Going Higher

Going Higher
Reflections by the Sea ©    Betsy Ore Glass
June 27, 2013

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 NIVI 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.

Summer

Summer
Reflections by the Sea ©   Betsy Glass
June 20, 2013

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: Ecclesiastes 3:1 NIVThe summer season is here! This week, the calendar changed from spring to summer but it feels like summer has been here much longer!! The hot, lazy days of summer brings all kinds of memories to mind like the excitement surrounding the last day of school, summer babysitting jobs to make money, watermelon eating contests, and family picnics at church softball games. And things like Sunday ice cream socials using the old homemade ice cream machine and tree-picked peaches, the smell of fresh-cut grass, the sweet fragrance of a summer rain, homemade lemonade and packaged Kool-aid. Best of all were those great memories of swinging on a porch swing and going barefooted til September. A great season for great times! I have come to realize that whatever season I am in I seem to love it the most! We go through seasons in life and it seems once we get used to something, the season changes and we must adapt and reshape our thinking, and perhaps our life to accommodate the adjustments. Summer is the season when many families pack up and move to another town for a better opportunity. Kids are packing for college; kids are coming home from college. Summer weddings in June are plentiful. So many life changing moments and events seems to happen during this time of year. How do we handle the changes in the seasons in our lives? How do we teach our children how to adapt? Do they see us frantic and resistant to change as we try to maneuver our way through life? Hopefully, we know from our Christian walk that God has already supplied us with the graces to deal with anything that comes to us or happens to us. His mercy and grace gives us the enthusiasm to accept things we cannot change, the peace to move forward, the joy for a new adventure and overall contentment for where we are. So much of our joy is tied to our contentment. God does not make mistakes. He has placed us in every season of our life. We can look back, not with regret, but with gratefulness. We can look forward, not with fear, but with confidence that we have all we need. There is no reason why we couldn’t prosper in whatever season we find ourselves. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers. –Psalm 1:3 NIV As empty nesters, my husband and I had an adjustment to make and it coincided with a move to another state over 2000 miles away. I did have regrets and sadness, but now know it was wasted time. If we can accept willingly where we are and do our best to be obedient to God, we can expect to see good things revealed in our future. So much energy can be lost through deferred contentment such as thinking, “I will be happy when I can move back home”, or “I will be happy when this happens or that happens”. We can have joy and contentment now. Saint Francis of Assisi once said, “A single sunbeam is enough to drive away many shadows.” I met a 99 year old woman the other day that was upright, walking on her own and we shared a bench together for a brief visit. I asked her what did she attribute her long life to and she said long ago she chose to be happy. That was what I needed to hear that day. Was that just a coincidence? No. Was it another divine appointment? Yes, I believe it was. Another reminder that how we approach life can have a profound effect on us regardless of the season we are in. Happy Summer!

Father's Day

Father's Day
Reflections by the Sea © Betsy Ore Glass
June 13, 2013

If the Lord delights in a man's way, he makes his steps firm; though he stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand.-Psalm 37:23-24 NIV Father’s Day came about in the early 1900’s when a young girl listening to a Mother’s Day sermon wanted to also honor her father. In 1924, it became a national idea and President Calvin Coolidge supported the idea. It was President Lyndon Johnson that established the 3rd Sunday in June as Father’s Day in 1966 and President Richard Nixon signed it into law in 1972. We all have a father and we count ourselves grateful if we had a godly father that brought us up to know our Heavenly Father. Especially this time of year we each may reflect and reminisce a bit on how our father helped to shape the life that we enjoy today. We also want to honor and remember the many wonderful men that have been mentors to us and shown fatherly wisdom and guidance when we needed it. And never to be forgotten are the mothers that have stood in for the father for whatever reason to keep the family going. We offer thanks today for the fathers that we celebrate in person, in our hearts or in our memories. Most of all, if there is anyone of us that is lacking a fathers’ love, our Heavenly Father can shower us with His Love in rich abundance and fill all the empty spaces to overflowing. There is no greater gift that a father can give, but of himself. Inheritance, riches and possessions don’t measure up in the end. Remembered are those precious times, when father and child sat side by side, and talked of everyday things, the future and of God

June

  June
Reflections by the Sea © Betsy Ore Glass
June 06, 2013

The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you and I will give you rest”. –Exodus 33:14 NIVThe month of June has come quickly this year. It’s been a favorite month of many for a lot of reasons. The children love it because it signals the end of school and the beginning of summer. Families pack up for vacations that they have saved all year for. Neighbors gather together for fireworks and a backyard hot dog. Picnics, grilling out and paper plates become the norm. Watermelons are sliced and shared outdoors. A good time has been had by the younger set evidenced by kool-aid stains on t-shirts in colors of cherry, orange and lime. Band-aids cover the scraped knees from bicycle mishaps. Fathers labor over their lawns in a battle against the weeds and Moms brace for whatever the summer brings knowing she must be adaptable. Summer becomes a chance to enjoy family, slack up a little and enjoy the tastes and joys of it all. But in all of our busyness, I think God would have us not forget Him. A small child was asked what did he pray for that day and he replied, “nothing, I didn’t need anything”. We seem to have a tendency to only go to God with our requests when we are in crisis or have a real need. When things are going great for us, He can be easily pushed aside. As summer begins, we should invite God to be present in all we do, plan and enjoy. God is more important than ever as we pray protection over our loved ones that are on the go this summer season.

