God Is In Control

GOD IS IN CONTROL

When I look into my backyard, I see rabbits, squirrels and birds.  Each of these animals are going about their business as if nothing is wrong.  All is right in their little corner of the world.  They’re eating the nuts and seeds and grass available to them.  Bluebirds have laid eggs and are awaiting the birth of their tiny babies.  They're all unaware that a dangerous virus is running rampant in our world.  They continue about their regular business of living in spite of the fact that the rest of the world is hiding in their homes, or fighting the enemy in the trenches of hospitals.

God is supplying their needs.  Is God supplying your needs?  Scripture tells us, “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” Philippians 4:19.  If God supplies the needs of His little creatures, will He not even more supply our needs?

There are a couple quotes from the past few days that I want to share from Sarah Young’s devotional book, Jesus Calling.  As if Jesus is speaking to you, He says, “When your focus is on My Presence, many things that once troubled you lose their power over you.  Though the world around you is messy and confusing, remember that I have overcome the world.  I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have Peace” (March 29 entry)

Jesus says to us, “I am taking care of you. Trust Me at all times. Trust Me in all circumstances. Trust Me with all your heart” (March 30 entry)

What a wonderful way to live.  Resting in Jesus – mmm…that sounds so soothing.  In these trying times in which we are living, knowing God is in control of everything and that He is with us is such a comfort. 

Isaiah 40 is a chapter crammed full of beauty and power and encouragement.  We are reminded, “The everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor is weary.  His understanding is unsearchable.  He gives power to the weak…those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint” 40:28-31.

"Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them.  Are you not of more value than they?  Matthew 6:26.

May God bless you and refresh your soul this day!

New Book

Ordinary Women - Extraordinary God

volume two

   In the picture above, taken on the island of Curacao, I'm standing among a garden of giant sunflowers.  My latest book, Ordinary Women - Extraordinary God, volume two, features a bouquet of sunflowers on the cover and a chapter about their significance.

    This new book features the stories of 16 ordinary women who trusted our extraordinary God on dark and difficult days in their lives, and came out stronger by the power of His grace.  As I write on the back of the book, it's my hope that you will see similarities in our paths and your path - and that you'll recognize that we are all in this together.  It's my hope that our stories will help encourage you to rely on the grace of God to get you through the tough battles in your own life.
    I've also included twelve inspirational chapters I've written that I hope will encourage and lighten your spirit.

     A print copy can be ordered at Amazon, or if you live near me, I have copies on hand for a reduced price.  The book is also available as an ebook through Kindle.  Click here to get onto the website:
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=sandra+julian+barker&ref=nb_sb_noss_1

     May God bless you as you turn to Him on both your best and worst days.  "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world" John 16:33.

     If you do read the book and like it, please, please write a review on Amazon.  Reviews are very important!  Thank you in advance (:

Eye of the Beholder

Eye of the Beholder

There are articles/lists online wherein the author has chosen famous places around the world which are considered by some to be "disappointments" when they're visited.  My husband showed me a couple of those sites this morning and I was struck by how differently people view things.  It reminds me of that old saying that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, a phrase coined back in 1878 by author Margaret Wolfe Hungerford.

The Eiffel Tower in Paris (pictured above) is one of the places listed as "disappointing."  I'll never forget the moment I first laid eyes on this magnificent tower.  My eyes filled with tears and I wept at its beauty and at the fact that I was able to stand in its shadow and see it with my own eyes.  It was an incredibly special moment.  There wasn't a shred of disappointment.  The trip to the top with its vast, sweeping view was also wonderful and well-worth it. 

The list also included the Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy as "disappointing" (pictured below).  How interesting, I thought, as I was reminded of two comments told to me by two different people some years ago.  When my sister Ava saw the Tower, she said she was so touched and overcome by emotion that tears filled her eyes.  That same year, a friend told me of her visit to the Tower and described it as a "ho-hum experience - not impressed."  These two women saw the exact same thing with the exact opposite responses.  By the way, I wasn't disappointed when I visited either!

While perception of beauty is somewhat subjective, perception of Truth should not be.  When I think of seeing a thing through the "eye of the beholder," I'm reminded of the many people who can look at the same statement written in God's Holy Word, the Bible, and they see it so differently.  I look at the stories in the book of Genesis as facts set forth by God with lessons to learn and truth to be believed, while others look at those same stories and consider them to be fables and fairy tales.  They also see salvation, heaven and hell as myths.

We can disagree on the value of visiting certain famous places around the world and it doesn't matter.  No harm done.  But, when you disagree on the Truth of God's Word, it does matter -- a lot!  There is great harm in not believing what God says about His Son and the salvation of the soul.  

In the gospel of John, Jesus says, "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" 8:32.  I have never been disappointed with God, nor with His Word.  There's a song about "beholding all his glory and His amazing grace."  I'm so thankful for each of us whose eyes are beholding His glory and amazing grace.  He is not a disappointment.

Springtime & Flowers

Springtime & Flowers

I just received an email from a dear friend in France and she sent this picture with a lovely bouquet of spring flowers - daffodils and hyacinths - all beautifully arranged in a stone jug and spotlighted by a sparkling ray of sunshine.  Thank you, Julie, for sharing a bit of France with us!

Here is the first stanza of a springtime poem by one of my favorite poets:

          A Prayer in Spring
            by Robert Frost
  Oh, give us pleasure in the flowers today;
  And give us not to think so far away
  As the uncertain harvest; keep us here
  All simply in the springing of the year.

With the "uncertain harvest" lying ahead of our world these days, let's simply enjoy the beauty of the springtime earth that God has blessed us with today.  Some photos I've taken in various places:

Tulips in Amsterdam

Mimosa Tree at the Norfolk Zoo.  

