Keeping Perspective

I so easily loose my sense of balance!  Deadlines hit, demands spiral and I begin to see everything as urgent.  But Melissa had the right priorities: put God first and everything else falls in place!  Once God is at the top of my list, everything else becomes less important in light of eternity, and my blood pressure immediately goes down!  Keeping perspective means focusing on all that matters, loving others and drinking in the presence of God.  It's a constant struggle for me to maintain that balance, but God is always there to catch me as I tumble, and set me back on track with a smile on my face after I fall. Thank  you, Lord!

Feeling Helpless

The only news we hear this week describes the unspeakable suffering and tragedy in Haiti.  Who can see the magnitude of destruction and hear the voices of desperation without feeling helpless, inadequate and overwhelmed?  When our concerns become too big for us to handle, we need Someone bigger.  Prayer is a very real and powerful intervention, for just as the angel Gabriel told Mary, nothing is impossible with God.  Our financial resources may be limited, but prayers we can give endlessly!  Melissa's prayers were full of lists of requests to God on behalf of  her friends, especially their faith.  So, let's lift up the people in Haiti, asking not only for physical healing but also for emotional strength, hope, and faith to see the arms of God even in the midst of devastation.  God comes quickly near to those who call to Him, just as Melissa found out the night she was diagnosed with cancer.  Bringing the people of Haiti before the throne of Heaven is one strong action we can take every day!

Perfect Timing

I'm always impatient with myself and how much I can get accomplished in a day.  But God's timing is perfect. Sometimes, even my inability to meet my own schedule is all part of the big plan, the tapestry God is weaving is my life. I gave two "Melissa" gifts yesterday, and I didn't even realize how perfectly they were connected.  But God knew, and Melissa knew.  As the gifts were unwrapped the miraculous connection was revealed.  How perfect!  .... So, the secret to perfect timing is to pray, and listen, and follow that inner voice, and trust, continuing to look for the fingerprints of God in all the little "coincidences" of our lives.