Month: April 2019

Out of the Norm

Posted on by rinouye

Often when I take my walk I’m all about how quickly I can get a mile in, or whether the subsequent miles are faster than my first ones but not today. Today, I kept stopping along the trail to take pictures of the sites it was absolutely fabulous.

Sights:

  • Sun rising in clear cerulean blue sky.
  • Moon still making its appearance in its full  beauty. 
  • Redwinged blackbird
  • Canada goose and her two babies
  • Bird with a fish in its talons
  • Bicyclist 
  • Tiny child’s tennis shoe set on a park bench
  • Robins in the grasses and on the paths 
  • Green grass with what looked like scattered diamonds of dew as the sun struck each droplet.

Sounds:

  • Honking geese flying overhead 
  • Wind whistling in the trees 
  • Traffic and tires on the highway
  • Footsteps approaching from behind me as a runner passed by
  • “Good morning!” Greeting from a runner after I said, “Hello!”
  • Sniffles as I tried to keep my nose from running faster than the athletes near me. 
  • One older gentleman came toward me on the path. He said, “Good morning! Well, I hope the wind is your friend.”
  • To which I replied. “Yeah, I have so many clothes on and I kept adding to them even in the parking lot!”

Allow me to show you a few things I encountered on this beautiful, brisk, sunny, windy, morning’s walk.

My prayer for you today is that you would get out of your norm and busy schedule, enough to receive the Father‘s love for you. Remember, sometimes this love comes via your eye gate or your ear gate and most certainly through your heart’s gate!

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Before the walk this was my morning greeting! A sign of His love a gorgeous God painting sunrise was the view from my sister’s home. 

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Proclaiming your love in the morning and yiur faithfulness at night. Psalm 92:2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What a Difference a Day Makes.

Posted on by rinouye

I sat on the deck and ate a delicious summer salad topped with pineapple, blueberries and strawberries. Quite pleased with myself, I said, “Man, that was terrific!” It was so warm I decided to find my swimsuit. I quickly changed and ran back out so I could gather a bit more vitamin D as I soaked up the sunshine.

I didn’t put all the cushions on the chairs but made a nice cozy place to sun bathe. It was so glorious to be outside after a long and very cold winter. THIS FEELS FABULOUS! After about an hour, I collected the cushions and stowed them safely away because there was a promise of snow in the near future.

That glorious day of sunning was only a few days ago and yesterday’s weather did a complete 180 degree turn around. Sure enough, what was forecasted, an April winter snow storm hit. The snow was very beautiful but it made it seem as if  I had only dreamt about sitting outside in my swimsuit after a tasty lunch.

My husband and I were both home inside and thankful because it grew increasingly colder and the snow fell and collected on the lawn and trees all around us. I felt like we were the fixed characters in a snow globe. It seemed as if someone had shaken our globe and we were now in a magical winter wonderland. When I was a little girl, I’d heard the phrase, “April showers bring May flowers.” I think it usually meant rain showers not snow showers!

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I will admit, it was so beautiful. The snow began lightly and increased as time went on. I stared out the window in amazement as if repeating the date…“It’s April 10th!” was going to stop the events unfolding before me. I had come home about an hour before it started snowing and immediately put layer upon layer of clothes, “BURRRRRR!” I finished  with a huge scarf that I wore for hours.

So here’s what it all made me think about today. What about this latest snowfall can I learn in my own life and my walk of faith? I began to consider: I can expect the unexpected to happen. If God has promised things in my life I can believe they will happen even if it seems unlikely based on my current circumstances.

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I sure didn’t think, sitting outside on the deck in my swimsuit, it would snow. It didn’t seem possible even though it was forecasted and promised that it was coming. Let me list a few of the promises of God for encouragement. Let’s believe in the promises of God. Let’s put our hope in the things He has said more than the things we may have staring us in the face today in our current situation.

  • Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear. Isaiah 65:24   (God hears your prayers)

 

  • If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 (God will forgive you.)

 

  • … He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:6b (God will complete His work in you.)

 

  • And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19 (God will provide your needs)

 

  • What I have said, that will I bring about; what I have planned, that will I do.  Isaiah 46:11b (God will not forget His promise. )

 

  • And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. Matthew 28:20b (God will be with you.)

I like this quote, “I don’t believe in the power of positive thinking, I believe in Biblical optimism- based on the promises and character of God.” Steve Backlund.

Let me recap for my sake and yours. Remember, it doesn’t matter what seems or feels true. Our circumstances or current situation… They are like me sitting in the sunshine unaware of the “promised” snow… it all can change, this is THE TRUTH:

  •  God will forgive you.
  •  God will complete his work in you.
  • God will not forget his promise.
  • God will provide your needs.
  • God hears your prayers.
  • God will be with you.

Even if the promise seems as unlikely as a spring snow storm, it can happen, in God ‘s timing things can turn around. He is for us not against us, remember that! And by the way, happy Spring!

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Rachel’s podcast, “the real deal”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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