Extravagant Gifts - Ordinary Days of Summer

Loving God,   

The night sky is filled with luminaries that 

light the darkness. Angels whisper evening 

songs to my weary soul. I do not notice.

As sleep gently calls, I forget that I have 

breathed the morning air, listened to laughter, 

seen the evening sky appear. Another day!  

Something disturbs the rhythm of my sleep, 

summons my soul. In these sleepless moments, 

the Holy Spirit is waiting and listens for my

response. I whisper, Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! 

Holy Father, when I fail to see the beauty of 

Your day, remind me with a glorious sunset 

to take my breath away, a soul-laugh that only 

a listening heart can find, and a night sky 

crowded with stars like diamonds that demand 

a lingering look. 

My heart bursts with unmeasured thankfulness!  

These are Your ordinary gifts! I simply miss them in my

hectic hours, my scheduled chaos, my saturated time.

Give my heart the desire to breathe, to

listen, and to see beauty with extraordinary 

intention. Grant my soul the desire to breathe, 

to listen, and to see Your generous gifts of 

Love, Grace, and Joy! Let me seek Your 

extravagant gifts in every day! 

Let me shout, Thank You! Thank You! Thank You!

Refresh my spirit! Refine my faith!  

Restore my love! Renew my strength!  

Rebuild my trust! Reclaim my soul!  

To God be the glory! Amen.  ~dho   

Joy in the Moments - Ordinary Days of Summer

Your words were found, and I ate them, and Your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by Your name, O LORD, God of hosts. 

Jeremiah 15:16 ESV

In Eugene Peterson’s A Long Obedience in the Same Direction, he writes that joy is a mark of the “authentic Christian… [one who is] on the way of salvation. Joy is characteristic of Christian pilgrimage.” Peterson continues, “Joy is not a requirement of Christian discipleship; it is a consequence… it is what comes to us when we are walking in the way of faith and obedience.” Jeremiah’s words reflect the decision to live in God’s abundance. Despite circumstances, God is constant and certain. His word speaks to us today, just as it did to Jeremiah.

"The inevitable result of genuine salvation is joy! The joy found in Christ is like an inexhaustible well, satisfying the most desperate thirst." [Blackaby Study Bible Notes] Summer personifies the hot, thirsty spiritual places in our lives. We crave a long, cool drink of water. In the ordinary spaces of summer’s heat, we find resting spots under a shady tree or an umbrella at the beach, walking through a garden of new vegetables or blooming flowers, watching a baseball game or the backyard birds. Sometimes we just need to hit pause. Summer begs us to take a break, to relax and refresh. Enjoy the laughter of friends together, take the dance-in-the sprinkler chances, buy the sidewalk-lemonade, value the unpredicted, simple moments. Let the promises of God mark you with joy! Then, share the joy!

Lord, Your words have been recorded for me, gathered to encourage me, endured to restore me. Increase my faith so I can see Your abundant blessings in all times. Let Your Joy be my joy to share! - dho

Where Power Meets Place - Ordinary Days of Summer

Who enclosed the sea with its doors when bursting forth, it went out from the womb; when I made a cloud its garment and thick darkness its swaddling band, I placed boundaries on it and set a bolt and door, and I said, "Thus far you shall come, but no farther; and here shall your proud waves stop" Job 38:8-11

Summer breezes call to us from the ocean, as waves whisper gently to our souls. While I confess to love sitting at the ocean's shore, I find even more awe at thinking about the Creator who spoke this into being. The latter chapters of Job always prick my imagination and carry it to the heights of the unpredictable. Chapters 38-41 give us more than a glimpse as God asks Job just where were you "when I laid the foundation of the earth".

Our ordinary routines can numb us, and the hectic 21st century living which applauds “being too busy” dulls the mind. Friendships falter, gathering is hurried, communications shrink to short texts. Sitting at the edge of the sea, I remember God created boundaries for a purpose. This shore line marks where power meets place, where responsibility meets rest. Moments when we can merge our desires with God’s design brings us to a place of restoration. Our souls find repose in our Creator. 

