Category Hope

Comfort comes in many different shapes and sizes.

It can be a strong hug from a trusted friend, snuggling with your favorite blanket or enjoying a heaping serving of mashed potatoes with a pat of butter melted on top.  All of those things and more have offered comfort to me at different times. But  today, comfort comes in the shape of two tiny dimes in my pocket.  

I put on a pair of jeans this morning that I hadn’t worn in a while and went for a much needed walk.  I had just received a phone call that my ninety-two year old mother, who is in a nursing facility, somehow fell out of her bed and fractured her hip.  

Talk about a hopeless feeling when you are four-hundred miles away and have to  wait for the doctor to call and let you know if your mom, who is in an extremely confused state, will be healthy enough to withstand a surgery to repair her hip and if not, what that could possibly mean.

So I opted for a walk to settle my mind and focus my thoughts on the presence of God, asking Him to be with mom in the hospital room where she is at, and also to be with me as I wait.

It was a bit chilly, so I shoved my right hand in my pocket and felt a small, circular item. I pulled it out and saw that it was a shiny, little dime.   I’m not sure why I found it so peculiar, it’s not like I’ve never had change in my pocket before.  Nonetheless, it warmed my heart a bit as I slipped the little dime back in my pocket.

I continued walking while praying and reflecting when the wind picked up again. I shoved my right hand back in my pocket and this time, I felt two circular items.  I pulled both dimes out of my pocket in surprise and examined them.  One was from 1977, the other from 2024.  Both coins, forty-seven years apart, shiny and simple had been tucked away in my pocket for who knows how long, but now they were in my hand.  

Suddenly, I felt a sense of comfort just at the sight and feel of these two little coins.  Their earthly value is only twenty cents, not even enough to buy a candy bar, yet for some unknown reason, holding them made me feel a sense of comfort and security.

Perhaps it’s because I’m the kind of person who tends to trust God with big, overwhelming things but completely flips out over small details especially when it includes waiting.

My mom fracturing her hip is big, I can give that to God.  Me, patiently waiting for the Doctor’s call and addressing all the little details that will inevitably come up is not nearly as big, but I tend to hold onto those little things and can get myself pretty worked up.

So as I turn the dimes over and over in my hand and accept the comfort they give, I think maybe, just maybe God gave me these two tiny dimes in my pocket today to remind me that He not only takes care of the BIG things but He also takes care of every tiny, little detail, including the waiting as well.

One Word… Dimes

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NEW RELEASE – Autism in Hindsight by Monica Cane with Isaiah Cane

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Isaiah was eighteen years old when he was diagnosed as being on the Autism Spectrum along with having OCD. It was a relief for the young man to finally have a name for what he had been feeling and experiencing for so long.

For his parents, it was a different story. They had never observed any signs or symptoms that would have led them to believe their son might be autistic. At least, there were none they knew to look for.

Autism in Hindsight is a conversation between mother and son about getting diagnosed, working through it the process, and learning to connect the dots. Along the way they discovered it is often only in hindsight that you can move forward.

AVAILABLE NOW ON AMAZON

https://www.amazon.com/Autism-Hindsight-Candid-Conversation-Between/dp/1962218287/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

Hustle. Oh how I can love that word.   I’ve been one to hustle for as long as I can remember. 

How about you?

Personally, I’m not the “climb the corporate ladder” type of hustler, I’m more of a “keep it moving, do good, and make a difference” kind of hustler. 

What about you?

In all my hustle over the years, particularly as a believer, my sincere desire has been to honor God through it all  But here is a question I have had to ask myself a lot lately. 

Am I really doing all this hustling for the glory of God or am I doing it for another reason?

I would like to  believe that I do all things for the glory of God, but I have noticed too many times that when I finish that great thing I felt God wanted me to do,  my joy about bringing Him glory can quickly fade into an anxious discontentment. Before I know it, I’m looking around for what’s next.   If I was truly doing all things for the glory of God, would I really be anxiously longing for the next hustle so soon? 

Have you ever felt that way, or is this just me?

This anxious discontentment happened so many times after completing something, that I finally got the courage to ask myself a hard question: Is it possible that I don’t feel quite enough without the hustle?  

The more I asked myself this question, the clearer the answer became.  For me, yes, it is absolutely possible to not feel enough without the hustle because I easily confuse my “do” with my “who.”   

Thankfully, asking hard questions and diving into God’s word can bring clear answers.   

Am I enough without the hustle?  Are you?

According to God, the answer is: One Thousand Percent, Yes! 

He gets us, ya know. We are His creation, His handiwork. There was no anxious hustle when He made us. He knew what He was doing with us then and He knows what He is doing with us now.  

We are enough without the hustle.

