A scarecrow is like a surrogate farmer, erected in a field to guard the crop when the farmer is away. Deceptively similar in appearance to its flesh-and-bone counterpart, it is an adequate deterrent for dim-witted pests. But in truth, it is an impotent protector. Its limbs hang lifeless, and its mouth is silent. It is dependent on a pole to keep it erect. Its work amounts to idle passivity. It is an illusion of substance. In truth, it can do no harm -- or good. It can do nothing but hang limp from a stand. Imagine crows perched on the outstretched arms of a scarecrow in the field, undeterred by this supposed guardian. Such were the idols of the nations surrounding ancient Israel.

But the rebuke carries across the generations into my own day. It's a suitable depiction of the idols in my own life, the things I trust in place of God. They are surrogates that may, for a time, hold pests at bay. I may, for example, place my confidence in a steady paycheck because it offers me a feeling of security, at least on the surface. I trust in that weekly deposit to meet my needs for food, clothing, and shelter. But my misplaced confidence is shaken by an unexpected expense, a downturn in the economy, a round of layoffs at my company. What I thought to be of substance turns out to be full of hay.

Instead of a surrogate, I'm invited to trust the true farmer, whose work is not idle passivity, but mighty protection. He will feed me like the birds and clothe me like the flowers. He will cultivate my life toward fruitfulness.

Prayer: Lord, reveal the idols in our hearts and help us to renounce them. May we trust You as the true farmer, cultivating our souls. Amen.

Philip Huber <pandshuber@juno.com>
Baldwinsville, New York, USA

I am sure that by today's title, readers are thinking to themselves either "ughh" or "great". I am in the "ughh" camp when it comes to oatmeal. As we were growing up, mom tried all kinds of ways to get us to eat oatmeal. She made every kind that was available. No matter what she did, I always rejected it. I grew up with it in my mind that I did not like oatmeal, and there was no way that I was going to try it again. Rejection of oatmeal was firmly engrained in my mind. When it came time to give our sons breakfast, oatmeal was not on the menu. They were, however, given it by their grandparents, and they liked it. In my place of employment, we use oatmeal, and I have made it many times. With the lifestyle changes that I have made in regards to eating and living more healthily, I am finding that my mindset is also changing, even to the extent that, to my surprise, as I was preparing oatmeal at work, I remarked on how good it smelled. The staff person with whom I was working said that she loved oatmeal. I told her that I didn't. I had no sooner said this than I began to think, Maybe I should try it now. Well, I did, and much to my surprise, I like it, and now, I am having it regularly for breakfast. What I once rejected, I have now accepted into my life.

I also once rejected Jesus from my life, but then an event happened that changed this to acceptance. All of us know someone who is currently rejecting Him, and we wonder how we can bring such people into a relationship with Him. Just as with the oatmeal that I rejected, Jesus is still there, and our friends have exposure to Him in many different ways that can lead to a change in attitude towards Him. We need to share our faith with people, pray for them, and be open about who He is in our lives and what He has done for us. Even though we may not see a change, we need to rest assured that Jesus is working in their lives through us.

So, as with me and my oatmeal, let us all look for ways to share Jesus more in our daily walk.

Romans 12:8 - If your gift is to encourage others, do it! If you have money, share it generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly. (NLT)

Prayer: Dear Lord, we are so grateful that You work in and through us. Help us to renew daily our walk in You, through our prayer time. Show us opportunities to share Your love in our words and deeds each day. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

Julie Bowles <julieanni@rogers.com>
Barrie, Ontario, Canada

Loving yourself is a divine law! It is in the great commandment in Scripture. Yet for many of us, a love of self has become synonymous with ungodly selfish pursuits. In Scripture, there are far more references to godly self-love than to ungodly self-love. Loving yourself is important to God. The following personal story can help us understand the difference between true and false self-love:

