Tag: vacation

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Sifting Through the Muck

Roseate spoonbills and other wading birds sitting in a tree
Luke 22:31–32 (ESV)—“Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”

Pink flashed west of the boardwalk over the pond at Big Talbot Island State Park. I saw not the beginnings of a sunset, but my first glimpse of a roseate spoonbill—and not only one but a flock, landing in the trees across the the pond.

These wading birds use their spoon-like bill to sift through the muck in shallow, coastal waters. They search for grub such as minnows, shrimp, and even plant roots—food to nourish their bodies.

Simon Peter also had some sifting to do. He, as well as the other disciples, had to sift through their sorrow of their Rabbi’s coming death, Jesus’ arrest, and Simon Peter’s betrayal of Jesus.

And sift they did…but not well. Instead of pray as Jesus did, they slept. Instead of acting peaceful, one disciple cut off the ear of a high priest, and when Simon Peter was asked about knowing Jesus, he denied, denied, denied.

But even through the drama, Jesus said and showed the answer to sifting through the muck: prayer. Jesus prayed for the disciples that their “faith may not fail” (Luke 22:32). He also instructed the disciples to “pray that [they] might not enter into temptation” (Luke 22:40). Most important, Jesus prayed for God’s will despite his want for another answer.

Like Jesus, we need to pray for God’s will, but unlike Jesus we’re going to sin “and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23 ESV). Our hope lies in Jesus’ prediction for Simon Peter that when he turns back to Jesus he’ll strengthen his brothers (Luke 22:32). Simon Peter’s failings would be turned around for good, so let us pray and take heart that we can turn back to God and that our failings can strengthen our own faith as well as others’.

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Don’t Disturb the Wildlife

Acts 16:25 (ESV)—About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.

Do not disturb the wildlife, the sign read. I walked along the paved trail into Glenwood Canyon. I crossed my fingers, hoping to see at least one bighorn sheep—from a distance, of course, and preferably perched high up on a canyon wall. I certainly didn’t want to sneak up on this creature, startling it into being aggressive.

That’s what happened when Paul commanded a spirit to come out of a slave girl whose “talent” was bringing in money to her owners. He stole the girl’s owners’ means of making money, and the owners acted with aggression. They lied, telling the city magistrates that Paul and Silas were teaching things “not lawful for. . . Romans to accept or practice.” The officials then threw Paul and Silas into jail.

In the Christian life, it’s inevitable: we’re going to sneak up on bighorn sheep. Our beliefs are going to cause believers and nonbelievers alike to challenge our faith and stir up a fight.

But even when another person wants to butt heads, our best response is a peaceful attitude that causes others to listen, like Paul’s and Silas’ praying and singing of hymns while in jail. It is peacefulness such as this that stirs up belief in Christ and gives us a chance to minister further.

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Gaining Understanding

A photo of a sign with a moose with its ears laid back against its head. The caption says, Upset moose, you're in danger now!
Matthew 13:11–12 (ESV)—And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.

While walking along the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail, I spied a sign. My husband and I laughed at the picture of moose, its ears pushed back, like our cat’s ears do when he’s upset. The caption read, “Upset moose. You’re in danger now!” The sign also had information on what to do if the moose looks angry.

The cautionary sign puts information in front of people like me who aren’t super outdoorsy yet want to remain cautious in the outdoors. The visual opened my mind to the dangers of the Alaskan outdoors and readied me for a walk in nature.

Like the Anchorage park service, Jesus saw the value in readying people’s hearts. Jesus spoke in parables, visual images, to prepare people for his insights into God’s Kingdom. By using parables, Jesus gave everyone, not only the disciples, a chance to understand—to hear and to see—God’s Kingdom.

Jesus also knew that not everyone wanted to learn more about the Kingdom. For these people, their hardened hearts prevented them from hearing the truth in the parables. They became lost in the wilderness of their ideas, not wanting to hear Jesus’ message.

