SEEING THE EXTRAORDINARY

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  • Just Love – Devotion 105

    Leo has a way of capturing our attention.  He loves to whine, which really is annoying.  But for him, it works.  If he whines enough, we will do whatever he is asking.  Most of the time, he just wants us to acknowledge he is there.  He doesn’t really want anything at all.  He has been trained to let us know when he needs to go out by ringing a bell.  That is great until he randomly rings the bell just to see if we will get up and come to the door.  He doesn’t want to go outside.  He just wants to see what we will do.  So you can imagine how much fun it is when he rings the bell and whines at the same time.  It can be a bit much.

    The thing about Leo is that he is so cute.  So you want to be mad for going to the door for the fifth time in a row – and all he wants is your attention.  He then goes and sits down on his end of the couch on his favorite blanket and just looks at you.  Any frustration you have seems to just melt away.

    You can see Leo has us wrapped.  He keeps everyone in check in the house to make sure he is the center of attention.  He gets special treatment because you cannot resist his love.  Leo doesn’t do anything but love us.  He doesn’t buy us presents.  He doesn’t bring any income into the household.  He simply just takes.  But the love he gives is priceless.

    Leo teaches me that love really does change things.  It doesn’t take money or gifts to show someone love.  Sometimes it is simply being present.  Sometimes simply knowing that my attention is valued is enough.  Knowing that when I have had a bad day, Leo is waiting with his tail wagging and his eyes of excitement can change everything.  What might this world look like if we simply loved, no strings attached?  Maybe that’s something to try today.

    Focus Scripture:

    1 Corinthians 13:4-7

    4 Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6 it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. 7 It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

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

  • After the Storm – Devotion 104

    There is something unique and unusual about the morning after a storm.  During the night, in the cover of the darkness, the winds roar and the winds pour.  There is nothing to do but rest and wait – and pray.  What will remain the next morning is yet to be seen.  As my side of the earth begins to slowly light up, there are the first few moments of investigation.  What happened?  What were the noises I heard when I could not see what was going on?  Did the tree snap?

    As there is illumination, there is also an eerie quiet.  Sure, creation still has its song.  The wind that remains is still swaying the trees.  But there is no storm raging.  There is a quiet that cannot quite be defined.  The anger of the earth has calmed, if just for a moment.  The most difficult has passed.  The clouds continue at speeds unknown – but all is moving on.  For now, there is peace.

    We encounter so many of our personal storms.  We seem to fight what we cannot see and struggle with things we cannot quite define.  It is as if we are struggling in the dark – just waiting for the morning to come.  When it does, things are not as they were.  Yet, there is an unusual peace.  It is a reminder that although there is unrest, God can and will bring a moment to breathe, a moment to simply rest in his peace.  Life will proceed.  Many things change, but we continue to move forward.  We are changed by the storm, if even in a small way.  We are shaped by knowing that God has brought us through yet another.  We are taught to hold on, the morning holds peace.  We begin to trust that the storm will not last forever.

    Whatever storm you may be facing in your life, I pray you can see the peace in the light of morning.  I pray you get a moment to breathe and be renewed.  May you see that God has not left you in the darkest hours but is preparing the light of day for you.  May you find hope in the rise of a new day.

    Focus Scripture:

    Psalm 97:11-12

    11 Light dawns for the righteous,
    and joy for the upright in heart.
    12 Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous,
    and give thanks to his holy name!

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

  • Little Surprises – Devotion 103

    Little surprises can bring the biggest smiles.  To know you are thought of and cared about means more than words can express.  It isn’t the big things that often make the most impact.  It is the small gestures in a day.

    For my daughter, Kelli, sunflowers can light up a room.  So anytime we see sunflowers, we make sure to point them out.  A friend sent her an arrangement with sunflowers in it.  They just seem to lift the mood of the whole house.  Yesterday, I went to pick up a bundle of sunflowers.  I thought it would perk up our dining room and also bring joy to Kelli.  While I was there, I picked up a second bundle.  I decided if it could help my house, it could help my office as well.  Why not?  Little surprises can bring big smiles.

