Category: allegories, analogies, and parables

Swaddled in God’s Love

On By LindaIn allegories, analogies, and parables11 Comments

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Wrapped up in gentle feelings of His love, we are quiet. The warmth and strength of his embrace gives us the security and comfort we crave.

It’s like how Aryn sleeps peacefully while swaddled.

But take that swaddling away and she becomes very restless.

Eyes closed, she uses her arms to seek out the embrace she is missing. If only she would open her eyes, she would see that she was still being watched, guarded from danger, and loved.

Yet…

It’s not the swaddling that keeps her safe and secure. It’s the one who wrapped her in it.

It’s not the feeling of God’s embrace that keeps us safe and secure. It’s the One who embraces us, whether we feel Him or not.

Run Over By Life

On By LindaIn allegories, analogies, and parables2 Comments

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“Wow,” she thought as she bent down to pick up the shiny penny. “This penny is so damaged. I wonder how many times it has been driven over.”

She looked at the scratches that covered it and thought how much she felt like that penny sometimes. So many times life seems to run over her – her plans, her finances, her relationships, her health – leaving her feeling a little more rough and scratched each time.

“But, just as valuable as before,” whispered a small voice in her heart. “Nothing life does to you can diminish the value you have in My eyes.”

A gentle feeling of peace filled her as she put the penny in her pocket. Her Savior loved her. And that’s all that mattered.

When You Pull Me Closer, I Come to Life

On By LindaIn allegories, analogies, and parables1 Comment

The words from one of TobyMac’s songs floated through her mind… “When you pull me closer, I come to life…”

“That is so true,” she thought.  “Spiritually, I’m easily lulled to sleep. But when God calls me, my spirit jumps and I do come alive.” Even though she could sometimes get into His presence through her own efforts, she knew ultimately she was totally dependent on God. Especially when she was as tired as she was now.

 

Later that day, as she gazed at her newborn granddaughter sleeping in her nursery bed, those words returned.  Turning to look at her daughter sitting in the chair next to her, she said, “It’s just like Ryn.”

“What is?” her daughter answered distractedly.

“That song… ‘when you pull me closer, I come to life’… that we heard earlier today. It’s just like Ryn. She lays sleeping in her bed but when you call her, she wakes up. And she’s totally dependent on you going to her because she can’t come to you. It’s the same with God. We are totally dependent on Him to come to us because we aren’t capable of going to Him. And when He calls us, we wake up. We come alive.”

“Yeah, OK,” mumbled her daughter, obviously impressed with her insight.

But that didn’t bother her. She had already turned back to the sleeping infant, enjoying her smallest moves and sounds – while God lovingly enjoyed all three of them.

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Being Born

On By LindaIn allegories, analogies, and parablesLeave a comment

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OK, what just happened here?

You got born.

Why?

Because being born was healthier for you than not being born.

Why?

Because your environment was becoming unstable and would have eventually hurt you. Being born took you out of that environment into a safer one.

Why?

Because now there are lots of people around you, loving you and taking care of you.

Why?

Because you’re not capable of taking care of yourself right now.

Why?

Because you are new to this life.

Why?

Because you were just born.

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Did you think I was writing the above conversation with Baby AJ in mind? If so, you were right. And wrong. I was also talking about a brand new baby Christian. And we are the staff that is responsible for caring for them; welcoming them into their new life, and making sure they are fed and loved.

Are we doing as good a job with the new Christians God places in our lives as the hospital staff is doing with AJ and the other newborns?

Now that’s a good question.

Life is Like a Beach, section 8: Out of Place

On By LindaIn allegories, analogies, and parablesLeave a comment

The following is part of a book I would like to publish someday. It’s too long to blog as one post so I’m breaking it up section by section.  Each section can be read as a stand-alone, and hopefully my analogies will provide food for thought as well as encouragement to keep on going no matter where you find yourself in life.  I’ve added links  at the end to the previous sections to make them easier to find should you want to read them. Oh, and all photos were taken by me and are untouched other than cropping when necessary. God’s creation is so awesome just the way it is!

Out of Place

Imagine your surprise to look up and see this washed up on shore! Imagine the captain’s surprise!  Well, I imagine that wasn’t his main emotion. Makes me wonder what went wrong for him to end up where he was. Captain error? Broken part? A storm? Good thing for other captains and other boats who can get him out of this mess.

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Or imagine the surprise on people’s faces as this bird tried to take off with someone’s flip flops! I wonder what the bird thought it was. Did she think it was a new kind of food? Or something to add to her nest? I know she worked hard for quite some time to take off with one then the other flip flop. Eventually she gave up and flew away, but not before she managed to get the flip flops about ten yards from where they originated.

