Jesus

The Crown of the Lord

/ Nancy Ann Creed / Leave a comment

Witnessing a total eclipse for the first time was breathtaking. Standing under complete darkness, with only the corona framing the sun, was an experience that left me speechless. It’s a powerful reminder of the awe-inspiring universe we inhabit.

In our culture, “awesome” gets thrown around a lot, but today truly redefined the word for me. This eclipse served as a powerful confirmation of my faith. God’s creation is a testament to his majesty, and today, I witnessed a glimpse of that wonder.

The sun, a giant, crowned in flame,
Yields to a dancer, not the same.
The moon, a mistress, swift and sly,
Steals his brilliance from the sky.

A hush descends, a sudden chill,
As day and night, in conflict, spill.
The world transforms in shades of gray,
Birds fall silent, lost in day.

A crown of fire, a pearly ring,
The corona, secrets it does sing.
A glimpse of power, fierce and bright,
Then plunged back into fading light.

The sun returns, a victor’s gleam,
But memory paints a different dream.
Of darkness dancing with the sun,
A cosmic ballet, briefly won.

One hundred whole, a perfect shade,
An epic sight, forever stayed.
A testament to heavens grand,
The eclipse, a wonder in our hand.

God Watches Over us

/ Nancy Ann Creed / Leave a comment
Photo by Saulo Zayas on Pexels.com

I wrote this because there are times when I know someone is looking out for me. Over the past months, all of my tires on my car were going. I had two flat tires and one that was losing air. I bought an air pump to keep the one inflated and put a donut on the other. I tried to fix one of them, but it doesn’t stay inflated that long. My husband works at a gas station and one of his customers told him about a place that will let us get tires and pay a little per week to pay off the amount. So, on Monday I will have all 4 brand new tires and a sense of relief that I can safely have my kids in the car. I prayed about my tires and lack of money and just basic things. This is not the first time that these things have happened. Sometimes people call them coincidences, but I believe that God is watching out for us.

God Watches Over Us

God Watches Over Us

The sun may shine or the rain may fall,
But God watches over us all.
He sees us when we’re happy and sad,
And He knows when we’re feeling bad.

He knows when we’re scared and alone,
And He sends His angels to keep us home.
He watches over us day and night,
And He’s always there to give us light.

So when we’re feeling lost and alone,
Just remember that God is watching over you.
He’s always there to lend a helping hand,
And He’ll never let you go astray.

So trust in God and know that He loves you,
And He’ll always be there to see you through.
He’s your Father in Heaven,
And He’ll always be there to watch over you.

Never Alone

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Photo by Christopher Sardegna on Unsplash
I was not alone when my mother was sick.
I was not alone when she died.
I was not alone when my father died.

I have never been alone. 

I was not alone when I cried for them.
I was not alone when I missed them
I was not alone when I needed them.

I have never been alone.

I was not alone at any point in my life.
I was not alone when my baby died, before I could hold them.
I was not alone when I wept for them.

I have never been alone. 

I was not alone when I finally became a mother. 
I was not alone when I stayed up with the crying baby.
I was not alone when I had to go back to work.

I have never been alone.

We have never been alone, a day in our lives.
Lord Jesus comfort us, even when we don’t know you are there.

You’re in My Seat

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church

Photo by Karl Fredrickson on Unsplash

I had an interesting experience at church last week and it reminded me of these two stories I have heard pastors use for their sermons.

In the first story, a man is visiting a church. This man sat in a pew and a lady came up to him and said, “I’m sorry, but you are sitting in my pew.” This man got up and moved to another pew. Again, a man came up to him and said, “You’re sitting in my pew.” This happened several times before the man left the church. I have heard this story told by pastors with the message of welcoming new members.

There is another version of this story where the man sitting in everyone’s pew was a homeless man who smelled and wore torn clothes. At the end of this story, he came to the front of the church and said, “You asked me to move because I was sitting in your pew. I have sat in your pew and have died for your sins.” The man was Jesus. The Bible says giving to those in need is giving to Jesus. We should embrace people in need and welcome them.

When I went to church last weekend with my children, I had a similar experience. I drove into the parking lot and saw an open parking space. I drove in and parked, while a car came up next to mine and rolled down the window. A middle-aged woman was in the driver’s seat, so I assumed she needed directions or something.

So I asked, “Can I help you with anything?” What came next surprised both me and my children. She said, “It’s my parking spot. We only have six spots, so you need to move.”

I looked at her, confused for a moment, then I realized she was attending the church next to mine. So I replied, “Well, it’s a good thing I am not coming here to visit your church because I will never come back.” I then drove off and parked my car elsewhere.

The woman pulled out of the spot she was in and moved her car closer to her church. My kids caught this and said, “So she just pulled in next to you to tell you to move your car. Jesus will not like that.” And my kids are correct. What if someone was planning on visiting this church or someone thinking about becoming a Christian? That person may never want to visit another church or become a Christian if Christians treat others this way. My daughter said, “I guess that’s why they only have 6 parking spots; no one wants to go to their church. I love our church. Everyone is nice and friendly.”

People expect Christians to be perfect, but we are far from perfect. Sometimes it takes compassion and common sense. This woman didn’t have either. She taught my children a lesson. She taught them to always welcome others because they know what it feels to not be welcome. It might be a small thing, but for someone searching for a church or someone searching for God, it’s a big thing.