Loving an apple

It was Saturday night and I had lots I was hoping to do when the lights flickered once, twice three times. I hurried to get a candle. Fortunately, I knew where the matches were and after a couple of bumps in the dark, I found them. The light was not bright enough to read by and I did not think it was a good idea to tidy my wardroom with a naked flame.

Going to bed seemed the best option so I thought that I could check my email which is part of my bed time routine. This was unsuccessful because of the power cut. I had bought a laptop two years ago but was not enjoying it. Felt frustrated and dis-engaged. Could not down load Spiders. Now with nothing to do, I clicked on the windows which I had never opened and stumbled across some I didn't know existed.

In the dark, I became hooked. I dashed from window to window until my battery went out. So much knowledge at my fingertips. All the shortcuts which could have made my life so much easier were just waiting to be found. Despite the awesome sermon on Sunday morning and lovely luncheon that followed, I waited impatiently for Sunday evening to have another adventure.

Being in love changed my attitude and reminded me that there are always solutions to difficult problems. Help can sometimes be nearer than we think . Sometimes we need to have more confidence to explore uncharted places as well as patience with ourselves as we muster the courage for the unknown. One day, I'll even find Spiders but now spending time with my apple is one of the highlights of my day. Thank you God for the blackout which helped me to see so much.

The Son and sun

Six months have passed since death brought winter to my heart. as I left my footprints in the graveyard snow. I am slowly adjusting to a fatherless life. It is not the same but it was never meant to be. Each day brings enough opportunities to make it unique. Summer has helped. The colorful flowers that garland our mountain sides and fringe our lawns lift my spirit and the sun on my skin makes me glad to be alive. So, I decided to tackle my mail which was unread and unsorted for months. In the middle of this overdue project, news of my brother's collapse brought the shadow of death too close for comfort. The circumstances were similar to my dad's . This time I did not even try to negotiate with God. I did not feel like praying except to have an attitude of acceptance to God's will. Jehovah God is Father and I often think of Him as all powerful and so holy that it is hard not to fear Him. On the other hand, Jesus is my mediator who can plead my cause in divine terms. I often imagine Him translating a human dilemma or emotion in heavenly language so that God can understand and forgive.

It was very supportive to know that others were praying as I did my utmost to contain my anxiety. In spite of the summer sunshine, my heart became cold with fear as I felt stalked by the shadow. Now that my brother is at home, thankfulness has edged the coldness from my heart. In times like these, we find new sign posts on our faith journey. Faith may not always bring an assurance of success but it gives me the certainty that God is love and that He is interested in what I am and do. He does have control of the seasons of my life.