OUR WORDS--BITTER OR BLESSING

Encouraging words for my little Noah.

Have you thought much about the effect your words have on those you talk to?  Words can easily cause long lasting pain, as well as, enduring encouragement.  In our self-centered culture there is a strong tendency to say things bluntly without a care as to the damage that might result.  Many relationships have been tragically ruined by such thoughtlessness.  And yet, we also can recall times we have been cheered on in some difficult situation by the words of a loving and caring person.   

As I prepare to teach a workshop this weekend at our annual Women's Retreat on the subject of our words,  I've been convicted and encouraged once again about what God has to say.  Our souls are really the source of what comes out of our mouths.  So, if we have a mess going on inside of us, then we are pretty likely to broadcast that mess with our mouths.  If we have the peace and joy of God in our souls, then we are bound to spread encouragement and happiness with our words.  "There is one who speaks rashly like the thrusts of a sword, But the tongue of the wise brings healing."  Proverbs 12:18

THE LAST TIME

Grandpa enjoying some train videos with a couple of train enthusiasts.

From the moment you hold your baby in your arms,
You will never be the same.
You might long for the person you were before,
When you had freedom and time,
And nothing in particular to worry about.
You will know tiredness like you never knew it before,
And days will run into days that are exactly the same,
Full of feeding and burping,
Whining and fighting,
Naps, or lack of naps. It might seem like a never-ending cycle.

But don't forget...
There is a last time for everything.
There will come a time when you will feed your baby
for the very last time.
They will fall asleep on you after a long day
And it will be the last time you ever hold your sleeping child.

One day you will carry them on your hip,
then set them down,
And never pick them up that way again.
You will scrub their hair in the bath one night
And from that day on they will want to bathe alone.
They will hold your hand to cross the road,
Then never reach for it again.
They will creep into your room at midnight for cuddles,
And it will be the last night you ever wake for this.
One afternoon you will sing "The Wheels on the Bus"
and do all the actions,
Then you'll never sing that song again.
They will kiss you goodbye at the school gate,
Then the next day, they will ask to walk to the gate alone.
You will read a final bedtime story and wipe your
last dirty face.
They will one day run to you with arms raised,
for the very last time.

The thing is, you won't even know it's the last time
Until there are no more times, and even then,
It will take you a while to realise.

So while you are living in these times,
Remember there are only so many of them and
When they are gone,
You will yearn for just one more day of them...
For one last time.

Author unknown

 As I read this recently I thought of all the many times that have ended in my life. It brought to my mind James 4:14"Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away."  Oh, that we would use today the best way possible for God's glory.

FLOURISHING IN TRIALS

While traveling the past month in Ukraine we saw the landscape change dramatically as spring arrived. A bleak gray very quickly turned to fresh green and we were amazed. But, then upon returning home not only did we find green layered everywhere, but, this beautiful clematis loaded with blossoms greeted us at our front door. The interesting thing about this intensely beautiful plant is that during a harsh winter a couple of years ago it appeared to be completely dead. Although it had been striking in it's beauty for several years, now I could see that it was no longer going to grow. So, I pulled it all out and planted a good hardy ivy in it's place. Last year I saw a bit of clematis leaves twining around the ivy--and then this year it has gone crazy with breathtaking blooms again.

This clematis sure makes me think of what Jeremiah had to say about trusting God. "Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD And whose trust is the LORD. For he will be like a tree planted by the water, That extends its roots by a stream And will not fear when the heat comes; But its leaves will be green, And it will not be anxious in a year of drought Nor cease to yield fruit." Jeremiah 17:7-8 The harshness of life comes to everyone, but, those who believe and obey God have strength to continue on through those times and even flourish. May our lives be like the beautiful clematis at my house that has come through tough times only to be as beautiful as ever. May we "not be anxious in a year of drought, nor cease to yield fruit."

There will be a baby dedication on Mother's Day, so, if you are interested please let Pastor know.

Here is an interesting video summary of our ministry in Ukraine during April.  Click on the small arrow centered on the video to view.