God of the Sparrow 🌱 By Kathy Manis Findley

Colors

July 6, 2016 Rev Kathy

Color blankets the world with joy. The green leaves rustle in light breezes. The tall amber colored grasses sway in the wind. The sky glistens with blues, pinks and purples and dancing white clouds. The flowers wear all shades and hues of every color imaginable.

I don’t want to miss it. I want to see every shade of color and be grateful that God gave me eyes to see. I want to always and forever give thanks to God for painting the world. I want to rejoice for the beauty of nature that surrounds me.

Most of all, I want to honor a Divine Creator who looked upon all that was made and said “It’s good!”

It is good indeed! Thanks be to God.

Spiritual growth

Being Born

July 5, 2016July 5, 2016 Rev Kathy

Most of us celebrate being born once a year on our birthdays. Perhaps we should celebrate much more often than once a year. After all, isn’t life full of rebirths. Aren’t we born again with every new discovery, every life lesson, every new dream? There is a kind of mystery to being born. Sometimes we resist it, looking fearfully at change. But mostly we embrace it and accept it as one of life’s gifts to us. Steven Charleston wrote these words:

I have had my fair share of doubts and spent my time in the long night of unknowing. I have enough scars to find someone to blame and have many memories I keep in the attic of my heart. But I count none of this as the measure of my life and spend as little time as I can rereading its sad story. For even from the deepest soil a new shoot emerges, a stubborn little plant called life, reaching up and out to find the waiting sun, drawing energy from the core of the very earth from which it was made. I am a light, not a shadow. I am being born, not dying.

I am grateful for that stubborn little plant we call life. I’m thankful that it persists, digging its roots deeper and deeper into the ground and reaching up toward the sunlight in a new day. How glad I am that I am not dying, but being born!

Faith, healing, Hope, Light

Life Goes On

July 4, 2016 Rev Kathy

Life goes on. It is a common saying that holds so much truth. When circumstances tempt us to give up, we are always reminded that life goes on. I have learned so many times through disappointment, grief and fear, that life does go on. We live another day. We have another chance. We rest on the reality that dawn comes after every long night . . . every night, without fail.

How comforting it is for us to believe in another day and another chance! At the end of any grueling day, the night descends upon us with its healing. And then the brightness of a new dawn fills us with fresh hope and the will to greet another day. It is all a blessing from a faithful God who walks beside us through life, whatever comes, whatever hardship we face.

I love the words of Rachel Carson.

Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts. There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature — the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after winter.

― Rachel Carson, “Silent Spring”

And so my friends, do not lose heart. Yes, life can be difficult. The world can seem to be a bitter place. But we were made for these times. There are many people these days who are deeply and properly bewildered. They are concerned about the state of affairs in our world. Ours is a time of almost daily righteous rage over the latest degradations of what matters most to civilized, visionary people. Yet, we move forward without giving up. We do not lose heart.

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:16-18 New International Version)

Life goes on!

Courage, Dreams, Freedom

Let’s Soar!

July 3, 2016 Rev Kathy

I love the phrase from the Bible, “Rise up with wings as eagles.” It always reminds me of possibilities beyond what I can imagine. The entire scripture verse in Isaiah 40:31 says this:

But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

There are many days when I need renewed strength, when I just hope to walk without fainting. It has been a very long time since I was able to run without tiring. In my more youthful years, I actually thought I could fly in the blowing wind.

But I am too stubborn to believe that my soaring days are over. I still feel at times that I can “rise up with wings as eagles.” It is a blessing from God who continues to give us strength throughout our lives. The most important thing we can do is wait upon the Lord and be ready to rise up.

Our God’s everlasting arms are beneath us. The wind is blowing. The eagles are waiting. Let’s soar!

Creating, Inspiration, Spiritual growth

Lessons

July 2, 2016 Rev Kathy

I don’t throw too much of my art into the trash can, but my painting on the day before yesterday was an abysmal creative failure. I love the serenity of Louisiana bayous, but I cannot paint them. I’ve tried before and it simply does not come out serenely, nowhere near it.

It makes me wonder how one might capture serenity on paper or canvas. It takes creative giftedness to be sure. I’ve seen it captured before by great artists. Which begs the question, why would I continue to paint knowing beyond any doubt that I am not one of those gifted artists?

