Going Higher

Going Higher


Reflections by the Sea © Betsy Ore Glass
April 26, 2011

As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. -Isaiah 55:9 NIV

I shall never forget the day I went up in a hot air balloon. It was magical, serene and quiet. Yes, quiet! I thought we would hear the gusts and roar of the strong winds that were moving us along but we did not. And to my surprise, the birds don’t fly that high either. So it was as though we could hear a pin drop. It felt like we were climbing towards heaven going higher and higher. We could see cars driving along the highways below, many homes, shopping centers, lots of landscape and the ocean. But it was as though the mute button was on. To be high up could be a lonely place I realized, but also a place of great peace.

What does it mean to go higher? The Lord said His ways and thoughts are higher than ours. But He picks us up and lovingly encourages us to take steps toward purity and righteousness if we are willing. Everyday some of us step up on ladders, drive across tall bridges, visits monuments and climb to the top of sand dunes. But to walk in God’s ways, to go higher is to spiritually live as close to Him as we can. To be in a constant relationship with Him. That’s how we can be taught by making time to listen and learn. Emotionally to go higher means to not get caught up in strife and to deflect negativity that comes at us by living above all the arguments, disagreements and colliding opinions in our everyday life. Physically to go higher means to possess divine wisdom to know when to speak and when not to speak. In other words, to pick and choose ones’ battles and certainly not get involved in conflicts that don’t involve us. If we find ourselves getting caught up or side-tracked in the unimportant minutiae of life, wallowing in judgment of others, we will sink in negativity and we will attract more of it to us like a magnet. We have to be willing to go higher in our thoughts and attitudes so that our emotions don’t pull us back down. God calls us to go higher with Him. Like a hot air balloon, it is a great mental picture of where we should hope to be…high up where the air is clear, quiet and peaceful.

Pleased to announce.......

Special announcement today......am blessed to have 12 oil paintings hanging at Yellowhouse Gallery in Nags Head. The art is Outer Banks related. If you get the chance please stop in to see owners, Eve and Pete Turek and visit their gallery. Located at the Beach Road at MP 11. www.yellowhousegallery.com My work will be posted online on their site soon. Thanks for letting me brag for a moment...now back to my easel  -BG

The Dogwood


Reflections by the Sea © Betsy Ore Glass
April 20, 2011

Praise be to the God and Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, -1 Peter 1:3 NIV


This year the dogwoods of eastern North Carolina should be completely flowering by Easter Sunday. The dogwood has a legend surrounding it and it is spiritual in nature. As the story goes, it was a dogwood tree that Jesus was crucified on. God said from that day forward, a dogwood tree would never grow large enough for it to be used ever again as a cross. Today, dogwoods both old and newly planted won’t exceed over about one story in height. The legend continues by suggesting that the four petals of the dogwood flower makes the shape of a cross. The crown of thorns is symbolized by the center of the flower and the red fruit represents the blood of Christ.

Easter is more than egg hunts and chocolate bunnies. It represents the greatest gift of love and sacrifice that we could ever receive. God sent his Son, Jesus, to save us and by Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection, we have the promise of eternal life as believers. God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 NIV The sun rising on Easter morning should be a joyous reminder marking the occasion in celebration of God’s love. We must also deeply appreciate Jesus’ gift, the sacrifice of his life so that we may have eternal life. It is a day to praise and rejoice that we are loved as God’s precious children. So much has been given and promised to us. Perhaps Easter is a time to rededicate our lives to Him and his work. These last few weeks we have talked of renewal, spring and new beginnings. Acquiring a renewed Christian attitude can begin with a sense of gratitude when we allow ourselves to take time to experience Easter and its true meaning. Consider sharing the “Legend of the Dogwood” with someone this week. It could be the beginning of helping someone find their faith.

