Chocolate Trees?

Last weekend as we walked around the neighborhood, my husband and I admired the many trees full of apples, pears, and peaches. I said to him, “Why didn’t God make chocolate trees?” Wouldn’t it be great to pick a Hershey bar or even special dark chocolate off a tree! Then I added, “Well, He did give us cocoa plants. I guess He left it up to us to figure out how to turn that into something delicious.”

In addition to providing us with fruit and other food, God has generously allowed us to experience the joy of creating all kinds of wonderful items made from the basics. We’ve learned how to make ice cream from milk, bread from wheat, and wine from grapes. Can you imagine the excitement the ancient peoples felt when they first tasted rich chocolate?

God didn’t make chocolate trees because, in His wisdom, He knows that we learn patience and the value of hard work when we have to put in some effort to get what we want. We appreciate it more. Picking tomatoes off the vine that we planted and watered for many weeks is incredibly more satisfying than picking one out of the bin at the grocery store. Also, just as loving parents don’t give their child everything he wants when he wants it, in His love for us God doesn’t give us everything we want, either. We may want chocolate to be as readily available as the fruit that grows on trees, but fruit contains vitamins and nutrients that help keep our body functioning properly. Chocolate? Not so much. 

This appreciation goes far beyond growing food, too. Maybe you’ve felt happy in your work when you finally solved a problem, discovered something new, or finished a project you’d been working on for a long time. 

All work is valuable. Through it we learn, produce, and interact with other people. Some work we get paid to do; other work may keep our household running smoothly or benefit the community in some way. Everything we do can be considered sacred if we do it to the best of our ability and thank God for the opportunity and the people we work with. Whether we work in a chocolate factory or are a stay-at-home parent, the work itself is less important than the way we do it. 

As Augustine of Hippo said, “I will suggest a means whereby you can praise God all day long, if you wish. Whatever you do, do it well, and you have praised God.” 

“May the gracious care of the Lord our God be ours; prosper the work of our hands for us!” – Psalm 90:17

“Lord, thank You for letting me see the value of my work. Help me to do it to the best of my ability, and always with love.”

Thank you for reading my reflection. © 2023 Gina Bedell     Comments are always welcome! 

Please share this with your friends by clicking on one of the icons below. Blogspot doesn’t have a ‘subscribe’ feature and so I appreciate your help in sharing my reflections. Thanks!

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P.S.

We continue to pray for an end to the war. If you’d like to help the people of Ukraine through the Cleveland Maidan Association, you may use either PayPal or a credit/debit card here:

https://www.paypal.com/donate/...

P.P.S. If you’re able to help the people of Maui, here are a few organizations that are accepting donations:

The Hawaii Community Foundation 

The American Red Cross

The Maui Food Bank

Open Hands, Open Heart

They say that if you want to see where your treasure is, look at your bank statement. Besides the basic necessities of housing, food, and clothing for ourselves and our families, what do we spend our money on? What do our expenditures say about our priorities and values? 

Probably all of us would say our family is most important to us. This is true even if we no longer live under the same roof. Are we generous in the ways we express our love to them? Maybe we pick up little gifts or cards during random times of the year and say, ‘I thought of you when I saw this.’ Maybe we have a creative hobby and we make something for someone for no reason other than to tell them, ‘I love you.’ Maybe we make it a priority to spend time with them because doing so says, ‘You’re important to me.’ 

What about people outside of our loved ones? Are we generous in sharing what we have with strangers? Do we give freely to organizations that house, feed, clothe, and otherwise care for those who are less fortunate? Do we teach our children and grandchildren to serve others by our example?

Is our bank statement filled with expenses for ourselves, or does it show a string of selfless giving to others? 

And what does all that have to do with faith?

Open hands make open hearts. If we want to ‘love our neighbors as ourselves’ we will stretch out our hands and share what we have with both loved ones and strangers. On the other hand, if we cling to what is ours and keep everything only for ourselves, the focus stays there: on ourselves. 

“Sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.” –Matthew 19:21

Christ isn’t telling us to sell everything or abandon our responsibilities. He’s telling us to loosen our grip from what we have and share it with those in need. He’s telling us to shift our focus from ourselves to others, to see that the happiness we get from serving ourselves is fleeting. He’s teaching us that when we give to others, we allow God to expand our hearts and make us more like Christ. With our expanded hearts we follow His way of loving and serving others more closely. This brings us His joy and His peace, which we cannot attain from the things of this world. 

“Lord, let my open hands open my heart so that I may know the joy of following You more closely.”

Thank you for reading my reflection. © 2023 Gina Bedell     Comments are always welcome! 

