Hearthside Gleanings

Mom's Devotional Writings

Over the years, Mom wrote a collection of devotional stories for the Gleanings, a newsletter for a women's group at church. We compiled some of her writings in a book. These are excerpts from the collection. The illustrations are drawings her daughter, Elizabeth, made of memorable places around the house.

Excerpt #1

May 1973

We looked from the mud-splattered doors and windows of the station wagon parked in the driveway over to the little boy framed in the open doorway of the house. Blond-headed and blue-eyed, he was a picture of angelic decorum...but the blue sand shovel—with a piece of mud clinging to it—was still in his hand. “What are you doing????” — His mother’s voice held that “how - can - one - little - boy - get - into - so - much - mischief - in - such - a - short - time” tone. “You know you aren’t supposed to dig in the front yard!”.... “I was just digging for treasure,” he said, obviously surprised that his mother wasn’t impressed with this “important” undertaking.

Now I suppose that all little boys dream of finding a treasure. It’s either buried near a tree in the backyard or under the basement floor - it might even be stacked away in a hidden room between the walls or up in the attic. Sooner or later, however, toy shovels are replaced by the realities of growing up...everybody knows there isn’t any real treasure.....

But, even as an adult, I have sometimes (more often than I like to admit) found myself still searching for treasures that are not really there...the happier tomorrow...the greener grass that grows on the other side of the fence...perfection in myself and others (especially my husband)....

There are real treasures, however. A loving “God who gives us richly all things to enjoy” (I Tim. 6:17) surrounds us daily with treasures unnumbered! It’s just that because of the hectic pace of life or the involvements of the moment—things we just have to do—that we sometimes fail to recognize and appreciate them....early morning dewdrops, resting diamond-like, on newly-opened rosebuds...a brilliant cardinal twitting about on the clothesline outside the kitchen window...wet kisses, planted by a three year old, on a mother’s cheek...eyes shining with delight at flaming candles on a cake...friendships...mothers...time...so many more...and most important, of course, all the riches of glory found in Christ Jesus....

* * * * * * * *

Dear Lord—help us to recognize the futility of searching for treasures that do not exist. Help us, too, to recognize and appreciate the real treasures—lest they lie buried...forever lost...in the coffins of our yesterdays.

Excerpt #2

June 1979

Isn’t it amazing how a sight, sound, smell, taste, or touch can sometimes bring into our consciousness memories related to the long ago...incidents that have lain buried in the deep recesses of the mind— and until that very moment—completely forgotten??!!...like the other day, for instance..... Bread is my weakness. I had buttered a piece of tasty rye to enjoy (shh—don’t tell!!) while cleaning up the kitchen. A little dish of leftover applesauce sat on the counter... “Not enough to put back in the refrigerator”, I thought, “but too good to throw away”...so I spooned it onto the buttered bread (now stop saying “yuk”!!).....

.....The first bite did it!!!... I was no longer standing in my modern, suburban kitchen with its Armstrong floor, formica countertops, and electric stove..... No—I was standing in a much larger kitchen—with bare floors, an “oil clothed” table surrounded by an assortment of mismated chairs, and a big, black, wood-burning kitchen range...... It was, of course, the farm kitchen of many of my childhood years..... We ate bread in that kitchen, too...thick, homemade slices covered with butter and wild strawberry jam...or honey...or (you guessed it!!)...applesauce!!!.... You know, I haven’t been in that kitchen for years..... I hadn’t even really thought about that kitchen for years...but just a “taste” brought it vividly to conscious remembrance.....

.....Those who study the wonders of the human mind have said that we really never forget anything. Everything we have ever done, said, or thought is all permanently recorded whether we consciously remember or not..... That is not too surprising, however, because the Lord God who created us in His own image is a God of remembering..... “The righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance” (Ps. 112:6)...“and a book of remembrance was written before Him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon His name. And they shall be mine saith the Lord of hosts in that day when I make up my jewels” (Mal. 3:16-17)

Yes, the Lord God remembers His own...and there are some things about us that He remembers to forget..... “for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more” (Jer 31:34)... “I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; and their sins and iniquities will I remember no more” (Heb. 10:16-17).....

.....Well, beloved, the ’78-79 Cross & Crown year will soon be a part of the past—another memory stored away in the massive vault of the mind along with the rest of life’s inventory..... But thanks...(if I might borrow the title of an old song)..."thanks for the memory”...the memory of getting to know you better...the memory of warm fellowship on a cold winter night in February...the memory of good food (zucchini pie)...the memory of fresh new linens for our missionaries displayed at our March covered dish supper...the memory of being fed so richly from God's word... Yes, thanks for the memory...and thanks for just being YOU and sharing yourself with us during this past year!!!........

P.S. Oh, by the way—the specialty of the House at Day’s Restaurant is rye bread...with butter....and applesauce........

Excerpt #3

May 1978

.....My seventeen year old daughter walked over and took her father’s arm..... “It’s nice to hold Daddy’s arm in the dark,” she said..... And it was dark!!... Overhead the sky was crusted with hundreds of stars, but with lots of trees and no street lights, the road around the lake was all but obscured in the velvet blackness.....

There was nothing to be afraid of on our night-time walk, however, because the Christian conference ground where the family was vacationing was a very safe place to be...no wild animals to jump out of the bushes (except maybe a rabbit or skunk)...no muggers to slip up from behind to steal your purse..... But even so, though my daughter was almost grown up—it was still comforting to tuck her hand around her father’s arm in the dark....

