Mother’s Day has, once again, come and gone and I would guess that the majority of Moms received flowers. I did. On my kitchen table sets a vase with a single very large daisy that I received from my church, while outside on the back porch waiting to be transplanted is a gorgeous red rose bush from Laura’s family. I love them both.

We  Moms love to receive flowers, no matter what day it is.  Most every one does. Both of our grandson’s bring their mom flowers at times. Hagen often brings home a flower or a plant from school or somewhere, that can be replanted.  Last year both boys brought giant sunflowers. Landon does things a little differently. Sometimes for no reason at all, or, when he has had to be disciplined, he’ll search until he finds an empty soda bottle, fill it with water and then pick a wild flower from the yard. Laura treasures them as if they had cost a million dollars. Why? Because they represent his unconditional love for her.

On Mother’s Day this year my husband-- being much like his grandson in nature--surprised me with a honeysuckle plant from our woods. So, there it sits in a milk jug of water in the place of honor on the kitchen table. And I treasure it more than any other gift I received because I know it comes from a heart filled with love for me.

There are other types of flowers that can be given by all of us to someone who is hurting, someone who needs a blessing, or a word of appreciation. There is the flower of a listening ear, the flower of consideration, the flower of understanding, the flower of a good deed….and the list goes on.

But what I would really like to do right now is make a bouquet of flowers to give to my Lord. Flowers that will bless Him because of all He does for me every day of my life. I’d start with lots of flowers of praise; add some flowers of thanksgiving, then flowers of obedience, and finally a listening ear that takes time to hear every word He says to me from His Holy Scripture.  I know He would treasure it because He knows it represents my unconditional love for Him.

So, my Friend, how about joining me and making a bouquet for Jesus to honor Him, not only today but every day?

Proverbs 3:9 KJV—Honor the Lord with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase. --Rebecca Somoskey

I shiver beside the raging waters, watching in horror as they roar onward, sweeping away everything in their path. Then I hear it--a voice coming from upstream. A pitiful cry escapes the mouth of the poor man as he struggles to keep his head above water. “Help me!” he screams. I fall to my knees and reach out. But I barely miss his outstretched hand as he washes by. I bury my head in my hands and sob. “If only I could have reached just a little farther, I might have saved him.” 

Dear Reader, it doesn’t have to end like the story above when it comes to souls that are drowning in sin. We’ve been give the tools to reach them if we will only use them. Our heavenly Father has called us to be His arms and has provided all we need to lengthen our reach if we will only recognize and use these tools. Proverbs 31 talks about a virtuous wife who extends her hand to the poor, and reaches out her hands to the needy. May I add that this should include all of us?

Prayer is our longest arm. It can reach to every grain of sand on this earth. How far is my reach into the mission fields? Am I praying daily that lost and hell bound souls will find Jesus before it’s too late? Am I praying that many of God’s children will hear His call to go, and respond to that call?

The next arm is the arm of giving. What kind of giver am I? Am I selfishly spending my resources on trivial trinkets for myself and my pleasure, or does my arm reach around the world to bless hurting families who often don’t even have food to eat?

The next arm is the arm of going. Am I in such close fellowship with my Lord that I am open to His voice if He should call me to go to the mission fields?

 Think about this? Probably half the world goes to bed hungry every night--especially little children--while most of us threw enough in the garbage can every day to feed an entire family in Asia or Africa for a week.  Hordes starve to death every single day. 

So, which one are you, Beloved? Are you a Pray-er, a Giver, or a Goer? How far is your reach to suffering humanity? Search your heart, and then decide what Jesus would have you do. But don’t wait. Time is running out.

One word of caution. God pronounces woes on those who choose to be Ignorers, those who care about no one but themselves.  --Rebecca Somoskey

“For I have learned in whatever state I am in, to be content.” Phil 4:11 (NKJV)

 A number of years ago Emory and I read the account of an old man who had taken his son to catch the bus that would take him to military basic training. Just as the son reached the bus door, the old man placed his arm around his shoulders and gave him these last words of advise. “Son, no matter where you go, there you are.”

At the time we thought it was hilarious because it was so obvious, and we laughed about it for days. But after much thought we began to see the deeper meaning and realized it was an incredible bit of wisdom. Hidden deep in the old man’s words was a truth that he had learned, most likely, from dealing with whatever came his way. And he wanted to prepare his dear son because he knew what the boy was facing.

The secret of this thought is to form the habit of making the best of every circumstance. And sad to say it has taken me seventy years to learn the best way to do that. For years I have battled the ugliness of self pity. I hated myself for it, but just couldn’t seem to find deliverance. I prayed. I quoted scripture. I did everything I knew to do, but to no avail.

Then that old saying came back to me, “No matter where you go, there you are,” and with the help of the Holy Spirit I learned that, “Godliness with contentment truly is great gain.” (1 Timothy 6:6) And you can learn this too.

Every morning when we wake up we are faced with a fork in the road and we have to make a decision. Will I take the road of self-pity which leads to depression and despair? Or will I take the road of prayer and praise which leads to contentment?  Instead of the “Oh, poor me! Why has God put me in these dreadful circumstances?”  I call on the Lord to strengthen me by reading and quoting His powerful promises, then I make a list of all the good in my life, and my depression vanishes. I remind myself that no matter where I go, there I am, in God’s plan, and I am to make the best of my circumstances no matter how difficult they are.”

Beloved, I am sure that many of you face difficulties far more severe that I ever will, but I assure you, if you will choose God’s way He will be faithful.

Wherever you go, there you are! Which road are you going to choose? –Rebecca Somoskey

     The earth is the Lords and the fullness there off, the world and they that dwell therein. Psalm 24:1 
    The slimy fingers of the litter bug has reached into every hollow and down every ridge. The road sides are decorated with soda and beer cans, plastic bottles are resting in the ditch, a candy wrapper decorates the weeds, a fast food bag lays open beside the pavement with it’s greasy wrappers and half eaten food spilling out. The woods along the road have become a cemetery to rusty automobiles, antique refrigerators, inoperable engines, commodes and sinks, broken kitchen appliances, plastic bags of who knows what, and the list goes on. I walk no where on the mountain without seeing evidence that someone else has been before me. What a tragedy to trash God’s beautiful earth, the temple of nature where all living things can praise Him for His glorious creation. But it’s far worse to trash His marvelous creation, the physical body of the believer, the temple where our souls and His Spirit dwells.
    I have been guilty, I confess!! I wouldn’t even dream of lugging a bag of filthy garbage into my church sanctuary and dumping its contents on the floor. I want to keep my church sanctuary in perfect order. Yet I am guilty of dumping garbage into my body, every time I stuff unhealthy food into my mouth just because it tasted good. Every time I eat until I am so full I can hardly breathe, I am putting extra stress on His creation that makes me sick. When I am too lazy to get proper exercise I am causing pain, not only to my body but to His dear heart. 
     Every time I set evil before my eyes by way of television, movies or my reading choices, or allow my ears to listen to what is evil and unholy, be it gossip, filthy communication, or my music preferences, I help to make my soul sick.
     Thank You, Lord, for making me aware of my sin of rebellion and for providing Your power to help me clean up my body and soul. Even though I sometimes fail, I strive to keep Your temple pure and holy, so I may please You better!!! |
     Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are. Corinthians 3:16-17 (See 1Corinthians 6:19-20)--Rebecca Somoskey