    I am always amazed at the things that really make me the most excited.  I love it when someone has thought of me in simple ways.  A couple of days ago, I opened the fridge to a surprise (a good one).  Not only did I have fresh greens and lots of broccoli, but there was a container that had the word “VEGAN” on it.  Kelli had made fresh ranch dip and when she did, she made a special batch just for me.  She marked it so I would know which belonged to me.  It wasn’t something I asked for or expected.  It was just a little surprise that brought a big smile.

    It really comes down to spreading a little kindness in our day.  It is about finding small but meaningful ways to be kind to someone else.  It doesn’t take a lot of thought or effort.  It simply takes a few moments to think of others.  Kindness goes a long way – and it brings big smiles.  Maybe we try a little extra kindness today.

    Focus Scripture:

    Proverbs 21:21

    21 Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness
    will find life and honor.

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

  • The Invitation

    There are advantages to being small.  When I was a kid, I was really little.  This didn’t pay off in sports, of course.  It didn’t really helped me attract the ladies.  It didn’t make me all that noticeable.  But it did make me really great at hide and go seek.  I guess you have to excel at whatever you can.  I could fit in the most unbelievable places because I was so short and thin.  It wasn’t really a big deal for me to wedge myself into a tight space and win the game.  So as long as I could hide, I was good.  I could stay there for a long time.

    Hide and seek is an interesting game, if we really think about it.  Someone tries to find another person or person(s) that is right in front of them.  Short of giggles or coughs, sneezes or other noises, a person could be right around the corner and no one know.  They are hidden in plain sight sometimes.  Eventually they are found or they stop hiding and just come out.  It gets boring when you hide and no one can find you after quite a while.  I think this childhood game can teach us something from the scripture today.  It is about seeking and finding…the invitation and answering the invitation.

    Isaiah 55:1-9

    Ho, everyone who thirsts,
    come to the waters;
    and you that have no money,
    come, buy and eat!
    Come, buy wine and milk
    without money and without price.
    2 Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread,
    and your labor for that which does not satisfy?
    Listen carefully to me, and eat what is good,
    and delight yourselves in rich food.
    3 Incline your ear, and come to me;
    listen, so that you may live.
    I will make with you an everlasting covenant,
    my steadfast, sure love for David.
    4 See, I made him a witness to the peoples,
    a leader and commander for the peoples.
    5 See, you shall call nations that you do not know,
    and nations that do not know you shall run to you,
    because of the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel,
    for he has glorified you.

    6 Seek the Lord while he may be found,
    call upon him while he is near;
    7 let the wicked forsake their way,
    and the unrighteous their thoughts;
    let them return to the Lord, that he may have mercy on them,
    and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
    8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
    nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord.
    9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
    so are my ways higher than your ways
    and my thoughts than your thoughts.

    In this reading, Isaiah is talking to the remnant of Israel – those who are left after exile and all that has happened.  They are hungry for something…they are likely discouraged and distraught.  They need encouragement. They need a word from God that reminds them they are not forsaken, not forgotten.  They are not alone.  God speaks life to them with these words.

    Isaiah tells them to seek the Lord.  This is a command we hear more than once in the scriptures.  We are told…seek and you shall find…knock and it shall be opened…ask and you shall receive.  This idea of seeking is not new.  It is familiar.  To seek is active.  It is something we do.  I think the most interesting concept of seeking is that God is not hidden.  He is in plain sight.  Yet, we miss him all the time.  He is not playing hide and seek with us.  He is not hiding, waiting for us to come around the corner.  He is not crouched behind something waiting to come out and shout boo.  God is here.  God is with us.  God is in us and around us.  God is working through us.  God is here.  Yet, we miss him all the time.  I believe we miss him because we are not looking for him.  We miss what he is doing because we are not seeking him.  We may be busy with our own agendas.  We are living our lives so we do not see what he is up to.  We have our own plans and our own goals, so we miss that God is here.  We get in the way of seeing God.  He is not hidden, we just choose not to see.  We make the decision not to acknowledge his presence all around us.

