Lessons from a Dog on a Foot - Martin Wiles

Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught. Luke 10:39 NLT

Of all the stores my grandfather delivered ice cream to, the one where the dog sat on my foot was my favorite. Who would have guessed I would learn lessons from a dog on a foot?

Aside from a few chain pharmacies, gas stations, and small-town grocery stores, Mom-and-Pop stores ran the retail world. Small stores owned by local people. Stores where customers could buy a little of anything, including ice cream. And my grandfather was more than happy to supply them with all the ice cream their customers could consume.

As a young boy, I enjoyed traveling from town to town and through the country, helping my grandfather stock these small stores with ice cream novelties. But the one I looked forward to the most was the one where a small dog sat on the customers’ feet.

“Where are we going next?” I’d eagerly ask on the day of the week we worked this store. Finally, my grandfather would say, “To the store where the dog sits on your foot.” As my grandfather took the store owner’s order, the dog walked over and sat on my foot. Why he did, I’m not sure. Perhaps just one of those odd habits some animals pick up as a part of their personality.

Mary, Martha, and Lazarus were Jesus’s good friends. Martha was a busy body, wanting everything to be in order. But she was a good hostess. Mary, however, loved to listen to Jesus teach, so she sat at his feet. Martha fussed about it, but Jesus reminded her that Mary had chosen the better thing.

The small dog at the store could have reared up on my leg or sat with his tail wagging, and gotten the same response from me as he did when he sat on my foot. He wanted attention from the store owner’s customers. He obviously loved people and craved petting.

Jesus wants the same from us as he did from Mary. But most of the time, we’re Marthas. We get so wrapped up in daily affairs—good things, mind you—that we forget to sit at Jesus’s feet, enjoy his company, and learn from him. There’s a better way, and Mary and the foot-sitting dog remind us of that. Time spent with the Savior is never wasted. Other things can wait. Listening to him is more important.

Find time daily to sit at the feet of Jesus.

Father, help me slow down so I can spend time sitting at your feet and learning from you.

I invite you to try my book Grits, Grace, and God in eBook or paperback. If you want a daily dose of God's grace, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

Learning to Be Satisfied - Martin Wiles

He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love. Ephesians 4:16 NLT

One chose to stay on the farm; the other chose city life. One was satisfied; the other, well...

When my mom was a junior in high school, she chose to leave her family farm and marry my dad. Her new life would take her away from her country upbringing and plant her in cities and rural areas for the remainder of her life. Mom’s sister, however, married a Navy man and chose to build their home next to her parents and remain on the family farm—a place she stayed until her death.

My grandparents’ old homeplace was sold for a negligible amount—and it seemed the same would happen to my aunt’s home. But her oldest son stepped in and decided he and his wife would make it their retirement home. All the hunting, fishing, and golf he could stand would surround him. Sadly, he died soon thereafter from a heart attack, and the home passed into a stranger’s hands.

I always envied my cousins, growing up with open land all around them. Hunting, fishing, romping through the woods. Having pets wasn’t a problem. Leash laws didn’t exist. Being able to raise chickens, cows, hogs, and anything else they wanted without having to wonder where they’d put them or if the smell would offend the neighbors. They lived a carefree, down-to-earth lifestyle.

Because Mom and Dad chose city and small-town life, I had to endure it as well. Although it has its conveniences, I still miss the open land and the perks of country living.

I’ve also been known to envy those God is using, wishing he’d use me the same way. Paul reminded the early believers that the church was like a body. Each part has a specific function, and they fit together perfectly. When one piece is out of whack, the entire body is affected.

Curbing my jealousy is an ongoing lesson God must teach me. Instead of envying what he does in other believers’ lives, we must learn to enjoy what he does in ours, as well as rejoice in what he does in others’ lives. We’re not in competition but in cahoots with other believers. Our job is not to fuss and fight but to work together to accomplish God’s work in this world. He gives us unique opportunities and personalities. Even when we share the same gift as another person, we will use it differently.

Rather than envying someone else’s gift, use yours to fulfill God’s plan for you.

Father, thank you for giving me unique gifts and opportunities. Help me to use them faithfully in your service.

I invite you to try my book Grits, Grace, and God in eBook or paperback. If you want a daily dose of God's grace, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

Cheesy Bacon Dip

 

 

Ingredients

2 CUPS SOUR CREAM

1 JAR REAL BACON BITS

2 CUPS SHREDDED CHEDDAR CHEESE  

8 OUNCES CREAM CHEESE (SOFTENED)

Directions

COMBINE ALL INGREDIENTS TOGETHER AND PLACE IN A GREASED BAKING DISH.

