Smiles to Enrich My Clarity – Denise M. Ford

These days my writer’s mind discovers refreshment and renewal from the smiling faces of my grandchildren. When they turn their eyes toward mine and a reaction so pure and so loving breaks forth from their mouths. That upturned tugging of the lips drawing quickly and completely across their cheeks showing me that they recognize who I am. 

A connection held by an invisible strand of shining joy; a smile creates a path on which I eagerly respond with shimmering delight. 

Today my youngest grandson is four months old.  I have witnessed the debut of his smile as it began hesitantly, a slight reflection of exaggerated expressions moving above and around him. He now can identify my voice and will flash a drooling grin my way simply because I speak aloud in his vicinity. He knows me, his face shines with a smile as I become present to him.

Our nineteen-month-old grandson has learned to smile and say cheese for the iPhone whenever he spies us holding it in front of him. However, what I truly treasure happens as he sits on my lap, while I cuddle and rock him. While I read to him, I point to pictures in the book.  He follows my words over and over again throughout the story so that he knows what will happen next.  He often grabs the page to turn it before I finish a sentence. Because he has listened, he responds and then he smiles up at me, nodding his little head. Often while I hold him, a slumbering movement of final wakefulness moves across his cheeks as he attempts one last reassuring smile towards my face.  As I return a soft smile to him, I close my eyes to encourage him to rest, to feel content in my arms, to surrender to the comfort of my loving embrace.

It bears repeating this word, smile.  For the purity of its motion creates calm. It changes a struggling weary outlook to a carefree elated perspective.

Yes, a smile refreshes me. It brings to mind these words,

"Smile on me your loving servant. Instruct me on what is right in your eyes."
Psalm 119:135 (TPT Version)

What does it mean to look into the face of Christ and receive His smile for me? Do I try to emulate the shining kindness that radiates from His love for me? Do I take the time to recognize His smile and allow it to change my outlook to a new perspective?

These days as often as I see the smile Christ offers me, I also need to receive His instruction.  I want to follow the way He reads to me and to understand so I can hear His guidance for me. I want to rest in the assurance that I have surrendered within His loving embrace.

This refreshes me. This creates a new delight within me. I want to speak like Job and say,

"I will forget my complaint; I will change my expression and smile."
Job 27 (NIV Version)

How beautiful that God would create us to react in rejuvenating ways spurred on by simply sharing a smile. How wonderful that we have this simple tool that we can put upon our countenance. This facial muscle movement that even when forced while we linger in difficult situations, can offer a refreshing of spirit to ourselves and to others.

We often complicate our lives by seeking and wanting to know what will happen next. How will tomorrow bring a solution to our problem?

So, I turn to the words of the Psalmist again and arm myself with my newfound inspiration.

"O Lord God, invincible warrior, restore us! Smile on us! Then we will be delivered!"
Psalm 80:19 (NET Bible)

I look toward His face and seek those strands of shining joy. His smile enriches my clarity so that I may refocus my words to reflect what He wants me to write.

The other day I played a game with my four-year-old granddaughter. She explained the rules to me, gently admonishing me when I forgot to place my player on the right spot.

“No, we have to move together, Nana. Here I will show you.”

She moved her player piece next to mine, pretending to give my piece a little hug from hers.

“Okay, ready?” she looked toward me with upraised eyebrows. “Here we go!”

And from her face to mine the path brilliantly lit up with her glowing smile. We both shimmered with smiles and laughter as we advanced our players along the gameboard’s winding way.  

May you too find refreshment in the simplicity of a smile given to you or granted by you. Be reassured by the knowledge that God loves to smile on you with His radiance and His abundant love. Let His smile for you provide you with momentum to allow your thoughts to meander and meet in the words He surely instructs you to write.

"Smile on your servant! Deliver me because of your faithfulness!
Psalm 31:16 (NET Bible)

Hidden Treasures by Katie Gerke

This summer, I bought a zoo pass so that I could go there every few weeks to witness the changing colors of the botanical gardens as they start their journey through the summer months. At the beginning of August, my wheelchair started to become unstable and I was having difficulty driving it safely. At the same time, I started to suffer acute pain in my lower back.

By the end of August, I felt well enough to make my way to the zoo. Once there, I desperately drove around, only to realize that I missed out on the pageantry that comes when every flower is simultaneously in full bloom. 

