Dear Tiny Fist Bumper (from Someone Who Loves You series)

On September 4, 2018September 3, 2018 By LindaIn Letters From Someone Who Loves YouLeave a comment

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Dear Tiny Fist Bumper,

You’ve been through some rough times, but today? Today is a great day! Clean, dry, and in a comfortable place once again. You are not hanging on to past hurts, nor worrying about future problems. You are just enjoying the moment. And I am enjoying watching you enjoy it! Well done, little one!

Always,

Someone who loves you

1 Tim 6:17 … hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.

Matt 6:25-34 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Do you hear God speaking to you in these letters? If so, it’s no coincidence. As I write to my new granddaughter, I can hear God speaking to me. And my prayer is that you can also hear Him speaking to you for He loves us even more than I love my granddaughter.

Dear Little Ostrich (from Someone Who Loves You series)

On September 3, 2018September 3, 2018 By LindaIn Letters From Someone Who Loves YouLeave a comment

IMG_20180823_072457613 — Look! I’m an ostrich!

Dear Little Ostrich,

Do you ever get so overwhelmed with life that all you want to do is to bury your head and escape for a little while? Even at your young age, I know you do. It’s so much work to grow and change – to build muscles, regulate bodily systems, and interpret all the sights and sounds around you. For those times you need to hide from it all, I’ll be here. Bury yourself in me. I treasure every moment you choose to spend with me. Even when you use me as an escape.

Always,

Someone who loves you

Psalm 32:7

You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.

Bella – part 13 Finally! Some Answers!

On August 28, 2018 By LindaIn allegories, analogies, and parables, short stories8 Comments

Bella was saved from responding as the waitress returned to take their orders. Did he mean to convert her? Is that why he was being so nice? So he could add a tally mark to the ‘Number Saved’ board? If so, he was going to be disappointed. When the waitress left, she decided to be upfront with him.

“Andy… Pastor Andy… um Assistant Pastor Andy…” she began.

“Call me Andy.”

“OK, Andy. Just so you know, I’m not interested in God. My questions are about Pastor Toby and this church. “

“Fair enough. What do you want to ask?”

Bella thought through the list of questions that had been mounting in her mind over the last couple of weeks. Where should she start? Pastor Toby? Jude? The discrepancy in size between the outside and the inside of the church? The weird backyard? The church people’s behavior? She decided to start with the most important.

“Who is Pastor Toby?”

Andy looked puzzled. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, where is he from? How did he get here? Is he really as nice as he seems? How long have you known him?”

Andy held up his hand. “Whoa! Slow down! You ARE full of questions!”

“Sorry. It’s just he seems so… different than anyone else I’ve ever known.”

“That’s because he is.”

At her puzzled look, he said, “Maybe if I gave you a brief history of this church, it would help.”

Bella nodded, excitement beginning to build. Was she finally going to get some real answers?

She waited as Andy lowered his head and appeared to be thinking about what to say. Finally he looked up at her and began.

“This church hasn’t been here forever, as some people like to think, but it has been here for a very long time. It began about the same time as this city. Back then it looked different than it does today, but other than appearance, it’s pretty much the same.”

“So, this church is old. It doesn’t look it.” Bella said.

“That’s because it changes to keep up with the needs and interests of the people who attend. As styles changed, the church responded. But that’s only on the surface. The core of this church has remained the same.”

“OK. So the church is old and keeps changing. That doesn’t help me understand Pastor Toby any better. Where does he fit in? Who exactly is he?” IMG_20180828_044634375

“You mean besides being pastor of this church?”

“I mean where did he come from? What is he really like?”

“What he’s like is easier to answer so I’ll start with that. He is just what you’ve seen. He’s loving and kind and good and generous. All the time. There is nothing even slightly negative in him.”

“That’s not possible,” Bella said as the waitress returned with their order.

“Here you go,” the waitress said, setting down their plates. “Do you need anything else?”

Bella and Andy glanced at their food, then shook their heads.

