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Smile!

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One Sunday morning I went to church really early. Since it was going to be some time before the service began, I sat in the church’s cafe area. I attend a very large church with multiple campuses and several services, so it is impossible to know, recognize, or even see everyone who is a part of the congregation. So as I waited there before going into the sanctuary, I enjoyed watching the people as they arrived. I especially took notice of the arrival of a family of four. I chuckled as I watched the little girl wearing a pink tutu strut proudly in front of her parents. But then I saw her brother and he saw me. He smiled and he waved. He smiled and he smiled and he kept on smiling. I smiled and waved in response. We connected because we had something in common. We were both in wheelchairs. I don’t know if I was a blessing to him or if he was just a blessing to me! I do know that his smile made my morning special and it stayed with me all day.

It’s amazing what a smile can do. Smiles are not only expressions of happiness and joy, they can also encourage and inspire, reassure and uplift, comfort and communicate. Without speaking a word, a smile can say: I’m glad to see you, You make me happy, I’d like to get to know you. A smile can be the start of a friendship or a relationship. A smile can make someone feel welcome and included. A smile can help heal a hurting heart. And when we endeavor to smile even when we are hurting, it lifts our spirits as well. Both the giver and receiver of a smile are blessed.

Of course, we realize that we cannot and do not smile all the time. We are told in the book of Ecclesiastes that there is “a time to weep”, and even Jesus wept. In times of sorrow and grief it is natural and good to express our emotions. And when we are in pain and hurting, there is a time when it’s okay to share our feelings with each other. But there is also a time when we need to look beyond ourselves and see those around us who just might need a smile.

Nat King Cole sang a song simply titled “Smile” that is about this idea of smiling even when we’re hurting. I am not sure I agree with the words completely as it takes the concept to an extreme, but I thought it was worth sharing. (I also found it interesting that the lyrics were written by Charlie Chaplin.)

Smile

Smile though your heart is aching
Smile even though its breaking
When there are clouds in the sky, you’ll get by
If you smile through your fear and sorrow
Smile and maybe tomorrow
You’ll see the sun come shining through for you

Light up your face with gladness
Hide every trace of sadness
Although a tear may be ever so near

That’s the time you must keep on trying
Smile, what’s the use of crying?
You’ll find that life is still worthwhile
If you just smile

Some say that if you smile when you are not feeling joyful that you are wearing a mask, but sometimes we do need to ‘put on a happy face’! But how can we smile when we don’t feel like it?

When my children were young, their Grandma Marie had a short little song she sang to them if she noticed that they were sad or upset or worried. She got down on their level, looked them in the eyes and sang, “Jesus takes a frown and He turns it upside down. Oooooops! There comes a smile!” And inevitably it worked. Their frown would turn into a grin and a giggle. But the jingle she sang to them is more than a cute Sunday School song. It speaks truth!

Knowing the One who fills our hearts with “indescribable joy” and our minds with the “peace that surpasses all understanding” makes it possible and easier to smile even during difficult days.

A simple smile can accomplish great things. To give someone a smile is to give them a gift. Your smile may not change the world, but it could impact a life! Your sincere smile can be a blessing to someone and brighten their day. If you give someone a smile, you just might get one in return. Then you will be doubly blessed!

You can smile when you can’t say a word,
You can smile when you cannot be heard,
You can smile when it’s cloudy or fair,
You can smile any time, anywhere.
–from a hymn written by A. H. Ackley

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A Little Angel and a Dime

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I’m not always happy. Sometimes I struggle with my emotions. As I am aging and getting physically weaker, there are times I get discouraged and feel despondent. A recent Sunday morning was one of those times.

I had been close to tears earlier in the morning and now I sat in the sanctuary waiting for the service to start. The aisles are wide and my wheelchair fits conveniently at the end of the row where my family sits. We were early and so I sat there praying for the service and for myself. Quite unexpectedly, a little girl I did not know approached me. She extended her hand to me and placed a dime in mine. I smiled and said, “Oh, you have a dime.” She responded, “It’s for you,” then wrapped her arms around my neck with a hug. I was touched and blessed by this little angel that God sent my way.

