Category: October2021

Posted on

Running Short on Time

I remember one of the first blogs I wrote from the mountains at the beginning of summer. I was recounting how early each morning the sun came up. The birds would start singing at approximately 4:15am to welcome the day. Here we are, four months later and the day doesn’t start to dawn until 5:45am, an hour and a half later.

The days are getting shorter.

Yesterday, we had quite a few campers check-in and they all remarked, one way or another, that they were here for their last camping trip of the season. We were asked repeatedly, how much longer will you be here. Our answer, just one more week.

We are running short on time.

It’s hard to think about not being in this beautiful place each day. We have loved our time in the mountains and we are praying, and expecting, to return again next year. But as I wrote in my journal this morning not only are the days getting visibly shorter in regard to length of daylight, and our time on the calendar has a definite end date, the days we have left on this earth are also getting shorter.

We need to make the most of the time we have before us.

While we’re here at this campground, we need to be diligent about the tasks that we’ve been given. The facilities need to be winterized. Things need to be packed away and building needs to be prepared to protect against the damage that the harsh weather could bring. We are busy examining each individual campsite, making notes of needed repairs before the next season. And we only have so many hours of daylight in which to accomplish these tasks..

The same applies to the circumstances of our life. We need to redeem the time, make the most of each day, so that our lives are lived well and we give glory to the Lord.

“You used to be like people living in the dark, but now you are people of the light because you belong to the Lord. So act like people of the light 9 and make your light shine. Be good and honest and truthful, 10 as you try to please the Lord. 11 Don’t take part in doing those worthless things that are done in the dark. Instead, show how wrong they are…15 Act like people with good sense and not like fools. 16 These are evil times, so make every minute count. 17 Don’t be stupid. Instead, find out what the Lord wants you to do.” Ephesians 5:7-17 CEV

I’ve heard it said that time is our most precious commodity. It’s the only thing we can’t get more of. We all are allotted the same 24 hours, the key is to use them wisely. Show love and kindness to those around us; be appreciative; let the world see Jesus in what we do.

Jesus spoke these words to his disciples. He knew something that we don’t; He knew his life would be short, He knew the number of his days.

“As long as it is day, we must do what the one who sent me wants me to do. When night comes, no one can work. 5 While I am in the world, I am the light for the world.” John 9:4-5 CEV

Jesus’ instruction was that we make the most of each day. He came to bring light to the lives of mankind and when He left, He gave us the same instruction. Bring light and God’s glory to those around us.

Let’s make every day count because we’re running short on time!

Posted on

Lead On!

In the early days, when settlers were heading West, the people who traveled by wagon train had scouts. These were men who had traveled the trail previously. They knew where there was water, they knew where game was plentiful. They also knew the dangers of rivers that needed to be forded and places where water was scarce, and the terrain was dangerous.

The scouts would lead the wagons on.

You already know that I’m a planner – a list maker. I imagine many of you are like me and looking forward to the end of the year. There’s so much to do, so, we better begin now.

This morning, I was making mental notes of all the things I need to do once we get home. (I had been doing it in my sleep and it robbed me of my rest.) I stopped my mental tracking and said, “Lord, what is it You want me to focus on?”

Lord, lead on!

Jesus is much better than those wagon train scouts. He came to earth to live in a human body so that he would experience all the things we face. He faced every trial and temptation and was victorious in all things.

“ Jesus clearly did not come to help angels, but he did come to help Abraham’s descendants. 17 He had to be one of us, so that he could serve God as our merciful and faithful high priest and sacrifice himself for the forgiveness of our sins. 18 And now that Jesus has suffered and was tempted, he can help anyone else who is tempted.” Hebrews 2:16-18 CEV

The safety of the wagon train was experienced leadership. Listening to the advice of those who had been there before and not striking out “doing it my own way”. The same is true of our Christian walk.