I think the answer is that, though I cannot create works of genius, I can definitely engage in reflection and expression. Art is one of the ways I relax, refresh, and even worship. Trying too hard to create a worthy piece of art just spoils the experience.

There are some lessons here about not turning self-expression into the creation of a product.

1. Don’t worry about the final art. Instead relish in the creation of art.

2. Know that anytime a brush strokes paper, you are expressing a part of yourself.

3. Let your art come from within, a soulful gift you give yourself.

There are probably many other lessons, but this is a good start. The same lesson probably holds true for any creative endeavor, teaching us once again that the important thing is the journey, not the destination.

And all this emerged from a painting disaster destined for the trash. That’s a lesson in itself!

Grace

Steel Magnolias

July 1, 2016 Rev Kathy

Have you ever thought about the meaning of “steel magnolia?” If someone calls you that, it is a high compliment. Going through trials and troubles with grace means you might be a steel magnolia. Facing harsh criticism with kindness, yet never backing down, might mean you’re a steel magnolia. Always standing your ground strongly, but with gentile ways, means you are definitely a steel magnolia.

A steel magnolia knows that life has risks that are worth taking. It’s part of their resilience and fortitude. In the movie “Steel Magnolias” Shelby says it eloquently. “I would rather have thirty minutes of wonderful than a lifetime of nothing special.”

I am grateful for the steel magnolias I have known through the years. They taught me about courage, strength, assertiveness, confidence, while all the while, they were gracious and gentle.

It’s good to be known as a steel magnolia. With the passing years, the magnolia that I am has taken on more and more steel. I am grateful for being strong in the midst of turbulence. I am even more grateful that I have managed to maintain my gentle kindness through it all.

Courage, Faith, Risk

Delicate Wings

June 30, 2016 Rev Kathy

I love watching the fluttering flight of a butterfly. I am mesmerized by their colorful, delicate wings, amazed that they are so resilient. Monarch butterflies, for instance, possess a mind-boggling skill. Without any guidance, they inherently know how, when and where to migrate across continents—and it takes four generations to make the yearlong trek.

The monarch butterfly’s migration begins in the spring, with the first generation making its debut into the world. Born in March and April, these tiny insects pick up where their predecessors left off, traveling farther north on a generational journey that totals 1,200 to 2,500 miles. That’s quite the feat for creatures with wing spans of only 3.5 to 4 inches.

We could learn a lesson from the butterfly. It emerges from a lifeless cocoon, develops beautiful wings, and embarks on amazing migrations. I like the migration story told by Annie Dillard in her book, “Pilgrim at Tinker Creek.” She writes that the monarch butterfly flies across Lake Superior and makes it all the way without a rest. That is a distance of about 500 miles! We don’t understand how those delicate butterflies do that. But thousands make their way across that mighty lake every single year during their migration.

None of them arrive without being wind-battered, snatched at from behind, hind legs torn off by the birds that pecked at them along the way. Our life journeys are just as challenging. Like the butterfly’s wings, we can be delicate. But even though we may be battered and broken along the way, we take risks, we keep flying, we persevere. We move forward. We survive!

Friendship, Inspiration, Transformation

Namaste

June 29, 2016 Rev Kathy

Namaste. “I bow to the divine in you.”

The word Namaste, now spoken as a greeting all over the world, is used both for salutation and valediction. Namaste is usually spoken with a slight bow and hands pressed together, palms touching and fingers pointing upwards, thumbs close to the chest. This gesture is called Añjali Mudrā or Pranamasana. In Hinduism it means “I bow to the divine in you.”

What a respectful and loving sentiment. Would that all persons would see the divine in one another. And how incredible it would be for persons to speak this word to others, showing respect, love and compassion. It would bring transformation.

One writer defines Namaste with these words:

My soul honors your soul. I honor the place in you where the entire universe resides. I honor the light, love, truth, beauty and peace within you, because it is also within me. In sharing these things, we are united, we are the same, we are one.

The truth is that the divine does dwell within each of us, just waiting for an opportunity to reveal itself. A prayer for a friend. A word of care and comfort in crisis. A cup of cold water offered to one who thirsts. A proclamation that bears witness to all that is just and righteous. A song of praise to God. All of these are ways the divine in us is released to bless others.