Did I need the dime she gave me? Not really. Did the dime she gave me meet my need? Yes, it did!!

No act of kindness, no matter how small is ever wasted.
–Aesop

The sermon that Sunday morning was about seeing the people around us and allowing God to use us to meet their needs. That young girl exemplified the sermon before a word was even spoken! She saw me and God used her to meet my need. I learned that her name is Penelope, but to me she will always be my little angel. I want to be like her.

Be kind and compassionate to one another.
–Ephesians 4:32

Do not forget to do good and to share with others.
–Hebrews 13:16

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A Season of Hope

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Sometimes winter can last a very long time. Here in the Western New York region it can come early and stay late. As someone recently said, “This winter lasted years!” It seems that way because just when we have a day or two of warm, sunny weather, the next day shows up with cold wind and falling snow! And so with anticipation we wait for spring’s arrival.

That is the one good thing about this world.
There are always sure to be more springs.
–Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery

Spring is my favorite season even if it can take a long time getting here! I love it, because it is the beginning of warmer, beautiful weather. Bulky winter coats get packed away along with the hats, scarves, gloves and clumsy boots. As the snow melts away, trees begin to blossom and flowers start to grow. Spring is a season of hope, a declaration of better things to come. Out of the cold hard, dormant ground, new life pushes its way through!

Photo credit: Eva Marie Husted

There is a chorus we sing that declares: “Up from the ashes hope will arise!” Spring gives us a glimpse of that kind of hope!

Hope is an encouraging word. It helps us to look for the positive and to face an uncertain future. Hope gives courage! It has been said that “Where there is life, there is hope.” But it has also been said that “Harsh reality is better than false hope.”

Hope is a tease designed to prevent us from accepting reality.
–from Downton Abbey

It’s a sad fact that in this world, hope can disappoint us. Things don’t always work out the way we want them to. When I was a teenager I was a patient in a hospital for children and young people with disabilities. Because it was a long term hospital (Some of the patients had been there for years!), some of us were permitted to go home for weekends and holidays. It was dependent on our physical condition and recovery from surgery. Every week, someone would read to us the names of those who were allowed to go for the weekend. I was recovering from several surgeries, but had hopes that I would be on the list to go home for Thanksgiving. I was not. My disappointment must have shown, because I was told that they wanted to make sure I was completely recovered and strong enough, so I could go home for Christmas. That made sense to me and my hopes were raised. I would rather be home for Christmas than Thanksgiving anyway. But it didn’t work out that way. I didn’t get to go home for either holiday! I felt betrayed. I was given false hope!

Hope deferred makes the heart sick…
–Proverbs 13:12

But there is a hope that will not disappoint! The Bible calls it a blessed hope, a confident hope, and a strong, trustworthy hope! It is not a hope given to us from the people around us; it is a hope held out to us by God Himself! This hope comes to us through Jesus Christ and is made available to us because of the Easter story.

Celebrate with praises the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has shown us his extravagant mercy. For his fountain of mercy has given us a new life–we are reborn to experience a living, energetic hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
–1 Peter 1:3 (TPT)

How appropriate it is that Easter is celebrated in the spring! As spring is a season of hope, bringing new life into a barren world, it symbolically depicts the new life and hope we can find in Christ. The hope we have through Christ promises us not only a new life, but an eternal one as well.

When our souls lie barren in a winter which seems hopeless and endless, God has not abandoned us. His work goes on. He asks acceptance of the painful process and our trust that He will indeed give resurrection life.
–Elizabeth Elliott

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Falling With Grace

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I haven’t always been in a wheelchair. But even when I could walk, it was with an awkward, exaggerated gait. Because of my disability, my legs were weak and wobbly. In fact, I’ve had a lot of experience with falling. Some episodes were a bit humorous. I laughed the time I fell backwards into a laundry basket. I also laughed when I lost my balance and rode on an escalator sitting down. The lady who turned around to help me seemed quite perturbed by my laughter, but sometimes we just have to laugh at ourselves. And then there was the time the wind blew me over! Perhaps the most embarrassing episode occurred in a grocery store where I was shopping alone. I had just gotten my cart when for some unknown reason I found myself on the floor. Helpless, I looked at a gentleman nearby and literally said, “I’m crippled, and I can’t get up.” I wasn’t laughing then, but now it is kind of funny.