I discovered an area of unchartered foliage nestled up against the fence that separated the zoo grounds from the public pathway. I drove one way, looking over my left shoulder, with the sun in front of me, and then I turned around, looking over my right shoulder with the sun switched to behind me. The directional change with perspective of where the sun was shining illuminated the dry foliage under large bushes. These delicate bushes looked like they were spray-painted with the most brilliant shades of copper, bronze and subtle sparkles of rose pink.

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:2

As I moved along the path, still hopeful I would find a colorful bloom, I happened upon a Salvia plant. This plant stood about three feet tall with variegated leaves that had started to turn brown along the edges. Coming up from the center was a foot long stock with the tiny, cone-shaped purple flowers. That evening I found out that the name Salvia comes from the Latin salvere means: "To feel well and healthy". That was revealing.

As I peered into the withered flowers, there was a flurry of activity. There were flies, ants, bumblebees, beetles and monarch butterflies. There were all doing their little dance while they rummaged, pollinated, and harvested that season’s nectar.It was this concentrated space of activity that God showed Himself most powerful and steadfast in His love Although change is not readily accepted, albeit a broken chair and broken spirits, it is the starting of a season – to everything there is a purpose under heaven - where I need to learn new harvesting techniques to embrace these changes. 

Oswald Chambers wrote, “Let the past sleep, but let it sleep in the sweet embrace of Christ.”

Second Encounter, of an All-Powerful God

A small group of people appeared in the living room, seemingly to survey the area. Turns out the bustling of human bodies was that of the director of the building, provincial auditor and the manager of support services. They asked me if that was my painting sitting on the table. For the last 12 months, I have been working on an old truck in front of a brown barn.

I normally leave my art out on the table because my room is too small to hold all my artistic accouterments. Plus, it shows off the talent to the public.

This was the conversation:

Director: “Is this your picture?”
Me: “Yes it is. I painted that with my mouth.”
Manager: “Your mouth?! Wow, that’s amazing!"

I then found the mindset to tell the Director to go into my purse and get my business cards. 

Everyone: “Thank you, thank you very much; You’re so very talented.
We look forward to going to the Web site. Keep up the good work.”

That moment, after this brief encounter of inspiration and awe, I felt God physically yank me to Himself, like that of a firefighter pulling someone out underneath the weight of a burning car. Once the smoke cleared, sort of speak, the painkiller took affect and I drank the refreshing water of God’s grace,, He was able to show me the riches and their value that lay within me.

God encourages me through Scripture, people that I’ve met, and my daily needs. This is all well in times where I am in a good place at a good time. But when I am experiencing my darkest days of acute pain, isolation, and overwhelming sadness, God shows Himself in light, so brilliant and breathtaking that I will take it and tuck it in my heart so I can use it “as a lamp to my feet and a light to my path  Psalm 119:105. 

Treasure can always be found when the light shines in all directions.

  

Spiritual Graffiti - Sheila Webster

This month has been tough on my soul but has spawned a lot of writing despite lack of time.

Our moderator has asked us this month,  “How has God come in and provided refreshment for you? How does He rejuvenate your spirit and/or your writing?”

I reply He does so in the midst of pain with silence, faithful friends, music, sunrises and sunsets. The prayers of others lead us with wisdom to rest.

Some of the most cherished multifaceted  friends I have ever known have come out of the Inscribe family.  Those I have been on the executive with, those I have met online and those I have mentored.

Some of these brave souls have similar trials and questions to those of the Old Testament saints. They persevere with faith through the toughest situations life can throw at them. They leave footprints I can follow in a sudden storm, and I find their words and art like spiritual graffiti on the cyber walls of faith.

In the journey, in the embracing of deep pain, after the triumph they write Gods words that He whispers about those travels and travails.  They rise up and say,  “I have overcome or come through because God gave me the strength.” They are light bearers in the darkness that guide those who follow them.

A couple weeks ago we took some pregnancy pictures of my young daughter after church. There was a warm breeze that day, the sun was shining and her two and a half year old was adorable. She was glowing from health and motherhood and the spontaneous photo shoot became a few moments etched in silver in my mind. 

A few days ago my brave daughter then gave birth to her much anticipated already named son.  His final delivery was even more perfect than her pregnancy.

Ruebens’ fingers and toes and hair were perfect. His little newborn handprint and footprint were so precious as well as his first haircut.

His handmade casket was lovingly toiled over for almost the same amount of hours as she laboured to deliver him. I carefully chose an array of beautiful flowers for his casket spray -wild looking like my daughter and I love to pick in the spring and summer.

