Our Perfect GPS

It was dark and very late.  Rain was threatening.  We had 4 very tired children in the back of the car.  We were stopped in a painfully slow-moving line of traffic after circling around the confusing streets of the outskirts of Pittsburgh.  “I’m such a doubter!” My sister in law repeated several times as she rested her hands on the wheel.  I listened not knowing what to say, much less what to do.  Since my sense of direction functions only at a very, how shall I say it? “Primitive” level, I am the worst person to be stuck with when lost in a strange city.

“If I’d just trusted the GPS we could’ve been home a long time ago,” was her anguished realization once we finally found the correct highway after making several turns that were not indicated by the GPS. 

Personally, I don’t have a GPS of any kind.  I survive on directions scribbled on scrap paper and on my husband’s keen sense of location.  But I’ve heard GPS tales from both sides.  I’ve heard them from those who live by it and would not go anywhere without their trusted gadget, as well as from those who intensely dislike it or don’t even know what it is, let alone possess one. 

Even though I don’t own one, I believe it is a useful device, which someday I might actually purchase,-particularly after our ordeal trying to navigate the highly un-maneuverable streets of Pittsburgh by disobeying the recommendations that the computerized voice of the GPS gently but firmly insisted upon-. 

“I think our GPS fiasco is the perfect story for a sermon,” my sister in law said to me the next time I saw her.  “It’s like when we just decide we know better than God and chose to go our own way, get lost, delayed and run around in circles until we decide to tune in back again and finally find our way,” she concluded.  “Amen!” I thought to myself. 

I think she is completely right.  The only difference is that God never fails.  For those who don’t trust the GPS I can tell you God is infinitively better!  There is no comparison, really.  There is no one so lost that Our Lord can not find, “recalculate” and put back on their way.  The problem is, however, that not unlike our little adventure that night trying to get out of Pittsburgh; more often than not we don’t trust our perfect, built-in GPS.  We think we know better.  We take one look at the roads that the Lord lays out for us to follow, we find them too difficult, too scary or too challenging, and we decide we can find our way around them by following other roads that look simpler and nicer. 

Sometimes the roads that He indicates for us are too lonely and we don’t want to walk alone, so we detour to the one “most travelled” because company makes us feel safer.  Some other times the road is just too steep so we take the one that looks leveled because it seems easier.  Yet, other times we take a different road than the one clearly set by our Lord just because we listened to the person next to us in our quest for a quick answer.  All of the time, however, we discover that each an every instance we discard the triptik laid out by our Maker, we end up lost, delayed, frustrated and exhausted.

Lack of trust can really take us through some serious detours in life, we all know that.  The important thing to remember is, however, that regardless of the many times we disregard our Lord’s directives, He is a Faithful Guide and unlike the automated GPS in our cars or phones, He loves us!  His love is real and by His love He drives us back to Him.  Even if sometimes we don’t even know enough to see His way; He sees us as we struggle to find our way in our life’s maze.  He grabs hold of us and He puts us back on track if we recognize that He is, indeed Lord and Controller of our destiny.

We made it home safely that night. My two exhausted sons went straight to bed, for which I praised the Lord!  I also praised God for my sister in law’s caring attitude for our well-being and her perseverance to find the right way in the midst of confusion.  Above all, I praised God for who He is in our lives, the Leading Hand that always brings us back home unharmed,-our Perfect GPS!

Faith Like Tomatoes or is it Tomatos? ; )

I'm not very fond of rain.  I don't like rainy days nor I find inspiration in cloudy skies.  On the contrary, rain usually has a negative impact on me.  Like yesterday, for the first time this summer I got to take my boys to the nearby swimming pool and yes, you guessed it...no you didn't!  It didn't rain.  It was just the threat of rain.  There were a few rolling thunders heard in the distance and the dutiful lifeguards proceeded to close shop. I couldn't believe it!  But I guess it is better to be safe than sorry.