On my wedding day, during the lengthy time of taking pictures after the ceremony, my legs suddenly gave out and I plopped down with my wedding gown bunched around me. I sat there, looked up at my loving husband, and said, “Paul, I need you!” He knew from the start what he was getting into. (Well, maybe not everything…) Through our years together, if he saw me struggling, he would say, “If you’re going to fall, fall with grace!” Ha! As if I could control how I fell.

Not all my falls are funny. I’ve had my share of injuries and broken bones. But I appreciate the encouragement found in this Scripture verse:

The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way, though he fall he will not be utterly cast down; for the Lord upholds him with His hand.
–Psalm 37:23,24

In the Amplified version the last phrase is translated: the Lord is the one who holds his hand and sustains him. This is God’s grace extended to us. So perhaps I can fall with grace!

But this verse is about more than a literal, physical collapse. It’s about our journey through life, specifically our walk of faith. Sometimes in our walk with the Lord, there is an unexpected bump, something that causes us to stumble, blows us over and knocks us down. And there are even times when an old habit or obsession beckons us, and we trip over temptation. Even in those times, God is there loving us, and His grace is there helping us. The fact is that sometimes we mess up, sometimes we fail, and sometimes we fall. The Apostle Paul reminds us that God’s grace is sufficient for us, and he also tells us that we “are never abandoned by God, we get knocked down but we are not destroyed.”–2 Corinthians 4:9(NLT)

The college I attended had a sloping sidewalk that went down from the dorms to the classrooms. This usually wasn’t a problem for me, except one winter day it was. The sidewalk was slick with ice. My feet flew out from under me and no matter how hard I tried I couldn’t get back on my feet. A strong, rather good looking young man came to my aid. He pulled me up on my feet, but my feet slid out from under me again, and again, and again. Finally, he picked me up and carried me to where I needed to go! This is just what grace does for us! Grace lifts us up and helps us get to where we are supposed to be.

When I fall, I am not falling alone. I am falling with grace. God’s grace is right there with me.

Through many dangers, toils, and snares,
I have already come;
’Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.
–from the hymn Amazing Grace

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Repurposed

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It all began when my husband came home from a trip to New York City with a dragonfly lamp. Since then I have accrued quite a collection. Not just dragonfly lamps, but dragonfly stuff! I have necklaces, bracelets and pins, purses and shirts, bookmarks and magnets, and other various dragonfly doodads. Even my checkbook features dragonflies. I have a ‘thing’ for dragonflies! So when I was visiting my daughter in Hastings, MN and saw this unusual sculpture of a dragonfly I had to take a picture:

The man who created this work of art used scrap metal and other old materials to make something special and unique. He gave something that had been discarded a new purpose!

There is a restaurant in Lewiston, NY located by the Niagara River called The Silo. It’s called that because that is what it is. (Or should I say was?) Back in the1930’s the area was popular because of The Great Gorge Railway and the silo held the coal that fueled the trains. With the demise of the railroad, the silo lost its purpose. But someone had an idea and turned it into something wonderful! When I recently had lunch there, I picked up a pamphlet about the restaurant and discovered that much of the seating in the restaurant was made from old refurbished church pews.

The last line of the pamphlet reads: “The Silo itself, and the old train caboose now serving as the ice cream bar, have been rescued, recycled, and repurposed!” I like that word ‘repurposed’.