And so on this day I share with you . . . Namaste!

peace

Wherever You Go Take Peace

June 28, 2016 Rev Kathy

When you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ If someone who promotes peace is there, your peace will rest on them; if not, it will return to you.

(Luke 10:5-6 New International Version)

In the world these days, peace is hard to find. There is an abundance of hate, rancor, battles and wars. Humility and kindness are in short supply. We find ourselves sharing opinions, convictions, battle-laden speech instead of passing peace one to another. Countries are at war, communities fight intolerance, individuals find hate easier than love.

I love the thoughts shared recently by Nikki Finkelstein-Blair.

Not everyone will receive peace, and not every place will live with peace; but everywhere you go, take it. To everyone you meet, offer it. Because where it is shared, the Kingdom comes.

Thanks be to God.

Dry seasons of life, God's Faithfulness, Life storms

Change and Growth

June 27, 2016 Rev Kathy

The Chinese Tallow tree in my yard constantly changes. I have been documenting its changes for over a year, and I am amazed when it tassels and then becomes heavy with green berries. By fall those berries will have changed color from green to black and finally to white. The lifespan of Chinese tallow stems seems to be less than 100 years, although roots may live longer. Other experts report that Chinese tallow is short-lived, surviving 40 to 50 years.

The tree experiences many changes during its lifetime, much like we humans do. In that way, the tree reminds me that our lives cycle and change too, from season to season, as the years go by. We have to be comfortable with change and growth, standing firm, just as the Tallow tree does. We stand against scorching sun and rainstorms. We weather strong winds and enjoy light breezes. And all the time, we’re growing and changing.

God gives us the strength to stand tall in sunshine and shadow, through strong winds, gentle breezes, bitter cold and oppressive summer heat. It’s the way of nature, and God is faithful through it all, walking beside us as we change and grow.

Hope, Inspiration, Life pathways, Stars, Transformation

To the Stars

June 26, 2016June 26, 2016 Rev Kathy

It’s not easy to reach for the stars, to cast our aim higher. Life certainly presents us with a healthy share of obstacles and challenges. The way can be difficult. But facing life challenges makes us stronger and more resilient.

An easy pathway does little to refine us. It doesn’t cause us to grow and change much. It maintains a status quo existence. So in some ways, I welcome difficult times, always believing that those times will make me a better person.

As W.C. Done has said, “Life has no smooth road for any of us.” Though he was born in 1832, his words are timeless.

Life has no smooth road for any of us; and in the bracing atmosphere of a high aim, the very roughness stimulates the climber to steadier steps, till the legend, over steep ways to the stars, fulfills itself.

Yes, the way to the stars can be a steep way. But aiming for the stars moves us to higher plains, to more full lives, to a new glimpse of hope. The steep path is treacherous, but getting there is worth it.

Bitterness, healing, Joy, sadness

I decided to be happy!

June 25, 2016June 25, 2016 Rev Kathy

I simply decided to be happy again. It was my choice, after all. I had been through a grueling coup in my nonprofit organization. Friends and colleagues of many years betrayed me in very hurtful ways. I lost all that I had worked for in the previous ten years. The community lost a significant resource. I lost long time friends.

But that was several yesterday’s ago. I suffered a great loss, and grieved that loss for at least a year. I learned that the decision to be happy again is my own decision. The choice to hope again is my choice.

It was a good day when I made that choice. It was a good day when I made peace with the past, when I thanked God for the positive things I accomplished. It was a good day when I decided to be happy again!

The real things haven’t changed. It is still best to be honest and truthful; to make the most of what we have; to be happy with simple pleasures; and to have courage when things go wrong.
― Laura Ingalls Wilder

Thankfully, that’s where I am today. The painful yesterdays are but a slight mist. The tomorrows are bright with hope.

Faith, God's Faithfulness, Life pathways

Pleasant Pathways

June 24, 2016 Rev Kathy

I love it when life gives us pleasant pathways. Though some paths have been treacherous, for the most part, I have been blessed to walk pathways bathed in sunlight, surrounded with verdant greenery, marked by cooling breezes. Life has been my pleasure. I owe it all, I believe, to a loving, protecting God who walks beside me every moment.

There were times, of course, when life was difficult, times when I was very ill, in fact. But God’s presence was constant. God’s comfort was abundant, and I felt safe in loving arms. My family and friends surrounded me. The Holy Spirit filled my soul.

