Kneading by Julie Short

I was reading Oswald Chambers My Utmost for His Highest devotion book this morning.  He wrote about being obsessed with God.  It has crossed my mind, since I am very good at obsessing.  I have trouble letting things: distressing thoughts, feelings and worries, go.  I work to pound them like a baker kneads bread.  I add lots of “should haves” and “what if’s.” I pound myself up and down until I am exhausted.

But what if I worked as hard at giving up the worries of this world and focused on my relationship with God?  What if all my thoughts and feelings were focused on loving and kneading God into every fiber of my life?

Deuteronomy 6:5

Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.

My Family Rocks by Susan Shull

I don’t mean in the musical sense, although I do have my own “playlist” of tunes passed down the Marrs family tree to my cousins and me. I am already teaching Alivia, Faith and Amy Flo these family favorites, including the famous “Once I Went a Swimmin” which my Aunt Mickey sings while playing the guitar and the harmonica that she wears in a holster-type gadget around her neck.

No, my family aren’t musical rockers, but they do rock babies and sing lullabies. My Grandma Marrs rocked me and my boys while singing “Go Tell Aunt Rhodie” over and over until sleep couldn’t be avoided and we went to sweet dreamland. My mom rocked my boys singing the same song and now she sits in the chair with our newest little granddaughter.

One of my favorite memories of Brock when the boys were little was afternoon naptime. I would pull the rocker up to the east window of our living room and sing him to sleep while looking out and enjoying Gayle and Jesse’s (our neighbors) ever-changing windbreak of trees. It was beautiful in every season. That was such a sweet peaceful time in the midst of crazy days.

Now that I am a Grammie, I want my little granddaughters to know the feeling of contentment and safety that I felt in the arms of my loved ones. The feeling of being totally loved with no need to worry about a thing. The feeling they will always be cared for.

Do you ever wish you could crawl into God’s lap, relax against his strong shoulders, and be told everything would be okay? I have wanted to do that lately. It seems every week I hear very sad stories of the struggles people are facing-with health, with relationships, with money. Unfortunately, I can’t do a thing to help with most of it and it gets to be too much.

As I had surgery to remove the skin cancer from my nose a few days ago, I had quite a bit of time to think. The struggles being faced by members of my earthly family and my Church family kept coming to mind and I wanted to climb in the rocker with God. That is when I was reminded just how very lucky Christians are. The God who created the universe desires a relationship with us. He cares what happens and wants us to bring our worries and concerns to him, so that is what I did.

I pray that instead of trying to carry the burdens of those around me, I will instead turn them over to my God who is big enough and who cares enough to provide comfort and peace to those who need it. The Psalms speak over and over of God being our shelter and I am going to claim that promise. I may not be able to literally crawl into my Heavenly Father’s lap, but I can be comforted every time I come to him in prayer.

Psalm 55:22a Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you.

The Frog Pond by Donna (Ensign) Woods

As I sit by the frog pond to meditate and pray,

A dog barks from somewhere far away.

The distant timber line stands tall and proud,

A protective fortress, a woodland shroud.

Tree tops filled with feathered delight,

Announcing a new day, from the still of the night.

A multitude of birds, each with their own song.

Singing peace, the whole day long.

A nearby tree reflected in the aqua mirror...

I thank God for the calming peace I feel here.

The water on the pond, so still and serene,

Framed by dew covered grass, so soft and green.

A bull frog croaks his morning song,

At the little frog pond...where nothing is wrong.

The water bugs dance to the frog's serenade.

All is at peace in the frog pond parade.

Playful fish create ripples that go round and round,

Silent and gentle, without making a sound.

Above the water, dragonflies dance to and fro,

With no worries and no place to go.

Cattails and wildflowers awaiting their winter's rest.

To awaken next Spring in their splendid best.

The little frog pond, a simplistic delight,

I find refreshing peace, in God's creative might.

Here, I find renewed hope for today,

As I listen to God, and thankfully pray.