My tall green friends

"Good morning, trees!" "Thank you, God, for this house." That is my daily meditation. When I sit down at the computer, this is the view from the window.

What friends they are to me, but I also know they are to be held loosely in my hands. Pine trees in shallow sandy soil have a maximum lifespan of 50 years. I want them to be here as long as I am, but that won't happen. The trees will die, cost me much money to cut down, and then the landscape will change.

But, right now they are mine to enjoy.

If I were to wake up every morning and bemoan the fact they will die at some time, I would become neurotic.

But aren't some people like that? They look for all the bad while ignoring the tall green friends the Lord has given them right now. They walk around expecting their trees to die, and miss out on the joy of the moment.

My Dad instilled the value of gratitude and the importance of holding any possessions lightly...a good combination.

Thank you, Lord, for my tall, skinny friends. Let me see them as a gift from you for today. Let them point me to you and engender great praise and worship as I consider their beauty.

Thank you, Lord, for your kind provisions, and your magnificent protection.

Flashes of Light

"This little light of mine ---- I'm gonna let it shine...." I sang that as a young girl, holding up one finger to represent my light.

Last night, the thunder and mad streaks of light flashed around my house. The power went off, and it was dark, dark, dark.

I stumbled into the kitchen to rescue the flashlight. Lo, and behold! The batteries were out. The lights came back on momentarily and I furiously went from room to room seeking out the many flashlights I had stashed for just this occasion. Alas and alack ----- nothing worked.

I assembled a lovely assortment of tea candles and curled up on the couch, waiting for the television to return.

Today I headed for Wal-Mart and gathered an assortment of "lighting instruments." They are all freshly batteried and well within hand.

The rain has begun again, but no thunderstorms ---- those are predicted for 3AM ---- oh, joy!

What did I learn? The best looking flashlight in the world is worthless if the batteries are dead. Even the most accessible flashlight is useless without power.

Ah, ha! God is the power, isn't He? I can wave my little finger, singing loudly about "Won't let Satan blow it out - no!" But, ultimately, He is the source of my strength. He is my Light and my salvation.

And, He is an ever present help in trouble. I was out of EverReady batteries, but never out of ever present holy help. YAY, GOD! Shine, Jesus, shine.

Octogenarian Love

Each Wednesday morning, I play for a Bible study, held at CC Young Retirement Center where "the spirit is ageless," according to the campus bus.

Driving 100 miles is an investment in my mental and spiritual well-being. Without fail, I walk into the room, and am warmly greeted by Delores Fenn ---- "Hello, lovie!" Her husband, Bob, teaches the class and truly builds the love of Jesus into the 15-20 women who gather faithfully.

Last week, I teasingly said, "I want a picture of you two ---- sit close." Like two teenagers, they cuddled, laughed, and even kissed. Sorry, my photo finger isn't quick enough for the liplock, but you can see the sparkle in their eyes.

They teach me about sharing life together. They make me feel welcome and needed. They show me how Jesus loves men and women in "the fourth quarter."

We have a 99 year old, several in their mid-nineties, and a bunch of kiddos in their 80s. They know what it means to finish well ---- and finish strong. They know life's purpose didn't end when they lost their mobility.

"Give me men to match my mountains," the poet said. I think the Lord is giving mountains to match these CC Youngers.....they are going for it full blast.

Bricklayer, Bricklayer, Lay me a Wall

"The bottom brick looks lighter than the top." Mary Helen's fears were allayed by her wise husband's response, "the bottom is dry and the top isn't."

THERE ---- just like that. Peace reigned.

Remember in the 70s we had that wonderful Christianese slang, PBPWMGIFY....Please be patient with me, God isn't finished yet. We all thought we were so cool! Between that and the total confidence maranatha was our secret decoder ring word, we were rocking.

But, you know something? He really isn't finished yet. There are parts of us that show much more promise than others. There are soft softs and weaknesses that seem to jump out.

That is when we need wise heads to remind us "He who began a good work will FINISH it."

Brick masons don't get paychecks and reputations by leaving the job half done. We have a fulltime God who is in the business of bricking our temples --- and with the very best.

Mary Helen's house will be finished by October. The brick will match; the concerns will be forgotten; and the celebration will begin.

We have a celebration day waiting for us, as well. Come quickly, Lord Jesus! (Maranatha, for you old Jesus people!)

Handwriting on the Wall

King Nebuchenezzar was an evil old man, and an evil old man was he! During a particularly sordid evening, a mysterious hand appeared on the wall, writing four words: Mene, mene, tekel, uparsin. That is literally where the expression, "the handwriting on the wall" gets its origin.

I don't know about mene and parsin ("u" apparently means "and"), but tekel means "You have been weighed in the balance, and found wanting."

