My Daughter's Heart

And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart...

Mark 12:30

"The right kind of heart is a kind heart like God's."
Author: Unknown

The innermost workings of my daughter's heart is brought to me on the wings of a dove. The beautiful white dove I had seen before was sitting on a telephone wire today. It sat on a wire overhanging the road I travel to work. About 100 feet from the building of my employment, almost like he was waiting on me. The few times I've seen him God always revealed something to me. There's no mistaking him for any other dove because he seemed to radiate a bright white. Maybe I'm the only one who sees it. I don't know. But there is always some message that accompanies him. A message that unfolds to me in a unique way. No light from heaven or any grand show, but like good news being whispered in your ear by a friend. My children, as are often times, the receptors of this news. Delivering it to me in a profound way. Later on, my 7 year old daughter, started talking about what her heart truly means.

Here it is in her words:

My heart makes me think of love.

Love makes me think of God.

God reminds me of Jesus.

Jesus brings the Holy Spirit to mind.

The Holy Spirit makes me think of Heaven.

Heaven makes me think of angels.

Angels bring us love.

Love is important.

God loves us.

God loves everyone.

God is the love that is in my heart.

by

Autumn Gargus, 7 years old

Books:Christianity,Bible,Jesus,Angels,Soul,God,Holy Spirit,Doves,Love,Children,Heaven,
Soul Searching

Resentment

Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?
Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.

Matthew 18:21-22

Resentment is like taking poison and waiting for the other person to die.

Author: Anonymous

Gracious Father,

You teach us in Your prayer to forgive. So how can I ask you to forgive me, if I cannot forgive others? Oh, how I want to be forgiven. I need to be forgiven. God, I think about all those folks that I have resented - from my childhood on. Help me to learn to forgive those who "did me wrong" in my growing up years. Take away this resentment that eats away at me like a cancer. Show me another way to live. In releasing this anger, allow me to filled with Your love for all.

On bended knee, before Your throne, I plead,

Amen.

Books:Christianity,Bible,Jesus,Angels,Soul,God,Holy Spirit,Doves,Love,Children,Heaven,
Soul Searching

The Ladder That Reached to the Clouds

and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven:
Genesis 28:12

"A truly rich man is one whose children run into his arms when his hands are empty."

Author:Unknown

One day with our kids, my brother and I found ourselves at a local park in our small town. Like we do so many times since I’ve had children, I sat on the park bench surrounded by swings, see saws, and monkey bars. It 's the kind of park that makes a grown man wish he was a kid again. Autumn, who's seven, always takes off for the big playground equipment. Her brother, who's two, followed close behind his sister. Both of them took off like a shot for the slide.

In my thoughts, I drifted back to when my daughter was smaller and first started coming here before Connor was born. That day she started off on the smallest slide. There was two different size slides at the park.

Watching her nervously, my brother remarked,"Why don't you go down with her?"

But I wanted to wait and watch. "Let's wait and see what happens,"I said. So we relaxed on that bench and watched. She climbed halfway up the ladder when she turned and looked back at me. I looked away. She pondered her options for a moment, then carefully backed down one step at a time.

"Bro , you ought to go help her out,"my brother said.

"Not yet," I replied, hoping the twinkle in my eye would reassure him that I wasn't just being careless.

She spent a few minutes at the bottom of the slide watching other kids climb up, whiz down, and run around to do it again. Finally her little mind was made up. She could do it. She climbed up...and slid down. Three times, in fact, with a big smile each time.

Then we watched her turn and head to the big one. The slide that seemed like a 100 stories to her. Now my brother  was getting anxious. "Lance, I don't think she should do that by herself. Do you?"

"No," I replied as calmly as possible. "But I don't think she will. Let's see what she does."

When Autumn reached the bottom of the giant slide, she turned and called out,"Daddy!" But I glanced away again, pretending I couldn't hear her.

She peered up the ladder. In her young imagination, it must have reached to the clouds. She watched a teenage girl of about 13 go hurtling down the slide. Then, against all odds, she decided to try. Step-by-step, hand over hand, she inched up the ladder. She hadn't reached a third of the way when she froze. By this time, the teenager was coming up behind her and yelled at her to get going. But Autumn couldn't. She couldn't go up or down. She had reached the point of certain failure.

I rushed over. "Are you okay, sweetie?" I asked from the bottom of the ladder.