Sometimes life gives us the unexpected. And when it does, the unexpected can change the direction of our life or bring us to a dead end where we are left with questions and uncertainty. When the unexpected is a tragedy or difficulty, we may feel betrayed or discarded or lost. When the job we relied on is suddenly gone or the position we expected is given to another, we spend restless days and nights in worry. When a physical affliction or a dreaded disease strikes, we fret with fear and anxiety. When we lose a loved one and our life is forever changed, we wonder if it’s even possible to go on. And in all of this is the underlying question: What do I do now?

In the past few years my situation has changed and my role in life has been disrupted. With the death of my husband who had served as a pastor, I not only lost my mate, but I lost my role, my position and my home. At times I felt unneeded, useless and even discarded. It seemed I had lost my purpose in life. Have you ever felt that way? Like maybe you’re obsolete, like a piece of scrap metal or an empty silo.

In his book, What If It’s True, Charles Martin makes this beautiful observation, “The sovereign hand of God leaves me shaking my head, but gives me great hope. In His economy, nothing is wasted.” NOTHING IS WASTED!! What does this mean? He always has a use for you. He can take the scraps of your life and give them a purpose. When you think your purpose in life is over, He can and will give you a new purpose. You can be repurposed!

Romans 8:28 is a familiar verse: And we know that all things work together for good to those that love God, to those that are the called according to His purpose. Notice that phrase according to His purpose. Not only does He work things out for good, but He does it with purpose. We can trust that God still has a use for us, no matter the circumstances. He gives us purpose! It’s a comfort to know that we still have purpose, but it is also a responsibility. We need to discover that purpose and pursue it! I focus on this one thing: forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on… (Philippians 3:13,14-NLT)

Your life isn’t about what you’ve done.
It’s about what you’re doing.
–Bassa Mawen

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I Like You!

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Some of my grandchildren live far away from me, so I don’t get to see them very often. We do have frequent video chats and those calls end with blowing kisses and their exuberant voices saying, “I love you, Grandma!” But not too long ago I was able to make a trip to visit with some of those distant grandchildren. One day, while I was there, I was surprised when my four year old granddaughter leaned against me, softly touched my arm, and whispered, “I like you.” Now that made me feel special!

Love is seen as the stronger emotion. The Bible tells us “the greatest of these is love”, and God Himself is love. We are instructed to love one another, to love our neighbors, and to love our enemies. This kind of love looks beyond the other person’s faults. It has been said that we love someone ‘in spite of’ and that we like someone ‘because of’. This is not necessarily a bad thing. Liking someone because we have common interests and similar values leads to friendship.

Just as we all need to be loved, we also want to be liked. This is why young people follow fads and strive to be popular. It’s why people of all ages succumb to peer pressure. We want to be accepted and liked.

Fred Rogers recognized this innate desire we all have and tried to meet that need on his children’s program. He wrote and sang this little song:

It’s you I like,
It’s not the things you wear,
It’s not the way you do your hair–
But it’s you I like
The way you are right now,
The way down deep inside you–
Not the things that hide you,
Not your toys–
They’re just beside you.
But it’s you I like–
Every part of you,
Your skin, your eyes, your feelings
Whether old or new.
I hope that you’ll remember
Even when you’re feeling blue
That it’s you I like,
It’s you yourself,
It’s you, it’s you I like.
–Fred Rogers

But to like someone you actually have to know them. Frequently during my marriage, I would look at my husband with a smile and tell him that I liked him. I loved him in so many ways, but I also genuinely liked him. I enjoyed being with him and laughing together. He wasn’t just my spouse, he was my friend. We don’t often tell people that we like them. It’s actually easier to say ‘I love you’. After all, we’re supposed to love everyone, right? I’ve had people who don’t really know me tell me they love me. But to tell someone you sincerely like them seems a bit more awkward. (I’m not sure why that is the case. Perhaps it’s because that phrase is often associated with childlike infatuation. That’s not what I am talking about!) It might be difficult to literally say ‘I like you’ to your friend, but there are other ways that we can express our feelings to those we care about. And we should!

