Morning Dew Drops: Bloom Where You Are Planted

By Norma Boone

As a child I went through some hard times.Being raised in a Christian home with challenges I learned early to trust in Jesus. He is and has been my anchor all my life. Not to say there haven’t been tests. God has been my sure protection and supports me through my life verse. “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord. It is the Lord Christ you serve. ”Col 3:23

After the Second World War everything was changing. My parents took our young family from east-ern Canada to go ‘west’ for employment. In this book I make some references to personal childhood memories for the purpose of drawing out a truth God planted deep in my heart.

Having a sensitive spirit God gave me insights. I hope you will glean value from the pages of some of the seasons I’ve traveled. Always a good student, I loved to write. As a young adult I quickly used my writing to do plays, skits, and comedy in church life. I was the church historian and also as the secretary to the board I kept accurate records of meetings.

It is vital that we keep renewing our spirits to survive in a world gone crazy. Draw close to those you love and stimulate their connections to God. Through love and mercy we nurture our minds daily with the living word of God. Read an article and see what God is saying to you. They are really just bite sized portions.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Nov 22, 2020
• ISBN: 9781664209367

Norma Boone

Norma Boone, a retired Canadian health care activity coordinator and provider applies the TLC, tender loving care principle to her interactions with a Bible study group she teaches, her children, grandchildren and all she meets while also leading a prayer ministry. Her love of her family, and the Word of God remain her primary delights but second would be her fondness for the great outdoors.

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Copyright © 2020 Norma Boone.

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Scripture quotations taken from The Holy Bible, New International

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ISBN: 978-1-6642-0935-0 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6642-0937-4 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-6642-0936-7 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2020920288

WestBow Press rev. date:   11/13/2020

I

dedicate this book to my children, Quentin and Naomi, and their families. They and their children are the joy of my life. Where would we be in this world without the blessing of children and grandchildren?

Love,

Mom

Contents

Introduction

1 Expanding Faith

2 Vision for the Journey

3 Story from Acts 14

4 Time, Talents, Treasure

5 Great People

6 When God Speaks

7 Interview with God

8 Glory to God in the Highest

9 Fiscal Responsibility

10 Tailor Made

11 Tune In

12 Benefits Then and Now

13 Wilderness Training

14 Have You Had Your Boost Today?

15 Four Sons

16 Risen to Life

17 The Birds and the Bees

18 Cupboard of My Heart

19 At the Ready

20 The How-to Guide

21 Reverse to Go Forward

22 The Rescue

23 The Robins Are Back

24 Humorous Look at Mothers

25 The Traveller’s Prayer

26 Wings of Faith

27 What Footwear Do You Have On?

28 Man, for All Seasons

29 If I Were the Devil

30 Graduations

31 Deep Wells of Prayer

32 Strangers in Our World

33 Leap Year

34 Balcony People

35 Taking Turns

36 The Time Is Now

37 Harvest Time

38 Planning Ahead Through Values

39 Shaky Steps

40 Jesus in Training

41 Living on the Edge

42 Paying It Forward

43 Arsonist Burns Churches

44 Praying the Scriptures

45 The Good Book

46 Above Ground

47 Abide with Us

48 Why Go to Church?

49 Staying Connected

50 Rebuilding the Temple

51 Hands

52 The Lord’s Prayer

53 Ten Commandments

54 How’s Your Arm Strength?

55 Finders Keepers

56 Holding on, or Being Held?

57 An Easy Memory Prayer

58 Scribblings from My Pen

59 Where Is Our Place?

60 A Pretend Interview

61 God Is Eager to Communicate

62 Christmas Stories

63 O Come O, Come, Emmanuel

64 Encounters with God

65 Darkness to Light

66 The Greatest Gift

INTRODUCTION

As a young child, I went through some hard times. I was raised in a Christian home with some abnormal challenges, so I learned early on to trust in Jesus. He is and has been my anchor all my life. That is not to say there haven’t been tests to get through, but God has been my sure protection and supports me through my life verse: Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord It is the Lord Christ you are serving (Col. 3:23–24).

After the Second World War, everything was changing, so my parents took our young family from eastern Canada to go west for employment. In this book, I make some reference to personal childhood memories but mainly for the purpose of drawing out a truth God planted deep in my heart.

