Time With Tandy

Inspirational author and speaker

Time With Tandy

Inspirational author and speaker

Tag: God

  • Creating a Masterpiece

    #God, #The Lord, #inspiration,creation
    Verna & I with our masterpieces

    My friend and I entered unknown territory when we arrived at a paint night. I am definitely not an artist but looked forward to a new experience.

    The instructor was someone I knew so I felt comfortable she’d be supportive and encouraging and not critical of my lack of ability.

    When the class started we were given basic instructions and options to choose the type of painting we wanted to complete. What? I thought we’d be told what to do and how to do it and wasn’t prepared to make decisions.

    We were told not to worry about our mistakes; they could always be painted over. I did this several times.

    At one point I ended up with a big blob of paint on the canvas. My attempts to fix it just made things worse. I thought my picture was ruined. The instructor showed me how to remove the unwanted paint. I was surprised that such a big mistake could be redeemed.

    The paint night experience was a good analogy of my life with God. Every day I wake up with a clean canvas. The Lord provides the paint and brushes and sends me out into the world to make a masterpiece for him. He doesn’t force me to make certain brush strokes but grants me the freedom to choose what I will create.
    The Lord redeems my mistakes by showing me how to paint over them with something better. With the creator of the word instructing me, my life can become a masterpiece.

    In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1:1 NIV)

  • Music to My Ears

    #God, #inspiration, prayer, music to my earsIn the pre-dawn hours, I awakened to the music of birdsong. I’m used to hearing birds in the daylight but the night time melody caught me by surprise.
    Once the sun rose, the distinctive sound heard hours earlier was no longer evident.

    I soon discovered that this was not a one-time occurrence but one repeated nightly during the late spring and early summer.

    As I enjoy the happy sound of this nocturnal chorus I wonder if God gets the same pleasure from hearing my voice when I call out to him. Is it like music to his ears?

    In some ways, I’m similar to the night time warblers. I call out to God in my darkest hours but, sadly, my voice can become silent when the light returns to my life.

    God wants to hear from me in good times as well as bad. I must remember to let my words of praise and thankfulness be every bit as evident as those of my petitions for help. Maybe the music to my ears in the night is a reminder to let my words be constant music to the Lord.

    “Never stop praying.” (1 Thessalonians 5:17 GWT)

    “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.” (Colossians 4:2 NIV)

  • My Dish Soap Life

    #God, #inspiration, effective, lifeHave you ever noticed the difference between brands of dish soap? I’ve discovered that the name brands are more effective than the generic ones I’ve tried.

    As there are only two of us in our home we generally wash our dishes by hand instead of using the dishwasher. The generic brands are less expensive so we decided to try one. I wasn’t impressed with the results so tried another.

    In both cases, I had to use more than double the amount of our previous brand in order to produce suds and to get the dishes clean. My conclusion is that a diluted product is false economy.

    The same can be said for my life. I have the choice to concentrate my efforts or to dilute them by adding unnecessary ingredients. It’s not hard to figure out which option is the most effective in achieving my goals and dreams. The more I add to my day, the less chance I have of accomplishing what is most important.

    The trouble can come in deciding which elements strengthen my life and which ones will only water it down. That is when I turn to God. He is always available to direct me. When I follow his advice my life will be strong and effective, rather than mixed with worthless things that dilute it.

    Once like sterling silver; now mixed with worthless alloy! Once so pure, but now diluted like watered-down wine! (Isaiah 1:22 TLB)

    Many plans are in the human heart, but the advice of the Lord will endure. (Proverbs 19:21 GWT)

  • Undeserved Favour

    #God, #Jesus, undeserved, blessingsMy husband Brian, and I recently went for dinner at our favourite little Vietnamese restaurant where we enjoyed a tasty meal and good conversation.

    When we were finished Brian went to pay our bill and was told someone had already paid it. This was nothing we expected or deserved. It was the random kindness of a stranger, who left before we could express our appreciation.

    The undeserved favour we received that evening reminded us of the way God treats us. There is nothing I could ever do to earn or deserve the blessings he has given me.

    God sent his son, Jesus, to pay the penalty for my sins. Because Jesus paid my debt, I am free to come to God and talk to him at any time.

    Imagine that, I can have conversations with the King of the Universe. He knows and loves me and invites me to come to him at any time. Not only that, but he has prepared a place for me so I may spend eternity with him.

    That, my friends, is the ultimate undeserved favour.

    “My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” ( John 14:2-3 NIV)

  • Open Hands

    #God, #inspiration, prayer, submissionYears ago I heard of an interesting way to catch a monkey. When a banana is placed in a glass jar, the monkey will reach in and grab the banana. With a clenched fist it will not be able to remove its hand from the jar. Even in the face of danger, it will hold onto something it perceives of value, rather than open its hand and lose the prize.

    This makes it easy for the trapper to grab the monkey when all it needed to do to ensure its freedom was to drop the banana.

    The story came to mind recently when I felt God impressing on me to keep my hands open. Everything was going well in my life and yet I felt discontent. Something wasn’t quite right and I didn’t know what it was or what to do about it.

    Like the monkey, I was holding on to the prize in my hand and found it hard to let go. After a struggle, I was able to say through my tears, “I don’t want to give this up, Lord, but I will if that’s what you want from me.”

    By opening my hands and letting go of what I perceived as important I was submitting to God’s will for my life. It was strange to think I had to let go of my own desires to find freedom, but that was exactly the case.

    The restrictions I placed on my life have been lifted and I am in awe of what God has now placed in my outstretched hands. His plans for me are far greater than anything I could dream of and I am overjoyed to have him back in control.

    For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV)

  • Make a Joyful Noise

    #God, #inspiration, joyful noiseMy husband and I attended a performance by a symphony and chorus. The venue was small and we were seated behind some of the musicians. We had a side view of the singers and the conductor.