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Sometimes in life we end up in a place we don’t want to be. Something went wrong somewhere. A wrong choice on our part such as a captain’s error, someone else’s choice such as the bird’s choice to move the flip flops. Maybe it was because something in us broke and we were powerless to change our circumstances.  Or maybe it was  a catastrophe in our finances, marriage, health, children, home – the list is endless. The result is the same. We end up in a place we never thought we would. And we don’t like it.  However, the good news is – we don’t have to stay there.  God knows how we got there, and He knows how to get us out. He won’t let us stay there if we turn to Him for help. He can deliver us miraculously like only He can do. But more often He puts people in our lives to help us when we get in difficult places. And in return we can help other people when they get grounded or are pulled from where they should be. We don’t have to do life alone.

 

Continue to have faith and do what you know is right. Some people have rejected this, and their faith has been shipwrecked. 1 Tim 1:19

He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. Ps 91:15

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

 

Previous sections:

Section 1: The Path

Section 2: Red Flags

Section 3: Water

Section 4: Waves

Section 5: Sky

Section 6: Surprises

Section 7: Puffer Fish

Life is Like a Beach, section 7: Puffer Fish

On By LindaIn allegories, analogies, and parables1 Comment

The following is part of a book I would like to publish someday. It’s too long to blog as one post so I’m breaking it up section by section.  Each section can be read as a stand-alone, and hopefully my analogies will provide food for thought as well as encouragement to keep on going no matter where you find yourself in life.  I’ve added links  at the end to the previous sections to make them easier to find should you want to read them. Oh, and all photos were taken by me and are untouched other than cropping when necessary. God’s creation is so awesome just the way it is!

Puffer Fish

A common washed up fish on my favorite beach is the puffer fish. Puffer fish are called that because of their ability to puff themselves up to make themselves look bigger and meaner than whatever they feel threatened by. Yet with all those spikes you would think they had enough defense without the need to puff up too.

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I can’t help but think of how we do the same thing in life. When threatened we puff ourselves up with heated words and try to make ourselves look bigger and meaner than we are, relying on our own strength to protect ourselves. And all along, we are outfitted with the armor of God which can protect us just as its spikes can protect the puffer fish.  And, even better than the armor, God has give us His promise to defend us Himself! Who needs to puff up when the King of Kings, the Almighty One, has our back!

Therefore pout on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Ephesians 6:13

The LORD is with me, he is my helper. I look in triumph on my enemies. Psalm 118:7

This is what the Sovereign LORD says, your God, who defends His people… Is 51:22

“Because he loves me,” says the LORD, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges My Name.” Psalm 91:14

 

Previous sections:

Section 1: The Path

Section 2: Red Flags

Section 3: Water

Section 4: Waves

Section 5: Sky

Section 6: Surprises

Life is Like a Beach, section 6: Surprises

On By LindaIn allegories, analogies, and parables2 Comments

The following is part of a book I would like to publish someday. It’s too long to blog as one post so I’m breaking it up section by section.  Each section can be read as a stand-alone, and hopefully my analogies will provide food for thought as well as encouragement to keep on going no matter where you find yourself in life.  I’ve added links  at the end to the previous sections to make them easier to find should you want to read them. Oh, and all photos were taken by me and are untouched other than cropping when necessary. God’s creation is so awesome just the way it is!

Surprises

As wonderful as the beach is just as it is, random surprises, which I think of as treasures, keep me from taking it for granted.  A large sculpture left by someone for others to enjoy, a thought-provoking crucifix fish skeleton,  or a beautiful feather are a few I’ve found.  The only thing about these surprises is I had to be walking down the beach to find them. If I had just plopped myself down in the nearest spot and stayed there the entire time, I would have missed them. And it’s very  possible that even if I had been walking, if I was doing so with a bad attitude like when I’m angry and fussing at God about something, eyes focused on my feet and refusing to look around, I still would have missed them regardless of their size.

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Life is full of surprises also. Unexpected money in the mail, the announcement of my first grandchild, or a trunk load of plants given to me by my brother were especially fun. These surprises help keep me from taking my life for granted and provide a welcome diversion from the less fun aspects of my life. I bet you could think of examples in your own life. God loves to scatter these surprises as evidence of His love but we need to be walking the path He’s asked us to walk in order to find them. If we keep to ourselves and refuse to leave our comfort zones, we might just miss something amazing He left for us to enjoy. And we need to keep our eyes open as we walk. Some of the surprises will be hard to miss, but others are a lot smaller and can be easily overlooked. How fun would it be if we viewed every day as an opportunity to go on a treasure hunt!

