What Heaven Smells Like

A delightful fragrance enveloped me. Looking around the foyer I spotted the perfume’s fount.  A dozen or so Easter lily’s huddled together, exuding their potent, sweet scent.  I couldn't resist. Bending down, I poked my nose into one of the large white trumpet shaped flowers and inhaled, deeply. Again and again. Is this what heaven will smell like? I wondered.

Throughout the day that question played in my mind.  So I did a Google search.

I discovered Scripture is full of imagery of what God looks like or sounds like. Tabernacle incense is mentioned, but what about heaven’s scent?  

When a panel of adults was asked, "What does heaven smell like?" they mentioned, "freshly baked bread, an ever-flowing river of chocolate, freshly roasted coffee, the smell of barbecue on a hot summer day." Kids commented, "bubble gum, hot dogs, spaghetti or pizza."

9 Ways to Put “Spring” in A Sagging Spirit

I’m ready for Spring! How about you?

Let's give our sagging spirits a sunny lift!

1.     Do something nice for yourself… without feeling selfish. Relax in a bubble bath, don your kitchen table with fresh flowers, enjoy lunch with a friend. Anyone like chocolate?  Check out dark chocolate’s sweet benefits: http://www.everydayhealth.com/info/v1t01/benefits-of-dark-chocolate?Msid=|sCV7czmSX|&gclid=COD_hf3gsLwCFWIV7AodggwA5Q&xid=g_dlp-

                  If you love yourself well, you’ll love others, well. (Mark 12:31)

2.      Exercise. Regardless of age or fitness level, studies show that exercise provides serious mental benefits. For one, it releases endorphins, which create feelings of happiness and euphoria.  My husband and I squeeze water aerobics, (H2Obics) into our busy schedule. Our productivity and energy level has increased!  Read “13 Mental Health Benefits of Exercise” http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/27/mental-health-benefits-exercise_n_2956099.html

3.     Encouragement For me, giving gifts wakes me up inside, like watching heart-warming Frank Capra movies. A text message, an email, or a card can be a gift…every single word. If you weren’t born with the gift of encouragement, the great Encourager says He will give you His words to sustain those around you. (Isaiah 50:4)

Even rich and famous people experience pleasure, giving encouragement. Super bowl quarterback, Russell Wilson, frequents hospitals, encouraging patients. He tells the hospital staff, “Give me the person in the worst condition.”

First thing in the morning, ask Jesus, “Who may need encouragement?”

Rescued from Satan's Grip

You and I will face death one day. After death, either an eternity of heaven or hell awaits us.  The good news is that Christ came to set us free from hell. Free from the fear of death. Debra tells, in this true story, how her husband was rescued from Satan’s grip.      

For many years I prayed for Brian’s soul to be saved. The week before his death my worn faith had nearly given up. But God didn't.

The afternoon before my husband died, my sister, Pam, joined me at Brian’s bedside. When I fell asleep on the couch, Pam asked the Holy Spirit to fill our home. At that moment, a white dove perched on the bird feeder, tap-tap-tapping the bay window and it was peering in at Brian. Pam gasped. Then she heard, “It’s OK. He’s mine.”

Never before or since had a white dove come near our house. A white dove symbolizes peace and love. Spiritually speaking, it’s a sign from the Holy Spirit.

That evening fear tormented my husband. Horror distorted his face. He stared at the ceiling wide-eyed, his arms flinging upward to protect himself. Brian couldn't talk when I asked him what he saw. Gently squeezing his hand calmed him, but only until the next terrifying vision. Would Brian spend eternity in this frame of mind, I asked God. I told Brian I loved him and said good night. To my amazement, he said “good-night,” the only words he had spoken in two days.

Failure is Not Fatal

I was tempted and I failed. 

At my daughter’s diving meet I saved “bleacher seats” before leaving the pool. After the long intermission, my husband and I returned, and our sweaters, occupying our saved space, lay squished between two spectators.

  

I entertained two thoughts. 1. Those seats were saved!  2. That’s ok, we’ll find other seats. Unfortunately, I dwelled on number one.  Irritation boiled and provoked my pride. Pride magnified this slight injustice into a colossal violation.