BAKE AT 400 DEGREES FOR 25 TO 30 MINUTES.

DIP MAY ALSO BE PLACED IN A HOLLOWED ROUND FRENCH BREAD LOAF, WRAPPED IN FOIL, AND HEATED AT THE SAME TEMPERATURE AND TIME.

I invite you to try my book Grits, Grace, and God in eBook or paperback. If you want a daily dose of God's grace, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

A Biblical Perspective on Trials - Martin Wiles

Everything I plan will come to pass, for I do whatever I wish. Isaiah 46:10 NLT

The stories of the trials flooded in, and I couldn’t help but wonder about God’s purpose for them.

A young man who struggled with epilepsy and other physical issues his entire life died in his sleep while having an epileptic episode. His mother found him the next morning after he didn’t show up for breakfast. Her life was changed forever.

Another young man died in his sleep after having an asthmatic attack. His happened to be drug-induced—a struggle he battled. His family struggled to understand what happened and how such a wonderful young man could be gone forever.

A young mother and wife served as a counselor at a youth rally. But something happened. Later, she called herself by another name, wanted a divorce, and exhibited all types of strange behavior. Her family was devastated.

As I listened to these and other stories, I usually heard another statement: “God has a purpose for everything.” A statement that can bring comfort and help them work through their time of grief and confusion. But also a statement that turns some away from God. Why would a good God allow such terrible things to happen, they think.

If everything God’s plans will come to pass as he decrees—if He does whatever He wishes—then how can we ever hope to understand? And what part, if any, do we play in his grand scheme of things?

Without a doubt, the Bible reveals God’s decrees—his purposes. The Bible also shows that God has a perfect and a permissive will. He decreed the world into existence and populated it with humans, animals, plants, and marine life. Within his decree for a perfect world where people would worship him lived the permissibility of evil. He didn’t create evil but rather the possibility of it. Lucifer—along with many angels who chose to follow him—sided with the evil and influenced humanity to follow their course.

God permits because he has given us free will. With it, we can choose to serve him or cast him aside. Even when things happen within his permissive will—the bad things we hear about daily—he can and will work good from them. He’s a good God, and all his purposes match his character.

Regardless of what circumstances you confront, believe God will bring good from it.

Father, I thank you for your matchless power that can take evil and bring good from it. I trust you to work out your purposes for my life.

I invite you to try my book Grits, Grace, and God in eBook or paperback. If you want a daily dose of God's grace, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

How to Clean Fingerprints - Martin Wiles

WISHING ALL OUR FRIENDS AND SUPPORTERS A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS. 

Jesus replied, “A person who has bathed all over does not need to wash, except for the feet, to be entirely clean.” John 13:10 NLT

“Fingerprints all over the place.” Of course, how to clean the fingerprints involved another story.

My oldest grandson called the dirty storm door to my attention as he and his younger brother stood looking over the back yard. What he failed to mention was that both were the reason for the smudges. At the time, we kept them five days a week, so keeping the door clean was an exercise in futility—as it is now, since their number has grown to four.

“Handprints are more like it,” I snickered.

“You need to clean it, Pop,” he said.

A Type A personality like myself, he couldn’t stand dirt—or smudges. I walked by and left the door alone. Since we planned to move in a couple of weeks, I had even more reason to ignore the grimy handprints. But when I decided to clean the door—just before we moved—I didn’t replace the entire door. I just took out the window cleaner and cleaned the glass portion.

Jesus proposed a similar scenario to his disciples. They didn’t need to wash all over—just their feet. They were fully cleansed when they believed in him and decided to be his followers. Now they merely needed a daily sponge bath.

At nine years of age, I decided to do what these early disciples did—trust Jesus as my Savior. Dad explained the gospel message of how Jesus died for my sins. I believed and invited Christ into my life. In that moment, he cleansed me all over. Past, present, and future sins were washed away. The price Jesus paid on Calvary for humanity’s sins was applied to me.

But what about the daily fingerprints that come from putting our hands where they don’t belong—like my grandchildren? They won’t send us to hell because Jesus’ blood has covered them. They will, however, interfere with our spiritual vision as the fingerprints on the door clouded the view of the backyard. Confession will clear away the smudges. Our acknowledgement of our failures and sins is what Jesus referred to when he mentioned daily foot-washing.