As I was exiting the auditorium after a concert, I noticed a small pile of scattered items. This was obviously a grab-pile, free for the taking. So I set down my purse, and went to rummage through the pile. I picked up some necklaces and scarves, and placed them near my purse. Then I gathered up a few more things... and more... and more. The display of items seemed to grow larger and larger as I gathered. It spread so wide that it soon looked more like a gigantic yard sale. As I was furiously gathering up my stock, thoughts came to my mind, like, I really don't need this; I already have that; that's not really so pretty. I also had a faint sense of others nearby, also hoarding things. Yet I could not dislodge myself from my own mission long enough to look at them. Finally, when I felt amply supplied, I went to retrieve my purse. But I could not find it. I looked and looked through the mountain of stuff I had gathered -- until it was finally clear that it was gone. Horrors!

Then I awoke. This dream was an answer to my prayer for guidance on this topic of self-love. It serves as an ideal visual aid.

In this dream, the evidence of self-indulgent love is obvious. You see the addictive drive, insatiable craving, lack of self-control, preoccupation, and inability to notice others or even care about them. It is narcissistic self-absorption. It is not true self-love. We could even call it self-hatred, because it harms the self in the end.

Did you notice what was lost in this dream? It was my purse -- most significantly the items in it: proofs of identification and so forth. I lost everything that was important, as far as my temporal identity is concerned. I had essentially abandoned my identity, my place in the world, and my means of fulfilling my life's responsibilities. You could say: I despised it and sold it all for a "bowl of stew".

You know where this is going ... We recall Esau, who despised his birthright, which in essence was his God-given place as family patriarch, his inheritance, and God's promises for himself and his descendents. He despised his very identity and abandoned it all. In essence, he hated himself and rejected God's love. Esau defied the greatest commandment: He failed to love himself.

We could apply it like this: Loving yourself is to gratefully accept your "birthright" in Christ and to enjoy the many privileges in this relationship. It is to honour your God-given destiny. We trust God for all our needs. He is our provision, protection, meaning, and purpose. In this way, we let God love us -- fully and unreservedly.

Prayer: Lord, help each of us to keep rooted in Your unsurpassable love, so that we may love self truthfully. Help us form habits that reflect Your love to those around us -- that is, our neighbours. Amen.

Diane Eaton <d.eaton@bmts.com>
Kincardine, Ontario, Canada

There have been a number of tragic encounters of human beings with bears over the years. Consequently, there is a great fear among the populus about even getting close to these creatures.

However, I found quite interesting a recent article in the March Reader's Digest, entitled "Bear Hug", concerning a chap's encounters with bears. He states that in his experience, if one speaks softly to, and keeps a distance from the bear, it will just go on its merry way. He has been so successful with this technique that bears go for walks with him and even lie down beside him, as shown in the article's photos.

I'm sure that each of us has encountered a bear-like personality in our walk and even sensed a growl within ourselves at times. How we respond to these situations can produce either a positive or negative outcome in our life encounters.

The fellow mentioned in the article learned that he could tame the savage beast just by speaking softly to it. In turn, the animal felt less threatened -- to the point of becoming friendly.

Proverbs 15:1 - A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. (NKJV)

How many times do we blow it by yelling and losing control in order to make our point? The most difficult times to give a soft answer are often, unfortunately, in conflict with a close family member. A soft word can often defuse a possibly volatile confrontation and save or even create a relationship with someone.

Prayer: Lord God, during altercations with people, we ask for self-control, that we may give a calm response. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

Allan Smith <anjsmith@nextcom.ca>
Innisfil, Ontario, Canada

It was Christmas, and the family was gathering at mom's house. My younger brother and his children were visiting from Rock Hill, South Carolina, USA, and my wife and I were driving from the lower part of the state. With only two bedrooms, I wondered about sleeping arrangements. When I asked, mom said my brother would be sleeping in her bedroom, and we would sleep in the spare. I asked where she planned to sleep but received no answer.