Being Neighborly

Being Neighborly

Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets. –Matthew 7:12 NLT

As children we were taught “The Golden Rule”. That was the first lesson we learned in getting along with our siblings, and then later in school with our classmates. It still applies today, even more so, no matter what age or stage we are in life.

While we may not be able to choose our siblings or where we sit in a classroom, we can choose where we live. It is amazing how kind and warm neighbors can really make a neighborhood special, and conversely, rude, impolite neighbors can create tension. I am blessed to have had wonderful neighbors in the different places we have lived. They were friendly but not intrusive; helpful but not nosey; generous without keeping score. I learned by example from many wonderful people over the years what a good neighbor really is. I am forever grateful for their loving hearts.

We get many chances every day to look in on someone, to send a note, to sit on a porch and visit to provide company. If you have ever been on the receiving end of generosity from a neighbor then you know how wonderful it is when God surrounds you with help and love when you didn’t know you needed it.  I believe our Christian values can be applied as much on the streets of our neighborhood as anywhere else.  It is said that, “Where our bread is concerned, it is a material matter. Where our neighbor's bread is concerned, it is a spiritual matter”. Think of things you can do to contribute to the spirit of being a good, godly neighbor. In a world where so many people seem hesitant to “get involved”, I believe God would want us to be His hands and heart on earth. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith. –Galatians 6:10

Memorial Day

Memorial Day

Reflections by the Sea © Betsy Ore Glass
May 25, 2013

But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you. -Psalm 5:11 NIV It was not always known as “Memorial Day”. The day where we remember and honor those who have lost their lives while serving our country. It was originally called “Decoration Day”. This commemoration dates back as far as 1868 when flowers were placed on graves at Arlington National Cemetery of soldiers who died in service. Soon after, it caught on, state by state. Since the 1950’s, American flags have been placed on more than 260,000 gravestones at Arlington National Cemetery on the Thursday prior to Memorial Day each year. Just a few years ago, the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts began placing a single candle on over 15,000 gravesites in northern Virginia on the Thursday prior to Memorial Day. The tributes continue annually to show honor and respect. But the traditions of the past are more forgotten than remembered. Memorial Day has often signified outdoor parties, picnics, three-day weekends, the unofficial start to summer, and maybe the first dip in the swimming pool. But as we grow older, the significance of the sacrifice made by the fallen soldiers presses on our hearts. They are heroes. Many of the people serving the armed forces today are very young. Some may not even have a personal relationship with Our Father. Imagine being away from the comfort of family and familiar surroundings, living with war and not knowing God. As Christians, I believe that God is calling us to pray for the protection of these brave servicemen and women, both at home and abroad. In all of the celebrations and fun that a Memorial Day weekend suggests, perhaps we can take time to go to God in prayer to ask His blessings on families that have lost loved ones and to cover His Holy Armor on those brave people that are currently serving us. If we all prayed a prayer for peace, and each prayer was a light, together we could illuminate the heavens with our petitions!

Influence

 

Influence

 

O send out Your light and Your truth, let them lead me; let them bring me to Your holy hill and to Your dwelling. –Psalm 43:3

 

The beach has been such a part of my life since I was a child. It made sense that I would share my love of the beach with my own children. They were influenced by me and both of our children love everything to do with the beach today. I enjoy seeing parents taking their children to the beach for the first time or out on the pier with their first rod and reel. Little children want to emulate their parents. We don’t have to tell them what to do as much as we must show them by our actions and live a life that would make them want to follow. When our actions and words surround them, that is called “influence”. We each have the power to influence anyone.  It is a mighty thing to know that something we can say or do could shape another person’s life, choices and decisions.

 Using our influence in a subtle way is far better than actually telling someone what to do. To be told what to do can often be received as unsolicited advice, unappreciated wisdom, and just plain interference. To have success in this area, we must realize that our actions carry more weight than our words.

How are we using our influence in our everyday life? Who do we look up to? Who looks up to us?  Everything that we say and do reflects our character which reflects our relationship with God. If we are using the gift of influence to guide others, we must pray that it is God’s Light and His Truth leading us to lead others.

Rocking ChairReflections by the Sea © Betsy Glass
May 08, 2013

Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you. –Exodus 20:12 NIV The word “rocking chair” didn’t appear in the dictionary until 1787. But the idea of rocking originated in the 15th century when Mothers rocked their babies in wooden cradles. Rocking chairs adorn many porches today as a decoration, while others are weathered and worn from use. Many different kinds of rockers are available now. It is the type of furniture that seems to please everyone from babies on up. Could it be that the very best place to have a rocking chair would be on an oceanfront porch, rocking to the rhythm of the waves? It wouldn’t seem to matter if it were a boston rocker, a shaker, bentwood, wicker or just handmade with grapevines. The feeling would be the same. Mothers have instinctively known that rocking a baby or small child in a rocking chair calms fears and lessens anxiety with its slow rocking motion. Is it the rocking or being cradled in a mother’s arms that seem to make everything right again? Probably a little of both I imagine. The rocking chair displays the marks of raising children. The colicky nights, bad dreams and lazy afternoons are part of its history. That is what makes it irreplaceable, not for it’s beauty but for its memories. On this Mother’s Day, it is fitting to take a moment to remember the person that rocked us in our infancy and thank God for the blessing and gift of having someone that cared.