Presence-Focused, not Problem-Focused

My Pretty Siamese Kitty

There are at least two big problems in my life right now trying to keep my attention. When I think about them very long, they start me on a downward spiral. Today both issues demanded my attention, but today I determined to use my God given freedom to redirect my thoughts. I have the power of choice given me by God, and I can choose to think of Him whenever I would like. This morning before anyone else was up, I came to His presence and He blessed me with the reassurance that His very presence is with me. It is with me when I think about Him, and when I don't. But when I do, and do often, the blessing starts multiplying. I did think about him often in the morning, but soon the little problems piled themselves onto the big problems, and I felt snowed under. Without realizing it I became problem-focused, and forgot the Presence of God was with me. It wasn't until the evening came that I remembered to be Presence-focused again, and when I did, the joy that He knows, and that no problem is so big that it can separate me from Him, came back. He knows the path I need to go on, and He is going with me, even though the trail is full of trials. All I had to do was think of Him, how much He loves me, He'll never leave me or forsake me, He rejoices over me with singing, He knows everything about me and still loves me. Praise God! The problems are still here, but I'm not focused on them. I'm focused on the Presence of God.

A Special Mercy for Each Hour

When I arose this morning, the wind was rattling anything loose out on the deck, which meant, there would be no fog. The sky was overcast, but thin enough at the mountains to let through some colored light, a few precious minutes of God's own light therapy for the day.

Carolina Sandell Berg said in verse 2 of her famous hymn-poem, "Day by Day",

"Every day the Lord Himself is near me, with a special mercy for each hour."

A friend who knows of my seasonal struggle with the foggy weather, called this morning just to pray with me, and remind me of exactly that. There is a special mercy for each hour, maybe even for every moment.

Here are some of the special mercies I've gathered already today.

- Early this morning, my husband read the Word to me. God told us that Jesus is the light of the world. By looking to Jesus I can see light. Light is just what I need. Jesus is all I need.- Dear Daughter fixed breakfast for herself and brother, without being asked.
- Super Son's new eye glasses were ready first thing this morning. We didn't have to wait for him to start seeing better. And see better he can! He's reading better too!
- The wind is blowing outside, but not inside my windows.
- I'm warm enough.
- There was food enough to purchase at the grocery store, and funds enough to cover the price, and even get a few special items.
- A ripe papaya and other fruit came home with us, ready for a candlelight family supper.
- I chanced seeing the person I needed to see in the hall in an office building. I didn't need to make an appointment. Business is completed.
- The work week is nearing completion, and we will have a whole day of rest.

The Lord is with me and has blessed me with mercies, abundance that I don't deserve, but He gives because our great need, and He is Forever Love.

It has been foggy here for endless days. Looking out the window, most days I can't even see as much as you can see in the picture above. The temperature hovers at freezing, or below, while I shiver. I need sun. I start dying when I can't see the sun, the strong pull drags me down faster the gravity. This week I knew I was in trouble by the weekend. Nothing tasted good. By Tuesday I was crying. Not even my full spectrum light was helping. Now I know why all those snowbirds go to Arizona in the winter. I'm ready to go with them, and I'm not retired. Talking with some friends about it did help some. Yesterday was a tear free day. But I needed sun!

And today God gave some to me. Really! We could see the sunrise this morning. And there is blue sky out there. We took a walk first thing, and went the full two miles, just so we could soak in more. At the beginning of the walk I was still down, even though I knew I should be so happy. My mind was still in the fog, even if the sky wasn't. It took almost the whole walk to pull myself out of it, but by the time feet we walking back up the driveway, my heart was singing. "Delight yourself, also in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart." Psalm 37:4

Thats what I need to be doing all the time, even when it's foggy. Do you have any delightful thoughts of the Lord, lifting your thoughts? I'd love to hear them! I'm pretty sure there will be fog again any day soon and I'm going to need some sunny thoughts. There is nothing more cheering then the delights of the Lord. Please put them in a comment, or post them on your blog, and then come back and put the link in a comment. And I'll try to find some to post on my own blog, and push back any fog that creeps into my mind.

Redemption and Spilled Beads

Yesterday I participated in a story of redemption. I was cleaning up some clutter on the floor, which lead to putting some things away in the craft cupboard. I opened the door and out fell a bucket of beads, minus the lid. Thousands of beads now lay at my feet. I was ready to get really upset at the careless person who left the lid off the bucket. The vacuum seemed like an easy way to package them back up and prevent this chore from happening to me again. But I slowed just a second and thought of how upset a young crafter might be the next time she wanted beads. I didn't think I'd want to tell her where they went. So I started to scoop up handfuls of the little rounds, and rolled them back into the bead bucket. Anger attempted to take control of me, but then I heard another child humming, "Redeemed. Redeemed. Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb." Those beads were really innocent, and very helpless. Their lives depend on a power outside of themselves for any good to happen with them. They couldn't do anything to save themselves from the vacuum. They lay helpless before the cupboard door. "Redeemed." Redeeming the helpless. The thought of my own helpless condition, so prone to impatience and irritation, and the loving service of my own Redeemer changed my attitude. I picked up every last bead, checking carefully to see that none were overlooked, lost forever.

Redeemed and so happy in Jesus
No language my rapture can tell.
I know that the light of His presence
With me doth continually dwell.

Redeemed. Redeemed.
Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb.
Redeemed. Redeemed.
His child and forever I am.
- Fanny Jane Crosby

Ice skating, Lights, and Self-forgetting Fun

We were talking about all the Christmas lights that people are putting up in neighborhoods everywhere this time of year. There seems to be something that attracts us to light. It makes ordinary homes sparkle when there are no longer green grass or flowers, and when the night falls early every evening.