    But the invitation is there.  The invitation to come and see is there.  We are not excluded.  Our sins, our shortcomings, our problems, our greed, our selfishness, our stubbornness may all be a hinderance – but God still offers the invitation.  An invitation means something.  An invitation means that someone wants us there.  They have thought of us for their event.  Our presence is being requested for something important, often quite significant.  There is something going on that someone thought we should be a part.  We are invited.  And over and over again, Isaiah repeats the invitation.  Come and see.  Come and experience.  Come and dine.  Come and be loved.  Come and find out all the God has for you.  Come and take your place at the table.  Come and listen to the goodness of God.

    This is a powerful invitation from the Creator.  It is an invitation to experience God.  We are not excluded.  When we accept the invitation, he cleans us up and gives us all we need to truly live an abundant life.  When we walk through the open door, he has a feast of joy waiting for us.  It is all right before us.

    Don’t misunderstand me, though.  This invitation is not about money or power or earthly gain.  This is an invitation from God.  He has plans that are good and abundant and filled with life.  But earthly treasures don’t mean anything to God.  He has much more important things awaiting.  So the invitation…the seeking…does not result in a bigger house or more money or monetary gain.  The invitation is to something so much more important.  The invitation is to a life of fulfillment by following God.  We are taken care of because we are seeking God.  We experience life in a whole new way because we are seeking and following him.

    The invitation has been issued.  God is right before us waiting for us.  Will you seek and will you follow?  The next move is up to you.  Choose wisely.

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  • Music – Devotion 102

    There is something about an orchestra – the blending of music into a melody that is remarkable.  Different instruments producing notes which come together in a chorus of majesty at the hands of those that are skilled and gifted to play.  If you enjoy the music, you can be transported to a different time and place.  To simply close your eyes and hear the proclamations is relaxing, motivating, and memorable.

    We don’t always get the opportunity to sit and hear the orchestra, though.  We may really enjoy sitting in the hall and taking it all in.  When it isn’t realistic to hear, I invite you to step outside early in the morning after a rain.  You will be surprised.  It is subtle at first.  You may not even recognize what you are walking into.  You may miss that you have walked into the ultimate concert hall.  There is music unlike any other being played.  It isn’t contained on a musical sheet.  It can’t be repeated by instruments or people.  It would be a feeble attempt if we even tried.

    This morning I sit and listen.  It is as if the birds, crickets, and other creatures have gathered together in my back yard to simply sing.  They sing with or without me.  They do not need an audience.  They play for an audience of one – God is the only one they need to play.  I am just a welcome guest that gets to hear by being in the right place at the right time.  There are calls and answers…there are echoes of the same song…there are highs and lows and everything in between.  It may be the most beautiful symphony I have ever heard.  But it takes full focus to hear it all.  Each musician plays her song with such gusto.  Each one has his instrument heard.  Yet, the combination of it all is majestic.  God’s symphony really is the best.

    Today, I invite you to hear.  Hear the chorus of God’s good creation.  Hear all he offers when you simply stop and truly listen.  May you be transported, if just for a moment, into the love of God through his creation.

    Focus Scripture:

    Genesis 8:17

    17 Bring out with you every living thing that is with you of all flesh—birds and animals and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth—so that they may abound on the earth, and be fruitful and multiply on the earth.”

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

     

  • Giggle – Devotion 101

    I love to hear children giggle.  There is something infectious about their laughter.  I rarely laugh as much as I should as an adult and admire those that do.  When I hear the belly roll laughter, I can’t help but smile.  There is such joy about the tears running down your face when you laugh.  Today – I can’t help but think that God’s creation has a sense of humor too.

