Communicating

One activity that I occasionally did in the high school classroom was play Pictionary. We only did it a few times a year after an assignment that was particularly difficult and lightheartedness was needed for a day.  I modified the game to make it work in a classroom setting and then turned the kids loose to the dry erase board armed with a marker.

Of course, I gave them one big piece of advice:  If you draw and no one understands what you drew, you must draw something else. You are the communicator.  And, although it is a non-verbal game, you must work with your group and communicate in different ways to make them understand.

I loved watching my students play this game!  It was an easy, creative way to teach students that communication is not only the exchanging of information, but it must be clear and concise and understood.  Sometimes a student would draw something that was a Picasso to them, but unrecognizable to everyone else.  Chaos usually followed as the artist felt the picture was obvious and the audience not so much.  Communication can be a struggle sometimes.

Life can be a struggle sometimes, too.  I have felt that way off and on for the past year and have tried numerous times to write a blog post to you, my faithful readers, but it was not clear and concise.  If we were playing Pictionary, it would have been a messy picture!

The last year has certainly been messy for me.  Struggles, sorrows, weary, worn.  Yet, even in the hardest of times, I knew that I could take refuge in the shadow of the Almighty.  And in that shadow, He would give me mercy and grace and love.

Show me the wonders of your great love, you who save by your right hand those who take refuge in you from their foes.  Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings.

                                                                  Psalm 17: 7-8

 Several things over the past year have stuck with me.  God is always in control.  He knows the beginning, middle, and end of everything. Forever.  Nothing is a surprise to Him.  He listens to us and answers us.  His Holy Spirit is there to help us and comfort us.  He extends grace and mercy to us.  He is a good, good Father.  And, because His Son paid our debt on the cross, we will live eternally with Him.

Not only will He hide us in the shadow of his wings, but even in times of difficulty, we can have joy in those shadows.

So, wherever you are – whether it be in the valley of death, or the mountaintop or somewhere in between, our God has you in the palm of his right hand, taking care of us.  Keeping us as the apple of his eye.  What a joyful blessing that is.

 Thank you, O Lord,

      for being my rock and my redeemer. Your grace and mercy sustain me all the days of my life.  Help me to put all my trust in you each and every day. Give me wisdom and discernment to help me on this journey.  You alone are God.

This blog is in memory of my brother, David Holsomback, who went to Heaven August 31, 2022.  I miss you David – your random texts and gifs telling me to have a good day, your long discussions about your 2 Brittany Spaniels and the messes they would get into.  Your great knowledge of cars – especially when I needed help with mine.  Your love of our Lord and your ministry of Feed the Need, cooking hamburgers and telling those that came about Jesus.  Thanks for being a good brother.  Debbie and I miss you, as do your cousins, friends and neighbors, but we know you are in Heaven and we will see you again.