Time With Tandy

Inspirational author and speaker

Time With Tandy

Inspirational author and speaker

Tag: nature

  • Muddy Waters

    We had spent several days walking along the shore enjoying the heat of the sun and the clear waters lapping on the sand.

    God, appreciation, lifeThen a north wind blew in. The sea frothed with white caps as it crashed to shore. The sand and debris that it stirred up rode in on the waves. Our once clear water was now muddied.

    Before the wind, people swam on this beach without encountering seaweed. Now I was amazed to see the volume of it being carried to shore. Where had it all come from?

    This was a strong visual of what my life can be like. One day I can be walking in the sun, enjoying my peaceful life. The next day I can be hit with a storm that strews garbage all around me. Some of this may be unexpected, like the seaweed. Others might have been hidden well below the surface, like the debris churned up from the bottom of the sea. Out of sight, out of mind is a saying that comes to mind. Either way, I am caught off guard, my tranquility now a distant memory.

    When I remember that God can make all things work together for my good, I know I will survive this. He will guide me safely through the muddy waters. When I once again reach the crystal clear waters and serenity, I will have a new appreciation for the life I’ve been given.

    And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28 NIV)

  • Hiding in Plain View

    trust, God, inspirationWe were walking along the beach when my husband suddenly stopped and looked at the sand behind him. He pointed out a small crab. It was very still and blended well with the surroundings, making it difficult to see.

    I commented on his good vision at spotting the crab. He said his foot had brushed it and he’d felt the scurry. He’d stopped so he could see what had caused this.

    For the crab, being able to hide in plain view is a method of self-protection. This ability helps to keep it safe from predators.

    I thought of how I have used this method of self-protection in my life. I’ve done this when I’ve been in uncomfortable situations or ones in which I feel threatened. At these times I withdraw and do my best to blend into the background. In effect I am attempting to make myself invisible to those around me.

    The result is feelings of isolation. This is not what I want and is definitely not comfortable.

    When I remember that my value does not come from others but from God I am much happier. I turn my focus to the fact that God knows me intimately and still loves me unconditionally. From him there is no hiding, nor does there ever need to be.

    Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe. Proverbs 29:25 NIV

    When I am afraid I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise – in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me? Psalm 56:3,4 NIV

  • From the Vineyard

    Jesus, inspiration, lesson, assisting
    picture from rgbstock.com
    Someone who had been visiting Europe told a story about the wine in a particular country. It seems that they made very good white wine but the red wine was terrible. The red grapes that could be grown there were not suitable for wine making.

    In order to get good grapes for the white wine, both red and green grapes had to be planted. They were in alternating rows; one row of red, the next of green and so on. The red grapes were discarded afterwards, but something about having them grow next to the green grapes made the green ones better.

    It was interesting to think of half of the crop being unusable. It was only planted to make the other half better.

    My husband and I talked about this and about how it could also relate to our lives. Sometimes our sole purpose is to assist someone else in achieving their potential. That means I can still add value even though I didn’t think I was doing anything outstanding on my own.

    To me, the lesson of this story is that it’s not all about me. Sometimes I need to put myself aside and focus on helping others become the best that they can be.
    This must be what Jesus meant in the Bible when he said, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” I need to adhere to this and trust that when the time is right he will send someone to come alongside me to assist me in reaching my full potential.

    Jesus replied, “‘You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ Matthew 22:37-39 NLT

  • Snowsqualls

    Storms, Jesus, safety, reliance
    image from globalnews.ca
    I had heard of squalls before but generally thought of them as sudden winds coming up on the water. They were something boaters had to be wary of.
    Our weather report called for a snowsquall. Since this was something I was unfamiliar with, I decided to do a little research.

    According to Wikipedia, “A snowsquall is a sudden moderately heavy snow fall with blowing snow and strong gusty surface winds. It is often referred to as a whiteout and is similar to a blizzard but is localized in time in space and snow accumulations may or may not be significant.”

