Visions & Verses

Bittersweet Growth

So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.
~1 Corinthians 3:7

Spring is definitely the time for growth!  My barren backyard is now overflowing with leaves, seed pods, flower blossoms and weeds.  Flowers sprung up out of long forgotten planting beds and turned bleak gray into a rainbow of delight.

Spring is also a time of birthdays in my circle of family and friends.  And as much of a blessing it is to celebrate another year together, it's also a little bittersweet for me to recognize how much time has passed.  It made me think of the dichotomy of growth (college vocab paying off!).  More simply, the two sides to growth: as you move forward, something is left behind.  For me, as my children move ever closer to adulthood, I leave behind bakesales, field trips, trick-or-treating, kid craft kits, pinata birthday parties, and of course, my illusion of my own youth.  You may feel the same when you wake up, and lie to yourself in the mirror, but when the babies become toddlers, and tweens become teens, you have to admit it -- you're gettin' old!

For my kids, it's even harder.  Growing older means more freedom, more knowledge, new experiences, whole new worlds of ideas and challenges.  Heading off to high school is exciting!  But at the same time they're not quite ready to give up cherished teddys, snuggly blankets, game nights and other accumulated bits of childhood.  And my older son was lamenting over the difficult and sudden transition from nerf fight sleep overs to driving lessons, girlfriends, and college applications.

I'm sympathetic.  I remember the crazy dichotomy of those teen years when I would angrily demand to be treated like an adult while wearing my fuzzy pajamas with cartoon kitties on them.  And the difficulty of accepting more responsibility and more work in return for more trust and more freedom.

And I warn my kids that, truly, it never really ends.  God understands that to move forward you have to leave some things behind.  Jesus told us that to truly be his disciple we need to be willing to leave everything behind and take up our cross to follow him (Matthew 10:37-39).  Spiritual growth requires leaving some habits behinds, perhaps even some relationships, maybe some possessions.  It IS a sacrifice. But the other side is that you move forward into a closer relationship with God, gain more trust in God, and God will be able to use you to accomplish His purposes that much more.

So with all those thoughts flying around in my head, I drew this illustration for my daughter.  I tried to capture that transitional time when sparkly pens write scholarly reviews of Dickens, and chess tournament medals inhabit the same nightstand as cell phones and glitter nail polish, and the most secret, profound ponderings are journaled while in a ruffly night gown, curled up in a cartoon princess comforter.

Dear Lord, please be patient with us as we strive to grow in our knowledge of You and Your will for our lives.  Show which parts of our lives need to be left behind as we move forward toward a deeper relationship with You.  And like the loving gardener that You are, trim our lives so that we will become fruitful and abundant for Your glory.  Amen.

 

The Bible, the History Channel and a GIVEAWAY! (What could be better?)

From infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures. They have the power to give you wisdom so that you can be saved through faith in Christ Jesus. Every Scripture passage is inspired by God. All of them are useful for teaching, pointing out errors, correcting people, and training them for a life that has God’s approval.  ~2 Timothy 3:15-16 GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)

Here's some exciting news: we are less than 7 days from the release of Roma Downey (Touched by an Angel) and her husband, MEGA producer Mark Burnett's (Survivor, Celebrity Apprentice, The Voice) EPIC miniseries: THE BIBLE.

Airing on 3.3.13 on History Channel, Mark Burnett has called this his biggest & most important project to date! Receiving support from superstars such as CeeLo Green and Blake Shelton to religious leaders such as Joel Osteen and Bishop T.D. Jakes and even the likes of Maya Angelou, this will without a doubt be a must-see television event!

Watch the trailer now!

I'm so excited to see this coming to television and I really pray that it encourages generations of people to pick up The Bible and be transformed by the Word.  Personally, I don't think there is anything in this world that has the power to put us in touch with God, transform ourselves and transform the world like the Word of God, The Bible.  Everywhere God's Word and Law is transmitted by men, religion and ritual takes over; but where God's Word is read and shared there is transformation, Reformation and relationship with God!

AND to celebrate the premier of this EPIC miniseries on my favorite channel, History, (you know I was a History major, right?) I have a GIVEAWAY!!  Just comment here or on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Visions-Verses and tell me what The Bible has meant to you in your life.  I'll throw the names of all the commenters in a hat and pick one on Premier Night: March 3, 2013. The lucky winner will recieve:

• The companion devotional, A Story of God & All of Us Reflections, 100 Daily Inspirations based on the epic miniseries, The Bible.

I look forward to hearing your reflections on The Bible, and to picking the lucky winner!! 

 

 

 

Celebration Giveaway Time...

