Spring Writing #1

This time of year has a fun writing contest that I enjoy entering. We are supposed to post our entry in our blog.

This year, I had too much fun writing...maybe because we are on "lockdown," and I've been writing a little more than usual, plus the hope of spring and this virus possibly going away is always on our minds.

Anyway, for the next few days I thought I'd post my spring collection of recent writing. Feel free to add your own spring writing to the comments section. We'd love to hear from you.

Happy Spring! Stay safe and healthy!

A Different Spring

Outside

Flowers bloom

Birds sing

The sun shines

But I’m inside

No school

No friends

It’s a different spring

One with a virus shadow

Blocking the joy

Of the dance of spring

It’s like winter without Christmas

Summer without swimming

Fall without pumpkin pie

It’s a different spring

Missing some of the fun

But not forgetting the joy

Because it reminds me

Even though life is different right now

Life goes on

Even though I am stuck inside

I’ll get to go outside soon

The flowers, birds, and sunshine

Will be waiting

Asking, “Where have you been?”

“Better late than never.”

“Come join in.”

The celebration of this different spring.

The Right Crowd

The story of the woman caught in adultery from John 8 has always been such an amazing story to me. It illustrates God's grace and man's judgment so clearly. In fact, one can glean many lessons from this story. I love Jesus' compassion and mercy, not excusing her sin, but allowing her to become free from it.

But one point I had not noticed before is found in verse 9: When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman.

For years I've pictured this story in my mind as Jesus and the woman left there alone when He tells her He doesn't condemn her and to "go and sin no more." (vs. 11)

But did you see it?

...until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman.

The condemning, accusing, mocking, rock-wielding crowd left one by one. However, a crowd had already been gathered listening to Jesus teach. A crowd remained after the accusers left. As I realized that, I thought maybe this crowd was a crowd of disciples, those who truly wanted to be like Jesus in their attitudes and actions, those who were governed by love and compassion. I hope they were the ones who might share their cloak to cover the woman, some older women who might mentor her, and a crowd that offered encouragement to her for a future of following Christ. That's what I hope.

If that is the case, I want to be a part of that crowd.

I know there were still some in the crowd who judged Jesus' teachings and would have liked to arrest Him, but there were others. There were true followers, true believers in that crowd.

I hope when we gather in our churches that among the crowd are those who would take the time to encourage and help others who are struggling in their faith. We need encouragers and mentors. Without them (us), we could also become accusing mobs, and accusing mobs do not bring glory to God. They lift up the Law, not the One who came to set us free from it.

Well then, since God's grace has set us free from the law, does that mean we can go on sinning? Of course not! Don't you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin which leads to death or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living. (Romans 6:15-16, NLT)

So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing. (1 Thessalonians 5:11, NLT)

Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. (Hebrews 10:24 NLT)


Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples. (John 13:35, NLT)