Dear Ones,
Happy Holiday weekend? Hope your long weekend is full of some relaxing times. Today is Party Day here so we are going to delay going to the “Silver Chateau” (cabin) until tomorrow morning and then spend the night and have time with family.
Devotions from Judy’s heart
Every day we make decisions, and our choices determine how we are going to spend our time, if we are going to obey the promptings of the Holy Spirit, if we are going to be loving to those around us etc. Don’t we wish we could wave a magic wand and do it all perfectly but of course we often fail. At the end of the day as we turn in for the night, we may have regrets and wish we had made different choices and had more loving responses.

We need to have patience with ourselves as well as, patience with others for we don’t become spiritually mature overnight. We are in process and spiritual growth takes time. As I looked out my window while writing one morning, I saw tall colorful flowers blooming and so beautiful; but I also remembered when I previously looked out at little piles of black dirt that received the seeds and took so long to grow. During that time, hope was needed, sunshine, lots of water and tending of the weeds to produce this beautiful array of flowers.

Aren’t our hearts like that as seeds are planted in us while we read the Word, listen to sermons, fellowship with others and spend time in prayer?  We don’t all of a sudden become mature and do everything right. It takes time and patience and when we fail again, we don’t give up. We can ask the Holy Spirit to break up any clods of sin in our hearts, spend time in the sunshine of His presence, let the water of His word saturate us and gradually we grow. We may get excited when we see a bud appear as we know the seeds within are growing. Like it says in Isaiah 35:2 may we be “Like the crocus in spring, bursting into blossom, a symphony of song and color.”

Challenge for today: Be patient but responsive to the Lord’s transformation process.
Blessings on your holiday weekend and prayers and love, Judy