Tag faith

Stop Swatting

Monica Cane Leave a comment

Be still and know that I am God. – Psalm 46:10

One morning, while resting in my oversized lounge chair preparing to read a devotional, I heard that familiar buzzing sound near my ear—mosquitoes.

Over the past few weeks, non-biting male mosquitoes had been released in our area to mate with female biting mosquitoes. The goal? Produce eggs that won’t hatch, eventually decreasing the biting mosquito population in our community. While I’m glad fewer biting mosquitoes will be around, I’m not thrilled that once a week, hundreds of tiny males are released right at the edge of our lawn. Naturally, the moment we open our front door, dozens make their way inside.

So there I was, candle lit, devotional open, trying to enjoy quiet time with God, when all I could hear was: buzz, buzz, buzz.

Finally, I couldn’t take it anymore. I grabbed our electric bug-zapping racket and returned to the chair, waving it like a wild woman in the dark. Between the flickering candlelight and the racket’s glowing blue zap, I must have looked ridiculous. Despite all my swatting, I never caught a single mosquito. Instead, I had completely lost focus on my devotional and my time with God.

As I sat back, frustrated and exhausted, a thought crossed my mind: I wonder if the devil is happy that I’m so busy swatting the air that I’ve lost sight of God?

That thought stopped me in my tracks. I didn’t want to give the enemy the satisfaction. I placed the racket upright on my lap, devotional in hand, and sensed a whisper in my soul: Be still and know that I am God.

It seemed strange in the moment—sitting there armed like a bug-zapping warrior—but as I leaned into that verse, something shifted. My mind calmed. My spirit settled. The buzzing became background noise. I was present with God.

And then, without me even trying, sparks suddenly flew. One by one, the mosquitoes flew straight into the glowing racket and were zapped. Problem solved—without all my frantic swatting.

That moment hit me hard. How often do I do the same thing in life? When things don’t go my way, I swat. I fret. I stress. I spin my wheels in frustration, wasting all my energy instead of resting in God.

But the truth is, all my swatting never fixes anything.

Psalm 46:10 reminds us to stop striving, stop flailing, stop stressing—and simply be still. God is fully capable of handling our distractions, annoyances, frustrations, and even our deepest needs. Sometimes He does it quietly, sometimes in unexpected ways—even through a bug-zapping racket.

So the next time life’s distractions start buzzing around your head, don’t waste your energy swatting aimlessly. Take a deep breath. Lean into God. Be still.

And know—He really is God.

One Word…Trickle

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Summers in the central valley are just plain hot.  Fortunately, today is expected to be a much cooler day—10 to 15 degrees cooler than it has been for the last month.   I’ll gladly take today’s 92 degrees before it spikes up again.  A few days ago when it was a lovely 105 degrees, I drove our golf cart over to a little spot in town that has a man-made fountain, with boulders and a few trees surrounding it.  This tiny slice of heaven is located near the freeway exit and across from Starbucks.  Even though it’s located near a busy area, I do get a sense of “getting away from it all” whenever I go there to sit on the stone bench and watch the two fountains do their thing.

Parking the little golf cart nearby, I walked toward the fountains, taking in the sound of rushing water and instantly felt a bit cooler and more relaxed.

In the middle of the two erupting fountains that were shooting water at least 15 feet in the air, I noticed a little trickle of water coming from one part of the rocks.  I’ve seen it before but never really zeroed in on it like I was this day.

Eyeing the little trickle, I glanced back and forth  between the large fountains and then back again to  the trickle and then felt inclined to speak my mind.

God, the large fountains gorgeously shooting water 15 plus feet in the air, making their bold statement is how I feel inside about my purpose in life. The bigger impact is what I thought you wanted of me, yet the reality is that you use me much more like the small trickle over and over, in little ways after a lot of hard work.   I’ve recognized the value of those small moments but if I’m honest, it’s been frustrating to have a big want with a small outcome.

Voicing my genuine thoughts to God, I looked at the trickle of water again.  Yes, it was small, but it actually was very beautiful, very relaxing and very much part of the overall design of the fountain.

On that day, speaking my truth, God revealed His. The trickle really does have just as much impact as the large gushing fountain, it is just a matter of timing, need, perspective.  In other words, God uses big gushes and little trickles at just the right time, for His purpose.  Both are part of His overall design.

One Word…Cups

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I have quite a few coffee cups in my kitchen cupboard that are meaningful to me.  So meaningful in fact, that everyone in my family knows that they are not allowed to use any of my cups without me getting just a little bit crazy.  Let me tell you about it.

There is my weekday cup that I fill with delicious hot coffee before starting work. This was given to me by a coworker-friend.  The cup says, “People Person” on it, which is a perfect description of me, so naturally, no one else in my family needs to use this cup.  

Then there is the cup I typically use on Saturday mornings.  My husband bought me this one and it says “Caffeine First, Talk Later.”  My husband clearly understands me so why would anyone else think to use this particular cup.  

I have a bright neon yellow cup that I use on occasion that someone gave me years ago.  This cup says, “Everyday is a Gift from God.”   I save this cup for when I’m really feeling down.  One sip from this bright, inspirational mug and my gloomy perspective can’t help but change.  Now that I think about it, I probably should let others use this one and be encouraged as well. But I’m not promising anything.

