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If you spend any time at all outside, you have likely walked into multiple spider webs.  Walking in the woods gives this experience in even greater degrees.  It is a benefit if someone is walking with you and they go through the trail first.  They walk through all of the webs and get covered and you can continue to walk on, mostly untouched.  Leo is not helpful in this way, though.  He is shorter and therefore doesn’t clear out any of the potential face plants in the middle of a web.  I also find it interesting how you can walk the same path twice and hit the same web…twice.  I find spiders fascinating, the ultimate weavers.  

As much as the webs annoy us (and potential gross us out), can you imagine how much more frustrating it is to the spider?  They have spent their time intricately weaving a trap so they have dinner.  They have produced this beautiful display that is sure to provide for the family.  And then, along comes a big human who knocks it all down – no dinner, no web.  What we perceive as slightly annoying and an inconvenience is really an entire plan of the spider.  We tend to perceive things only from our perspective.  We look at how things benefit or do not benefit us.  We really only see what we want to see, rarely taking a glimpse into someone or something else’s perspective.  Most of the time, we don’t even try.  We can easily become a society only consumed with getting what we want, when we want it.  

Seeing things differently takes effort and time.  It requires us to give up a singular focus of me and my wants.  It means spending time listening, paying attention, and willing to become uncomfortable to understand where someone else may be.  I think this is one of those lessons Jesus was constantly trying to teach.  He taught the story of the Good Samaritan to faithful Jewish followers to show a different perspective.  He walked to the edges of society with people who likely had never been there before.  He sat at tables with people no good religious person in his day would have ever been.  He placed himself in situations where a new perspective could be viewed and experienced.  He challenged his followers to see beyond themselves.  He still challenges us to do the same.

How might we be so caught up in our own lives that we miss the lives of those around us?  How might we be trapped in our own perspective and fail to see all those around us?  How can we become more like Christ, challenging our views and stepping outside of our own wants?  We may just find we walked right into the work of another.

Focus Scripture:

Mark 2:14-16

¹⁴ As he was walking along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him.

¹⁵ And as he sat at dinner in Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were also sitting with Jesus and his disciples—for there were many who followed him. ¹⁶ When the scribes of the Pharisees saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, they said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

Photos included in Devotions are captured by David Cain – The Cain Gallery.  Photos are available for sale by contacting The Cain Gallery

As Christians, there are too many times that we miss the story.  We miss the lesson.  We don’t hear what God is trying to teach us.  This could be because we are not listening.  Or it could be that we heard and just choose to do something else, ignoring his teachings.  I think God is pretty clear on love, though.  It just seems to me that you cannot read the Bible and get around this word, this concept, this powerful force which blows through each of the pages.  We cannot ignore the fact that God has called us to something higher, bigger, and more lofty than our tiny minds can fathom.  He has given us a directive of something which seems nearly impossible, but is fueled by him.  He has given us the call to love – and that is a call to action towards justice, towards rescue.

When we see a symbol, it normally triggers a thought or feeling regarding that which is symbolized.  If we see a cross as a Christian, we may think of Jesus’ sacrifice.  If we see the hot light on at Krispy Kreme, it may make our salivary glands ignite.  If we see an American flag, it may generate feelings of pride and freedom.  Symbols point to something.  They symbolize an idea or group.  Some symbols are evil.  There are some which denote pure and complete hatred.  You can probably think of some.  But when we see the Christian flag as a symbol, it should signify love.  If it does not, we may want to evaluate where we carry our symbols and why.  What are we really trying to prove if we are not directing people to the love of an Almighty God?  What are we pointing to if we are not pointing to Christ?  The Christian flag or any symbol of a devotion to God should never be used in association with fear or hatred…ever.  If it is, it is being used in vain.

A few days ago, the focus scripture for today showed up in my reading.  It reminded me of who God is and what he seeks for his people.  It reminded me how I tend to miss the point in it all.  It reminded me of a calling as a follower of Christ.  It pointed me back to God and to his love.  It gave me direction, a clear directive to share his love.  I saved this verse because it was something I wanted to remember.  Today, it seems even more important than the day I first read it.  It seems to be an answer to where we may find ourselves.  It seems to show how we might be missing the point in it all.

