Love


Reflections by the Sea © Betsy Ore Glass
February 11, 2009

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. – Psalm 136:1 NLT

There are so many things that I love about the Outer Banks. This season of winter is actually a beautiful time of year. There is a quiet solitude that envelopes the beach and its surroundings. Great peace and a time of reflection can be captured by a pier, a bench by the sound or from a seaside beach access. If there is a need to warm the soul, to be close to God, to feel His Peace and see the beauty He created, this is the place and the time of year to do it. The sky is so blue and often cloudless. The stars and moon at night sparkle with such clarity. Where else can one go and see dolphins feeding in the distance, seagulls flying overhead, waves rushing through a pier’s pilings and feel peace at the same time! God’s Love is present everywhere here. What a gift it is!

The Bible has much to say about love, but the two most important instructions are these from Mark 12:28-31 NIV which are “Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength” and “Love your neighbor as yourself”.

Perhaps today is the time to put the past aside and begin anew with Jesus’ instructions as our guide, to make each day one where love is given and love is received. I heard it said once that the beauty of life is while we cannot undo the past, we can learn from it and change. So that every new moment is spent not in regret or guilt, but in wisdom, understanding and love. The lyrics from an old hymn dated back to 1912 have been drifting in and out of my thoughts today. “Love lifted me…Love lifted me…When nothing else could help…Love lifted me.” God’s Love for us will lift us up and over our own problems and circumstances so that in turn we can be a blessing to others.

Morning Sunshine


Reflections by the Sea © Betsy Ore Glass
February 04, 2009

But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. –Isaiah 40:31 NIV

Isn’t it wonderful to wake up to sun streaming in through the windows? There is nothing like a sunny morning to get the day started off right. Even when the weather seems too cold to venture out or the winds too brisk, if there is morning sunshine available, I try to enjoy it. This past week my Mother and I headed out to the pier to watch the waves and see the seagulls up close. The seagulls basked in the morning sun, the wind rippling their feathers. When a cold blast would come, they would burrow their heads in their chest or huddle together for warmth. The gulls depend on the heat from the sun to keep them warm and I realize that we do to. The cheery brightness of day often seems to add hope and encouragement to an ordinary day. I came across a little poem this week when I was going through my Dad’s desk. It was in his handwriting. Since my Dad was not a poet that I know of, he perhaps got this poem from a greeting card or an inspirational calendar. It left an impression on him, though. He liked it well enough to write it down on paper to save for perhaps someone like me to find it. When I first read it, I thought that it was a great way to greet each day. Maybe you will agree. It reads:

"Come, O Lord, like morning sunshine

Making all life new and fresh

For the daily tasks and challenges

May we rise renewed in Thee "

Each day is a new beginning. Like morning sunshine that turns darkness into light, God can pour out his blessings, refreshment and strength over us in a daily renewal of our mind, body and spirit. And we can renew our relationship with Him by inviting Him to be a part of each new day He blesses us with.

Today
Reflections by the Sea © Betsy Ore Glass
January 29, 2009

This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.
–Psalm 118:24 NIV

More than once, I have found myself leaning against a sand fence and thoughtfully staring at the ocean into the distance. I wonder if there was someone on the other side staring back at me with a heart full of hopes and dreams, too! It is a great past time to wonder what lies beyond what our natural eye can see. At times I wish I could see supernaturally for what is coming next week, next month or next year. But, God knows best when He limits our vision to the “here and now”. When I was a child, my friends and I wished our life away, as though we were in an anxious race to mark time quickly, so we can become adults. Only to become adults, and long for the carefree days of our youth again! How foolish we were!

The Bible teaches us to not worry or have fear about His Provision. We aren’t to worry about tomorrow, just live in today. Worry can’t accomplish anything. In fact, worry is actually a sin. It cancels out our prayers. We are to trust God for His blessings and favor. It is a blessing to just being able to live and enjoy each day in contentment without fear or anxiety. He provides for us in all ways, each day. God brought this message to me another way this week. As I was going about the house, I was humming a hymn. Finally I paid attention to the song He put in my heart. It was “Great Is Thy Faitfulness”. The refrain says it all:

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!

