others exchanging money.  (Remember how gentle he was with his mother?  That is about to change.)  Jesus made a whip and drove everyone out of the temple courts.  The cattle and sheep ran out.  Coins were scattered as Jesus overturned the tables.  The ones selling doves were told “Get these out of here!  Stop turning my Father’s house into a market.” 

Jesus was a good Son.  He had zeal for his Father’s house.  There were a number of reasons for Jesus to be greatly upset.  The selling and money changing was taking place in the area where some came to worship.  They could not get in.  Even worse – they were not being honest.  They were price gouging the poor by overcharging for doves.  The cattle and sheep were priced way over market.  The exchange rate was way higher than normal.  And the Priests just stood back and watched as they figured the taxes they would receive from the vendors.

Jesus was a good Son.  He defended his Father’s house.

A good son.  A good Son.

I love reading about Jesus.  Especially when he shows his emotions. 

I can picture him giving his mother a look of “did you not hear me” all the time telling the servants to fill the jugs with water.  I can also see him giving his mother a tender look.

Can you picture them leaving town.  Traveling to Capernaum.  Jesus’ mother preparing a meal.  The disciples talking.  Jesus stepping outside with his mother.  Jesus and his mother talking.  She was probably asking him if he was eating well.  Getting enough sleep.  All those worries mothers have.  She would have asked if he really had to leave.  I picture Jesus taking her in his arms and comforting her.  I picture her taking a deep breath as she accepted the fact that Jesus was a good Son and would be leaving.

I love reading about Jesus.  Especially when he shows his emotions.

Do I ever love seeing Jesus mad!  It shows he felt deeply.  He saw people making a mockery of the Temple and all it stood for.  Remember, at age 12 he sat in his Father’s house and asked questions.  He knew the Temple was a place of worship and it made his blood boil to see people using it to cheat the poor and stop people from entering and charging high exchange rates and priests waiting on their cut of the take.  Jesus was a good Son.  He stood up for his Father.

What did he do then?  He performed signs and people believed in his name. 

So often we picture Jesus healing the sick and telling parables.  We forget Jesus had emotions.

He loved his mother.  He felt a mother’s love.

Jesus walked.  He knew what it was to be tired.  He knew what it was like to be hungry.  He knew what it was like to sit at the dinner table with friends and sinners. 

Jesus had compassion.  How many people did he heal?  Can you picture his eyes as he took the hand of a little girl and told her to get up?  Can you hear his voice as he told the woman who had touched his robe that she was healed? 

Jesus laughed.  Jesus wept.

I love reading about Jesus.  Especially when he shows his emotions. 

When you read about Jesus, take time to think about the surroundings of the story.  Think about each person.  What emotions did they have?  What was their reaction to Jesus?  What was his reaction to them?  Believe me; this will help you understand Jesus better.  And when you understand Jesus better, you will want to be more like him.

BETTER MOVE

One of the garage lights had the ballast quit.  So hubby and I decided to replace it.  Easy, right?  We did one in the office so no big deal. 

Trip 1:  Off to the hardware store to get a replacement.  This is just what you need.

Trip 2:  Return ballast.  Try another one.  (Yes, we had the information off the non-working one.)

Trip 3:  Return ballast two and try the lumber yard.  (You must remember this is a small town.)

Trip 4:  Return ballast to lumber yard.

Trip 5:  30 mile round trip to next town which guaranteed they had the correct one.  There Bill found out they no longer make the one we were replacing.  But this one will work.

Trip 6:  Back to hardware store to get additional wire because the wire supplied with the ballast was not long enough. 

Finally, Bill was on the ladder and began taking down the old ballast.  I was holding the work light when I had a thought, “I better move.”

I moved.  Ballast fell.  Right where I was standing.

LISTENING

Mary listened and answered, “I am the Lord’s servant.”  Joseph listened and became a father.  The Wise Men listened and found the child.  Joseph listened and the family escaped to Egypt.  Joseph listened and the family lived in a town called Nazareth.  John the Baptist listened and baptized Jesus.  The disciples listened and followed Jesus.  Jesus listened and obeyed his Father.

Did you notice that each listening was followed with an action?  The action of obeying.

OBEYING

Sometimes the obeying part is easy.  Moving made sense, so I moved.  Glad I did or a non-working light would have been the least of our worries.  That old ballast was a bit heavy.

Most times, the obeying part is much harder than the listening part.  Why?  Obeying requires something of us. 

Abram (Abraham) was instructed to walk faithfully and be blameless and became the father of many nations.  Noah was warned of things not seen and built an ark.  Esther risked her life and saved the Jews.  Simeon was righteous and devout and held the baby Jesus.  Jesus told Matthew, “Follow me.” and Matthew followed.

And sometimes we obey for only a brief time.

Peter walked on the water and then sank.  The rich man wanted eternal life but went away.  Judas was a disciple and betrayed Jesus.  The people shouted, “Hosanna!” and then shouted, “Give us Barabbas!”  Peter swore he would never disown Jesus and denied him three times.

BOTTOM LINE

Listen and then, like the old song says, trust and obey.