May God forgive us, when we make a mockery of him and his love.  May God direct us, not our own ideas.  May God love us so much that loves pours from us.  May we point people to God in ways that are loving and kind.  May we not hate – for that is never God’s way.  May we show grace and mercy.  May we love.

Focus Scripture:

Isaiah 1:16-17 

Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your doings from before my eyes; cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, plead for the widow.

Photos included in Devotions are captured by David Cain – The Cain Gallery.  Photos are available for sale by contacting The Cain Gallery

I know it isn’t the popular view.  I know this is a statement most will disagree with.  It is controversial.  But I do not like glitter – not at all.  I really just don’t like it – avoid it if I can.  At work, when we are preparing Christmas cards, my one request is we don’t get any cards with glitter.  I am constantly reminded of how difficult it is to find cards without it.  It goes everywhere and it gets on everything.  You can’t get rid of the stuff.  It shows up on your face, in your hair, on your clothes, and you can find it sparkling around for days and days.  Those little flickers of color show up in the corner of your eye at the least expected times.  I don’t know who invented the stuff, but I am pretty sure it was someone seeking to drive someone else with OCD crazy.  I feel it.  

There is a positive to these sticky, sparkly little flickering creatures, though.  They remind me how far a little glitter can go.  A little bit of shine on someone’s day can light it up and change the whole landscape.  When we are kind to someone, it is as if we have placed a little speck on them that they carry with them as they move forward.  When we are loving, we are sharing our glitter with someone else, spreading the goodness farther than we can even imagine.  And when you are loving and when you are kind, the effects show up in the most unexpected places.  Glitters of God’s goodness can change things.  

So maybe glitter isn’t so bad after all.  I’m not going to go buy any.  But I will certainly try to spread some around in the form of kindness and love – sprinkled on us by the Almighty Creator of it all.  Sparkle on.

Focus Scripture:

2 Corinthians 9:8

⁸ And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good work.

Photos included in Devotions are captured by David Cain – The Cain Gallery.  Photos are available for sale by contacting The Cain Gallery

We tend to forget things which we cannot see.  Those things which remain hidden from our everyday vision can be misplaced in the rhythm of our day.  This begins early for most of us.  We often tell kids to wash behind their ears.  We give them the instruction because they cannot see behind their ears and, therefore, there is no need to wash what cannot be seen.  I can only imagine how ludicrous it must seem to wash behind your ears when there doesn’t even seem to be any possibility of anything collecting where we cannot even see.  But, here we are, washing behind our ears.

When things are not always obvious, when they are not screaming for our attention, we put them away.  They are out of sight, out of mind.  That’s all well and good until those things which we have displaced all come tumbling down.  There is dirt behind our ears and now we have a problem.  The extra baggage we have put away begins to overload our closets and it all collapses under the weight of it all.  It gets messy at some point.  We shove things into the recesses only to have them come back with vengeance because of neglect.  

For me, one of the most important reminders is not to forget God.  I understand this statement seems absolutely ridiculous.  Who would forget God?  How could anyone forget the Creator?  What does that even mean?  We can easily look at a sunrise and see a sunrise.  We can live with some level of gratefulness without actually being grateful to the Giver or Creator.  We can go through our day knowing that God is somewhere, but not acknowledging he is actually with us.  We can push God into the recesses of our minds without any notice at all.  We do this until we need him.  Then we scramble and wonder where God has been all along. We get frustrated that God hasn’t been more responsive.  Why isn’t he at my beckoned call?  And all along, it was us – we pushed him far enough where we didn’t even recognize his presence.  

Today, maybe we begin to give thanks to the Creator, the Giver of Life.  Maybe we begin to acknowledge his presence.  Maybe we begin to search for where he is at work.  Maybe we see him among our neighbors.  Maybe we realize he has been with us all along – if only we pay attention.  

Awaken us, Lord, to your goodness.  May we never put you out of our minds simply because we do not have the sight to see you.  Open our eyes, Lord.  

Focus Scripture:

Psalm 148:13

¹³ Let them praise the name of the Lord,
    for his name alone is exalted;
    his glory is above earth and heaven.

