The Dung Beetle

I passed this little guy, hard at work, as I was walking the other day, and it reminded me of a post I wrote a couple of years ago. I thought I would re-post it today:

I have a penchant for seeing things in nature and then finding an analogy between that and my Christian walk. The Lord just speaks to my heart through the things I observe (and I seem to possess a rather vivid imagination).

However, I may be taking this analogy thing a bit far with this one. I can’t help myself. I have observed these little guys for years, and I am so impressed with their dedication to their work and their absolute determination to persevere. I speak of the Dung Beetle.

I see them so often when we are walking. In deference to those of us with more sensitive natures I won’t go into their purpose in life in great detail except to say that their sole objective is to rid the world of – well , you know – dung.

It is a rare day when I don’t see these little guys (and gals too I suppose) making their way laboriously across the road pushing a ball of (sorry) dung. Their round burden is usually at least twice as big as they are and usually much larger than that. Nothing seems to deter them from their goal of getting that “thing” to a place where they can bury it in the soil (which, by the way, is quite beneficial to the soil). They will stop for a moment if our steps bring us to close to them, but as soon as they determine there is no real threat they continue rolling along. It is just amazing. The burden seems so ridiculously large, and yet they continue on their way without as much as a sigh. The Lord has equipped them with the strength and stamina and heart to get the job done.

I look at those little beetles with absolute admiration. I can’t help but compare my attitude to theirs. When I am weighted down with a heavy burden, I have often been known to whine and complain. Why me? Why must I struggle with this? Please just take it away Lord.

If I listen carefully, I will hear the Lord whisper to my heart words of help and encouragement. He reminds me that He is with me – always – and that He has given me everything I need with which to keep going in the face of what seems like impossible odds. As I persevere, He comes along side and with His strong right hand helps me along. He just asks me to be faithful – to keep going just like that faithful little beetle.

Blessings,
Linda

Joy Challenge -Day 39- Memorizing Scripture

Ann writes : "Every Wednesday, we Walk with Him, posting a spiritual practice that draws us nearer to His heart. "

Today that spiritual practice is scripture memorization. I had fallen into the habit of thinking that I simply couldn't memorize very well any more. After over six decades, this little brain is just not as nimble as it used to be. As a young girl I could, and did, memorize whole chapters of scripture for our girl's club in church and for sunday school. However, those days, I thought, were long behind me.

Then at the beginning of the year, Beth Moore challenged us to learn a verse of scripture every two weeks. Hmm.....that, I reasoned, might possibly be doable. She gave us little tips to help us memorize more easily. The one that helped me the most was writing the verses out on index cards and carrying them with me.

I bought this little spiral book of index cards and recorded my first verses : Matthew 11: 28-30



I began carrying the cards with me on my morning walks. I practiced saying the verses over and over as I ambled along on our three mile walk. Before I knew it, I was actually remembering the verses.

As the months passed, my little book filled with more and more verses. To this date I've actually memorized over twenty-one verses (some weeks I tackle more than one verse). I am totally amazed!




The best part isn't that I can actually remember something. The best part is the way those verses have ministered to me over these past ten months. Invariably, they exactly fit whatever it is I am going through. It has been such a blessing. It never fails; when we are obedient to the things the Father asks us to do He blesses us more than we could have ever imagined. It is an absolute truth that the Word of God is living and powerful. I am indeed filled with joy as I hide His Word in my heart.

Please visit Ann and read her beautiful blog and the other blogs participating in this. You'll be blessed.

Blessings,
Linda

Multitude Monday

"Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."
I Thess. 5:18

With praise and thanksgiving:

- comfort in time of trouble

- the rock solid unchanging character of God - firm beneath my feet

- "Do not forget that you have a grandson in Albania also (if you allow me to say so) who loves you very much. Lots of kisses from the bottom of my heart! I am really proud of you!" - from a letter written to us by the sweet boy we've sponsored for several years now through World Vision. His letter brought tears of joy.

- a rainy sunday afternoon - perfect for curling up with a good book and a cup of tea

- a few trees whose leaves have turned a beautiful red (even here in South Texas!)

- a beautiful full moon hanging in the vast Texas sky, surrounded by numberless twinkling stars

- the power of love and a warm embrace

- joy in the midst of trials - laughter that bubbles up from the heart

- the changing of the seasons - a reminder to me of God's faithfulness

- the hope we have in Jesus; when I look at Him, all earthly cares dissolve.

To be part of the Gratitude Community, simply stop by Ann's and join us.

Blessings,
Linda

Joy Challenge - Day 38 - Hope

Only a few more days left of my Joy Challenge - just a few more posts to write. I knew from the beginning I would have to write this one, but I have put it off. It is one that puts it all to the test. Is it really true that this great God we are privileged to call Father can bring us joy even in times of deepest pain?

