Moments

The other day I was tilling the garden. My 7 year old granddaughter came out to the garden and began to follow me as I tilled row after row. She made large steps to step in the imprints that my feet made in the freshly turned earth. She was trying to walk in my steps. My first thought was how scary that was that she followed me so closely. What an awesome responsibility to provide a credible witness for a young soul to follow to Jesus. As we walk through this world and call ourselves Christians, we can leave imprints in the soft earth of fertile minds and hearts. Will they follow in our steps? Have we shied away from the heavy responsibility of being credible witnesses for our Savior. Will others see our witness and want to follow where we have tilled. It occurred to me that, indeed, I want to be the credible witness for my granddaughter. I would like her to continue to be lead to follow where I tilled. And, if I am to be a credible witness that others might follow my...

My granddaughter didn't feel well so I put her to bed, covered her, and lay beside her to comfort her. I told her I hated to see her feel bad and wished she felt so much better, "because I love you." "I know," she said as she smiled warmly. "And I will always love you until I die. And when I die I will love you from heaven. I will love you forever." She snuggled closer, and I thought. I would die for her if I had to. Then the epiphany: That is how Jesus loves: now and forever. That is what Jesus did. He died for me. How I love my granddaughter, is a small sampling of how Jesus loves me: now and forevermore. And I felt so honored that I had sampled just a bit of learning to love as Jesus loves. But, it is easy to love my granddaughter, or members of my family. But it will be a difficult step in learning to love as Jesus loved. Things start coming apart when I try to love them that curse me, and pray for them which despitefully use ...