We went ice skating today also. Young son playing tag the whole time, daughter's friend skating round and round, and daughter helping little girls learn how to stand on their own. Who had the most fun? Young son was sure that he did, because he was playing hard and fast the whole time. Daughter's friend thought she did because she enjoyed the entertainment. And daughter said she did because she was helping people. Isn't that interesting? Really, they all did have fun, but who had the most fun?

Daughter said it is like the difference between eating a cookie and eating a salad. A cookie is more fun for the moment. It tastes great! A salad, though it tastes less exciting, is great because it makes your health better, you feel good for a longer time. Helping the little skaters wasn't really fun, but it makes you feel really good inside.

And that's where the correlation to Christmas lights come in. When a person experiences self-forgetfulness and kindness through the power of the Holy Spirit, their character is noticeably different. It is like the person lights up, and yet there is nothing like the cries of the self-seeking, saying "Hey! Look at me!" There is no artificial showing-off like a giant plastic snowman in the yard. It is quiet and gentle, like stars on a snowy night, or a moon sweeping across the sky. They are just out their doing their job, but their like makes a big difference.

Jesus didn't come to earth for entertainment, or to show off. He wasn't born in the mansion of the wealthy. He came to serve. He humbled himself so we could know the love of the Father. His self-forgetting service is for us to copy. "Ye, are the light of the world," he said. What light there would be this Christmas if we lived His example. It might be the most fun we've ever had.

Peaches and Other Fruit

The little Red Haven peach tree has grown up. This year it has produced enough juicy red globes to fill almost 30 quart bags for the freezer. It is really amazing what can happen with time and growth. The fruit is sweet.

The tree started out quite small, but each year seemed to produce a few more peaches. Each peach was savored and enjoyed, but there was never enough to save for the winter, until this year. We ate until juice was dripping from our elbows and our sticky smiles beamed. This is good. This is what a peach tree is for, and it is worth the wait.

There is a plum tree in the yard that has not produced a single fruit in the same amount time, not even a single blossom. There are leaves, but that is all. It seems such a waste, to be a fruit tree and not bear fruit.
I wonder if my life is producing any fruit. God's purpose for my life is to "Bear much fruit." John 15:8. I have had many years of receiving nourishment for God's word, but is the effect seen in my thoughts, words and actions?

"Let your love go out for those things that Jesus loved, and withheld from those
things that will give no strength to right impulse. With determined energy seek to learn, and to improve the character every day. You much have firmness of purpose to take yourself in hand and be what you know God would be pleased to have you. . . Thoughts of God and heaven are ennobling." Ellen White 1893

That is bearing more fruit every day. And if I want to do just that, what should I do? Think of God and heaven every day.

"Abide in me are words of great significance. Abiding in Christ means a living refreshing faith that works by love and purifies the soul. It means constantly receiving the Spirit of Christ, a life of unreserved surrender ot His service. Where this union exists, good works will appear. The life of the vine will manifest itself in fragrant fruit on the branches. The continual supply of the grace of Christ will bless you and make you a blessing, til you can say with Paul, "I am crucified wtih Christ: never the less I live; yet not I but Christ liveth in me." (Gal 2:20)." "That I May Know Him"

Living in Christ. What a rich experience! Fruit bearing for the glory of God. And just remember, all that fruit is for the blessing of others. The peach tree didn't eat a single peach that it grew this year. It gave them all to us. And that's how it works with the fruit of our life too. Those precious fruits are gifts to others. Our sweet words, our patience, our selflessness, giving up our rights, our joy, love, generocity, forgiveness, understanding. All these things come from God, and if we are lacking them, we get them from abiding in Him.

"...Look to Christ. Let the mind dwell upon His love, upon the beauty, the perfection of His character. Christ in His self-denal, Christ in His humiliation, Christ in His purity and holiness, Christ in His matchless love - - this is the subject for the soul's contemplation. It is by loving Him, copying Him, depending wholly upon Him that you are transformed into His likeness." Steps to Christ, p. 71

Good fruit appears in our life as a result of dwelling (camping out) on His love, and beauty, His good character. It transforms us. It is transforming me.

I just read "The Pineapple Story" about a missionary who grew some pineapples out in the jungle with the help of a hired man, and expected to eat them himself when they were ready. He was so angry when the natives stole them that he did some pretty selfish things. Years passed and he learned about giving up his rights to God. He prayed and gave his pineapple patch to God, and gave up his right to the pineapples. From then on, it didn't matter if the natives ate them or not, he didn't get angry. The natives noticed the change and came to ask him about it. What is the difference? When he told them, they said to one another that the missionary had become a Christian. And at that point, he was finally able to eat some of his pineapples. He went from being a leafy tree to one that began to bear fruit, and it made a huge difference in his ministry.

Are there any rights you need to give up, so that God can work in you and cause you to bear fruit too? The fruit will be sweet.

Dwell on Light

Time alone with God
morning light dawns in my heart
a new day

Petunia petals a light with morning freshness
capture my eye,
capture my thoughts.




I choose to dwell on light,
light through the window,
light on a face,
light words from the throne,
words of grace, light, power, energy,
transform my thoughts,
transform my face,
enlighten the whole room
every corner, every being brighter,
catching sparkles,
thoughts dancing around YOU,
Great God,
Source of my light.


I am singing with "grace in my heart to the the Lord". (See Colossians 3:16.)