Laced With Grace

Our Lord loves balloons. Big shinny, Mylar balloons. He loves them so much that one day He just might send one just to you.

Many of you know that I am married to an unbeliever. I never stop praying for his salvation. I know one day he will cross the line and meet Jesus. So, I wait and I watch as the Lord does amazing things in our home and marriage.

One of the most amazing things I remember is the day my husband received a Mylar balloon from the Lord. My husband discovered the balloon placed carefully against our back door. It was inscribed with a single word – Baptism.

I about fell over in hysterics to think God would send a balloon to my man inviting him to baptism. You can read the entire story over at Spiritually Unequal Marriage. So why does the Lord like balloons? Listen in:

I happened to be in our church office this week, talking with the Staff Director and I mentioned the balloon that Jesus sent to my husband a few years ago. My friend looked up at me from her desk and tears sparkled on her lashes.

“Lynn, the same thing happened to some people I know.”

“You have got to be kidding…. Tell me… Tell me what happened.”

“Our neighbors lost their daughter several years ago. They of course were devastated. They grieved for a long time. In fact, the father who was an avid gardener couldn’t even work in his yard for two years because it held so many memories. The yard died. It was so sad and terrible.

Well, slowly the Dad began to work in the yard after two years of slow recovery. In fact, on one particular day he decided to go out back and prune the trees to get them back into shape. It was an early morning and as he poked around the yard he spotted something shinny.”

“The balloon?” I replied.

“Yes, he slowly went over to see the balloon that was gently floating just above the ground. He approached and then froze in his tracks. On the balloon was a cute picture of a bug. A cute little ladybug. And below the picture was written, ‘Happy Birthday.’

“He started trembling. You see, his daughter’s nick name was bug and on this very day it was her birthday.”

I gulped back tears as I watched the Director tell the story. She went on to say, “He picked up the balloon and took it in to show his wife. They were both overwhelmed. Lynn, they came over to ask me about it. They asked, ‘Don’t you believe God is intimately involved in the details of our lives.’ I answered, ‘You know that I do.’”

I swallowed hard.

“Lynn, they received so much comfort from that balloon. They are convinced the Lord sent it to them.”

I whispered, “Another tiny love note from our Father.”

Our Lord loves us so much. He hurts when we hurt. He laughs when we laugh and He knows when we need a hug or a love note. So today, I ask you to be on the lookout this week and see if you find a balloon, or hear the chirping of the birds, or witness something breathtaking. It is your tiny love note from our Father.

Be blessed, Lynn
Find me daily at

“Buddy” has had to wear “the cone of shame”. You can’t miss Buddy’s cone….as he stares out the front window, every passerby does a double-take.  You can even hear him coming as he bangs against walls, into the couch, and sometimes even into the back of your leg.  Buddy must wear his cone for all to see.

It made me wonder how many of us also carry around our own “cones” of shame.

Sometimes we wear our shame where all can see.  Food, alcohol, and drug addictions take their toll on our outward appearance.

Other times our shame is hidden…secret.  We suffer inside with the shame.

Maybe you understand  shame all too well.

Maybe you feel like because of what you have done, or because what has been done to you, you could never come to Jesus. You feel unworthy of His love.

But Jesus came to take away all of that.

He sees who you are and what you’ve done….

and He loves you anyway.

And, He takes away the shame.

Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.” Joshua 5:9

“Reproach” means “disgrace; shame.”  God wants to ROLL AWAY the shame and disgrace of areas of bondage.  Jesus came to set us free from sin and death AND to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  He has redeemed us completely….taking away our shame and disgrace.  I love how He frees the woman from John 8 telling her, “neither do I condemn you.”  Paul tells us that “therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit set me free from the law of sin and death.” (Romans 8:1-2)

When we seek Jesus, He takes away the shame, the disgrace, the reproach.

“I sought the Lord, and He answered me; He delivered me from all my fears.  Those who look to Him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.”  Psalm 34:4-5

Lord, may I come to You honestly, seeking TRUE forgiveness. Thank You, Lord that when I turn to You, my face is NEVER covered with shame.  Thank You that You cleanse me from whatever I have done or whatever has been done to me. Thank You for Your forgiveness.   Thank You that You take away my shame. Thank You, Jesus.

“In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.” Proverbs 16:9 (NIV)

Picture Of My Beautiful Mother

I awoke late Thursday morning with plans to write my devotion for today’s Laced With Grace Blog along with some much needed household chores. Instead, the dishes from Wednesday night are still in the sink, the bills I was going to pay are not paid, and my chores are still not done. Guess what? I really don’t care! Does that sound crass?

Yes, Thursday I had plans but the Lord had other plans. Around noon I received a phone call from my mother. As I answered the phone, my mom replied, “Michele, what are you doing? (now without a break waiting for my response she continued), I was out this morning for my foot doctor appointment and the sun was shining and as I came home I thought to myself, ‘Oh, I have bookshelves that need dusting, but they will be there tomorrow but at 87 years old I might not, so I will call Michele and we can take a ride and eat dinner at Cracker Barrel’. So Michele, what do you think, can you be ready in 30 minutes and I will pick you up?”

I thought to myself, ‘Oh she is so good! How can I say no to her after that?’ So I told her to give me an hour because I’m not dressed yet. We had such a lovely drive and afternoon together. Mom shared how she and Chris (my step-father) used to take a drive in the country and then eat out together. When my husband called me after school to tell me that he is coming home, mom interrupted and said, “Tell Jim to meet us at Cracker Barrel and I will treat you two to dinner.” Oh mother now I know why you choose the Cracker Barrel near Jim’s school!

I could have stayed on course with my plans for the day and told my mother another time would be best; but I chose to allow the Lord to determine my steps (Proverbs 16:9); I chose to honor my mother today (Ephesians 6:1-3) and store up treasures in heaven (Matthew 6:19-21); I chose something better (Luke 10:41-42). I chose to make an old woman happy and lay up memories that will last a lifetime.

This is not the devotion I had planned to write today, but it is what the Lord had planned!