Hey MJ’s Morning Medications

John 15:13 “No greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for a friend.”

In numerous ways today, you and I will make a difference, laying our lives down when we are not quite aware. Joined with Jesus, it can not help but happen, as his Spirit permeates our ground, the very soil of our heart.

Yes we are still mistake making people and we need to know and admit it, make our daily look-see inventory, make amends, and be willingly to begin again as grace would have us. But, lets not make this one mistake; we belong to the Bringer, the One who gives, made, makes and blesses, the loving Father who will not stand by without nudging us into growth and service.

The Bringer loves ! So we are challenged each day, right here in our weakness, to be his hands, feet, mouth and very heart of love. Remembering that in the heat of a day stressed with the goodies of life overflowing, well, it ain’t always easy, is it my pals?

It’s a good thing that there is no greater love, Poppy, and you are ready to pour it over us in grace today where our shoes are. So grateful….

James 5:8 “Be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.”

It’s hard to be patient and stay where my shoes are as I realize that I am anticipating. There’s only five days of school left and summer plans are forming; grandchildren coming over, plans for a summer trip, girl friends visiting for a few days, a Walk to Emmaus to serve on, plus time on my deck to relax and read, chat over the fence with my neighbor, enjoy and work with some training with Roxy… I notice I did not mention the house cleaning that’s stacked up….

I got a phone call last night at bedtime; a tearful 5 year old Shaylin, “Grama I miss you”, and of course this made Grama tear up too. I sang to her “Like a Tree” and talked about all the things we would do soon and very soon, when school is out for both of us. It seemed to sooth her and I hope she went to sleep sooner than later.

We anticipate especially, being with those we love and it’s hard to be patient.

When my mom passed, daughter Julie had a dream, seeing Mom as a young woman, kicking off her shoes to wade out into a shallow jeweled river. A young man waited on the other side for her and Julie knew it was her grampa, my dad. I am grateful for that vision and often think of it, knowing full well it was a gift of hope to our family at a sad, sad time.

We will have our time together, soon and very soon, in God’s time, whether it is being with family and friends in the here and now or in God’s Heaven. Where our shoes are, may we have the grace to be patient and enjoy today, sleep good and have a good cry when we need it.

Poppy, you touch your people so beautifully. I pray we receive as graciously as you give. Help us do our best and leave you the rest.

John 15:1 “I am the Vine, my Father is the Grower.”

Lop, chop, weed; sounds of a grower. Sometimes plants are not thriving and must be moved because of being in the shade of another bigger buddy who takes all the sunshine. Our roses are profuse this spring and I must be dead-heading to make room for new buds; clip clip clip; sounds of a grower.

It is out of love for the plant that we do what needs done, so the plant can live free, grow well and be productive.

Jon read the “vine and the branches” this morning, (all the way through John 15:1-18 is so good), and the writer of the accompanying meditation spoke of us being the branches God cuts, trims and nurtures. Stubbornness, resentments, bitterness, gossip, crazy thinking and their cronies; weeds, weeds weeds, chop, snip, lop, weed…opening us up to the SonShine and the Living Water.

The cut seems to be well worth it in the beauty that is to come.

Poppy, I want to live free and grow well… Lop, chop, and weed away, oh my Grower.

John 6:38 “For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me.”

Did I tell you about the tree Jon bought us for our anniversary last month? It was just delivered and planted last week, a Red Oak, three inch trunk, maybe 12 feet tall. Now that’s love. Thanks, Jonnyd.

I have a tiny Red Bud and another flowering tree that I’ve had in pots for a year after getting them as twigs with roots from the Arbor Society’s tree giveaway, and it’s time to put them in the ground, time for them to leave my nest and grow on their own. I could have done it a long time ago.

I trust that God will take our efforts for good and bless these new addictions in our yard. We likely planted them “for the next fella”, as my mom used to say, but we will enjoy watching them grow.

I will have to practice letting go. Jon tells me I over-water and fuss over things I plant, not letting them root down to reach for their own moisture and potential.

