Midweek Morsel: Missed Opportunities, Silver Linings

June 20, 2013 by 5 Comments

Sometimes we let opportunities pass right by us. A few weeks ago, I wrote about seizing opportunities God sends our way, and I’m a firm believer in trying to do just that. However, for whatever reason, sometimes we miss out on them. And if you’re like me, you kick yourself over and over again for your goof up.

Instead of dwelling on what we missed, let’s find and focus on a silver lining to the botched opportunity. For example, I’ve failed to have my camera battery charged at times when I could have captured some awesome photos of unusual bird sightings in my back yard. When this happens, I try to remind myself that there can be a silver lining. Instead of focusing on taking photos, I’m now free to simply enjoy the sight and revel in the beauty of the moment.

Let’s not wallow in regret–even when the consequences of our failures are more serious than missed photos. Let’s choose to look for the positive. Spotting the silver linings can keep us looking up and moving forward.

“. . . if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” Philippians 3:8

*What silver lining have you noticed after a missed opportunity? You might also like to read other perspectives on missed opportunities and foul-ups.

*Flickr photo by ninja gecko

Filed Under: blessing, disappointment, frustration, mistake, opportunity

A Painful Mercy

June 17, 2013 by 7 Comments

Sometimes God says no to our most earnest requests. We plead, we bargain, we pour out our hearts’ deepest desire and still he doesn’t give us the answer we long for. Other times his answer is wait. And sometimes we’ve already waited an excruciatingly long time as it is.

These answers of no and wait—and wait some more—can really hurt. After all, we’re not talking about casual, wouldn’t-it-be-nice kinds of requests. We’re talking about earnest requests. Requests born of desperation, heartache, and deep need. So when our deepest desires are not granted, the accompanying pain and disappointment run deep as well.

What we may not realize is that God’s painful no or wait  may in fact be a painful mercy. He alone knows all the results a yes might bring. He alone knows the future. When it appears he’s withholding our heart’s desire, he instead may be saving us from an even greater grief.

Many of you know that our family has been experiencing a season of waiting for quite some time now. During this period, the answer no has been our portion time and again. We’ve dealt with heartache over and over and have not understood why God is answering the way he is.

But what if we—and what if you in your situation—could see into the future, could see what God sees. Maybe our family would see a turn of events that would be more devastating than the current answer of no or keep waiting. How about you? What might you see in your future? I think we all might see that God’s no may in fact be a painful mercy.

It all boils down to trust, doesn’t it? Even when the answers we want don’t come, will we trust God? Will we continue to believe that he loves us and has good things in store for us? Will we acknowledge that he may be planning to give us something even better than our original request?

Don’t get me wrong—trust is not a pat answer. Trust doesn’t negate the pain. But it does bring peace. It does keep hope alive. It does acknowledge that God alone knows the future and that he will indeed walk with us through times of painful mercy.

“Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.” Psalm 9:10

*Have you experienced a painful mercy in your life?

*Flickr photo by minniemouseaunt

Filed Under: disappointment, grief, mercy, prayer, trust, wait Tagged With: , , ,

Midweek Morsel: Encourage Someone Today

May 15, 2013 by 3 Comments

We all go through them. Periods of discouragement. A day, a week , a month when we feel like we’re not making any headway. We wonder if what we’re doing is making a difference. We may even contemplate giving up.

Different things cause discouragement for different people. For writers, discouragement tries to move in when rejection letters come or when blog and newsletter readership doesn’t grow or—oh, the horror—declines. It can also happen when we put our words out there but then don’t hear any feedback from readers.

One of these things alone may not send us spiraling downward, but let the blows come one on top of another, and you may find us in a corner clutching our blankies.

You know what can change our whole outlook, though—writers as well as everyone else? A simple word of encouragement or appreciation. Such a gesture boosts our spirits and provides the renewed energy we need to keep pressing on. Such a gesture makes all the difference.

“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:11

*How has someone encouraged you recently? Who can you encourage today?

*My photo

*Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter, came out May 1st. It’s not too late to receive. Sign up is free and to the right!

*Don’t forget to come over and “like” my new Cheryl Barker, Writer page on Facebook. I think you’ll enjoy it!

Filed Under: cheer, disappointment, encouragement, giving, refresh, writing

Abandoned

September 12, 2012 by 4 Comments

Remember the robin who stayed focused and built her nest in spite of my interloping presence? I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but something went wrong.