Photos included in Devotions are captured by David Cain – The Cain Gallery.  Photos are available for sale by contacting The Cain Gallery

We can all find ourselves stressed out about something.  I find it is often the most minor, insignificant things which cause me the most stress.  I am on guard for the big problems.  They come and they go.  It is the everyday stressors that seems to get me.  They are eating away without us even noticing.  At the end of the day, they are the things we cannot believe we let get to us.  They cause us to lose our peace and they nibble away at our joy.  

Why do we let this happen?  We don’t do it on purpose.  We don’t seek out issues (at least most of us don’t). We don’t want to have things which stress us out.  We try and eliminate those things – and then find more.  I think a major issue is we lose focus.  What are we doing this all for?  Why are we working so hard?  Why are we spending our moments doing the things which can cause us this stress?  What is it that drives us?  We must have a base, a foundation for which all things are built.  We need a reason why we started.  We need to find out where it all starts and keep focusing on that – whatever ‘that’ is for you and me.  

Today’s focus scripture is a treasured one for me.  I hold this one close.  It speaks to the life I want to live.  It directs my paths, when I pay attention.  I want to make life about so much more – but the prophet Micah, with a directive from God, brings it back.  He reminds me of the base.  He reminds me of the foundation.  He directs me back to the place of why I should be doing what I am doing.  He helps me to see where it all starts – and it does all start somewhere.  To do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with God – those directives seem so simple.  They flow together so well.  But they are so difficult to keep as the focus.  So many things are vying for our attention.  Our stressors are calling us away from this path.  We are being directed in so many different ways.  But where does it all start?  To do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with God – seems like a great place to start.  Maybe we start here – today.  

Focus Scripture:

Micah 6:8

He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

Photos included in Devotions are captured by David Cain – The Cain Gallery.  Photos are available for sale by contacting The Cain Gallery

New Year’s resolutions generally are worthless.  We make unrealistic goals of some far off dream without any accountability nor a solid plan.  In a few short days, maybe even weeks, we give up because living the way we always have is just easier.  It took many decisions and long weeks and months (and often years) to get us to where we are and we want to fix it all at New Years.  We set ourselves up for failure and then wonder why we don’t make progress.  We think this year is going to be different but we haven’t actually put anything in place to make this year different. 

And yet, I love New Year’s resolutions.  I enjoy new starts and new opportunities.  For some people, January is the only month they actually eat with any sense – so there’s that.  I enjoy putting away the old and striving towards the new.  It does actually take planning.  It takes a significant amount of work.  It won’t happen in January and will likely take the whole year – or more.  If someone is determined and puts the right plans in place, things can really happen.  

One of the biggest barriers to change is the phrase “But I”.  We say it so much we don’t even realize what we are saying.  I would eat healthier but I…. I would exercise more but I… I would start practicing paying attention to all of creation but I… We continue those sentences with more excuses than we even thought possible.  We have failed before, so why try.  We have started it and it didn’t work (probably because we didn’t try).  We started that but we got busy.  

I get it…change is hard.  It is real hard.  And it is so much easier to stay as we always have than to change.  It is easier to continue down the path we are on, even if it is self-destructive.  It takes real courage and strength to even take the first step towards change.  

What we do not need to do is to set a long list of goals.  Pick one.  Pick something that matters to you.  Find something you can put energy and passion around.  Do that.  Work on that.  Start setting up a plan, find accountability along the way, and celebrate the victories.  You will only be where you are now, or worse, if you simply live in the “But I” camp.  Maybe it is time to move forward.  And maybe today really is the perfect day to do it.

Happy New Year’s Day!  Blessings to you!

My New Year’s Benediction (and one I treasure all year long) is from the book of Numbers:

The Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you;
the Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.

Photos included in Devotions are captured by David Cain – The Cain Gallery.  Photos are available for sale by contacting The Cain Gallery

