Category: posts

Springtime in Jersey

~ Barbara ~ 1 Comment

I love the coming of spring and its promise of new life. What a wonder to behold!

The tiniest hint of green appeared on tree branches. So tiny, I wondered if my eyes deceived me. But then it happened—the green spread, and deepened, and intensified. Now, New Jersey is swathed in varying shades of green.

Forsythia and daffodils burst out in yellow, bringing spontaneous smiles to our faces. Crocuses and hyacinths complemented them with their pink and purple petals. Trees blossomed into bloom—dogwoods, magnolias, and flowering cherry.

I love the onset of fresh fruit and the promise of backyard barbecues.

I love packing away winter coats and walking out the door without thought of the cold.

I love opening the windows and allowing in fresh breezes.

I love to watch the seemingly synchronized arrival of birds at our feeders, each singing their unique song.

I love seeing people taking walks or out in their yards, especially the children.  

I love living in New Jersey where each season is distinctive.

I love that the seasons are ordained by God. We can do nothing to alter them, slow their arrival, or delay their passing.

I love seeing God’s fingerprints in nature, ever changing but displayed in patterns that never change.

Even Now

~ Barbara ~ 6 Comments

Even now, Lord? Even when my years are many and my body aches? Even when my vision is no longer sharp and I don’t hear as clearly? Even when I can’t process thoughts as quickly or forget a word or name?

Yes, even now!

God doesn’t need our energy or youthful vigor to fulfill His purposes. He will display His glory and tell His story through a well-worn vessel that remains stubbornly available. His plans for us don’t end when we reach a particular age or when our mobility becomes a challenge. We are as capable of being used today as we were in our younger years because He sustains us. It is still His strength that carries the day, not ours. It never was.   

Do not despair, my gray-haired friends! He made us and therefore He will carry us through to a victorious end. And until that day, He will rescue, uphold, and support us. Let us be as grateful for our life today as we were in our youth.

“Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him.
They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.” Jeremiah 17:7-8

I Have a Shepherd

~ Barbara ~ Leave a comment

I suspect Psalm 23 may be the best known of all psalms. Often read at funerals, it wraps around us like a familiar, cozy afghan. But the comfort it’s designed to give goes far deeper. Like the stitches woven to create our favorite blanket, the psalmist wove words to cover us with far-reaching assurances. It deserves a deeper look and meditative understanding. Over the coming weeks we will do just that. Get ready to nestle yourself under its covering.

“The Lord is my Shepherd.” Lord is understood as one who has power and authority over others, a ruler to whom allegiance and service is due. In the best case scenario, such a lord would be benevolent, caring for those under his leadership. In the Christian’s case, our Lord is that and more, so much more. Our Lord is a shepherd who lovingly tends to the needs of His people—but we’ll discuss Shepherd later.

Submitting to the care of a lord can offer peace or anxiety, depending on his goodness and our trust. The Lord spoken of in Psalm 23 is good and reliable. We will see that as we progress through the psalm, but at this point we simply need to recognize Him as Lord and, more than that, “The Lord.”

He is above all others, preeminent and unsurpassed. There is no authority that can challenge Him—important to remember in our troubling times. He has the ultimate power, the highest purpose, the perfect plan, the final say. He is The Lord of all lords.

When you read Psalm 23:1, savor these first two words—no lovingly crafted afghan can compare to the comfort found there.

Photo by Sally Teschon

Finding Hope, 65 Meditations for a Broken Heart by Barbara Higby

Powerful Words from Generous Hearts

~ Barbara ~ Leave a comment

I was recently doubting myself in two areas. In each instance someone spoke words that flipped my perspective and sparked joy.

First, I was feeling down about my hair—I’m losing it! Not a big deal, but a distraction. I faithfully thanked God it wasn’t due to disease or chemo treatments, just another aging nuisance. Still, I told Him I’d really like it to stop.

We attend a super-friendly church and each Sunday are enthusiastically greeted like our being there is the best thing ever. Two weeks ago the greeter, a stranger to me, exclaimed, “I love your hair! It looks so healthy!” Now, people may have commented on my hair style or color, but no one ever has remarked on its health. I’m guessing you’ve never been told that either. What an unusual comment—and exactly what I needed to hear! I thanked her for being so outgoing and unwittingly building me up. Now I brush the hair off my shoulders and say to myself, “What healthy hair!” You know, I think less is falling!

The second self-doubt came this morning. I felt dry and was praying about what to post this week. I questioned if I should take a blog break. In the middle of my musing a new friend texted me, “I felt compelled to start reading your blog! I’ve read a few and I’m now a subscriber!” Wow! Then a second friend in the chat responded that she knew nothing about following a blog, “I was just reading it. So good!” They knew nothing about my struggle but spoke words of life and… here I am!

I hope you’re encouraged to speak up, to let compliments and positive words flow. We’ve had this safety measure drilled in us: “If you see something, say something.” Let’s steal the mantra to remind us to say kind words to others.  

Ephesians tells us to speak…“what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen” (4:29). In the communications I described words were spoken to build me up. The speakers didn’t know of my need, but God did, and He used them to bless.

Friends, let’s be generous with words that compliment, edify, and encourage. According to Proverbs 25:11 (ESV),

“A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver.”

Share a golden apple today!