“ We have a great high priest, who has gone into heaven, and he is Jesus the Son of God. That is why we must hold on to what we have said about him. 15 Jesus understands every weakness of ours, because he was tempted in every way that we are. But he did not sin! 16 So whenever we are in need, we should come bravely before the throne of our merciful God. There we will be treated with undeserved kindness, and we will find help.” Hebrews 4:14-16 CEV

When we humble ourselves and trust in His leadership, letting Jesus chart the path before us, He will lead us safely through to our final destination. He will keep us from calamity!

“Show me your paths and teach me to follow; 5 guide me by your truth and instruct me.
You keep me safe, and I always trust you.” Psalms 25:4-5 CEV

Lord Jesus, lead on!

Posted on

Which Trail?

This summer Dave and I met a very nice couple from the Phoenix area. They camped at our campground for two weeks. They are avid hikers. Their energy is something to be envied.

The first night we met them, it was close to dusk. They stopped to talk and ask us about some hiking trails in the area. That day they had been out on a trail, a long loop, around the lake and back woods. They admitted that they had taken the wrong fork and instead of being a 6 mile hike as they had planned, they ended up hiking almost 16 miles.

Wow!

They said they had seen some of the most beautiful country and were glad that they had that experience.

I can’t say that has always been the case for me. Life has taken me down some trails I didn’t expect or want. However, the thing that has always been true is I have never been alone. Even the times I was off doing my own thing, not asking the Father for His direction or His purpose, He never left me alone and He won’t abandon you either.

Case in point: Remember Jonah? In complete and utterance disobedience, he ran from God. God told him to go to Nineveh and preach. Jonah went to the docks and got on a ship headed to Tarshish, in the opposite direction. He was running from the Lord. Even in that, God didn’t abandon Him.

“I had sunk down below the underwater mountains; I knew that forever,  I would be a prisoner there. But, you, Lord God, rescued me from that pit. 7 When my life was slipping away,  I remembered you—in your holy temple you heard my prayer.” Jonah 2:6-7 CEV

The Father doesn’t approve of our disobedience but He won’t disown or abandon His children. For that we should be extremely grateful.

“What can we say about all this? If God is on our side, can anyone be against us? 32 God did not keep back his own Son, but he gave him for us. If God did this, won’t he freely give us everything else? 33 If God says his chosen ones are acceptable to him, can anyone bring charges against them? 34 Or can anyone condemn them? No indeed! Christ died and was raised to life, and now he is at God’s right side,[a] speaking to him for us. 35 Can anything separate us from the love of Christ? Can trouble, suffering, and hard times, or hunger and nakedness, or danger and death? 36 It is exactly as the Scriptures say,

“For you we face death all day long. We are like sheep on their way to be butchered.”

37 In everything we have won more than a victory because of Christ who loves us. 38 I am sure that nothing can separate us from God’s love—not life or death, not angels or spirits, not the present or the future, 39 and not powers above or powers below. Nothing in all creation can separate us from God’s love for us in Christ Jesus our Lord!

Have you been on the wrong trail? Do you feel you are out there all alone? Do what Jonah did and cry out to the Father for help; He is there and He will rescue you!

He will guide you back to the right trail. Nothing can separate us from the love of God!

Posted on

The Trees Are Singing

The other day I received some very sad news. My heart was aching and I told Dave I wanted to go through the campground and look at the aspens. I wanted to see some of the Lord’s beauty.

The trees are just starting to change, some are already yellow but the gold and fire red has yet to come full color. I have been waiting for this brilliant display for a couple of weeks. There was a slight breeze rustling in the tops of the trees and I could almost hear them singing.

“Tell the heavens and the earth to be glad and celebrate! And announce to the nations,  ‘The Lord is King!’ 32 Command the ocean to roar with all of its creatures and the fields to rejoice with all of their crops. 33 Then every tree in the forest will sing joyful songs to the Lord. He is coming to judge  all people on earth. 34 Praise the Lord because he is good to us, and his love never fails.” I Chronicles 16:31-34 CEV

The sound of the wind whistling through the trees was telling me that “The Lord is good, His love never fails”. They were singing their joyful song.

So often we fail to recognize the thing we need most. We get so busy, caught in the search, that we fail to recognize the simple answer that we seek.

