The Walk Down the Mt. of Olives

            Clouds hovered. Light rain sprinkled our tour group as we retraced the steps of Jesus as He rode the donkey on Palm Sunday.

            Instead of walking easily and observing the area, like I did on previous trips to Israel, I took baby steps to keep from falling on the slippery surfaces. Our guide constantly reminded us to hold the handrails.

            Even with small, careful steps, I slipped. Because my hand clutched the rail, I didn’t fall. At breaks in the railing, we held onto each other.

            “Car coming,” someone yelled. “Get to the side.”

            We leaned against the walls of the narrow roadways. There was hardly room for cars and us on the tight turns. Blind curves made the journey down the Mt. of Olives more challenging.

            A friend lost her footing and fell to the pavement. Hands helped her up. She continued her downward trek.

            Extremely slick marble slabs led us into the Garden of Gethsemane. What a relief to safely arrive at the garden and church.

            On the descent, I focused on reaching the bottom safely. It was a treacherous, stressful trip. I hardly had time to remember Jesus’ descent with the enthusiastic crowd praising Him as He moved toward the city.

            Then I thought of how distressing that trip must have been for Jesus. The jubilant

multitude threw down palm branches and sang praises. Joy filled the air. Only He knew they would soon turn on Him and the agony ahead.

            Despite the exuberant crowd, He wept as they approached the city.

            “Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no once has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying the colt?’ tell him, ‘The Lord needs it.’”     

            Those who were sent went and found it just as he had told them. As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?”

            They replied, “The Lord needs it.”

            They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road.

            When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen:

            “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”

            “Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

            Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”

            “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”

            As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace-but now it is hidden from your eyes.”  Luke 19:30-42

Lord, thank you for the difficult journey and pain you endured for us. Our trials are nothing compared to yours. Amen

Spring Emerges

Let the morning bring my word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life. Psalm 143:8 NIV

            For a few minutes, a glowing pink and blue sky captivated me. Its vibrant colors reflected on the dark lake. 

            An annoying holler marred my peace. With feathers spread like a perfect Thanksgiving picture, the tom turkey’s boisterous yells proclaimed his presence.

            We stared at each other through the screen. Then he paraded from my house to my neighbor’s and back. Two females ignored his signals as they lowered their heads to eat from the ground.

            A flurry of tiny birds swept to the bare cypress trees along the shore. Their bodies formed silhouettes against the awakening sky.

            A fiery ball peeked through the trees and illuminated the yellow, pink, and purple flowers that had survived the winter. Buds of orchids and Easter lilies prepared to open. Teeny wisps of green clothed naked boughs.

            Touches of spring brought hope and encouragement. A reprieve from winter’s darkness and despair.

            The spring of grief brings glimmers of hope and encouragement too. A time of adjusting to a new life. Less intense sadness and optimism for the future. Not forgetting the past but moving on to opportunities to grow. Live again. See what God has planned.

            Grief, like spring, includes days that seem like winter. Gloom and sadness return but don’t linger.

Loving Father, thank you for carrying me through the pain of winter. Lead me into the season of spring. Amen

A Glorious New Day

For you will go out in joy, be led home in peace. And as you go the land itself will break out in cheer. The mountains and the hills will erupt in song, and the trees of the field will clap their hands. Isaiah 55:12 The Voice

An Artist’s canvas of pink and blue stretched above the lake. God’s artistry transformed the darkness into a magnificent masterpiece. Dawn wiped away yesterday’s sadness and tears and revealed a bright, new day.

After a week of special times with friends, the loneliness seemed more intense when everyone left. Silence replaced laughter and conversations Tears flowed. Grief overtook me. 

At the clubhouse, singing practice and line dancing class stifled the grief for a while. Talking with new friends helped. But back at home, tears returned.

Later in the evening my phone rang. “I was thinking of you and wondering how you were doing,” a friend said.

Tears choked me. I explained my recent sadness. Her kind words comforted me. Just like my beautiful sunrise, God provided a phone call when I really needed it.

She listened to the Holy Spirit’s nudge to call me. Since our friendship has mostly consisted of emails, the call more special and unusual. 

After a good night’s rest, comforting emails, phone calls, and time with my granddaughters, intense grief retreated for a time.

Heavenly Father, thank you for constantly providing for me through your children. Amen

A Broken Cup

O Lord my God, I called to you for help and you healed me. Psalm 30: 2 NIV

            Crash! I couldn’t stop the accident but watched as in slow motion. Shards of glass littered my tile floor. I tiptoed through the debris to clean up the mess.

