What Do You See?

When you look at these pictures, what do YOU see?

 An old rusty plumbing pipe with even older old faucets?

 Ancient garden spigots?

Well, I can tell you that when I saw this at our local dump/recycling station today...someone had purposely left this pipe with all these fittings sitting on top of the dumpster just in case someone would come along and have a "need" for it...and as we drove away, I told my hubby,
"I sure would love to have those old faucets".
He kept driving.
I said, "I can just envision all kinds of neat stuff I could do with those old spigots and faucets..."
 He kept driving.
 I said, "I sure wish we could go back and get those faucets before they disappear."
He still kept driving.
I said, "You know, I could create birdhouses and other cute things using those...people love that kind of stuff..."
He sort of started to slow down.
I said, "Of course, I would need help building a birdhouse. I don't know how to use the saw. But you could help me."
He pulled over and waited for an oncoming vehicle to get out of the way. Then he did the most amazing thing...he turned the car around and headed back to the dump! I could hardly believe my eyes!

However, when we pulled up to the dumpster, I jumped out of the car and ran to look, and they were gone!!! I looked down inside the dumpster, but there was no sign of them.  I said out loud,
"Well, I guess somebody else saw the potential in those and got them already."
There was a man standing next to his car on the other side of the dumpster, and he saw me looking and heard me muttering.  He asked me, "Did you forget something, or change your mind about something?"
I told him, "There was a plumbing pipe with some faucets here a minute ago, but it is gone now."
He asked, "Oh, did you want those?"
I said, "Well, I had some ideas of things I could do with them."  And then I realized that he must have taken them, so I asked him, "Oh, did you take them?"  And he said, "Yes, but I'll be happy to give them to you if you want them."  I said, "No, that's okay. If you want them, you keep them."  He said, "I really didn't have any plan for them...just thought I might need them someday."
And I said, "Well, you keep them. I was just going to make birdhouses or something like that with them, you know, repurpose them?"
He said, "Then here, you take them! I really don't need them." And he got them out of his truck and handed them to me.
I graciously thanked him and told him how much I appreciated it, especially because I had talked my hubby into turning around and coming back for them!  He laughed and said "Well, then you better go make something with them!"  And I thanked him again and put them in our car and we drove away.

So now!  Now that I've gone to so much trouble and even had to take them from another person...what shall I do with them?  Do you see any new purpose for them?  What do you see when you look at these old spigots?  Could they possibly be repurposed to a new life? Become useful or even interestingly attractive again?  I truly would love to hear your ideas.  I know, I just looked on Pinterest, and I can find hundreds of ideas there...but maybe you have something special in mind too. Please tell me in your comments.  Here are a few of the Pinterest Ideas:

Pinterest Picture of Birdhouse w/ faucet

Photo from Pinterest

Photo from Pinterest

Meanwhile...while we consider this, other thoughts came to mind.  (And you know, a MIND is a terrible thing to waste!  Just like these old faucets! )  But the thought that came to my mind was  how God looks at us and sees our potential.  Others may look at us...or even we ourselves might look at ourselves, and say, "What could God do with this rusty old person?  I'm tired, I'm weary, and I'm quite worn!  There are surely newer and better equipped people out there to take care of the world these days...what possible purpose (or repurpose) could God ever find for me at this stage in my life?

Many of my friends out here in "blogland" are like me...retired, or almost retired, or at least dreaming about retirement sometime soon.  And one thing I've discovered since retiring almost two years ago is that there are times when I feel like I'm not fulfilling my full purpose here on earth anymore. There are many days that we sit here and do practically nothing...and I really don't like that...(well, sometimes I actually do like that, but I don't want to stay that way forever!)  What can I do about it?  We have limited resources, limited energy, and limited mental capacity it seems at times....(more often than I like to admit!) But I figure if I live to be in my late 80's or 90's, I don't want to spend the next twenty years doing nothing of significance!  I'd like to be "repurposed" into doing something useful, pleasant and meaningful for the rest of my years.  How about you?

A scripture verse I found this morning while thinking about this is in Psalm 20...

4.  "May He (God) grant you according to your heart's desire,

and fulfill all your purpose.

5.  We will rejoice in your salvation,

and in the name of our God we will set up our banners!

May the Lord fulfill all your petitions."

I wonder what God sees when He looks at me today.  I wonder if He sees a new purpose for my life...if He sees my "heart's desire" and knows exactly how to "fulfill all my petitions".   What do YOU think?  How about we all pray about this for each of us in our own circumstances...and then we can rejoice together when the Lord rescues us from our rusty old state and gives us a new purpose and plan for our lives....and

"in the name of our God we will set up our banners!"

Now that sounds like a great plan!

So now, I'd better go figure out what to do with those old faucets! 

Have a blessed and glorious day, my friends!!!

Today is a Special Day

Today is a special day.  I would like to write something significant, since it is my birthday. Lately I haven’t had much to say. Not sure why. One reason is since blogger changed the format of our dashboard, my computer is having issues with writing on the new page.  It really bogs down. (Has anyone else had this issue?) I’m sure it is my old computer that needs to be cleaned out, updated, or thrown out. I’m leaning towards the latter option, as soon as I can find a suitable replacement at an affordable price.  