Make confession a daily practice. Doing so is good for the soul and will keep your feet clean—and remove the smudges from the doors so interaction between the Savior and you can be open and transparent.

Father, keep me free from sin smudges so I can hear you clearly when you speak.

I invite you to try my book Grits, Grace, and God in eBook or paperback. If you want a daily dose of God's grace, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

Managing Cuckoo Burrows - Martin Wiles

Let both grow together until the harvest. Then I will tell the harvesters to sort out the weeds, tie them into bundles, and burn them, and to put the wheat in the barn. Matthew 13:30 NLT

Managing cuckoo burrows was a new experience for me in farm life.

Visiting my maternal grandparents on the farm was always enjoyable. Every day was a new adventure, doing things I had never experienced in the city. Along with my cousin, I’d pile into my grandfather’s blue Chevy truck and head to the farm.

As my grandfather rode down the dirt roads dividing the cotton fields, he pointed out cuckoo burrows. These invaders were thorny weeds that often grew alongside the cotton. They were easy to spot as they matured. And when my grandfather did, he’d send my grandmother, my cousin, or me into the fields to pull them up.

“Be careful not to pull up the cotton,” he’d caution. Sometimes, this challenged me because they grew so close together.

Jesus once said something similar when asked if weeds should be pulled from the wheat field. Unlike my grandfather, he said to leave them until the harvest time. Then they would be separated into their respective places.

Like the tares of Jesus’ day, these weeds represented things that shouldn’t be in the cotton field. If left alone, they would take over, preventing the cotton plant from growing and producing as my grandfather intended.

Cuckoo burrows represent things that shouldn’t be in our lives. Left there, they will stunt our spiritual growth or even keep us from Christ in the beginning. Sinful choices and relationships invite thorns into our lives. Some aren’t sinful; they merely interfere with our service to Christ. Like my grandfather, Christ tells me to pull them up.

Ridding our lives of prickly invaders takes intentional effort. I could have looked at them in the cotton field all day long, but they would never have gone away. I had to leave the truck, walk into the field, and remove them. Cuckoo burrows interfere with our being the salt and light Jesus wants us to be in this world. Spiritual disciplines spread poison on them.

Ask God to show you your cuckoo burrows. Then pull them up so you can be successful in your work for Him.

Father, thank you for giving me the power to rid my life of anything that hinders my witness and service to you.

I invite you to try my book Grits, Grace, and God in eBook or paperback. If you want a daily dose of God's grace, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

Bacon-Wrapped Smokies

Ingredients 

1 pack Lil' Smokies

1 pound bacon (cut in half)

1 bottle BBQ Sauce (any kind)

Directions

Line a cookie sheet with non-stick aluminum foil.

Wrap each smokie with bacon and secure with a toothpick.

Place on the cookie sheet.

Top with BBQ sauce.

Bake at 350 for 15 to 20 minutes.

I invite you to try my book Grits, Grace, and God in eBook or paperback. If you want a daily dose of God's grace, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

How to Love the Overlooked and Forgotten - Martin Wiles

But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. Matthew10:29 NLT

The peeping alerted me that something was amiss.

A mother bluebird had hatched several nestlings in a birdhouse outside my office window. As I worked, I enjoyed hearing their peeps as the mother and father bird made numerous trips to feed their young.

But on one day, the peeping differed. I looked outside, thinking the babies had flown the coup. And they had, except one who languished on the cement porch. I quickly scooped up the hatchling and returned it to the nest. But mom and dad never returned. I saw them flitting around in the yard, but they ignored the peeps of the abandoned baby. Although I tried feeding it insects, it was dead when I arrived for work the next day.

In warning his followers about the persecution on their horizon, Jesus reminded them that not even a sparrow falls without his knowledge. He loves the least. I thought of the verse when I opened the birdhouse and saw the dead baby. My heart broke as I realized sin was the reason this scenario had gone awry. God didn’t want the nestling to die.

Loving the least is rarely easy. I thought of the Andy Griffith episode where Andy’s son, Opie, adopted a nest full of baby birds and nurtured them until they were ready to fly. His attempt succeeded; mine failed. But at least I made the effort.

Although animals aren’t created in the likeness of God as people are, and though they don’t have immortal souls as humans do, they are still a part of God’s creation, which he expects us to care for. Many years ago, God entrusted Adam and Eve with the care of his creation. His instructions to them have been passed to all earthly inhabitants.

But loving the least extends beyond animals and the environment to people as well. We are God’s highest creation, made in his image. It may be easier to hobnob with those in places of importance who can scratch our back in return, but God wants us to love the least, too. Those in dire straits. Those who can’t fend for themselves. Those to whom life has handed a tough hand of cards.

