Inspired by . . . wrong made right

This was originally posted in June of 2014. I'm reposting today in honor of my dad's birthday. He passed away February 4, 2015.

* * *

My dad has been going through boxes.

Pulling out memories that were tossed between four walls of cardboard. Some now forgotten, some still as fresh as when he laid them inside.

Some are my memories, too.

And I'm surprised to see them when he pulls them out.

I made a chess set once. It was a gift for someone who loved to play.

It was a large set, 16x16, I think. The board was made in four pieces. Ceramic.

It took me forever to clean all those chessmen. Once the glaze was applied, my instructor told me to fill each piece with bb's to weight them down. Then the pieces were fired.

If you've ever done ceramics you know that glazes are dull and almost unnoticeable – until the pieces are put in the kiln. When they emerge from the fire/intense heat they are bright, glossy, and the color shines! {Therein lies a lesson for another day!}

I was so excited about my chess set! It was the perfect gift, and I couldn't wait until Christmas morning.

But the next week when I arrived at the ceramic shop to pick up my set, I found this . . .

Turns out I had purchased copper bb's. Big mistake.

All the white chessmen sported this "marble" effect – my chess set was ruined! It had taken me weeks to make, and with Christmas looming, I didn't have time to make a new set of white chessmen. I had no choice but to wrap them up, marble faces and all.

I was so disappointed.

As you might have guessed, my friend was over-the-moon about the chess set – marble chessmen and all. They said it made the set unique. Special. One of a kind.

I was happy that my friend liked the set, but it took me awhile to get over the disappointment.

When my dad pulled these chess pieces out of his memory box I was surprised. I laughed a little and asked him why he'd kept those. His eyes moistened a bit as he said, "Because it was so good."

I hadn't realized it at the time, but my dad had been impressed by the set I'd made. It really was a beautiful chess set. I was the only one, it seems, that thought less of it because of the copper marbling on the white pieces.

My dad was proud of what his little girl had made.  So years later when the set was damaged, he saved some of the pieces.

There are several lessons here, I think, but what God is speaking most profoundly to my heart is Romans 8:28.

We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God-

those whom He has called according to His plan.

We all make mistakes. And those mistakes have consequences. Sometimes life-changing consequences.

But whether it's a little mistake that takes some of the JOY out of a Christmas gift {for the giver} or a big mistake that changes what your Christmas celebrations are like for years to come, God's promise holds true.

He works ALL THINGS.

Some things?

No.

ALL THINGS for the good of those who love Him.

You may never see the good that God works from your mistake. Or you may receive a blessing, as I did when dad showed me the chess pieces he'd saved.  That chess set had meant something to him. It has pleased him, made him proud.

And the gift I'd made wasn't even for him.

Blessings,

I had fun using Bonnie's textures on some of these images.

Sharing inspiration here:
Testimony Tuesday, #TellHisStory,
Faith On Fire, Grace & Truth,
Inspire Me Monday, RaRa Link Up, Intentional Tuesday,
#WordswithWinter, Titus 2 Tuesday, Thoughtful Thursdays,
Encourage Me Monday, Wholehearted Wednesday,
Women with Intention Wednesdays, Word Filled Wednesday,
#GiveMeGrace, Sitting Among Friends, #Glimpsesofhisbeauty
Counting My Blessings, Grace Moments, Heart Encouragement
#DanceWithJesus

Inspired by . . . Grateful Series II: Good Gifts

 

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with Whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. Jas 1:17

Do these words seem familiar to you? That may be because they are also in my blog header. This is one of my favorite passages of scripture. I love it’s poetic nature. I love what it says about our Lord, the Father of light, Who does not change. He is the Giver of good and perfect gifts. So many wonderful, inspiring Truths in this one passage!

Do you believe that God gives good and perfect gifts?

Do you believe that every good thing is from God?

 

 

There is an important distinction here, because I think that sometimes we can fall into the trap of believing that WE are producing some of the good things in our lives.

Only God has the power to create. He is the Author of every good thing that exists.

Not even the enemy can create things, he can only pervert what God has made.

As the Father of lights, He gives the gift of reason.

But it is the spirit in man, the breath of the Almighty, that makes him understand. Job 32:8

He gives the gift of learning.  All of Solomon’s wisdom, the art of government, science, and knowledge of nature was ascribed to God. And so it is with what we know and discover, the advancements we make in our world today.

He gives the gift of divine revelation. Compassion, faith, purity, sympathy all these are bestowed upon us by God. And it is by the renewing influence of divine grace within us that we have the ability to be {the noun turned verb} these things to others.

Do you believe that God gives good and perfect gifts?

Do you believe that every good thing is from God?

 

 

One way to answer these questions is to look at our words and actions. Is it obvious to others that I see God as the ultimate Provider of the good in my life?

Making a conscious effort to acknowledge God as the Source of our good makes us more grateful. It also makes us less anxious, more generous to others and less friendly to pride.

Not only should we thank God for the good gifts He gives, but we should thank Him for HIM!

 

God, Himself is Good, and worthy to be praised!

