Love Through Wrinkled Eyes

I looked at love through wrinkled eyes today. I meant to get over before Christmas but with our wacky weather and snowstorms I didn't make it until today. It's a short drive to where she lives. I walk up the gradually elevated wheelchair ramp and look in the window. When I get her attention I wave and I can always guarentee a smile and wrinkled eyes. Her name is Rose. I have known her almost 50 years although that's not really knowing her in a personal way since I was too little for a few years to "know" anyone. You see, Rose named me. She lived next door to us on the farm and was greatly perturbed that my parents brought me home from the hospital with no name. It was day after day that she would ring the party line phone and ask what my name was and finally she started tossing up names. Obviously, Marette hit a chord with both parents. I used to think life could be no better than walking up the gravel road to grandma's, crawling through the barb wire fence and walking down the "old road" to Rose and Walt's farm. If there were cattle in the field I took the highway since I was scared of the "bull". I would crawl through the fence by the big barn and go up to the house and ring the doorbell. I was always welcomed as if I was the most important visitor they had had all day. Of course I was offered food, after all that's what we did back then, but more importantly I would go in time to "help" sort eggs. I learned several lessons sorting eggs however the one I will keep forever is that it's not so important what you do as it is important that you are with people who care about you. I'm sure I was of no value sorting eggs, but I was never made to feel that way. I remember breaking one and my worth didn't go in the wastebasket with the egg. Rose has a smile that warms her entire face; wrinkles and all. Her eyes squint back as she smiles and it's love through wrinkled eyes. I pulled up a chair, tried putting in her hearing aids but ended up going and getting the aid to help. I knitted and we talked. We talked alot about things we both remembered. It was then that Rose asked me if I ever missed the old farm? "Yes," I had to admit. I wished the house and the barn were still standing and I could spend an afternoon in the woods. Our woods shared a border with their woods and we loved to wander. We tried not to go in "Walt and Rose's" woods because often their cattle were in their but there were times we'd jump the fence and go down farther where the river went around a bend.
We talked about the family, especially how my family was growing and changing. We talked how she and Walt met, when they bought the farm and how it was they ended up at the Concord Church. We talked about High School, the great depression, her playing basketball and then she'd ask again, "Do you ever miss the old farm?" We'd start all over again and about the third time around I realized that it was just like the egg sorting. This conversation wasn't going anywhere except in circles and just like I didn't really help sorting eggs it was the time spent together with people you care about that made the difference. Each time we discussed "how much we missed the old farm" it was a bit different angle and a few new memories and what God had done for our families. In the Bible if you really step back and look, it's kind of like Rose and I; the same discussion just with a different angle. People basically did the same thing in the Bible from generation to generation. We begin life, we live life, we make mistakes in life, we change life, we influence people, we make mistakes in life, we change life, we influence people, we make mistakes in life, we change life, we influence people, and the years go on. The one thing that has held our faith through generations is the love through wrinkled eyes. The love of Moses as he led the people; through wrinkled eyes. The love of Job as he started his family over again confidant God loved him; through wrinkled eyes. The love of David as he watched his grandchildren grow and as he listened to Solomon give advice to his sons; through wrinkled eyes. The love of Paul as he encouraged the churches; through wrinkled eyes. It all comes back to the questions in life that change our heart. Questions like, "Do you ever miss the old farm?" And as we share the answers with the people who care about us it's the love that comes through wrinkled eyes that give us the courage and strength to keep the faith and influence others in life. So as you make New Years Resolutions, which by the way is very Biblical except it should be daily resolutions, commit to yourself to spend time with others and bring up questions that prompt the memory and look for love; through wrinkled eyes.

Christmas Love Chapter

1 Corinthians 13 Christmas Style©By Sharon Jaynes

If I decorate my house perfectly with lovely plaid bows, strands of twinkling lights, and shiny glass balls, but do not show love to my family - I'm just another decorator.
If I slave away in the kitchen, baking dozens of Christmas cookies, preparing gourmet meals, and arranging a beautifully adorned table at mealtime, but do not show love to my family - I'm just another cook.
If I work at the soup kitchen, carol in the nursing home, and give all that I have to charity, but do not show love to my family - It profits me nothing.
If I trim the spruce with shimmering angels and crocheted snowflakes, attend a myriad of holiday parties, and sing in the choir's cantata but do not focus on Christ, I have missed the point.
Love stops the cooking to hug the child.
Love sets aside the decorating to kiss the husband.
Love is kind, though harried and tired.Love doesn't envy another home that has coordinated Christmas china and table linens.
Love doesn't yell at the kids to get out of the way.
Love doesn't give only to those who are able to give in return, but rejoices in giving to those who can't.
Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things.
Love never fails. Video games will break; pearl necklaces will be lost; golf clubs will rust.
But giving the gift of love will endure.
Let's Pray
Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus, that starry night in Bethlehem. Like the Shepherds, I am still amazed at Your great love. May I not lose sight of the true meaning of Christmas, but celebrate Jesus' birthday with joy!In Jesus' Name, Amen

Little girl and the map.

