MOONBEAMS, STARS AND STRIPES, AND GLITTER

When thou liest down, thou shall not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, 
and thy sleep shall be sweet. Proverbs 4:24 (KJV). 

I sat there on the floor and wasn't sleepy any more, 

but wanted to view the midnight sky.
The diamonds flashing made me cry.

                                   
Oh, if only I could touch their flare and soar between the 
moonbeams there,

I'd slip through the mountains of glittery gloss
and toss it to the sky, viewing no loss.

I'd mount a moonbeam to slide through night 
to wherever it touched the earth so bright.
Suddenly the sky exploded in colors of red, white, and blue—
in honor of Independence Day that all the world knew.

I felt so proud to see the stars as they glowed, so bright.

My heart pounded and my eyes wept as I soared into the night.

Suddenly, I was home again. I hugged my knees and rested my chin.
I scanned the sky  that gave me glee. 
The only one to please was me.

But, then I felt a calming touch. It was the One I loved, so much. 
I had to thank Him for this night. It gave me such ethereal delight.

I knelt and gazed into the skies, then breathed my heartfelt joy, 
for it seemed I'd looked into the eyes of God's Own Son, 
His Baby Boy.

Thank You, Father, for the happy dreams You give me while I slumber. 
I am in the best of care. . . in Your loving arms. Amen.

© 2019  Evelyn B. Ryan

ETERNAL NAILS

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10 (NIV)

There it is again, lurking just outside my heart’s door. Mentally I slam the door on fear, barring my body against it, trying to hold to it shut. I grab the hammer of my own reasoning and the nails of human will to assure it does not break through. All to no avail, the wood is splintering. My hands are too weak. The nails are too small. Fear’s hot breath is forcing its way in.

I’m losing the battle.

Calmly, gently, strong hands cover my trembling ones. The hands bear the beautiful scars of the nails that pierced them through . . . nails unlike the ones I hold. Mine were crafted by mere men. They are weak, already beginning to fail. The crucifixion nails were made by man as well; however, they were designed by God for His purposes, and are therefore eternal. They have assured our freedom from fear and its final defeat . . . forever.

How about you, my friend? Are you holding Jesus’ righteous right hand or like me at times, forgetting that fear has no place in our lives. Do you let it push through the doors of your heart and take up residence there? If we allow, it will boldly enter, claiming squatter’s rights.

We can just as boldly send fear packing with the arsenal of tools we’ve been given. Our toolbox is sufficiently supplied with prayer, scripture, and praise for the One who gives us peace.

Praise be to Jesus! Fear has no dominion over us. It was nailed to the cross for all eternity!

©2019 Bonnie Mae Evans

I CALL YOU FRIEND

“I do not call you servants any longer, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you [My] friends, because I have revealed to you everything that I have heard from My Father.”John 15:15 (AMP)

In 1968, readers of the “Peanuts” comic strip saw something they thought they would never see.  Franklin Armstrong first appeared.  He was "born" after a school teacher, Harriet Glickman, wrote a letter to creator Charles Schulz, following the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Glickman asked Schulz if he would consider adding a black character to his strip.

Glickman was especially aware of the power of comics among kids. “I realized black kids and white kids never saw themselves together in the classroom.” Schulz responded, saying he was intrigued with the idea.  The president of the distribution company believed that introducing a black child might affect Schulz' popularity and wanted him to change the cartoon. Schulz' response was, “Either you print it just the way I draw it, or I quit."

Glickman continued exchanging letters with Schulz, and he eventually asked her to check the July 31st newspaper. In his strip was a black child saying to Charlie Brown, “Is this your beach ball?” A white child responded “Hey! Yeah! Thank you very much!” 

In a subsequent strip, this black child meets Linus and the exchange is: “Hi, I’m Franklin.” Linus says, “I’m very glad to know you.” There was no big deal. It was just a natural conversation between children.

A friendship with Jesus, who calls us friends, is as simple as saying, "I am very glad to know you."

Lord help me embrace the simplicity of friendship with You.

© 2019 Lucy Evelyn

GOD'S FRIEND

. . . This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem. Song of Solomon 5:16 (RSV)

My dad died of cancer at 46. I was 23 at the time. I had just started a new job at a Westinghouse Plant and I knew very few people. At that time, Westinghouse gave a physical when hiring, and by the end of the morning, I had made friends with the nurse, Mary Ann. (I guess anyone who sees you in your underwear becomes your friend.)

During the three day viewing, lots of people came to pay their respects. Dad was the baby of eight and I never saw his many older siblings or their families. Many came from the factory where Dad worked. Folks well meaning greetings and condolences were graciously received. Many were Mom's sisters. They all gathered around Mom, offering words of comfort. Then they came to me saying, "Take care of your mother. She needs you." Mom was in dire need of comfort. 

By the end of the three days, my brother Dick and I, were numb. 

Then, late afternoon, more men arrived from Dad's work. They entered, all dressed in grubby work clothes. In their midst came Mary Ann in her white nursing uniform. She shined like a star, brightening my gloomy day. She asked, "How I was doing? Do you need anything? She came for me!

I thank God for sending her. She came to fill a need in me only God could see. Although her visit was brief, the blessing was everlasting. Fifty years later I still remember her act of kindness. It encouraged me to be there for others.

Thank You Jesus, I pray to be Your useable friend and brighten someone's day. Amen

Ⓒ 2019 Lois Gosley

I DON'T WANT TO

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Matthew 11: 28-29 (NKJV)

God and I have been struggling lately. It’s me, not God. Nevertheless, the distance between us is great. I don’t want to pray, I don’t want to read my Bible, I don’t even want to go to church. What’s worse . . . I find myself increasingly angry with my fellow Christians. I question whether their living and loving mirrors Christ. Unfortunately, this frustration currently serves as the justification for my distance from God.

That is my complaint; now here’s my truth.

Being a Christian is not always easy. Having a heart for the hurting, the poor, the disenfranchised, and the lost is laborious. Seeking to build God’s kingdom on earth is hard. In all of my efforts to display Christ, do good, and be present for others, I have become burdened and heavy laden. In response to my burnout, I have distanced myself from the One who wants to restore me. That is not how Christ wants us to face our weariness.

The call of Christ is for all of us who are tired and weary to come unto Him. He wants to give us rest. Historically, a yoke was shared by a pair of oxen. The load was not designed to be carried by a single ox alone. Christ wants to share the weight of our daily struggles with us too, if only we will let Him.

Lord, when I am tired, carry the load with me. I don’t want to carry it alone. Amen.

© 2019 Dawn M. Wayman