Hopefully you will have time to read these four chapters in Job and contemplate the immensity of creation! We often take for granted these miracles of creation. God designed us to be purposeful people who can also be present in these magnified moments. These seemingly ordinary moments are most extraordinary! - dho 

More Than Enough - Ordinary Days of Summer

You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body
and knit me together in my mother’s womb.
Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!
Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.
You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion,
as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.
You saw me before I was born.
Every day of my life was recorded in your book.
Every moment was laid out
before a single day had passed. Psalm 139:13-16 NLT

Today, my only grandchild, a sweet curly-headed, blue-eyed girl, turns 3! I remember all the anticipation surrounding welcoming her, all the love before she was even born. Remembering this time about her marvelous development and birth and savoring the joy she brings everyone is easy, fresh in my mind and heart. I can only imagine what grand adventures await her, what impact she will have on others. For now, she brings my soul a quiet delight.

This Scripture written centuries ago reminds us all of God’s divine hand in each of our lives. My life, through all the decades, reveals times of great joy and utter despair, of seeking and finding, times when I was absolutely certain and when I simply did not know what to do. These ancient and holy words give me strength and courage because God has always had a plan for my life, continues to know my purpose. This promise of knowing and preparing and growing me goes beyond enduring the hard places, beyond celebrating the good times. God embraces me in all times, through all things.

How precious are your thoughts about me, O God.

They cannot be numbered!

I can’t even count them;

they outnumber the grains of sand!

And when I wake up,

you are still with me! Psalm 139:17-18 NLT

You, Lord, have thoughts that I cannot fully understand. Yet - in any ordinary moment of any ordinary day, whether a work day or rest day or birthday, Your goodness never fails me, always fills me. Joy falls from the wings of Your angels! Certainly this must be more than enough. - dho 

Simple Goodness - Ordinary Days of Summer

"For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." 

Romans 14:17 NLT

If there is any goodness in us, it must come from God; goodness is one of the fruits of the Spirit. God is where goodness begins!

Our sacrifice of praise ~ 
Let God's goodness be manifested through us as we strive to live a life of goodness to honor God. -dho

Ordinary Time - Ordinary Days of Summer

                                                                                        

Stop and consider the wonderful miracles of God!

Do you know how God controls the storm

and causes the lightning to flash from his clouds?

Do you understand how he moves the clouds

with wonderful perfection and skill?

When you are sweltering in your clothes

and the south wind dies down and everything is still,

he makes the skies reflect the heat like a bronze mirror.

Can you do that? Job 37:14-18

Sudden thunderstorms and high temperatures dramatically mark summer in the south. We watch the storms roll in and feel and see the rain cool the earth.. and us too! While most days pass with work as usual, summer breaks up our routines. School is out, and no homework is welcomed. In someways, Summer is a transition period, a time to slow down, grow a garden, pick berries from their vines, taste the fresh peaches sold from the back of a pickup truck, cut watermelons, make homemade ice cream, play outside until the sun sets, walk on the beach, swim in the pool… just find simple delights in these ordinary days. Of course, it could just be too hot to do much else!

"Ordinary Time" is all the time during the liturgical year, excluding the season of Advent (Christmas through Epiphany) and Lent (Ash Wednesday through Pentecost). I always forget about this phrase but like the image evoked, because we all live most of our lives in ordinary time. 

God is with us! In the ordinary time and ordinary days we just might miss Him if we get distracted. Perhaps we sometimes forget WHO He is! As you find the beautiful and lovey joys in the ordinary everyday, remember God is both Creator and creative as He reveals himself to us. Don’t miss Him in these ordinary days of summer. Be thank-full! - dho

 

Waiting with His Abundance - Ordinary Days of Summer

O LORD, You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup; You maintain my lot. The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; Yes, I have a good inheritance. Psalm 16:5-6 NKJV

Like nature, life has seasons, and sometimes we find ourselves in difficult times, facing unknowns, waiting with uncertainties, barely holding on. Scripture reminds us that in this life we will have troubles, but God remains our Constant, our Known, our Certainty. Most of us live ordinary days in ordinary ways, but the simplicity of living can get complicated.