“You have shown me the path to life, and you make me glad by being near to me. Sitting at your right side, I will always be joyful.” Psalm 16:11 CEV

The peace and contentment, joy and comfort we seek, can be found sitting in the presence of the Lord. Sitting quietly, telling Him our hearts’ disappointments and sorrows, gives Him time to fill our emptiness with all of who He is.

In the midst of our storm and crisis, Jesus speaks these words, “Peace, be still”!

“Jesus was inside the boat, sleeping with his head on a pillow. The followers went and woke him. They said, “Teacher, don’t you care about us? We are going to drown!”

39 Jesus stood up and gave a command to the wind and the water. He said, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind stopped, and the lake became calm. 40 He said to his followers, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” Mark 4:38-40 ERV

He calms our fears and shows us His power is greater than our storm.

Maybe today, you’re like me, and just need to take time to hear the trees singing of His great love!

Posted on

All The Time

My thoughts are all over the place this morning. For the first time in months I slept in. I was shocked when I woke and saw that it was already 4:30 am.

I came to my chair in the living room, after starting the coffee, and told the Lord I loved Him. My heart was instantly stirred with the words of the old hymn, How Great Thou Art.

Oh Lord, my God, when I in awesome wonder
Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder
Thy power throughout the universe displayed

Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee
How great Thou art, how great Thou art
Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee
How great Thou art, how great Thou art

When through the woods, and forest glades I wander
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees
When I look down from lofty mountain grandeur
And hear the brook, and feel the gentle breeze

Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee
How great Thou art, how great Thou art
Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee
How great Thou art, how great Thou art

I sat here – reading, praying, and letting those words minister to my heart. How Great Thou Art!

In the morning God is great! At noon time God is great! In the evening, God is great! There is never a time when God is not great, loving, kind and good!

“Let the name of the Lord be praised now and forever. 3 From dawn until sunset  the name of the Lord deserves to be praised. 4 The Lord is far above all of the nations;  he is more glorious  than the heavens. 5 No one can compare with the Lord our God. His throne is high above,” Psalm 113:2-5 CEV

No matter the time, the day or the year God is great – all the time! Tell Him of your love today.

Posted on

What About Tomorrow?

Dave and I are planners – yes, it’s a blessing and a curse. We make “lists”; first in our heads, then in our conversation and finally we put them down on paper.

We only have a couple more weeks on the mountain. We’ve loved our time here and would really hate to leave except that the cooler temperatures are reminding us it’s going to get cold. After living in Montana where it could get to 25-35 below zero, we have decided we don’t like being cold.

So, thinking ahead to what’s next once we leave our mountain home, we have begun to organize our thoughts and our priorities. It’s a common question amongst camp hosts – where will you go and what will you do when you leave here.

The last few nights we have been sitting by the fire talking, organizing, making our list and to be honest, there is an anxiousness that has started to creep in. Almost a worry about some things. That’s where we were a few nights ago. That angst needed to be banished – it’s not from God, we know that. God’s plans bring peace!

“But more than anything else, put God’s work first and do what he wants. Then the other things will be yours as well. 34 Don’t worry about tomorrow. It will take care of itself. You have enough to worry about today.” Matthew 6:33-34 CEV

When we are trusting God with our tomorrows we can leave worry behind. There is nothing, absolutely nothing, that our Father isn’t capable of handling. Not one thing that will arise in our lives with catch Him by surprise!

“Look how the wild flowers grow! They don’t work hard to make their clothes. But I tell you that Solomon with all his wealth wasn’t as well clothed as one of these flowers. 28 God gives such beauty to everything that grows in the fields, even though it is here today and thrown into a fire tomorrow. Won’t he do even more for you? You have such little faith! 29 Don’t keep worrying about having something to eat or drink. 30 Only people who don’t know God are always worrying about such things. Your Father knows what you need.” Luke 12:27-30 CEV

There’s an old song I used to sing, “I Know Who Holds Tomorrow”, that’s been running through my head lately. It brings me back to that place of peace that I know the Lord has designed for me.