When my oldest grandson was a little guy, he looked at me one day and said, “Thank you, Grandma, for being Grandma.” More recently, when I was struggling to do some little task by myself and didn’t want to ask for help, this same grandson, who is now an adult, scolded me for not asking him to help me. When I explained that I get tired of having to bother people, he exclaimed, “Grandma, you’re not a burden!” What was he telling me? He was letting me know he likes me.

To know we are accepted, appreciated and liked is a treasure. It gives us a sense of value and improves our self-image. There’s a children’s ditty that says, “Nobody likes me, Everybody hates me, I guess I’ll eat some worms…” This silly song actually has a message. The person who feels estranged from everyone and thinks that nobody likes them struggles with liking themselves. They might as well eat worms!

Not everyone will like us–and we won’t like everyone! We are not intended to. We don’t need to seek everybody’s approval nor do we need to be friends with all the people we know. But if there is someone who means a lot to you, who you appreciate, who you enjoy, and who you simply like as a person, don’t be afraid to let them know! The sentiments my grandchildren expressed to me have stuck with me. They have stayed in my heart. Who knows what your words of encouragement might mean to your friend?

A sweet friendship refreshes the soul.
–Proverbs 27:9 (MSG)

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A Lesser Role?

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Do you read the credits that are shown at the end of a movie? Most people don’t. And sometimes the words are so small and they scroll by so fast you couldn’t read them if you wanted to! At the beginning of every movie, sometimes even before the title is given, larger credits are displayed announcing the actors who are playing the lead roles, as well as the directors and producers. These are the important people! But those in a lesser role and those who work behind the scenes are acknowledged at the end. People don’t care too much about them, and yet, without them there would be no film. A lesser role is not an unimportant role.

A well-known phrase in the acting world declares “There are no small roles, only small actors.” It emphasizes the importance of every role in a play or film. No matter the size of the role, an actor needs to perform it with dedication and diligence. The seemingly insignificant can have great impact. This is true in life as well.

When Jonathan Groff, an actor on Broadway, accepted his Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical, among the people he acknowledged and thanked was his seventh grade teacher! She was the one who first saw his potential and encouraged him to try out not just for his school’s productions but also for roles in their local theater. What an impact this woman who was simply a teacher had on his life!

Ordinary people have greater influence than we often realize. Consider this quote, which is the last sentence in the book Middlemarch by George Elliot.

…the growing good of the world is partly dependent on unhistoric acts; and that things are not so ill with you and me as they might have been, is half owing to the number who lived faithfully a hidden life, and rest in unvisited tombs.

I have often wondered about Andrew. Andrew was one of Jesus’ disciples. He was also Peter’s brother. In fact, it was Andrew who told Peter about Jesus. But it was Peter who became part of the inner circle that stayed close to Jesus. Not Andrew. It was Peter who was commissioned to lead the church. Not Andrew. It was Peter who preached in the book of Acts and authored two of the epistles. Not Andrew. Andrew had a lesser role. But if it wasn’t for Andrew, where would Peter be?

Back in the 1930’s, an evangelist named Mordecai Ham held meetings in Charlotte, NC. A farmer in the area loaded up his truck with neighbors every evening and transported them to the services. One of those neighbors was a teenage boy who heard the sermons and finally responded to the message. That boy was Billy Graham. We might credit the evangelist with the impact he had on Billy’s life as well as all those lives that Billy Graham reached with the Gospel. But what if there had not been the farmer?

The day will come when Jesus will give the rewards, and He makes no mistakes, although some people may wonder how you came to merit such a reward, as they had never heard of you before.
–Streams in the Desert

Sometimes we feel overshadowed by people more important than us. We feel small and inadequate and surrounded by those who are bigger and better than us. But our contribution to this world and to those around us is not measured by fame and wealth, or leadership and personality. God has a different standard and a more accurate perspective than we do. Jesus made this clear when he admonished his disciples by telling them, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last and the servant of all.” (Mark 9:35) We need to remember it’s not about recognition nor is it even about a heavenly reward. It’s about being all we are meant to be, doing whatever we can, shining our light in whatever role God has placed us–even if we think it’s a lesser role!

