Saturday, June 27, 2020

Refreshment and Restoration

The sound of a steady, gentle rain is something that I have always found comforting.
Right now I sit by the window to listen.
Rain is refreshing and restorative.

Our lawn was looking quite dry and my flowers and veggies have been very thirsty.
For the first time in my adult life I am not relying upon well water, which has eliminated quite a few concerns. Wells run dry and have even collapsed on occasion. My husband and I have experienced both. Thus I was glad to know our new home didn’t include one!

As a child we had municipal water and I, honestly, never gave it a thought. If there ever was a risk of a shortage I was unaware of it.  Typical child.
So the recent email from our water company took me by surprise.  It requested that all their customers stop any non-essential water use.
But watering my flowers is essential for me!
They haven’t been in the ground very long and they need to get established.
So this rain is most welcome!

Scripture speaks of the trees clapping their hands. I’m sure they are also singing!
It’d be lovely to be able to hear all of nature in song!

Just like the rain I find time sitting with Papa refreshing and restorative.
A quote by Oswald Chambers got me thinking about this.

“Prayer is the exercise of drawing on the grace of God”

The Vault of Heaven is filled with His Grace and just like any vault it needs to be drawn upon.

Grace.
His unmerited favor.
Totally independent from any need to be earned.
Completely dependent upon the Love of God.

The Love of God.
Unconditional and eternal.

There are times that just like my flowers I am very thirsty.
Thirsty for refreshment from my God.

The Psalmist poetically expresses this in Psalm 42, verse 1:

“ As the deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants for you, O God.”

In the Fourth chapter of the Gospel of John Jesus speaks of the difference between the satisfaction we receive from the physical and spiritual water.

“ Everyone who drinks of this water shall thirst again, but whoever drinks the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.“

The Amplified version describes the water He gives as a spring that wells up, flowing and bubbling.

So why do I get thirsty for more? Doesn’t that contradict the Words of Christ?
I imagine it is like the trees and plants. After they are established they have deeper roots that tap into underground springs and can survive a dry spell. Yet they still seek the refreshment of rain.
That is how it is for me.

In Psalm 23 we have the picture of a relationship. One that refreshes.

“He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭23:2-3‬ ‭NASB‬‬

It is my habit of drinking water all day, every day.
If, for some reason, I go any period of time apart from my water bottle I become parched.
Water is essential.
So is our connection with the Provider of the spiritual water!

There is one book of the Bible that is found in the Old Testament filled with love letters between two lovers. It symbolizes the relationship we are to enjoy with the Living God.

“You are a garden spring, A well of fresh water, And streams flowing from Lebanon.”
“ Awake, O north wind, And come, wind of the south; Make my garden breathe out fragrance, Let its spices be wafted abroad. May my beloved come into his garden And eat its choice fruits!””
‭‭Song of Solomon‬ ‭4:15-16‬ ‭NASB‬‬

He is the garden spring, the well of fresh water, the stream!
He will never run dry, nor collapse!

As we drink Him in we find refreshment and restoration.
Then we experience the joy of blossomIng and becomIng bearers of fruit.
Yes, Joy!
Not simply happiness.

Happiness is dependent upon circumstances. Joy is not.
Joy comes from drinking deeply.

Joy that shows up in all those blossoms!
This is our gift to Him.
A gift that springs from Him.
A gift that pleases Him.






Saturday, June 13, 2020

Feelings

“Feelings...nothing more than feelings.”
That’s the opening line to a song entitled “Feelings” that came out in 1974. 
Yes, I remember 1974. 

The song vaguely speaks of feelings of love, which the singer is trying to forget. 
Whatever the song was trying to say it’s that opening line that came to me the other day. 

I was thinking about feelings, of course!

For many years I thought feelings were nothing more than feelings...but no matter what they were either good or bad. No such thing as being neutral. 
Now I know they are all neutral. 
It is what we do with them that leaves the neutral zone. 

In my family of origin I had been taught that feelings should not be examined, but should be denied. At all costs!
I now know that they are indicators. 
Indicators of what is going on under the surface. 

Some are easy to figure out and take no deep exploration. 
There’s the example of how very much I love my precious, almost elevens month old, grandson, Samuel. 

I truly am in love!
I cannot get enough of him. 
His every action leaves his grandma amazed and enthralled!

Look under the surface and you will find more love. Love to the very core of my being. Pure love. Unconditional love. 

Not all feelings are so uncomplicated. 
Often they reveal things we thought had been put to rest. 
The reality is often there are scars that will never truly disappear. 

Now what got me to thinking about feelings?
Well...feelings had. 
Feelings that arose this past week. 

It was Monday and I was driving back home after a number of hours of doing errands. 
Papa and I were enjoying one another. 
There was some worship music playing that stirred my heart to even greater focus on Him. 
The Joy was truly immeasurable!

As my car rounded a bend in the road I spotted a motorcycle parked on the roadside. 
It was the same type as the one my husband was riding ten years ago when he had his life-altering accident. 
I began to weep. 

It might seem strange that in the midst of such joy tears could come so quickly. 
Honestly, I have come across other like motorcycles before with no reaction. 
So why this time?