Time after time, God has provided, and I know He continues to be with me. I don't have to look very far to know how richly blessed my life has been. Still, I would have choosen less tears or easier circumstances. My human heart wishes for simple and good, idealistic and benign paths, but a spiritual journey is challenging. The human mind questions God's answers and proposes contradictions. We are so finite that mystery escapes us, sometimes bewilders us. However, in between the what if's and inside the why not's, His Grace flows so abundantly that I find my soul secure and in pleasant places - one with the Father. So, I will wait for His plan to be revealed, Word by Word, prayer by prayer, moment by moment, opportunity by opportunity, person by person, possibility by possibility.

Father, my heart gives You the Glory for my good deeds. My offerings are simple compared to Yours - a prayer, a Scripture, a hope, a gesture - just tokens of kindness and love. You touch my soul with words written centuries ago. Oh, Lord, Your Grace pours over me like a gentle rain, refreshing and renewing. In the stillness of this moment, I accept the portion and cup You have assigned me. In my obedience, use me to reach beyond, around and through circumstances to be a witness to Your Grace. Amen. ~dho

God’s Goodness - Ordinary Days of Summer Series

      

 "Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good..." Psalm 34:8

Summer calls us with garden-grown tomatoes and fresh-harvested berries, peaches, watermelons and more. Seasonal Farmer's Markets burst with colors and fragrances capturing our senses. It's true that now days we can find most fruits throughout the year, as grocers import from selective climates, but there's nothing that compares to vine-ripened and freshly gathered goodness. These sights and smells refresh and excite our senses, often bringing to mind memories of yesteryear while igniting anticipation of gatherings like picnics, cook-outs, vacations, and family reunions. 

Symbols of seasons, rooted in ancient cultures and literature and Scriptures, depict society's dependency on planting and growing and harvesting. Summer symbolizes a time of plenty and passion, a fullness of living, being in the moment. Somehow, summer's longer daylight hours expose our desires to share with others and become an offering of extra-time to gather and linger with family and friends, to meet and get to know new friends. Depending on where one lives, factors vary, but for those of us in the Southeastern United States, summer means hot weather and cool pools, warm evenings and refreshing ocean swims, steam rising from the streets with an unexpected shower and giggling children playing in sprinklers. Summer is the season to once again find the innocence and the joy of chasing fireflies on a summer's evening! ~dho

This summer I want to explore the ordinary days of summer, the simplicity of summer, the change of routines, the refreshment of less structure. Let’s look for ways to experience God's nudges to linger in His presence, to be refreshed with His goodness. Let's taste and see that the LORD is good! ~dho  

Ordinary Days of Summer - May is Brain Cancer Awareness Month

 We all need some positive and uplifting thoughts and stories to remind us of God’s goodness and simple joys. It’s that time of year when kids set up homemade lemonade stands! I think if possible, you should always stop and buy a cup of innocence and hope and entrepreneurship. The smiles they return will be pure bonus! Below you will find a sweet and not-so-usual story of my nephew’s lemonade stand. 

Designed in the spring of 2009, seven year old Thomas drew his plans for his idea. Together, Thomas and his dad built his design the summer of 2009, with Thomas doing all the painting and lettering. This Lemonade Stand served countless everyday boys and girls, moms and dads, strangers and friends, police officers and sheriffs and soldiers, and probably a few dogs. It proudly stood summer after summer on the side of the road just off Main Street in Raeford, NC, and spent the winters just off ‘Me’s Road‘ (in the back yard!).

Not many can claim such distinctions, but this Lemonade Stand has been in a parade, traveled to fundraising events, appeared in several newspaper articles, and raised money for child development and a church’s new building, along with bringing awareness to Childhood Cancer and celebrating God’s healing! Even after several updates and fresh coats of varnish, sadly, its time came to an end. Immeasurable memories remain, and the ordinary days of selling lemonade will always echo a time to dream, a time to plan, a time to build, a time of simplicity, a time of purpose, a time of joy, a time of innocence, a time of moving forward… dho

Thomas, an Eagle Scout and HS Honor graduate, just finished his Sophomore year at Appalachian State University. He is a Brain Cancer Survivor, after surgery and radiation treatments in 2011!

Something God Alone Can See

 

Hymn of Promise

words/music: Natalie Sleeth, 1986

In the bulb there is a flower;

in the seed, an apple tree;

in cocoons, a hidden promise: 

butterflies will soon be free!

