Time With Tandy

Inspirational author and speaker

Time With Tandy

Inspirational author and speaker

Tag: inspiration

  • How to Use Rumble Strips

    inspiration, Jesus, Holy Spirit, conscienceMy husband and I were driving and the warmth of the sun shining through the windows soon lulled me to sleep. As we travelled down a rural road Brian purposely drove across the rumble strips to see if the noise and vibration would wake me.

    Rumble strips are grooves or rows of indents in the pavement designed to alert distracted or drowsy drivers that they are leaving their lane.
    There are center-line rumble strips which are used on undivided highways to reduce cross-over incidents that could result in head-on collisions. Another type are shoulder rumble strips which are used to reduce run-off-road collisions. On a long stretch of rural highway I have also encountered rumble strips across the traffic lane to alert me to the fact an intersection is coming up.

    Brian and I talked about how useful rumble strips would be as we travel the road of life. Wouldn’t it be nice to have something to alert us when we are straying of-course? How about a warning for when we are approaching a potentially dangerous situation? I could use something that tells me when to be alert and proceed with caution.

    Actually, I have all of this and more. Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would be with me to teach me all things. When I feel my conscience warning me about something, I know that this is the Holy Spirit working to keep me from harm.

    But the Advocate, 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 14:26 NIV)

    Be alert. Be firm in the Christian faith. Be courageous and strong. (1 Corinthians 16:13 GWT)

  • Garbage Turned into Gems

    nature, God,time, experiencesWhen my daughter and I were on our recent cruise we enjoyed browsing open air markets in the various ports. One item that captured our attention was sea glass and the items made from it. At first I just admired it but soon my resistance wore down and I bought a pendant that had silver wire wrapped around a piece of milky sea glass.

    Once back home I did a little research on this previously unknown stone. I learned that sea glass is a reverse gem. Traditional gems are made by nature and refined by man. Sea glass is originally made by man, in the form of bottles and jars, but refined by nature to become smooth, frosty gems found on many beaches.

    It was quite amazing to think that garbage thrown carelessly into the ocean changes so dramatically. The broken shards of glass spend years being tumbled by the water and sand until their edges are rounded off and the slickness of the glass has been worn into a frosted appearance. The characteristic texture and shape it takes on does not happen overnight.

    This gives me new insight into my life. God has done exactly the same thing with me. He has taken my life and made something beautiful out of the broken shards I once presented him with. Through time and experiences, I have been tumbled until my rough edges are worn down. No matter what has happened God can use all of my experiences to accomplish his good, pleasing and perfect will for my life. I am excited to see what he has in store for me!

    You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. (Genesis 50:20 NIV)

    Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12:2 NIV)

  • Do You Have Transmision Problems?

    God, prayer, guidance, inspirationOne evening I pulled into our driveway and was surprised when my vehicle would no longer move forward. Before you ask, it wasn’t because I bumped into the building!

    Eventually the vehicle did move but there was a resistance that felt like something was holding it back. The brake wasn’t engaged so the problem had to be with the transmission. Once it was serviced, everything was good again.

    This made me think of times I’ve been moving full speed ahead in my life and suddenly felt a resistance that stopped me in my tracks. Looking back, I realize this was caused by a different kind of transmission problem. It had nothing to do with a motor, but with a message that was being transmitted to me.

    Many times I have set my own course and not stopped to pray about it. God has been patient with me when I made mistakes that wouldn’t have occurred if I had been relying on him. When it feels like something is holding me back, I need to stop and evaluate if this is God’s way of letting me know I’m not heading in the right direction.

    He is always willing to forgive my disobedience and set my life back on track. By being tuned into his transmission of love and guidance my journey of life will be much smoother.

    Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight! Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of guilt, whose lives are lived in complete honesty! (Psalm 32:1-2 NLT)

  • Election Issues

    God, inspiration, heaven, compassionAlberta, the province I live in, has just gone through a Provincial election. On voting day I worked in a polling station. Most people were in good spirits during the day and I enjoyed the atmosphere. There were a few issues, though.