…God has put each part just where He wants it…
In fact, some parts…that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary.
–1 Corinthians 12:18,22 (NLT)

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Struggling with Suffering

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I wanted Pop-Tarts for breakfast, but I had a problem. The Pop-Tarts were kept on top of the refrigerator along with all the breakfast cereal and I couldn’t reach them. No one was home to help me, but the box was near the front so maybe, just maybe, I could figure out a way to get them. I stood up out of my wheelchair and leaned against the refrigerator for balance. Reaching up, I stretched my arms as far as I could, but I couldn’t even touch the box. So I figured it was time to get my grabber tool that helps me get things that are out of my reach. But it didn’t quite work. This time as I tried to maneuver my arm up toward the elusive box of Pop-Tarts, the added weight of my grabber made it difficult for me to raise it high enough. I plopped back down in my wheelchair. I was tired of the struggle. In fact, I was so upset I actually cried in frustration. Let me clarify. It wasn’t the lack of Pop-Tarts that was upsetting me, it was my lack of ability. Things I used to be able to do I no longer can. As my hands and arms have weakened and lost some mobility, my way of life has changed and it isn’t always easy. So on this particular morning I gave in to the struggle. But as I sat there venting my frustration by sobbing, I heard a little voice in my head say, “Is this helping?” And when I admitted to myself that it wasn’t, just like that the frustration and self-pity were gone! And I had to smile at my own foolishness. I realized some years ago that frustration doesn’t help the situation, it only makes me unhappy. But sometimes I forget!

Recently I came across this thought provoking question:

In this season of difficulty, are you wasting your suffering?
–from Seasons of the Woman’s Heart

What kind of question is that?! What does it mean? I understand the concept of wasting time and wasting money and wasting food, but what does it mean to waste suffering? To waste something means that we are not using something properly. It implies that the thing being wasted has value and a purpose. And there it is! Suffering has purpose. And this is part of the struggle we have with suffering. We don’t always understand the reason behind it, and we ask the question, “Why?” How is it even possible that something so hard, so painful, so devastating can have a beneficial purpose?

The Bible reveals several reasons for our suffering. It might be God seeking to get our attention and to draw us to Himself. Sometimes it is God working to improve our character or to build up our faith. The purpose may be to use us to touch someone else’s life or to bring God glory. But the real struggle with suffering isn’t about discovering the cause or the reason. The more urgent question is how will we respond to it. Will we be victorious in our suffering?

The whining, murmuring pang never does anybody any good.
–from Streams in the Desert

I am reminded of Joni Eareckson Tada, well-known quadriplegic, who has touched thousands not just with her testimony and talent, but also with her delightful demeanor and dedication to the Lord. Then there is Nick Vujicic, a preacher without arms or legs, who inspires many with his courage and humor. Evangelist Dorsey Ross, born with Apert Syndrome, encourages others to “overcome life’s obstacles”. These are just a few examples of what victorious suffering can accomplish!

The Bible instructs us to respond to our suffering with joy. We cringe at the thought! It doesn’t seem logical or possible. Not only does Scripture tell us to “rejoice always” and “in everything give thanks”, it also says this:

Dear brothers and sisters,when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.
–James 1:2 (NLT)

Perhaps one reason we are to respond with joy is because the Bible encourages us in Nehemiah 8:10 by declaring, “the joy of the Lord is your strength”!

Amid manifold trials, souls which love God will find reasons for bounding, leaping joy.
–from Streams in the Desert.

Does this mean we are always happy? No. Does it mean we never battle our emotions and struggle with frustration? No. (Remember my ordeal with the Pop-Tarts!) But it does mean we can reach up to God and tap into the joy we find in Him!

We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed.
–2 Corinthians 4:8,9 (NLT)

(In case you are wondering…I did have my Pop-Tarts the next morning when my daughter was there to get them down for me! Not a very healthy breakfast, I know, but I was quite happy.)

