God Can Make Our Accidents and Mistakes Shine

September 3, 2024 by Leave a Comment

Sometimes I capture my best photos by accident. I didn’t even realize I caught the cardinal above in flight until I checked the shot later. Woohoo! Gotta love it when accidents shine like that, huh?

Other times while trying to focus a shot, I take the picture prematurely. But every now and then, my mistake looks perfect. Evidently, the camera captures it in mid-focus at just the right moment. I can’t take credit for it, but I sure do celebrate it.

No, it’s not me that makes something good out of my foul-ups. God’s the one who can make my accidents or mistakes shine. And not just where photography’s concerned.

In spite of numerous parenting mistakes, God used my efforts and grew our daughters into the amazing women they are today. When it comes to marriage, God has kept Don and me together through all the ups and downs despite our many shortcomings. He even blesses with shining results in lesser things—like when my baking efforts hit an unexpected snag or when I take a wrong turn.

On a worldwide scale, we’ve all heard about inventions and medical discoveries that happened by accident. The world has benefited by penicillin for years now thanks to one of Dr. Fleming’s petri dishes that got contaminated with mold. God made that accident shine indeed, didn’t he?

Our accidents or mistakes may not have such far-reaching effect as penicillin, but isn’t it good to know that God can take our missteps—and even our sins—and make something good out of them? He is not only a great Creator, he is a great Redeemer as well. He can make us shine. And I sure do celebrate that.

“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’” 2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV

*When has God made an accident or mistake of yours shine?

*The next issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter with a giveaway in every regularly scheduled issue, will come out in early November. Sign-up is FREE. *Temporary problem with Life Notes sign-up. To sign up, just contact me.

*For info about my book Mother of the Bride check out my Books/My Work page.

*My photo

Filed Under: accident, action, celebrate, creation/creative/creator, encouragement, grace, help, life, mercy, mistake, new thing, photo fun, praise, redeem, refresh, shine, success, victory Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

God’s Countless Outfits of Beauty

August 16, 2022 by Leave a Comment

Outfits of Beauty

Beauty dresses in countless ways
With outfits never the same.
Sometimes she sweeps across the skies
With heaven’s own hues unfurled,
Other times she drapes the landscape
In breath-taking mountains majestic.
But sometimes beauty comes up close
Approaching on butterfly wings,
Granting a glance at her delicate side
Displaying miraculous design.
No end can be found
To the outfits of beauty
They’re as infinite as their Creator,
And he shares them all
With all of us—
His gift dressed in countless ways.

“How many are your works, LORD! In wisdom you made them all . . .” Psalm 104:24 NIV

*What outfits of beauty have you noticed lately?

*The current issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter with a giveaway in every regularly scheduled issue, came out earlier this month. It’s not too late to receive it. Sign-up is FREE. *Temporary problem with Life Notes sign-up. To sign up, just contact me.

*For info about my book Mother of the Bride and also my Wedding Inspiration cards, check out my Books/My Work page.

*My photo

Filed Under: Above and Beyond, beauty, blessing, creation/creative/creator, Gift, miracle, nature, poem, praise, treasure, variety Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

A Spring Poem: Morning Symphony

May 3, 2022 by Leave a Comment

Morning Symphony

Much is reborn in spring,
Among them the morning symphony.
Nature’s music long muffled
By cold days and closed windows
Now greets me with gladness again.

The sweetness of the birds’ songs
Sends my spirit soaring,
Those pure, clear notes that nature sings
Point me to the Creator
To the grand Conductor
Of the magnificent morning symphony.

The cheep-cheep-cheep, the caw, the coo
The sliding chords and yodels
Take their turns with who-whoo-whoos
And leave me marveling at the glory.

Other sounds add different layers
Add interludes and accents,
A dog’s frenzied barking, a chattering squirrel
A train whistling in the distance
All keep me guessing what more
The masterpiece holds this morning.

And then soon I hear
The flutter of wings
A bird whooshing by overhead,
Next chiming church bells create a chorus
To which I’m compelled to add my voice.