    Essentially, what this told me is that we will be hit with sudden winds and blowing snow producing conditions that make it difficult, if not impossible to see what’s in front of us. As if that wasn’t bad enough, we have no idea if it will leave significant accumulations to clean up after.

    When I examine this, I can see parallels to my life. There have been times I’ve had the emotional equivalent of a snowsquall. Suddenly I’ve been hit with unexpected gusts that make it difficult to focus on taking the next step forward. I have no idea what the fallout may be. Will I have a huge mess to clean up or will the storm temporarily throw me off-balance but leave me unscathed?

    I have learned that the way I handle these squalls has a direct result in how well I come through them. Left to my own devices, I tend to panic. It’s easy to get turned around, confused and end up creating bigger fallout for myself.

    When I walk with Jesus, the results are much different. He doesn’t keep me from the storms. Some of them are necessary for my personal growth. By calling out to him, I know that he will calm me and guide me safely through. I will come out not only intact but stronger due to what I’ve gone through. I don’t need to see the outcome, just Jesus by my side to have the reassurance that everything will be alright,

    “Your strength will come by settling down in complete dependence on me – the very thing you’ve been unwilling to do.” Isaiah 30:15B The Message

  • Sundogs

    God, Jesus, shine, beauty, inspirationA friend and I were traveling in northern Alberta. It was just after 8 am and a very chilly -19°C. She was driving and I was enjoying the beauty of the snow-covered landscape under a clear blue sky. As we rounded a bend, I witnessed something I’d never seen before. I said to my friend, “Look at the sky. It looks like a rainbow that is going straight up and down.” She told me it was a sundog. She had seen them before but never as vibrant as this one.

    It seemed to come down from the sky, stretch across the frozen fields and reach right out to us. It was phenomenal to observe it cast its coloured hues across the trees and buildings we passed. There was nowhere to pull over to take a photo, so we etched this image into our memories as we thanked God for providing this visual gift for us.

    Later I researched sundogs and found that they are a member of a large family of halos, created by light interacting with ice crystals in the atmosphere. I saw several pictures of them online, but none as breathtakingly beautiful as the one we had seen.

    If God can create such splendor by shining the light of the sun through icy skies, I wonder what he can do in my life. When I allow the light of his son, Jesus, to shine into my cold life, there is no telling what beauty he can produce. My life becomes bright and reflects his glory. This can create a radiance that can not only be seen by others, but will point them back to him. When I live my life in a way to reflect the light and love of Jesus, I too, will shine like a sundog in the frozen atmosphere.

    When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12 (NIV)

  • Transformation

    transformation, Jesus, inspirationMy son enjoys bringing flowers to his wife. One bouquet contained something unexpected that kept the whole family enthralled. Attached to one of the stems was a chrysalis or cocoon.

    My granddaughters were fascinated to have this nature lesson right in their house. The first day it was a clear sac with a smooth green caterpillar inside. On the following day, this sac held a black shriveled version of the caterpillar. The transformation had begun and the excitement was mounting.

    Day by day they checked to see what was happening. The cocoon remained clear enough that the contents could be seen. No change was visible in the shriveled black creature inside. The transformation was happening deep within and not where human eyes could see.

    This reminded me of a transformation that occurred in my life. The Lord took my good life and changed it into something so much better. This was also done on the inside, where no eye could see. My heart became more loving. I became more accepting. As the changes occurred, I was able to give more and more of my life to Jesus. He has taken my willing heart and is transforming it into something that can be used for his glory. The metamorphosis is not yet complete. I am excited to see what he has in store for me next.

    And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:18 NIV

  • Taking Time

    God, rest, peaceful, natureIt was one of the last official days of summer. My husband and I both had many things to do that day. Instead, we decided to go out and enjoy the beautiful weather while we could.

    Our trailer is only an hour away so we made our escape and headed to it. After a quick lunch we went for a long walk along the shore of the lake and through the trees. The sun warmed our backs as we enjoyed the stillness and the variety of bird songs. It was very peaceful and I stopped several times to capture the beautiful surroundings with my camera.

