I WAS BLIND, BUT NOW I SEE

By: Donna Selma Lind

"I was blind but now I see!" John 9:25

A few months ago we added a brood of newborn chicks to our already large chicken flock. I had picked out a couple of new exotic breeds that I thought looked like fun. The kind with the fancy fountain feather heads. As the baby chicks got older they started to explore outside of their Coop. Well, all but the two special ones, they never wanted to go outside, they always hung back and clung together in the corner of the Coop. We just thought they were a little skittish because they were fancier than the normal "farm chicks!" ;-)

One day after my Husband opened the door to let the chickens out he peeked through the window to see what "Martha and Mary" were doing. They were clucking and squawking and dashing back and forth bouncing off the walls and into each other! He went inside, picked up the chickens and after a thorough examination called me over for a second opinion. 

I think the chickens are BLIND! he announced. Look at their eyes!

I don't see their eyes! 

Exactly, that's why they don't go outside with the other chickens. That's why they hide in the corner and run into the walls! They're BLIND!

We started to move the feathers around on their fancy feathered knot-heads and all of a sudden the tiniest green eyeball peered back at me! It was only opened a tiny slit and the eyelid was fluttering and blinking like someone flung open the curtains on a sunny morning and shouted;
"GOOD MORNING! IT'S WAKE UP CALL!"   

They weren't blind at all, the poor babies just couldn't see because their fancy feathers had grown down and covered their eyes! 

After a quick you-tube tutorial on; "How to cut fancy feathers off around chicken eyes!" the operation began.

A few careful snips here and there and eyesight was restored to a couple of very happy chick-a-dees! 

Martha and Mary ran outside clucking and flapping their wings, seeing the barnyard and their fine feathered friends for the first time since they were babies! That night they flew up and sat on the roost for the first time, so proud and happy just chuckling away!

They were Blind, but now they see!

How many of us stumble around in the darkness, bumping into the same old walls of sin and bad habits, unforgiveness, envy,pride,anger and offense? 
We hide in the dark corners hoping no one will notice and call us out of our selfish, sinful lives.
We think it's easier to hide in the darkness, easier to push away the fear and the pain and push away the people who love us and want to help us. 

"For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed." John 3:20

In the darkness we are Blind. Spiritually Blind. We can't see the truth in the dark. And we don't want to! We cannot grow in the dark. We can't fly in the dark! 

"But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God." John 3 :21

As believers we are to reflect the light of Jesus Christ to a world of darkness.
We are to shine in a way that those in the dark would want to come into the light. Show the world truth in love and share our testimony of how God trimmed the little chicken feathers off our eyes so now we can see and walk in the light. 

And when we walk in the light, we can "SEE"with spiritual eyes, how to reach out and help someone else who is stumbling in the darkness like we once did. We can share our story of hope and God's amazing Grace of how we once were lost but now we're found. 

"I was Blind but now I see."

This week ask the Lord to trim your "fancy chicken feathers" off of your eyes so you can see to help someone else see who is struggling and stumbling around in the darkness!

"We were blind but now we see!" John 9:25

WHEN ONE FALLS DOWN

By: Donna Selma Lind

"For if either of them falls, the other one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up." Ecclesiastes 4:10

Last week my husband fell down and broke his wrist and  fractured his ribs.

Sometimes we don't realize how much we rely on one another or take for granted the other person until they no longer can do what they did or until they are gone.

What an unfortunate way to learn to appreciate the ones we love.

When my Husband and I married we took vows that said "And the two shall become one."

 We really have become one. We do complete one another. And isn't that God's plan?

We have established a routine in our life where I take care of certain things in our household and my Husband takes care of other things. We work together as a team, I help him and he helps me, it has become an automatic system where we each have a part to do and we do it. We have each others backs, we rely on one another, we count on each other. So, when one of us falls down, the other lifts up his companion and helps him up.

 Last spring I "fell down"with Pneumonia and was sick for about four months, Stanley was right by my side to help me with chores and whatever I needed help with. When he fell down last week I came alongside of him and am helping with his chores and everyday life stuff that he needs me for. 