 

Blessings,

 

Sharing inspiration here:

Playdates with God, Testimony Tuesday, #TellHisStory,

Thought Provoking Thursday, Grace & Truth, Weekend Whispers,

Inspire Me Monday, RaRa Link Up, Intentional Tuesday,

#WordswithWinter, Titus 2 Tuesday, Thoughtful Thursdays,

Encourage Me Monday, Wholehearted Wednesday,

Women with Intention Wednesdays, Word Filled Wednesday,

#GiveMeGrace, Still Saturday, #write31days

Inspired by . . . good gifts

A walk to the waterspout can become holy communion if one has eyes that see and ears that hear. Sometimes, when we get it right and open ourselves to the Father, time becomes suspended in that mysterious place between heaven and earth. We can step, as it were, into that fourth dimension. We can, even if it’s just for a moment, hear, see and sense everything that surrounds us.

The slow bake of the summer sun envelopes me like cocoon. I wonder, is this how it felt in the womb, when God was knitting me together? Warm, swaddled, safe.

These are the thoughts swirling in my mind when I see her.

Royalty, flitting around a mass of wildflowers.

 

 

My heart begins a slow dance as I pause to watch.

His voice comes low and soft, like a slow moving stream. “Isn’t she beautiful.” His words echo my own thoughts, but then . . .

“I made her for you. For this moment.”

Suddenly the veil is lifted, and all around me I see the glitter of diamonds and rubies, sapphire and emerald. The flash of gold and a milky rainbow of pearls.

The glint of sun on a dragonflies wing. The flash of the red bird flying through the trees. The sky above and the earth below. The golden butterflies and the rainbow upon which they drink.

 

All created for me . . .

for you . . .

for us.

Do you see?

***

Would any of you who are fathers give your son a snake when he asks for fish?

Or would you give him a scorpion when he asks for an egg?

As bad as you are, you know how to give good things to your children.

How much more, then,

will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!"
Luk 11:11-13

 

Blessings,

Sharing inspiration here:

#GiveMeGrace

#TellHisStory

Inspired by. . . my garden

 

I am so thankful for my garden. No matter how my life day is going, when I look out either of my two front windows, I see these happy blossoms and I feel -

JOY.

 

 

That is a GIFT.

 

 

I've been feeling pursued lately.

Some would say it's mercy and grace nipping at my heels. It doesn't FEEL like mercy and grace! But then, the author of Footprints in the Sand didn't feel like she was being carried during the hard times of her life either.

 

"Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life." (Psalm 23:6)

 

I think it is often that way. God is there, in the most profound ways, when we are least aware of Him, and when we need Him the MOST.

 

 

That is a GIFT.

A GIFT I can never repay. But I can {try to} do as He asks. I can {try to} do good, and pursue peace.

 

"...do good, seek peace, and pursue it." (Psalm 34:14)

 

Perhaps, if mercy and grace are pursuing me, and I'm pursuing peace. . .

 

. . . at some point we will all happily collide.

 

Blessings,

 

 

 

Sharing inspiration here:

        

Inspired by. . . ginger

For most of the country the weather has been a bit frightful lately. Pictures I've seen of the aftermath have been stunningly beautiful.

There is a lesson there, I think.

Even so, most of us appreciate big, soft, comforting things.

In this case, those attributes apply to a cookie!

This cookie lived up to all three.

 

 

 

Big Soft Ginger Cookies

Source: allrecipes.com

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

• 2 teaspoons ground ginger

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 3/4 cup margarine, softened

• 1 cup white sugar

• 1 egg

• 1 tablespoon water

• 1/4 cup molasses

• 2 tablespoons white sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Sift together the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the margarine and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, then stir in the water and molasses. Gradually stir the sifted ingredients into the molasses mixture. Shape dough into walnut sized balls, and roll them in the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar. Place the cookies 2 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet, and flatten slightly.
3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

 

My complaint with most ginger cookies is that they get hard, fast. These did not. Weeks later [if cookies stay around that long at your house] this cookie was still soft, yummy and comforting.

If you're looking for valentine gift ideas for men, a few of these big, soft cookies wrapped in a homemade box would warm the heart of any man! [cookies are my go-to gift for men!]

 

Source

 

Check out my Valentine's Pinterest board for more inspiration.

 

 

Got milk?

 

Have a wonder-filled day!

 

 

Sharing inspiration here:

 

Inspired by... an anniversary

 

Today is the one-year anniversary of Inspired by...!  I'm so thankful for all of YOU! Who read, comment and inspire me!  I hope that this blog has been, and continues to be a place of inspiration and encouragement.

 

Out of nearly 200 posts over the last twelve months, I thought it would be fun to take a look at the top seven...

 

Inspired by... Austen

 

Inspired by... pink

 

Inspired by... Noel {Inspiration #3}

 

 

Inspired by... bees {free printable}

 

Inspired by... pumpkins

 

Inspired by... flaws

And the #1 most viewed link...

 

Inspired by... Noel {Inspiration #4}

I hope you've enjoyed today's recap.  All the pictures link to the original posts if you're interested in reading more.

 

Have a wonder-filled day,