Good Gifts and Gentle Reminders

It has been awhile since I last posted for a couple of reasons. First, as I mentioned in an earlier post, my husband's son and daughter-in-law are home visiting from their teaching jobs in South Africa. When they arrived on June 24, they spent the first few weeks visiting in Massachusetts and staying with us. This didn't leave much time to focus on writing or spending much quality time with the Lord. Second, the unfortunate consequence was that I found myself disconnected and distant from the Lord. After our visitors left to see friends and family in Maine, I struggled to hear from God. My times of being still and trying to hear his voice in the depths of my soul fell flat. I thought about some of the special times that God intervened in my life in some unusual ways through His creation when I was spiritually dry and longing to hear from Him. One of the more memorable times took place last summer when we had a very large population of dragon flies around our home. I have always found these creatures not only beautiful but intriguing. I asked the Lord to allow me to get up close and personal with these little wonders. God answered my prayer and I was able to merely reach out my hand and they landed, allowing me to speak to them about their beauty and praise God at the same time. Well, this summer there aren't as many dragon flies around so the opportunity to connect has been missing. Last Saturday my husband and I stopped by a greenhouse/nursery in search of a plant for my office at work. One of the owners of the business is an elderly, frail woman in her late 70s maybe early 80s. She was extremely pleasant and helpful and my husband had the opportunity to share the Lord with her. While he was ministering I watched the various insects flying around the shop. My attention was drawn to a buzzing sound at the customer entrance. It was a beautiful yellow dragonfly! The closed door was hindering its ability to get outside. At that moment I extended my hand and it flew over to me and landed. The owner of the store commented, "Look at that!" I drew the dragonfly close and began speaking to it while admiring its beauty. A short time later it flew off. In that moment I realized that God was gently reminding me that He was there. He knew the struggle in my soul and graciously sent a familiar messenger to remind me that I am loved. In Matthew 7 we are told, "Ask and it will be given you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks the door will be opened. Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him? (Matthew 7:7-11) Furthermore James states, "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all He created." (James 1:17-18) Yes, my heavenly Father knows how to give good gifts and gentle reminders to His children when they are hurting. 
Peace & Blessings,
Pastor Sheree