Humpty Dumbty Had A Great Fall!

Is there anything more painful than watching someone you love fall and be shattered into a million pieces? Oh the pain! I'd much rather be the one on the floor rolling around in pain blaming myself than to see someone I love in that condition.

I've recently had to endure the pain of watching someone I love fall. I didn't know they had fallen. When I discovered it I was overwhelmed with feelings of regret and guilt that I didn't do something to stop the fall. I felt responsible for the choices made by someone else. Guilt, shame, isolation, regret are all the treads spun by the spider of sin. A web we so easily get tangled up in. Are we without hope? Are we doomed to be held in such a flimsy net of despair? NO!

As I was lamenting over my part in this disaster my husband reminded me that God is able to fix anything. I said with tears streaming down my face, "I wish there was nothing to fix!" The reality we all live in is we have all fallen and we all need fixed. No one understands that better than God himself.

I added on to the following nursery rhyme to reflect what I believe about God.

Humpty Dumbty sat on a wall
Humpty Dumbty had a great fall
All the Kings horses and all the Kings men
couldn't put Humpty Dumbty together again.

So all the Kings horses and all the Kings men
went and got the King and brought Him to him

The King came to Humpty Dumbty's side
He bent down and spoke to him with a gentle chide
How did you suffer such a great fall?
Did you take care? Did you call?

No No, he pleaded and he cried out
I didn't take care, I didn't shout
I was careless and came crashing down
Can you help me get off of the very hard ground?

Of course my son I can, I will
I'll put you together again if you lay still
You will have to do your part you see
Each piece you can reach you must give to me

Together we will put you together again
I'll sit you back on the wall so let's begin.
But next time you are to take care and call
If you think you are going to fall

I will, answered Humpty Dumbty with glee
Just please let's get started, I want to be free
I'll be careful with my balance and be sure to call
if I feel myself tipping off of the wall

The King smiled and said very well my son,
Hand me a piece and we will get you all done
You've learned your lesson I'm glad to see
Soon you will be whole and once again free.


Romans 3:23 (New International Version)
23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Romans 5:8 (New International Version)
8But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 6:23 (New International Version)
23For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in[a] Christ Jesus our Lord.

Dear Heavenly Father,

I've learned when those we love are in trouble the desire to save is overwhelming. This experience has given me a small understanding of why you died for me. Thank you for dying for me to save me. Thank you for rescuing me from the sin that so easily entangles me. Without you I truly would be hopeless.

In Jesus Name,
Jane

A Prayer in Spring

Dear Heavenly Father,

I love the beauty of Spring…the blue of the sky…the green of the grass. Yellow flowers echo the sun's brightness and make my soul merry. You are the sustainer of life. In you I trust my God and redeemer.

The wind blows strongly moving everything in its path. Who can escape it? A squirrel sits high atop a tree. He gently rises up and down as the winds breathe. You have equipped him to remain solid.

How perfect are your works. Who can criticize the beauty, the wonder, the awe of your creation? Thank you for life. Thank you for everlasting life.

I'm stressed with a busy schedule but I will rest in you. You know I'm doing the best I can. I choose you. I choose to put you first. May everything follow after you.

You are God. Speak to me…hang out with me…accompany me this day as the breezes of life blow on me and cause me to sway up and down. I rest because you have equipped me to remain solid.

In Jesus Name,

Jane

I wrote that prayer this morning in my journal as I was sitting outside enjoying the beauty of the spring day.

As you know one of the things that has troubled me recently is my busy schedule. I've allowed that busyness to steal the things that are most important to me. One important thing that I've allowed to be stolen is a trip to the woods to hunt morel mushrooms. My mother's dream was to find the ultimate patch of morel mushrooms. Now that she is gone, I look for her. Blooming redbud and dogwood trees liter the Indiana forest and make the treasure hunt a worthy endeavor. I have been sad that I haven't had time to get to the woods.

So, after my quiet time today I decided to walk around our property for a little impromptu mushroom hunt…even though I didn't have time. I hadn't walked 500 feet when I found my first morel mushroom! Ironically it was about 10 feet from where I saw the squirrel high in the tree during my quiet time. I ended up finding 8 mushrooms. That is quite a harvest for me!

God is amazing, real, able, personal, present, caring, loving, and all around good company. I'm glad he is walking with me today.

May this post find you walking with Him and resting in Him today.

"I Want My Dog Back!"

That is what Jodie Foster's character said in the movie The Brave One right before she shot the criminal who killed her fiancee, stole her dog and nearly beat her to death.

I was sitting in church a few weeks ago feeling very beat up by the stress of life and I thought of that line from that movie. I imagined myself walking up to the things that were attacking me spiritually and pulling my "spiritual trigger". In my mind it felt good to be reminded that there is a power in me that is greater than the one in the world. Why am I so reluctant to use it?

We are involved in a super natural battle. There is a force that wants to steal, kill, and destroy us. I certainly have felt that war on my life and when I do I sometimes forget the power that I have inside.

Today I chose to use that power. I'm over booked, over worked, and there is no end in sight. However, I stopped and took back what has been stolen from me. I exercised even though I didn't have time, I spent time with God even though I didn't have time, and I sat down and wrote this blog even though I didn't have time. Guess what….nothing bad happened. I made choices that were consistent with who I am in Christ. I pulled my spiritual trigger and defeated my super natural foe. Tomorrow will be another fight but today I got my dog back.

John 10:10 (New International Version)

10The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

Ephesians 6:12 (New International Version)

12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

1 John 4:4

You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.