“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” – Ephesians 2:10

One Word…Hustle

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One Word…Accomplishment

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Word of the day: Accomplishment

Oh the things I have accomplished in my fifty-eight years.  I have been faithfully married for over 31 years, have had four beautiful children, survived the loss of one, owned four homes, ran a successful restaurant and catering business, owned a coffee shop and have worked countless jobs since I was thirteen. I’ve participated in programs to help the youth, facilitated bible studies, spoke at various ladies groups and have written and published six books to name just a few.  Out of all the things that I have accomplished thus far in my life, my biggest accomplishment is and will always be that one private moment, thirty years ago, when I had the courage to invite Jesus into my heart. When I surrendered myself and asked Him to not only be my Savior but to be my Lord for the rest of my life.  The One who leads, guides, provides, corrects, protects, heals, and comforts with His infinite love every moment of every day. Surrendering ones heart to Jesus, that’s our greatest accomplishment.

You Were Created to Fly

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“For we are God’s Masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” Ephesians 2:10
By Monica Cane

Three years ago my husband took me to Pets Mart to pick out a young parakeet for my birthday present. This was a huge deal because I had been bugging him about buying a bird for at least ten years with no luck. I can’t say the reason for the change of heart. Perhaps ten years of requesting the same thing wore him down or maybe his heart suddenly softened toward our fine feathered friends. Whatever the reason, my husband surprised me that year with the gift of a tiny yellow birdie which I named Lemon.

I made Lemon a nice home in a cage filled with bells, toys, ladders and treats and placed the cage in our living room, so he could be a part of our daily family noise which he seemed to enjoy judging by his birdie chirps.

Once when I was cleaning Lemon’s cage outside my husband called my name. When I turned to see what he wanted the bottom of the bird cage suddenly fell off. Instantly, Lemon flew up and over our house and landed in a tree in our backyard. Fortunately, I was able to climb the tree and rescue him and then made sure to put extra clips on the bottom of the cage so there wouldn’t be another birdie-jail break.

Overtime I noticed that Lemon wasn’t chirping quite as much as he once had and so I decided to give him a change of scenery. I placed his cage on a table next to flourishing herb plants and dwarf fruit trees in our patio and apparently being closer to a natural bird environment was exactly what Lemon needed. He was back to chirping, squawking and singing especially whenever he heard the free birds in the area chirping along as they flew by.

A few days ago, I began my usual routine of cleaning the bottom of Lemon’s cage outside while he watched from inside his cage on his perch. I sprayed a little water above him so he could take a bird bath but what I didn’t realize is that one of his cage doors had caught on a toy and been partially open the entire time he’d been sitting on the perch. As soon as the water touched his feathers Lemon flapped his wings and tumbled out of the open door.

He lopped in the air for only a brief moment as if unsure as to what happened and then quickly realized he was free. Immediately he flapped his wings with vigor, raised-up and allowed the wind carry him. This time Lemon didn’t head toward our backyard instead he flew above and beyond the houses next to us. It all happened so fast that before I could shout, “Lemon Wait!” He was gone.

I scoured the nearby area, made chirpy noises, put out seeds and turned on my water fountain in hopes of drawing Lemon back home. Realizing the odds of finding him, I mumbled, “Why did he have to fly away, God?”

Instantaneously a truthful thought was impressed upon my heart. Without my knowing the door had been opened to the cage the entire time I was cleaning it but Lemon didn’t realize that freedom was available to him. That’s a lot like us. We often sit on our own perch without a clue as to the freedom God has given us through His son, Jesus. (Galatians 5:1)

Once Lemon did realize he was free, he flew like he meant it. In fact, he flew the way God created him to fly.
I don’t know the outcome for Lemon but what I do know is that he flapped his wings and allowed the wind to lift him higher and in turn accomplished what God created him to do.

The same is true for us. As children of God, we must allow the wind of the Holy Spirit to take us to a higher place, to help us understand our purpose in God’s plan so that we too can spread our wings and fly the way God created us to do.

God Gives Fresh Starts

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God, make a fresh start in me. Shape a Genesis week from the chaos of my life.—Psalms 51:10

I’m the type of person who likes consistency.  I like to make plans then implement them so I can maintain a steady flow to my daily routine.  Like a creature of habit I’ve developed a regular way of doing things.   For the most part, I use one of three favorite cups for my morning coffee, I sit on the same side of the sanctuary at church every week, I usually take the same route to work, or school and I like shopping at the same store to mention a few regularities.  Because of my need of consistency, I follow a specific pattern as a way to bring comfortable evenness to my life.

On the other hand, I am also very much the type of person who becomes easily bored with the very routines I implement.  The predictability of my life often causes an inner restlessness because while I like consistency, I also long for excitement and change.  Nothing too crazy or wild just a little something that reminds me I’m alive.