Butterfly



Photo courtesy Liz Brown
All rights reserved. Copyrighted.
www.ElizabethBrownPhotography.com

 Butterfly


Reflections by the Sea © Betsy Ore Glass
April 13, 2011

Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come. buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk, without money and without cost. Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare. Give ear and come to me; hear me, that your soul may live. Isaiah 55: 1-3

Their small bodies and large wings don’t just occur overnight. There is quite a journey that the beautiful butterfly must go through before it emerges as the winged creature that we love to adore. This journey is a metamorphosis. The life cycle from lowly caterpillar to delicate butterfly takes time and great effort to reach its final stage. Once mature, the butterfly feeds on nectar from flowers and flutters about in search of a mate. We can thank the butterfly for its contribution towards playing a key role as a pollinator in our gardens.

Our Christian life is a journey, too. We begin to give up our old ways and turn over a new leaf as we learn about values and ways of living that are pleasing to God. It takes time to read the stories in the Bible and it takes more time to memorize scripture. There is no shortcut. No crash course. It requires daily effort from us to keep on the journey. We have to do our part. Just going to church on Sunday is not enough. Hopefully we are taking time each day for praise and thanksgiving, along with our prayers and then some time to listen. Many answers to our prayers are found in the Bible. We can get so much out of it if we just take a few minutes a day to read. The book of Psalms is a great place to begin or if you are seeking wisdom, Proverbs offers great advice. Perhaps you want to start with the four Gospels in the New Testament. It doesn’t matter where you begin, but that you begin. Where are we in our metamorphis as a Christian? A good question to ask ourselves. Drinking from the water of the Bible will fill us to overflowing with all good things from God. Then we can be like the butterfly and go from here to there, sharing what God has taught us.

Wind

Wind


Reflections by the Sea © Betsy Ore Glass
April 06, 2011

You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again’. The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit. John 3:7-8

I love an ocean breeze. When the wind blows through an open window at the beach it brings with it peace and tranquility…it’s freshness and fragrance filling the air. Older generations claim that a strong wind blowing salt air off the ocean is the best sleep elixir there is. Sometimes the seasons change so dramatically that in our home we go from heat to air- conditioning. But more times than not, it is a joy to throw open the windows on the first warm day of spring to cleanse and refresh after being closed up during winter. I visualize that the breeze is chasing out the germs and pollutants that have taken up residence with us during the cold months. It takes out the old and brings in the new. A renewal.

When Jesus left this earth in his fleshly body, he left behind the Holy Spirit to live in each of us. We can call on him to bring about change in our lives, to strengthen our faith and to sustain us in difficult times. The Holy Spirit is sometimes called the Comforter. When doubt and fear or anything else that is not of God needs to be chased out of our lives, we can call on the Holy Spirit to do the job. By cleansing and refreshing us, we are more able to do God’s work. The work of the Holy Spirit can give us a change of heart, attitude and mind. Envision that the Holy Spirit is immersing us daily with love in the same way that a salty ocean breeze refreshes us on a windy day by the shore. Just receive!

Hope


Reflections by the Sea © Betsy Ore Glass
March 30, 2011

Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. –Psalm 25:4-5 NIV

There is the little child that resides in each of us. In our pockets we tuck away our special hopes and dreams. Some we may share with others and some we may keep to ourselves. One definition for hope is to look forward with confidence or expectation and desire. To live a life that is full of hope improves our outlook. Having a childlike faith that carries hope in our hearts at any age is life-giving. God knows the desires of our heart as he probes our heart each day.