Please share this with your friends by clicking on one of the icons below. Blogspot doesn’t have a ‘subscribe’ feature and so I appreciate your help in sharing my reflections. Thanks!

If you or someone you know would like to receive these writings directly to your inbox, please email me at ginabedell1@gmail.com and I will add you to my ‘BCC’ email list.

P.S.

We continue to pray for an end to the war. If you’d like to help the people of Ukraine through the Cleveland Maidan Association, you may use either PayPal or a credit/debit card here:

https://www.paypal.com/donate/...

P.P.S. If you’re able to help the people of Maui recover from the wildfires, here are a few organizations that are accepting donations:

The Hawaii Community Foundation 

The American Red Cross

The Maui Food Bank

By the Grace of God

In German-occupied Poland a Catholic priest named Maximilian Kolbe lived and worked in a monastery with other friars. They provided shelter to refugees, including 2,000 Jews whom they hid from the Germans. Maximilian was arrested in 1941 by the Nazis and sent to the Auschwitz concentration camp. One inmate escaped from this camp; as punishment, 10 other prisoners were selected to die by starvation in an underground bunker. When one of these men, Franciszek Gajowniczek, cried out, “My wife! My children!” Maximilian volunteered to take his place. In the underground bunker, he led the nine others in prayer and singing hymns. After two weeks without food and water, four prisoners – including Maximilian – were still alive. To hasten their deaths, they were given a lethal injection of carbolic acid. It’s said that Maximilian calmly raised his arm to receive the injection. He was canonized in 1982.

How did Maximilian have the courage to offer his life for a stranger? Because his life had been rooted in prayer and serving our Lord. With grace, he was able to offer his life and stay calm and prayerful through his final days.

Most of us won’t be faced with life-and-death situations. Yet we may endure circumstances where we wonder if we’ll have the courage and strength to continue another day.  

Parents who pray while suffering through a child’s illness or other extreme circumstances may say later, “By the grace of God we got through that.” That’s not a trite cliche; they recognize that they couldn’t – and didn’t – manage on their own. Anyone who has prayed through a difficult time may say the same thing. They’ll tell you that they never could have done what they had to do without the grace given to them from our Lord.

How do we stay rooted in Christ like Maximilian did? Through prayer. 

Imagine Christ saying to you, “I love you. I’m here with you. Stay close to Me. Tell me everything that’s on your heart.”

If you’re struggling through a difficult time, all through the day ask Him to guide your thoughts, words, and actions. Listen for His voice – spoken through a trusted friend, the Scriptures, or your gut feelings. You, too, will be able to say, “By the grace of God, I was able to handle that.”

“I will hear what the Lord God has to say, a voice that speaks of peace, peace for His people and His friends and those who turn to Him in their hearts. His help is near for those who fear Him...” – Psalm 85:8-9

“Lord, guide me with Your grace.”

Thank you for reading my reflection. © 2023 Gina Bedell     Comments are always welcome! 

Please share this with your friends by clicking on one of the icons below. Blogspot doesn’t have a ‘subscribe’ feature and so I appreciate your help in sharing my reflections. Thanks!

If you or someone you know would like to receive these writings directly to your inbox, please email me at ginabedell1@gmail.com and I will add you to my ‘BCC’ email list.

P.S. We continue to pray for an end to the war. If you’d like to help the people of Ukraine through the Cleveland Maidan Association, you may use either PayPal or a credit/debit card here:

https://www.paypal.com/donate/...

P.P.S. The people of Maui are relying on the grace of God and the generosity of others to get them through the devastating effects of the wildfires. If you’re able to help, here are a few organizations that are accepting donations:

The Hawaii Community Foundation 

The American Red Cross

The Maui Food Bank

The Gift of a Memorable Experience

We don’t hear much about The Fairy Godmother after she comes to the rescue for Cinderella. After giving her a dress, shoes, and transportation to the ball, the Fairy Godmother fades into the background. We do see the happy chain of events that takes place for Cinderella because of the Godmother’s generosity, but we don’t see much of her. 

Jesus also moved to the background after multiplying the loaves and fish. 

The apostles had pointed out to Him that the people were hungry. Jesus’ response was, “Give them some food yourselves.” When they objected, He told them to give Him the few loaves they had. They handed Him that little bit and He miraculously multiplied it. He didn’t distribute it to the people Himself, though; He gave it back to the apostles. Then they gave the food to the crowd themselves, just as He had told them to! 

Jesus gave two gifts that day: the first was the miracle of multiplying bread – more than enough for everyone. The second was the momentous experience for the apostles. As they passed out the food, they saw the people’s jubilant smiles. They heard their profuse ‘thank yous.’ They felt excitement and awe in playing a role in the miracle. 