One might think it would be easy to balance these two opposing sides, but honestly, it’s not. Wanting to be stable and grounded while at the same time wanting variety and adventure and expecting others around me to understand how I’m feeling during these times even though I don’t, can stir up some heated frustration, causing me to feel like a bubbling volcano ready to blow until both sides of my nature is satisfied.

As expected, I’ve discovered I’m not alone in my feelings.  Many people want the security of an easy going, predictable life yet find themselves unsatisfied and in a whirlwind of chaos because their bored with their routine and long for change but don’t exactly know how to go about it.

King David understood this self-induced chaos in a different yet very similar way.  The King desired to live a secure, solid, obedient life before God, but he too at times became bored.  Although he sought direction from God on many matters throughout his life, at times, the matter of balancing his desire for stability verses adventurous change were left un-prayed for and lead him to follow paths that God never intended.

In Psalms 51, we find David confessing to God about one of these so-called paths.  David had become bored with the routine of his kingly-life and instead of seeking God for positive change; he took matters into his own hands and had an affair with Bathsheba.

Over time he recognized the consequences of his sin, and confessed the errors of his ways.  He then asked God to cleanse him and give him a fresh start, to take the mess he had made out of his life and to create something right and new in which God faithfully obliged.

God will always forgive a person who loses his way if they repent with a sincere heart but wouldn’t it be a whole lot easier if when the monotony of our daily routine builds up and we need some excitement that we ask God for a fresh change instead of taking matters in our own hands?

While our struggles with our dual nature of wanting stability and adventure doesn’t necessarily lead us to sin against God, it sure can cause chaos in our lives.  Often when we become frustrated and bored with our daily routine, we begin to take it out on those closest to us. We’re snappy, we’re irritated and some days, downright mean just because we feel like we are in a rut and we need change.

When boredom starts to creep into your life, stop what you are doing and ask God to refresh your spirit.  Ask Him for a new outlook, a personal adventure that is aligned with His will for your life.  Something that will add the spice you long for but will still bring the stability you desire.  God is the one who created both sides of our consistent and radical nature and he knows just how and when to put a fresh wind in our sails while at the same time keeping us on course, if only we ask.

Our Fruit

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Sometimes our spiritual fruit falls off doesn’t it?
But Ezekial 47:12 reminds us that time spent with God refreshes our soul and He in turn causes our spiritual fruit to grow once again.

“Fruit trees of all kinds will grow. . . Every month they will bear fruit, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them.” – Ezekial 47:12

Strong Winds Can’t Stop Us

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“I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever lives in me and I in him will bare much fruit.” – John 15:1

I have a peach tree in my front yard and last Spring the entire tree basically produced only two good peaches and they both splattered to the ground before I could ever taste them. Not knowing much about caring for fruit trees, I asked a friend who seemed to be the green-thumb-type what I should do to ensure the tree would produce more fruit this Spring. My friend explained that all the tree really needed was some regular fertilizing, watering and some extra TLC. And that’s exactly was I did from last Spring until now.

I was so excited when I noticed small peach buds beginning to cover the branches recently. Why just the other day, I went to my peach tree, gently touched the many budding peaches on the biggest and main branch of the tree and whispered in my tender-love and care voice, soon the peaches will ripen and I will make tons of peach pie. Then came the wind.

A day after having my brief but intimate conversation with my peach tree, a big gusty wind blew threw town and the next thing I knew, the biggest branch that held many smaller branches, covered with developing peaches broke off the from the tree and was completely damaged.

My heart sank. An entire years worth of extra TLC and the dream of making dozens of peach pies to share with others were gone with the wind. Seeing broken branches, torn bark and scattered green peach buds all over the driveway, I figured all hope was lost.

I was just about to give up on the idea of ever making delicious homemade pies from my own tree when I stopped at the base of the tree and looked up. There, way up high on smaller branches than the one that had broken off, I saw green peach buds. The higher I looked the more peaches I saw. I couldn’t believe!

Despite the main branch being broken off the tree was standing strong and producing much fruit at the top. Sure the tree was injured but it wasn’t stopping it from baring what it was meant to bare–peaches. I tried to count how many there were to figure out if my peach pie dream could continue but there were too many peach buds to count. Again, I whispered in my best TLC voice, but this time I said, Awe, thanks God.

As I wait for the peaches to ripen and my homemade pie baking-fest to being, I think of John 15:1 “I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever lives in me and I in him will bare much fruit.”

When we make God our foundation, even when strong winds blow through our lives and toss us around, like my peach tree, we can still stand strong and bare much fruit because we are rooted in Jesus, our vine.