She looked down at me, shaken but clinging to that ladder with steely determination. And I could tell she had a question ready.

"Dad, will you come down the slide with me?" she asked. The teenager was losing patience, but I wasn't about to let the moment go.

"Why, sweetheart?" I asked, peering up into her little face.

"I can't do it without you, Dad," she said, trembling. "It's too big for me!"

I stretched as high as I could to reach her and lifted her into my arms. Then we climbed that long ladder up to the clouds together. At the top, I put my little girl between my legs and wrapped my arms around her. Then we went zipping down the slide together, laughing all the way.

Now I watch my son's big sister guide his hand. Encouraging him on the small slide to attempt it. Nervously he trusts her. Building his courage. He whizzes down, and they laugh uncontrollably together. But when he reaches that point of failure, I'll be there to step in when he needs me.

That is how our Heavenly Father's hand is. "Father, please help me I can't do this alone! It's just too big!" He swoops in to help us. Your soul shouts afterwards,"God did that! He carried me through this! His power is mighty! His strength lifted me up to the clouds! And we soared like eagles together! Not me, but God did this! It's so wonderful!"

by

Lance Gargus

Books:Christianity,Bible,Jesus,Angels,Soul,God,Holy Spirit,Doves,Love,Children,Heaven,
Soul Searching

My Sanctuary

And he built his sanctuary like high palaces, like the earth which he hath established for ever.
Psalm 78:69

Making my way through the corn field, I catch a glance of the treehouse in the treetops. Autumn has set in. The corn stalks crunch underneath my feet as I brush them aside. The dull colors of the dead stalks fade away as I enter the woods. Replaced with the multitude of leaves displaying the colors of fall. The wind picks up and the sounds of the leaves rustling travels through the air. The treebranches sway back and forth as I'm cooled by the current. It's nice out today; not too hot and not too cool, just right. The sky is overcast with a grey haze. Birds cry out in flight overhead, signaling their leaving for a time.

Dad's off in the distance in another field. Ford tractor's make their own distinct sound, to me at least they do. His is quite old and worn. As the bushog grinds up the corn in the adjoining patch, I make my way to the top of my second home. Climbing on the pieces of old planks held in place by rusted nails. Triumphantly I stand at the top of my summit. Scattered sunbeams burst through the maze of tree growth.

How aesthetically beautiful to the beholder it is. Creation as she readies herself for her nap. Nature is God's majestic tabernacle. No man made building can compare to the splendor of this scene. The shadows are growing longer as the day starts to end. Still another hour before sunset.

Rustling again but this time from another source. A fawn has gotten separated from his mother. He shoves a pile of foliage back to reveal some sprigs of grass to eat. Crickets start their chirping as the great light lessens. The doe has found her offspring. Jumping away they rush back home before nightfall.

I've been here awhile as dark approaches. Shadows creep in as I sit with my back to the wall. Thoughts of the day's preceding events envelop me. Being a teenager comes with stresses and strains. But when the troubles disquiets my soul, I seek a refuge. The first stars have begun to make their appearance. The calming sounds has commenced to settling me. Reflections on my thoughts are brought about by God's presence here.

Moonlight has come to exhibit her magnificence. Illuminating light reveals a face to me of one in my future. I reach out my hand to touch her cheek. Upon opening my eyes the face becomes hidden. Sighing at this revelation my eyes wander heavenward. Wondering to myself, if there is another kindred spirit out there. Was this exquisite face a part of my life that is to come? All things in due time.

Pushing myself up off the floor to leave, I kinda hate to go back. This had become my sanctuary away from the fast pace. I would be back I reassured myself. Descending my way down the makeshift ladder, I took one last brief look at her as I proceeded up one of the columns of furrows. The top of my house coming into view as I hurried along. Approaching my front door, I imagined the dinner prepared with the last of summer's crops. My smile turned into a smirk of almost smugness. Words cannot express the gratification I felt to have my soul at rest. And the knowledge that I could return to my sanctuary.

But time leaves nothing untouched. People come and go in our lives, old places are replaced with new ones, and memories become faded with the years. Still I have those special moments I carry with me. When the world becomes too bitter and cold, I wrap them like a blanket around me. And lie back like I did so long ago into the arms of my Sanctuary.

by

Lance Gargus

Books:Christianity,Bible,Jesus,Angels,Soul,God,Holy Spirit,Doves,Love,Children,Heaven,
Soul Searching