So many times, I have been comforted by the words of Isaiah 41:10.

Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

And so, with God ever near, and in spite of several roadblocks and obstacles here and there, I have been blessed to walk pleasant pathways.

Faith, God's Faithfulness

Change

June 23, 2016 Rev Kathy

Living can be fragile, easily moved by winds of change. It is true that most humans resist change. We dread any assaults on our normalcy. We guard against changes in our routine, in our jobs, in our family. And when change comes upon us, we feel discomfort.

The problem is that life is all about change. We grow older. Our children grow up and move away. We downsize and miss our former home. Change is constant, blowing in life’s winds, challenging us and changing us.

How comforting that we worship a God who never changes. How comforting that even when change assails us, God is always the same, always near us, always gracing us with abiding presence.

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” (James 1:17)

Faith, Hope

Look for the Light

June 22, 2016 Rev Kathy

I had a delightful afternoon on Monday with my seven year old granddaughter. We watched the film “The Land Before Time XIV: Journey of the Brave.” The film featured a great little song sung by Reba McEntire, “Look for the Light.”

It was a joyful song, childlike, but full of wisdom. We could learn a lot from these lyrics:

When you’re stuck in a hole and you don’t know where to go,
When it’s too dark for you to tell your tail from your toe,
You wonder which way is wrong and which road is right,
The best thing for you to do is just look for the light.

Look for the light, one little spark,
A little bit of hope to lead you out of the dark;
Somewhere deep inside of you, it’s shining so bright,
All you gotta do is look, you gotta look for the light.

Look for the light, open your eyes;
You never know when you’re going to find a surprise;
Some things may tickle you, others may bite;
Listen to my sister, mister, come on and look for the light.

If there’s a wall, sometimes you bump it;
A big ol’ rock, you have to jump it;
Maybe you’re tired, maybe you’re scared;
But the only thing you have to be
Is be prepared…

To look for the light and you’re gonna see
You will find your way eventually;
And you’re not alone, ’cause you’ve got me;
Don’t get lost inside your head;
Listen to your heart instead;
Open up and let yourself be led;
Come on and look for the light.
Oh, look for the light.

We would all do well, especially when we find ourselves in a dark place, to look for the light.

“Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.'” (John 8:12)

Adventures, Africa, Faith, Freedom, God's Faithfulness, grief, healing

Remembering Uganda

June 21, 2016June 21, 2016 Rev Kathy

It was so many years ago, but I remember it as if it happened yesterday. The two of us, my husband Fred and I, stepped off of a plane in the Nairobi airport to begin a new life. As very young missionaries headed to Uganda, we had no idea what we would face in the days to come.

Getting to Uganda from Kenya was a long, dusty ride through the most beautiful places we had ever seen. Through bush country and savannah, through banana groves and rain forests, through tea plantations on mountainsides and the rushing waters of Bujigali Falls, we were getting acquainted with this continent. The terrain was ever-changing, and the way was marked by the majestic beauty of elephants, giraffe, cape buffalo, gazelles, flamingos and Ugandan crested cranes.

We were filled with awe and excitement. But the most moving sight of all was the people, barefoot and downtrodden, wearing rags and carrying heavy water containers. Their country had all but been destroyed by the evil dictator Idi Amin, who orchestrated the genocide of 100,000 to 500,00 Ugandans.

Churches were burned to the ground, schools pillaged and all but destroyed, roads were in shambles. Children were left orphaned in a country of widows. Their faces showed the wear of grief, their bodies the mask of mourning.

They are why we have come, sent by God to comfort a grieving people in small ways. The days ahead would find us digging water wells, distributing agricultural tools and vegetable seeds, giving out books, bibles and sewing supplies, bringing in simple medicines and vaccines.