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Open Doors

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When Willow comes to visit, we make sure all the doors are closed. My great granddaughter is an exuberant and active toddler. And she loves open doors. When a door is open, she’s ready to check it out! So the pantry door and cupboard doors, the bathroom door and bedroom doors are all kept closed. But if I go to my room when she is around, as soon as I open that door, she is right there with me, looking forward to going through it! To her an open door is an invitation and an opportunity. And indeed it is!

J. Wesley Clark was a minister. When he heard about a very small church in a very small town that needed a pastor, he and his wife decided to take a drive to see exactly where this church was located. As they drove past the church building, they noticed the front door of the church was wide open. God spoke to their hearts, That open door is for you. I was eleven years old when our new pastor shared his experience with us, and it has stayed with me. I loved the fact that God used a literal open door to show this man the open door waiting for him in his future.

The Lord opened a door of opportunity for me.
–2 Corinthians 2:12

There is a wide-open door for a great work here!
–1 Corinthians 16:9

There are several wonderful doors mentioned in the Bible. In the Old Testament book of Hosea, God sets before his people a “door of hope” and in the book of Acts there is offered to us a “door of faith”. But most exciting of all is when Jesus Himself declares: “I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved.”-John 10:9 These doors are not locked and barred. They are an invitation from God Himself to all of us. An open door for us to enter.

The doors that lead us to God are of utmost importance. We don’t want to neglect them! But we have other open doors set before us as well. Doors of opportunity and direction. Will we go through them with confidence? Or does fear hold us back from something that God has planned for us? As we look for guidance in our daily living, we need to check out those open doors.

Sometimes open doors may be hard to recognize. We get so focused on one direction, our own ideas and set plans, that we miss the other opportunities available to us. When hard times come our way and circumstances are not to our liking, we keep looking at the door that is shut instead of finding another door that just might be open!

Often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one that has been opened for us.
–Helen Keller

I hope that Willow keeps her enthusiasm for open doors. That as she grows older she will continue to look for the adventure that is on the other side of that door. For that matter, I want that kind of attitude, too! I don’t want to miss out on an adventure or overlook an opportunity by failing to go through an open door that God has put in front of me. How about you?

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I Don’t Want To!

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Moving isn’t easy. When my daughter and her family moved from New York to Minnesota, my granddaughter struggled. The day they left, they came to see me one more time and to say their goodbyes. My seven year old granddaughter clung to me and whispered imploringly in my ear, “I don’t want to!” I responded with “I know” and I assured her that it would be okay.

Sometimes I don’t want to either. I have had to move several times. The more difficult moves were leaving the churches and the people my husband and I had pastored to go to a new place of ministry. I remember on one occasion sobbing in the car and tearfully saying, “I can’t believe it’s over!” –the equivalent of saying, “I don’t want to.” But the most difficult move of all was when my husband unexpectedly passed away. I had to leave the home and life we had shared, and go on without him. My heart silently shouted, “I DON’T WANT TO!”

I’m not talking about the “I don’t want to” that is a defiant declaration of rebellion and stubbornness, but rather the cry that comes from fear and anxiety. Sometimes we are faced with changes in our lives that are out of our control and we just don’t know how we can go on. The loss of a spouse, the death of a child, a change in employment, or a dreaded diagnosis can lead us to despair and desperation. And we just don’t want it to be true!

But there is Someone we can go to, cling to, and cry to. We can lean into the arms of God and freely tell Him, “I don’t want to.” And He will respond with a gentle, “I know.” But with God there is more!! He not only understands and comforts, He goes with us!! If we lean on Him and trust in Him, He promises to be with us and to help us. No matter the circumstances or changes we are facing, God is right there, too!

Do not be afraid or discouraged.
For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.
–Joshua 1:9 (NLT)
For God has said, ‘I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.’ So we can say with confidence, ‘The Lord is my helper, so I will have no fear.’
–Hebrews 13:5,6 (NLT)
Be assured, if you walk with Him and look to Him and expect help from Him, He will never fail you.
–George Mueller

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