Learn to love the least, not just those who can help you in return.

Father, create in my heart a love for all people and for everything you have created.

I invite you to try my book Grits, Grace, and God in eBook or paperback. If you want a daily dose of God's grace, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

Finding Comfort When God Draws Near - Martin Wiles

But the Lord came down to look at the city and the tower the people were building. Genesis 11:5 NLT

They popped over the treetops and whizzed along the nape of the field.

When I was a young lad, crop dusters were common in the flat farmland. Fields were planted with cotton, corn, and soybeans. Laws preventing certain chemicals, which we now know cause cancer and other diseases, had not been passed. So farmers and crop dusters spread cotton poison to protect their crops.

Visiting my grandfather’s farm and sitting on the front porch, watching planes crop dust the neighboring fields, was one of my favorite activities. From out of nowhere, the plane would appear at tree-top level, drop to just above the cotton, drop its load, and then pull up just before reaching power lines, homes, or trees. Enduring the stench of the cotton poison was almost more than I could bear, but it was worth it to see this acrobat’s antics.

There was a time long ago when God came low. When a group of people got together and decided to build the Tower of Babel. Seemingly an innocent task … until you read the rest of the story. Doing so was about selfishness and pagan worship. God dropped a load on them. Not poison, but the confusion of their languages and thus the end of their project.

A few thousand years later, God came low again. This time when he allowed his Son to take on human flesh and die for humanity’s sins. But he didn’t stop with that. After Jesus ascended back into heaven, God sent his Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost, and the church was born. The psalmist was right when he said that God delights in every detail of their lives (Psalm 37:23).

As I delighted in watching the crop dusters fly low, so I enjoy knowing God flies low into my life’s experiences. And not only mine, but everyone’s who will call on him. He’s never too busy, nor is he ever unconcerned. What concerns us, no matter how insignificant, concerns our Creator. He can come down for our needs and everyone else’s at the same time. We don’t have to take a number or wait in line. God flies so low we can reach up and touch his grace, mercy, and assistance at any time we choose.

Let God fly low into every detail of your life.

Father, give me faith to reach out for you in every circumstance of my life, knowing you are as low as the stretch of my fingertips.

I invite you to try my book Grits, Grace, and God in eBook or paperback. If you want a daily dose of God's grace, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

How to Trust God When You Can’t See the Way Forward - Martin Wiles

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. Romans 8:28 NLT

Just trust God, and everything will work out for the good.

The Porters were college friends with whom we had a common bond: we were both from South Carolina. They also had two children who were close in age to our two. One of which was our daughter’s “boyfriend.”

As so often happens, we lost track of them after graduation. Several years later, I received devastating news: their daughter had been killed. She was riding a bicycle, which was a little too large for her, rolled into the path of an oncoming truck, was struck, and died from the impact. Our family was stunned … and heartbroken. When I called to express my sympathies, the mom, with a broken voice, said, “We’re just trusting God to get us through this.”

I’ve heard enough religious platitudes in my lifetime to fill a small book. Some of them biblical, some not. Some well-timed, some ill-timed. But telling someone to trust God and that everything will work out for the good is true. But how, when, and where we say it, we must carefully consider.

Everything that comes into our lives won’t be good. I’ve experienced enough regretful things to fill a book. And actually, they have. Several, in fact. Having good things happen consistently wouldn’t necessarily make me trust God more. When things go well all the time, I tend to trust myself rather than God. Bad things turn my focus on him. Some turn a bitter focus, but others, me included, turn a longing focus. A longing to know why and how I should respond.

As I look back on the unfortunate things I’ve experienced, I also see how God brought good from them. The lessons I learned from correctly responding are innumerable. My trust in God rose, as did my faith. Since the consequences of bad events tend to hang around, sometimes for years, I’ve been able to continually see God bringing good things from bad circumstances.

God is a good God who wants us to experience good things—even if they have to come through unpleasant circumstances.

Trust God to manufacture good out of the bad times in your life.

Father, I have faith that you will turn the bad in my life into good that will spur me on to spiritual growth and bring glory to your name.

I invite you to try my book Grits, Grace, and God in eBook or paperback. If you want a daily dose of God's grace, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

Buttery Biscuits

 

Ingredients

1 STICK BUTTER

1 CUP BUTTERMILK

2 CUPS SELF-RISING FLOUR

Directions

MELT BUTTER IN A LARGE IRON SKILLET IN A 400°F OVEN. 

