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This is one of my favorites and has become a Thanksgiving tradition. I hope you enjoy it! ~~

The dark, gray skies overhead threatened an early snow. Rushing shoppers, all bundled up to ward off the cold, crowded the sidewalks, lost in their to-do list for Thanksgiving.

Oblivious to their surroundings, no one noticed a small, shivering boy standing in front of the shoe store, his nose pressed against the window, barely dressed and only flip-flops on his dirty feet.

However, one man did see him and stopped, dead still in his tracks, causing others to bump into him. He didn’t notice the bumps and grumblings, but he did notice the small boy because he had a son about the same age.

Thinking how he would feel if this were his son standing there, barely clothed, the man quietly slid next to the boy, the man stood there for a moment, and then said, “They have some nice shoes here, don’t they?”

“Yeah,” came the soft reply.

“Which ones do you like?”

“That pair over there…the cool running ones.”

“Oh, I’ll bet you could run fast in those.”

“Yes sir. I sure could. Like the wind!”

“You know, I have a little boy just about your age.”

“Oh, yeah? I’ll bet he has shoes like that.”

“Yes, as a matter of fact, he does. But I have an idea.”

“Yeah? What’s that?”

“How ‘bout I take you into the store and buy you that pair of shoes?”

The boy stood there motionless. After a few moments, with tears in his eyes, he looked up at the man. “You want to buy me shoes?”

“I sure do. Your feet must be freezing and I’d love to buy them for you.”

The boy couldn’t speak another word.

The man took the boy by the hand and walked into the store. Finding the manager, the man described the pair of shoes and asked the manager to please get a pair in the boy’s size, along with some socks. Then, he said he and the boy would be in the restroom and would he please bring the shoes and socks in there.

The manager gathered the shoes and socks and, upon entering the men’s restroom, found the man on his knees washing the young boy’s feet.

“Can’t stick dirty feet into clean, new socks and shoes, now can we?”

The young boy just stared at the man as he lovingly washed away all the accumulated street-dirt and gently dried his feet.

Feeling he was intruding on a very special moment, the manager quietly placed the shoes and socks on the floor without saying a word and backed out of the restroom.

After placing the socks and shoes on the boy’s feet, the man stood up, and with hands on his hips, said, “Okay. Let’s see how they look. Walk around.”

The little boy couldn’t move. He stared down at his feet that felt glued to the floor. He looked up, tears now streaming down his little face, and said, “Mister, are you Jesus?”

The boy’s words took the man’s breath away. So overcome with emotion, the man could barely speak. Finally, he muttered, “No, son, I’m not. But I know Him very well. And this is a gift from Him.”

“This is the greatest Thanksgiving ever. Would you tell Jesus thank you for me?”

“Well, let’s go for a walk and I’ll tell you how you can do that yourself.”

The Pillar of Cloud.

Billowing majestically, it moved forward...and the Israelites advanced.

Pulsing with power, it hovered...and they pitched their tents and waited.

The Cloud...always in front of the people. “By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night.” (Ex. 13:21-22 NIV)

The Angel of God. Giving divine guidance by day and fiery heat and light by night.

But the horses’ hoof beats pounded. The chariots rattled. And the marching soldiers’ footfall droned. The enemy closed in on them, in pursuit of their lives.

Israel shook in their sandals. They cried out to the Lord.

Moses said to them, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.” (Ex. 14:12-14 NKJV)

“Raise your rod, Moses,” God said. “Stretch out your hand over the sea. Divide it that Israel may walk through it on dry ground.”

“Then the angel of God, who had been traveling in front of Israel’s army, withdrew and went behind them...coming between the armies of Egypt and Israel. Throughout the night the cloud brought darkness to the one side and light to the other side; so neither went near the other all night long.” (Ex. 14:19a, 20 NIV, emphasis mine)

The Living Bible says, “It gave darkness to the Egyptians but light to the people of Israel!” (Ex. 14:20b) Darkness to the enemy; light to the people.

The Lord stood between His children and their enemy. He had their backs! And this enemy at the rear was history. God had a plan for their future and a path all mapped out for them to move forward.

God does the same for us. Sometimes, He performs His handiwork behind us, in the background. So, what is behind us? Our past? Depleted circumstances? Old way of thinking? Attempts of the enemy?

The Lord stands between us and whatever attempts to come against us, protecting us. He has our backs! Our enemy is history. God has a plan for our future and a path all mapped out for us to move forward.

No matter what is behind you, God has drowned it in the dark depths of the sea of forgiveness, if you have given it to Him. Don’t let worry go to the shed and pull out the ol’ fishing pole!

Whatever is on the other side of the cloud, the Lord stands ready to fight for you. Stand still and see what He will accomplish for you.

Let God’s pillar of cloud be darkness to what is behind you and a glory light to what is in front of you.



This post is part of Internet Café's Wordfilled Wednesday...

Have you ever seen a Divi Divi tree? That’s one in the photo. It is almost a national symbol on the Caribbean islands of Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao.

