In The Center of the Tree

 The other day I was working at my computer when I looked out the window at the beautiful trees in our yard. It was cloudy and the winds were beginning to increase their intensity as the storm clouds began to move into the area.

The little birds were flying in toward the center of the tree with food in their mouths for their young. Soon they flew out again to scrounge for more food before the storm came. 

When the thunderstorm hit, they were tucked safely in the center of the tree, away from the winds and driving rain. The baby birds were snuggled together under the protection of the mother's wings. And they were safe.

That is when God showed me that the closer that we get to Him, the safer we will be. Satan can howl all that we wants to, but when we are nestled in the center of God's hands, nothing can harm us. 

I also saw birds that were sitting on the outer branches of the tree...on the fringes without protection from the storm. That is the way with some people. They don't want to follow God very closely and they miss out on the comforts of God's warmth. There are times when they feel that God is far away and not listening to their pleas. He is calling to them, but they are unwilling to fly all of the way into the center of the tree with the others who are huddled together like chick under a mother hen's wings. They are afraid to make the first move toward the safety of God's arms.

Matthew 11:28

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 

The invitation is to all of us. Come inside out of the storm and feel the warmth of God's love. Come in and feel the safety of God's Presence. Come in and find your needs met.  Come to the center of the tree. It is safer there!

Thanks for reading.

Donna McHugh

Right Down The Middle

This past Memorial Day we took the day off to enjoy some time together as a family on the beautiful Presque Isle of Lake Erie. It was a perfect day with brilliant sunshine and warm temperatures. A gentle breeze blew across the waters filling everything with sand. However, our picnic lunch and supper never tasted better. After lunch, my husband and I wandered off to another part of the island looking for our own little adventure. By, the way, God can use anything, simple or complex, to teach us life lessons. He can use circumstances or even mini-vacations while we are resting and renewing our physical bodies.  

David found a place further down the island that gave tours by boat out on the waters of beautiful Lake Erie. It was while we relaxed on this tour that God talked to me about what He wants me to write about.  

In the picture above is the original restored ship that won a battle for America back when it was battling Britain for its Independence. The story goes something like this:

During a difficult naval encounter, the captain of the American ship approached 2 British ships. Both had heavy cannons of one side of their boats. The captain knew that if he want one way or another, his ship would be lost and he and his crew would meet certain death. It was when things looked impossible that an idea came to him.  He had lighter weight cannons on both sides of his ship. Could he and his crew survive doing something that was unheard of?  Should he take the risk? Yes! What did they have to lose? 

The brave captain, under the sites of 2 British ships, aligned his ship so that he could sail right down the middle of the larger and better equipped ships.  Since his ship had cannons on both sides of the boat, they fired on both British ships as he sailed a straight path right down the  middle!  It was a turning point in the war.  It was a crazy unheard of thing to do, yet was a brilliant move by a very brave captain. He won that battle by staying true to coarse right straight down through enemy territory. 

So many lessons can be learned by this story.

1. Even though the enemy is on both sides of us with his huge cannons, yet if we walk straight and not let the enemy distract us from our course, God will see us through. In PS 23, "Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for THOU are with me..."

2. When the way looks impossible, God knows what to do. He will never leave us, nor forsake us. He will be our guide straight through to victory and to Heaven.

3. Don't focus on what you can't do, focus on what you can do with God's help.  The captain of the ship had to make that decision...Straight down the middle ignoring the enemy ships.  He had a job to do and stayed focused until the battle was won. 

4.  His bravery changed history. You never know if when we do the hard things that God asks us to, how it can make eternal impact of generations to come. 

So, Be brave! Walk straight down the middle!

Thanks for reading!

Donna McHugh

Keep The Home Fires Burning

I wrote this article for a friend a few years back.  When my son got married several weeks back, I remembered the article and wanted to share it with him and anyone else who may need it.
So, here it is!

Keep the Home Fires Burning
by Donna McHugh

A tiny little wood/ coal stove stood in the family room of our former home. My husband loved to watch the fire burn. The snap and crackle of the wood soothed him and its warmth surrounded him. He relaxed and enjoyed it so much. You know, marriage is a lot like that wood stove if you really think about it. When everything is all right in your marriage, its warmth will envelop you and surround your family with love as God intended.