We obeyed and got out of the pool and after a short visit to our friend's house, we went home.  As it happened, rain didn't come for many hours later, almost on time to go to bed; but there I was, with the memory of a delightful day interrupted by the threat of rain. (ugh)


This morning I stepped outside to see my tomato plant. I have to make a statement here.  This year, for the very first time EVAH, I planted something with my very own glove-covered hands! I armed myself with the tools of the trade and I have been growing a tomato plant since early summer.  I am very protective of it!  It is like my little friend.  I even talk to it...only because I know that the CO2 from my breath helps it grow...not because I'm lonely or something else strange...she is not my imaginary friend...I'm fine! I am!


At any rate, yesterday, after our unnecessarily shortened pool day, I saw that my plant was looking very VERY sad.  I was very worried about it.  It looked like it would never recover from the damaged the heat had caused to it. So I immediately showered it profusely, but to my dismay, the plant didn't seem to be coming back as quickly as I'd like it to do.  I worried some more.


This morning, however, after last night's rain, the ground was still looking moist and when I approached my tomato friend, I saw, to my delight, that it seemed much revived.  It still had drops of water on the budding tomatoes and that made me smile.  


I know that rain serves a purpose.  Without it life doesn't flourish and we cease to thrive.  But I resist it because it brings me down.  Cloudy skies just do something to my soul.  However, looking how much better my tomato plant does when it receives the rain, made me accept the truth in my heart.  Rain is a gift from God and nothing really can replace it.  Nothing really works as well as rain.  We can artificially water, but nothing is better than actual rain from above.  And now I finally see it.


So who cares if my little pool day didn't work as planned or didn't last as long as I would have liked it to.  For my tomato plant's sake, I do appreciate the rain : )


He will come down like rain upon the mown grass, As showers that water the earth. Psalm 72: 6

A Lazy Saturday with "The Boss"

I don’t know what moved us to play some old Bruce Springsteen songs this lazy Saturday morning; but we did.  The guy’s got wacky thoughts and messed up political ideas, but I can’t deny I do enjoy his music.  It is tough-guy-poetry wrapped around catchy tunes.  People from old steel town, now turned rust belt America, fully understand and identify with what he talks about in his songs. 

Man, sometimes I toy with the idea that I might’ve been born in the wrong place for I sure understand and identify with it too.  I get the love-hate relationship with the town that keeps you trapped like a dog inside an invisible fence which shocks you every time you try to run away.  You love it and you hate it because it runs through your veins and you can’t escape.  This is where your sweat and tears drip down your face.  This is where you do your living and hope not to do your dying.  The twinkling lights at Christmas remind you of an age-old promise that turns it into a blessing.  The baskets hanging on the street lamps make it smell like home; and the rows of American flags in Main Street remind you that you are actually one of the braves, who lives in the land that is still free.  Though you reject the thought, this is where the Lord put you and you know it in your gut..it’s  not yet time to go.

Yes, I get it.  Even though I wasn’t born nor raised in the United States, in the figurative sense, I grew up here.  I became of age in small town America and I certainly consider it my own.  It was here that I met my Jesus.  It was here that He gave me life.  It is here that He fills me with hope.  And even though I’m not there yet, here on earth He has made this my home.  For as long as I continue to be here it is for me to seek Him first as I wait for Him and His Kingdom to come.

Philippians 3:20-21 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.

Peace Be With All Tonight

In peace I will lie down and sleep,
for you alone, Lord,
make me dwell in safety. (Psalm 4: 8)

I can’t believe it…my wonderful day of doing nothing has ended…sigh. The boys, all three of them, are fast asleep. I’m the only dweller of this household who is still wide awake. I don’t want to go to bed just yet. I want to savor the wonderful taste of the day one last time.

The Lord has been good to me, and for that I praise Him. He gave me another day to enjoy His creation and my life. My soul overflows with gratitude for He is good all the time. I pray that I may always remember to give Him thanks in all situations.

It’s time to close shop now. The dark of night is here; but the promise of a new day lies a brief time ahead. Until then, I pray my soul will…”Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the LORD has been good to you.” (Psalm 116: 7)

The Blessing of Today

As I reluctantly rolled out of bed this morning, the pain in my joints reminded me that I was alive.  I know…not the best attitude to begin a new day.  Shortly, however, after I managed to finally open my eyes I realized what a beautiful summer morning the Lord had given to the people around here today (and that includes me).  I looked out the side window of my bedroom and admired the blue sky.  I opened it and breathed in the fresh, cool morning air.  O how I love summer!  The birds were chirping joyfully all around.  I let out a sigh and then I remembered that I had no place to go to today.  What a blessing! 

