Month: February 2010

The kids may have had off from school, but there were some awesome lessons to be learned on our recent snow day! Here’s a few more:

Paul demonstrated what a true neighbor does – saw my need and answered the problem with no expectation of reciprocity. But immediately I began thinking of how I could repay him for his kindness. He offered to finish shoveling the front walk I was working on. But I said that I was fine. Thanks, but no thanks. In truth, I behaved like a little child trying to be self-sufficient, not wanting to receive a helping hand. He could have done it in half the time, and as his sweet wife, Nancy, told me the next day, he was going stir crazy in the house and was looking for things to do. He actually enjoyed it! And I robbed him of his blessing by rejecting his offer of help.
I remember well the days when my children would say “I do it myself!” when I knew that they weren’t mature enough yet to do the task. As I try to stand in my own feeble strength, the Lord is beckoning me to lean on Him. “For when I am weak [in human strength], then am I [truly] strong (able, powerful in divine strength).” 2 Cor. 12:10 Amp.
Too often, I reject the help of God and other people in a misguided attempt at independence. It’s easier for me to be the ‘helper’ than the ‘helpee’. But when I resist the help that someone offers, I rob them of a blessing. God desires to bless us, but when we try to do it ourselves, we miss out on that divine intervention.

Fragile dainty snowflakes, not one like another, easily crushed by the slightest pressure, yet together, they became a formidable force. Swirling, they blind drivers. Accumulating, they grow into massive mounds. Freezing, they create slick and dangerous icy surfaces.
Oh, what we can learn from the snowflake. We, too, are fragile when alone. We are each uniquely different from one another. If we focus on those differences, we remain alone and frail. But if we stand together, we become mighty, powerful to defeat our common foe. Yet…

The front walkway was cleared as much as humanly possible with the shovel, but still was not totally free from snow. But late in the afternoon, half the walk was completely clear. Which half? The half that was in the sun. Half of the front yard is covered by shade. The part of the walk in the shade remained snow-covered.

The light and warmth of the sun can do what no human intervention can do. And the light and warmth of the Son can do what no human intervention can do. As powerful a force when we band together, it pales in comparison to the mighty works of God.

Beautiful as it is, the pristine snow doesn’t stay pristine for very long. The dirt and grime of feet, vehicles and debris muddle the white landscape.
And as long as we tread on this earth, there will always be cleanup activity. God cleans us up making our scarlet sins as white as snow, and then reveals new areas to work on. Life is a journey, not a destination. the Lord is our pilot, our janitor, our partner, our friend along the way. But He is more than that. He is our source of life and will keep us in this life and the next. Even when it’s over, it’s never over! Praise the Lord!

Susan

Thankfully, God meets us in the mundane.

As I was working away in the middle of the snowstorm, He met me and shared some valuable lessons. So many that it will take more than one post to share. Today and tomorrow, I’ll be sharing some snippets of what I learned in the storm.

First of all, I ventured out into the snowstorm to clear away the first 6 inches that had fallen. I knew that if I waited until it was 12 – 18 inches high, the job would be much more demanding. Since I am a first class procrastinator, this was a major accomplishment.
If only I would face my temptations, problems and weaknesses the same way, dealing with my issues early before they get deep-rooted.

Before going out, I put on my warmest, driest ski coat, my waterproof Thinsulate boots, my ski gloves and hat, and my lumbar support belt. Preparing like this left me relatively warm and dry despite the cold and wet environment.
Before facing the storms of life, it pays to be prepared. It’s important to have God’s Word hidden in your heart before the crisis hits, so that when trials come, the Word can be brought to mind. When you need to withdraw some cash from the ATM, you can only do so if you previously made the deposit in the bank. The Lord can bring to mind only what was previously deposited there.

The branches heavily laden with snow look spectacular, a pristine winter wonderland. However, they present a danger to the tree. A few years ago, our dogwood tree split due to the weight of the snow and later died due to the gaping wound it exposed. My giant azalea and several trees were now in danger. It took a few battering blows to knock off the offending snow. But after the snow was gone, the branches lifted higher now relieved of their burden.
Jesus said that if we lean on Him, our burden is light (Matt. 11:30). He lifts our burdens and removes our pain. But sometimes, like the prodigal son, we need a “blow” to knock us to our senses and return to our Father.

When a Pharisee asked Jesus, “Who is my neighbor,” Jesus responded with the parable of the “good” Samaritan who, with no thought of being repayed, cared for a man who was left bruised and beaten on the side of the road. He sacrificed his time and money to help another in need. Although he was from a very different neighborhood, the Samaritan was the true neighbor who we are to “love as we love ourselves.”




More on Paul and my life lessons tomorrow….

“Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass. It’s about learning to dance in the rain.”

Susan