Peace 


Reflections by the Sea © Betsy Ore Glass
January 21, 2009

(Photograph by Elizabeth Brown)

Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7 NLT

I was so delighted to be a part of the sudden snowfall on the Outer Banks earlier this week. I had lamented to my husband a few weeks ago that since moving to Texas, I really missed the snow. It was beautiful to me. It quickly covered over the grass, bushes and the wet flakes stuck to the bare winter branches like a glove. The Outer Banks was flocked in snow and it transformed the bare scenes of winter into a snowy wonderland. There was a stillness about it all. As the snow fell, I felt a calming peace that fell over me, snowflake by snowflake. I got a call to travel from Texas to come to my Daddy’s side on the Outer Banks last week. It appeared that God was calling my Daddy home to Heaven and I just had hours to make it. God is good and I was able to arrive in time to pray and talk to him. Soon after, my Daddy left us for the arms of Jesus. My earthly sadness about losing him was replaced with a supernatural peace that still remains with me. While I wish I had more time with my Daddy, I understand that I don’t understand. Does that make sense? As much as I think I know, I know nothing at all. I don’t know why things have to happen as they do, but what I do know and what my Daddy always said was that God has the Plan. Things change, circumstances come and go, people are born and people die. We have a beginning, middle and an end to our life. We go through seasons. My Dad was in the sunset of his life. God had given us many graces and had mercy on our family during this past week At his service, we showed photos of sunsets that my daughter, his granddaughter took just recently. One of the photos we have used today. But is there anything beyond that sunset, that last breath, or is that all there is…just an end to a life? I believe that John 3:16 tells us that there is eternal life. That Jesus paid the price for us so we could live eternally. My Dad had a dream in his last hours that he was sitting in a chair on the “sunny side”…..I believe Daddy saw heaven in his dream. It seemed to comfort him and it comfirms in my heart that there is something that lies beyond the sunset for us when our time comes to leave this earth. This week when the snow fell, I know that my Daddy knew how much I loved snow and perhaps he placed a “special order” for me when he got to Heaven. It humors me to think of it that way. I do know that without God’s Peace covering us like snow covers the earth; we couldn’t get through this time. Jesus sent the Holy Spirit as the Comforter in all things. I believe that when any of us feels sadness and despair, when we are thrown a curve or our plans are redirected, I believe we can ask for God’s Peace. We don’t have to go through difficult times alone. Our Heavenly Father provides His Peace that only we can find in Him.

Morning Walk


Reflections by the Sea © Betsy Ore Glass
January 08, 2009

But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. –John 14-25 NIV

Many of us are trying to keep our New Year resolution about fitness. To take a morning walk on the beach or through the neighborhood is a great start and it can bring some real joy. I think what I like best about walking in the morning is that my mind has not had time yet to be overloaded with chores on my ‘to do’ list. When we allow ourselves to have an empty mind, that is when creativity flows in. If there are no distractions other than the sound of our own steps and the rhythm of our heartbeat, we are free to just enjoy the moment. So often, we are thinking of what to do next, where we must be later in the day and so on. In our homes, the television and radio and chatter of people around us, keeps us in a busy mode. The reflective time that we all need to experience quiet moments and to recharge ourselves can be done during a simple morning walk.

The Holy Spirit surrounds us and is in us. The Holy Spirit can give us the nudge to move forward or to patiently wait for better timing about something in our life. The Holy Spirit is there with answers and wisdom and guidance, too. God sent the Holy Spirit to be our Counselor when Jesus left the earth. But how can we know about this? I have found that it is when I am quiet, after meditating on the Word, the Holy Spirit often gives me a “knowing” about what to do. It is a “leading”. I have learned to trust the “leading” of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit may cause me to feel strongly enough to stop what I am doing and pray for someone. Or, maybe I’ll feel the nudge to telephone someone at that very moment for reasons unknown to me. Some call it intuition but I know it is the Holy Spirit that guides me through the paths of life. God will use us in many ways to serve Him, but we need to learn to listen for Him. In the busy world we live in, a morning walk can be our regular daily time with God and a place where we can also be quiet and listen.

The New Year


Reflections by the Sea © Betsy Ore Glass
December 31, 2008

…but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. –Isaiah 40:31 NIV

Expectant hope is the term that I want to keep close to me in this coming year. Just like the calendar year transitions from 2008 to 2009, we often go through cycles of transition ourselves. One thing for sure, we are never standing still. We are either going forward or backward. Sometimes the choice is up to us.