It seems that there is a fine line easily crossed, when providing to much hampers growth and maturing. It’s a humane trait and balance is not easy. I read yesterday that we like to have control and God loves to help us learn to let it go, live and let live, loving ourselves enough to let others (including trees and tomato plants) be responsible for their lives.

Jesus told us he came down from heaven not to do his own will but the will of his Father. If each day, you and I ask and take baby steps to live in Poppy’s will, we’ll know better how to live and let live. God knows what it takes for a Red Oak to grow. I hope to give up control, live and let it live, along side the Oak, the little trees and our four tomatoes.

Poppy, I’m really trying not to over-water. I love them so much though. I think I’m still a bit of a toddler in my baby steps to know and do YOUR will, not mine. Help! 

John 14:1 Jesus speaking, “Let not your heart be troubled, trust in God and trust in Me.”

It does not happen quickly, though it seems so, the growing up of a child. I was blessed to have a friend visit with her one week old infant, Abigail. Her tiny had in my palm simply quieted my heart.

God must feel like that about us, at least I suspect so, as I believe in his love as my Father.

In working at my school for the past four years, I’ve watched Kindergarteners become 4^th graders. Their personal growth is astounding in that amount of time. Still it will take each one of them, little Abigail, and you and me a lifetime to complete our earthly story, whatever each of our lifetimes consist of. God will finish things up when we draw our last breath.

For today, it takes what it takes and we might as well be soaked in God’s love. Confusion and noise will distract our growth but Poppy understands that and His plan is perfect so we need not be troubled. Just trusting.

Jesus went on to say in John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give you. I do not give as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” He’s big on that.

Poppy, bless your heart for loving us and knowing us so well, and not wanting us to be troubled or afraid. We’ll try to remember today.

Psalm 91:1 “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.”

Jon and I at table, 5:45am, big slow drops of rain outside the door on the deck, then a clap of thunder, bringing Roxy to her feet with a yip. She went to the door and I opened it so she could see what was going on. She walked out on the decked, felt the now steady rain turning pounding and turned quickly to the shelter of her big dog house; our kitchen, where she got a pat and a hug.

We can learn a lot from watching and being friends with dogs and kids. They live simply when allowed to be themselves as they are loved and trained up in a good way.

Roxy was alert, inquisitive and knew instinctively to turn back when she sensed trouble. Makes me think of the old saying about being to dumb to come in out of the rain. I I love rain and sometimes enjoy getting wet by it. But I don’t want pounded nor do I want to be out in a dangerous storm. I know to take shelter.

God is our shelter. Oh, to know when to turn back to Him in a day’s time. Sing a song, toss a prayer, make a call, think a scripture, remember a blessing and keep the main thing the main thing when storms come.

Poppy, your shelter is the best gift. Thanks for the wonderful rain. The birds are singing and I hear the thunder off yonder. I feel the grass growing.  

John 12:46 “I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.”

When our kids were kids, we went to Hannibal and took in all we could in two days. I’ll never forget “the cave”, and being in absolute pitch darkness. It was unnerving and there was nothing to do but trust that the guide would turn the light back on.

As Jon reads to me of a morning, the light comes on. It never fails. I can trust, that whether I take a moment or thirty minutes with Poppy, his Light will come to me in some way.

Yesterday at work, I was dragging and there was no time for it. I did what I knew to do, started singing and praying. So noisy with the lunch room clamor and kitchen noises, nobody but me and Poppy could hear, and it got me through and to my car at 1:30, relieved and ready for the dentist chair where I took a nap while waiting for my hygienist who’d laid me back in the soft leather chair to wait. Was I embarrassed when she woke me up? No way.

Repetitive action; choose the good and keep choosing it. I read that in a meditation book this morning, and it brought all this to mind. Sometimes getting to God’s light is easy, though at times many distractions make it pitch black and a pointed decision is needed, to simply drop the chaos, the fear, the junk and run home to the Light, to the Shelter, to the open arms of Love. We need not stay in darkness, whatever its name is.

Poppy, I sing this song for you; Light of the world you stepped down into darkness, opened my eyes let me see. Beauty that made this heart adore you, hope of a life spent with you…