Failure

I went to bed in one of those "why do I bother" moods. This season, as usually, I planted a garden. Tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, garlic, strawberries, peppers, etc. At the very beginning, a lot of seeds failed to germinate. I am not a novice, so I planted again. This time, the squash, strawberries and tomatoes all came up. The plants grew big and strong, flowered, and I thought I was going to have a nice crop. Well as the season went on, it was obvious something was wrong. Although the plants were large and strong, not a single one had any fruit. You can imagine my disappointment.

I look back over the things I've done this year, things I thought would bear fruit. It finally looked like things were going to go my way. Like hard work and goodness would finally be rewarded. Instead , at the end,it yielded no fruit. Sometimes you feel like what you are doing is useless, all the effort, and when it looks like it's going to payoff, you lift the leaves and find no fruit.

Just remember, although God is sometimes saying you planted in the wrong place, or you did not give it enough fertilizer/water, He is never calling you a failure. The "why bother" spirit is not from the Father of Love.

Galatians 6:9 (KJV)

And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

Drawn from the well #2

FAITH is not blind. Faith is vision: long range forward thinking vision that sees and knows with an assurance that what is now, is not the sum of all things. It's not the end, only the start of a new beginning yet realized. It is a confident hope, based on experience, that "He that began a good work in you, will be faithful to carry it on until completion until the day He appears (Phil1:6)."

Faith is like health insurance. When you are healthy, you say you have it, you feel covered. But you never know how good it really is until you fall ill.
James 1:2-4
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing

Sit back and enjoy the ride

I like to drive. When I'm not driving, I like to know where I'm going. I rarely sleep in a vehicle, I need to be sure the driver is going in the right direction. I inquire about the route we plan to take, to gauge whether it's the best choice. Each mile marker, exit sign and land mark is noted as we pass by. Often I check them off on the directions, or chart the course on a map. You can imagine night driving is not my favorite thing. Anyone who has taken a trip with me, knows how annoying this can be. 

I'm learning it doesn't work that way with G-d. I ask where we're going, and He politely nods at me. My inquiries as to the efficiency of the route or road conditions go unanswered, and He just smiles when I note that I think we should have gotten off at the last exit. i insist the vehicle doesn't get this kind of gas mileage. I keep trying to figure out where we are on the map, and His only response is "Do you trust me?"

And when we finally get to the destination, it's dark, so I have no choice but to stop and rest, trusting that He chose a safe spot. When the dawn breaks, I see clearly it's the same place we started from. I ask the obvious question-"why did we go the long way around just to get back where we started from? "

Sometimes I think G-d just wants to take a joy ride with us. It's not about the destination, it's about the journey. Just enjoy your time together. Sit back and enjoy the ride.

Drawn from the well #1

A pitfall of faith is the resentment, disappointment and doubt that follows from not receiving what you've been praying for so earnestly. I know it's cliche, but we don't always get what we pray for, even when it's a good thing. It's not the getting that is important, but the process. The process changes you, and that maybe what G-d really intended.

Undone

Time for a little sharing, and I will try to avoid TMI. But somebody needs to know this. If you know me at all, one of the things I pride myself on is I can do it myself. My two hands only and all by myself. I don't need anyone else, though generally people are fun. Well I went to zip my dress the other day for church and realized no matter how flexible I am, I couldn't reach it. In order to fix this, I would have to cover, and walk around half done until I could get to someone else, who I would have to trust to see me undone, and correct the issue. How many of us walk around with parts of our lives undone, because we stubbornly won't trust anyone to see us, and help?

The Bible teaches relationships, with God and with others. We live, work, worship, laugh and cry together. The second half of the greatest commandment, according to Jesus is to "love you neighbor as yourself (Matt 12:33)", and then again "to love one another as I have loved you. (John 13:34)". Many more Scriptures I could add, must to say together is better than alone. People have invented all kinds of devices to make it possible for one person to do something that should really require more than one person. And because of this we have allowed ourselves to become isolated, and in turn selfish.

Brothers and sisters we need each other. We need each other to help bind up and heal the wounds and scars life lays on us. When we are undone, we encourage and strengthen each other.  James 5:16 says to "Confess your faults one to another and pray one for another that ye may be whole." There is power where two and three are gathered together in His name.