“Nope, it looks great,” Andy said. He thanked the waitress, picked up the salt shaker, and offered it to Bella. “Salt?”

“Thanks.” Bella salted her eggs then handed it back to him. She peppered her eggs, handed the pepper shaker to Andy, spread some jam on her toast, then picked up her fork. “So, about Pastor Toby. He seems to be a good man. But always? 100% of the time? That’s just not possible. We all make mistakes, have grumpy days, and harbor mean thoughts from time to time. That’s just part of being human.”

“That’s true,” Andy said slowly. “For a human.”

“I KNEW it!” Bella said before she could stop herself.

Bella stories:

I’m Not Hurt, Not Really Part 1 Part 2

Bella part 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

When Life Gets in the Way

On August 22, 2018August 22, 2018 By LindaIn off topic4 Comments

Have you missed me?

I’ve missed you!

I had finally found a way to carve out some writing time every few days… and life with my new granddaughter changed again. From thrush and 2 month shots to growth spurts and dietary changes, it’s been a bit tough around here. That means more stress and less sleep. Which definitely interferes with my ability to be creative.

Hopefully things are settling down again now and I should be able to get back to some writing. Bella is about to get some answers in my ongoing Bella series. And I have a few analogies bouncing around in my head with pictures I have been taking – of storms and power lines and swimming pools. I’m even thinking about taking one day a week to post portions of the full length novel I had started writing before AJ was born.

With limited time right now, I’ll have to create a priority list though. I would love to know – what would you like me to put at the top of this priority list?

Not All Smiles are Sweet

On August 17, 2018 By LindaIn allegories, analogies, and parables, short storiesLeave a comment

Wait! Did she really see what she thought she saw? She had to find out, so she turned around and backtracked down the sidewalk until she got to the spot. She looked down and thought, “No way!”

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She was looking at a sidewalk after a flock of geese had spent some time there. Their… droppings… were everywhere. But in this spot, they were not spread out, but rather gathered in a unique formation. Was it a natural formation? Or did someone give it a little… direction?

Either way, it totally caught her by surprise and got her to thinking. Most smiles are supposed to be sweet and happy and life giving. This smile looked happy alright, but sweet and life giving?

Nope. Definitely not.

Just like the smiles on some people, she thought. Bright and cheerful on the outside, but deep inside they were full of nasty crap. Like the Pharisees Jesus had addressed way back when He walked the earth.

Having looked long enough, she continued on her walk, knowing that, even if she couldn’t trust some people’s smiles, she could always trust God’s smiles.

Matt 23:27-28 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.

Proverbs 26:24 Enemies disguise themselves with their lips, but in their hearts they harbor deceit.

Proverbs 26:23-25 Smooth words may hide a wicked heart, just as a pretty glaze covers a clay pot.

Dear Betrayed (from Someone Who Loves You series)

On August 16, 2018August 16, 2018 By LindaIn Letters From Someone Who Loves YouLeave a comment

14769 — Three shots in my legs! Three! How could you let her do that to me? I thought you loved me.

Dear Betrayed,

I know you felt betrayed but I never left you. I heard your cries and cried right along with you. I know you’re not able to understand why I allowed this pain into your life, and I’m sorry that it was necessary in this bug filled world. But by allowing this temporary pain, I have given you greater protection from much worse and longer lasting pain in the future. It’s OK for you not to understand. It’s OK for you to cry and get mad. Just know that, since you belong to me, there is always a purpose for any pain I allow in your life. And that all I do, I do out of love for you.

Always,

Someone who loves you

2 Corinthians 4:17-18 (NIV) ¹⁷For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. ¹⁸So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Romans 8:18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.

1 Peter 1:6-7 (NIV) ^…though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. ⁷These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.