There is also my brown Cal State Fullerton cup that I drank from every day when my son first went away to college as a way to feel connected to him. I don’t drink from it as often now that he’s back at home but in case it hasn’t been established, it’s mine.

It was my son in fact, who kicked off this whole obsession with coffee cups when he was little. He picked out a cute ceramic cup with bright orange and blue flowers painted on it from the Dollar Store as a Christmas present.  To this day, this cup reminds me of the beauty of a child’s love. So does the “Best Mom Ever” cup I received from one of my daughter’s a few Christmases later.  

All these significant associations with my cups is why I am the only one who is allowed to drink from them. It seems simple enough, even though my family thinks I’m a little crazy.  

Today is Sunday. Sunday’s are a pick whichever cup you are feeling day.  As I scanned my cups in the cupboard, contemplating which cup would best fit my mood.  I knew exactly which one I needed to pick.   It is a 16 ounce, plain aqua colored cup that was given to me by a former boss who became a dear friend during our time of working together who has since passed away.   This is the cup I always tend to reach for when I’m feeling a bit vulnerable.  

Feelings of vulnerability hit me most when God seems to be stretching me and growing me in one area or another.  The last few days He has been giving me a good stretch and teaching more about myself.  It’s a good thing but it’s also hard.  Drinking from this large cup reminds me that I can sit with my uncomfortable feelings of vulnerability and trust that God will see me through to the other side.  He literally has done so every single stretching time. Still, I need to slow down and sip from a cup like this for a calm reassuring reminder.

I’m finding that cups are a bit like our heart and soul.  They can be big and beautiful or small and dainty.  Whatever the shape or size they can go from being completely empty one moment to being filled to the rim and even overflowing the next.  If not careful they can break but with a little effort they can also be beautifully repaired.  

Sometimes my heart and soul feels like a full cup of joy, other times it feels like an empty cup of sadness.  Regardless, God continues to show me that each cup has its place in my life and He is present for it all. 

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…Cornbread

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Is cornbread really a good choice for the word of the day? I mean as soon as you hear cornbread, you can’t help but have images of hot melted butter and drizzled honey flash through your mind, causing a bit of drool.  While that is a delightful image, that’s not actually why I chose cornbread for the word for today. It actually has to do with a person I recently learned about.

Cornbread, is actually the name of an artist.  His real name is Darryl McCray and he is credited as being one of the first graffiti artists from Philadelphia in the 1960’s. Cornbread is his tag name and as the story goes, Cornbread wrote his name, in block style on walls everywhere throughout the city of Philly in order to impress his crush, a young lady named Cynthia.   

I have no idea if he ever won the girl’s heart but expressing himself in such a creative fashion got me thinking.  We are all artists in our own way.  God created each and everyone of us with various gifts, talents, and passions.  We may or may not have been given the gift of painting on walls, but perhaps we have been given the gift of listening, or a warm smile that causes someone to feel safe, or maybe the gift of baking literal cornbread.  Whatever the gift is, you can be assured it is from God and it is for the distinct purpose of expressing His love and kindness to others.  Like our friend Cornbread, we are artists in our own way and we are gifted and called to share the beautiful art of God’s love everywhere we go.

One Word…Accomplishment

Monica Cane 1 Comment

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.

Don’t Lose Sight

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What a season it has been. 

A virus, unseen to the naked eye, wreaked havoc on all mankind for almost the entire year.

Drastically affecting one of the most natural things often taken for granted in our world, fellowshipping with one another.

Even the greatest introvert, who adores solitude, has missed having the ability to stand quietly near strangers in this season.

And as for the extroverts, well… all the social distancing has just about pushed them over the edge entirely.

Yet here we are. 

With our masks and face shields, goggles and other protective, distancing gear.

We are here, not all but most.  

We are here, fully alive in a completely upside down world.

Cures are being considered, vaccines created and yes, in time this too shall pass.

But as of today, while we are here, in the thick of it all, tired of it all, remember these three simple words: Don’t Lose Sight.

Don’t lose sight of goodness, hope, gratitude, purpose, love, kindness, faith, truth.

Don’t lose sight of God.

Just because “our normal” stopped existing, doesn’t mean God did.

In fact, with the ways of mankind coming to a screeching halt in 2020 perhaps our Divine Creator was simply giving each of us the time to reset, regroup, refresh and refocus on Him for a brand new season ahead.

Pure Worship

Monica Cane 2 Comments

A spirit of pure worship doesn’t usually flow from me with the sound of music the way it does for others.  Many lovers of God lose themselves completely in faith-filled lyrics and in instruments of praise. But not me.

Sometimes it comes across as a distracting noise for me.  Not every time, but most times.  Witnessing from a distance the intimate connection that transpires for others when a piano key tings or guitar strings vibrate has caused me question my worship.  What is wrong with me, am I defective? 

Scribbling in my journal one afternoon, feeling exceptionally content, it hit me.  Music may not bring out pure worship in me, but let me sit down to jot a line or two of inspiration, or grab a paint brush and produce expressive  art across a blank canvas, or use my hands to sprinkle glitter on glue and suddenly my spirit, my inner being, instantaneously connects with God.

Should my artistic expression come out exceptionally hideous it would not matter.  There is simply something about a quiet creative moment that draws me close to my Creator.  I sense His presence and feel the warmth of His Face shining upon me in a very real way.   Sensing His presence in those moments, causes my very soul to respond in the way that many others do with music–pure worship.

“God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” – John 4:24

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.