I spent much of my childhood in a convenience store.  I learned so many valuable skills in the store.  I learned to count back change, deal with the good and not so good customers, and clean.  I don’t mean your regular cleaning – I mean the deep cleaning of keeping a store as it should be.  I learned the dates on products don’t mean much, except with milk (which I didn’t like anyway).  Long after we could sell it to a customer, it was still just fine.  ‘Best by’ doesn’t mean ‘gone bad’.  At this time, there were twisty ties on bread that were different colors.  This was an indication of when it was produced – so you could pick out the freshest loaf.  I also learned the names of most any candy you can imagine and sampled nearly all of them (I don’t enjoy coconut, so those were all avoided).  Since my parents owned a convenient store, my dad reminded me often that I had better not run out of gas.  He threatened that I could not call him if I ran out of gas since he owned a gas station.  This did not keep me from testing the limits of my car – just to see if it really would go beyond the red line which indicated it was completely empty (I still tend to do this – I don’t know, it’s just a thing).  I never did run out of gas so I never had to find out if he was being ‘for real’ about what he told me.  I suspect he would have come and got me, but it would have come with a really long lecture about responsibility.  I had those a few times.  I could probably quote one now but you will have to pardon the eye rolls (my face always has gotten me in trouble – but don’t worry, my mouth was not much better…not much has changed).  

There was one tradition that happened at this time – inventory.  This meant that after we closed the store, we counted every item in the store by hand.  Yes, every single item was counted.  It was an ‘all hands on deck’ kind of night.  Since this was before computers and using bar codes, this was a way of accounting for what had been brought in and what had been sold or taken.  This identified what was actually in the store at that moment.  This was fun for about the first 15 minutes.  But after you have counted the 150^th piece of bubble gum, you just don’t care quite as much.  

As I sit here, looking at the end of another year – and an interesting one at that – I can’t help but take inventory.  I am thinking about the times which lit up my day, brought joy to my life, and helped me see the good of the Lord in the land of the living.  There have been births and celebrations, encouraging words and kind notes.  I started the journey of writing this devotion during this year.  There have been so many little nuggets of goodness packed into this otherwise difficult year.  And there have been explosions of goodness.  I completed my doctoral thesis, defended it, and was awarded the Doctor of Ministry degree.  My youngest daughter graduated from high school and began her journey in college.  My oldest daughter was accepted into and began the Dental Hygiene program.  I couldn’t be more excited about all the opportunities that are ahead.  

There have also been sorrows and struggles.  I have spent more time than I like at the foot of a grave of a dear friend or loved one.  I have watched so many families struggle like never before.  We have grieved the loss of being together and worked to figure out what it looks like to be safe in a pandemic.  We have torn each other apart in the madhouse called politics and haven’t done much to repair the damage that has been done.  The church is bleeding profusely from the loss of community and struggles to figure out how it all fits in a time so different from anything we have ever experienced.  The end of ministry as I have known it is before me and I have no idea what the future holds.  

Yet – and most especially – God has been present.  In every one of these, God has been there.  He has poured out his presence on those who grieve and on those who celebrate.  He has been evident in the challenges of the pandemic and illuminates the paths of those who seek to know him better.  He has spoken in some pretty incredible ways – but we only notice when we are paying attention.  God is present.  For this, and so much more, I am grateful.

What does your inventory look like?  All in, all accounted for, what does it look like for you as you complete another year?  I pray you find the joys, the nuggets, the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.  May you be overwhelmed at all the good you had forgotten, but has been a part of your life.  May you grieve the losses and begin the difficult journey of moving forward.  May God’s grace fill you up as you consider a brand new year.  Happy Inventory!

Focus Scripture:

Psalm 27:13-14

¹³ I believe that I shall see the goodness of the Lord
    in the land of the living.
¹⁴ Wait for the Lord;
    be strong, and let your heart take courage;
    wait for the Lord!

Photos included in Devotions are captured by David Cain – The Cain Gallery.  Photos are available for sale by contacting The Cain Gallery

The path seems so defined and yet it is so rough.  The direction feels so sure and yet everyone else is going the opposite way.  Where we are heading, we often do not know.  How we will get there we are unsure.  What we will do when we arrive, we don’t have a clue.  But we continue on this journey anyway. 

Life can feel very insecure and sometimes lonely as we travel.  It doesn’t mean there aren’t people on the path – it just means we are traveling on our own.  It could be the journey is meant to be one of self-discovery.  Being alone is key on these trips.  It could be we choose to travel alone because it seems the safest and no one understands anyway.  But there are also times when we miss those fellow travelers who are willing to walk with us on the journey.  We miss those who are there to help us up when we fall.  We miss those who will keep us company when we feel like we cannot take another step.  