 

Maybe it's because we are getting older and things aren't as easy to do as they once were but I really noticed this week how much we rely on each other and how much of a team we really are, and how much I really love and appreciate my other half.

We are a little different in case you haven't noticed. And we really are sappy in love. I bet Stanley tells me he loves me a hundred times a day, well maybe that's a bit of an exaggeration, but not much. He says "I love you", he sings me love songs, he picks me wildflowers, saves me the curly crunchy potato chips and the last bite of chocolate, well maybe not the last bite of chocolate, but the point is, he loves me and tries to show me and make me feel special and know his love for me and I try to do the same. One of the things he has always said to me since the beginning is "Honey, I'd be lost without you." He says this to me everyday over and over. And I really get that, especially this last week. I feel like God has opened my eyes to see our love and what a blessing my Husband is to me. Truth is; I'd be lost without him.

The little things that usually annoy me don't seem to bother me so much this week. The things on my "To Do" list can wait, I just want to spend time with my best friend. I don't want to take him or our time together for granted anymore. I know God has given me this man as a gift to treasure and I do; I just want to do it more now.  Time seems to be zipping by so quickly, life and loved ones can be gone in the blink of an eye.

I want to love more and live more with my husband, companion, my best friend. I want to be the one to lift him up if he falls and be his helpmate as he is mine.

 I didn't think it was possible to love him more, but somehow this last week God has enlarged my heart. 

Take the time to love. Tell the ones close to your heart that you love them and don't take them for granted. If they fall be there to lift them up, help and encourage them. Speak sweetly, love softly, forgive, be patient, be kind, cherish them and know they are a treasure and a Gift from God!

"If you live to be a hundred, I want to live a hundred minus one day, so I would never have to live a day without you." Winnie the Pooh

"LOVE NEVER FAILS" 1 Corinthians 13:8

"TAKE HEART"

By: Donna Selma Lind

 

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But TAKE HEART! I have overcome the world." John 16:33

I sat out on the back porch early in the morning and watched a Mama Wren fly back and forth from the pasture to the Purple leaf Sand Cherry tree. She hopped from branch to branch and then she poked her head into the tiny hole of the Bird House. A symphony of baby birdies chimed "cheep,cheep,cheep"and then a hush came over the little house as Mama deposited breakfast into her babies wide open beaks.

I sat mesmerized as I watched this magical performance take place just a few feet from me. A worm, a grasshopper, a beetle, she flitted back and forth bringing breakfast for her babies for almost half an hour. Mama Wren, always singing cheerfully in-between feeding her children.  

You would never know that there was a storm the night before that she and her family had survived. 

High winds tossed her little house around.

Part of the roof was ripped off and the branches that enveloped the little house were broken, but Mama Wren carried on.

 She never gave up, she never quit, she kept on keeping on. 

Through the storm and after the storm she never stopped singing! 

What an inspiration she is to me! What an example of not allowing circumstances to rob us of our song!

The Wren is such a tiny little bird and yet she has one of the biggest  loudest and most beautiful songs! 

In the midst of a trial she continues to sing.

 She knows how to "TAKE HEART!" She remains undaunted and  steadfast as she re-builds her nest.

She maintains peace as she endures the hardships of her life.

Her hope and faith remains in her Creator. She knows He cares for her, she knows she is Victorious and no matter the trial or tribulation, she will sing a song of "Good Cheer!"  

I want to be more like Mama Wren! 

When the storms of life swirl around me, when the trials and tribulations knock on my door, I am going to keep on keeping on.

 I am going to "TAKE HEART" knowing my LORD told me that stuff is going to happen in this world, but in the middle of it all I will have HIS PEACE! And I will "TAKE HEART" knowing He has overcome the world! 

And because I belong to Jesus and He belongs to me that makes me an "Overcomer!" Hallelujah!

Whatever trial comes your way, KEEP SINGING!

No matter what the storm looks like,"TAKE HEART!"

Be JUBILANT in Jesus name!

"Shout to the LORD, all the earth; be jubilant, shout for joy and sing!"

Psalm 98:4