For anyone who wants a glimpse of God’s Kingdom, understanding the Scriptures requires an open mind that is receptive to learning and willing to engage in information provided through trusted sources. Gaining understanding helps us to make decisions in the worldly wilderness.

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Able and Capable

Ephesians 3:20–21 (NIV)—Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Born in Schwäbisch Hall, German artist and calligrapher Thomas Schweicker lived a life of celebrity. He wasn’t an actor or a model or even a musician. Schweicker painted and wrote in calligraphy…with his feet. This man, born without hands or arms, made a name for himself as an artist.

I don’t know if Schweicker worshiped God, but his story is inspirational. It makes me ask, what would happen if I said “I can” or “I’ll try it” instead of “I can’t” or “it’s not possible”? What if I said “yes” to God when he calls, even though I feel unable or incapable of doing the things he asks?

Feeling weak or less than gives me a chance to bow down before God, who gave every family on earth their name, and pray for my identity in him. I pray because I know my strength comes from God, my talents come from God, and my gifts come from God. And I know that God, from whose image I was created, delights in molding me into the person he created me to be.

God is calling, and it’s time to believe I am able and capable of his plan. It’s time to believe he can do more than I imagine.

If God can create an artist and calligrapher of Schweicker, what can he do for me?

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Walking in Obedience

The Old Town of Zurich along the river
Exodus 23:20 (ESV)—“Behold, I send an angel before you to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place that I have prepared.”

Stepping out of the bustling mall in the Zürich Hauptbahnhof, I clutched my guide book, finger marking the page for the start of a self-guided tour. Chock-full of information, the book led me through the Altstadt (Old Town), into churches whose decor left me in awe, through courtyards surrounded by charming buildings, to the shore of Lake Zürich. The book laid out a history of the area, a step-by-step path for me to walk in the present.

At Mount Sinai, God prepared a path for the people of Israel to follow in the present. He gave them not only the Ten Commandments but also rules for righteous living.

In return for their obedience, he promised to send an angel to protect them and bring them to the place he had prepared for them. He’d drive away their enemies and grow their population, one step at a time to protect the land from desolation and wild animals.

Like Israel’s path, our path comes from God if we choose to walk in obedience. God will help us to grow, one step at a time, on our path for today, our path for tomorrow, our path leading to our place in heaven.

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Spotlight of Hope

View of the Grand Canyon with a blanket of clouds and a spotlight of sunshine on the rocks in the distance
Deuteronomy 30:6 (ESV)—And the Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring, so that you will love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live.

On the day I visited the Grand Canyon, clouds softened the rays of the sun, except for one brilliant spotlight of sunshine far in the distance. This spotlight offered the hope of warmth on this breezy thirty-some degree day, where the shadows on the rocks made the canyon look like a painting, the layers of red and beige sandstone in stark contrast to one another and the sheer cliff face dotted with patches of snow and shrubs.

In Deuteronomy 30, Moses reminded the Hebrews of this spotlight of hope. He said that if they’d turn their lives over to God, fully and completely, they’d experience a stark contrast from curses to blessings and they’d no longer be scattered like shrubs throughout the lands. God would turn the spotlight on them, gathering them together and circumcising their hearts.

God’s promise reaches us today. If we turn our lives to him, working toward our eternal reward, he’ll shine his spotlight on us, gathering us in Christian community and circumcising our hearts to restore our spirits.

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Arizona Adventure!

From the famed red rocks to ruins to lava fields, Arizona bursts at the seams with amazing sights. Enjoy these photos from my latest adventure!

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Optimistic Yet Cautious Steps

Colossians 3:2 (ESV)—Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.

Snow covered the ground and icy slush threatened my footing. Not ideal conditions for standing on the rim of the Grand Canyon. But I had confidence in my steps because, one year after purchase, I finally slipped my feet into my ice cleats. And, wow, do they work—I ventured closer to the rim optimistic yet cautious, my mind set on a closer view and not on various slip-and-fall scenarios.