Marisa and I always enjoy these exotic feathery blossoms

Hydrangea flowers - in my yard

Love the dramatic, colorful snowball-like flowers

Bonaventure Cemetery in Savannah, Georgia

Water lily in a pond at The Villages, Florida

Butterfly sits on pretty pink blossom - Greenville, SC

Wild Roses at Hunter House, Norfolk, VA

Monarch butterfly on flower at New Bern, NC

Although not all of the flowers pictured are specifically "spring bloomers," they are all beautiful creations of our wonderful Father God.  As our poet friend Robert Frost prayed, Give us, O Lord, pleasure in the flowers today; and help us not to think into the uncertain future.  Keep our thoughts on what is here before us on this day that You have given us -- the first day of spring (my paraphrase).

Hope you enjoy the flowers.  Carpe diem - Seize the day!

 

Chrysler Museum Visit

A Visit to the Chrysler Museum

Since our world is currently in "lockdown," I thought it might be nice to enjoy a trip to the Chrysler Museum (which is,  unfortunately, closed at present) in Norfolk, VA.  It's an amazing place that I visit several times a year.  Even my grandkids enjoy viewing the interesting, beautiful, and sometimes quirky pieces of art.  Join us for a brief tour:

“Le Bal de la Mer” by Pablo Picasso in 1928

       My granddaughter strikes a pose in front of Picasso's interesting painting.  Two stick figures stand against a watery background – one holds a fish and stands on trident feet; the other bristles with shells.  What else do you see in the painting?

Hamlet Robot by Nam June Paik in 1996

Two of my granddaughters ponder the purpose of this quirky piece.  The artist used vintage television sets to represent Hamlet, the tragic Prince of Denmark in Shakespeare's play.  Note items that relate to the tragic prince.

Harvest Scene by Daniel Ridgway Knight - 1875

This is one of my favorite paintings in the Chrysler.  It literally glows, and the detail is wonderful.  It's a group of French peasants enjoying their midday meal as their rest from their labor.

War Time, by Briton Riviere in 1874

The old sheepherder abandoned his distant flock as he grieves and his faithful dog watches. The man holds a newspaper that reveals a report of the death of his son in battle.  This painting shows us how emotions can be so poignantly captured by a talented artist. 

Shepherd and His Flock, by Charles Emile Jacque in 1880

The shepherd flees with his flock the approaching storm, striding over the crest of a hill.  This reminds me of Psalm 23, that speaks of the Lord being our Shepherd and protecting us.

The Lunatic of Etretat, by Hagues Merle in 1871.

Here's one of those strange paintings that is actually disturbing.  The woman is so sad, she’s gone mad. She cradles a log, pretending it’s a baby.  What must have happened to her to cause such a break with reality?

The Broken Tambourine, by Thomas Crawford in 1855

Do you think this little boy got in trouble?  

The Goldfish Window, by Frederick Childe Hassam in 1916

An American Impressionist.  I like this peaceful scene.

The Angel Appearing to the Shepherds, by Thomas Cole 1835

This is Cole's largest painting, a magnificent piece that lets us glimpse the majesty of the scene that occurred over 2,000 years ago.  This is one of our favorite pieces in the Chrysler.  In the fullness of time, God sent His Son Jesus to become the perfect Lamb to redeem a lost world.  How fitting, that angels would announce this momentous birth to simple shepherds in the field.  The shepherds were the first to visit the Lamb of God on the night of His birth.

While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks, by Tiffany Studios in 1910  

I'll end with this fun piece that may just whet your appetite for more than a visit to an Art Museum

CB w/L, T and pickles 

(The cheeseburger, curly fries, plate, Coke with ice and straw)  by John Miller

Now, that's some realistic glasswork!  Bon appetit!

Fear

FEAR

        This painting by Edvard Munch, called The Scream, is a good illustration of Fear.  Although Larry is having a bit of fun miming the center of Munch's painting, Fear is a very serious emotion that haunts many, many people.

         Edvard Munch himself was one of those people.  In an exhibit on Munch at the Chrysler Museum in Norfolk, VA, it was written:  "Not only did he suffer from anxiety and panic attacks, he was tormented by paranoia, delusions, crippling grief and pronounced alcoholism."

         How very sad!  At least he used his art to help express his feelings and I hope that was of some comfort and help to him.  

          My granddaughter went with me to the recent exhibit and tried to capture a bit of Edvard's famous painting with her expression (below):

     She wrote a short piece to be added to a board on the wall of the exhibit, entitled "How can creative outlets help in the healing process?"  I was proud of the entry she added to the hundreds of others on the wall:

       At this particular time in our nation's experience, there seems to be a far greater climate of Fear than we've had since the Fears following the tragedy of 9-11.  I'm reminded of a wonderful Bible verses, written by Paul to Timothy, "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind" 1:7.

        As we go through the paces of dealing with an enemy we cannot even see (a tiny virus), God tells us to seek the power of the Holy Spirit, a heart of love and a sound mind about the future.  That sure beats a spirit of fear!

      Here's one more picture from a recent exhibit at the Chrysler Museum.  This one is called "Freaked Out..." by Dan Dailey, part of his Vitrolite Wall Mural Series (2012).  The woman definitely looks freaked out and Dailey did a good job capturing that expression.

      Both this mural and Munch's painting remind me of the words of Henry David Thoreau when he wrote, "The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation" (from his book Walden).

       There is certainly danger in our vast, sinful world, and we need to live wisely and carefully, but we can also live with a "sound mind" through the peace that our Father offers us.  And feelings of desperation will evaporate as we rest in the loving embrace of that same Father.  I'll close with a few verses that remind us Who is in control and Who we can count on when the going gets tough:

"You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You" Isaiah 26:3.

Jesus said, "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid" John 14:27.

Jesus said, "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world" John 16:33.