We are taught to hope for the best in all situations. Easier said than done? Yes! Fear gets into the mix to steal our joy and our hope at times. But with God all things are possible. That can be easily forgotten when we run up against obstacles. Our hope sometimes fades away when we are told all the reasons something won’t happen or it won’t work as we had envisioned. Or we have waited a long time and nothing seems to be happening to make our wishes materialize. But never lose hope. Hope gives us something to live for, to look forward to. Hope gives sweetness to life. Sweet hope is stronger than the bitterness that creeps in. We can dream big and hope for much. The Believer aims to have a heart of hope rooted in faith at all times. Whatever hopes are the desires of your heart, be expectant. Today could be the day that your hopes bear fruit. Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord. –Psalm 31:24 NIV

Camellia

Camellia


Reflections by the Sea © Betsy Ore Glass
March 23, 2011

In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation. Psalm 5:3 NIV

A blooming Camellia bush is a classy addition to any garden. Although the Koreans take credit for cultivating the first Camellia about 1200 BC, the Camellia journeyed through Japan and China before coming to America in the late 1700’s. By the 1800’s, plantation owners in the south began growing Camellias and were encouraged by their success. There are three major species with the Japonicas being the most recognized. Camellia’s blooming season is as early as October and goes through May. The Camellia doesn’t tolerate harsh weather or extreme temperatures, hot or cold. They like to live in the shadow of the pine trees that filter the light and offer shelter. It is well documented that Camellias are strong, hardy and grow to be quite old if cared for properly. We have enjoyed Camellia’s at Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter! Just a few blooms floating in a bowl of water looks so elegant.

Nature rewards our patience with flowers. Consistent hard work, soil preparation, mulching, watering and disease control will usually yield beautiful blossoms of any plant or bush. There is a planning time, a growing time and a blooming time. Each plant is fairly predictable as to when it will erupt into flower buds with the anticipation of full blooms in the days to come. The timing of nature cannot be rushed. Timing is important in our spiritual life, too. We can ask God to take care of many things for us, but we would be smart to know that He does everything on His timetable and not ours. We can’t force Him to line up with our agenda, needs and wants. He sees the total picture and knows what is best for us. Trusting God for His perfect timing is letting God be God. We should continue to pray, wait and be patient for His answers. Easier said than done in this impatient world we exist in, but it will serve us better in the long run to wait on Him rather than to force or manipulate a situation for instant results. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. Psalm 27:14 NIV

Sandbar

Sandbar


Reflections by the Sea © Betsy Ore Glass
March 15, 2011

Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins. -Mark 11:24-25 NIV

A sandbar is a submerged or partly submerged ridge of sand that is formed along the shore by the action of the waves or currents. When storms come off of the ocean, sandbars actually act as a shock absorber for the powerful waves and currents. By consuming some of the power, then there is less damage to the shore. That’s one of the reasons when we have damaging storms, some areas fare well and others do not. The sandbar that we cannot see offshore has soaked up some of the waves’ strength. Some people that are looking at oceanfront property to purchase will consult nautical charts to see if offshore sandbars are present, offering added protection to the beach.

While sandbars are great because they help block the oceans’ strength, when we go to God with our petitions, we don’t want anything to stand between us. But, unknowingly, that is exactly what can happen. How can we go to Him asking forgiveness of our sins when we won’t forgive someone of theirs? How can we expect mercy to be shown to us if we don’t show it to others? Like a sandbar, our unforgiveness can act as a ridge that prevents God’s blessings from getting to us. Matthew 7:2 tells us not to judge, or we too will be judged. For in the same way we judge others, we will be judged, and with the measure we use, it will be measured unto us. Many rifts in relationships begin this way in judgement and then before long, unforgiveness takes root and then bitterness follows. Matthew 6:14 plainly tells us that if we forgive men when they sin against us, our heavenly Father will also forgive us. But if we do not forgive men their sins, our Father will not forgive our sins. But, what if we don’t ‘feel’ like forgiving someone. We are still angry at them and rightfully so. We may have every right to our feelings. God would have us know that it doesn’t matter. He will take care of seeing that justice is served. That is not our job. His message is clear. We have to make the decision to forgive and God will do the rest. Our decision to forgive is what sets everything in motion. And don’t worry, He will supply us with all we need and the fullness of heart to begin to forgive. We should not let our unforgiveness towards anyone cost us our blessings, prosperity or healing. Pray this scripture so that we can see and feel in a new way. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Psalm 51:10 NIV.