Abide with us

Our Daily Bread
I studied hymnology in college as part of my church music degree.  I found it so interesting how hymns were written and the stories behind them.  Take a look at the story by the hymn Abide with Me.  The devotional talks about the hymn and the concepts behind it.

I have to admit that I have felt a little lonely the past week.  Even though God has reminded me over and over again that I am certainly not alone in this world, I have been feeling a little sorry for myself (otherwise known as Blunder man if you read my blog entry from yesterday).  As God continues to speak to me through the Our Daily Bread devotionals and many other sources, I am reassured over and over of my place in this world.  Reassured of my purpose in life.  Reassured of the promises that God made me.  Reassured over and over again of all the things God has taught me over the years.  God is abiding with me with his steadfast love and unbelievable patience.  To top it all off, the devotional gently reminds us that the greatest privilege in this life is to have God abide with us!  Wow!

Are you letting God abide with you today?

Lord, please abide with me.  I want and need you in my life.

Simply Saturday
Ceiling Fan
I am constantly amazed how God uses so many things to speak to us.  This past week he used the ceiling fan in my bedroom to teach me a lesson!  Wow!  So what did I learn from my ceiling fan?

First, my ceiling fan does two things: it is a light for my bedroom and it spins in circles to circulate air.  God said my life is something like that.  I am to be a light for him.  Light bulbs can burn out.  The pull chain on the fan can break preventing the light from coming on.  There are many reasons or excuses for not letting your light shine.  What is yours today?  I also am to circulate his love to others.  Ceiling fans, though, can get out of balance.  They can not do their circulation job.  We can get out of balance and not do our "circulation job" for a myriad of reasons (think of one for your life).  A ceiling fan that neither lights nor circulates air is useless!

Second, ceiling fans should be "humble".  They work quietly behind the scenes.  They do not scream "I am circulating air now!" or "I am lighting your room now!"  ;-)  They do the job they are supposed to do in a humble manner.  Can we do that?  God knows what we do.  That is all that is important.


Lastly, ceiling fans should be quiet.  I like a quiet ceiling fan, especially when I sleep.  As Christians, we should also know when we are to be silent.  This advice is coming from someone who LOVES to talk!  ha!  At least I know myself!  I noticed some weird sounds coming from my ceiling fan week before last.  The sounds bothered me initially when I laid down to sleep.  I learned to tune out the useless noise so it didn't interfere with my life.  That was the most important lesson for me...  God knows that I have an overly active mind.  He gave it to me.  The lesson is that I need to be disciplined about tuning out the thoughts that are useless noise in my mind.  I don't want those things to interfere with my life!  


Take a look at your ceiling fan and at your life.  Take a look at the other things around you.  What is God trying to say to you?


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Let go, my friends!  God will be there to catch you and hold you in his loving arms!