My Time at the Inn

I have pondered today on Psalm One and the comfort it offers the believer.  It both encourages and admonishes us to stay in God's word.  When it speaks of being like a tree planted by waters, I think of our Arizona desert.  We get little rain yet the trees along the river banks grow green and flourish. When I plant myself in the Word of God, I flourish  and become profitable for the Lord's work. How? You may ask.   I teach violin and some students are more difficult than others to teach.  I have discovered when I have spent my morning in God's word and in prayer, I am better able to teach, have more patience, and can find ways to teach so that it translates into better playing for the students. How easy a thing it is to do, and yet how hard.  There are so many distractions today to keep us from the word of God, and yet it is the very thing that keeps our focus. We have a large saguaro growing on the side of our home, and it is tall, prickly, and ...

A few  weeks ago I went to a shopping center with my daughter. She went looking for what she needed, and I went to the cosmetics area to find an eyebrow pencil.  A couple of women stood near the same area discussing how awful they looked, and what could they purchase that would improve their looks.  I glanced over at them, and I saw two beautiful women, one older and one younger. The older had grey hair neatly combed. The younger one had long hair pulled into a pony tail. Both were medium height, and      full figured but not not plump.  My first thought upon hearing them      was,  "I wish I looked that good.  I often find myself thinking, I'm too old, too wrinkled, too fat, and too tired.  Then I found myself frustrated because I lost focus.  Like Peter I took my eyes off Jesus and glanced in the mirror. A few days ago someone came up to me and wondered what I thought of  Miriam (not her real name...