A father wanted to read a magazine but was being bothered by his littlegirl, Shelby. She wanted to know what the United States looked like. Finally, he tore a sheet out of his new magazine on which was printedthe map of the country. Tearing it into small pieces, he gave it toShelby and said, ' Go into the other room and see if you can put thistogether. This will show you our whole country today.' After a few minutes, Shelby returned and handed him the map, correctlyfitted and taped together. The father was surprised and asked how shehad finished so quickly. 'Oh,' she said, ' on the other side of thepaper is a picture of Jesus. When I got all of Jesus back where Hebelonged, then our country just came together.'

Fingerprints... where are yours?

It's been a crazy week. I was congradulating myself that I cleared a week off my calendar. I had nothing to do but Ladies Bible study and I was almost excited. I spent Wednesday, almost the whole day, chopping stalks for Jim. Then....the reason for my easy week; my friend's husband passed away. I had been working on a project for her; so we were prepared but this week of "nothing happening" was actually giving me time to serve Dawn and her needs.

Today after running all the errands I needed to at the church, funeral home, etc. I came home and began cleaning. What I noticed was the fingerprints or rather should I say what I was washing was the fingerprints. They are higher now. It used to be that the fingerprints were knee high. They were always chocolate chip cookie fingerprints and sometimes a whole hand not just the fingers. Now, I'm noticing they are where my fingerprints would be; no surprise there because everyone is the house right now is taller than I. So as I cleaned I thought about all the years I washed the fingerprints and how they rose up the wall and then I wondered if God is seeing my fingerprints rise? I mean, am I growing up so that He can see the changes in me or am I still sticking my fingerprints on the wall where they were 10 years ago?

WOW moments with God

I made a quick trip up north this past week and as I drove I probably did a 'no-no'. I drove with the camera on the steering wheel. Although it would be against all drivers ed policies and believe me we have heard them all since Tyler is in Drivers Ed right now, I got some incredible pictures. The colors were gorgeous. I sat on the dock one night and watched the sun set. God is so incredible. Not only did He create a body that is far beyond any computer but the way he designed fall and the changing colors is beyond my comprehension. It takes all a lot of trees all changing their colors to bring out the WOW in creation. Trees are still beautiful as 'green' and trees are beautiful red, and trees are beautiful as yellow but when you put the changing colors all together and look at the picture from across the water with the reflection, it's one of those WOW moments that I cannot help but see an incredible Creator. When I look at the changes in my life, I often don't think to myself that this will make my life a Wow! I think of it as a hurt, or an inconvenience or a detour. God looks at it as just another one of the colors of His tapestry. It may be a tear but to God it's another stitch in the picture of my life that someday I will look at and say Wow; that makes the picture perfect. I looked at the setting sun the other night and praised a God who loves me so much that He was putting on a show for me; Thursday night October 9th. It was just for my eyes. It was a special time for God to talk to me; to tell me how much He loved me and that as the sun changed the horizon and every 3 minutes I had another incredible picture, I kept saying to myself, "God loves me; this is my Wow moment." We all have God Wow moments when we stop to look for them. When we stop long enough to just sit and watch God move clouds, change tree colors, fly a bird through, bring a Bald Eagle flying by the docks of our life and all just because He loves us. I hope you stop long enough to just look at the Wow moments He has for you right now, today; where ever you may be.

Psalm 50

We have commented many times as we drive down the road that something reminds us of Grandma. Grandma Campbell has been gone 8 years now and still something as simple as a cow makes us talk about her. I was reading in Psalms 50 the other day and here came Grandma and cows. One of her favorite songs was, "He owns the cattle on a thousand hills". Every time we would drive by a herd of cattle in the field or on a hill, Grandma would remind us of the song and begin singing. As I was reading Psalm 50 the verse came jumping out at me,
"for every animal in the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills." We drove a great many miles this weekend going to see Addlea in Chicago. We saw cows, horses, a few deer and lots of trees. We think we own things but they are God's. We think we have possession of something but it's only ours for temporary. Talk about leasing, God began the first lease program ever. Just use it for as long as you need and always remember, I own it, I gave it to you and I will take it back because you won't always need it. So when you look at the cattle, remember that God created, God cares for and God owns the cattle. If God takes the time to worry about them, how much more will God care for you?

"Bumps on a Pickle" off to the Publisher

Bumps on a Pickle, my latest book is in the hands of the

Morris Publishing and should be ready before Thanksgiving.

It is the devotions from the years 2005 and 2006. Several of

my favorite devotions are in there, including the one called

Bumps on a Pickle.