When I was asked to submit this article, I began to pray that God would give me the right words to share. That night, I talked to my husband, David, about the opportunity; he encouraged me to write. Very early the next morning, God gave me the initial ideas. When I talked to David about what God had said, he enthusiastically shared all kinds of scientific input needed as a background for this article.

There was a time in our marriage that his input did not matter as much as it does today. I did not let him in all parts of my life. By shutting him out of one area, it was easy to shut him out of other areas... until we began to have less and less communication about things that really mattered. We were headed for trouble, but that is getting ahead of the story.

David told me that in order for a fire to burn properly there are several things that are needed:

• oxygen
  
• heat
  
• togetherness ( and a need for space)
  
• fuel source (other wood)
  
  

Oxygen is essential to a fire. If the wood stove does not have proper ventilation, the fire will refuse to burn. At bedtime, David would do what he called, “banking the fire off”. He would restrict the airflow somewhat and add a lot of wood so that the fire would burn slowly overnight to keep the house warm. In the morning, he opened the air regulator a little and shook down the ashes to get to the live coals and slowly rebuild the fire.

Notice, he shook down the ashes. Ashes in a marriage are anything that will not allow the oxygen (love) to flow unhindered. Ashes are hurts that have never been dealt with properly, misunderstandings that have been swept under the rug, criticism, unkind thoughts... anything that is a hindrance has to be shaken down and taken out. We cannot do it on our own, but we have to allow the Holy Spirit to shake us up a little from time to time to remove that which is a hindrance in our marriage.

David and I went through years of difficulties that led to a cooling off of our embers. Oh, the spark was still there, but if we had not recognized it when we did, it would have destroyed our marriage. I had allowed him to hurt me, but I did not say anything about it for many years. He did not realize fully what he was doing because he was quite ill for a time. I tried to keep peace, but at my own expense. It wasn't God's plan for me to allow hurts and misunderstandings to go unresolved and unforgiven, but God has a way of awakening us.

The Lord brought a friend into my life who helped me to realize what was happening in my marriage. One day, she said to me, “If you lose your husband to someone else, it is your own fault.” WHOA! Wait just a minute here! I was the one working my fingers to the bone to keep the boat afloat. David was seemingly unconcerned about my needs...and my friend had the gall to say what she did. She was right, you know. She encouraged me to get honest with myself and God, then do what needed done...namely to forgive David and deal with the situations that happened because I never shook down the ashes, which in turn, led a cooling off the marriage.

When I opened up and talked to David about how I felt, then he understood me better. When I forgave and did my part to understand him better instead of focusing on the negatives, our marriage began to change. We took out the ashes and God made something beautiful in exchange. Our marriage began to come to life. We began to love each other on a deeper level. We began to laugh again. I spent more time with him and he began to respond positively to me...and that brought back the warmth into the relationship.

Warmth,( Heat) is essential to release the gasses from the wood in order for the fire to burn successfully. The heat is an external source --God. The wood could lie there all day and not ignite because it has to have the spark from the Ultimate Fuel Source, God. God places those burning desires inside of us. They are only satisfied through Him and through our mates. One of the indications of breakdown in a marriage is the lack of time spent together and the lack of time spent with God. When we spend time with Him, then our times with our companion will ignite the other one's flame. You have to have both to have a truly happy marriage. So, if you want your marriage to have the heat and the romance that it needs, and to maintain a relationship, you have to do your part regardless of the distractions.

There are many things that call out for our attention at every stage of our lives. Young mothers have crying children clinging to their skirts all day long. Overwhelming housework is a never-ending job. Older women are busy with their homes and careers...and may experience the joys of being grandmothers. Their lives are filled with different worries because their children are grown, no longer tugging at their skirts, but instead are tied to the heartstrings wherever they go. We can get so wrapped up in caring for our offspring that our priorities get all twisted out of shape. When the fire is untended, we will end up as a statistic in the divorce courts... and the ashes will still be there when all is said and done.

That brings me to my next thought-- togetherness! Actually, this was my husband's idea. He said that if you want a fire to burn well, you must stick together, side by side. The warmth and fire from one piece of wood warms the one next to it. Together, they put forth a flame. If one of the logs is left alone, it may burn for a time, but eventually it will burn out without realizing its full potential. Together, the fire shoots upward, warming all of those around it.