Jesus didn’t insist on handing out the food Himself; He stepped back after multiplying it. In this way, He gifted the apostles with an experience they’d never forget.

How might we follow His example?

Maybe your child wants to help you plant a vegetable garden. You buy the seeds, show him how to plant them and teach him about sunlight, water, and waiting. You let him do the watering, and you do the weeding together. You show him when and how to pick the vegetables.

Then you walk with your child and let him offer the veggies to your neighbors free of charge. You step back and watch with pride as they happily thank him and ask him all kinds of questions about how he grew them. You see him smile as he answers their questions.

When you do this, the first gift you give your child is knowledge about planting a garden. The second gift is stepping into the background and letting him experience the neighbors’ delight when he shares with them what he has grown.

It’s not surprising that these gifts to others also end up being some of our most treasured memories. 

“He said to them, ‘Give them some food yourselves.’ But they said to Him, ‘Five loaves and two fish are all we have here.’ Then He said, ‘Bring them to Me’… He broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, who in turn gave them to the crowds.” 

– Matthew 14:16-19

“Lord, help me see how I can step back and give others the gift of a memorable experience.”

Thank you for reading my reflection. © 2023 Gina Bedell     Comments are always welcome! 

Please share this with your friends by clicking on one of the icons below. Blogspot doesn’t have a ‘subscribe’ feature and so I appreciate your help in sharing my reflections. Thanks!

If you or someone you know would like to receive these writings directly to your inbox, please email me at ginabedell1@gmail.com and I will add you to my ‘BCC’ email list.

p.s.

We continue to pray for an end to the war. If you’d like to help the people of Ukraine through the Cleveland Maidan Association, you may use either PayPal or a credit/debit card here:

https://www.paypal.com/donate/...

Yeast Makes Life Sweeter

Imagine you and your child are going to bake bread. You tell her it’s going to be easy because you have a bread machine. She happily measures in the flour, salt, and other ingredients. She hurries to press the ‘start’ button but you tell her to wait and add yeast to the dispenser first. “Why do we need that?” she asks with a frown. “It’s just a little bit. Does it matter?” You assure her that even that little bit will make a big difference in how the bread turns out.

Sometimes we may question Christ’s way of loving, too. We may think it doesn’t matter whether or not we do things His way. We may find ourselves thinking, ‘Why should I forgive him – do you know what he did to me?’ or ‘What difference does it make if I don’t want to play with my kids? I buy them toys, don’t I?’ or ‘That neighbor is always complaining; why should I be friendly to her?’ 

If we were to bake bread without yeast, we’d end up with nothing but a brick of dough. If we add the yeast, though, we’ll have a delicious loaf of bread. In a similar way, when we choose to live Christ’s Love, our lives and those of the people around us are enriched. How?

Our Christ-like actions open our hearts to God’s grace. Whether we feel it or not, we allow His peace to come upon us and others when we do kind things for them. 

For example, when we ask our Lord to forgive and bless someone who has hurt us, we make room in our hearts for His love and peace. Our hearts may soften a little bit each time we pray for our offender. Over time and with His grace, we’ll change; we’ll be able to forgive them. Praying for them invites the Lord’s peace to fall upon them, too. 

When we turn off the TV and focus our attention on our kids, without distractions or resentment, we let them know they’re important to us, and we let Christ soften our hearts with His grace.

When we smile at the sour neighbor and offer a kind word now and then, we invite Christ’s peace to the situation. Her heart may be touched by our kind words, and little by little she may be able to let go of whatever is causing her bitterness.

Wherever Love is, there is the Kingdom of heaven. When we choose to love as Christ loved, we bring the Kingdom of heaven to earth. Our words and actions matter; they might seem small and insignificant to us, but they’re powerful to God. They’re the ‘yeast’ that makes life fuller, richer, and sweeter.

“The Kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed with three measures of wheat flour until the whole batch was leavened.”  –Matthew 13:33

“Lord, help me understand that my small loving actions make a difference.”

Thank you for reading my reflection. © 2023 Gina Bedell     Comments are always welcome! 

Please share this with your friends by clicking on one of the icons below. Blogspot doesn’t have a ‘subscribe’ feature and so I appreciate your help in sharing my reflections. Thanks!

If you or someone you know would like to receive these writings directly to your inbox, please email me at ginabedell1@gmail.com and I will add you to my ‘BCC’ email list.

p.s.

We continue to pray for an end to the war. If you’d like to help the people of Ukraine through the Cleveland Maidan Association, you may use either PayPal or a credit/debit card here:

https://www.paypal.com/donate/...