.....And so it is with us as we walk down the road of life. Sometimes the sun shines and direction is clearly charted...but sometimes darkness closes in around us...and we are fraught with the fears of the unknown (both real and imagined) that lie in the pathway ahead.....

But of what is there to be afraid??... We need only to reach for our Heavenly Father’s hand.... “THERE SHALL THY HAND LEAD ME, AND THY RIGHT HAND SHALL HOLD ME. IF I SAY, SURELY THE DARKNESS SHALL COVER ME; EVEN THE NIGHT SHALL BE LIGHT ABOUT ME. YEA, THE DARKNESS HIDETH NOT FROM THEE; BUT THE NIGHT SHINETH AS THE DAY: THE DARKNESS AND THE LIGHT ARE BOTH ALIKE TO THEE” (Ps 139:10-12).....And “WHEN I SIT IN DARKNESS, THE LORD SHALL BE A LIGHT UNTO ME" (Mic. 7:8)

.....If we had our way, beloved, we would walk a lifetime of sunshiny pathways...and “praise the Lord”, He does grant us many, many such days..... But when the nighttimes of trouble and trial come (and they do come to all of us) just remember it is still our privilege “to hold Daddy’s hand in the dark”...........

Excerpt #4

October 1977

.....Now don’t get me wrong..... I really do like having the children home from school in the summer..... but I also like having a few minutes of “un-interruptions” during my quiet time with the Lord each day. “Un-interruptions” are rare, however, midst the din and activity generated by six children (as you can well imagine!!!).....

.....I remember one busy Saturday morning in particular. Downstairs was like the “old woman who lived in a shoe”—so (Bible in hand) I went upstairs...shut the door behind me...turned the lock...and retreated to the farthest corner of the bedroom.......

It wasn’t very long, however, before there was a timid knock at the door..... “Who is it (sigh)?” I asked..... “It’s me”, a little voice answered. Now you would think a mother could tell who “me” was by the sound of his voice—but a neighbor’s lawnmower was sending noisy vibrations through the open window—so I said, “Who is me?”..... No answer...but again a little knock at the door..... “Who is it (louder this time)??”...“me”, (the voice was still muffled in the buzzing of the lawnmower)... “Who is me??” I repeated...no answer—but in a few seconds—again, the knock..... Who is it (even louder)??!!... I asked again...—“me”, the little voice repeated..... “Who is me???” I insisted.... and this time in a very exasperated “How-dumb-can-you-be” tone the voice answered... “The ME that lives here!!!”.......... So I put down my Bible (sigh)...retraced my steps (sigh)...unlocked and opened the door.....

That Saturday was long enough ago that I do not remember what it was he wanted. I do not remember whether I was gentle or impatient (maybe it’s just as well!!)...but every day (and sometimes in the middle of the night) there is a sense in which I find myself standing there in my little son’s place..... “It’s me, Lord...I just wanted to ask You for....... Lord, here I am again (and again and again)...I just wanted to tell You that.........”

And isn’t it wonderful, beloved, that a loving (never weary— never too busy) Heavenly Father says..”ask—seek—knock”... for “The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon Him, to all that call upon Him in truth. He will fulfill the desire of them that fear Him: He also will hear their cry, and will save them”....

.....I’m so glad (and I know you are, too) that Heaven’s Door is always open!!!.......

Excerpt #5

March 1987

We were getting ready to welcome the new pastor’s family...and the parsonage was a beehive of activity!!!.....

The original plans did not include such extensive renovations... but one thing led to another (you know how that is)...and before we knew it...the church family was involved in a mammoth decorating effort.......

It was a race against the calendar all the way!!!... Would there be enough days to finish the job before the scheduled arrival of the movers with all the furniture???.......

Cans of paint, piles of tools, and rolls of wallpaper did their magic and...gradually...order was restored to the chaos of stripped walls, dingy woodwork, and dusty floors.......

Was everything done when the new pastor arrived??... Not quite (but then is a house ever really “done”??)... Was everything absolutely perfect??... Probably not...BUT...a multiplicity of tasks had been undertaken...and completed!!!... Everywhere you looked something had been replaced...repaired...brand new...cleaned...or polished..... The whole house bore evidence of the diligence and perseverance of many willing hands (attached to paint-flecked heads and outfits you would never see on Sunday morning in church)...and generous hearts... It was a silent...but visual...testimony to a monumental labor of love.......

One day, beloved...the Lord Himself will welcome each one of us to our home in heaven...and although we aren’t sure just exactly what it will be like...we have enough clues from Scripture to know that it’s going to be a wonderful place to live... “IN MY FATHER’S HOUSE ARE MANY MANSIONS”...Jesus said... “I GO TO PREPARE A PLACE FOR YOU” (John 14:2).......

Think about it, beloved...Jesus is getting everything ready!!!... We won’t even need to be concerned about hanging the wallpaper straight or painting the window frames... And in spite of the fact that we may not get to choose the colors and patterns...somehow I think everything is going to look exactly like it ought to...absolutely perfect!!!

And what did we do to deserve such blessing and privilege??... Nothing, of course... It comes as one of the provisions included in God’s salvation plan...a gift of eternal consequence on our behalf..... .....And yet...it is only a part of the inestimable value of His tremendous...totally comprehensive...wonderful...work of love!!!.......

If You Would Like to Read More of the Book

Link to Hearthside Gleanings book at Amazon

Hearthside Gleanings

If you would like to read more of our Mom's devotional writings, the book is available here... Hearthside Gleanings

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