Have a good day!

© 2012 Julie Crane All rights reserved

"... but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy. (John 16:22)

What ALL has to happen before you call it a good day?
Do you have a punch list?
Do you wait until the end of the day to review and then decide?
Or do you start off assuming today will be  a good one?
When you achieve / attain your good day, and then something disagreeable happens, is the day now ruined?
Is there a number in your head of how many good things need to happen?
And how many bad things it takes to spoil it all?
When you lay your head down at night, do you count your many blessings of the day, or more prone to dwell on some "major" (or minor) mishap?
Is your good day designation list short - or long?
Can you think of a just few things to fulfill the "need"?
Will they be enough?
Or is there always one more?
Do you readjust your list once its attained - for yet another thing?
What will make today good for you?
And will you choose to not let anything take away your joy?

But later I will see you, and you will be so happy that no one will be able to change the way you feel. (CEV)

... but I will see you again, and your hearts will be filled with gladness, the kind of gladness that no one can take away from you. (GNT)

When I see you again, you'll be full of joy, and it will be a joy no one can rob from you. You'll no longer be so full of questions. (MSG)

What is the key phrase I see in these verses?
I will see you again, and then ...

Joy follows Jesus around.
Want to displace the sadness over dissatisfaction?
Getting with Jesus stops all the questions - and leaves a joy that nothing and no one can steal away.

So go see Jesus. And have a good day!

God's hand in the present age

... for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. (Matthew 6:8)

I had to have been crazy. Why would anyone go thrift store shopping on a rainy day? But out we went, my niece and I, looking for "treasures" and enjoying each others company.

Often times there is nothing much worth buying. But this day I found six skeins of yarn. For $2.50! A real bargain. I hesitated though. It was navy blue. Extremely difficult to work with. Dark colors just are. The wrapper was gone from all of them so I didn't know for sure the weight or how much was really there. And the yarn felt stiff as if kind of old. Maybe not such a bargain after all. Still, the price taunted me and I decided it would be worth the risk.

Once home, I rifled through all my old patterns I had saved for who knows how long. Without knowing the yardage, how would I know if I had enough? I finally decided on something. A pattern I'd never done it before. And being unsure about the yarn, it would be a crap shoot as to what size it would end up being. Closing my eyes. Taking a chance.

Well, the pattern was fairly easy and progress was quick. Looked like something useable would come out of it after all.

I was three-quarters of the way through when someone posted on social media that hospice was in need of lap robes. Hmmm. I wonder what size a lap robe needs to be?

You guessed it. My little "spontaneous" project turned out to be the exact measurement for a lap robe that would accommodate someone in a wheelchair. 

Was all this coincidence?

• someone donated some old yarn
• we went shopping in the rain
• the yarn was at such a bargain price for the quantity
• an appealing pattern was saved months ago
• a post was made on social media
• the project came out just the right size

Or was all this God's hand? Aligning circumstances to meet someone's need before the individual even asked? 

What do you believe happened?

What if He saw me ...?

© 2012 Julie Crane All rights reserved

I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink ... (Matthew 25:35)

One harried mother. One small boy in tow. Whip into a parking spot at the one-stop shopping store. Purse and list in hand. When there's a rap on the window.

Another harried woman:
"My car ran out of gas. I coasted into the parking lot. I can't get a hold of anyone. This is so embarrassing ... They charge $13 for a gas can ... Do you ... do you have any cash? I'm so embarrassed to be asking ..."

Through the still rolled up window, the mother thinks:
Oh, good. An acceptable "out".
She "yells" through the window:
"I don't have any cash. I'm so sorry I can't help you."

The woman nods and moves on.

But heading into the store with her purse and son - a nudge.

What if He saw me?

Well, that woman could be a crafty panhandler. It happens. But what if she really needs help? And He saw me - walk away?