Know, Love & Pray for Your Enemies

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Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. – Mathew 5:44

To love and pray for our enemies can seem like a pretty steep request, don’t you think? After all, when someone we love tramples on our heart or when we are betrayed by a so-called friend, our first reaction is not necessarily to love and pray for them. On the contrary we might feel more inclined to put on a pair of steel-toed boots and give our enemies a nice swift kick, hoping to knock some sense into them.

It’s taken some time but over the years I have come to understand and appreciate the spiritual principles of Mathew 5:44. God’s call for us to love and pray for an enemy in no way excuses the action or behavior that caused them to make it onto our enemy list to begin with. Instead, loving and praying for an enemy allows us to embrace the struggle, rise above it, release any bitter stronghold their wrongdoings may have had on us and begin to heal. It gives God the room He desires to deal with our enemies on our behalf.

Pray for Them

Recently while studying about growing in confidence and overcoming self-doubt, God brought something to my attention that surprised me. Intangible feelings like self-doubt, frustration, anxiety, insecurity and disappointment to name a few, belong on our enemy list as they are enemies of our soul. In fact, these emotional enemies are often a greater detriment to our well-being than any wrongdoing person our enemy list.

I had never looked at it that way but the more I considered this possibility and reflected on how various uncertain emotions have hindered my well-being at times, I realized it was true. To love and pray for our enemy does not just apply to hurtful people but it applies to the emotional enemies of our soul. Fortunately, God has given us the power to recognize and pray for these types of enemies.
For example, when intense feelings of insecurity rise up, it’s not that we are expected to love that feeling, but we can embrace the fact that the feeling of insecurity is present.

We can acknowledge that this emotion belongs on our enemy list and we can pray for that particular enemy with powerful words such as: I may feel insecure right now but “I am assured that God works for my good in all circumstances.” Romans 8:28.

When that familiar, unproductive feeling of self-doubt shows up we can confront it and pray: I may not believe in myself right now but this is just a feeling and feelings pass. I have no reason to doubt because, I have been chosen by God and adopted as His child. Ephesians 1:3-8.

Whether your enemies are hurtful people or negative emotions when you pray for your enemies, your obedience to God’s request will open the door for healing, breakthrough and a beautiful transformation. Now that’s a worthy request, don’t you think?

Time for a Heart Check

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“The things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart.” – Mathew 15:18 

I love talking.  I don’t know what it is but something about flapping my gums to an attentive person, or telling an intriguing story to a focused crowd makes me one happy camper. Particularly when what I’m going on about has to do with spiritual matters such as growing in our understanding of God’s word, learning to forgive one another or finding peace and comfort in our Savior.  It is without question that I enjoy jabbering endlessly about such wonderful things but as much as I like to blab, I also thoroughly enjoy listening to others when they speak as well.

When I’m on the receiving end of someone’s gum-flapping, I make every possible effort to fully listen to them. I do my best to give them my undivided attention so I can grasp what they are really trying to say.   I purposely pay close attention because I know from experience that scriptures such as Mathew 15:18 are true.   The words that we regularly speak are a reflection of what is going on in our heart.

Oftentimes when our heart is bitter, we think we can fool others by saying good sounding things, giving off the better impression we are hoping to give. If we stick around long enough however, and really listen to one another, eventually the truth that is in our hearts will eventually tumble out of our mouth. Whether it’s good or bad, when we take time to honestly listen to each other we find that our words eventually prove to be a heart reflection.

Recently I was doubly delighted when I listened to words that came out of the mouth of young girl at church who was preparing to get baptized.  The youthful girl wanted to share a few words about how she had come to know Jesus as her Lord and Savior and so while standing in warm water, waist high, in the baptismal tub on stage she told the congregation her brief testimony.

“One day I got into a really big fight with some friends at school and they told me that I made most of the problems.  I went home that night and thought about it a lot.   The next day I decided to invite Jesus into my heart.  Now, I still make most of the problems but I also make most of the solutions.”

The congregation instantly let out a roar of laughter. What a mouth on that youngster.  She stood in front of everyone and spoke simple words that were honest and pure and everyone there knew that her words perfectly reflected her heart.

She could have sugared up or over spiritualized her story, like adults do at times.  She could have spoken words that made her appear problem free the moment she gave her heart to Jesus, but she didn’t. This young girl freely admitted that her friends were right when they told her she caused most of the problems and also admitted that her nature to cause problems didn’t instantly go away because she had become a Christian. Instead she spoke words of truth and the nature of her heart was crystal clear.

This beautiful girl’s testimony is a fast reminder for gum flappers like me and for all of us that the words we speak reflect the condition of our heart.

Pay attention to what comes out of your mouth, if it’s not all what it should be, maybe it’s time for a heart check.