    Wendy does not do well with tree frogs.  They are her nemesis.  While I think they are cute and enjoyable, there is nothing the least bit attractive to her.  I see their skill to stick to most anything as quite a gift.  She sees this same skill as frightening and intimidating.  When it rains, we can really hear them outside our back door – the same door that Leo goes out to go to the bathroom.  They hang out by the back door and make noises – the noises frogs make.  I hear it as their song.  She hears them taunting her – laughing at her – daring her to come to the door to let Leo out so they can leap in.  I can’t help but giggle at the sounds.  I think it is even more funny now than ever.  Now when I hear their sounds, I giggle to myself hearing them call Wendy to open the door and let them have fun.  Creation definitely has a way of bringing a smile.

    I have a feeling we don’t smile enough – or laugh enough – or enjoy the good things enough.  We don’t laugh at the sounds of the frogs because we ignore the sounds.  We don’t think of the joys of children laughing because we are busy doing grown up things.  We don’t spend time seeking the goodness and joy in creation because it is hot or we are bored or whatever it is that keeps us from seeing the funny, the interesting, and laughing.

    Today, I hope you find some moments of joy.  I hope that you hear the laughter around you and you simply smile.  May you allow the goodness of God’s amazing creation speak joy to you today.

    Focus scripture:

    Psalm 37:3-4

    3 Trust in the Lord and do good;
    dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
    4 Take delight in the Lord,
    and he will give you the desires of your heart.

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

     

  • Prepared – Devotion 100

    There are so many things in life we can plan.  We can plan when an event will happen and send out invitations.  We can plan our vacations and know months or even years ahead of time.  We can plan for ballgames and dance recitals.  All of those are set, at least to some respect.  We can get our lives set in a nice schedule, ordered by our wonderful planners.  But no matter how much we schedule it all, there is always the unexpected.  We can never be fully prepared when the unexpected happens.

    With the chances that something will happen, we can react in different ways.  I had a family member that would react by always looking for the worst.  He would prepare for the absolute worst events to happen and then be relieved when they didn’t.   I’m not convinced this is any way to really live.  It seems overly stressful and anxious.  Another way to prepare is to trust.

    Trust is often difficult.  Who do we trust?  What do we trust?  I trust Wendy with everything – really everything.  But she is no more prepared for the unexpected than I am.  We are definitely in this together.  But we both need to trust in someone other than ourselves.  We choose to trust in God.  While that sounds simple enough, it takes time and focus.

    When I am trusting in God, I am not anxious because he will be with me through it all.  I am not worried about what is coming.  I am not looking for the worst, but rather focused on the best.  He is the Creator of all that is good and beautiful and healthy.  He gives us life and breath.  He does not force us to do anything but guides us to the best this world can offer.  But trusting in God means that I take the time and effort to listen and learn.  I make a conscious decision to not try and control everything myself.  I relax in the hands of the One that is surprised by nothing.  It takes time, but in a world of unknowns, it is the best decision I could make.

    Who are you trusting?  Where are you placing your trust when the unknowns come your way?  How do you handle what comes your way?  I choose God.

    Focus Scripture:

    Proverbs 3:5-6

    5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
    and do not rely on your own insight.
    6 In all your ways acknowledge him,
    and he will make straight your paths.

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

     

  • Happy Socks Happy Thoughts – Devotion 99

    If you know me, you know I love crazy socks.  They bring me a little happiness as I pick which pair I will wear each day.  Most of the time, I do actually try to blend colors.  But ultimately, they are just little moments of happiness.  Yesterday, I was picking out my socks and decided to choose the pair that had cinnamon buns on them.  That is correct – bright blue socks with cinnamon buns all over them.  They are fun.  As I put them on, I had a flashback and I caught myself laughing.

    When my girls were small, they rode in the back seat, of course.  They also were in booster seats so they sat a little higher up.  Maia sat behind me most of the time.  On more than one occasion, she graciously pointed out that I had a cinnamon bun on the back of my head.  It seems that at the top of my head, my hair swirls and I have a bit of a bald spot.  Unfortunately I have seen the cinnamon bun for myself in pictures.  Only my children would take my bald spot and describe it as a delicious food.  So I giggled a little as I put on my socks.

