How do you deal with mistakes?

This morning I was in the garden briefly and noticed one these beauties laying on the ground.

I found a stake and tried to put it in the dirt, but it was way too dry.

I got the hose and watered the area then set the stake in.

As I gently lifted the plant my hold slipped.

Crack-snap!

I’d broken the plant clean off at the base!

“Oh no!” I exclaimed, but no one was around to hear it.

I felt like crying, but realized my best response would be to gather the flowers from the plant and thank God.

Maybe it sounds strange to be thankful to God at a moment when I just ruined something He gave me, but I’ve been asking the Lord to help me learn to have a thankful attitude.

Here was my chance.

And there is much to be thankful for.

How I handle myself when I’ve made a mistake speaks loudly to the condition of my heart.

Especially, if it’s something small and no one is around.

Luke 19:17 KJV — And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities.

God has been working on my heart a lot this past week through a variety of circumstances and His Word.

(It’s been a difficult journey.)

Challenging me to step up to His standards more fully.

Praise God continually.

Philippians 4:4 NKJV — Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!

Submit myself daily before Him, including my schedule.

Proverbs 3:5 KJV — Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

Don’t worry, and always bring requests before the Lord with a grateful heart.

Philippians 4:6 NKJV — Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;

Be humble.

James 4:10 KJV — Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

The Word of God is true and should be applied daily to our lives.

For through it we can see a more accurate picture of ourselves and what God is calling us to.

Personally, it was a struggle to realize I needed to revisit truths I know and to humble myself before God and people.

Yet, through the submission came incredible blessing, and I can testify to the goodness of God.

It’s one of the wonders of God’s Word, how it can be so familiar, yet still teach something new, still unearth something hidden inside our hearts, and still bring us closer to Our Heavenly Father.

No matter how much we know about the Lord, there is always more to learn and more to apply, for this is a journey.

But the path of the just is as the shining light, That shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
Proverbs 4:18 KJV

Dear Lord Jesus,

Thank You for Your Word. Thank You for this past week and the difficulties You used to teach me and deal with me. Lord, thank You for holding me in Your hand and walking with me through this. Lord, thank You for helping me see that through humility I find clarity. When I’m proud in any area, I’m going to struggle with total surrender. Lord, thank You for bringing these things to my attention. Thank You for surrounding me those those who love me through my struggles and encourage me to do what is right. Lord, thank You for Your Word which teaches me so much. I love You, Jesus. May my life bring glory to Your name. Amen.

Simply love

It was last Friday.

Jase had gone out to get the mail.

He came in with news, but it wasn’t the mail which brought it.

“Mom, the neighbors are having a yard sale!”

I smiled.

We’ve gone to yard sales for years and the last two summers I’ve joined with Sis and Tim in having one.

Jase really enjoys them.

So, I told him if he could get Anne to go with him they could go to the sale.

I was busy cooking.

Anne knows how much Jase enjoys a yard sale and I think she likes them too, because it wasn’t long before they left.

What surprised me was how soon I heard the front door open.

But only one voice responded to mine, when I asked how it went.

“Mom, I thought you would like this. I know you love hydrangeas, and you had to leave all of yours when we moved, I hope you like it.”

Her worried smile startled me as much as her words surprised me.

She was holding a fairly large potted hydrangea, about a third of it was rather dead looking.

“Oh wow! Honey, thank you! What did it cost? Can I pay you back?”

“No, Mom. It was only $2 because it’s dieing. Do you think you can save it?”

“It’s worth a try!”

I wiped my hands and thanked her.

Since I didn’t have time right then, I gave it some water and went back in the house to finish cooking.

It was a while later when both returned from the yard sale.

Jase had bought a scooter.

His other one is a cherished gift, an antique from the UK.

He doesn’t ride it much, because it’s a bit small for him now and I’ve asked him to be super careful with it.

His yard sale find is bigger and definitely seen plenty of use, so it’s perfect for everyday around the block.

Anne’s other purchase was a pot.

One of the trees on our other property had beautiful yellow flowers every Spring and we all loved it.

So, I was determined to bring a tiny sapling which had grown the year before we moved.

Over this last winter I mentioned the thing looked dead, but my husband wisely advised we wait for Spring and see if it was.

To our joy it put out leaves.

It’s now in need of a new pot.

Anne had thought of this and bought me a the pot.

When I had time I looked over the hydrangea.

The part which had died was putting out new growth.

The pot was really small and it was very root bound, so I decided to place the hydrangea in the new pot.

Our tree can wait till it goes dormant for a new pot.

I have really enjoyed the new plant.

But what warms my heart is my daughter’s love and care for me.

Both the plant and the pot were her way of letting me know she noticed what I had to give up with our move and was trying to give it back in a small way.

Years ago our oldest did something similar.

She had bought me some books which I’d left behind in the UK from our move.

Both girls showed me their love in simple ways of remembering my little moments of letting go.

Simply loving me like this is such a blessing.

I am humbled by their love and attention.

I know it’s a reflection of Jesus’s love.

1 John 4:19 KJV — We love him, because he first loved us.

John 13:34 KJV — A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

Romans 12:10 KJV — Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;

Dear Lord Jesus,

Thank You so much for my family. Thank You for our children. Thank You for Your love which has been poured out upon us. Please continue to help us be people who love in the simple things, people who look for the details, because it’s the small things which add up to the large. Please help us to be faithful in the little things. Lord Jesus, thank You for showing us such love, mercy, patience, and understanding. Please let our lives bring glory to Yours. Amen.

A bug

Can you see it?

Some how,
while I was taking this picture,
a tiny little bug of some sort
decided to join the beauty of
my pansy and I didn’t even notice.

Seems like life can often throw in little “bugs”.

I don’t just mean the annoying flies in summer or the random moth in the lamp, but rather the little things which act as an irritation in our day.

Since I am blessed to live in the country I find I have little tolerance for traffic when in town.

It bugs me to not go where I want when I want.

Other times it is the little things like runs in panty hose or the squeaky belt in the van or the tube of toothpaste squeezed in the middle that cause an annoyance which robs me of my joy.

This morning it was a miscommunication.

I heard one thing and what was said was completely different.

We discussed it and got things fixed,
yet I had to work at rebuilding joy in my day.

Why are little things so intrusive?

How can things bug me in such a way?

My mind goes back to a DVD my children received at Christmas.

It is a cartoon version of Corrie ten Boom ‘ s story.

In part of the story she and her sister Betsy are praying while laying in some hay in the dorm of the concentration camp.

They keep scratching while praying.

Corrie finally sighs deeply and thanks God for the fleas which are driving them crazy.

My children always giggle at this juncture and the first time I heard them I reprimanded them.

“Mom, we are giggling because God uses the fleas.”

They were right.

Because of the infestation of fleas the guards refused to enter that dorm so the woman enjoyed listening to Corrie read the Bible without fear of punishment.

Wow.

God can use anything.

Even bugs.

So I look at the photo of the pansy and praise the Lord for the bug.

Why?

Because I don’t have to be annoyed by the little things which bug me.

Instead I can turn my face upward and praise God that He’s working,
even through the bugs.