Have you ever been on a jury? Sometimes a jury’s decision can mean life or death for a person. I’ve not been on a jury that had to make such a decision, and I’m thankful. But juries are called to settle many other problems as well, which can involve money, property or personal injury. Not long ago, I sat in on such a trial and watched the jurors’ faces while the prosecution and defense attorneys presented their cases. The judge reminded the jurors several times what their responsibilities were. Stay alert, people, I thought. These are serious life-changing charges for both accuser and defendant. Scary stuff! Going to court reminds me that when I stand in my final judgment, I plan to point to my Savior and say I’m with him!

Several of my neighbors and I share little gifts every Christmas, anything from homemade banana bread, to cookies or jelly or whatever. My neighbor Sue brings her gifts on Christmas china. After noticing I had accumulated a couple of those plates, I tried to return them. But Sue wouldn’t take her plates back. She said they can’t be returned empty. They are for sharing goodies with others. This put me on the spot because I’m out of practice baking desserts. When I bake sweets, I’ve found I also eat them! But I love the idea of returning the plates not empty. It reminds me of Isaiah 55:11, where God’s word is compared to rain that causes crops to grow. When God’s words go out they do not come back to him empty.

When I finished checking out with the girl at the Atwoods register, she said, “Have a goodun’.” She was all business, a pretty girl in jeans and t-shirt, and as a store manager, obviously knew about horse feed, ammunition, veterinary supplies and all the other myriad items Atwoods Farm & Ranch sells. Was she raised on one of the many horse ranches in the area? A lot of young women here work at ranches to help train horses. Was she one of those? Are you ever curious about some of the people you come in contact with and wonder about their background? “Have a goodun’” sounded like something she had heard her dad say, so I’m thinking she grew up on a ranch or farm. I love living in Texas!

Why do people run away from God’s loving protective arms to dangerous, risky life choices, all in the name of personal freedom. It’s irrational but I’ve done it and maybe you have too. Often I made the choice and then asked God to bless it. That’s not how it works, folks. Jesus lived and died and was resurrected for all humanity to erase sin from our lives and give us life eternal. In light of God’s merciful grace, sin is irrational. We can blame hormones or circumstances or other people’s actions, but, when it comes right down to it, it is us who are to blame. (The devil made me do it might be an excuse in very rare cases, but most of the time it is us.) Thank you, Lord, for your merciful forgiveness and may the day come soon when we say and totally mean your will be done, and sin is no more.

As my daughter and I checked out at Atwood’s, a guy noticed the shirts we were buying. He was waiting in line behind us, an old cowboy, hat and boots with several large bags of horse feed. He asked how much we were paying for the shirts. He had bought a similar shirt, which he was wearing, off the clearance rack at Walmart for a lot less. He said, “You’re being ripped off,” as he continued to educate us on the folly of paying as much as we were for our shirts. This was in front of the by now stony-faced woman checking us out. We had just come from Home Depot where another guy had offered us unsolicited advice. It’s not unusual for perfect strangers to come up and talk to you here, although I have a feeling shopping with one of my pretty daughters was a factor too. This is Texas!

Two of my Mother Day plants shriveled up from the unseasonably high heat here in Texas. I’d watered them regularly but obviously not enough. They looked so sad that when I watered my other flowers I continued to water those two as well. Guess what? After a day or so one of them raised its little flower head a little. So I continued watering them both, although the other plant showed no sign of life. Even my daughter agreed it was a goner. Then several days later I noticed a tiny green leaf under the sad, dried up flower and shriveled leaves. It has revived too! Yes, there is a resurrection! No joke, I figure it’s just as easy for God to bring his followers back to life as it is for him to resuscitate that flower. He is the source of all life!

May 4 came around a couple of weeks ago, and, as Star Wars fans know, it’s the day to wish our friends, “May the fourth (force) be with you.” It’s silly but it brings back a memory of a group of editorial coworkers attending the first showing of the movie back in 1977. We were awed by the stunning graphic effects and amused by the reckless heroics of its characters. Though “the force” portrayed in the movie was more pantheistic than Christian, I related it to how God’s powerful Spirit pervades the universe. When Jesus ascended he left his followers this astounding spiritual force. A comforter, a teacher, a guide, the third person of the holy Trinity, given to us out of God’s love. He’s still here and he’s always available.

The ducks are back. It’s Spring and the mallard ducks are back to lay and hatch their eggs. The couple that visit my yard every year wander around looking for whatever they can find to nibble on so I have to be careful. When I left the other day, they were in my driveway, and, when I returned that evening, they were in my drive again. Some of the ducks at the lake near me have ducklings following them, but none following this couple yet. I worry because the lake has a lot of turtles, and the larger ones eat the babies. Yes, it’s the harsh way of nature, but I tend to care more for the cute, fuzzy ducklings than the ugly predatory turtles.

Wishing all you mothers and other caregivers a wonderful Mother’s Day. My children bought me flowers for my patio pots and flower beds, and my daughter and son-in-law planted them for me. This year we celebrated brunch at another daughter’s home, with the girls contributing the food, which included quiche, scones and grilled potatoes. What a treat to be cooked for! The memories flowed, as we looked at photos of mothers gone from us and reminisced with stories from their past. How thankful we are for our faithful mothers and grandmothers, God’s gifts of love.

My family, including my great grandchildren, love and request my deviled eggs for almost every family get-together. As I crack and peel egg after egg, I’m reminded of when I was a child going to Sunday school. Our teacher sometimes used a flannel board to teach us about the Bible. To explain how God could be a Trinity, three in one, she used the example of an egg. It is one egg, but it has a shell, a white layer and a yolk in the center. There are other not-so-simple ways theologians describe the indescribable Trinity, but truly understanding him and the loving relationship of the triune nature of God—Father, Son and Holy Spirit—is a study I believe it will take an eternity to master.