In the few days since his death I have written volumes of gratitude to many, penned prose and poetry to remember, to cope, and to preserve the memories like precious jewels.

If you find any of my spiritual graffiti on this cyber wall encouraging, remember to lean in and embrace both the joy and pain deeply. You’ll never regret it or be out of words or refreshment.

Sheila

A Season of Refreshment by Lynn Dove

A refreshing drive into the mountains - Highway 1 towards Canmore, Alberta

My oncology visit in January was one I had dreaded.  Why do I always get nervous? I chided myself before my meeting with my doctor.  I was cancer-free,... or was I?  I don't know how many more times I needed to be encouraged by the doctors, but one more time couldn't hurt...could it?

My oncologist tried to reassure me,  "It is not unusual for cancer survivors to be nervous about cancer returning."  She was right about that.  I thought I had beaten cancer in 2001 once and for all, but with the diagnosis last year, I wasn't sure anymore. 

"It's not metastatic."  she said.  Meaning that my endometrial cancer was not a result of a spread of cancer to other organs in my body from my battle with breast cancer, it was an entirely new fight. 

"What does that even mean?" I asked. 

"It's just dumb luck you got cancer twice," she said.  Funny.  I had heard the same phrase from my surgical oncologist in 2001 when I asked how I could have gotten breast cancer.  "Dumb luck," he had said.

I don't believe in luck. I whispered to myself.  "I don't need any more of that kind of "luck"." I said aloud.

"No kidding, right?" she grinned and patted my knee.

Still, it's like an icy presence looking over my shoulder playing peek-a-boo with my emotions.  Would I feel it at every doctor's visit from now on?  The fear, along with the half expected words, "It's back."

She patted my knee again.  "You're doing great!  I also think you can come off the blood thinner injections AND I don't need to see you for another four months."

My husband smiled.  He has been with me to every treatment, every appointment, and I could see the relief in his eyes.  He has never been a fan of hospitals and knowing we don't have to be near one for four months (God willing) was a huge relief.  I thought about the fact I don't have to give myself needles anymore.  A huge weight lifted off of me.  I mentally pushed those icy fingers off of my shoulders and felt lighter in mind, body and spirit.  Throughout those challenging months of treatments, I had longed and prayed for the recovery phase.  Now it seemed I finally had the confidence to move past recovery to another level of wellness: refreshment.  I praised God as we left the cancer clinic and the words to one of my favourite hymns immediately came to mind:

"Great is thy faithfulness, O God my Father;
there is no shadow of turning with thee;
thou changest not, they compassions, they fail not;
as thou hast been thou forever wilt be.

Great is thy faithfulness!
Great is thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
all I have needed thy hand hath provided--
Great is thy faithfulness, Lord unto me!"

The mountains beckoned to us a couple days later.  The normalcy of taking a scenic drive, having lunch with my husband, planning future excursions together, dreaming, drinking in all the sights and sounds around us, we both felt invigorated.  I felt refreshed.  I praised God for the day, for the week, for allowing me to experience this new season of refreshment.  The warm, Chinook wind lifted my wig nearly off my head, so I discarded it and have not worn it since.  It is like shedding another layer, discarding another reminder, another symbol of what I have battled and beaten again.  My newly sprouted, extremely short, dark hair is a "fashion statement", as my husband calls it.  "Show it off!" he said. 

I am enjoying this Season of Refreshment by doing some early spring cleaning, embracing the days with renewed energy.  God continues to comfort me through His people, and His Word.  Worshiping God through song, I am ever mindful that He is faithful.  Once again, I have experienced His compassions and I am now renewed.

"Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,
sun, moon, and stars in their courses above
join with all nature in manifold witness
to thy great faithfulness, mercy, and love.

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,
thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide,
strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

Great is thy faithfulness!
Great is thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
all I have needed thy hand hath provided--
Great is thy faithfulness, Lord unto me!"

Source: Trinity Psalter Hymnal #245
Thomas O. Chisholm (1923)  Public Domain
Lamentations 3:22-23

Lynn Dove is the award-winning author, of the YA “Wounded Trilogy”- a contemporary Christian fiction series with coming-of-age themes.  A wife, mom, grandmother, and free-lance writer with articles published in several magazines and anthologies including Chicken Soup for the Soul books, her blog, “Journey Thoughts” is a Canadian Christian Writing Award winner.  Readers may connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, and at lynndove.com