They will enjoy the abundance of the seas, and the hidden treasures of the shores. Deuteronomy 33:19

I will give you hidden treasures, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who summons you by name. Isaiah 45:3

Previous sections:

Section 1: The Path

Section 2: Red Flags

Section 3: Water

Section 4: Waves

Section 5: Sky

Life is Like a Beach, section 5: Sky

On By LindaIn allegories, analogies, and parables3 Comments

The following is part of a book I would like to publish someday. It’s too long to blog as one post so I’m breaking it up section by section.  Each section can be read as a stand-alone, and hopefully my analogies will provide food for thought as well as encouragement to keep on going no matter where you find yourself in life.  I’ve added links  at the end to the previous sections to make them easier to find should you want to read them. Oh, and all photos were taken by me and are untouched other than cropping when necessary. God’s creation is so awesome just the way it is!

Sky

I love looking at the sky when I’m at the beach. It seems no two days are the same. From bright blue with ever changing clouds…

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to gray overcast…

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to stormy with a chance of a rainbow,

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each day’s sky has its own fascination. Even distant storms! And those sunrises and sunsets are too beautiful for words!

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Life is the same way. No two days are exactly the same, even if they are similar. And no matter how our day is going, we can find beauty in it if we try. Though I have to say that it’s much easier on some days than others. In any case, to see the beauty, it helps to look up, up to the God who made it all.

He has made everything beautiful in its time. Ecclesiastes 3:11

Previous sections:

Section 1: The Path

Section 2: Red Flags

Section 3: Water

Section 4: Waves

Life is Like a Beach, section 4: Waves

On By LindaIn allegories, analogies, and parables4 Comments

The following is part of a book I would like to publish someday. It’s too long to blog as one post so I’m breaking it up section by section.  Each section can be read as a stand-alone, and hopefully my analogies will provide food for thought as well as encouragement to keep on going no matter where you find yourself in life.  I’ve added links  at the end to the previous sections to make them easier to find should you want to read them. Oh, and all photos were taken by me and are untouched other than cropping when necessary. God’s creation is so awesome just the way it is!

 

Waves

Sometimes the waves are large and powerful. The thunderous sound of them crashing can be scary, yet there is something awe-inspiring in them.

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Other times the  waves are smaller and quieter. Watching them fills me with peace that I rarely find anywhere else. Both kinds of waves make white foam that adds beauty to the beach.

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Life is a lot like the waves. Sometimes it’s loud and rough and scary. Our days are filled with one thing after another, oftentimes crashing into each other.  The sound of the uncontrollable events we see coming may scare us  and cause us to doubt God’s sovereignty in our lives.  Or they may be awe-inspiring as we experience God’s power in our circumstances.

Other times life is calmer and quieter and peaceful. Everything seems to be working well and we wonder that we ever doubted God and His promises.

No matter what it’s like, God is in control and can make something beautiful out of it.

He stilled the storm to a whisper, the waves of the sea were hushed. Psalm 107:29

 

Previous sections:

Section 1: The Path

Section 2: Red Flags

Section 3: Water

Life is Like a Beach, section 3: Water

On By LindaIn allegories, analogies, and parables7 Comments

The following is part of a book I would like to publish someday. It’s too long to blog as one post so I’m breaking it up section by section.  Each section can be read as a stand-alone, and hopefully my analogies will provide food for thought as well as encouragement to keep on going no matter where you find yourself in life.  I’ve added links  at the end to the previous sections to make them easier to find should you want to read them. Oh, and all photos were taken by me and are untouched other than cropping when necessary. God’s creation is so awesome just the way it is!

 

Water

One of the fascinating aspects of the beach is the ever changing colors of the water. From light blues and greens to dark gray and everything in between. Sometimes the water is so clear I can see clear down to the sand under my feet. I can see the shells, tiny sand dunes, fish, crabs, and even a ray or two. It’s so beautiful that no matter how long I gaze at it, it’s never enough.

 

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Other times the water is darker and I have to strain to see anything in it.  It’s not as much fun to swim in this water, wondering what may be lurking under or around me. It may not be as beautiful, but it’s still cool and refreshing.

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And sometimes the water is filled with ugly, slimy green seaweed. Not pleasant to look at, and I have to be especially hot to venture out in it.

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Our lives are ever changing also. Sometimes things happen that are so beautiful we never want them to end.  Everything seems so clear and bright we think we can see all the way into tomorrow. But other times life is not so clear. Mundane events can get us to miss the beauty of day to day living. And then there are times when our lives are filled with ugly slimy junk because of choices we make or are made by other people affecting us.  But regardless of how bad our lives might look at the moment, it’s good to know that it’s not permanent and that the water of our lives will become clear and blue again eventually.

Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter, you will restore my life again; from the depths of the earth you will again bring me up. You will increase my honor and comfort me once more. Psalm 71:20-21

 

Previous sections:

Section 1: The Path

Section 2: Red Flags