MIX FLOUR AND BUTTERMILK TOGETHER AND POUR OVER MELTED BUTTER.

USE A BISCUIT CUTTER TO MAKE INDENTATIONS IN THE DOUGH.

BE CAREFUL NOT TO CUT THROUGH THE DOUGH. 

BAKE ON 400 DEGREES FOR 15 to 20 MINUTES.

 

I invite you to try my book Hurt, Hope, and Healing in eBook or paperback. If you seek hope and healing because of the hurts you have faced, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

How an Unexpected Move Changed Everything - Martin Wiles

So listen carefully, my son. Get ready and flee to my brother, Laban, in Haran. Genesis 27:43 NLT

We hadn’t planned on moving again until I retired, but an unexpected move changed everything.

The landlady came to pick up the rent check. Finding an affordable place to stay in a safe section of town had been a chore four years ago. We finally found an owner of a townhouse in a nice subdivision who said she’d lease. After checking our references, we moved in. For three more years, we repeated the process and hoped we’d do it for six more. No such luck.

After picking up the rent check, we received the news. We’d have to move. Our landlord was selling the townhouse. She and her husband were getting older and wanted to get everything out of their names. Our hope that she’d sell it to us on contract fell through as well. So we did what we didn’t want to do: moved.

Jacob found himself making an unexpected move as well. He had schemed and tricked his entire life. Now it was catching up with him. He had stolen his older brother’s birthright and final blessing. After hearing that her older son was scheming to kill her favored son, Jacob’s mother sent him on an unexpected move to his uncle’s house.

Unexpected moves can be enjoyable if a person likes change, but human nature usually bucks against unwanted change. I wasn’t looking forward to packing up our belongings and moving—even though our move would only be one subdivision over. Jacob probably wasn’t excited about the prospect of leaving his mommy either.

Unexpected moves can come because of poor decisions we’ve made, as in Jacob’s case, because of decisions others make, as in our case, or because of the wacky way the world turns due to its infection with sin. Confession is in order when a sinful decision leads to an unexpected move. If another’s actions, or a sinful turn of the world, have led to the move, we must accept it with a joyful attitude and be content in the new place God puts us.

Regardless of why we’re in a new place, God is with us and promises to guide our steps. We may change places, but God never leaves our side.

If life has taken you on an unexpected move, take God along.

Father, thank you for being by my side, wherever life takes me. 

I invite you to try my book Hurt, Hope, and Healing in eBook or paperback. If you seek hope and healing because of the hurts you have faced, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

Changing Seasons - Sophia Widholm

He hath made every thing beautiful in His time.

Ecclesiastes 3:11 KJV 

I enjoy the changing seasons. Summer drifting into fall. Winter fading into spring. Each transition brings a fresh aspect of seasonal beauty to life. But what about those seasonal changes that aren’t fixed in a calendar year? Those transitions that aren’t between spring and summer but are stages in life. 

Solomon said God makes everything beautiful in His time. From God’s perspective, changing seasons of life are beautiful and appropriate just like seasonal changes on the calendar. But sometimes we struggle to embrace those transitions. 

Some, like me, enjoy having a routine. It’s steady. It’s familiar. When life gets a little crazy, that routine helps us feel secure. And once we’re secure, we don’t want to readjust. But sometimes God asks us to step forward with Him into something new. Just like the seasons, God makes every change He brings into our lives have a proper time and place. Trusting His wisdom in choosing when that time and place is helps us overcome the fear of changing. 

Growing up in the Appalachian foothills, I had a love-hate relationship with Georgia summers. I relished time away from schoolwork, but loathed the smothering heat and stuffy days. Over time, though, I realized I could appreciate summer—not because I loved everything about it, but because God created it to have a special place among the seasons. 

Learning to enjoy every season of life requires a willingness to trust the Lord’s wisdom in leading us there. 

Is God leading you to a new stage? Are you hesitating in fear, resisting the next step? Ask God to help you see the beauty He sees in that season and to give you the courage to step into it. 

Father, help me to see each season as a beautiful gift from You. Help me to trust Your timing and wisdom. Thank You. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Sophia Widholm is a professional writing major who wants to use her words to edify other believers. When she is not at college, she enjoys baking sourdough bread and taking walks in the North Georgia mountains. She is considering ways to serve the Lord after graduation through writing.

I invite you to try my book Hurt, Hope, and Healing in eBook or paperback. If you seek hope and healing because of the hurts you have faced, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.