    I love it when small things bring big smiles to my face.  There is so much stress and chaos in the world, it is so good just to smile.  It feels better when the tension is not there and we can just enjoy.  For me, it was found in a glimpse of socks.  I also find this spending time with good friends or running in God’s good creation. There are glimpses of goodness all around – just waiting for us to notice and smile.

    I hope you find your glimpses of goodness today.  I hope you find a moment to smile, relax and just enjoy.  Goodness awaits.

    Focus Scripture:

    Psalm 149:3-5

    3 Let them praise his name with dancing,
    making melody to him with tambourine and lyre.
    4 For the Lord takes pleasure in his people;
    he adorns the humble with victory.
    5 Let the faithful exult in glory;
    let them sing for joy on their couches.

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

  • Beauty in the Making Devotion 98

    Nature speaks to us every day.  There are paintings in the sky, choruses in the air, brushstrokes of blooms happening daily.  Every single day there is beauty yet to be discovered.  We can give up on God’s beauty before it even happens.  I know I do.  I decide way too early what will become amazing and what will simply become.  I have a flower on my porch.  It needed a bigger pot and I took care of it.  It is outside and this summer heat is brutal.  It gets watered along with everything else on the porch.  While all the other plants are blooming with fragrant masterpieces of God’s touch, this plant struggles to survive.  There were no promises of blooms or even signs of survival.  I left it on the porch just because.  I had counted it out.  I continued to water it because I was watering the others.

    Out of nowhere, the leaves began to look more hopeful.  They began to spring up with life and their green held signs of promise.  I was cautiously optimistic there was more to be seen with this little guy.  I didn’t do anything different.  It did cause me to take notice of the changes, though.  A few days ago, a small bloom popped out of the green leaves.  Today, it fully bloomed into a flower. The vibrant orange bloom stands out among the otherwise all green plant.  It is small but it signals hope and life.  This plant has not bloomed its last.  I was the only one that gave up.  God was still working underneath the soil to bring up something amazing.

    God’s garden teaches me that I give up too easily on what he is doing.  He is watering and nurturing and caring beneath the surface.   I decide way too early what is a good crop and what is useless.  I don’t always see the promise of the soil or the blooms waiting to spring up.  I fail to notice that God has not given up and I am simply to keep on loving and watch God produce.

    What have you given up on that God is still working out?  What have you failed to notice that God is doing all around you?  Maybe he is working on you and me.  Maybe there is something waiting to burst forth in us that is good and loving and amazing.  Maybe there is a bloom in us we haven’t even seen yet.  May God paint and create and nurture the goodness in our world today.

    Focus Scripture:

    Philippians 2:13

    13 for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

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  • Seeds of… Devotion 97

    It doesn’t take much to turn a situation around.  It can go one way or the other.  Our attitude, the tone of our voice, the feeling in our heart all can show through.  And this can cause things to go good or bad.  I find it both amazing and disheartening how a simple comment can become a seed that can take root in us.  It can be amazing because the seed can be full of positive encouragement and loving kindness.  A kind word spoken can begin to find its way into our heart – and if nurtured, can help us to grow and become even better.  It doesn’t even have to be a word.  It can be a kind gesture, an encouraging smile, or an uplifting note.  Kindness can yield kindness.

    Unfortunately the opposite is also true.  A hateful comment can take root in people as well.  Others can start to believe the things that are being said about them.  They begin to allow those comments to become a part of who they are and they react based on those seeds.  They begin to see themselves as whatever has been spoken of them.  A simple off handed comment can change everything, if even for a day.

    I find that people, in general, have no trouble spreading seeds of meanness when they do not actually look at someone else.  When it can be typed, it just becomes easier.  So we have seeds being sown all over that are full of despair.  It doesn’t have to be this way.  We can be the difference.  We can choose what seeds we will cast out today.  We can decide that today’s comments will be kind and encouraging and loving.  We can make a conscious effort to find something good and positive to say.  We can share a good word with someone.

    May we spread seeds of kindness wherever we may go today.  And may they take root and multiply.

    Focus Scripture:

    Romans 15:5-6

    5 May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, in accordance with Christ Jesus, 6 so that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

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