That is a sobering thought, isn't it? We all know what it means to fail....not measuring up is a painful experience from the first time we stood in the gym class line.....and stood....and stood while everyone else was picked to the times when someone else got the promotion, credit, date......you fill in the blank.

This one is particularly shattering because it speaks to an entire civilization.

Today as I read Psalm 23 to Jack Kinder in the NET Bible, the words "The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing...." really struck me.

I think I am measured and found wanting ---- wanting things, wanting relationships, wanting holiness without paying a price, wanting lifestyle, wanting, wanting, wanting. There is such a small step from wanting to wanton.

When the Lord writes on my wall, I want "good and faithful servant," NOT "found wanting." I want my heart to lack nothing because I have everything needed.....everything He provides.

I've Got Your Number

"I've got an address!" Sleepy Spring is rather a misnomer. The activity on the house is occurring at break neck speed. But I guess nobody wants to live on Break Neck Drive, do they? Dwarfed by the grand structure, Mary Helen daily checks the progress and daily pronounces it"good."

We each have names, too, and our days are numbered. I guess that gives us an address for our earthly existence. The verses in Isaiah reminding the people, "You are called by My name" always encourage me. Mary Helen and Smith can drive down the street and know that 6525 Sleepy Spring is theirs ---- it is called by their name. I like that my heavenly father knows my name, knows where I live, and cares even more about the life I am building than my sister and brother in law care about this magnificent new home of theirs (although that is hard to believe).

They don't have to drive aimlessly, looking for their house ---- they know exactly where it is. I don't have to live aimlessly, wondering about my purpose or my place.....I am His and He is mine.

Three Richardsons

Mom was in Dallas enjoying her girls' weekend, but here are three of the four.

Teachable moments

Bob read to Bree Anna. She instructed her stuffed dog, "Cowboy."

In building the patio, my goal was to provide a place for s'mores, and "things of the Spirit." Roasted marshmallows on Friday night, and watching Bob read to Bree Anna on Saturday made it a happy place.

My friend, Johanna, has her prayer corner where she goes to meet with God each morning. It is sacred ground. The two of them talk together and she leaves with new-found peace.

That is exactly what I want for the firepit patio.....a place of peace and time with God.

"And He walks with me and He talks with me, and He tells me I am His own."

Man Stink

"Man stink, man stink!" cried Andrew as he ran into the house. His sister, Bree Anna, failed to see the great value he and their Dad placed on this. It was 100 degrees outside and they were helping me finish a backyard project. "Heat stroke, heat stroke!" should have been the cry.

My paternal grandmother constantly reminded us we should never "grow weary in well-doing." But, Andrew and Bob certainly did grow sweaty in their good works.

Bonnie Blesses the Baldwin

One of my favorite corners in the house is dedicated to my piano. Today, Bonnie Robinson visited with her daughter, Vicki Hitzges. I wouldn't let her go back to Dallas until she sat down and played. Psalm 33: 3 says, "Play skillfully with a shout of joy." That is Bonnie! Her hands, her heart, and her head all meld together in worshipful praise. As she played, I thought of my friend Vicki and how she loves to hear her Mom play, but doesn't get the opportunity with the thousands of miles between their homes.

It was one of those sacred moments you just enjoy.

Bonnie's husband, Haddon Robinson, is one of the finest speakers in the English-speaking world, according to many. Years ago in a sermon, he discussed the "quiet and gentle spirit." "If you could have one picture of this, it would be my wife, Bonnie." High praise, and well-deserved. She was an example to many of us who were relative newly-weds and not so "quiet and gentle."

"Lord, make this home a sanctuary. Fill it with your people, your love, and your music."

Of S'mores and Skype

"That was the best s'more I've had in years!" So said my brother-in-law.

We didn't try out the firepit, but s'mores were the order of the day anyway! Mary Helen, her husband Smith, and I had a good ole time roasting marshmallows and smooshing them on to chocolate layered graham crackers. I honestly don't remember the last time I did this. NEXT TIME IN THE FIREPIT is our war cry.

On Saturday morning, Mary Helen and Smith gathered around their laptop (in my now wireless environment!!!!) to visit for an hour with their son, daughter-in-law, and two grandkids in Kenya. What is this world coming to?

They watched the grandkids tumble on the couch, eat, laugh, and play. Then Mary Helen told them stories and they sat rivoted as she regaled them half a world away. It didn't matter she had Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego all in the lion's den ---- she was telling the story with great drama and love.

Why do we think the God of the Universe can't see us, hear us, and be ever present with us when we casually sit down to share life with Kenya from the piney woods of East Texas? Surely, He is way more powerful than some highly-creative development team that figured out Skype. We often have such small minds. It takes human invention to remind us of the giant intellect of our God and Father.

Good weekend! Go have a s'more ---- it is good for you soul!