(G)Leaning on Grace

It’s been a whole year since the last time I blogged so surely there is something new to report. In 365 days of living, life must have made its appearance in some positive form or maybe even a less desirable interaction. So, on the eve of the dawning of yet another new year, let’s take a look back at where God has taken me in 2012, what I have experienced as well as lessons learned or maybe should have learned. Yes, as I blogged last year, I have continued on with pursuing my dream of a college degree. At this time, I am just three classes shy of completion. Fifteen weeks of class time ahead and I will be a graduate! It almost doesn’t seem real. I have also continued with piano lessons. I will most likely never be a concert pianist, but I can  play a bit of music, simple but fun, and I enjoy it. In my eyes, that is an accomplishment and it makes me happy. I did make it through a whole year of work and life without any major illnesses or surgeries. In comparison to recent years t...

Looking back on this last year I have been mulling over what I have done, what I didn’t do, and what I have learned.  While much of my daily life is the same, the way I choose to approach it has changed because I finally realized that having dreams, making goals is not the answer without a plan to accomplish them. I confess that I did not take advantage of the wonderful opportunity I was blessed with when I was a high school graduate. I received a college scholarship that would have just about paid for everything I needed for four years. I could have gone to any college I wanted and studied any subject matter a chose. But, instead of taking that opportunity and running with it, I wasted it by being indecisive and unmotivated. I wasted four years and had pretty much nothing to show for it when I was done. Now, 27 years later, I finally have focus. Instead of spending my time thinking ‘what if’ or ‘should have’ I am choosing to do something about it. In July of 2011 I enrolled in...

Seven short years ago, I had a shocking and overwhelmingly humbling experience. Lightning struck my workplace and 4 of us were sent to the hospital to be checked out. After some tests, I was told that I had a very large brain tumor and admitted to the hospital. That was petrifying. On day two of my stay, the neurosurgeon corrected the diagnosis. It was not a tumor but an Arachnoid Cyst in the left side of my head. Taking up almost one fifth of the space allotted to my brain, this fluid filled bubble was apparently inside my head in some form my whole life. At that time, the doctors said we would monitor it, and as long as it did not change size or cause symptoms then it would be safer to leave it be. That was in May. Within three months time, I was struck by lightning, told about this huge cyst, after fourteen years of marriage, my husband Bill and I were struggling and considering separation, our 13 year old Boston terrier had a stroke and we had to put him to sleep and a close fr...

See, the Sovereign LORD comes with power,         and his arm rules for him.        See, his reward is with him,        and his recompense accompanies him. He tends his flock like a shepherd:        He gathers the lambs in his arms        and carries them close to his heart;        he gently leads those that have young. Isaiah 40:10-11   Our great God is described in many ways; he can do all things with great power and gentle tenderness.  He created this universe from the faraway stars and planets down to the tiniest particle of sand that we walk on at the beach.  He knows every microscopic piece of my body because he designed them. For you created my inmost being;        you knit me together in my mother's womb Psa...

“As it turned out, she found herself working in the field belonging to Boaz, who was from the clan of Elimelech.”  Ruth 2:3   The text states that “As it turned out, she found herself working in the field belonging to Boaz, who was from the clan of Elimelech.” (v. 3) Some might call that coincidence; I call it God’s grace. Of all the fields she could have chosen, she was led to this particular field where Boaz would notice her. He returns at a time when she is there, working diligently. He sees this young woman stooping and gathering behind his servant girls. He asks his work foreman about her who points out she is the Moabitess that returned with Naomi. It is obvious by that statement that her appearance in Bethlehem was well known. Her reputation has preceded her. The foreman also informs his boss of her steady work. Immediately impressed with her loyalty Boaz decides to help her by offering for her to continue in his fields with his servant girls. He ordered his men ...

“Let me go to the fields and pick up leftover grain behind anyone in whose eyes I find favor.”   Ruth 2:2   Sometimes we look for the blessing or provision to come as one great miracle when in fact it often comes in small tidbits. Gleanings, if you will, of God’s grace and love that affect our lives little by little gradually altering our actions, our words and most especially our hearts. So was the case with Ruth. It was over a period of days, weeks and months through the harvest seasons that she was devoted to her work and went day after day to glean from the fields of Boaz. Through the harvesting of first barley and then wheat, she returned and worked faithfully without complaint. Knowing their need for provision, they would be hungry; Ruth offered to go glean to help provide for both herself and Naomi. “Let me go to the fields and pick up leftover grain behind anyone in whose eyes I find favor.” Although the Law gave her the right to glean, it did not guarantee ...

I heard a Pastor speak about how Abraham ‘prayed’ to God and how God listened to him.  The scripture mentioned was in Genesis 18 about the plan to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah.  Abraham was pleading with God to spare the cities, bargaining on behalf of the righteous ones that may still be found there.  God ultimately agreed not to destroy them if there were as few as ten righteous people among the wicked. Well we all know that those cities reaped the punishment of the evil ways in which its citizens lived.  But this was not the only case of God listening and changing his heart because of the cries of the faithful.  There was another time in Abraham’s life where scripture clearly shows that God’s heart can be changed by prayer. In Genesis 16 Hagar, Sarai’s Egyptian maidservant becomes pregnant with Abram’s first son.  She tries to run away because of the mistreatment she receives from her mistress.  In the desert an Angel of the Lord speaks to her, te...