The mother and son got into the check out lane. Purchased a $20 gas card. And headed back out into the parking lot. Didn't see her at first. Then spotted her a couple rows over. Talking with a man who was shaking his head. No. Sorry.

"Lady! Hey, lady!"

Mother and son run to her. Hand her the gas card and confirmation receipt. A quick hug before returning to the store for their groceries.

She didn't look back to see if the woman headed to the gas station. Peace settled over her as she thought:

None of my business. It's God's. My job is to love and help in the name of Jesus. To be obedient when the Lord nudges.

Because ...
What if He sees me - walking away?

On today's agenda? Love. And help when He nudges.

Beyond just reading it

© 2012 Julie Crane All rights reserved

Give thanks to the Lord, call on His name  (1 Chronicles 16:8-10)... (pause)

Truly, God, with all my heart, thank You for every thing. Thank You for never leaving me; You never stop loving me, helping me, caring about me. Thank You for calling out my name. Yes, thank You. I'm thankful I can approach Your holy throne with confidence and acceptance. And am welcomed in great love.

Make known among the nations what He has done ... (pause)

I surely will, Lord God, as You lead and direct and guide my thoughts and words. May my testimony of You and Your greatness be heard, seen, felt in and through my thoughts, words and deeds. In my attitude, in my heart and mind and all that overflows from them, God. Be glorified. Be glorified.

Sing to Him. Sing praise to Him ... (pause)

Lord, You are above all and beyond all. Unfathomable greatness. Awesomeness, goodness beyond belief. Ultimate perfect love and acceptance, tenderness, compassionate too. Merciful. Great are You, Lord. Great in all You've done for me over the years. All the helps, all the rescues, all the joys. Your amazing grace through it all. Through unbelievable traumas. Through huge mistakes. Yet You do not harbor any anger or disappointment. You still send beautiful blessings into every day. Great is Your faithfulness. Great is Your unchanging, unfailing character of love and grace, Lord... unto me.

Tell of all His wonderful acts... (pause)

Thank You for seeing me through my rebellious times and desert times. Wandering off times, drifted away times both from long ago and even just yesterday. You love me still, care for me still - through the times I've been on fire for You, Lord and for the times I've run after worldly passions as well. You have loved me. Cared about me. Scooped me up after every fall, after... every... fall.

Glory in His holy name ... (pause)

Great are You, Lord. Great is Your love, Your profound love. All praise, honor, glory, thanks, blessing, reverence, awe due Your name. Worthy is the Lamb. Worthy is the Lamb. Worthy is the Lamb ... Amen.

Tis' the season

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come into his presence with singing. Know that the Lord is God. It is he that made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. (Psalm 100:1-3 NRSV)




Yep. It's already ramping up. Stores and advertisements and obligations heading for overload.

But are we rejoicing, being glad and singing over the birth of a savior? Our Savior?

Or are we already grumbling about the cost of gifts, the traffic, the crowds, the pressures, the rushing, the expectations, the weather, the cooking and cleaning - oh, my!

I'm afraid my thoughts were headed that way. I'm baking cookies today for the church bazaar. And my first thoughts were fear of caving in and ruining my diet and weight loss plans. And hurrying up to finish craft items. And worrying about travel plans during the Christmas rush. Certainly doesn't sound like "Joy to the World" to me. You?

When maybe I should be rejoicing that I CAN bake and decorate yummy baked goods and handmade items. I CAN offer them to those unable to - because of work schedules or physical limitations. And I CAN rejoice in the Lord. Any day! Every day!

I don't want to lose my joy in the Lord over these worldly pressures. Too often I have caught myself too late - sitting in the Christmas eve service wondering how it got here so soon.

I want to stand firm in the peace He offers. I want to live in love of Him. I want that love and joy and peace to overflow into others lives.

Tis' the season, to stand at the stable - and to BE stable - firm and sure - in the salvation we have in this Jesus ... the Christ ... our Lord.

Do this in remembrance of Me.

Thanks be to God!