THE NEW EWE

"What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!'"

Luke 15:4-6

April 30, 2025

LIFE IN THE FOLD

I've mentioned many times that I get my nephew's two kids (ages 6 and 7) and their 8 year old cousin on the school bus in the mornings. My nephew's kids are both in 1^st grade and only 5 months apart in age; due to the blessing of adoption.

In the mornings, while waiting for the school bus, the kids will often play in the front yard. I sit on the front porch, where I can watch them. The two oldest like to pretend that they are hiding from me. In fact, they really think that they are hiding from me. My car is parked in their driveway, and they will go to the side furthest from me. They will run around to the back of my car and peek at me, then run away when they see me watching them.

Recently, it had rained and I didn't want them sitting on the driveway and getting wet or dirty before going to school. I had told them not to do so, but they thought since they were "hidden" from me, then they would get away with it.

I saw them sitting on the wet concrete and told them to get up. The kids were like, "How did you know that we were sitting down?!?" I could hear them asking one another, "How did she see us?"

Other times, I've said to stop doing something that they shouldn't be doing and they are always amazed at how I know. They think being on the opposite side of the car from me means that they are hidden and I don't know what they're doing.

Unbeknownst to them, I can see underneath my car and see their feet and know where they are... or see if they're sitting down. I can see through my car windows to see if they are waving a stick around where they could potentially scratch the paint on my car. I know where they are and what they are doing; which has them puzzled. They can't figure out how I can see them or know where they are, when they think that they are hiding from me.

The bus stop is next door to my nephew's home and there are other kids who wait for the bus in the neighbor's driveway. The bus comes down the street from the opposite direction from the bus stop, so the kids can't actually see it until it come around the corner and is nearby. But from my position, in front of my nephew's home, I can keep an eye out for the school bus. When I see it coming around the corner I will yell, "Bus!" The kids will stop playing and get in line so that they are ready when the bus arrives.

A few months back, one of the boys at the bus stop asked me, "How do you always know when the bus is coming?!?" I told him that I have super powers!

There are just some things that kids have a hard time figuring out when they are young, that will come with age and maturity.

Have you ever babysat or been around a child and have them cover up with a blanket and say, "I'm hiding from you! Can you find me.... or do you see me?" Because they can't see you, they think that you can't see them.

Those are cute/funny stories about kids. But the truth is, sometimes we seem to have that same mentality when it comes to God. Because we can't see Him, we forget that He can always see us. Occasionally, we may act as if we are hidden from Him, therefore, He can't see or hear us. We may not say the words, but we act like, "God, how did you see that coming?! How did you know about it?! How did you see me do that?"

The truth is, God really does have super powers! More than any super-hero invented by humans. He is all-knowing, all-seeing, and all-powerful!!

I was recently talking to my niece, who has been struggling with some behavioral issues. I asked if she knew that God could always see her -- yes. I asked if she knew that God could hear every word she spoke -- yes. I asked if she knew that He even knew every thought that we had. She looked a bit taken aback and was like, "Really?! That's not good!" I told her that there is absolutely nothing we can hide from God!

David had a deep understanding of this and wrote about it in Psalms 139. He begins by writing, "O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I'm far away. You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do. You know what I'm going to say even before I say it, Lord."

He goes on to say, "Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand!"

David continues by writing about the fact that we can never escape from God's Spirit. We can never get away from His presence. No matter where we may go, God will be there.

Nothing or no one can be hidden from God. He knows every single detail about each and every one of us! That should bring us peace and comfort.

David writes, "How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! I can't even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, you are still with me."

The kids are fine with me seeing them and watching over them, most of the time. There are times when they are just playing and pretending to hide from me and it's only a game. But sometimes when they are really trying to hide, it's because they are disobeying and doing something that they know they shouldn't be doing.

My niece has gotten into trouble, more than once, for sneaking little toys to school, then taking them out and playing with them during class. When I was recently staying with them for a few days, she asked to wear a certain pair of pants to school. She came downstairs before the bus came and I could see lumps in her pockets. She had filled her pants pockets full of tiny toys and a pencil and marble and all kinds of things! She didn't think I would notice. I double checked her pockets when we went outside to wait for the bus, just to make sure she didn't try to sneak anything else when I wasn't looking.

It doesn't matter how sneaky we may think we are; God will always see and know. We can never slip anything past Him. Why not just be honest and do what's right?!

On the other hand, when it's storming or the kids need something, they are thankful for me being there to take care of them and protect them. They love having me there when things are going well; or when they want to tattle on someone. My niece and nephew will give me hugs and we have a strong, close bond. It's normally when they know that they've done something that could cause them to be disciplined that they don't want me near them or to see what they've done. But aren't we pretty much the same way with our Heavenly Father?

JON'S PERSPECTIVE:

It might seem a little surprising that God can see everything we do. It's a lot more amazing that He can know everything we think or desire. But the real shocking truth is: He still loves us.

King David knew this very well. You can read Psalms, and see what David wrote about his own feelings. Some of them are full of despair and doubts. But God always loved him. He also saw the wife of one of his trusted generals, and was unfaithful with her. Then he dreamed up a plan to get her husband killed. But God always loved him.

Whatever hateful or other horrible thoughts we might have... God always loves us. No matter what we may have said or done... God always loves us.

ON THE MENEWE:

Crockpot BBQ Chicken

Mix BBQ sauce, Italian dressing, brown sugar and Worcestershire sauce in a bowl.

Lightly salt chicken as you put it into the crockpot. Pour the sauce mixture over the top.

Cover and cook all day on low 6-8 hours or on high 3-4 hours.

When meat is tender and thoroughly cooked, removed from crockpot and shred. Return meat to crockpot and stir to mix with the sauce.

Serve on Hawaiian rolls for BBQ sliders or on hamburger buns; or just eat alone.

Makes for great leftovers!

THIS, THAT AND THE OTHER:

I was raised in a small country church. Whenever I get the opportunity to go back to visit that church, I do. Things have greatly changed over the years and there aren't as many people who attend as there used to be. Growing up, I had lots of uncles, aunts and cousins whom I went to church with. Most of those have now either passed away, moved away, or attend a different church. But when I go, it's still sentimental and holds a lot of good memories.

My sisters and I got together this past weekend. We went to church there on Sunday morning, with the exception of one sister who was unable to join us. This is one thing I love about smaller churches -- one of my cousin's had been asked to sing a special song. When she got to the piano to sing, she asked me to come up and sing with her. We had never sang this song together... hadn't practiced... but we just winged it, and it turned out pretty good -- if I do say so myself! In fact, we probably hadn't sang together for many, many years. It was so much fun to sing together and no one would have cared, even if we had messed up. Sometimes it's about singing for Jesus, the love for singing, and family harmony that overshadows perfectionism and of far greater importance.

THOUGHT TO PONDER:

You either believe God knows what He's doing, or you believe He doesn't.

You either believe He's worth trusting, or you say He's not. - Elisabeth Elliot

OUR HEARTFELT THANKS TO YOU:

We love you!

Loretta & Jon

http://www.graysheep.org