“I don’t know about tomorrow
I just live for day to day
I don’t borrow from the sunshine
For it’s skies may turn to gray

I don’t worry o’er the future
For I know what Jesus said
And today I’ll walk beside Him
For He knows what lies ahead

Many things about tomorrow
I don’t seem to understand
But I know who holds tomorrow
And I know who holds my hand”

I’m writing this to myself today and if it ministers to you I’m glad!

“The Lord gives perfect peace to those whose faith is firm. 4 So always trust the Lord
because he is forever our mighty rock” Isaiah 26:3-4 CEV

Lord, I give you my today and my tomorrow. I’ll hold Your hand and walk in Your peace!

Posted on

Living Hope

Things are so grand on the mountain – the ponderosa pines tower over our campground, the rocks are huge, the elk are massive and the trout are trophy size! I love being here to experience all of this but there is another side to it as well.

When we walk through the forest we are constantly reminded that nothing on this earth lasts forever. There we find trees that have succumbed to fire, lightning or even a fungus or an insect. They lay in a state of decay across the forest floor.

On one of our walks we even found a carcass from a winter past. The bones were whitened by the elements – the rain, the snow and the sun. Life ends and new life comes.

Loss is heartbreaking!

I was reminded just yesterday that Jesus wept at the loss of his friend. He knows the anguish we experience with loss and He provides us with a new and living hope.

“Praise God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is so good, and by raising Jesus from death, he has given us new life and a hope that lives on. 4 God has something stored up for you in heaven, where it will never decay or be ruined or disappear.” I Peter 1:3-4 CEV

Christ died but the story doesn’t end there. He didn’t face the decay of death but He rose victoriously from the grave. He defeated death so that we might have new life and new hope.

“Unless Christ was raised to life, your faith is useless, and you are still living in your sins. 18 And those people who died after putting their faith in him are completely lost. 19 If our hope in Christ is good only for this life, we are worse off than anyone else. 20 But Christ has been raised to life! And he makes us certain that others will also be raised to life. 21 Just as we will die because of Adam, we will be raised to life because of Christ.” I Corinthians 15:17-21 CEV

It would be easy to become discouraged when loved ones die and we are left with emptiness and heartache. Jesus knew what that would be like for His own disciples when they went through the anguish of His death. These are His words:

“Jesus said, “Don’t be troubled. Trust in God, and trust in me. 2 There are many rooms in my Father’s house. I would not tell you this if it were not true. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3 After I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back. Then I will take you with me, so that you can be where I am.” John 14:1-3 ERV

If you have experienced the lost of a friend or loved one take heart – the separation that we feel here on earth will soon be replaced with an eternity of joy in heaven!

We have that living hope!

Posted on

Out In the Open

For the last several weeks it has been hunting season on the mountain. Deer, turkey, bear, antelope, mountain lion, elk and now duck. This is an area with an abundance of game.

For several days we traveled the road to town. It is so enjoyable because we would always see game in the open meadows or amongst the trees along the roadside. But about a week ago we noticed that the meadows were empty. It was hunting season and wildlife was scarce.

But two days ago they were back! The danger was gone and they felt safe to come out in the open.

I’m going to miss not being on the mountain! I’ve been reminded of so many of God’s truths in the last four months. These antelope brought another truth to mind. They retreated, they hid in the underbrush of the pine thickets during hunting season – they made it hard for their adversaries to find them.

In the Old Testament we find Scripture telling us that God is our hiding place. He protects us from our enemies.

” Show your wonderful love. Your mighty arm protects those who run to you for safety from their enemies. 8 Protect me as you would your very own eyes; hide me in the shadow of your wings.” Psalm 17:7-8 CEV

They hid instead of coming face-to-face with the enemy. But in the New Testament, we believers are instructed to “be bold”, unafraid, courageous as we face the enemy. Jesus told his disciples to go to Jerusalem and wait for the presence of the Holy Spirit who would fill them with power to be witnesses.

And that they did!

