The beauty in a dead tree

Good Morning Friends!  Wise and Wonderful is our God, Wednesday!  Yesterday I told you about our wonderful Thanksgiving at the cabin, today I want to share a little story from that afternoon.  Last Christmas Eve Papa and I took Cooper and Katy to the cabin for the day to have an old-fashioned Christmas!  We cut down a cedar tree, took it in and decorated it with homemade ornaments, we decorated cookies, had hot chocolate and cooked lunch on the camp stove and even took our naps there!  A wonderful time was had by all for sure.  Well, as things go….Kim and I don’t always get things done in a timely fashion….I think I got the tree undecorated and outside about…..April…..Kim always intended to cut it up and burn it, but just never got to it.  The once pretty little cedar tree with a homemade base still on it was still lying outside the cabin…..Thursday while Mom, Dad, Nana and Papa were sitting by the fire Cooper and Katy were doing some serious exploring!  Guess what they found???!!!  Yep, last year’s once beautiful, now dead, brittle Christmas tree….Cooper was thrilled!!!  He hollered at us, “look what I found, look it’s our Christmas tree from the cabin!” He was so excited, it was precious….Papa and I asked them, “remember last year we spent the day in the cabin and made cookies and decorated the tree?”  Oh yes they both remembered and were so excited sharing things they remembered.  Cooper was holding onto the tree, trying to get it up.  Mom and dad told him to get away from it because it was on prickley….but as they spoke, right in front of our eyes…..Cooper made his move to the cabin door……he was on a mission…..the once beautiful Christmas tree, now to say the least unattractive was going back into the cabin for this year’s Christmas celebration!  Cooper only saw a Christmas tree……he saw only the beauty of a day with Nana, Papa, and Sissy….a day he treasured, more than we could have ever imagined, in his heart.  Of course we had to stop him from putting it in the cabin (with a promise of doing it again), but I couldn’t stop thinking about Cooper and that tree……Cooper saw beauty in that dead tree.  Oh Cooper, sweet boy, what a wonderful lesson you have given your Nana….We are so quick to see the unattractive, past actions, or life styles of people in our lives…..remembering hurts, mistrusts, poor choices while missing the beauty inside, the beauty and forgiveness that God offers everyone….Makes me sad to think of the opportunities I have missed to share happy, loving times with people that might have “unattractive” trees in their pasts…..judging what I think I see or know…missing out on what God sees, missing out on the blessing of sharing with another of HIS children.  Father, forgive us when we misjudge one of Your children, give us eyes and hearts that see as You do.

 

You were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.  1 Corinthians 6:11.  If you forgive men when they sin against you, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you.  But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.  Matthew 6:14-15.  God has shown me that I should not call any man impure or unclean.  Acts 10:28.  Do to others as you would have them do to you.  Luke 6:31.  How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!  Psalm 133:1  Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.  Hebrews 10:24.  Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God.  Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.  1 John 4:7. 

Love you all!

 

Baskets of Love: Proverbs 18:16

Good Morning Friends!  Wise and Wonderful is our God, Wednesday!  Remember a couple weeks ago I told you about a Sunday school project that had little boys making bows to decorate baskets?  I was so proud of them.  Well last Saturday was our big day.  We met at church bright and early to bake muffins and cookies….yep the boys too!  After a short devotion we got to work filling the beautiful baskets with love….yes a harvest of love!  The kids had made note pads, wooly lambs, we had hot chocolate, tea, fruit, a pretty mug and lots of love.  After adding all the finishing touches we loaded into our cars and headed out to deliver the baskets to some older men and women of our congregation!  Our special friends did not know we were coming, but each one was so delighted to see the kids and tickled to get their special basket fixed for them by the kiddos!  Their faces glowed with joy….their words overflowed with gratitude.  After a couple of stops, I couldn’t help but notice how excited the kids were….not only the kids, but the adults that were with us!  Their faces….yep glowing….joy oozed from each of them as they told each person, “JESUS LOVES YOU!”  They would skip and jump their ways back to the cars to load up for the next visit…..they were giving……but in the process they, we, each of us “received.”  Oh we didn’t get pretty baskets full of fun stuff, what we got was worth much, much more than that.  We received the joy of “doing unto the least of one of these.”…the joy of “feeding His lambs” …..the joy of doing what pleases our Heavenly Father, following His will…the perfect joy…..give to others you will be rewarded with God’s love.  As Timothy said in his first book, chapter 1 verse 12….”I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that He considered me faithful, appointing me to His service.”  Take a minute to give today, you won’t be disappointed….you might even be excited at the joyous feelings that ooze from you.  We sang a song Sunday that says it all….”You can’t keep Jesus love in a box…….cause His love-ll’ come bubblin’ (or oozing) through.”  Thank you for Your love, fill our hearts to overflowing so as we are joyful we share that joy….giving it away makes us happy because You are happy!

 

Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in al things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 2 Corinthians 9 7-8.  Be sure to fear the Lord and serve Him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things He has done for you.  1 Samuel 12:24.  Love is patient, love is kind.  It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  1 Corinthians 13:4.  We love because He first loved us.  1 John 4:19.  I have spoken unto you, that My joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full John 15:11.  A gift opens the way for the giver and ushers him into the presence of the Great.  Proverbs 18:16.

Love you all!  Thank you for the joy you bring into my life!