In Ephesians 4:32, we read,  And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ.

For me, forgiveness carries grief, just like death. Every situation has a plethora of brokenness that must be worked through. Sometimes forgiveness comes easy, and other times it takes longer. We all grieve and heal differently. 

The process of forgiveness begins and ends with prayer. I always ask what it is that I am to learn and ask God to help me grow. Working through forgiveness, especially where there is no apology, is brutal. Often, we forgive and then are reminded the next time and the next of the pain suffered by the individual. I must work through it each time to stay in my foundational relationship with Christ established through faith. After all, he repeatedly forgives horrible, no-good me of my sins and still calls me his. To be Christlike calls me to do the same. I need him to provide my peace. He knows me better than anyone; after all, he created me and understands the best way to see me through. I rely on him.

The beginning of the scripture verse says, be kind and compassionate to one another...

God gives us this directive because when we are kind and compassionate, there is no room for situations that call for forgiveness. The fallen ones in the war between good and evil of this world want us to hang in doom and gloom with them, carrying our brokenness and shame like a weight, but God says no. He is there to help us to be kind, compassionate, and forgiving. In Him, we know freedom.

In His hands...

Does anyone remember Gee-Gee's Art & Craft shop on Quincy Street? I took a class there, one of a handful that I have taken in my 68 years. This one was created for my dad and is titled Missions.

Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples. 1 Chronicles 16:24

It's better to pray and work for the Lord...

In Matthew 13, Jesus tells a farm-related story:

Jesus told them this parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.

The owner’s servants came to him and said, “Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?”

“An enemy did this,” he replied.

The servants asked him, “Do you want us to go and pull them up?”

“No,” he answered, “because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time, I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn” (Matthew 13:24-30)

"Jesus is sowing gospel seeds throughout the world and raising up Christians. But at the same time, the enemy is in the world spreading counterfeit seed. In its immature state, it isn’t always simple to discern the differences between those who belong to the kingdom and those who do not.

The servants want to help the farmer by uprooting the imposters, but they lack the sensitivity of the angelic harvesters. It’s not the job of the servants to make judgments about what is and isn’t actual wheat. Their job is to serve the farmer as He spreads the legitimate seed.

It seems that the main point of the parable is that, unlike the disciples’ expectation, the kingdom of God wouldn’t be a restored Israel. It would be a borderless kingdom where the citizens might not immediately appear much different than those in the kingdom of man. Any attempt to separate the two could do damage to God’s kingdom.

The servants should assist Jesus in planting seeds and ensuring that they grow to maturity. At the end of the age, it’s the job of the harvester to judge who is or isn’t a member of God’s kingdom." 

from jesusfilm.org

I am reminded of storytelling. Growing up, my cousin could weave a story, and I was, like, a-mazed. I would sit and listen to how quickly her thoughts came and how they connected flawlessly. What a gift of gab gone right!

Even though I would like to think I am a storyteller, I'm not. I am one who shares information that others might need or enjoy with the very minimum of words, and I hope a picture alone will tell the story I feel led to share!

In my opinion, a great story produces a fire that grows in the listener's mind and heart. This fire or fear is when you don't know what will happen, but you know there will be an action from it as it moves in and out of the story. A storyteller delivers the how and why through changes, and they carry us along for the ride. The struggle between expectation and reality allows us to be a thread they weave.

It's a really cool gift, I think.

Tell me a story about this photo...

Who do you know that is a good storyteller?

Years ago, I created an art piece in honor of all of the women who fight breast cancer. We all know someone, and we stand in solidarity to pray for their battle. October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. #pinkout

I know I have mentioned dragonflies to you many times since my mother died. At her graveside service, hundreds of blue dragonflies flew around us. I don't know what this might mean, but I know it was a God-gift. Since then, I have taken special notice of dragonflies and how seeing them is a gift and brings me a calm assurance that God sees my heart.

Today, in a field, they flew...a sweet reminder!