We too need to be replenished…restored…revived. 
To fill our dry wells of our souls with the life giving nourishment that we need. 
Just like the weather, we can experience dry cycles that alternate with the cycles that replenish.

What causes this drought in our lives?
Isolation
Greed
Stubbornness
Illness
Selfishness
Death
Betrayal

The list could go on and on…

Is your tongue stuck to the roof of your mouth? So much so that you feel you cannot even utter a cry for help? 
Guess what…here is the good news! 
Refreshment is here the weather has changed in your favor.

Let your soul send your roots down deep and drink up the love and strength that is waiting for you

Lamentations 3:19-24 
“The thought of my pain, my homelessness, is bitter poison.
I think of it constantly, and my spirit is depressed.
Yet hope returns when I remember this one thing:
The Lord's unfailing love and mercy still continue,
Fresh as the morning, as sure as the sunrise.
The Lord is all I have, and so in him I put my hope.”
(GNT)

Be restored…

Prayer:
Dear Lord,
 I need you to fill me back up…I know that you are just a prayer away 
so I call upon your Holy Name for you to answer…
not how I want…
but what you know I need. 
Thank you for your faithfulness. 
Amen.

Some of you may say, “But I do not believe in God”. 
Here is a fact that you may have over looked…

He believes in YOU!

John 3:16, 
“God loved the people of this world so much that he gave his only Son, 
so that everyone who has faith in him will have eternal life and never really die.” 
(CEV)



Caprice <><

My dear friend Catherine likes to have her ducks in a row. So when she needed to pick up some bales of hay, she wanted to be sure that she had enough space for them. She hooked up her trailer to her flat bed truck and off she went to the feed store with her empty trailer rattling behind her. As she traveled down the highway she checked her rearview mirror to be sure everything was in order. Confident that all was as it should be, she proceeded to the feed store, parked her rig and went inside to purchase her needs for her ranch.

As she pulled into the back, to have the feed store employees load her hay, she was caught off guard by the fact that they said they could not load the hay onto her trailer due to the type of loader they had. Instead all of the hay would have to be loaded onto her truck’s flat bed.

Catherine was frustrated, but arguing would not get her anywhere. So unto the back of the flat bed of her truck the numerous bales were loaded and stacked. As the guys in the yard tied down the load it was large, over the top and extending beyond the sides. Catherine hopped into the cab of her truck and proceeded back to her ranch. As she was on her way home, Catherine became alarmed when she heard the trailer rattle. She checked her mirrors, but alas she could not see it due to the mirrors being blocked by the load of hay. At first she was startled, where did the trailer go? Because she could not see it, she felt like it wasn’t there. She knew it was, but it just didn’t feel right, until a thought came to her, this is just like it is with God, just because I can not see Him, it doesn’t mean that He isn’t there. I need to drive in faith that the trailer is still there, just like I walk with the confidence that God is there for me.

John 1:18, “No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.”

What this is saying is that no one has seen God, but Jesus has made God known. Because of our relationship with Jesus we know that God is there, even though we cannot see him.

Reflections:

Is there anything blocking you from knowing that God is in your life? Is it you and your lifestyle? Do you allow the business of this world to block you from seeing the evidence of God in your life? Take a minute to evaluate the number of bales in your truck. Are you over loaded? Ask God to help you remove some of the needless burdens that you are hauling behind you. You know what they are, they are the things that are blocking your view and limit your vision. Remember to trust in God that he is there for you…even when your sight is limited.

Hebrews 11:1, “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”

Prayer: Dear Lord, I want to always walk in faith. Help me to not allow the burdens or stuff pile up in my life and obstruct my view of you. Help me to unload the unnecessary bales from my truck bed and instead drive through this life with the confidence that you are there no matter what appears in the way. Thank you Lord for your constant care.

Caprice <><

I took on a project this winter…a really BIG project! 
Over the years what started as one or two Scottish broom bushes, became an invasion 
of a plant that is not native to our area. This bush is really pretty when it blooms, but that is about it. 
No other benefits, only a huge take-over! 
I have been working at removing it from a section of our ranch and believe me this is not an easy task! 
Oh how much simpler it would have been if I would have tended to it on a regular basis.

You see this noxious plant obstructs good growth in forests, meadows and fields. 
What starts as a little yellow color that is pleasant to the eye soon takes over, blocking out all other good growth. 
We, too, need to be aware of the things that choke out the good life. 
Anything that is noxious to us is harmful to our lives and health…
it can result in a moral, spiritual or social corruption.

Matthew 13: 3-7 “What do you make of this? A farmer planted seed…Some fell in the weeds; as it came up, it was strangled by the weeds.” (MSG)

Do you ever feel like you can’t see the light of day?

Those things that should have never been allowed to take root, have crowded your vision?

Matthew 13:22, “The seed cast in the weeds is the person who hears the kingdom news, 
but weeds of worry and illusions about getting more 
and wanting everything under the sun strangle what was heard, 
and nothing comes of it.” (MSG)

Why not start today and weed out the toxic growth in your life that blocks the “Son” from shinning his love into your heart. One weed at a time is a good beginning; 
before you know the beauty will return to your field! 