            As I sorrowed over the loss of a favorite mug, I noticed a large object at my feet. Instead of a cracked or fractured cup, I discovered an intact one. The glass on the floor came from the crushed handle.

            With the handleless mug in my hands, I marveled at its strength and resilience. Not a chip or crack marred its surface. A bump revealed the spot where a handle had been attached.

            With the cup over the trash can, I stopped and placed it back on the counter. Even though the handle was missing, I couldn’t throw it away. That mug reminded me of my journey through grief.

            In the last two years, I have felt shattered and broken because of the deaths of my dad, mother, and husband. Though parts of my life were split off like the handle of my cup, God kept me together. He gave me peace and strength even when I felt completely broken. He didn’t allow me to be destroyed even in the pain and sadness.

Lord, thank you for healing broken hearts and lives. Amen

The Wooden Turtle

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you. Psalm 32: 8

Alan’s turtle rested on my coffee table. He purchased the beautifully carved piece on a trip through the Panama Canal. 

Because of his own woodworking skills, Alan recognized the artistry and amount of labor in the turtle. However, his delight in bargaining skills made him attempt to negotiate  a lower price.

The artist wouldn’t budge. We walked away to explore items from other vendors at the market. 

“I really like that turtle,” he said.

“If you like it, go back and get it,” I replied.

We returned, and he tried one more time to obtain a lower price. The man shook his head and showed the underside of the turtle. Even the bottom was carefully carved. 

Alan agreed to the original price. Money passed between them along with smiles. Two men from vastly different cultures shared a love of woodworking. Alan asked if the man and his daughter would allow him to take a picture of them with me. The readily agreed.

The brown turtle became one of Alan’s favorite souvenirs from our world travels. Each time I look at the wooden turtle, I remember the fun we had on that trip.

The turtle decorates my room.  But only when I pick him up to wipe off the dust does he move. Even if he was alive, his travels would be slow. One steady step at a time.

Our special souvenir made me think. I would love to run through my grief like the cheetah which is another souvenir that sets on a shelf. But I must be content with slow plodding like a turtle.

Most difficult situations require careful, methodical steps. Often progress is only recognized by looking back. A quick glance backwards can give encouragement for the path ahead. However, lingering in the past can bring discouragement and despair.

Dear Lord, guide and strengthen me as I continue my journey forward. Amen

Ravages of Grief

Grief grabs like a vise.

Shuts out peace and joy.

Repels laughter

Sneers at happiness.

Then its grip loosens little by little.

Strength gradually returns.

Laughter replaces tears.

A shuffle turns into a skip.

A ray of sunshine appears.

The broken heart begins healing.

Like a bolt of lightning, it returns

And rips off the tender scab of healing. 

Exposes loneliness, tears, and sadness.

But each unwelcome visit gets a tiny bit shorter.

Less intense and not quite as devastating.

Only by looking back

Can progress be appreciated.

A sense of wonder at the advancement

With every agonizing step. 

Encouragement for the journey ahead.

Hope in the Storms

Psalm 27: 1 The Eternal is my light against darkness and my rescue in times of trouble. So whom shall I fear? The Voice

Blustery gales whistled. Waves rose and rushed across the lake. Trees wobbled and teetered. Dark clouds hovered and masked the sun.

I pulled my plush blanket tighter to block out the cold and watched the scene unfold. A trio of dark birds twisted in the currents high above the lake. A great white egret pondered the dark water. Then he snatched breakfast with his long, slender beak.

A cardinal clicked repeatedly from a naked, swaying cypress. His color muted in the morning’s dreariness. 

Only the egret’s brilliant whiteness offered an escape from the gloom. He marched over mounds of dead leaves to reach the water. In spite of the turbulence, he stayed on task. Pencil thin legs supported his graceful body. Wind battered his feathers. He remained firm. 

A songbird’s music pierced the howling wind. Brown leaves, whipped by the wind, remained  secure as they clung to battered stems. In the midst of the storm, God revealed His lessons. 

Life batters, shakes, and destroys. There are choices. I can withdraw in agony and cry in despair. Or I can cling tightly to God, learn from the trials, and sing again. 

Some days I held on by a teeny thread, but God held tightly. When grief thrashed and bruised me, I received strength to go on. Music lifted my spirit and touched my heart. 

As I wrote my thoughts, a brief shaft of sunlight grazed the lake. The beams reminded me that God is in control during the good times and also the hard ones. Even in the storms, there are rays of hope.

Loving Father, thank you for supporting me when I felt despair. Your love guides and enfolds me through the storms. Amen