Author: Nancy Landis

Spring is Here!

Stepping outside on the porch and taking a deep breath of crisp fresh air, reminds me that spring has arrived! Even though the thermometer says 47 degrees, there is a look and feel that winter has lost its grip in our area of the world.

The purple and white crocus have been showing their colors along with the cheery daffodils.

The birds are chirping in the trees which are pushing their buds. On my walk yesterday, I saw Mr and Mrs Mallard leisurely paddling in our little stream.

In spite of the corona virus trying to take front and center stage, the creation is showing forth the praises of their creator. They are a reminder to us about trusting in the Lord. Last evening before going to sleep, I read this from Matthew 6:25-34.

 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 

 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31

 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 

 For those who don’t know God, run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.  But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 

 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Perseverance

Thank you all for your patience during this time. For many months my site was down and after many attempts of trying figure out the problem and of course, googling it, I gave up. I wondered if I should just quit but I didn’t get a clear answer that I was supposed to stop. Thanks to a wonderful techy friend, Noemi, who gave of her time one afternoon. She patiently worked with me, from long distance, and was able to get it out of the doldrums!

My next hurdle was to figure out how I was going to back up the site! It sat on a back burner in my mind and I even thought I didn’t have anything more to write! On Tuesday evening we had enough snow to create work for the snow removal team here at Landis Property Services! You might wonder how that plays into this? Well my dear husband went out to work at 7PM and didn’t come home until after 11. It’s something about a snowy night and time alone. I decided to tackle this problem. After the backing up there were still issues of updating, etc. As I texted a friend….it is like a puzzle with each step coming together. This sunny Friday afternoon the puzzle ( I hope!) is completed and I can once again express my thoughts and inspirations with you.

If I have anything to share from this experience, it might be the idea of perseverance. Perseverance is not a gift that we receive but as the dictionary says, it is the continued pursuit and persistence in any business or enterprise. As a side note, this can be good or evil.

Roman 5:3 says that tribulation brings about perseverance. There seems to be different kinds of things we need to persevere through. Being a follower of Jesus can result in suffering and hardship. It can also be the daily pressures, distresses, and troubles we experience. But the product of perseverance brings us patient endurance. The next time we struggle with pressing through a situation we remember that we got through the last difficulty with the Lord’s help. It might be a marriage issue, job frustration, children or a medical issue; even a project, a dream, or a blog site! How important is the word patient in connection with endurance? Without patience we might be enduring with anger, frustration, or hopelessness. Patience is a fruit of the spirit that we need to desire to grow within us. We are building a foundation of patient endurance which is demonstrated to ourselves and others with proven character (spiritual maturity). I believe trust is being built. Others can depend on our stability as they observe us persevere.

The fruit of proven character is hope! Hope in God’s promises never disappoints us, because God’s love has been abundantly poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us! Hope is based on the love of our Heavenly Father. The love that never changes. His love was demonstrated by giving us His only son Jesus. Our hearts receive it by the Holy Spirit who lives within us. Oh what joy! Read Romans 5: 1-5 for the fullness of it all.

I leave you with this. Consider whether the things you are persevering for will be of lasting value. Make sure you are persevering for the things with an eternal perspective.