Over the last several months I have watched my once strong, vital father diminish before my eyes. This octogenarian, whom everyone took to be twenty years younger, has suddenly aged. He walks stooped over his walker, the flesh hangs from his body. He is skin and bones.

The hardest thing to see is his once ebullient spirit sunken under the weight of suffering. I sat at my Mom and Dad's small kitchen table yesterday and listened with breaking heart to their conversation. Dad was talking about the very real difficulty of dialysis. How that now he has begun to have a terrible pain in his back which only adds to the hardship of having to sit in one position for three and a half hours. It has been one thing after another until the weight of it has just crushed his spirit. He sat stooped over, head bent, eyes filling with tears and said, "This is no life. This is no life. I'm ready to go home."

My Mom began softly weeping. She is trying so desperately to get him well again. She cannot bear the thought of his home-going. After nearly sixty-four years, she doesn't want him to leave her. "I love you very much," Dad said, "but I am ready to go home."

So, Father, where is the joy. If I believe all I've written, then it is there somewhere. With aching heart I see it, hidden beneath all the sorrow and suffering. It comes wrapped in hope. Hope in the One who has promised us that He will never leave us or forsake us, that He will comfort us and give us grace for every trial, and a future that is so perfect we simply cannot take it in. It is tied with the ribbon of faith - a belief in the One who made those promises. The One who loved us so much He sent His own beloved Son to die for us - so that in Him and through Him all of those things and so much more would be possible.

Yes, the joy is there because joy doesn't come from our circumstances, it comes from Jesus.

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you...
In this you greatly rejoice even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials."
I Peter 1:3-6

Blessings,
Linda

Photo: Dad, Mom and me

Redeemer / Lover

Redeemer / Lover

You took me in-
just as I was
Into your heart;
Into your home.
I, whose sin and shame
made me an outcast

I took your love
and trampled it underfoot,
Running back to my old ways
back to the sins that had me bound.
I broke your heart
and thought only of myself.

When I was at my worst
you came and redeemed me-
paid the price for my freedom -
I who was not worth
the least of your favor.

Your forgiveness and grace
filled my heart with love.
I, Gomer, am loved and redeemed.


L.L. says...Would you like to try writing a love poem, in character? Post your offering by 6:00 pm, Thursday November 5, for links and possible feature at HighCallingBlogs.com. Drop your post link here in the comment box so I don't miss it. Don't be shy! :)

Blessings,
Linda

Passionate Pursuit

We bought new shades for our bedroom windows when we first built our home, but I have yet to use them. I don't like that "closed-in" feeling. I like to be able to lie in bed and look out at the starry night, watch the rain beat against the windows, or see the sun rise in the early morning hours.

One morning I woke to see just one of the branches of our old oak tree shaking violently. I couldn't imagine what it was. On closer inspection I saw a little gray squirrel bravely making his way to the very end of the branch in search of acorns. He moved swiftly, grabbing an acorn and heading back the way he had come. At the base of the tree he buried his treasure and immediately ran back up the trunk to get another.

My seat at our kitchen table faces out onto the lawn where the huge oaks are, and I began to watch these little" nut gatherers" whenever I was sitting there. My admiration for them grew daily as I watched them diligently gather and store acorns...

the rest of this devotional is here today:

Blessings,
Linda

Joy Challenge - Day 37 - Big Families

I love big families. I didn't have a big family myself, but I have always thought it would be nice to be part of one. The only disadvantage might be that you would have to share your parents' time with so many others.

It has occurred to me, clever girl that I am, that I am part of a big family. I have more brothers and sisters than anyone could ever count. They come in every size, color, age and nationality you can imagine. We speak many different languages. The great majority of them I have never seen or spoken to, but they are all part of my family. We have one thing in common that joins us at the heart. We are all saved by grace.

The wonderful thing about my family is that, in spite of its size, I never have to vie for the attention of our Father. The moment I open my mouth to speak, He bends down to listen to me. There could be a million of us speaking at the same time, but He hears me as though I were the only one.

He is never more than a whisper away. There is no place that I go that He is not with me - and with all of His other children as well. Miraculous. He has never broken a promise - not one time.

He loves me with such abandon I can scarcely take it in. Amazingly there is enough of that very same love to go around to each one of us. He forgives me when I stumble and covers me with grace.

There have been times when He has had to discipline me, but it is always for my good. I have been rebellious, proud and selfish so much of the time, but He has waited patiently for me to repent and run back to Him. No matter how many of us are running to Him at the same moment - His arms are wide enough to hold us all.

There is always room on His lap for one more child to climb up and rest his or her head against His chest and hear the beating of that enormous heart of love. Or perhaps to sit at His feet and feel the tender touch of His hand as He gently caresses each head.

He sings over me and delights in my company. He has a perfect plan for my life, but never imposes His will. He has made plans for my future that my mind cannot contain. He is the perfect parent. He is my Father; He is your Father.

What joy!

Blessings,
Linda