25,000 and Counting!

What is 25,000? Several years ago I heard someone discussing Mark Batterson’s book IF. The question of “how many days had each of us lived” was posed. The challenge was to count each day. Online I found a way to calculate my days from birth to a specific date and began to record them in my devotional journal. That was some years ago, but on September 23, 2023, I hit 25,000 days! 

The challenge had been to evaluate our days for purpose. Each time I wrote the total number of days I had been given, I became more aware of what I had done with each of these days, or often not done. Over these many years of living, I have wasted more time than I care to admit but have also known days and seasons of waiting for God’s leading on what would be next or what decision to make. I have also celebrated many of the days, celebrated birthdays, anniversaries, and graduations, births of children, friendships both new and old, and achievements, mine and others. While we prefer not to think about dark times, there have been days that felt hopeless, endless, and uncertain. I have grieved for others’ losses as well as my own. My timeline also finds days of service and sacrifice, obedience and obstinance, revival and remorse, faithfulness and failures. We are each full of such days.

 

Quite unplanned, my 25,000^th day fell on my 50^th High School Reunion! I grew up in a small town in Northeast Mississippi, and most all of my classmates and I started first grade together, then graduated together. Additional blessings entered the mix as new classmates trickled into our group over the years, and they just seem to be part of the original group. We had a moment of memorial for 27 of our classmates who have died, each name read aloud. Tears and heartfelt memories prevailed during this part, each of us remembering precious times together. We were challenged in a devotion by our beloved classmate “Hule” - now Reverend - to remember them, but we also must remember Christ, remember our living alongside Him, and ask how our own reunion with God will be. Thirty-three of us stood for a group photo, all having lived at least 68 years, living through joys and losses, with health and diseases, celebrating successes and enduring disappointments, retelling the best memories and sharing the now. Laughter was loud. Legend and legacy stood shoulder to shoulder. From these folks, some of the next generation and the next have entered this world, hopefully to make the world a better place, to be a light to others.

 

Batterson suggests that counting our days is like “counting the possibilities” of our lives. The opportunities we have every day to make a positive impact for Christ in this world is countless. He writes, “The possibilities of your life are limitless.” If we seek God, He will show us more possibilities than we can imagine. Find your God-given passion and purpose and act! I remain more than grateful to God’s generosity to me - 25,000 days and counting! To God be the Glory in all that we do in service for Him. -dho

 

** I confess to not having read IF, but I will say my favorite Batterson book is Whisper, How to Hear the Voice of God. I recommend it. I wrote a Summer Series on my blog in 2019 about this book (June 13, 2019-September 5, 2019). Can search the blog by “2019 Summer Series” or go to the 2019 index.

Grace Falls Gently

 God always pours His grace into empty hands. ~St. Augustine

I sometimes find my hands too full, holding all the moments that charm me, claim me, constrain me, conceal me. Sometimes I hold to them in fear that I will lose them or not find them again. Then, sometimes I hold to them in joy for the same reasons. Either way, I hold to them tightly, hands full! Only when I lay them at the altar, in confession or with celebration, can I open my hands to the Holy Father. The vivid imagery that comes to my mind is kneeling with my hands empty, palms up, and knowing His grace falls gently to me. Holy Father, may I know Your Glory in all the moments. ~ dho

To God be the Glory

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month! In honor of Thomas, my nephew, I want to post a memory of his journey in 2011. When a child has cancer, the whole family walks the days of uncertainty together. Take a moment to remember the 47 children who have been diagnosed with cancer today! Remember their families!  

When you think life is going along as expected, just wait! It won't be long before there will come some interruption ~ usually unexpected. When I look back, I can often find that God has been preparing my heart in my devotional and prayer time. Such has been my experience again. 

Six days after my last blog entry, the world seemed to stop for a few minutes; my breath seemed too thick to move in and out of my lungs as I heard, "Thomas has a brain tumor." Thomas is my 9 year old nephew, the only child of my only sister. Surgery followed two days later to remove as much of the tumor as possible. An estimated 90-95% of the malignant tumor was removed. Now we are just beginning 30 daily radiation treatments. 

Everything in between what used to be and what is now ~ just happened! Some call such situations disasters, tragedies, unfortunate. Truly this is something that none of us would have chosen, yet it brings new dimension to our faith. This difficult circumstance that we did not choose brings us to our knees before God in a way that nothing but tragedy can. We seek the God of miracles! We praise the God All-knowing! We trust the God of Healing and Wisdom! We move forward only with God! God is our Refuge and our Protection. As so often our prayers remind . . . It is hard for our human hearts to imagine but God loves you,Thomas, MORE than any of us! To God be the Glory!

pray with us ~ 
God of miracle-wonders, 
God of well-thought-out-plans ~
His cloud-brightness burst through a grand 
comet of fireworks. Then God thundered out 
of heaven; the High God gave a great shout. 
We have seen You ~ the Light in our darkness. 
We have felt You ~ the Power in our weakness. 
We have heard You ~ the Voice in the chaos. 
We celebrate You! We praise You! We rest in 
the mountaintop refuge, safe.
Love Most High, in all times You are our 
shield of protection! You rescue us, touch us, 
heal us, lead us forward.
For such love, words search but find no escape, 
captives of mediocrity. 
God, make my life complete as we place all 
the pieces before You. 
Hear the deepest, wordless prayers of our hearts. Amen. ~ dho 

