We have had a long rainy Spring and only now is my screened in porch inviting. My lush irises are purple and proud lit from behind by the morning sun.At their feet are small bright red lilies blooming early with their spring cousins,the irises.The roses,stunning coral, deep red,innocent pink,and white are cascading over the garden rocks and the white daisies that I carried on my wedding day, add whimsy and memories to my garden.
The grey wooden garden fence holds red honeysuckle which lures a family of hummingbirds.Strong shoots of day lilies lift buds of many colors.I go out each morning to see what the light has brought.
In this Eden, I say my morning prayers.At church the other day, I spoke to a man who has struggled mightily with alcohol addiction.He used to live under a bridge near our church.Somehow, he found his way to us and now he has an apartment and is leading a healthier life.He told me that if he misses his morning prayers, his day feels empty.Yes.
Yesterday, the morning reading leaped off the page.I read :"May Christ dwell in your hearts through faith,and may charity be the root and foundation of your life."Eph 3:17.
An image came to my mind that looks like this:there is a gentle looking figure at a door .He stands with an open shining face,a lantern in his hand, waiting for me to open the door and to acknowledge his presence. His knock is soft, one must really listen to hear it. Many years ago, I heard that knock, opened the door and invited him in.Without proof, I said::"I believe."
Without that, Christ would be an historical figure to me ,one I could admire and hope to emulate but who would always reamin outside.Not dwelling in my heart, he could not do his work of making love my foundation as it is his.
So ,what is my root,my first thought, my default mode? I want to tell you what I think Christ does with our puny humanness.I was at Goodwill the other day, searching ,always searching for the perfect book.The checkout girl had a scowl on her unattractive face, her hair in dirty strings and I made no attempt to engage her.As I walked to the car,she came running out with the purse that I had left in the cart.I thanked her profusely and told her that she was the best.Her smile was beautiful.Since then, when I see her,I tell her she's my best friend and then I just relish that smile.You see, that smile was there all along but I almost missed it.
I have a long way to go for my foundation to be what it should be but slowly, the work gets done.
How would you describe your foundation ?
".....To Him whose power now at work in us can do immeasurably more than we ask or imagine-to him be glory..."Eph 3.
3 comments:
your gift always gives me food for thought, I want to comment to let you know that, but the real comment comes after I have salivated over your truth revealed! Foundations...roots...an historical figure(!)...a smile almost missed. You are at work in my friend, my Lord!
Connie,Thank you for reading and commenting...i treasure that my words mean something to you....God bless...sha
Uncle Buck is 31 yrs. old and from Arkansas. He's walking the Appalachian Trail with his dog, Jake. He's a BIG guy with red hair in a Mohawk. Some judge him by his appearance and don't want to talk with him. He graciously offered me assistance when I needed it. He is kind and generous. He told me his story as I rested next to his sleeping bag in between Pink Lady and Uncle Buck with his dog in his sleeping bag. He was a blessing to me. Blessings come in packages that often times we don't take the time to open. Your writing today helped me put words to my experience of Uncle Buck.
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