No two days exactly the same
New music unfolds with each sunrise,
The morning symphony no longer muffled,
The voice of God,
A life-giving melody
Renews and inspires my spirit.
Yes, much is reborn in spring.

“He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.” Psalm 40:3 NIV

*What do you like best about spring?

*The current issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter with a giveaway in every regularly scheduled issue, came out today. It’s not too late to receive it. Sign-up is FREE. *Temporary problem with Life Notes sign-up. To sign up, just contact me.

*For info about my book Mother of the Bride and also my Wedding Inspiration cards, check out my Books/My Work page.

*Flickr photo by Jacob McGinnis, Creative Commons License

Filed Under: creation/creative/creator, joy, life, listen, miracle, music, nature, new thing, praise, refresh, sounds, spring, variety Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

No Beauty By Accident

May 19, 2020 by Leave a Comment

During a visit to Mom and Dad’s several years ago, I woke early one morning and looked out the bedroom window. Sitting on the edge of the bed, I took a few moments and basked in the beauty of their then-backyard in the lush woodland hills of Missouri. The photo above shows part of what I saw, but my camera and photography skills don’t do it justice. They had a gorgeous view that was not only a treat for the eyes but for the spirit as well.

My thought that morning as I feasted on the scene before me? Beauty doesn’t happen by accident.

That’s right. No accidents in the world of nature. There is a Creator. Whether it’s the hills of Missouri, the beaches of Mexico, or the birds that sing outside my door each day, the beauty of the world around us proclaims the handiwork of a Master Designer.

Each one of us bears his signature as well “For we are God’s workmanship…” (Ephesians 2:10 NIV). And just as our outward beauty (yes, we are beautiful!) is no accident, our inner beauty doesn’t happen by accident either. The same Creator who sculpted the mountains and painted the seas will mold us into loveliness if we present ourselves to him and submit to his loving and all-wise touch.

Do we trust him? Are we ready to become the masterpiece he envisions? Let’s allow him to unleash his handiwork on the inside, too. After all, beauty doesn’t happen by accident.

“Yet, you LORD, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.” Isaiah 64:8 NIV

*What is beautiful about the masterpiece God has created in you?

*The current issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter with a giveaway in every regularly scheduled issue, came out earlier this month. It’s not too late to receive it. Sign-up is FREE and to the right! (If you’re on a mobile device, scroll to the bottom of the screen and click View Full Site to find it.)

*For info about my book Mother of the Bride and also my Wedding Inspiration cards, check out my Books/My Work page.

*My photo

Filed Under: accident, beauty, creation/creative/creator, family, miracle, nature, trust Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

My Father’s World

October 12, 2015 by 2 Comments

Fall 2011 284My Father’s world is an amazing place. The wonders of his creation never cease and never grow old. They inspire fresh worship every day. Not only did God create the magnificent world we live in, but he sustains it. And he alone is ruler.

The old hymn “This Is My Father’s World” beautifully expresses the miracle of God’s world. When I sing it my heart swells in worship. And gorgeous fall days provide the perfect backdrop to just such worship.

Let’s step outdoors this week and lift our voices in praise. Let’s sing to our Father about his amazing world!

This Is My Father’s World

“This is my Father’s world,
and to my listening ears
all nature sings, and round me rings
the music of the spheres.
This is my Father’s world:
I rest me in the thought
of rocks and trees, of skies and seas;
his hand the wonders wrought.

This is my Father’s world,
the birds their carols raise,
the morning light, the lily white,
declare their maker’s praise.
This is my Father’s world:
he shines in all that’s fair;
in the rustling grass I hear him pass;
he speaks to me everywhere.

This is my Father’s world.
O let me ne’er forget
that though the wrong seems oft so strong,
God is the ruler yet.
This is my Father’s world:
why should my heart be sad?
The Lord is King; let the heavens ring!
God reigns; let the earth be glad!” —Maltie D. Babcock

“The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it;” Psalm 24:1

*What in God’s creation are you enjoying this week?

*The next issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter, comes out in early November. Sign up is free and to the right!

*My photo

Filed Under: autumn, beauty, creation/creative/creator, music, nature, praise, worship Tagged With: , , , , ,