Caprice <><

Buzz…Buzz…Buzzzzzz. 
Can you relate to being busy? 
Wasps just make me nervous; they hover around in a spastic sort of a way. 
We had a wedding at our ranch this weekend and when the food came out so did the “meat bees”; 
a swarming, frenzy of business. 
I felt like I could also see their alert system blaring to any wasp in the area. 
Go here…do that…don’t forget this…
they are so active that they appear chaotic!

What about you? 
Are you so busy at times that it appears to others that your life is a swarm of chaos? 
I know at times I can forget the purpose of my life in the flurry of “get it done”.

John 6:27, “But you shouldn’t be so concerned about perishable things like food. 
No, spend your energy seeking the eternal life that I, the Messiah, can give you. 
For God the Father has sent me for this very purpose.” (TLB)

Don’t forget why you work and serve as you breathe the breath given to you. 
A chaotic life is not worth the living.  
Slow down…
take inventory…review what is important. 
And most of all, remember whom it is that you serve, 
then serve with a heart that smiles.

Colossians 3:23-24, “ Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, 
as though you were working for the Lord and not for people. 
Remember that the Lord will give you as a reward what he has kept for his people. 
For Christ is the real Master you serve.” (GNT)

“You might as well try to hear without ears or breathe without lungs, 
as to try to live a Christian life without the Spirit of God in your heart.”
Dwight L. Moody

Dear Lord, help us to remember that every second of every day that you are by our side. 
Help us to recall the knowledge that you are the reason we live, love and work. 
Because from you all good things come! 
Help me to slow down and steady myself for you and you alone. 
I know that then things will return to an even pace, a pace set by you. 
Thank you, Father…Amen

Caprice <><

Part 5

There is a BIG Hornet that greets me every morning on the glass window plane of my bathroom. And sometimes I have this mean streak that comes out of nowhere. 
He is there because he sees his reflection on the glass 
and thinks it is another “insect for breakfast”. 
But some mornings…some mornings it just seems like a good idea to be mean.

I sneak up on the hornet and come up under the windowsill and 
“thunk” the window with my finger. 
As you can imagine this sets this hornet on a major assault on the window. 
He buzzes with all his might and “wap” he hits the window over and over again, 
until he flies off, only to return to the window to wait for the next assault. 
And then one day I noticed it…he had other hornets coming to his aid. 
This is because a hornet, when in danger, secretes a pheromone (hormone) that calls other hornets to come and help out. Once the alarm goes out…
help has arrived and the hornets swarm there to assist with the attack or defense.

So what happens if you are under attack? 
What are you to do? 
We do not have any pheromones…or do we?

 “Two can accomplish more than twice as much as one, for the results can be much better. 
If one falls, the other pulls him up; but if a man falls when he is alone, he’s in trouble. 
Also, on a cold night, two under the same blanket gain warmth from each other, but how can one be warm alone? And one standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer; 
three is even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.” 
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 Living Bible (TLB)

So next time someone gets a mean streak join forces, 
send out your alarm for help by asking God to send you other believers to come to your aid. 
No use hitting the window over and over again alone. 
Numbers will scare off the enemy…
it worked with me…
I no longer “thunk” the window in fears on a “wap”; 
there is a hole in the screen the perfect size for the hornet and his helpers.

Caprice <><

Part 4

When I get stung I want to squash the nasty bugger that did the stinging. 
I want to swat the offending insect…out of the air and grind him into the dirt. 
The same is true of how I want to respond to those who hurt me! 
But I have learned over the years that my way is not God’s way and guess whose way is the best?

Romans 12:20, “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, 
give him something to drink. 
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”  (NIV)

All right let’s take a closer look at this for a moment…

Why, if you are being kind to someone that has caused you heart ache would you now heap burning coals on his head? 
Well the best place to find this answer would be in the Old Testament in the book of Proverbs.

And here is where we can shed some understanding on the whole matter…

Proverbs 25:22 states in response to your enemy…

“You will heap burning coals of shame on their heads, and the Lord will reward you.” (NLT)

At the time the proverbs were written, in Egypt, 
a sign that a person felt great shame or remorse 
would be indicated as they carried around a bowl full of burning coals on their head. 
Everyone seeing this would understand that the person was making it known publicly 
that they had “wronged” someone and they were sorry.

So this is what happens when we show kindness to our enemies 
we will drive them towards a place in their hearts of admission of their own guilt. 
The verse concerning coals is about the emotional sorrow a rival will feel when you stir his sense of 
right and wrong in regards to his conduct towards you. 
So why not show kindness to someone who is like the nasty hornet.

Here are some key guidelines for us as believers…

Be at peace with everyone

Overcome evil with good

Allow God to be God and don’t take revenge

Display God’s grace and love in all that you do

Don’t allow the hate of someone else, control how you respond

Study the things that make for peace, and then put them into action

Do not take revenge …do not to seek vengeance

God will right all wrongs in His own perfect judgment

Do not repay anyone evil for evil.

