drivers license

As she headed down the street she was thankful that renewing ones drivers license only comes once every five years. She confidently enter the parking lot and began scanning the buildings for the right one. Finally she find it and pull into a parking place not far from the front door. She quickly strode into the building and stopped. It didn't quite look right but she was not to be deterred. However, approaching the counter and asking to get her drivers license renewed only produced being told that she was in the wrong place and having her mind befuddled with a far too complex description of how to get to the proper building. Hopping back into the car, she pulled out of the parking lot much less confidently that she had pulled in. Thankful that there was not a drive test on being directionally challenged she drove down the street a few yards bringing her to the right place and again she got out of the car and entered, what this time was labeled as-"driving license."

On entering the double doors she was confronted with a machine with the instructions “take only one.” This would have been a simple command to follow, expect for the fact that she didn't know which one to take from. There were several different descriptions for different needs such as “change of name” “replace lost license” and several others. Still, it doesn't sound like such a hard choice, however, she needed to both renew her license and get the address changed. As she stood dumbly staring at the machine two men walked up behind her and very politely waited for her to pick a button and take a ticket from the machine. Finally one of them made a noise and she motioned for them to go ahead of her. After they had picked their numbers she decided to take the one that said “renew license.” Sitting down she found it hard to concentrate on her book and on making sure her number didn't get skipped. Soon it was her turn and she walked up to the counter where she handed in her license which she had, for nearly five years been sure to take with her every where, only to have a large hole stamped right through it. Then she was asked the question “Do you want organ donater put on your license?” Hardly recovering from the sudden and appalling image of having her organs taken out and put into another body she asked in a shocked tone “they put that on the license?”

Soon she was having her picture taken by a friendly lady with a heavy accent and was handed her flimsy piece of paper with a picture that looked like a ghost of her actual appearance, or what she hoped was only a ghost of her actual appearance. Briskly she walked out the door and the short adventure of the licensing office was finished...at least for another few years.

Just as God leads

Just as God leads me I would go;
I would not ask to choose my way;
Content with what He will bestow,
Assured He will not let me stray.
So as He leads, my path I make,
And step by step I gladly take,
A child in Him confiding.

Lampertus Gedicke

Knowing How to Obey

Not long ago I started thinking about my relationship with my parents. I grew up being taught to obey my parents, but as I thought about it I couldn't remember the last time that I had really obeyed them. This wasn't because of my rebellious nature or because I am not close to them, but rather because it had been so long since they had given me a command. Having lived with them for over twenty years I have learned how to please them and continually strive to do so even before they tell me what they want. I obey and serve them out of love rather than because I am told to.

As I thought about how my relationship with them had changed as I matured the Lord asked me some questions. “Why isn't your relationship with Me like that?” “Why do you wonder what you should do with your life?” “Why don't you know the Word I have given you well enough to anticipate my directions?” I had no answer for these. I know my parents well enough to follow their will without verbal direction, yet do I know the God of the universe well enough to follow Him? Have I taken the time to notice the commands He has given? Have I practiced His commands frequently enough that I know which direction He would want me to go with my life? This doesn't mean that I will ever just know His will without taking time to pray and seek His favor. However, the hours I spend worrying over what He wants me to do, or talking about how I want to know the Lord's will in my life are in vain. He has given His pattern for us to follow and learn how to do His will. We need to practice obeying the commands He has already given, being faithful in the small things, then He will give us larger things and His specific will, will be more clear for us.

The Teacup

There was a couple who used to go to England to shop in the beautiful stores. They both liked antiques, pottery, and especially teacups. This was their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary.
One day in this beautiful show they saw a beautiful teacup. They said,”May we see that? We've never seen one quite so beautiful,: As the lady handed it to them, suddenly the teacup spoke. “You don't understand,” it said. “I haven't always been a teacup. There was a time when I was red and I was clay. My master took me and rolled and and patted me over and over, I yelled out, 'Let me alone,' but he only smiled, 'not yet.'

“Then I was placed on a spinning wheel.” the teacup said :”And suddenly I was spun around and around and around. 'Stop it! I'm getting dizzy' I screamed. But the master only nodded and said 'Not yet.'

“Then he put me in the oven. I never felt such heat. I wondered why he wanted to burn me, I yelled and knocked at the door. I could see him through the opening, I could read his lips as he shook his head, 'Not yet.'

“Finally the door opened, he put me on the shelf, and I began to cool. 'There, that's better,' I said. And he brushed and painted me all over. The fumes were horrible. I thought I would gag. 'Stop it, stop it!' I cried. He only nodded, 'Not yet.'

“Then suddenly he put me back in the oven, not like the first one. This was twice as hot and I knew I would suffocate. I begged. I screamed. I cried. All the time I could see him through the opening, nodding his head and saying, 'Not yet.'

“Then I knew there wasn't any hope. I would never make it. I was ready to give up. But the door opened and he took me out and placed me on the shelf. One hour later he handed me a mirror and said, 'Look at yourself.' And I did. I said 'Thant's not me; that couldn't me me It's beautiful. I'm beautiful.'

“ 'I want you to remember, then,' he said, 'I know it hurts to be rolled and patted, but if I had left you alone, you'd have dried up. I know it made you dizzy to spin around on the wheel, but if I had stopped, you would have crumbled. I knew it hurt and was hot and disagreeable in the oven, but if I hadn't put you there, you would have cracked. I know the fumes were bad when I brushed and painted you all over, but if I hadn't done that, you never would have hardened; you wouldn't have had any color in your life. And if I hadn't put you back in the second oven, you wouldn't have survived for very long because the hardness would not have held. Now you are a finished product. You are what I had in mind when I first began you'"

God knows what He's doing for all of us. He is the potter, and we are His clay. He will mold us and make us, so that we may be made into a flawless piece of work to fulfill His good, pleasing and perfect will

Author Unknown

Isaiah 45:9 “Who to the one who quarrels with his Maker-An earthenware vessel among the vessels of the earth! Will the clay say to the potter, 'What are you doing?” Or the thing you are making say, 'He has no hands'?”

Birds and Peaches

One of my favorite parts of spring and summer is listening to the birds singing as I wake up in the morning. A few days ago, a baby barn swallow made it's way into our home. It had fallen out of it's mothers nest in our barn onto the floor and was left. Now it is in a box with a lamp above to keep it warm and water and worms close by for my brother to stick down it's tiny throat. It is still unknown what will become of our feathered friend when it gets older, but for now it has been given a chance to live a quiet cozy life.

Another one of my favorite parts of summer is all the fresh fruits and vegetables. My father and brothers brought back boxes of peaches and some nectarines for our family from eastern Washington. Now we have been freezing peaches, baking with peaches, and just plain eating peaches. It is amazing to me how yummy they can be. We have also been harvesting a number of veggies from the garden. Green beans, snow peas, lettuce, potatoes etc.

Through both having a baby bird in the house and through taking note of all the color and tastes of summer fruit I have just been amazing at how much God has made just for our pleasure. He is so good and so amazing. His power is constantly displayed in His creation.

Camping Time

Another church camp out has come and gone. This year it seemed as if we came and left all in one moment. Every conversation, every game, every moment by the camp fire with friends seemed to fly by. How good it is to have a time to be together for a few days and get to know one another better. I'm so thankful for the time to spend with friends, playing volley ball and making smores and enjoying each others company. I'm also thankful for those I spent time with talking about deeper subjects and keeping each other accountable. Now we can look forward to next year, and all that is in store for us.