In the cold and snow of winter

there's a spring that waits to be,

unrevealed until its season, 

something God alone can see.

There's a song in every silence,

seeking word and melody;

there's a dawn in every darkness,

bringing hope to you and me.

From the past will come the future;

what it holds, a mystery,

unrevealed until its season, 

something God alone can see.

In our end is our beginning; 

in our time, infinity;

in our doubt there is believing; 

in our life, eternity.

In our death, a resurrection;

at the last, a victory,

unrevealed until its season, 

something God alone can see.

The first time I heard this hymn was a decade ago at my daughter's church, and this past Sunday afternoon, our Sanctuary Choir sang it again. I love the words! In its simplicity there is great depth and meaning. The theme is repeated at the end of each verse ~ no matter the time, whether a time of beginning, of waiting, of doubting, God's promise to us remains. Through all the uncertainty that life brings, we can be certain of God's goodness. His tender love for us reaches through the difficulty, through the unknown. God has a plan for each of His children and desires a relationship with each of us. Even when we cannot see the reason, the answer, or the end result, God can. Trust is the key component in every relationship. Do you trust God with everything? 

Seasons of tragedy, disappointment, and uncertainty come in unexpected ways, at unpredictable times. In these moments, we must turn to God for comfort and encouragement, seek His unfailing love and faithful provisions, find His goodness and His peace! It must be enough that God alone can see!  ~dho

Dwelling Among Us

“There is no chance thing through which God cannot speak—even the walk from the house to the garage that you have walked ten thousand times before, even the moments when you cannot believe that there is a God who speaks at all anywhere. He speaks, I believe, and the words He speaks are incarnate in the flesh and blood of ourselves and of our own footsore and sacred journeys.” Fredrick Buechner 

The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14

In the first chapter of John, Scripture describes the incarnation of the Word. Jesus, the Word, becomes human and dwells among us. Both fully God and fully human, Jesus enters the world as the visible manifestation of God, His perfect love in human form. This unique Father-Son relationship offers a glimpse of possibility for the Christian. Full of grace and truth, Jesus pitches His tent and takes up residence among the people. 

Throughout all time, God has chosen to dwell in the midst His people, but when Jesus enters the world, both visible and tangible, God literally lives beside His people. Jesus is the Truth that brings Grace because He is the Perfect Sacrifice for all sins. 

Image of the Invisible God, this mystery of You coming to live among the people transcends intellectual thought. Perfect Love, You reveal the Light that darkness cannot cover and become the Grace that sin cannot destroy. Count me alive in Christ.  Be born in me! - dho

Beauty Everywhere

Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it with us or we find it not.” 

I’m in a little mountain town, Ixtapan, Mexico, and find beauty all around. Since it is a vacation, I shall be brief but wanted to share some of its beauty. No pictures, however, capture the beauty of the people. Their willingness to serve and accommodate, to be kind, to smile, to greet each person in passing. No pictures capture the sounds of the birds, the coolness of the breezes, the quietness of the night sky. No pictures capture the ringing of the church bell calling the faithful to Sunday services. There is beauty everywhere. Sometimes you bring it with you or find it where you go, but I am certain that I shall bring beauty back home from here! -dho

Goodness Begins with God

 "For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." 

Romans 14:17 NLT

The slogan on the Land O Lakes Half and Half reads, "where simple goodness begins." According to the dictionary, goodness is "the state or quality of being good, moral excellence, virtue, kindness, generosity, the best part of anything, strength, a euphemism for God." Bible.org says, "The goodness of God is a foundational truth that shapes our perspective toward God and His dealings with us in this life. The goodness of God is a fact to which the Bible often testifies. It is a fact which every Christian should believe and embrace." 

If there is any goodness in us, it must come from God; goodness is one of the fruits of the Spirit. God is where goodness begins! -dho

Easter Sunday - Living Bread

 Living Bread ~ Jesus said to them, “I am the Bread of Life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.” John 6:35 

During this season of reflections and renewal, join me in exploring the Bread of Life. When we encounter Jesus Christ, this Living Bread feeds, satisfies, and transforms us. Come on this journey and remember this Bread “is broken for you”. ~ Donna Oswalt

For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us. 

