DebraJ
Hearing God’s Voice
Do you hear God’s voice? Would you know it if you heard it? How do you know it’s His voice and not your own thoughts or those of an imposter from the spiritual realm trying to mislead you?
A couple of months ago I heard that a co-host on the ABC talk show, The View, had questioned the mental health of a man of faith who holds a prominent position in government; actually in the White House. Many held that Joy Behar was mocking the faith of our Vice President, when she said: “It’s one thing to talk to Jesus. It’s another thing when Jesus talks to you. That’s called mental illness, if I’m not correct, hearing voices.” Ouch!
There was a call to stand for our faith, to speak on behalf of all people of faith and to demand that ABC stop allowing insults of the Christian faith to continue. So, I prayed over what my response, if any, should be. You’ve already read about the predicaments I can get into, when I act without thinking and praying over my words or actions (see my blog “In The Dead Of Night”). https://gardenlessonsbook.com/in-the-dead-of-night/ In a situation like this, where so many others were already expressing themselves, probably with anger and quite forcefully, I couldn’t quite see what benefit my perspective would bring to ABC or Ms. Behar.
Soon I felt a distinct impression in my heart and mind that said, “You have much to say about this. No one else has written a book entitled, “Garden Lessons: Listening for God’s Voice”.
Okay! I thought. That’s very true! But as I pondered the “impression”, I wondered if I might have mistaken my own idea as something from God. After all, this might merely be a way to promote myself and generate book sales, which might be okay but not necessarily what God wanted in this situation. So I prayed again, this time asking the Lord if this was what He wanted me to do, and to help me know without a doubt if this was my own idea or His.
Squirrel getting ready to plant seeds
I was actually up early, getting ready to lead the worship music at my Bible study, when I was talking this over with Him. Still praying, I went out to the kitchen to eat breakfast before I left, when I noticed our resident squirrel on our porch. He jumped into one of our large potted plumeria plants, dug a little hole, planted a seed or nut, then jumped over to the next pot, digging another hole and planting another seed; and on to the next pot doing the same thing. He dug holes and planted seeds in all SEVEN pots, before leaping off of the porch and out of my sight.
Planting seeds. The little squirrel was just planting seeds. That was what God was asking ME to do: send my book to Joy Behar along with a gracious and respectful cover letter, explaining my perspective on faith and hearing God’s voice.
So I did…
To Be Continued….Part 2 Coming Tomorrow.
Counting Blessings On A Busy Day
We had such a fun and productive day yesterday. Up before the sun, Keith and I went to breakfast at 7AM with our neighbor, Dave, at a local cafe that has historic ambiance. We have history with Dave, as well. He was one of Keith’s roommates long ago, here at our house, and stayed for a few months after we got married. Then he bought the house two doors down, becoming “neighbor Dave”. We’re blessed to see Dave often, but we rarely go out for a meal together, so this was a real treat!
Soon after we returned home our “adopted daughter” Kat came over with her boyfriend. Kat stayed with us for a few years while she attended Sunny Hills High School and became part of our family. More than a social visit, Kat and Brian had come to help us upgrade our WiFi. We wanted coverage that reaches a-l-l the way to the back of our garden, which is quite a distance. You might remember we’re on a quarter of an acre and our lot is quite deep. Being able to use laptops or iPads in every nook and cranny of this property has been spotty – until now! They helped us find and install a new mesh system that does everything we want perfectly (although we’re reserving all reviews until we’re sure it’s reliable long term). Such a blessing!!
After we’d completed that task the four of us went to an open house around the corner, dreaming of a time that our sweet Kat could live close by, maybe even in our neighborhood. For now, college graduation looms ahead, along with a job search that could potentially bring her back here, but we can dream and pray and ask God for that special favor…that blessing.
As Kat and Brian were leaving our dear friend and former neighbor, Joan, came by. It seems like forever since we’ve seen Joan in person, although social media keeps us close. We got caught up on all the latest news, including about our kids, who had grown up together. They’re adults now, but the days we lived next to each other, passing through the arch in the fence between our homes, seem like yesterday. Each memory is such a blessing.
Soon it was way past dinner time, the sun was going down and so was my energy. I’m not used to getting up at 5AM, but I was so blessed to be able to grab hold of each thing this day offered. Each “thing” happened to be a person, dearly loved, a blessing the Lord has brought into my life.
And today, as I sit on a bench surrounded by climbing roses and singing goldfinches – at the back of the garden – I’m grateful for the blessing of being in God’s creation, and blogging from a place I hadn’t been able to before.
Oh yes, I am counting the blessings that the Lord provided on a busy day.
Dried Puffballs AGAIN!
All week long our ash tree has been dropping its spent flowers all over our house (picture roof, gutters, windowsills, bay windows). These dried puffballs cover not just our house, but our front walkway, garden beds and driveway, and everything else that sits under the branches of this majestic tree. Whenever or wherever they land, they release the last bit of pollen that remains in them, with a yellow “poof”. When the wind blows, they descend on our neighbor’s yards and the street en masse. It’s nearly impossible to walk anywhere around here without stepping on them, which makes them break into hundreds of bits and pieces…PER PUFFBALL! And there are hundreds of them…dare I say thousands?
And They. Are. Messy.
I’m constantly sweeping. Every day Keith brings out our blower, climbs up on the roof, and blows the latest “crop” down onto the walkways below. There, he blows them all into a pile to be raked up and thrown into our Garden Waste bins. A tedious task, but seeing the pristine surfaces, the clean and tidy yard, is the reward of a job well done.
Done? Maybe for today, but it doesn’t last long.
Within just a few minutes of throwing the last pile of puffs into the Garden Waste receptacle, more puffballs begin dropping, the seemingly incessant cycle beginning all…over…again. (The pictures above were taken less than 24 hours after Keith had finished blowing for the day.)
Oh – did I mention these puffballs are messy?
One would easily grow weary of this non-stop work, without this one thing: hope. Knowing that this season won’t last. Soon (oh please, Lord, very soon?) the last puffball will have fallen and the overhead canopy of this Modesto Ash will be filled with bright green leaves, bringing welcome shade and protection from the scorching Southern California sun.
There are many things these days that have seemed like incessantly falling puffballs…things of which I can easily grow weary: side effects of my new medication; MS symptoms; negativity in the news and social media; friends stuck in the drama in their lives refusing to look for the Lord’s way out, for what He’s doing; being sucked into a negative mindset and forgetting to focus on what God is doing to heal my heart, refresh my soul and restore His joy. Puffball after puffball after puffball.
But God…
…IS working. (Romans 8:28-29) “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son…”
…IS strengthening and growing my faith. (James 1:2 – 4) “Consider it all joy, my brethren (Debra), when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result that you may be perfect (mature) and complete, lacking in nothing.”
…IS still with me. (Matthew 28:20b) “And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
…IS good. (Romans 8:31 –32) “What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things?”
…IS trustworthy & faithful. (Lamentations 3:22-23) “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.”
…IS my perfect example (Hebrews 12:3) “Consider Him (Jesus) who endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”
…HAS led me to this time and place…and He will bring me through it. This season is just that: a passing season. Even if this should be a new normal I still have this hope: the assurance that, when my life on this earth ends, I will be in heaven with my Lord Jesus. (Revelation 21:4) “(There) He will wipe every tear from (our) eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
Oh yes, this, too, shall pass. But for now I better get out the broom and sweep a clear path through those puffballs. Did I happen to mention they’re a bit messy?