Who would have ever imagined that I would have more than 1500 FB Friends!Not me... that's for sure!� But I'm feeling the love. and I know who gets the glory!So... because you have shown your love and blessed my heartby "liking" me on FB... I want to show you my love back by having a... CELEBRATION GIVEAWAY!!~ with three lovely winners ~

I put together this little box of goodies full of encouraging words,Bible verses, and beautiful blessings...

...and the FIRST PLACE WINNER will receive everything in the box:1) a "Prayer Changes Things" 8" Plaque2) a 'Set Free" Magnet3) a collection of 12 Blessing Cards

via karladornacher.typepad.com

My favorite Christian Artist and friend is having a give away of her FABULOUS art. What a colorful, joyful inspiration to brighten up this dreary time of year, eh? Check it out!!

Parenting Lessons from God

²⁸ “What do you think about this? A man had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go to work in the vineyard today.’

²⁹ “His son replied, ‘I don’t want to!’ But later he changed his mind and went.

³⁰ “The father went to the other son and told him the same thing. He replied, ‘I will, sir,’ but he didn’t go.

³¹ “Which of the two sons did what the father wanted?”

“The first,” they answered.

Jesus said to them, “I can guarantee this truth: Tax collectors and prostitutes are going into the kingdom of God ahead of you.

~Matthew 21:28-43

I have found that in parenting my children, I am often parenting myself.  When I hear me instructing them on the best way to do a task or order their lives or telling them what God has said about this or that, I hear it myself and realize how much I need to heed my own lessons.  I have come to see how very much my relationship with God is a parent-child relationship.  And that makes me a more humble child of God and a more merciful parent to my kids.

I like this parable because I have two children just like this.  I've made my peace with the grumpy nay-sayer who eventually does what he's asked, but it's the cheerful, enthusiastic one who forgets, puts off, or just plain doesn't do what she's asked that really gets me.  And this is my lesson from God.  Her attitude is great.  She seems obedient, but when the dishwasher is not unloaded, and dishes are piling up on the counter and we're eating with plastic forks, I realize exactly what Jesus was saying in the parable: “If you love me, you will obey my commandments. (John 14:15)  My child was apologetic, 'sorry, SORRY!'  But as I said, that sorry is worthless.  That sorry didn't get the dishes put away.  That sorry didn't do anything to help me or accomplish the mission.

And I could hear God saying the same to us.  It won't matter if we're sorry we didn't feed the poor, or if we accidentally forgot to help the needy, or if we got distracted and didn't share the gospel with the brokenhearted.  All our good intentions will not have amounted to anything.  If we REALLY love God, we'll obey His commands, and live the life He envisions for us - a life of holy living and humble giving.  I want to hear 'well done good and faithful servant', not weeping and gnashing of teeth as I see the life I could have lived, impacting people powerfully for the glory of God.

Lord, help me to remember to be an obedient child and set aside my desires and my pleasures to do the 'chores' you have assigned me.  Keep working in me to make me better than I am, molding me more and more in your image.  Give me Your wisdom to raise up my children in the way they should go, even as I am still learning that myself.  Amen.

 

This is the Time for Singing!

In the countryside the flowers are in bloom. This is the time for singing; the song of doves is heard in the fields. ~Song of Solomon 2:12

This is my latest painting and my first real foray into acrylics.  I have to say that I was definitely inspired by the arrival of Spring, and the beautiful blooming tulips and the unseasonably warm weather we were having.

Spring is definitely the best time for Easter.  Watching the trees bloom in purple, white and pink and the sunny daffodils wave in the breeze and the crocuses erupting into colorful displays just makes my heart sing!  My soul is definitely stirred by the seasonal resurrection of the plants and trees, and puts me in mind of that Resurrection that ransomed my own soul from death.  The Iranians celebrate their New Year on the first day of Spring, and to me that just seems more fitting.  For Christians Easter is truly like the beginning of a New Year...of a New Life, in Christ.  All the flowers and colors and bird songs remind us of the joy we feel at knowing we have been forgiven and ransomed and redeemed. I hesitate to let go of this wonderful Easter feeling, knowing that the end of the school year and summer are coming with all that busy-ness they bring.  For now, I just want to enjoy the flowers and welcome back my bird friends to the feeder and the birdhouses that have been waiting for their return.  This IS the time for singing!

Heavenly Father, thank you for the return of Spring and for all the goodness it brings.  Thank you for the seasons as reminders of your provision for us.  Let this season remind us of the sacrifice that Jesus made for us all so that though we were dead in our sins, we could be reborn into a springtime of fellowship with You.  Amen.