As an evergreen, the Divi Divi trees have inconspicuous but fragrant blossoms. The trees’ pods, wood, and leaves have several uses. Though slow growing, they are capable of growing to 50 feet tall but will almost always be bent at a 45 degree angle due to the constant-blowing trade winds.

Because of this, the trees bend and point to the west, as the winds blow from the east. In Aruba, lost tourists are told to use the trees as a compass.

Some say the Divi Divis are bent over because of leaning into the wind; others say they are bent over because of leaning away from the wind. Either way, the trees have adapted to the winds and grow in spite of them. Their twisted Medusa-like trunks and roots will grow in rich clay soil as well as the sand.

I love these trees! I love how God speaks to us through nature. Maybe we should consider growing like the Divi Divis.

When the winds of adversity blow, do we bend because of the blasting currents, or do we lean along with the challenges? If we lean with the trials, we will never be blown over as long as we are rooted solidly in the Lord. We will still have our fragrant blossoms and always point the way to our Savior, being a compass for others to find their way.

Though we will have the winds of temptation, loss, distress, or others beating against us, we can adapt, persevere, and survive, no matter what the situation.

“Then they will be called Trees of Goodness, trees planted by the LORD to show His greatness.” (Isa. 61:3 New Century Version)

Today, I have another special cyber-friend for you...Lisa Buffaloe. I hope you’re enjoying these articles from my special online friends. I enjoy bringing them to you. Here’s Lisa...

In Scouting the Divine by Margaret Feinberg (www.margaretfeinberg.com/), the second session records a current-day shepherdess and the relationship with one of her ill sheep—summoning a vet, administering medicine, concern, and compassion. The love and devotion of the shepherdess brought tears to my eyes as I pictured God’s tender care as The Great Shepherd.

I think of friends who battled devastating diseases—the e-mails and quiet conversations discussing the horrors of illness, the agony at the thought of leaving their young children motherless, and yet the awestruck amazement that in their darkest moments they felt the presence of God.

We are all like sheep. Some walk close to the Shepherd and hang on His every word. Others roam the pasture not quite sure where they fit in the fold. Many stay outside God’s care, not truly believing He is trustworthy or He will somehow keep them from experiencing all they desire. And within all of them is a hunger to be known and loved.

Whether you choose to be in God’s fold, there are wolves in the world, storms will come, rivers are swift, and fires sweep over the open range. For those who follow God, The Great Shepherd will guide through any dark valley. No wolf can snatch you from His care.

God will gather you in His arms and hold you close to His heart. He will keep your head afloat when you pass through raging rivers. In the fires He will shield you from the flames. And when death comes, He’ll guide you home, where you will be forever safe in His presence.

(Psalm 23:4, Isaiah 43:2, Isaiah 40:11, John 10:27-29)

Please visit Lisa’s site LisaBuffaloe.com

Thousands of years ago, the Hebrews observed a betrothal of marriage custom that consisted of twelve steps. Much of this custom is still observed today.

According to the custom, a Hebrew father almost always chose the woman to be betrothed to his son. Only rarely did the parents allow their children to make their own choices.

After all the betrothal steps had been completed, the Law legally bound the man and woman together and regarded them as husband and wife, as one entity. Though considered married, the covenant forbade them to live together physically.

Most betrothal periods lasted about one year, as the bridegroom would leave to build a home for his bride. Before he departed to begin his project, the bridegroom made a statement to his bride: “I go to prepare a place for you; if I go, I will return again unto you.”

Throughout their relationship, they were entirely devoted to one another, even though distance separated them. Their commitment to each other was based on covenant and was not to be broken.

When the bridegroom was finished building the home, he still could not leave to snatch away his bride. He never knew the day or hour for he had to wait until his father gave his approval and said it was time to go. Then, the bridegroom would gather his friends and go get his bride, arriving around midnight, unannounced. The bride never knew the day nor the hour of his arrival and had to be ready at all times.

Throughout the Bible, God relates to His people in a closeness of companionship so intimate that He compares it to a marriage relationship. In the book of Isaiah, He said, “For your Maker is your Husband.” (Is. 54:5 NKJV)

As the father, in the tradition, arranged the marriage for his son, God the Father arranged the marriage between His Son and the church as the Bride.

Just as the Hebrew couple was considered as one unit, the same truth exists when believers accept Christ’s proposal, receiving Him as their Savior, for they become a part “of His body, of His flesh and of His bones,” (Eph. 5:30b NKJV) as a divine oneness.

As Paul said, “This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church.” (Eph. 5:32 NKJV) The mystery, the secret? “For this is the secret: Christ lives in you.” (Col. 1:27b NLT)

Even though the Father has chosen her, the Bride comes of her own free will, accepting the Bridegroom’s proposal and choosing to be betrothed to Christ - or not. If she accepts and says, “I do,” she is, as Paul said, “‘married,’ so to speak, to the One Who rose from the dead.” (Rom. 7:4b TLB)

When Christ died, He departed as the heavenly Bridegroom to prepare a dwelling place for His precious Bride. On the night before His crucifixion, Jesus essentially spoke the bridegroom’s statement to the disciples, “I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” (John 14:2b-3 NKJV)

The Son knows not the day nor the hour of His return, as only the Father knows the time for the Son’s return for His precious Bride. As Jesus said, “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.” (Matt. 24:36 NKJV)

Neither does the Church Bride know the day nor the hour of her Beloved Bridegroom’s return for her, so she must be prepared at all times.