[Scripture from Psalm 18 ~ The Message]

You can follow this amazing God-journey that Thomas is making at www.CaringBridge.org/visit/ThomasMcGirr

**previously posted on this blog/2011/DonnaOswalt

Miracles

I happened upon this today on the FaceBook page for “Poetry Ireland”. The words below are not mine but so well said; they moved me, and I had to share! I love when I hear a familiar story but told from a different perspective, and I glean fresh, unrevealed insights. Most of us know this Biblical account of these friends being so determined to find a way to bring their sick friend to Jesus, to take the extraordinary efforts to cut a hole in the roof, and to lower the friend down to Jesus in hope of healing. The story does recognize their efforts but quickly the miracle of healing takes center stage. And, this is good. But this poem reminds us that without this kind of friendship, the sick friend would have likely missed Jesus, missed the healing. 

While the healing of this man is truly a miracle that stands alone, perhaps the steadfastness and faithfulness of his friends is also a miracle. In today’s world, most of us have few folks that would journey to extraordinary lengths for us. Some stop by or check in, but few rarely walk beside us for long, especially in difficult times. If you have friends who take the extraordinary journey with you, as Seamus writes those ones who had known him all along, be thankful for this divine miracle! God’s goodness provides for us in so many ways, sometimes it’s in healing and sometimes it’s in friendship. Look around your community and become this blessing for others! - dho

“Miracle by Seamus Heaney is our poem of the day, in which he celebrates the value of community and the blessing of friendship as much as the story of a miraculous healing. We, at Poetry Ireland fondly remember the poet and Nobel Laureate on his anniversary, as a great friend to us and to the world of Irish Poetry. One of Ireland's greatest artists who painted our lives, stories and mythologies in word and sound.” - copied from “Poetry Ireland”

That’s Enough

 Thank GOD because he’s good, because his love never quits! Psalm 118:1

Summer is winding down, the last hot days of August cause a scramble to swim in her warm waters a few more times. Routine is already marching in and changing the order of our days. Fall is coming, school is starting, and the easy days of picking blueberries, and building sandcastles begin to fade. The best news is that GOD is a God for all seasons! 

This summer I have enjoyed traveling abroad with family and friends and loved spending time with my granddaughter. Her sweet snuggles and silly giggles and pool splashes will remain with me long after this season ends. The many sights and adventures in other lands continue to bring beauty and mystery to my mind. We can never learn everything, never visit all the wonders of God’s world, never count all the joy of times together. Why? Because there is always more!

A newer Contemporary Christian song I heard a few months back reminds me to be thank-full and joy-full and wonder-full in the now, in the moments. It’s short, simple chorus tells a great truth about God’s love:  “I am here! I am loved! God is good, and that’s enough!” Well, I agree! THAT”S ENOUGH for me, too! -dho

The LIVING Word!

Throw-Back-Thursday (#TBT) popularity on social media wanes, constantly replaced by various new #’s, but it is still fun to remember. Along with its hash tags, pictures of yester-year would dance across out computer screens, mobile phones, and tablets. Frequently the hair styles and clothing reveal the era. We laugh, usually, or moan, sometimes. When I open my #TBT Bible, my name is written on the inside cover. Back in the day, unlike now, few versions of the Bible were available. "The Living Bible" broke the rules by using current vernacular, much the way we appreciate The Message today. The words and the order of the words sounded friendly, more familiar to the ear. The Living Bible with its padded green color, while popular with teenagers, did not thrill the adults. Whatever your thoughts or preferences are about various translations and transliterations of the Holy Bible, I believe God always uses His words to inspire, to convict, to reveal His Goodness and Grace.

#TBT High School, 1973

Reading today from Romans in The Living Bible, God's word tells it straight. Listen to some of the verses from Chapter 12: Be honest in your estimate of yourselves...we belong to each other, and each needs all the others. God has given each of us the ability to do certain things well. And further down, Don't just pretend that you love others; really love them. Hate what is wrong. Stand on the side of the good. Love each other with brotherly affection and take delight in honoring each other. These very valuable words remind us our connectedness in Christian community. These words are not just for #TBT!

Life is messy! We wait, longing for time to pass more quickly then hurry to what is next. Hurt and disappointment become friends we wish we didn't know. Doubt shouts! Hypocrisy mocks! But, God always sees the bigger picture, sees beyond what our minds cannot understand. Using my #TBT Bible, I find these words: Be glad for all God is planning for you. Be patient in trouble, and prayerful always. (Romans 12:12) 

I did not read other translations or search commentaries, did not research Greek origins of the words or look at cross references (none in the #TBT Bible). I simply let my prayer echo His inspired words: With a grateful heart, God, I trust You are planning something good for me. In times of trouble, help me be patient. You show me how to love others, truly love them. Give me a boldness to stand on the side of good with love. Every moment of every day, my prayers rising to You, spending time with You ~ listening, resting, waiting, learning, loving. Amen! ~dho