I am grateful for those who are willing to walk with me on the unsteady path.  I am thankful for fellow travelers who are struggling so we can struggle together.  I am not alone in this journey and neither are you.  We are in this together, even when our travels seem very different.  We are here to hold each other up and encourage one another.  We are here together because God is with us.  He does not leave us and one of the ways he proves this is through the steps of others.  God shows us his presence in the love and kindness of others.  God reminds us he has not left us in the generosity of our brothers and sisters on the path.  God illuminates our path with his love.  Sometimes, we only need to open our eyes and look around.  What a beautiful path it is indeed – filled with fellow travelers on this journey called life.  Travel on, the journey awaits.

Focus Scripture:

Psalm 16:11

You show me the path of life.
    In your presence there is fullness of joy;
    in your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Photos included in Devotions are captured by David Cain – The Cain Gallery.  Photos are available for sale by contacting The Cain Gallery

A big beautiful moon can illuminate an otherwise dreary night.  The days are short, the nights are long, and the temperatures are low.  This can be a combination for difficulty.  When the sun doesn’t shine quite as bright and for not as long, we can easily find ourselves longing for more.  Depression can set in and make itself at home before we even realized we have opened the door.  It can be challenging to find a reason to get up and get dressed, much less step outside.  Why would anyone do this?  

And yet, there is this big beautiful moon shining so brightly it casts shadows on life.  What otherwise is hidden has been brought to life, in a new and different way.  It isn’t the same as sunlight.  There is no heat.  There are no sunglasses needed.  It is just a simple way of lighting the path on an otherwise challenging journey.  We just don’t stop and recognize it nearly enough.  Moons are for nighttime and nighttime is for sleep, I guess.  But there are good things to be discovered when we get up a little early and experience the light of the moon.  

I find this is just one more of those treasured gifts we take for granted.  Something so simple can bring so much peace.  God provides just what we need and the moon is an example of this.  We don’t need all the lights we think we do.  Things don’t have to be as bright as we want to make them.  It is often that the light of the moon is enough.  Nothing else is needed.  

May God illuminate your path today and may your journey be filled with peace.

Focus Scripture:

Psalm 8:3-4

When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
    the moon and the stars that you have established;
⁴ what are human beings that you are mindful of them,
    mortals that you care for them?

Photos included in Devotions are captured by David Cain – The Cain Gallery.  Photos are available for sale by contacting The Cain Gallery

What are you leaning on?  We may find ourselves leaning on the table, leaning over the counter or just leaning against anything that may hold a portion of our weight.  I remind my family often not to lean on doors.  They will look for something in the pantry or the fridge and just lean on the door that wasn’t meant to be leaned on.  When we lean on something else, we are shifting a portion of our weight from us in search of some relief from carrying it all ourselves.  It serves to provide us with a break, a moment of reprieve.

Leaning on others is one of those things we do which can help to form a bond.  You are likely very familiar with the song, Lean on Me.  The lyrics remind us of those who help us to carry on when we don’t feel like we can any longer.  An interesting part of leaning is when we lean together, no one is carrying all the weight – it is shared among many who can support one another.  It can be, though, we carry too much of other people’s heaviness.  We help to carry their sorrow and grief.  We help to carry their trauma and disappointments.  These are all important as we grow together.  But there are times when we need to learn to let others help us carry on as well.  It isn’t always easy to ask for help or to find someone willing to walk with us as we are nearly collapsing under the weight of it all.

These are times when we must learn to lean spiritually.  There are moments in our lives when all seems too much and we don’t have the support to hold us up.  These moments remind us of the Almighty – his arms so big and wide and strong.  These arms to carry us and hold us up when we cannot move forward.  These arms to give us the courage to get back up and try again.  Another song comes to mind – Leaning on the Everlasting Arms.  God’s arms are big enough to carry us through, even when we cannot find the strength to take the next step.

Are you struggling to find your way?  Maybe you are leaning on the things which cannot support you or hold you up.  Maybe start leaning on the only arms which can hold all the weight and guide you to freedom.  Maybe we lean on God.

Focus Scripture:

Psalm 18:35-36

³⁵ You have given me the shield of your salvation,
    and your right hand has supported me;
    your help has made me great.
³⁶ You gave me a wide place for my steps under me,
    and my feet did not slip.

Photos included in Devotions are captured by David Cain – The Cain Gallery.  Photos are available for sale by contacting The Cain Gallery