A MESSAGE IN THE SAND

I'm taking a brief blog break from my "Abundant Keys" theme to share an inspiration my husband and I discovered when we were on vacation in California last week.
Our fabulous, relaxing time on the beach north of San Diego for 5 days....sunning, wading, watching surfers and bogie-boarders... was coming to an end.  On Friday morning we were emotionally ready to board the plane for our return home to Minnesota. . . with one drawback. . . I did not want to leave the ocean.  I wanted to take it with me!  Talk about unreasonable expectations.
So we packed our belongings in the rental car and took one more short stroll down to the beach to say "good-bye. " I do this when I leave beautiful vacation spots; sentimentally is one of my strong traits and my husband, Gary, lovingly puts up with it.  Well, I was a little teary so Gary put his arm around me and, in comforting tones, said "Don't cry."   As though that could stop me!  Then he happened to look down and at his feet lay a heart-shaped stone.  Gary immediately picked it up and gave it to me; we decided that it was a token of God's love to us for giving us this wonderful gift of restoration on the shores of the wild California coast.  It now sits on our kitchen table centerpiece as a constant reminder of God's love.

Then we noticed a few yards down the beach two young people were arranging some sort of display on the sand with driftwood, stones and seaweed.  We walked over to take a look, and saw this scene.  Their  obvious devotion to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ impressed us greatly.
We talked with Danny and Lilia and received their permission to put the picture on my blog.  Their love for Jesus shone in their eyes and their act of dedication seemed to Gary and me to be a special blessing at the close of our trip.  Now both Gary and I were teary!
There is a genuine sense of bonding between followers of Christ that can't be explained.  Our brief meeting on the beach reminds me as it reinforces the fact that believers need each other.  As God's Word tells us, "and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near."  Hebrews 10:24-25  God has adopted believers as His children into the body of Christ which is the church.  His plan is that we gather together regularly to praise God, learn about Him, and encourage each other to live faithfully for Him in this often treacherous world.
Our meeting with Danny and Lilia on the ocean shore gave Gary and I encouragement to continue walking with God and sharing Him with others.  Hopefully, we helped inspire them in some small way as they saw how much their act of love for Jesus touched us.
Thank you, Danny and Lilia!  May God bless you and continue to make you blessings as you journey with Him along the pathway of Abundant Living!

So if you haven't yet found a good Bible-teaching church, I hope that you will make a point to find one soon.  Ask God to show you where He wants you and He will!  He has interesting ways of showing us His will for us when we are willing to do and go whatever and wherever He leads!

And please join me next week for the next Key!

KEY #3: VISUALIZE

Join me for one more walking excursion today, and next week we'll climb into our vehicle of choice and get it moving!

Our key for this week is the 3rd one:  "Visualize."  Now you have the L,I, and V.  Maybe you can guess the first word of the contest phrase?  Remember, you only get one guess for the whole phrase, so make sure you are right!


Bible verse for the week:  "Thy Word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path."  Psalm 119:105
I am one of those pathetic persons who are directionally challenged.  It's true; the root cause for my infirmity is buried deep inside my subconscious store of childhood experiences.  You see, my father could always tell what direction was north.  Even if you planted him in the center of a corn field with 7 foot stalks, he'd find his way out.  Now my mother was a different story.  She, and her best friend, Shirley (although both were very intelligent and capable women), didn't seem to get the concept of North, East, South and West.  Since they were my primary role models as a young girl, I grew up thinking it was unfeminine to know where I was!
Fortunately, my daughter didn't succumb to that unrealistic concept.  She has led me from many restrooms back to our camping spot when we travelled together!
But I'm good with maps.  I can navigate quite well if I have a map.
Fortunately God's Word, the Bible, is a map. It is also a lamp that lights up the roadway that God has laid out for me.
Reading and studying it daily helps me to see where I was. . . lost in sin, 
where I am. . . walking with God clinging tightly to His outstretched hand, 
and what my final destination is. . . heaven.


God's "map" shows me my strengths and the characteristics I need to work on, with the help of His Spirit.  It also encourages me when I see progress I have made.
Talking with Him in prayer helps me to set goals and specific plans to reach them.

God made each of us unique.  For a long time I struggled against envy and jealousy, wishing I was like someone else and even trying to become like her.  Then I came to my senses and realized that God made me the way I am for a specific reason.  God did not want two "Mary Janes"or whomever I admired at the time.  He wanted one "Mary Jane" and one "Linda Ruth."  What a relief!  Now I am free to discover who I am and put those discoveries to use in setting my goals.  I make a much better Linda Ruth than a Mary Jane!  God knew what He was doing when He created me. . . and you!
Let's ask God to help us visualize the road He has prepared for us to explore.