I had absolutely nothing to do today that required the stressful effort of gathering my two boys and dragging them around in my car (visions of whining, toys flying and intense arguing in the back seat flashed by in my mind and I shuddered).  For once, I was not going to have to give them the 5-minute-‘till-we-leave warning.  For once, the boys were going to be able to have a day of leisure at home without having their Mama boss them around and yell orders from her command center about getting in the car, finding shoes, brushing teeth, putting clean clothes on (not in that exact order, of course).  Not today.  The thought of that made me smile.

This is the day that the Lord has made and I will rejoice and be glad in it! I resolved.  (Psalm 118: 24) 

Who cares about achy joints?  That’s why they invented Aleve, right?  The blessing of a new, glorious day is here for our enjoyment and I don’t want to waste it!  His blessings are new every morning! Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. (Lamentations 3: 22-23)

I walked out of my bedroom and the boys, who have been camping out in the living room for almost 2 weeks, were already awake and playing the Wii…I know…videogames…sigh. Grant had even fixed himself some breakfast! (Another huge blessing! That boy is such a picky eater; he just needs to start cooking for himself right now). I surveyed the scene and it was a mess down there, stuffed animals and other assortment of toys all around the floor and on the inflatable mattress where the boys have been sleeping. But today, I don’t care. I won’t make any kind of pronouncement about how they must pick up and how today will be the last day they keep their clutter in the living room. Not today, because today, I will rejoice in the Lord no matter what. Now, it’s time to go outside and bask in the blessed gift of this new day.

May the Healer Be Revealed

Driving down my favorite way to work one morning I heard a short devotional on the radio that was about when there isn’t much more one can do but to ask for God to “show up.” The brief meditation referred to those moments when darkness overcomes us, when the situation is too much for us to bear, when the hurt is too painful. It is in those moments when we are left with no means of our own and all we can do in our brokenness is to cry out to Him and ask Him to reveal Himself to us in a mighty and visible way.

I was very touched by the words and the Holy Spirit promptly moved me to action.  I immediately began to pray for the Lord to be revealed in my loved ones today.  I began to pray for Him to “show up.” 

I walk surrounded by wounded souls and broken spirits.  Insecurities, confusion and unanswered “whys” blur our vision and keep us from seeing His glory divine all around.  This is the moment to breathe and beg for Him to show His glory, even here, like the beautiful song by Mercy Me called “The Hurt and the Healer” say.    He sure can “breathe us back to live.”  He is the only One who can.

He breathes us back to life even when we are not even noticing.  He does show up even if we are not paying attention.  He reveals Himself daily in small details as well as in awesome wonders.  He shows up in the beauty of a summer afternoon that brightens the soul that is clouded by sorrow.  He shows up in the laughter of little children who play unaware of the hurt inside.  He shows up in the perfect song on the radio that lifts us up when we need to be picked up.  He shows up in the warm embrace of a friend and in the kind words of someone who cares.  Above all, He shows up, He reveals Himself to His own in His Word. 

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (John 1: 1-5)

We may, however, miss His revelation if we lose our focus.  Like Peter, if we turn our eyes to the storm rather than keep them on the Lord, the waves overcome us and we sink.  While immerse in those moments of pain so deep that we can hardly move, the one thing we should not do is to sever our communication with the Most High.  The truth is that He has never left us, even when we don’t feel His presence.  He is always with us even when our feelings deceive us.  He never leaves us even if we can’t experience His revelation. 

Praying the Word of God while we wait in Him is imperative.  Prayer is what keeps the line of communication open as we wait for the Healer to reveal Himself, wipe away our tears and erase our pain.  Praying for Him to “show up” keeps us plugged into the outlet of His mighty power and allows us to be tuned in so we don’t miss Him when He does show up. 

The LORD continued to appear at Shiloh, and there he revealed himself to Samuel through his word. (1 Samuel 3: 21)