Hebrews 9:24 NKJV

Christ is risen! For Christianity, celebrating Easter recognizes a new beginning, a new way of believing, a new way of living. Christ, the New Covenant, offers everlasting life through grace! Resurrection Sunday celebrates a new and final blood sacrifice, a perfect sacrifice. What before was represented as sacred bread on an altar table in the Temple is now Living Bread in the presence of God. Christ reigns in heaven and offers each of us eternal citizenship in heaven. And though we are many, we all eat from one loaf of bread, showing that we are one body. (1 Corinthians 10:17) Together, in community, we come to the table, the Lord’s Table, and share the bread and cup to remember Christ’s sacrifice, to declare our faith in Christ, to celebrate our everlasting hope, to proclaim: Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again!

Christ is risen! Hallelujah! Lord, let my praises rise to the heights of heaven and resound into the depths of hell! My faith shouts victory over death! Forever let my prayers be full of praise for amazing grace. Bless my journey‘up to Jerusalem’, helping me constantly seek Your will and find spiritual satisfaction in the Bread of Heaven; “Lord, always give us this bread”. AMEN! ~ dho 

Focus Point: “Christ is risen from the dead; we are one with Him again! O church! Come stand in the light of God is not dead. He’s alive! He’s alive!”  ~ Matt Maher

Thank you for the opportunity to share the Bread of Life with you during this Easter Season. For more devotionals throughout the year, see my blog: BreathingRoomForMySoul.com 

~ Donna Oswalt

All rights reserved; copyright 2016 by Donna Oswalt/Co-Founder of Mangrove Ministries/Christian blogger and author; Breathing Room For My Soul (blog)~ Follow on Twitter @soulchat

Lent 2022 - Bread and Wine

Living Bread ~ Jesus said to them, “I am the Bread of Life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.” John 6:35 

During this season of reflections and renewal, join me in exploring the Bread of Life. When we encounter Jesus Christ, this Living Bread feeds, satisfies, and transforms us. Come on this journey and remember this Bread “is broken for you”. ~ Donna Oswalt

For every time you east this bread and drink this cup, you are announcing the Lord’s death until He comes again. 1 Corinthians 11:26 NLT

In a letter to the Corinthians, Paul addresses the people regarding the meaning of the Lord’s Supper. Frequently in the first century church, a fellowship meal often precedes the celebration of bread and wine. Paul reiterates the purpose of coming to the table together using Jesus’ words from the Gospels: This is My body, which is given for you and This cup is the new covenant between God and you, sealed by the shedding of My blood. He reminds these believers that they are one body united in Christ. To honor Christ this way demonstrates unity within the body by remembering the new covenant given by Jesus through His death and resurrection and in proclaiming the promise that Christ will return again. Jesus echoes, “Do this in remembrance of Me.”

This Maundy Thursday, Christians across the world will gather to remember the night Jesus hosts this memorial meal, will listen again to ancient but familiar words, will consider the cost of everlasting hope. On the night before His death and after a fellowship meal with the disciples, Jesus breaks the bread and pours the wine, says to remember His death and sacrifice for the sins of the world. Because of Jesus, our places of brokenness and suffering always find hope. Oswald Chambers frequently gives the call to believers of the body of Christ to be the broken bread and poured out wine. Let us, the body of Christ united by grace, be the tangible bread and wine to others by sharing the love of Christ and His infinite hope. Jesus echoes, “Do this in remembrance of Me.”

Lord ~ You are my Hope in all directions, in every circumstance; You go before me, surround me, send Your angels to protect me. Without Your brokenness there would be no wholeness; without Your sacrifice there would be no hope. You bind my broken dreams and failures, take my empty places and loneliness and bring me into Your presence. This communion renews my soul and refocuses my heart. While praying, “Lord, always give us this bread”, I am embraced by Perfect Peace. Help me be the bread and wine of Jesus to others. ~ dho 

Focus Point: Because of Jesus, our places of brokenness and suffering always find hope.

All rights reserved; copyright 2016 by Donna Oswalt/Co-Founder of Mangrove Ministries/Christian blogger and author; Breathing Room For My Soul (blog)~ Follow on Twitter @soulchat