Join me next week and we'll get our motors running!

KEY #2: "I" INVEST

Please come with me today to unlock the next inside door with the Second Key:  INVEST.  Add the "I" from today's blog to the "L" from last week and you're on your way to solving the puzzle of the phrase!  (For contest information, see the box on the right.)

Bible verse for the week:  "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you."  Matthew 6:33
Have you ever made an investment without expecting a return?  Probably not.  For example, we might put money into a CD because it will draw interest.  We may spend four years or more in college expecting to obtain a better job than we could without that education.  We put time and energy into raising our children so they will become good citizens.  But are you aware of the fact that your whole life could be considered an investment?


I have a choice.  I can waste my life. . . throw it away. . .  searching for pleasures that yield instant gratification yet no permanent, positive results.  Or I can give my life to God who will then extend my natural limitations for pleasure and purposes that will last forever!
Picture a sink drainer, a common, ordinary sink drainer.  I'll explain its purpose in a moment.
A close friend once told me this saying:  "Only one life, 'twill soon be past.  Only what's done for Christ will last."
I"ve translated that saying into a practical image.  Here is where the sink drainer comes in.  In your mind's eye, pour a pint of freshly squeezed orange juice through it.  Watch the colorful, tasty liquid spiral down through the tiny holes.  Now pick up the drainer.  What is left?  Yes, the pulp!  Now you have my unique, personal interpretation of the saying:  "Only one life, soon down the drain.  Only what's done for Christ will remain."
The juice represents everything we do, both positive and negative, that will disappear forever when we die.  The pulp represents all we do that effects eternity.  Let's live so that our "drainers" will be full of "pulp" when we leave this world and meet God!
Give your life to the Giver of life.  The returns on your investment will amaze you!

KEY #1: "L" LISTEN AND LEARN

We have now gained entrance through the doorway to the Land of Abundant Living and need to get on our way!  Our first inside door is within walking distance but we will soon be on the road, so I suggest you design in your imagination a vehicle of your choice.  Mine is a small automobile (not sure what kind; I'm not very up on car models), painted light lavender with sparsely flowing green vine-type lines adorned with tiny wildflowers of various colors.  Just a few flowers, not enough to distract another driver!
What does your vehicle look like?
Sounds good!  We'll just park them near the main doorway for now.  Now let's approach the first inside door and use our key to unlock it.

FIRST KEY:  LISTEN AND LEARN
*If you are participating in our contest, note the first letter of our phrase is the letter "L":  LISTEN AND LEARN.  Keep track of the first letter each week to spell out the phrase/sentence to win my novel!


Bible verse for the week:  "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction."  Proverbs 1:7
Picture a mouse, a cute little mouse.  Yes, I too cringe at that image, but I want you to like him. Let's give him a name.  How about Tiny?  Now, Tiny is perched on his two hind feet peering over a threshold into a small room where positioned on one side of the room is a mousetrap enticing him with a large hunk of cheese.  On the other side of the room sits a plate that holds a small piece of cheese.  Let's suppose that Tiny has somehow acquired wisdom and understanding far beyond his natural, feeble brain power.  He knows perfectly well that the large hunk of cheese, being housed in a trap, will eventually kill him.  And that the small piece of cheese . . . nutritious and safe to eat. . . will satisfy and nourish him.
What choice do you think Tiny will make?  What choice do you think he should make?
I agree!  The cheese on the plate.
Do you realize that we. . . myself included. . . are so often dumber than Tiny?  If we have a Bible, God's book of wisdom and information, available to us, how much do we consult it?  Study it?  I mean really delve into it in a serious effort to find God's guidance and solutions to our problems?  Do we feed on God's Word that will nourish and satisfy us?  Or do we feed mostly on the "junk food" of immoral media, advice from unwise companions, and unhealthy addictions that will eventually destroy us?
We all have choices.  Let's determine to make good ones!
The verse for this week says that fools despise wisdom.  I don't want to be a fool!  Do you?  The fear (respect) for God will give us the wisdom we need to navigate along life's roadway.


Here's a little acrostic I came up with on the word "WISDOM":
W--Willingness to learn
I---Integrity
S--Sensitivity to God's Spirit
D--Discipline
O--Obedience to God's direction
M--Meaningful life is the result!

HOW ABOUT YOU?  If you'd like to share a moment of wisdom from your own life, please comment on my "Meet Linda" page!  I'd love to hear about your experiences!

Remember to sign up for the FREE e-book, Joshua's Story!


Hope to see you next Wednesday!