"God gave me that gift, but I guess now I can't use it anymore."

I heard the discouragement in Mom's voice as she spilled her despair into my lap. I had taken her for her weekly hair-fixing appointment. As we sat in the driveway, she pined over her situation.

Mom had a rare gift that most musicians don't. She had been playing the piano since she was a little girl. The instructor hadn't taught her everything, however. Mom could do some things an instructor can't teach. She could listen to a piece of music and then play it by ear. Mom could also take a piece of music and lower or raise the key, depending on a singer's voice. Another rare gift that no one had taught her.

Unfortunately, dementia took its toll — and continued to take things away. First, Mom lost her ability to drive. Confusion made it dangerous for her and others on the road. Mom had been playing the piano in church since she was a little girl, but Bell's palsy forced her to give that up, too. She couldn't see well out of one eye. It was too much to ask someone to drive her to church and let her play in her condition. So, she resigned and told the music leader she couldn't do it anymore. She still had her keyboard at home and could play it, but it wouldn't be the same.

I had no comforting words to give her. But I thought about a MAS*H episode my wife and I had watched a few nights before. Colonel Potter had overlooked a piece of shrapnel, which almost caused a young soldier to die. Another surgeon had to fix his slip-up. Potter responded by flying off the handle at everyone for no good reason. Finally, he called in his psychologist friend and confessed why: he was afraid to perform another surgery, although he had been operating all his life. The psychologist told Potter that someday Potter would lose his touch. "We all do." Whatever that touch is. For Mom, it was playing the piano at church.

Aging is no fun. Aches and pains usually follow it as our bodies begin decaying and things start malfunctioning. But the emotional pains are far worse: not being able to do some of the things we once enjoyed. I have always loved hiking in the mountains, but bad knees and a bad back now prevent me from doing it.

Everyone's body differs, but we cannot prevent aging. But God doesn't want us to slip into depression or walk around discouraged every day. In today's verse, Paul said God renewed his spirit daily. Our spirits, our souls, the real us, don't age. And one day, God will give us a new body with no aches, pains, diseases, or limitations — a body fit for the new heaven and earth He will make.

Until then, as we face the aches of aging, we must keep adjusting to the changes age brings. We must face them knowing God walks with us, and trust Him to keep giving us opportunities to serve Him and others — even if those opportunities look different than they once did.

Let's not allow discouragement to get to us as we face the aches of aging.

Prayer: Father, help us to face the aging process without discouragement or depression. Amen.

They had a plan, but God's better plan overruled.

Three boys in tow. That seemed enough to them. Not to God. On the day our son-in-law was to undergo a surgical procedure in Arkansas, USA, to ensure no more little ones came along, the company he once worked for in South Carolina invited him back for an interview. Job interview one, surgical procedure zero.

Our daughter has never had trouble getting pregnant, and that one little delay provided fertile ground for another little one — another boy. In fact, it seems they can have nothing but boys. And not only them but also our son and our son-in-law's sister. Not a girl in the lot.

They were okay with the pregnancy since they were always open to God's will. Before long, they were moving back to South Carolina, and nine months later, Ezra Knox appeared — quickly, I might add, just as the other three had.

On a Tuesday morning, our daughter called my wife, asking her to come and get the other boys. Her contractions were steady and three minutes apart. Fortunately, the hospital was only ten minutes away. My wife picked up the boys, and my daughter headed for the doctor, who immediately sent her to the hospital. Not long after, they gave her the epidural, and with only one push, the baby arrived.

Not the best timing for them, but then, God's plan rarely is. Their new home had just been finished, and they were in the middle of moving in. My wife and I kept the boys for the week, giving the growing family time to settle in. Luckily, our son-in-law received six weeks of maternity leave to help situate things.

Regardless of how good we think our plans are, God's plans always supersede them. Good, better, and best are adjective comparisons, and God's is always the latter. God doesn't necessarily want to foil our plans, but He wants us to live out His desires. That's why it's so crucial for us to consult Him initially. This way, we don't have to adjust much, we're not shocked, and it doesn't feel as if God has stirred up our lives unnecessarily.

Although today's verse in context refers to the nation of Israel, we can also take it to heart. God's better plan entails conforming us to the image of Christ, and many little details enter the picture as He does that. Life is easier and more pleasant when we submit to that process without trying to manipulate or control what God knows is best.

Let's determine that we will follow God's plan for our lives.

Prayer: Father, help us always to seek Your plans above our own. Amen.

At almost every meal, it sat on the table.