I’ll just squeeeeze in there. Afterall, we were here first. Without excusing myself, I forced a place between two large women.

The lady on my left frowned. “If you want to sit here, why don’t you just ask?”

  
Half-smiling, I motioned, “I had these seats saved, you know.”

    
She threw me a dirty look and a built an invisible wedge between us.  

    
“I’m sorry for cramping you,” I mumbled and scurried to a nearby wall to stand with other parents.

  
 I didn’t really feel sorry at that moment; it just seemed like the appropriate thing to say. But shortly after, I began to feel lousy. I had failed. I knew my thoughts, words and deed missed the mark of Christ-likeness. I had disobeyed the Holy Spirit’s gentle nudge to overlook the situation and move on.

A Breathtaking Verse

 “From the fullness of His grace we have all received one blessing after another” (John 1:16.) Grace is a gift.  Our heavenly Father is the giver. We don’t earn grace. We don’t deserve it. We don’t bring it about.

I used to believe God reserved blessings for deserving people. That the most deserving received bigger blessings!  That a person’s merit persuaded God. If my prayer life impressed God, if I attended church, memorized Scripture, or read my Bible, I could earn a heap of blessings.

 Then I discovered some breathtaking truths about grace. They crushed my humanistic ideas. God’s grace exceeds reason and logic. His generous blessings reach beyond my computation. If I am to embrace and enjoy His infinite goodness, I must stop believing that I must earn it.

The Cure for Criticism

I whisked through the airport lobby toward my car. I had parked my Hyundai at the curbside because my mother clearly needed help pulling her luggage to check-in. My impulsive good deed framed me a criminal.

     

When the airport door slid open, I froze. A monstrous, heavy metal chain hooked to my car’s front bumper slowly tugged my car onto the tow truck’s ramp.

Another accelerated “vroom” sent me running toward the woman police officer.

“This is my car! What are you doing?” I panted; my face red with embarrassment.

She stood stoically silent. Then the white-bearded tow truck driver confronted me.

“You’re illegally parked. We’re towing your car away.” For him, it was a done deal.

I turned to the police woman, pleading and mildly demanding. “You can’t tow my car away. I’m here!”

Meet 'Miss Noboby'

 

Thea's 80th birthday celebration
in our home!

   “Let's visit the old people!”

     My husband and I had reached Shawnee Garden’s nursing center, our one-mile walking landmark, where we usually turn around and go home.

John resisted, “I’m wearing jogging shorts!”  

“Elderly people don’t care what you’re wearing. They’re lonely; they only want someone to talk to.” John consented.

    After introducing ourselves to the receptionist, we walked down a long corridor where one small framed woman, crouched over in her wheel chair, stared ahead. Hmm…I wonder if her mind is as shriveled as her body.

     “Hi, I’m Pam.” She returned a skeptical look for our smiles. “I’m Thea,” she responded, gruffly.

Thea’s thick German accent aroused our curiosity, triggering a string of questions. She methodically shared pieces of her life story.

Thea grew up in Munich, Germany, during Hitler’s cruel reign. Sometimes she hid for days from the Gestapo. “I still dream of bombs exploding.” One explosion left Thea unconscious and seriously injured.

What Do You REALLY Need?

My needs change daily. Friends tell me I need to go on a cruise. Compelling online messages inform me I need the newest spring fashions, Botox, a steak dinner, a massage, and better toys and apparel for my pet!  Last week, peering out my window, I complained, “I need sunshine!”

Sound superfluous? How about these needs expressed by women friends? “I need the man of my dreams, a baby, more intimacy with my husband, friendship, healing, a successful ministry, more money.” Needs are as numerous and diverse as people in the world.

What do you really need?
                                                                                                                                                         

Many years ago, I discovered a shocking truth in God’s Word: “I lack nothing!” (Psalm 23:1) Because God is all-knowing, all-powerful, and all-caring; He is enough. He is sufficient. With Him I need nothing else! (Psalm 73:25-26)  So, why do I sometimes become burdened, sometimes driven, by an “I need” mentality?