Wednesday, August 6, 2014

The Bear and The Crow

Yesterday, on the radio, I heard this amazing story about a grizzly bear rescuing a crow from drowning.  (To confirm the story, I looked it up, and sure enough on YouTube, you can watch the story unfold.)  The crow is cawing, loudly, frantically---and the bear calmly swoops the bird out with its big, powerful paw.  He then walks away and eats an apple.
When the announcer finished telling the story, I shut the radio off and processed what I had just heard. I felt my eyes swell with tears.  A grizzly bear is an animal prone to aggression.  A crow is an annoying bird.  But, the bear had enough compassion to save the bird. 
A bear.  A bird.
But what about people?  
We were created to love and be loved.
How can you help someone today?  Maybe hold that critical tongue of yours in check? Maybe, without making a judgement call, you give that man standing outside of Wal-Mart with the sign a bag of bananas, crackers, cheese, and water?  Perhaps you can call and pray with a friend who you have been overlooking lately.
As Christians, we are called to be compassionate people.  Has your compassion be hidden?  Life is fresh when you live compassionately.   It's the antidote to selfishness.  It's the demonstration of love.  And I know if a grizzly bear can be kind to a crow, that you, a child of God empowered by the Holy Spirit, can encourage...possibly even rescue...one of your fellow humans today. 

From Colossians 3:12-14
12 Since you have been chosen by God who has given you this new kind of life, and because of his deep love and concern for you, you should practice tenderhearted mercy and kindness to others. Don’t worry about making a good impression on them, but be ready to suffer quietly and patiently. 13 Be gentle and ready to forgive; never hold grudges. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.14 Most of all, let love guide your life, for then the whole church will stay together in perfect harmony.

Monday, August 4, 2014

Return from a Non-Eternal Summer

Oh, my blogspot---how I've missed you!
It's been a summer full of foreign exchange students, VBS, two mini stay-cations, the summer reading program, the release of my book and playing with my kids.  It's been wonderful.  Happy.  Messy.  Fun.  Exhausting.  Yeah, all of those.

Thankfully, a well timed "Grammy Camp" has arrived.  One week.  I have one whole week without children to refuel my mind and body, to make my house look like a home again, and to start diving head first into writing book #2.

A week feels incredibly long today.  However, on Friday afternoon, I know I'll be wondering where all the time went.

I have so much more to say, but I have my list sitting next to me...begging for completion.  I hope to blog every day this week...just to get back into the habit. I miss this. It's part of who I am.

Post a comment and let me know how you've been!  I've missed you all!