    Many people who arrived to vote had not been previously registered. Perhaps they had just reached the legal age for voting. In some cases, people had recently moved so were not listed for their current area. In order to register new voters we needed identification with their current address on it. Many people had not brought identification with them. They were either upset or disappointed that they were not able to register and vote unless they returned with the needed information.

    I came home feeling grateful that there are no elections in the kingdom of heaven. God doesn’t require us to provide documents to prove that we reside with him. There is no need to line up and vote to choose a leader. My leader remains constant, never changing. I have complete confidence that God has compassion for each of us and will take care of our needs.

    The Lord is good to everyone and has compassion for everything that he has made. (Psalm 145:9 GWT)

    “I issue a decree that in every part of my kingdom people must fear and reverence the God of Daniel. “For he is the living God and he endures forever; his kingdom will not be destroyed, his dominion will never end.” (Daniel 6:26 NIV)

    Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. (Hebrews 13:8 NIV)

  • Free Samples

    samples-and-couponsMy husband and I attended a gluten-free expo recently. The majority of the booths had samples of products for us to try. This gave us the opportunity to taste items before we made a decision to purchase them.

    Some things, like Portobello mushroom jerky, were interesting but one bite was enough for me. Others, like the cinnamon sugar donuts were treats I could have eaten much more of.

    The booths with the longest lineups were the one giving away sample packages to take home. We added pasta, crackers, chips, popcorn and bars to our tote bags. Coupons to receive a discount on some of our favourite products were also appreciated.

    Attending this expo reminded me of life. Each day I am presented with new experiences to try. Some are sweet, some are nutty and others leave a bitter taste in my mouth. My task is to sample the experiences that are presented to me and to find value in all of them.

    The gifts that God has given me are far more valuable than a box of pasta. Yet, they are freely given and I don’t have to stand in line to receive them. The investment I need to make is not like the money I need to spend in order to use coupons. What I need to do is to invest my faith in God. This not only pleases him but also produces benefits far greater than I deserve.

    And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. (Hebrews 11:6 NIV)

  • Frost Heaves of Life

    frost-heaveThere is a creek close to my house with a paved path that runs alongside it. Many people enjoy walking and biking along this path.

    This spring when the weather warmed, removing all traces of frost from the ground, a hole appeared in a low-lying area of the pavement. Over a period of several weeks the hole became so large that a portion of the path had to be closed.

    My understanding is that the damage was the result of a frost heave. When the ice crystals in the ground melted, the ground became soft.  This undermined the surface, causing collapse.

    My life has sometimes suffered this same kind of effect. There have been times when bitterness or hurt feelings have caused my heart to grow cold. This frostiness permeated my life and soon my demeanor was bleak and cold.

    The act of forgiveness was able to melt the ice and warm my heart again. What I needed to remember was the damage the frost had done. It had undermined the loving kindness I wanted to exhibit. Repairs to relationships didn’t happen instantly.

    Over time, as I let the light of Jesus shine in and through me, his radiance filled in the hollow spaces. What had once been undermined was now restored. The warmth of his love was then able to overflow and spread peace in my life and to those around me.

    “‘“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.”’(Numbers 6:24-26 NIV)

  • Don’t Miss the Boat

    trust, God, opportunities, adventureMy daughter and I were going on the trip of a lifetime. We were heading off on a Caribbean cruise. Neither of us had ever cruised before so this was an exciting new experience.

    Our flights were booked to ensure we would arrive in plenty of time to board the ship. We would fly all night and arrive in San Juan, Puerto Rico early the next morning. It looked like there would be time to do an island tour before going to the ship.