Dear Fearful (Someone Who Loves You series)

On August 14, 2018August 12, 2018 By LindaIn Letters From Someone Who Loves YouLeave a comment

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Dear Fearful,

Do you feel abandoned? Are you afraid to look only to find yourself alone and helpless? Fear not, little one. I will never abandon you. You have only to call and I will be right there to take care of whatever need you have. Open your eyes and you’ll see me smiling down at you ready to pick you up in my arms and hold you close. Rest easy, my child, I am always with you.

Always,

Someone who loves you

Deuteronomy 31:8 The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

Dear Little Masquerader (Someone Who Loves You series)

On August 13, 2018August 12, 2018 By LindaIn Letters From Someone Who Loves YouLeave a comment

IMG_20180809_083417610_HDR — Look, I’m a unicorn!

Dear Little Masquerader,

You can’t fool me! You may try to look like something you’re not. You may think this makes you cuter and more lovable. But I know the real you. And the real you is more unique and amazing and lovable and wonderful than any unicorn in any world!

As Always,

Someone who loves you

Ps 139:1, 13-14 (NIV) You have searched me, LORD, and you know me. For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

What Does Your Chair Look Like?

On August 11, 2018 By LindaIn allegories, analogies, and parables, short stories2 Comments

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“Look at the lounge chairs.”

She turned and looked.

“What do you see?”

She looked at the lounges. They were the usual blue lounges found at most pool sides. All were pointed towards the water. All were well used. All were empty. So?

“Look again.”

She took another look. Although the chairs were all pointing in the same direction, they were not lined up in a perfect row, and the backs were all set at different angles. She frowned in concentration.

“What are they telling you?”

Hmmm… she thought. What would these chairs be telling me if I could hear them? That they were there to serve people? That they were enjoying the sun just as she was? That they were in the place they were supposed to be? That they were lined up casually and set at different angles?

She thought about how the angles would affect her line of vision. If she sat in the chair with the back straight up, her eyes would look out over the pool. She would see the sparkling blue water and all the people who were in it. If she sat in the chair with the back all the way down, she would be able to see the brilliant white clouds as they slowly passed by and birds as they flew overhead. But she would no longer be able to see the water or the people. The other chairs, with backs set at different angles, would allow her to see varying amounts of both water and sky.

The chairs are like our faith, she mused. Sitting in one with the back straight up doesn’t take much faith. Our muscles could hold us upright comfortably even if the back of the chair should give way. But lying back, no longer using our own strength but trusting the chair to hold us up requires more faith.

And the amount of faith we practice affects what we focus on. With little faith, like sitting upright in a lounge chair, our view is limited on what we see around us. Our focus is on the physical world and all its troubles along with its beauty with little ability to see into the spiritual realm. The more faith we practice, like the further back we recline, the more of the spiritual world we’ll be able to see. We can still see the physical world, but our focus becomes increasingly centered on God and His kingdom. We are better able to see things as God does. And lying fully back? That probably only happens when in the midst of fully worshipping God… or when we die, she thought wryly.

“So, what does your chair look like?”

She thought about that. She knew what she would have liked to have answered. But the truth was – her chair was constantly changing angles. And then, she knew. That was the whole point of this lesson. Her chair was not going to stay in one position, or even progress steadily to a flat position. And that was OK. The important thing was to ask herself, especially in times of stress, “What does your chair look like?”

Because her chair may need a little adjusting from time to time to get the best view.

Dear Gazing Eyes, (from Someone Who Loves You series)

On August 10, 2018August 9, 2018 By LindaIn Letters From Someone Who Loves You2 Comments

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Dear Gazing Eyes,

The contentment and intensity that shows in your face as you gaze at your mom reminds me of David’s Psalm. He wanted nothing more than to gaze on the beauty of the LORD all his days, just like you want nothing more than to gaze on the beauty of your mom in moments like this. And I’m sure God was gazing right back at David just like your mom is gazing right back at you. Your gaze makes my heart fill with so much love I think it might burst. I wonder if that’s how God feels when we gaze at Him.

Always,

Someone who loves you

Psalm 27:4 One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.