I can never think of the Ugandan people without recalling Lamentations 5, a scripture passage that was read in a church service to describe the plight of the Ugandan people. As the reader read through her tears, the entire congregation wept, mourning so many losses. I offer the text here in its entirety:

Lamentations 5 New International Version (NIV)

Remember, Lord, what has happened to us;
look, and see our disgrace.
Our inheritance has been turned over to strangers,
our homes to foreigners.
We have become fatherless,
our mothers are widows.
We must buy the water we drink;
our wood can be had only at a price.
Those who pursue us are at our heels;
we are weary and find no rest.
We submitted to Egypt and Assyria
to get enough bread.
Our ancestors sinned and are no more,
and we bear their punishment.
Slaves rule over us,
and there is no one to free us from their hands.
We get our bread at the risk of our lives
because of the sword in the desert.
Our skin is hot as an oven,
feverish from hunger.
Women have been violated in Zion,
and virgins in the towns of Judah.
Princes have been hung up by their hands;
elders are shown no respect.
Young men toil at the millstones;
boys stagger under loads of wood.
The elders are gone from the city gate;
the young men have stopped their music.
Joy is gone from our hearts;
our dancing has turned to mourning.
The crown has fallen from our head.
Woe to us, for we have sinned!
Because of this our hearts are faint,
because of these things our eyes grow dim
for Mount Zion, which lies desolate,
with jackals prowling over it.
You, Lord, reign forever;
your throne endures from generation to generation.
Why do you always forget us?
Why do you forsake us so long?
Restore us to yourself, Lord, that we may return;
renew our days as of old
unless you have utterly rejected us
and are angry with us beyond measure.

Idi Amin was deposed. God did restore Uganda , and those who had lost so much found life again. Their mourning turned to dancing, dancing filled with joyful gratitude to a compassionate and faithful God. Amen.

Courage, Life storms

My Angel of Strength

June 20, 2016 Rev Kathy

An angel hovers in the limbs of the tree in my yard. I have had her for years as a reminder. She is called The Angel of Strength. As I watch her this morning, she is living up to her name. She flies unhindered in the strong breezes we are experiencing today, holding on to her place in the sunlight, holding on to her limb as the leaves blow around her.

My angel of strength reminds me to stay strong, to stand my ground against any wind. She reminds me that, yes, I can be blown about by winds of change, but I am able to hang on with courage, unharmed.

Life is full of winds of change, good change and change that is not so good. My angel and I withstand all of it with wings spread out, holding our own in every change.

Oh, and one more thing. I know a God who remains faithful in every change. The hymn “Be Still, My Soul” says this:

In every change, He faithful will remain . . .

Be still, my soul: thy God doth undertake
To guide the future, as He has the past.
Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;
All now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul: the waves and winds still know
His voice Who ruled them while He dwelt below.

I know this is real and true. My angel of strength reminds me of that!

Faith, God's Faithfulness, grief, Loss

Looking for God

June 19, 2016 Rev Kathy

In the darkest times of life, I look for God. Unfortunately, on good days I mostly go about business as usual, thinking perhaps that I don’t need God that much. Yet, it is in normal days that I can spend time finding God in all things and truly enriching my life. The words of Steven Charleston offer a great deal of wisdom.

I have been out looking for God again. Out in the world around me, watching for signs and clues to the presence of something holy in life. I am glad to report the evidence is abundant. A young mother comforting her child who was crying. An older couple still walking hand in hand. A garden so peaceful you could hear the flowers grow. An unseen musician practicing piano through an open window. Beauty, love, kindness: all visible manifestations of what makes life sacred. There is more of hope than loss to see for those who take a second look at what surrounds them.

It is so true that I have had my share of loss. The most important part of dealing with loss was taking that second look, taking some time to redefine what the loss really meant for me, and steeling myself to move beyond the loss.

I plan to take second looks. I plan to look around for God in new ways, watching for signs of the presence of something holy. It truly does make life sacred.

Grace, Joy

Life Itself Is Grace

June 17, 2016 Rev Kathy

Frederick Buechner says, “All moments are key moments, and life itself is grace.” So true! Every moment of life is full of astounding possibility. In just one moment, a butterfly can flit from one bloom to another, a cardinal can light on the bird feeder outside my kitchen window, my seven year old granddaughter can wrap her little arms around me.

Life can be whatever we make of it. It can be rife with grief or covered with chaos. But life can also be grace, pure and lovely grace. That was God’s plan for our lives from the first moment in Creation.

“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth… And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good.” (Genesis 1:1, 31)

And so on this bright, sunny day I plan to spend each moment with mindfulness, acknowledging that life it self is grace.

And for each of you I pray that grace and peace will be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. (2 Peter 1:2)

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