When you “wake up” someone’s heart, in regards to their bad behavior by your love “for your enemies”, 
you can help to reveal the Lord’s plan for their lives. 
It shows the love that awaits those who call on His name and trust that Jesus is the Son of God. 
That Jesus centered himself on the cross for all of us…

John 3:16-17, “For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, 
so that everyone who believes in him may not die but have eternal life. 
For God did not send his Son into the world to be its judge, 
but to be its savior.” (GNT)

Caprice <><

How to Get Along with Ornery Helpers-
Part 3

Guess who is considered “protected wildlife” in places like Germany? 
Did you know that they serve our ecosystem? 
That they actually help to control insects like spiders, caterpillars, flies, crane flies and beetles that would breed out of control and become a greater nuisance. 
And get this they work to pollinate plants so that they are able to flower with each growing season. 
Yes…the nasty & testy hornet! 
I hate to admit this...but my garden and I need him and his stinging friend the honeybee.

Our tomatoes are coming on in a very large numbers this year along with my cucumbers, beans, and apples. 
My husband, a large army of helpers and myself, maintain together our considerable garden. 
We work hard along side each other to keep everything producing! 
You see those stinging insects are actually one of the most important aspects of my garden. 
I have always understood the benefit of bees…but nasty hornets?

The little social worlds we dwell in are like that too…
where you work, your social media choice, home, and even our churches; 
are loaded with the most aggravating people! 
And at times, I am probably the most un-agreeable in the eyes of others.

So when you are out there and someone zaps you 
why not take out your “God Eyes” and look a little closer…
just maybe there is a jewel in your midst. 
Someone who is doing there job, 
they may not have the best social skills…
or should I say they can be nasty at times…
but guess what?

John 1:3, “Through him God made all things; 
not one thing in all creation was made without him.” (GNT)

So how are we to respond?

Romans 12:9-10,
 “Don’t just pretend to love others. 
Really love them. 
Hate what is wrong. 
Hold tightly to what is good. 
Love each other with genuine affection, 
and take delight in honoring each other.”

 
Caprice <><

Take the Right Action 
Part 2

This story about the bees and Hornets has brought out all sorts of stories from all of you regarding times you have gotten stung. 

One friend got stung right on the tip of her nose while hanging laundry! As I thought about it I realized the picture story here is that the hornet and the bee are in defense mode. 
Isn’t that what happens when our human emotions 
perceive attack from others? 
Don’t we want to defend our tenderness and retaliate?

A bee stings when an intruder comes too close to a nest, disturbs it, or physically harms a bee;
 the bee caught in my towel. 
Honeybees can only sting one time and then they die. 
Hornets sting as a defense; I had threatened the hornet by getting too close. 
Hornets are nasty aggressive insects; they can sting multiple times, with great impact. 
To prove my point, have you ever seen a hornet catch a fly or other insect? 
They rip off the insects’ wings and then fly away with them!

Bees and Hornets are all around us. 
But the key to understanding the beehives of this life is that there is a reason for the sting. 
Whether human or bee, the one who zaps a sting, 
perceives danger or threat.

We will always have those who “zap” in our lives…
it is how we respond to those situations that reveals the core of who we are. 
And not just who you are on the outside, 
but who you are on the inside as it reveals your heart and attitudes.

The Bible explains it this way, 
“Summing up: Be agreeable, be sympathetic, be loving, be compassionate, be humble. 
That goes for all of you, no exceptions. 
No retaliation. 
No sharp-tongued sarcasm. 
Instead, bless—that’s your job, to bless. 
You’ll be a blessing and also get a blessing.” 
1Peter 3:8-10 (MSG)

To be a blessing means that we watch over somebody protectively, 
we give support, and share the qualities given to us as followers of Jesus. 
When we asked Jesus into our hearts we received the love of God…
our blessing…and in turn are to share that “Jesus-like love” with others…
their blessing…not our old ways of doing things. 
We are to forget our old ways and step out in the new ways of God’s love towards…
yes…
even the hornets and bees in our lives.

Caprice <><

Zapped!! 
Part 1

The other day I was in my garden and as I bent down to check on some cucumbers 
out of nowhere came a loud buzz and then, “thunk” right between the eyes, 
I got zapped by an angry hornet. 
Wow…did that ever hurt! 

Then if you can believe it, 
within two days I had gone swimming and when I was drying myself off 
a bee was clinging to my towel. As I began to rub my skin dry 
the bee defended him-self and stung me on the thigh. 

This was the more miserable of the two due to my sensitivity to bees…
swelling, pain and then incredible itching followed.

You know life is like that you can go about your own business 
when out of nowhere an angry somebody zaps you with a zinger! 

I am sure all of you can relate to a hornet in your life. 

You know it is never easy to respond to those zaps 
and to be honest I am never quit prepared on how to react. 

When anger comes our way it is either deserved, 
earned or a result of “the one who zaps” life experiences. 

So how do you respond to the hornets and bees of this world?

Romans 12:17-20, 
“Do not repay anyone evil for evil. 
Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. 
If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, 
live at peace with everyone. 
Do not take revenge, my dear friends, 
but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: 
“It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. 
On the contrary:“If your enemy is hungry, feed him; 
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. 
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”  (NIV)

Caprice<><