Sometimes I feel like my old computer.  I need to be cleaned out, updated, or thrown out! Hold your comments on these options, please.   I do believe that birthdays are a good time to reassess and evaluate what our goals, plans, and purpose may be…and where do we stand in the process?  At my grand age of 62, I am sorry to say that I have not achieved everything I had hoped to accomplish by this stage in life.  Retirement is still an elusive dream that I long to latch hold of and run into the golden sunset with my hubby, enjoying what few years of active life we still have left.  He is already there, although not by choice.  Job cuts forced him to take an early retirement last summer, and although he has been actively searching and pursuing all possibilities for employment ever since, there has not been one “open window, and many “closed doors”.  He has had a few glimmers of hope, but thus far they have not materialized into reality. Maybe that is God’s plan.  We are trying to accept that.

So back to my search for significance and purpose.  I know God is working in my life. This blog is a testimony to that fact.  You may not think much of it…you may even wish I’d just get to the point and stop babbling so much about stuff.  I understand. I tell myself that quite often. But there has been a metamorphosis taking place in my life over the past two and a half years since I started writing here and opening up my whole heart and soul to total strangers around the world. I’ve actually had to think before speaking. (So glad for the editing features of my computer).  Delete and backspace are two of my favorite keys.  For those of you who don’t know me personally, you may be surprised to learn that I have often had a tendency (understatement) to open my mouth and insert my foot.  For a rather tall person with big feet, that “feat” has been a bit uncomfortable from time to time.

What am I trying to say?  (I wish someone would tell me!)  Perhaps it is this: I believe that God is allowing me this privilege of writing to share a message of hope with the world.  Sometimes I veer off course and dabble in nonsensical stuff and materialistic dreams and activities…but even those have a purpose.  (Usually).  Here is what I hope to do with what I write:

“No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a vessel or puts it under a bed,

but sets it on a lampstand, that those who enter may see the light. “

Luke 8:16

I want my light to shine before men and women…

“You are the light of the world.  A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden….

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in Heaven.” 

Matthew 5:14 and 16

This is risky business.  My “good works” don’t always show up.  Sometimes there aren’t too many.  I know that. I am working on that.  But I pray that God will use what talents and gifts and “good works” I do have to encourage others…plant some seeds of hope, love, and trust in the Lord.  To lift some spirits who may be dragging bottom and ready to give up.  If God will allow me to do that, I will have accomplished my goals, realized my purpose, and fulfilled my dreams.   I may even live (or die?) to see the day that I hear these marvelous words:

“Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things.  Enter into the joy of your Lord.”  Matthew 25:21

That will be glory! Not that I care about being a ruler over anything…no thank you. I don’t even enjoy being a supervisor over a few people…not my cup of tea at all.  But to “enter into the joy of your Lord”, yes, that will be Glory!!!

Yes, Today IS a Special Day!

Amen.

 

Take Time to Be Still Today...

Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 "To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck what is planted."

I woke up thinking about spring this morning...after yesterday afternoon's beautiful sunshine and warmth, we know that spring is certainly in the air.  Here in Florida we've had many flocks of robins bobbing around for several weeks, even though it has been quite cold (for Florida).  I've noticed the azaleas starting to bloom here and there and beautiful lacy white flowered trees are blooming in the woods around our house. 

The other day I saw a pair of Eastern Bluebirds flitting nearby, so we immediately set  up a bluebird house on a tree in the back yard. I made sure that I could see it from my kitchen window so I can keep a close watch on any activity.  One year (in another location) I set up a bluebird house, and I watched Mr. and Mrs. Bluebird come and check it out several times over the course of a year before they finally decided it was suitable for their home.  I'm not sure why they were so finicky about it...the rent was extremely "cheep".   :)   Anyway, I sincerely hope we will be fortunate enough to attract this new couple to our neighborhood.  Bluebirds are becoming a rare sight in this part of Florida.

Of course, those of you who have checked out my facebook photos know that we have a very active Barred Owl community here in our backyard as well.  From our very first spring here in this house we have been privileged to observe the nesting activities of a pair of Barred Owls and the flight and hunting training of their resulting offspring.  The first year there was one owlet.  The next year there were none.  Then last spring there were twins!!  Now we are hearing the adult owls making their frequent "Who who cooks for you?" calls back and forth in the wee hours of the morning and often late in the afternoon and evening.  They are becoming more noticeable flying to and fro in the region of the hollow tree that is their nest, so I am anticipating that very soon we will be observing the debut of another baby owl.  I can't wait to see if there will be more than one owlet again this year!  Be sure to stay tuned for more details!

Maybe you really aren't into all this bird and nature talk.  Perhaps you are just too busy to notice the beauty of God's creation around you.

Psalm 46:10 says, "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!"

 I see the glory of God reflected throughout His amazing creation everywhere I go.  Here in Florida we are blessed with magnificent and glorious sunrises and sunsets...each one a unique creation in itself...no two are the same.  When I lived in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, the majestic views of snow-capped  Mt. Washington could be seen from almost every direction ("on a clear day you can see Mt. Washington from here" was my favorite thing to say to our guests). In Ohio it was the waving fields of corn  and lush green meadows of the farmland surrounding the towns.  Even in Kansas we were astonished at the beauty of the thousands of acres of sunflowers arching their bright sunny faces upward to God as if to say, "Thank you for the warmth of your sunshine on us today." 

If all of creation can pause in their day to praise God, then what's wrong with us, the most precious creation  God ever made?  Why not take a moment out of your busy day today, find a quiet place away from the noise and strife, and just "be still, and know that He is God,"  and give Him praise for what He has done for you.  You will be amazed at the joy that will bring to your soul.

Have a blessed day!  I know I will!