I remember many things about my paternal grandparents — probably because I stayed with them most of the time when I was small. My grandmother served as my first babysitter, and I gladly accompanied her in her green 1950s Chevrolet as she made her "Avon calling" rounds.

Later, when I reached upper elementary and middle school age, I worked with my grandfather as he delivered ice cream to mom-and-pop shops and grocery stores.

Of course, I ate with them often, too. I remember the meals vividly. My grandfather always cooked breakfast — bacon and eggs. My grandmother usually took care of lunch and supper: country cooking. A few things were boiled, but mostly, everything was fried.

I don't remember my grandmother doing this one thing, but my grandfather did it regularly at supper. "You want some bread?" he'd ask. Sometimes, I did, but at other times, I didn't. Regardless, he placed a Melmac saucer on the table with five or six slices of bread, just in case I changed my mind. And him? Well, he always wanted bread.

He loved a particular brand of bread, secured at the day-old bread store across the highway from his house. Bread served as a filler — not that there wasn't enough food to satisfy us. But he had lived through the Great Depression. He remembered the lean times when food and many other items were as scarce as a rare coin.

Bread was also a staple of Jesus' time. Jesus used bread to refer to Himself, telling people He was the bread of life that would fill them eternally. Once they ate of Him, they'd never need to eat again. Hunger would escape them like a rabbit set free.

I've found Jesus' words to be true. The world offers many things that promise peace, joy, and fulfillment. They often fulfill their promises — but only temporarily. Either they tear up, or we tire of them and want a new version.

Things differ with Jesus. Through a relationship with Him, we find true peace, joy, and contentment — lasting peace, joy, and contentment that carry us through life and into eternity. We need nothing else or more — just Him. One slice of this bread suffices.

How does knowing Jesus change your perspective on things?

Prayer: Father, thank You for providing the bread of life that satisfies all our needs. Amen.

I can see them now — all daintily lined up on stools. But that was only the beginning.

In a time that many don't remember — although it wasn't too many years ago — most women's work was at home, not in the workforce. They cooked, cleaned, raised kids, and made clothes by hand and with sewing machines. Amazon didn't exist to fulfill their every desire, nor did they do all their clothes shopping at a nearby retail store or mall. But they did shop for one thing.

Many retail stores had a section where bolts of cloth lounged about. A counter hosted several stools with a large catalog at each stool. A woman would sit on the stool and thumb through the catalog until she found the piece of clothing she wanted to make for herself or a family member. Once discovered, she noted the pattern number associated with the garment.

Then came the next step. Near the counter, large racks or filing cabinets sat. Patterns were alphabetized or chronologically numbered. The pattern told how much cloth was needed to make the garment.

Next, the mom would select what colour and type of material she wanted, take the bolt of cloth to a counter where a customer rep worked, and have her measure out and cut the amount of material needed to make the item.

But the housewife and mom still hadn't finished her task. Now, she had to take the cloth home, lay it on the kitchen table or some other large area, place the pattern on top, and cut out the cloth as the pattern showed.

The most arduous task followed — sewing the garment by hand or with a sewing machine, which not all households could afford. The garment also had to be sized correctly. Needless to say, no one took their clothing for granted. They appreciated all the time invested in the making process. It didn't happen overnight or in a couple of days.

Although the above scenario doesn't often happen anymore, whoever makes clothing — even if it's a machine — must still follow a pattern. So must we, if we expect to grow spiritually as God expects. The age-old pattern hasn't changed. Study the Bible regularly, using a translation we can understand and enjoy. Spend time daily praying, giving our requests to God, and listening for His guidance. Hang around with other believers who will encourage and model spiritual maturity for us.

God's pattern for spiritual growth hasn't changed — and never will. Life gets busy, and priorities can easily get jumbled, so let us each follow the correct pattern to enjoy the best life.

Prayer: Father, help us to follow the correct pattern for spiritual growth. Amen.

For as long as I can remember, Mom has used postage stamps — for one, to mail bill payments. She is and has been a snail-mailer. She doesn't like automated withdrawals from her account — although, on occasion, she has no choice. When one or more of her creditors were local — and she could drive — she did the old-school thing: she went to the place of business and made the payment in person. But that's not the main reason Mom needed so many stamps.

For as long as I can remember, Mom has used stamps for a more important reason. She loves to keep up with people's birthdays and anniversaries, mainly for family members, but also fellow church members and other acquaintances. She dotted her calendar with their names so she wouldn't forget to mail them a card.