If Jesus died that His Bride might be without spot or wrinkle or any other defect, then, as part of the Bride, how will you be dressed when the heavenly Bridegroom arrives? Will you have a mopey face, hair covered in the ashes of doubt and worry, breath smelling of negative words, and wear a ratty old wedding gown of self-pity, ripped and stained, full of the filth of the world?

Or will you be “a bride beautifully dressed for her husband” (Rev. 21:2b NIV) adorned with a smile on your face, joy in your heart, songs of worship and praise on your lips, dressed in a pure, white garment of salvation and righteousness, and crowned with the gift of the Bridegroom?

The Bridegroom is coming soon for His Bride. Have you made sure that you are in a holy covenant of betrothal with Him? While He’s away, are you totally devoted to Him? If you knew tomorrow was your last day on earth, would it affect your behavior today?

Are you ready for His return? Are you, as they say, good to go?

Today, I have another great offering for you, another sweet cyber-friend, Carol Peterson. I hope you’ll support her with a comment. Thanks!


Is God cleaning out His heavenly library? I only wonder, because several books have recently fallen into my lap—seemingly from heaven. When I open them, they all assert the same thing: God means us to live a large life for Him.

Angela Thomas, in her book, Do You Know Who I Am? And Other Brave Questions Women Ask, asserts that our “calling” in Christ is to live a big life for God. He wants us, she says, “to live like He is worthy.”

Do I?

Marianne Williamson, author of books about miracles, asserts that God created us to shine for Him. The more we shine, she says, the more God is glorified and the more other people feel free to shine as well.

Do I shine?

Henry T. Blackaby, in Experiencing God, explains that when we have a relationship with God, He will show us ways to join in with His big plans.

Am I joining in?

So many of us trip over the idea of dreaming big dreams because of fear. We fear we are incapable. We fear we will fail. We fear other people will laugh at our dreams. Or will laugh if we fail.

It’s hard sometimes to remember that God gave us our one and only lives on this side of eternity in order to love and obey Him. And in so doing, to bring Him glory—great big glory!

We can have big dreams for our lives—not for pride or personal accomplishment—but because succeeding in those big dreams brings glory to God. And He is worthy of every dab of glory we can pluck out of our lives.

God has equipped us to succeed in our big dreams by the talents He has provided or the circumstances and people He has placed in our lives.

Or He will equip us if our dreams are aligned with His plan.

We may not be able to succeed on our own. But Christ can. Christ can succeed through us. And we can succeed through Him. Like Paul: I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13)

If we’re doing all things through Christ, what excuse do we have that we can’t dream big dreams and strive to achieve them? Not a one.

It’s time to live large lives for Christ.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, you know we have dreams. Make Your dreams our dreams. Help us live a life that is large for You, praising You and thanking You for it. Amen.

WHAT ABOUT YOU? Do you have dreams you are afraid to dream? What are they? What first step might you take today toward living large for God?

~Be sure to visit Carol’s site, From Carol’s Quill

As I listened the other day to FoxNews, I heard the most precious story of a couple married for 72 years. By now, you’ve probably heard about them. But I just couldn’t help writing about them.

Gordon Yeager proposed to his sweetheart the day before Norma graduated from high school. They were married the next day, the day she graduated, May 26, 1939.

They were always by each other’s side. Each saying they had to “stick around” for the other. They truly enjoyed being together, even though they had their arguments.

On October 12, 2011, Norma and Gordon suffered extensive injuries in a car accident. They were rushed to the hospital and put in ICU. The hospital workers knew not to separate them and pushed their beds together. They held hands even after the morphine took affect and they became unresponsive.

The injuries were more than their bodies could withstand or recover from and at 3:38 p.m., Gordon died.

The son noticed that his father had stopped breathing but his heart had continued to register on the heart monitor. Confused, he asked the nurse about it.

She told him that because the two were holding hands, Gordon’s machine was picking up Norma’s heartbeat...her heart was beating through him.

Exactly one hour later, at 4:38 p.m., Norma died.

Hand in hand in life; hand in hand in death.

Sharing one casket, they held hands. After cremation, their ashes were mixed together.

Such a sweet love story. They had their ups and downs but always wanted to be with each other.

The one thing that blew me away was...her heartbeat beating through him. One heartbeat beating as two. One heartbeat of a living one beating through one dead to this world.

Isn’t that what the Lord wants for us? To be dead to this world yet have His heart beating within us? To be connected to Him throughout life, walking hand in hand. And in death, still holding His hand.