    The perspective from that vantage point was very interesting. We were amazed by the variety of instruments the two percussionists played and how they shared duties with several of them. I was fascinated to watch as the kettle drums were struck and then a hand was placed on the top to stop the vibration.

    The strings, brass, woodwinds and keyboards each layered on the tones of the other instruments to produce a rich sound. We observed the musicians turning the pages of their sheet music and watching the conductor for direction.
    Then there was the chorus. The lyrics were stirring and the harmonies impressive. What caught my attention even more than these were the joyous expressions of the singers. They smiled, swayed to the music and looked like they were having the time of their lives. Throughout, all eyes were focused on the conductor.

    I had the pleasure of watching the conductor as he directed both singers and musicians. His pride was evident as he continuously mouthed encouragement and praise.

    As I watched this I had a sudden image of God, the conductor of my life. When I keep my eyes focused on him I am aware of his direction. He shows me when to bang the drum and when to silence the sound. His love and encouragement allows me to blend my notes with those of others so we can join together to make a joyful noise.

    Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, (Ephesians 5:19 NIV)
    With trumpets and the sound of the horn make a joyful noise before the King, the LORD! (Psalm 98:6 ESV)

  • Open Arms

    #God, the Lord, loveAlthough the little girl had been with her grandmother only an hour earlier, she was excited to see her. At first glance, her eyes lit up and she ran with open arms for a loving embrace.

    I watched this heartwarming scene and thought of how very special their relationship was. There is nothing quite like the love expressed through a child’s hug. This expression of affection can melt even the coldest heart.

    My young grandchildren are moving past the spontaneous hug stage. I know they still love me; it’s just that other things now vie for their attention. They know that I won’t force them to hug me but I will be there with open arms when they’re ready.

    This reminds me of my relationship with God. There are times I race to spend time with him. Other times I let life distract me. My love for the Lord has not diminished and it is not my intention to ignore him for other pursuits.

    The good news is He remains close by, watching over me. He is not forceful, demanding attention, but waits patiently for me to return.

    When I realize I’ve moved away and reach out to the Lord, he is always ready to welcome me with open arms.

    We loved because he first loved us. (1John 4:19 NIV)
    I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me. (Proverbs 8:17 NIV)

  • Endless Knot

    #God, #Jesus, Good Friday, sacrificeI wasn’t sure exactly what it was in the box but knew it was unique and beautiful. The sculpture was a large circle with thick glass strands intertwining.

    A card inside told me this was an endless knot, representing a never ending connection. It was also a symbol of eternity, harmony and endless love.

    This lovely expression of endless love was a gift from family members. I have heard many stories from people who don’t have good relationships with their family. The object I held in my hands represented the blessing of the harmony that exists with my children and grandchildren.

    Our lives are intertwined; each being made stronger by the connection with the others. This bond has been passed down through the generations.

    As we draw near to Good Friday, the endless love of God is in the forefront of my mind. He showed his love by sending his only Son, Jesus, to atone for our sins and give us eternal life. This act of great sacrifice reaches to all generations, binding us together.

    His love has no beginning and no end. He loved us before we knew him and paid the greatest sacrifice of all that our lives may be intertwined with his. For this, I am eternally grateful.

    The Lord is good. His mercy endures forever. His faithfulness endures throughout every generation. (Psalm 100:5 NLT)

    For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16 NIV)

  • New Beginnings

    #God, #the LORD, #inspiration, March 20th is officially the first day of spring. After a long, cold winter, spring is looked forward to as a time of new beginnings.

    The hours of daylight lengthen and the temperature starts to rise. Soon green shoots will push their way through the ground with the promise of flowers to follow. Bare branches will bud and the trees will once again be dressed in their coats of green.

    Vegetation which has been dormant for months begins its renewal. This is a time of hope and promise.

    Patience is required as I wait for the signs of new growth to come. A date on the calendar doesn’t actually herald a change in the weather.

    According to the dictionary, renewal has more than one meaning. It can be the resuming of an activity or state after an interruption. This is the renewal we see in our surroundings in spring.

    The other meaning is the repair of something that is worn-out, run-down or broken. This is the renewal I have experienced in my own life.

    When I was weary and broken I brought my life before the Lord. He gave me a fresh, new start. There was no need to wait for a specific date on the calendar. God has taken a dormant life and renewed it. His mercies are new every morning and my relationship with him is filled with new beginnings.

    “The instructions of the LORD are perfect, reviving the soul. The decrees of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple.” (Psalm 19:7 NLT)

  • Looking for the Dash

    #God, #inspiration, unique, lifeThe situation reminded me of a story I’ve heard several times over the years.

    In my case, the dash was to separate two numbers on the outside of a condo. The exterior had recently been painted and now the identifying numbers outside of our door were missing.

    We chose some brightly coloured ceramic tiles with the numbers but finding a dash was another matter.

    One could have been painted on the wall but that’s not what we wanted. The dash had to have more character than a painted line.

    Since our condo is on the waterfront, we decided a shell could be used. The hunt was on for the perfect shell. This needed to be unique enough to also reflect who we are.

    The story I was reminded of was about a tombstone. It indicated the date of birth and the date of death. Between these dates was a dash. This represented the years of life. The point of the story was to make the most of the dash. Searching for a dash now, reminded me of the importance of living a meaningful life.

    When I was a girl in school, the races we ran on sports day were called dashes. I was good at the shorter ones, like the 50 yard dash, but didn’t have the endurance for the longer runs.

    I now realize that the dash representing my life is one of endurance. God has given me a unique life and trusts me to run it to the best of my ability. With his guidance I will use it to reflect his light and love to those I come in contact with.

    Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. (Hebrews 12:1 NLT)