Backbones and wishbones

I have a small smile.

I see the sun rays stretching through leaves to warm and dry the dew on the grass.

I hear the birds singing, the crickets calling and our dog rustling leaves back in the yard.

I smell the fragrance of the aroma I sprayed all over me earlier while picking cherry tomatoes in our garden…bug spray.

I’m sitting in the lounge chair on the porch reading a book (which I rarely have time to do), called Grace for the Good Girl by Emily P. Freeman (which I highly recommend reading, gals).

And I’m loving this moment.

All of a sudden I hear this buzz that really startled me.  I quickly looked up and saw two hummingbirds zoom by…one chasing the other.

It was a speed chase!  I saw these tiny specks zooming all around our backyard and then disappear.  It surprised me that something so little and so fast could zoom loud enough to make me jump!

I set the book down and waited to see if the Red-Throated hummingbird would fly back to our feeder.  Before I can blink an eye, he flies over to the feeder with it’s wings moving around in a circular motion at least 80 times a second!

He perches on the feeder several seconds for some sweet water and then flies away as quickly as he came.

A little while later, just out of curiosity, I look up some information about hummingbirds.  One fact that caught my attention is that they are the smallest of all animals that have a backbone.

A backbone.  The main support system. 

A backbone gives strength.

We all need backbones.  Yes, we need our backbone, or spine, but we also need life backbones for support…life backbones to sustain.

A backbone must be strong and must be firm to carry the weight on our chest.

God’s promises are to be the backbone of our lives.

I am given that backbone-strength-and-support in God’s Word.  God’s Word, which are God’s promises, were written to give courage and determination in all areas of our lives.

Some of my “backbones" that have sustained my hope and life are:

“Have I not commanded you?  Be strong and courageous.  Do not be afraid.  Do not be discouraged.  The Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”  Joshua 1:9

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord.  Plans to prosper you and not to harm you.  Plans to give you hope and a future.”   Jeremiah 29:11

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”  Romans 15:13

(A friend once told me she writes a big “P” in her bible beside God’s promises that she reads…love that!)

I once read this quote:

“Some people develop a wishbone where their backbone should be.”        Writer unknown

I remember when my sister and I were young and mom would have cooked a chicken breast for dinner, or when we had turkey for Thanksgiving, and we’d want to find the “wishbone” in it after taking off most of the meat.  The wishbone is part of the breast bone…that is close to the heart.

After wiping all the slimy stuff off of it and it dried some, we’d stand in the kitchen, each gripping a side of the wishbone and say, “One, two, three…pull!”, and make a wish and yank.  Whoever got the longest piece broken off, her “wish was granted”.   I don’t remember a wish I made ever coming true…much less what I wished.

But even now that I’m older, I find myself still wishing quietly…  “I wish I was a better mom and wife.  I wish I was a better friend.  I wish I was more creative.  I wish I could memorize Scripture better.  I wish I was bolder in speaking out my faith.  I wish I felt more peace instead of more fear”, and I can go on… 

My backbone can sometimes be as fragile as a wishbone when I allow the lies and doubts infect my support system.

Jesus’ backbone laid on a cross as nails were hammered into his hands and feet.

As his cross was raised and mounted into the ground, His backbone continued to support him.   His backbone…His Father’s promises… gave him courage to suffer.  His backbone gave him determination to not give up saving and rescuing.  His backbone allowed him to keep on trusting his Abba.

His backbone gave him the strength to bear the weight of all of our sins…..

His ultimate backbone was and is and will always be love.

Even though he felt his heart was pulled apart, ripped and broken for each of us and because he was separated from his Father on the cross….he still held tight to his life support system…his Father’s promise. 

Jesus held onto the promise his Father gave him and he also held onto the promise he gave us on the cross.

That promise of God’s love is a backbone, not a wishbone.  You don’t have to wish God loves you.  He already does.  You don’t have to wish he’ll forgive you.  He already will.  You don’t have to wish for His grace.  He’s already giving it to you.  And they are all promises He won’t break.

Counting gifts and thanking God for…

#775  …the beautiful hummingbirds eating by our porch. 

#776  …creating hummingbirds to have backbones.

#777   …the little revelation that I need to live with a backbone not a wishbone.

#778  …His Spirit for being present.

#779    gift at 10am – reading Grace for the Good Girl by Emily Freeman…I feel was written just for me!

#780  gift at 1pm – lunch with my mom at Honey Baked Ham

#781  gift at 10pm – watching Olympics

#782  gift sitting with my husband at B. Christopher’s celebrating our 15th wedding anniversary.  Good food.  Even better…conversation.

#783  gift outside - raining in the sunshine

#784  gift inside – the time painting daughter’s room with my husband

#785  gift of conversations with our kids on the phone while they continue to have a great time with grandparents.