We were meant to be together. God thought it was a good idea. Gen 2:18 says, “And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.”...one who comes alongside the other one and stays right by his side.

God is talking about more than the physical relationship here. He is referring to every aspect of our lives. It is so important to find the right mate in the first place. A couple needs to be compatible in marriage, not necessarily the same personality type. However, if you have a team of horses pulling a load, they have to be yoked together and pulling in the same direction with the same destination... or chaos reigns.

At the same time, a couple has to recognize the individuality of each other. My husband is mechanically inclined; I don't have a mechanical bone in my body. That does not mean that I prevent him from talking about the mechanical discoveries that excites him...and he allows me to talk about what I am passionate about. One has to respect the need for the other's interests and allow them to be who they were created to be. Marriage is a balance between togetherness and individuality! You don't have to quit being who you are when you marry. Instead, you enhance your mate's qualities. Together, you can be an unstoppable team-- which brings us back to the togetherness idea. Together, yet separate, in a triangular relationship with God-- the source of our relationship.

This next area is a difficult one for couples to navigate, and that is the fuel source. A lot of marriages struggle with others piling wood onto their fire that does not belong there.

This is called “wet wood”.

Gen. 2:24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

In short, this means that you have your own little fire and let everyone else have their own fire. No one else should try to add to your fire. Their wood, “Wet Wood' will slow your fire down and cause your marriage to fall apart. Your fire that was healthy and strong will fizzle out. “Wet wood” was never meant for your fire. It has to be respectfully and carefully removed. You are one with your mate, not with the in-laws or anyone else. Your wood alone must be put on your fire.

“Little Wood”--Dry twigs and debris will make your fire burn furiously for a short time, then fizzle out. “Little Wood” represent the extra activities that come along with having a family. “Little Wood” has its place, but with limitations. You can't maintain a healthy fire if you are only burning the “Little Wood”. It create a lot of smoke, but doesn't last long. We have to set limits on extras, and keep priorities in the right place or “Little Wood” will adversely affect your marriage.

Another type of wood is “Sandy Wood”-- driftwood from the beach. Sandy wood represents time spent on things that distract you from spending quality time building a healthy relationship with your mate. This can be computer time or a hobby that you enjoy very much, but if you let it get out of control, you will be too tired. (And the Sandman does come early!) Your mate needs your attention just as much as your children do. After all, he or she will be there when your children are grown. If you do not recognize the need for quality uninterrupted time with your mate, even when you are “too tired” to listen or be to your husband or wife when they need you, your time could easily be replaced by someone else who will listen...and this is a very dangerous path to tread. Someone else will drift across your mate's pathway who will meet the needs that are your duty to meet. “Sandy Wood” is so preventable if you take the time to meet the needs of your lifetime companion.

What happens if your fire has gone out of your marriage? Is there any hope? Absolutely! There is always hope! With God's help the fire can be rekindled and the warmth of your love can definitely be restored, but it may not be easy.

According to my husband there are several things that you must do when the with a fire that has died out.

First of all, You have to remove everything from the firebox and clean it all out. All of the half-burnt, scarred wood and ashes have to be taken out. This requires complete honesty with yourself, with your husband or wife and with God. You can't do this on your own, but as you call out to God, He will show you what to do. However, for complete restoration you must be willing to do all that He asks of you.

Secondly, you have to start anew with the two of you (and God) as the foundation of your fire, then begin to rebuild it with His help and His fire.

Next, You add the small twigs...kind deeds, thoughtfulness, gentleness, faithfulness, godliness and especially self-control. You cannot expect to re-ignite the fire immediately. It takes time and patience and a whole lot of grace, but it is worth ever ounce of effort that you put into it.

As you work on the small things that God shows you, changes will happen. It won't be long until you will notice the flame growing taller and taller. Laughter returns. Surface level connections happen and the relationship will begin to heal, but it takes diligence to add the right fuel to the fire. There has to be limits in place to keep out wood that does not belong in your fire...but the end results of your hard work will be a wonderful warmth and glow of Heaven on your marriage and the godly influence for future generations.

Keep the love flame going in your hearts!

