Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Here Now? You Can Handle Now.




"And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?”  ... Esther 4:14


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Something surreal happened yesterday. 

A young woman who seemed to step out from the pages of this 1937 yearbook, walked down the sidewalk along our hedge. As she reached the center point, a hundred sparrows from our feeders wooshed and swirled over her head, making her smile while she continued down the street.

Oh, what I glimpse from my kitchen window!

And I renewed my desire to not only make our yard special for Tom and myself, but for our neighbors, too. With some work and a bit of money I can create a magical addition to our neighborhood-- a quiet, but colorful place, a pleasing yard for the eyes of people probably tired of this shooting-of-the-week world in which we seem to be living now.

My goal? To leave this house and yard better for my having lived here.

And that simple happening yesterday also reminded me of this: Since God's got me in this world now, He will equip me to handle what's going on now.

He can give me what I need emotionally (and otherwise) to bear all the bad news.
He can give me Grace to hold me up and together. No need for, "If just one more thing goes wrong, I will lose my mind!"
He can enable me to find the good in Life. Keep me from wishing things were different or that I'd lived in an earlier decade.

But only if--rather than relying upon myself-- I go to Him for what I need. Then use what He gives, in obedience, in wisdom.

God can make beauty from ashes and create a way where there is no way. He can make something beautiful in His time.

Yes, He still can, even in 2012.




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"...but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more,"  ... Romans 5:20

"And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age."  ... Matthew 28:20

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Something which also helps me keep my sanity in this crazy world? Having the occasional Old-fashioned Day. I might put on an apron, play my 1940's and 50's radio station and get out my 1940's magazines and yearbooks. Make coffee, bake a cake. Sweep the sidewalk, watch Leave It To Beaver, stay off the computer. Write a letter, clean out a drawer, iron some tea towels and take a walk around an old neighborhood. Anything a homemaker of the 1940's might do.

After a day like that, all feels well. Sane. Normal.



3 comments:

Ann said...

It always seems that when I visit your page I always find something I need!! Hello Debra! haven't commented in a while but I hope you are doing well. I'm busy with work and family and art!

Anonymous said...

When my little world here even saddens me with 99% of the houses having no lawn at all and just junk and such I remember the children who went by off and on commenting on my flowers and mentioning how pretty and different our place was. That memory of maybe making a difference to a child spurs me on at times I am weary. I love keeping things pretty outside and bird feeders etc all around too. I wondered if anyone other than us even noticed. It really shouldn't matter but it did. Then the children would stop and talk and that was it. The people around here now mostly rent and move in and out often. We try to always say a word to anyone passing our gates. They brighten up. No one's life is easy so to bring a smile to someone's face with nature and a kind word is wonderful. I keep my mind sane at times by immersing myself in the garden work. I used to do Suzy Homemaker but can't at this time. To keep your mind on Him is the best I find. Singing hymns or psalms as I work to drown out the barking dogs next door. We have stayed away from the news to keep sane. It catches up to us as you cannot be in this world without hearing what is happening but to not hear the story 10 times a day helps. Well back to our yard ! Sarah

Rosemary said...

I'm like you, Debra. I have to escape the craziness of 2012 from time to time. Just this morning, I was listening to Doris Day songs -- her voice is so soothing to me. Loved the image you described of the lady with the birds.