They went from hiding in the days after Christ’s crucifixion to standing boldly in front of the crowds and proclaiming the resurrection and new life in Christ. Their adversaries had them beaten and imprisoned. They were maligned and persecuted. Their response, they prayed for more boldness.

“Lord, listen to their threats! We are your servants. So make us brave enough to speak your message. 30 Show your mighty power, as we heal people and work miracles and wonders in the name of your holy Servant Jesus. 31 After they had prayed, the meeting place shook. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and bravely spoke God’s message.” Acts 4:29-31 CEV

Our reaction should be the same. When we have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, we have the power of God defending us. There is no reason to hide. Ours is not a defensive battle against our enemy, we are on the offensive – taking ground – enacting the victory!

“Finally, let the mighty strength of the Lord make you strong. 11 Put on all the armor that God gives, so you can defend yourself against the devil’s tricks. 12 We are not fighting against humans. We are fighting against forces and authorities and against rulers of darkness and powers in the spiritual world. 13 So put on all the armor that God gives. Then when that evil day comes, you will be able to defend yourself. And when the battle is over, you will still be standing firm.” Ephesians 6:10-14 CEV

We stand at the start of the battle and we will still be standing, victorious, when the battle is over!

Come out in the open and let the power of God bring us to victory!

Posted on

Time To Soar

Look to the center of my picture, do you see the hawk sailing in the sky?

For a little over a week now, Dave and I have been watching the hawks soaring above the mountain terrain. This happens most often in the mid-to-late afternoon. At times, there may be as many as twenty or more soaring effortlessly in their lazy circles.

We have talked with the folks we know asking if anyone knows why this happens, but no one does. And it’s not just unique to our mountain campground, when we went into town the other day we noticed the same thing happening over the pasturelands. They have peaked my curiosity.

Some of them have even come so low as to skim the tree tops right beside our RV. Their soaring is silent and they seem to exert no energy at all. Completely different from the crows and ravens who make a loud and disturbing “whoop, whoop, whoop” as the flap their wings with much deliberate movement as they seek to attain altitude.

I even tried to do a search on why hawks soar together in circles. It was not an exhaustive search but I found that when one hawk finds a warm air thermal and lets it lift him up, others will notice and come join him in his flight.

Who teaches the hawks and the eagles that they can soar in the heights? I wonder, are these “training flights” for their upcoming migration to the warmer climates? Are these conditioning flights, similar to what marathon runners do when they are in training for an upcoming race? Are they increasing their endurance?

The Bible makes many comparisons about the Lord sheltering us under the shadow of His wings, protecting us, keeping us from harm. It also says He cares for the birds and we are much more valuable to Him than they are so we can be confident that He will provide for us.

“The Lord chose his people to be his own. The people of Jacob belong to him. 10 “The Lord found them in the desert,  in an empty, windy land. He surrounded them and watched over them. He protected them like the pupil of his eye,11 like an eagle when she makes her young leave the nest to fly. She stays close to them, ready to help. She spreads her wings to catch them when they fall and carries them to a safe place. 12 The Lord alone led his people. They had no help from any foreign god.” Deuteronomy 32:9-12 ERV

The Lord chose the nation of Israel as His own but He has also chosen us. His protection for us will be the same as what they experienced. The Lord is there to catch us when we start to fall and carry us to safety.

It’s the Lord who provides the thermals that cause the hawks to soar. His word gives us what we need to soar, with renewed strength.

“Surely you know the truth. Surely you have heard. The Lord is the God who lives forever!
 He created all the faraway places on earth. He does not get tired and weary. You cannot learn all he knows. 29 He helps tired people be strong.  He gives power to those without it.
30 Young men get tired and need to rest. Even young boys stumble and fall. 31 But those who trust in the Lord will become strong again. They will be like eagles that grow new feathers. They will run and not get weak. They will walk and not get tired.” Isaiah 40:28-31 ERV

Are you weary? Go to the Lord – He will renew your strength and teach you how to soar!

Privacy Policy Proudly powered by WordPress