Donna

Bio

Donna McHugh has been married to David for over 29 years. They have 2 grown sons, Samuel and Bradley and a new daughter-in-law, Metricia. She has been actively writing articles and other works since 1996. Several of her works have been published by Allegheny Publications and Country Pines Printing, Inc, and through self-publishing. The works include: Easter, Christmas and VBS programs and various articles and short stories.

Her newest writing venture is in the form of blogging at mchughministries.blogspot.com.

DISCLAIMER: The author retains all rights to this article. It was written exclusively for Cherish the Call and Jennifer Self. All others must obtain permission from the author to copy, store in any electronic or recorded format. The material cannot be used for financial gain by anyone except the author.

You may contact the author at: ddmchugh@juno.com

The Sky Is Falling!

Recently, I have seen a lot on the news and on Facebook about the end of the world, prophesies being fulfilled, etc. They are talking about the Great Tribulation being upon us...warning us that we as Christians will face untold tribulations starting real soon. The articles are written as scare tactics to put fear in people!  Although there needs to be a serious repentance in this nation, yet that begins with the individual heart.   

I have been impressed for some time to sit and write as God gives me words on this issue.

1.  The Great Tribulation is upon us.  That may be true or not.  We do not know.  No one knows the day or the hour. Only the Father knows!  So this "Run for the hills and grab your squirrel rifle business"  is not what God had in mind. 

The God that I have come to know and love is not a God of harsh judgments on those who love and serve Him with their whole hearts. Would a loving and tender God pour wrath on those who loved Him?  No, His punishment is reserved for those who are not serving Him...who have rejected Him as the Messiah.  

He does not say, "Come to me all ye who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you one moment to rest then beat you senseless!"  NO!  He says, 

"Come to me all you who are weary and are heavy laden and I will give you rest."  (Matthew 11:28) 

When we come to Him, we find comfort and rest and healing, not harsh beatings. He wants us to rest in Him in all circumstances and in every situation that we face. 

Jesus told us before He went back to Heaven, "Let not your hearts be troubled. 

 John14:27  Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. 

 So many places throughout the Scriptures you find  His comforts for your troubles. ( I'm not saying that we will never face tribulations and troubles, but He  promised that He will be with us in those troubles.)

John16:33  These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. 

2.  One statement said that, "We in America will be facing what others around the world are facing so that we can be  prepared for Heaven." Really?  I do not know how many families that are in my acquaintance who have not faced unreal trials and problems lately. We are facing things as a family that we have never faced before.  Things are happening in this nation as never before.  Yet, GOD IS STILL IN CONTROL!.  We may not have faced the firing squad as some have, but the persecution is still here in America, folks!  Christians are being persecuted for their faith on a daily basis. 

It has been happening for many years!  Growing up, we as a family were persecuted for our faith in the public schools and in the community. Christians are discriminated against all of the time in the marketplace for jobs and business. However, God always takes care of His own.  There is nothing to be afraid of wherever we go or whatever we are doing in His name.  HE IS WITH US!  When Jesus left, He sent the Holy Spirit as our COMFORTER!

3.  Look around you and see the being prophesies fulfilled every day.  Yes, things are shaping up for Jesus to split the eastern sky and return to this earth to take His Bride away.  However, when we read about all of this, our hearts should have a stronger tug toward Heaven! What a glorious day that will be for the saints of God! 

On the other side of this coin, this is not a time to be putting our heads in the sands and ignoring what is taking place around us.  We are to be vigilant, watchful, and redouble our efforts to pray for those who are not part of the Bride...those who have rejected the Messiah.

There is still time, folks, but it may be shorter than we think..  The door is still open for all to come to Him.  No matter what anyone has done or where they have gone, God's Grace still reaches farther than the stain has gone! Thank God!

So, this is my take home message for us.

1.  Do not let your heart be troubled about what is going on in the world.

2.  Keep your heart right with God.

3.  Pray earnestly for loved ones.

4.  Look Up! Our Redemption Draws Nigh!!!

OH yeah, and just for the record, if the sky  really is falling, we as Christians will not even be here.  We will be with our Lord in the His Place that He prepared for us. 

That is not a bad thing to think about today.

Thanks for reading.

Donna  McHugh