I recently heard of a woman who is facing a difficult time with her health. If I could talk to her I would say “choose life”. When hard times hit us, especially a health crisis, we have to see ourselves well. Visualize that we improving. Look forward to the things that once brought joy and think about doing them again. That is an example of “expectant hope”. Learning to replace the fear that comes to steal, kill and destroy with expectant hope is good medicine.

What will 2009 bring to each of us? There may be good times and bad times. Happy times and sad times. In-between times. Busy times and quiet times. Like the tide that comes and goes, our life ebbs and flows, too. But this much we do know. God is Our Source. We can face anything that comes our way as long as we have a strong, steady relationship with God. A daily relationship. It doesn’t have to be a long-drawn out session….just start off by talking with Him a few minutes each day. Tell Him your concerns and surrender them over to Him. Then Trust Him. Wait on Him. Learn to listen for Him to speak wisdom into your heart. But most of all, while you grow in the Lord, hold on to expectant hope. Believe that God has wonderful things He wants to bless you with. I believe that 2009 has something wonderful for each of us, if we choose to live in expectant hope,while trusting Him.

Sunshine


Reflections by the Sea © Betsy Ore Glass
December 31, 2008

Photography by Elizabeth Brown

You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. -Ephesians 4:22-24 NIV

Is there anything any better than a sunny day!! There have been some lovely days lately to venture outdoors and walk the beach. Sunshine brightens our spirit and refreshes us, both inside and out. It has been said that wherever you go, no matter what the weather, always bring your own sunshine. That is a good quote to live by especially while we are in the midst of winter.

The new year is just a few days old. There is hope and excitement about what will come in the next twelve months. Not only is it a new beginning, but it is a chance to make some changes. The new year can be the time to set goals and to sow seeds for the future. How could this year be any different from other years? What could make the difference? The difference is in our attitude. Developing a right attitude is the key. Our attitude will dictate our success or failure. It will make the difference between happiness and unhappiness.

Mary Engelbreits' advice about attitude is this: “If you don't like something change it, if you can't change it, change the way you think about it.”I know of people that have truly fallen on hard times with one problem after the other stacking up. Yet, they are cheerful, grateful and trusting God for so much when they have so little. Their attitude must surely please God. The new year is a chance to shed that old self and those old ways in favor of a better way. To be open to receive a new way to live and think. Luke 5:38 talks about wineskins. We shouldn't put old wine into new wineskins. Like wineskins, that wisdom applies to us today as we must keep old mindsets and attitudes from contaminating this new year. By drawing a line in the sand symbolically, we can leave the old behind. Let's make a solid effort to embrace this new year with the heart and attitude of Jesus.

Christmas Eve


Reflections by the Sea © Betsy Ore Glass
December 23, 2008

As the sun goes down on a last minute, hectic sort of day in preparation and anticipation of Christmas, the stillness of Christmas Eve can be mesmerizing. Lighted decorations flicker on through the neighborhood at dusk. The grand music from Handel’s “Messiah” replaces “Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer” on the radio. The reverence of this night begins to envelope us and the peace that follows comforts us. As the night sky unfolds, one by one, the stars above begin to twinkle overhead with an extra brilliance. I find myself looking to the east for that special star and wondering what it was like the night Jesus was born. The real meaning of Christmas can be found, not in the decorations, the expectation of Santa’s arrival or the presents under the tree. God’s gift to us was His Son, Jesus, who came to this world so that we may live, that through His sacrifice on the cross, we should have everlasting life. There is so much about Jesus to learn. So much He wants to teach us. For years we read the poem, “’Twas the Night Before Christmas “ to our children on Christmas Eve. How I look back now and wish that we had focused more on the Birth of Jesus than we did the arrival of Santa Claus. Perhaps it is not too late to start a new tradition by adding the story of the Birth of Jesus to our Christmas Eve ritual.

Just to remind us again how it all began, here is the story of the birth of Jesus, as told by Luke.

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests." When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about." So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. –Luke 2:1-20 NIV

Merry Christmas to each of you and God’s Blessings to all.