But not just a card. She carefully selected one that said what she wanted to say, but often, she added remarks at the bottom before she signed her name. If she knew the person well — or if they faced some challenging situation — she might fill the entire left side of the card with words, making the card a letter.

I suppose my wife and I never knew how many stamps Mom used until she and my stepdad both contracted dementia and could no longer drive. Then, it became our job to purchase the stamps for them. Eventually, Mom cut down on the number of cards she sent. Her hands became weak and shook so much that it pained her to write, making her writing almost illegible.

Cards were Mom's connection points with others. She never received anywhere close to as many cards from others as she sent. Sometimes, she complained that no one remembered her, but she didn't send to receive. Sending cards was one way she showed love and kindness.

Colossians 3:12 – Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. (NLT)

I think Paul would have agreed with Mom's practice of sending cards. As a child of God, she was responsible for showing mercy and kindness — as we all are — and this was one way she did so.

I never met anyone who said, "Tell your mom to quit sending me cards." Similarly, I've never encountered anyone who said, "Tell your wife to stop making and passing out hard candy." Connection points.

God wants us to live out and spread His love and mercy to others. He wants us to be channels and connection points. He'll provide the opportunities if we just open our eyes to see them.

Let us each think of ways to establish connection points of God's love with others.

Prayer: Father, guide us to make connection points of Your love to others. Amen.

I am familiar with hiding.

Apart from the regular game of hide-and-seek, my cousin and I often invented other hiding games. We invented imaginary giants to hide from in my grandfather's barns. If we chose to play cowboys and Indians, one of us would hide.

The hog pens also provided ample opportunity for hiding. Amidst the mud lay areas of broom straw taller than us. We enjoyed aggravating the hogs. After doing so — since we knew our grandmother would soon appear and scold us — we ducked between the broom straw.

Hiding began when Adam and Eve disobeyed God and thought they could hide their sin. And it's been happening since then because we're born with a sinful bent that leads us to disobedience. When we disobey, we attempt the same thing as our first parents did.

God has created in us the ability to know right from wrong. Although we do wrong from an early age, we reach a point when we recognize wrong. After that, our failure to admit the wrong makes us want to hide like our first parents.

God can also hide from us — perhaps to stretch our faith. He's there, but He makes His presence less prominent. He wants us to stretch for Him, realize our need for Him, and deepen our faith.

When God hides, He tests our resolve. His apparent absence makes us consider the seriousness of our love and service for Him and our sincerity about whatever task we undertake.

Times of absence may also signal that God is busy preparing circumstances — or even us — for something different or better. God hid from Moses while he lived on the back side of the desert tending sheep, from Elijah while he hid in a cave, and from Joseph while he languished in a foreign country.

But God never truly hides; it only seems that way. When God appears to be hiding, let us pause, trust, pray, and ask what He's up to.

Prayer: Father, when it appears You have left us, guide us to seek You more than ever so we can discover what You're up to. Amen.

He stood and talked to his brother, never realizing that in a few moments his life would change forever.

When I became his pastor, he was a vibrant man and a diligent church worker. Some years before, his life had been changed when he was diagnosed with a type of cancer most don't survive. But he had.

Then, it happened. Not the return of cancer, but something more permanent. Neither he nor his brother knew what was happening but that something was, was evident. A stroke slithered into his life. Although he incurred no permanent paralysis, he did suffer life-changing brain damage. For months, he couldn't stay alone. His short-term memory, for all practical purposes, disappeared. He blurted out things he wouldn't have dreamed of saying before in public. Time dragged along, but he learned he must adapt to his new normal.

Paul says what we don't enjoy hearing: troubling times produce perseverance — and perseverance ushers in new norms. More than once, God has sent troubling times my way that tested my faith. I haven't enjoyed any of them, but I have learned to find peace in the new norms.

When God sends faith-testing trials, He doesn't design them to destroy but to hone our faith. God rarely gives us the inside scoop on why He's testing our faith, but we can know it's for a good reason. He may need to stretch our faith or prepare us for a new assignment. Either way, when we endure the stretch with the right attitude, we enter into the new normal with a right spirit instead of a bitter spirit.

Rather than resist the new normal, God wants us to adapt, learn, and enjoy the new place He has brought. Typically, the new norm will give us opportunities we've never experienced previously. Using what God has taught us during the stretching period allows us to make good use of the new opportunities.

Rather than resisting your new norm, enjoy it and use it for God's glory.

Prayer: Father, give us faith and courage to live in the new normals You bring. Amen.