I have a sensitive spirit because God gave me insights. I hope you will glean value from the pages of some of the seasons I have travelled. I was always a good student and loved to write. As a young adult, I quickly used my writing to do plays, skits, and comedy in church life. I was a church historian for years and was secretary to the board, keeping accurate records of meetings.

It is vital that we keep renewing our spirits to survive in a world gone crazy. Draw close to those you love and stimulate their connections to God. Through love and mercy, we can nurture our minds daily with the living word of God. Read one of the articles and see what God is saying to you. The articles are bite-sized portions.

My heart was always longing to write a book, and now that I have, I hope to do another with more personal family stories of faith as God inspires me.

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EXPANDING FAITH

Oh Lord you have searched me, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. (Ps. 139:1–3)

Two blind men were calling out to Jesus. Have mercy on us, son of David. Then the men followed Jesus inside. Jesus asked them, Do you believe that I am able to do this? Yes Lord, they replied. Then he touched their eyes and said, According to your faith will it be done to you.

Jesus told them not to go and talk about it, but they did! In fact, they spread the news over that entire region.

When Jesus saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were harassed and helpless like a sheep without a shepherd. His next statement, he spoke to his disciples, expressed sorrow. The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest therefore to send out workers into his harvest field. (Matt. 9:27–31, 36–37)

Their faith was the key. The two blind men had vibrant faith to ask the master to do this miracle. They could not contain themselves and went about telling the crowds about their healing. It was so easy for everyone to see the evidence. These men had been blind but now were able to see.

What does compassion look like? It may be a listening ear when we run into someone who needs a listener who will hear with the heart and not just the ears.

It may be a smile and common courtesy. Recently, I was able to greet people I do not know with a family type of warmth and inclusion. You had to see their eyes to know they got the message of compassion that was tucked inside my words.

It may be warmth you can exude to people around you. Later, a person in Canada for six years was still having trouble adjusting to our climate, language, and culture in general. As she talked and I asked how it was for her, she shared her loneliness for her homeland and her family, which she had not seen in six years. I had become a friend in the space of time it took for us to be served in the store we were in. When she went to leave, she gave me a warm handshake, and I returned a blessing of God’s goodness. Her smile said it all. She had made a friend.

Compassion is also a stretch of our resources: time, money, faith, and generosity. When Jesus spoke of the need for more labourers, He was not chastising the ones who were labouring with Him but simply stating the obvious. The job of reaching the needs of the world then and now is the same. The equation has not changed.

As we engage with people in a new year, we will take every opportunity to plant seeds of hope and refute falsehood. We know when our faith is ebbing, and we know how to have it refuelled. Staying in the word of God, praying, and worshipping with other believers are anchors that hold us and equip us to test our faith in every circumstance. Find a prayer partner to help you stay accountable for the growth of your faith. We do not get it perfect, but each time we minister to a soul that needs compassion, we are in the harvest field. Keep your boots on. Today may be your time to touch one of the sheep without a shepherd. You may say, I’m timid, or, I don’t know how to express myself well, or, Maybe I don’t even like people. That is OK because God gives us the resources we need to serve. All we must do is love people, and God will do the rest. The faces of love are many, but it can be seen and most often is responded to in kind. Stretch your faith. Be like the blind men and see what God has in store for you in the harvest field.

A blind person asked St. Anthony: Can there be anything worse than losing eyesight? He replied, Yes losing your vision. Unknown

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VISION FOR THE

JOURNEY

Sometimes an effective way to describe something is to say what it is not. A new year is like an open vista, but it is not a certain and guaranteed commodity of time or opportunity.

It has been said if you want to hear God laugh, tell Him your plans.

I saw a sign at a church in Sussex, England, that read, A vision without a task is but a dream. A task without a vision is drudgery. A vision with a task is the hope of the world.

It is time to take our annual spiritual exam.

We often hear how we ought to look after our bodies with healthy diets, exercise, adequate rest, and less stress. Inspiration is not perspiration. It is perhaps a silent awareness or a how-to lesson. It can be permission to think outside the box or a moment when we hear God in our spirits. Inspiration can be practical and down to earth or very heavenly. It is one thing that sustains us in our hard times.

We have all met people