Putting on the new self is like slipping into ice cleats. The Holy Spirit gives us a newfound confidence in our identity in Christ, a traction that allows us to take optimistic yet cautious steps in the direction God intends—cautious yet optimistic because, as 1 Peter 5:8 tells us, we need to “be sober-minded” and “watchful” because “[our] adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” The devil lurks with icy obstacles that threaten our footing and make us stumble toward the rim.

We can combat the devil by setting our minds on “things that are above.” This gives us the confidence to navigate the ice and snow and establishes within us a relationship with the Holy Spirit and the knowledge we need to step with confidence toward our eternal reward.

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The Bible: Our Saguaro Cactus

Saguaro cacti in Saguaro National Park 
Jeremiah 17:7–8 (NIV)— “But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”

Several years ago, my husband and I road-tripped to Arizona for Thanksgiving with family. Along the way, we stopped at sites such as the White Sands National Monument (now a national park), Casa Grande Ruins National Monument, and Saguaro National Park. I had no idea the height of saguaro cacti until I stood next to one, gazing up in awe and slight disbelief. And once I did some research, I found this cactus to be a great example of the power of God’s Word.

The saguaro cactus is like a well of living water in the dry, arid desert. This cactus absorbs and stores rainwater for use over time. Woodpeckers, elf owls, and other birds build nests inside the cactus. Wildlife visit the cactus to partake of its pollen, nectar, and fruit. Others such as jackrabbits and mule deer eat its flesh when food and water are scarce.

The Bible is our saguaro cactus in the desert, a source of life, a well of living water. When we drink of the water, we can know the power of our living God. God’s Word prepares us for all situations in our lives from losing a job to starting a new one, from building a new friendship to losing an old one, from grieving someone’s death to celebrating a baby’s birth.

The Scriptures feed us courage in the face of fear: “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9, NIV).

The Scriptures strengthen our faith when we make a home for his Word in our minds: “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ” (Romans 10:17, NIV).

The Scriptures feed our fellowship with other believers: “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16, NIV).

The Scriptures are our living water in the desert. The Holy Spirit feeds our minds with information we need to live according to God’s Word, and when we drink, we become stronger in mind, faith, and fellowship.

Saguaro cacti in Saguaro National Park
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Attitude of Thanksgiving and Praise

Psalm 100:4 (ESV)—"Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name."
the sun shining through the leaves of a tree
a view out the front window of a car, rain splattering the windshield, trees on both sides of the road

Months ago, I booked accommodation four hours from home for my hubby and I to enjoy a weekend of hiking and fall colors. While the fall colors part came true, the hiking did not. Rain poured down. All. Day. Long. I sat on the porch swing and read a book while my hubby napped, though I eventually went inside because of the chill in the air. We also ate dinner out, though the drive through the country in the dark and rain made for slow going and white-knuckling the steering wheel (or so I assume; I sat in the passenger seat and hoped for a safe arrival and return to and from the restaurant).

I admit, my attitude wasn’t pristine during this trip; I couldn’t seem to enter “His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise.” God had given me a weekend with my hubby to explore a new area, and rather than cheer, I held disappointment in my heart. Yes, we shared moments of joy, such as when I saw a sign proclaiming the hometown of a famous actor/writer/singer. We also ate at a burger joint in the middle of nowhere, one I’d had on my travel list for a while.

After a night, we decided to cut our weekend short and spend the final day at home. On the drive home, we located the grave of famous actor/writer/singer, my interest piqued because he voice-acted in one of my favorite Christmas movies. The following day, we read books in our cozy chairs and visited the local coffee shop for pastries—a scandalous Monday, for sure. We delighted in being with one another, as we’d planned in the first place. On this day, I thanked God and gave him praise.

Comparing the two days, I see the discrepancy in my attitude and know I have room for improvement. The rainbows-and-sunshine moments allow for ease of giving thanks and praise. The dense fog of negativity makes for fight-or-flight moments when I can choose to dwell in the dank dimness or I can choose God, a light that never dims but waits for me in all circumstances.