My Mind, the Roof, and 

Romans 8:28 

Clomp, clomp, clomp—rosh, oof. Clomp, clomp, clomp—rosh, oof. The ruckus on the roof was a little disconcerting; from the bedroom below I couldn’t actually see the activity going on above me. But I knew a few of the details: The snow on the roof had piled up too high and needed to be removed. I knew that somebody trustworthy was busily trudging back and forth, wielding a shovel and ridding the roof of its load.
 
At times my mind can become overloaded, too. So it’s comforting to know that Somebody up above is constantly working out all things for my good.

The Case of the Condensed Cake

The recipe came from a reliable source; nobody thought to question the ingredients; the handwritten instructions sounded reasonable. The baker made the cake according to the directions and poured the batter into round pans. But when they emerged from the oven, the cake inside looked rather flat. And when the time arrived to cut the cake, the knife struggled to saw through the rocklike layers. Oh, the cake tasted nice—like spice. But how had this cake turned out so short and shockingly dense? Somebody began to wonder if an ingredient had been left out; later the recipe writer confessed to having forgotten to include the baking soda.

Some say that the word Bible stands for “Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth.” But the Word of God goes far beyond the basics. And we can rest assured that the Author included every ingredient we need.

Rejection Junction

Grumping and grumbling, Roberta continued to read the magazine that had come in the mail. It seemed that every article annoyed her. Two editors desperately needed more narrative nonfiction. She griped that she would help them out, if only the publisher hadn’t rejected her continuing contributions, likely because she had expressed views contrary to the reigning opinions of the staff. And then one writer seemed to have copied an analogy that Roberta had hatched in a book she had written. Groan. Grump. Gripe.
 
She battled these negative notions, telling herself this and that to hush her hunches. And then she came upon something in the publication that doused the fire within; an article writer had quoted—her! The piece shared words of hers from one of the books she had written. Somehow, that little inclusion in a magazine she had been excluded from, managed to extinguish her fiery feelings.
 
Slowly, the smoke cleared: God Himself had allowed that rejection for Roberta’s own good, and He also allowed a writer to cite her in a magazine she could no longer write for. God opens doors; God closes doors; God can even crack open a door that had been shut. So why grumble when ultimately her all-wise heavenly Father had been the one to gently close the door to writing for that publisher? And He even kindly slipped Roberta’s name into the magazine to adjust her attitude, and to illuminate the fact that even rejection is for His child’s good.

Eating and Drinking 

to the Glory of God

I remember when I first got married and moved out of my parents’ home; I could finally dine the way I wanted to. Back then I drank too much soda, ate too many potato chips, and devoured copious slices of cappuccino-silk pie. But slowly, my habits have changed: These days I drink more water, I rarely eat chips, and when the pleasure of pie is available to me, I at least consider the calories. I am starting to understand that we should eat and drink to the glory of God.

Recently, I wondered about my 15-year habit of beginning most mornings with Reese’s Puffs cereal. I mean, the boxes primarily appeal to children. Did my breakfast-cereal tastes need to grow up? One of the features I especially like is that the puffs stay crispy in milk, due to their sugary coating. The really healthy cereals lack this benefit, besides looking beyond bland. But you know, as with many issues in the Christian life, our food choices tend to improve g-r-a-d-u-a-l-l-y. So I finally found a cereal coated in sugar that is still a smidge healthier than the breakfast I have been enjoying for years. Yesterday I gave this product a try, and it does stay deliciously crisp in milk. Shockingly, I just might be ready to move on to—Cocoa Puffs.