    Other commitments called, not allowing us to spend the night in our little piece of paradise. However, the few hours we enjoyed away renewed us. We headed home better equipped to step back into our busy lives.

    Taking the time to rest with God is biblical. This is the example we followed as we walked and talked with God in the late summer sunshine. I understand what the psalmist meant when he said:

    “The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name.” Psalms 23:1-3 NLT

  • Mushrooms

    contasct, God, attractive lifeAs a friend and I were walking along a path in the woods, we noticed a few mushrooms growing nearby. Once we started looking for them, many more of varying sizes and shapes were seen.

    My friend leaned closer to take a picture of one of the larger mushrooms. Wanting an unobstructed shot, she carefully moved a few blades of grass that were resting along the top of it. I was surprised to see the marks that the grass left in the surface of the mushroom. The light contact with the grass had left an impression which had changed the mushroom’s appearance.

    This made me think about things that I come in contact with in my life. Everything has the power to leave a permanent impression. It doesn’t have to be something large to alter the way others view me.

    Knowing this, I need to be aware of the influences in my life. Is it the positive or negative that will leave the impression? The more time I spend with God, the more His impression will be seen in me. His impression is what will make my life attractive to others.

    Don’t become like the people of this world. Instead, change the way you think. Then you will always be able to determine what God really wants – what is good, pleasing and perfect. Romans 12:2 GWT

  • Cattle Roundup

    peace, security, God
    photo from BIng.com
    My husband and I were driving along the highway that is the main corridor between Calgary and Edmonton. The traffic ahead started to slow and looked like it was coming to a standstill.

    It didn’t take long for us to find out the problem. Two calves were running down the middle of the highway. A couple of vehicles drove along the median to get in front of the calves. They then attempted to block their way, forcing them to move to the grassy verge and safety. The calves were obviously frightened and got around the truck that had parked sideways along the lanes. They kept running as other vehicles came alongside. The rescuers persisted and soon got the calves safely off of the highway.

    This rescue was not only interesting to watch, it also illustrated life lesson for me. Like these calves, I have occasionally found myself in a foreign and unsafe environment. God relentlessly pursued me to bring me to safety. There were times that, frightened, I keep running straight ahead, unaware of the rescue attempt. It was only by submitting to God that my peace and security were found. He is the one that sees what dangers may lie in my future. By staying close to God, there is less chance of straying. If I do take a wrong turn and end up where I shouldn’t be, I know that I only need call out and He will rescue me.

    We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; Isaiah 53:6 NIV

  • Dandelions

    spring, flowers, JesusSpring takes a long time to arrive in Southern Alberta. When it finally arrives, it makes up for lost time. In the span of a week, the trees were full of leaves and brightly coloured blossoms. The lawn was lush and green and we could practically watch it grow. The other sure sign of spring is the profusion of dandelions.
    The bright yellow flowers are a favourite for young children to pick. They look so pretty that it’s hard to remember that they are weeds. When the flower dies, the plant produces seeds. Dandelions can produce up to 20,000 seeds which are blown by the wind, landing somewhere they can germinate and grow. Left unchecked, a few dandelions can quickly spread. I may follow all measures to rid my lawn of dandelions, but if my neighbours do not do the same, I will be faced with many more of these weeds in the future.

    The same is true in my life. I know the things I need to do to keep my life running smoothly. Slowly I have let little weeds enter, feeling that they are small enough to not cause problems. Once I allow them to take hold, they put down roots, spread their seeds and multiply. Soon my life is overrun and I’m left wondering what happened.

    Jesus plants only good, fruitful seeds in my life. My responsibility is to nurture these seeds and not to allow the weeds to choke them out. By walking closely with Jesus, I can eliminate the weeds and live the fruitful life that he has planned for me.

    “Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.” Matthew 13:23 NKJV