We all arrived and took our designated places. Still no idea where mom would sleep. It was late when we arrived, and after unpacking, we retired to our designated spots. During the middle of the night, I made a visit to the bathroom and decided that I would check to see where mom was. I found her nestled quietly on the couch. That's what moms do.

As she approaches seventy, the telltale signs of age are beginning to show: repeating herself, slower movements, decreased energy level, and the ever-spreading gray hair. Life without her spouse continues to inflict emotional pain.

In today's Scripture, King Lemuel maintains that the children of a mother with noble character will praise her. Her husband will also. My father did this. Mom catered to his every need, and he adored her. She faithfully stood by his side as he served God's people. Even though we three boys laughingly tease her about her persnickety ways, we would not trade her, nor do we ever wish she were different than she is. She has and does fulfill all the traits of a noble mother.

Soon, we will visit her only as we do my father: in scrapbooks, by looking at a tombstone, or in our memory. So we relish her company now and are thankful for our godly mother.

Prayer: Thank You, Lord, for godly parents and others who have influenced our lives. Amen.

Martin Wiles <mandmwiles@yahoo.com>
Harleyville, South Carolina, USA

One year around the 24th of May, my mother-in-law, Rose, prepared a garden and planted seeds which produced tomatoes, strawberries, onions, lettuce, and vegetable marrow. When the time came to pick them, she asked me to help her. I was about to pick a large vegetable marrow, when my mother-in-law said, "Let it grow larger so it will produce many seeds for next spring's planting."

Mother would clean out the marrows, stuff the middle of them with rice and meat, and cook them in tomato juice. She also would make cake with strawberries on top. Her family reaped the rewards of these tasty treats. For years, mother provided many dinners where we all gathered together. Mother didn't just plant seeds of fruit and vegetables; she planted seeds which produced fruits of love and joy within our families. She was planting seeds for us and the next generation.

God wants us to produce good fruit that will last. Just as my mother-in-law did, we can begin to spread seeds of joy and love within our families.

John 15:16 - You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit -- fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. (NIV)

Prayer: Dear Jesus, help us to be good mothers and to do our best for our families so that we can all plant seeds of love and joy which will last forever. Amen.

Betty Carter <bandjcarter@sympatico.ca>
Barrie, Ontario, Canada

John 7:38 - If you believe in me, come and drink! For the Scriptures declare that rivers of living water will flow out from within. (NLT)

As we walked along the shoreline, the water ebbed and flowed at our feet. To the dismay of Jeff, my better half, I was on the lookout for interesting stones to add to my collection. At first glance, nothing caught my eye. Most of the stones were similar in shape and appearance. But as we walked along the water's edge, I soon discovered that the stones were indeed more unusual than I'd realized. I watched as the plain-looking, dry stones took on a rich, vibrant glow after the water passed over them. Hidden colours and markings were now highlighted, and they caught my eye. They had been transformed by the touch of the water. Even a tiny splash of water on a dry stone instantly took effect and brought out the stone's hidden beauty.

It dawned on me that just like the stones, we are transformed when we are washed by the living water. Dry stones and "dry" human beings are common in appearance. It isn't until we come to know God and drink the living water that we are transformed into His likeness. The more we immerse ourselves in His Word, the more our unique qualities and inner beauty are revealed. Bit by bit, splash by splash, we are transformed. Once washed by the living water, we take on a distinct appearance, standing out in a crowd, as wet stones.

Just like stones away from a source of water, we will also dry out and lose our lustre if we don't stay immersed in God's Word. Fortunately, when we get back into the Word, we are refreshed and become like wet stones once again.

Prayer: Father God, You are the living water. We thank You for creating us in Your image and for the transforming power of Your living Word. Refresh us this day and make us stand out as wet stones for Your good purpose. Continue to reveal Yourself to us through nature, music, and people, as we go about our daily routines. Refresh us today, Lord, and fill us with the transforming power of Your love. This we pray in Jesus' name. Amen.

Jackie Blanchard <jackie.blanchard@hotmail.ca>
London, Ontario, Canada