    On departure day we arrived at the airport to discover that our flight was delayed. This meant that we couldn’t make our connecting flight. The solution offered to us would allow us to board the ship just before the deadline. I was concerned that this would be cutting things a little too close so asked the airline agent to look for a better alternative. She replied, “If you let them know you’ll be late, won’t they hold the ship for you?” We told her that this was just not done, and my daughter added, “I don’t want to miss the boat.”

    Metaphorically, there have been times in my life that I have ‘missed the boat’. Sometimes I have taken so long to make a decision that the option I wanted was no longer available. Other times I didn’t believe in myself enough to go for the opportunity that was presented.

    What I have learned is that I need to embrace each new day. The challenges and opportunities that I face are there for a reason. God is in control and wants me to trust in him and not my own limited understanding. By following him, even though I may not understand where he is leading or why, I won’t have to worry about ‘missing the boat’ for my life.

    Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight(Proverbs 3:5,6 NIV)

  • It’s Called What?

    Dragonflies, Snowdrifts, & Spice CakeMy second book, Dragonflies, Snowdrifts and Spice Cake has just been released. Although I’m very happy with the title, it’s not the one I had originally chosen.

    This collection of writings came about through reflecting on ordinary, everyday things and finding inspiration in them. For that reason I had decided on Moments of Reflection for the title.

    While attending a conference I was telling a fellow writer about the book I was working on. She asked what I was going to call it and when I told her, the response was not what I expected. She said that title was too boring!

    I could have been offended at her remark but chose instead to be grateful for her honesty. She suggested combining some of the story titles into the book title. It took months of brainstorming to come up with a combination I liked but the feedback I’ve received lets me know I made the right decision.

    What I have learned from this is that when someone disagrees with me I have two options. I can take offense and feel rejected or I can listen to what they have to say and gain valuable insight.

    By restraining my desire to defend my point of view I am able to keep silent and listen. This provides new possibilities for me to consider. I pray daily for wisdom and guidance and God may be using the words of someone else to bring that to me.

    The one who has knowledge uses words with restraint, and whoever has understanding is even-tempered. Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent, and discerning if they hold their tongues. (Proverbs 17:27-28 NIV)

  • How To View The Parade

    God, life , beginning from the endGenerally when I watch a parade it is from a street level. I stand with the crowd of spectators and watch it go by. Although I have a view of what is in front of me, not much more than that can be seen.

    A few times in my life I have actually been in a parade. The view that I get then is not of the parade itself, but of the spectators. It is a unique perspective.

    Sometimes I’ve watched a parade on television. As well as close-ups of various parts of the parade, there is usually another angle shown. It is interesting to see from above with a birds-eye view. This gives a much broader scope. Occasionally from this vantage point the whole parade, from beginning to end, can be seen.

    This is a good analogy for life. I can only see what is happening presently in my life. The whole picture is not available. There is no way for me to see my entire life.

    God is the one who can see the beginning and the end. He knows the routes I need to take and has far more knowledge of my steps than I do. For this reason I need to give him control. This parade route called life will be so much better when the one who sees all is leading me.

    The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.              (Psalm 32:8 NLT)

  • Not Easily Ruffled

    harmony, Jesus, inspirationThree women were visiting and the conversation turned to summer clothing. We talked about shopping for sun dresses and the fact that many of them had ruffles.
    We all agreed that this was not a style we felt comfortable in. As we parted ways, one turned and said, “I guess we’re just not easily ruffled!”

    The play on words brought laughter but the phrase stuck in my mind.
    If I am easily ruffled that means I get it doesn’t take much to get me upset. The definition for ruffle is to destroy the smoothness or evenness of …

    When I take on too many things or don’t allow myself enough time the smoothness of my life becomes disturbed. In other words, I become ruffled. This is a position I find myself in more often that I like to admit.

    The best way to combat this is to slow down and re-evaluate what is important in my life. I have found that I can achieve this by starting each day with Jesus. His love is at work in my life and when I am in harmony with him things flow much more smoothly. By letting him guide me I will not be easily ruffled.

    Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12:2 NIV)