I’m not sure what happened. She faithfully sat on her eggs during the height of the heat wave. She watched over her nest and tongue-lashed other birds who came too close. When she wasn’t in the nest, she never seemed far away or gone for long.

When we left for vacation, I wondered if the sound of baby birds would greet us on our return. But no—no cheep-cheep-cheeps could be heard. No little upturned beaks gaped wide for a meal from momma.

Instead, momma bird was there, still faithfully sitting on the nest, still panting through the heat. I was glad I’d be on hand for the hatching. Glad I’d get to witness the birth of new life.

But one morning a few days after our return, the momma bird wasn’t in her nest. I thought it odd but not too unusual. When I checked that evening, again she was gone.

The next day the empty nest met me once more as I made my rounds. Now I feared something was indeed wrong. No sight of the momma bird in the days that followed confirmed my suspicions. The nest had been abandoned.

What would cause such a faithful and focused momma to walk away—or fly away, as in this case? More than likely, something happened to the eggs. I don’t know anything about the viability of birds’ eggs, but I suspect the unrelenting heat was the culprit. What a disappointment—for the momma bird and for me as well.

Poor momma bird. I wonder how long past the normal time she waited, hoping to see her babies pecking their way out into the world. I wonder how many hot days she soldiered through, doing all in her power to succeed. I wonder how she knew it was time to move on.

Some of us have had plans and projects that didn’t work out. A few of us may be in the midst of one right now. We’ve worked faithfully and done all we know to do. We’ve kept trying, and we’ve waited—and then waited some more. We finally reach a point when we know it’s over, when we know it’s time to move on.

Our hearts, heavy with the disappointment of an unfulfilled dream, sometimes want to cling to the pain and nurse our wounds. And that’s okay for a time. But like the momma bird, we need to abandon the dashed plans and move forward to what life has to offer now.

We’ll certainly learn from the experience and grow stronger, but for now—for today—it’s time to lift our eyes to the future and fly away.

“I lift my eyes to the hills—where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.” Psalm 121:1-2

*Have you ever had to fly away from one of your hopes or dreams? Did a future blessing await you?

Filed Under: disappointment, dream, focus, hope, nature, wait

When God Changes Our Plans

June 13, 2012 by 11 Comments

We started planning it last summer, my sisters and I. A mother-daughter trip to be held this June for just Mom and us four girls. Our first ever. And if truth be told, probably the only one that will ever happen, given Mom’s age and the difficulty of coordinating everyone’s schedules.

When my sister Debbie from Phoenix was back home last July, the ideas started flying. All sorts of exciting locations were mentioned as possibilities, but the first thing to be decided was the time of year that would work best for everyone. After Debbie returned home, the discussion continued via email. The final consensus was June.

Next came selecting a location. After praying for God’s direction, we considered a number of factors, everything from the weather to distance to expense. I wanted to go big, to possibly go somewhere I’d never been before, but after taking everything into consideration, we decided on a location just a few hours away from the majority of us. Debbie would have to fly, of course.

With a location decided, finding accommodations then took center stage. We wanted a place where we could stay together and also have a living area to relax in. We checked the VRBO site (Vacation Rental By Owner—a wonderful way to find condos/homes for vacation) but ended up going with a hotel that had suites.

We also talked about activities, sights to see, and a few restaurants and had a pretty good idea of what we wanted to do during our time together. We even made plans to have our own little Sunday morning share session like our “Church in a Condo” time that Don and I enjoyed with our kids on vacation last summer. We were all set.

But you know what? God changed our plans. He allowed a crisis to come up. Last week we had to cancel our trip at the last minute.

Were we disappointed? Of course. We had been planning it for a year—and we haven’t seen Debbie since last summer. But in the midst of the disappointment, we are at peace. God loves us and we can trust him. He has us all exactly where we need to be right now. And after all, resting in him—resting in his will—is the best place we can be.

“Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” Proverbs 19:21

*When has God changed your plans?

*Flickr photo by the Italian voice

*Note: I changed the title of my blog to more accurately reflect my tagline and brand. If you have my link listed on your blogroll, would you please change it to read simply “Cheryl Barker”? Thanks!

Filed Under: change, disappointment, family, travel, trust
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