"THE CHICKEN LINE"

By:Donna Selma Lind

 My husband picked up some chicks  a few weeks ago.
Yea, he's a real chick magnet!
Actually I was with him when he picked them up...some were blondes, a few redheads and several  dark brunettes .
There was about 40 of them and I wasn't sure everybody would fit in the truck but he squeezed them in the back seat and they cackled all the way home!

The dogs didn't know what to think. Especially Judah. The closer the chicks got to him, the more Judah whined and wimpered. He tried to keep still but after a few minutes Judah crossed the line. You know.... the chicken line! 

Judah dreaming of Chicken Nuggets.

The line that represents an opportunity on the other side, one you won't get if you stay on the safe side. The line that is a little scary and a little thrilling at the same time.
The line that says "Hey , I see you over there standing in the safe zone.
I dare you to cross over to my side! ( insert dangling carrot )
I have a reward for you over here, but you have to take a step over the line.

We all have chicken lines in our life to cross over. Some are big, some not so big.
Nevertheless, we won't recieve the prize until we take the first step.
Some rewards are temporary some are eternal. Like our salvation. Taking that step leads to our eternal life with our Father in Heaven. Amen.  
Not taking the step also leads to eternity but it won't be with the Lord.
We may have an opportunity to start a new job,  go to school or partner in a new business venture but we are afraid we might fail. We will never know until we take that step.
We are tempted to sin. That is a line that we do not want to cross.
Sometimes it is standing up for truth and what is righteous.
Jesus stood up for truth and what was right.  He stood for the little children, the widows and orphans.
And when the adulterous woman was going to be stoned to death, Jesus drew the original chicken line in the sand and said to the angry mob "Let any one of you who is without sin throw the first stone."
No one dared to cross that chicken line!
Some lines we cross are  good and some lines we cross are not good.  It's up to us to seek the Lord and ask for wisdom to know when to cross the chicken line.

So far Judah hasn't crossed the chicken line again , although he did try to kiss a few of the little chicks!

"Lead us not into temptation."

Is there a chicken line in your life that you've been tempted to cross?

If it will bring Glory to God then what are you waiting for? Go ahead cross that line!
I double dog dare you!  Come on go for it! Dream big. Don't be a chicken.
                                         With God by your side you can do it!

        HALLELUJAH !

                               PRAISE THE LORD AND SHARE THE GOOD NEWS!
                                                  
                                                                      ~DONNA SELMA LIND ~

"PEEP"

"PEEP...PEEP...PEEP..." The sound of "PEEP'S" interupted my slumber. Was I dreaming? I rolled over...again I heard a faint.."PEEP...PEEP...PEEP..." It wasn't a constant "PEEP" it was a soft measured beat of three "PEEPS" and then it rested.
Ahhh, it must be a battery that needs changing in a smoke alarm. I tiptoed out of bed to the kitchen. Glancing  at the stove clock, it read 2:00 am. Again I heard "PEEP...PEEP...PEEP".
I switched the light on at the top of the basement stairs and headed to where I thought I heard the alarm. Standing on the small stepstool I unscrewed the smoke alarm, pulled the battery and carried it upstairs where I set it on the kitchen counter. I would put a fresh battery in the  morning .

 I shuffled back to bed and snuggled under the covers. "PEEP...PEEP...PEEP..."
There was that annoying "PEEP" again! Back in the basement and up on the stepstool again I unscrewed the carbon monoxide alarm. I set it next to the smoke alarm on the counter and got back in bed again.

"PEEP...PEEP...PEEP" Are you kidding me? Where is this coming from? I put on my Nancy Drew cap and headed upstairs. Must be in the back bedroom. I pulled a chair under the alarm and unscrewed it . Again I placed it with the other two alarms on the counter and headed for the third time back to bed. Finally, I am going to get some sleep!

"PEEP...PEEP...PEEP..."
That does it! I stomped up the stairs , dragged the chair into the hall, unscrewed that alarm.Then I marched into the other guest bedroom and pulled that alarm out as well. It PEEPED in my hand and I knew I had the little culprit at last!
Down the stairs once again I dropped the two alarms on the counter with the other three!
I scoped the entire house looking for any alarms I may have missed. All gone. None. Zero Nada.
The whole "PEEPING"nightmare was finally over!
( It reminded me of Edgar Allen Poe's "TELL TALE HEART". )

The time was now 3:00 am.
By this time the dogs were restless following me around from room to room. Joy stood by the back door so I let her out .I stood on the porch in the dark staring at the stars and sliver of a moon that hung in the sky. It was still and quiet except for a rustling of leaves.

And then I heard it...."PEEP...PEEP...PEEP"!


Am I losing my mind? I have unscrewed every alarm in the house! "PEEP...PEEP...PEEP.."

And then it dawns on me...I am outside and now I am hearing the "Peeper Frogs!"

Oh Glory to God! I thought I was cracking up!
 I looked up to the Heavens and I said "Lord, you have such a sense of humor!"

It took me a while, but I finally got back to sleep. In the morning Stanley looked at the counter and said "What are all these alarms and batteries doing here?"

I gave him a dirty look and told him,
"Don't ask, and I don't want to hear a "PEEP" out of you about this again!

 

There are days when the Lord is trying to get our attention.

Sometimes it is a gentle whisper "PEEP...PEEP...PEEP"in the distance. Sometimes it is a full blown alarm! The key is to be still listen and learn his voice so when he is trying to warn us of something to come, we will hear the

PEEP before it's too late.

 

Has the Lord been whispering something in your ear lately?

 

 

"The Lord said,"Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by."...A great wind tore the mountains apart...but the Lord was not in the wind. There was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. Then came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire, came a gentle whisper. And the LORD whispered to him, "What are you doing here?"

1Kings 19:11-13

 

We can all use a good Trumpet blowing alarm of revelation from the Lord.

But frequently it is the still small voice and gentle whispers of God that can bring about a fresh wind of instruction and encouragement into our lives.

 

HALLELUJAH!

 

PRAISE THE LORD AND SHARE THE GOOD NEWS!

 

~DONNA~

 

 

" CROSSROADS"

Last week we went to our favorite Japanese strolling garden to admire the Cherry tree blossoms.  The trees were loaded with puffy pink and white blooms some shaped like snowballs and some that hung like tassles.

 

 

A warm breeze floated by sending a sweet perfume mixture of cherry blossoms, hyacinth and jonquil blooms.  A cacophonous symphony for my sniffer! :-)

 

We began our journey with a series of paths. One meandered around and one was more or less straight.

 

Sometimes, standing at the crossroads it's hard to decide which path to choose.

Have you ever been at a junction in life and you need to make a choice to change the path you've been on?

It could be starting or ending a relationship. It might be a job , career or a school change.        It may be time to move or time to stay. Time to start or time to stop. No matter what crossroads lie before you , one thing is certain, you have to decide which path you will choose.

This is what the Lord says: "Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.

 Jeremiah 6:16

 

 

The most important path we will ever choose is the road to Heaven. There is only one way to get there and his name is Jesus Christ.  Once again it is a choice. When we decide to go down that path we have the blessed assurance that we will never walk alone again.

The Lord will be with us to guide and protect us along the way.

 

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

Psalm 119:105

 

The perfume of cherry blossoms pales in comparison to the sweet aroma of the Lord!

 

 

Eternity awaits to those who choose to follow Jesus!

 

You make known to me the path of life; you fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
 Psalm 16:11

 

 

 

HALLELUJAH!

 

PRAISE THE LORD AND SHARE THE GOOD NEWS!

 

~DONNA~