Sunshine After Rain

Like the sunshine after rain,
Like a rest that follows pain,
Like a hope returned again,
Is the peace that Jesus gives.

Like the soft, refreshing dew,
Like a rosy daybreak new,
Like a friendship tender, true,
Is the peace that Jesus gives.

Oh, the peace that Jesus gives
Never dies; it always lives.
Like the music of a psalm,
Like a glad, eternal calm,
Is the peace that Jesus gives.
- Haldor Lillenas, 1885-1959

Feeling Safe

You will keep him in perfect peace
whose mind is stayed on You
because he trusts in You.Isaiah 26:3

The Hebrew word for trust in this verse (batach) means to attach myself, to feel safe, confident and secure.

As a small child, I had to make frequent visits to the eye doctor in downtown Atlanta. Once Daddy had to take me to work with him for a few minutes before my appointment. He was a mechanic on the city buses in those days.

I was amazed at the constant flow of buses rushing in and out of the lot, and deep pits in the garage floor where mechanics stood to work underneath the buses. But Daddy carried me around on his side, and I held on tight, so there was no chance for me to get run over or to step off into a pit.

I need to keep my mind on Father God these days, when there are many natural disasters and man-made catastrophes. I can't overcome in my own strength, or see every pitfall that lies ahead, but my security is in obeying what the Lord asks me to do, and in clinging to Him. As Corrie ten Boom prayed in a Nazi prison camp, "Hide me in the center of Your will!"

Daffodils: Ain't They Purty!!

A neighbor invited me to pick daffodils in their yard today. 

So thankful for the sunshine!

Listen to Andy and Barney sing

Spread a little sunshine everyday!

(one minute video)

Power Steering

Back in the 60's, Grandpa would spend his Saturdays buying old cars to refurbish. He had to have someone to drive them back home. So he recruited my brother and me. We really got an education in how to drive a lot of different cars.

I remember the first time I took a sharp turn in a car with manual transmission, and no power steering. I needed a lot of room for error!

Our Great-grandpa could never get the hang of driving a car with an automatic transmission. He kept trying to shift and pump an imaginary clutch!

My son sent me an encouraging word about learning to obey God automatically...not trying to figure everything out the hard way, but just trusting that God will give wisdom when we ask.

I confess I have spent many wasted hours trying to reason things out "manually" when I could have just trusted God to steer me by His power.

If you don’t know what you’re doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help. You’ll get his help, and won’t be condescended to when you ask for it. Ask boldly, believingly, without a second thought. People who “worry their prayers” are like wind-whipped waves. Don’t think you’re going to get anything from the Master that way, adrift at sea, keeping all your options open.

James 1:5-8 Message

Stormy Weather

Strong storms in southern Indiana early this morning. 

Damage near us, but okay here.

I could see reflections of the budding pear trees in our mud puddle.