I believe it is because my God knew it would deepen our connection even more. I was in such a beautiful place and when the deep grief rose up I was privileged to go into that beauty more fully. 
It seemed to me that Papa was holding me and gently guiding me through the sorrow in a more intimate way. 
Many times I have sought Him in my pain and sorrow, but never from a place of Joy. He has always comforted me, but never have I been so free to receive so fully!

Today I came across a quote from Graham Cooke. 
“ Rejoicing connects us with the joy of the Lord and allows us to become aware of the opportunities that are present.”

Opportunities for great healing? Opportunities for greater comfort? Opportunities for greater intimacy with the Lover of our soul!

The season we all find ourselves is giving us all more opportunities to explore the numerous feelings that arise. 
It is also an opportunity to draw nearer to the amazing, almighty Loving God!
If we do, then when we look back on this season, we will do so with gratitude and joy!

“You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,”
Psalms 30:11 NIV

“You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in Your presence, with eternal pleasures at Your right hand.”
Psalms 16:11 NIV



Thursday, June 4, 2020

Practice

Hello there!
It’s been a couple of weeks since I have stopped by here.
I’ve been busy!

The warmer weather has drawn me outside.
Many flowers have been planted and a number of serious hikes have taken place.

I’ve had some thoughts as to what to share here, but by the time I sit down in the evening the brain is in neutral.

In light of the additional turmoil our country is experiencing at the moment I am feeling prompted to write this new post.

The thoughts that have been accumulating have a theme.
Presence.

There are two parts to this theme.
Being present.
His Presence.

Being present means being in the moment. In means not living in one’s head.

When I am present I can listen.
To His promptings and to others as they speak. Then I really hear!

It means I am not busy forming my next words, nor does it mean projecting as to what the future might be.
It takes practice.

Being present heightens my awareness of His Presence, as well as others around me.

To be aware of His Presence is to be aware of His love.
This stirs love in my heart.
Love first and foremost for Him.

What is that love meant to look like?
In Mark 12 Jesus is asked what was the most important commandment.
His response?

““The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’”
‭‭Mark‬ ‭12:29-30‬ ‭NIV‬‬

As I reflect on this it seems to mean that we are to Practice His Presence. In other words be God-focused!
The more we do this the deeper our love grows.
With it comes peace.

I call this being in the flow.
The flow of His Spirit.

There was more to Jesus’ response.

“The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.””‭‭Mark‬ ‭12:31‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Practicing His Presence. Abiding in Him. Experiencing His love and grace.
What flows from this is that love for your neighbor.

Oh how our nation needs this right now!
Actually this world needs this!

For many years I have prayed for peace for this world.
People, who were created in our God’s image are mistreated at every turn.
Each individual is precious in His sight!

I was aware that there was racial injustice in our country, but truly did not realize just how deep it goes.  The blinders are off.  God has broken my heart.

In the 12 Step program there is a motto.
“Be part of the solution, not part of the problem.”
We take one part or the other.
There is no neutral place.

So how can I be part of the solution?
How can we?

First is prayer.
Seeking God.
Allowing Him to show us how we have been part of the problem.
Listening to His direction.

Scripture speaks of praying without ceasing.
When we are practicing His Presence we find we have a running conversation with Him.
Just like anytime we are hanging with someone. We might be silent for periods of time, but being aware of their presence, we simply speak when we have something to share.
Same with hanging with Papa!

Prayer becomes our very breathe and the blood that courses through our veins.
According to Oswald Chambers, “Prayer is not an exercise, it is the life.”

His Presence puts the appropriate light on My thoughts, attitudes and the day.
Prayer helps us sort it all out.
We can rest and move in the Spirit.
Be in the flow!
Then we can be part of the solution and we will move mountains!

It takes practice!
In His Presence!



Thursday, May 21, 2020

Grace Filled

What a time of reflection this ‘sheltering at home’ is proving to be!
Now this is coming from a person who lives much of the time ruminating on a normal day!
What it means is just take all that usual thinking, meditating and reflecting and expand it exponentially!
Oof! That’s a lot of thoughts swirling around in this head!

So what have I been thinking about?
If I had to condense it all down to one word it would be GRACE. 

Grace. 
Unmerited favor.
It’s what has carried me every day of my life. 
Yes, carried by grace even before I learned about grace or was intimately connected with the Giver of grace. 

Grace is a manifestation of His love. 
Out of such an immeasurable love grace flows. 
That great love that knows no limits. 
That Is unhindered by all that would get in the way. 

Our brokenness. 
Character defects. 
Sin. 
Pain. 
Wounds. 
Scars. 
None of it is a hindrance to our God extending grace to us.   

So how has that grace show itself in my life?

It would take volumes to tell of it all. 
That I am here, alive and thriving and so is my family is evidence enough of a lifetime of His Grace.

In this posting I ’d like to focus on the evidence that presents itself in this current time and situation.

Grace is woven through all of life...from the simplest little detail to the very big. 

Waking each morning is grace.

Hearing the birds singing is grace.

Sitting with Papa journaling my thoughts and discovering His thoughts is grace.

The knowledge and experience of His love is grace

The ability and pleasure of taking a walk in His glorious creation is grace.

Having people in my life to love and receiving love in return is grace.

Finding purpose is grace.

That inner voice (His Spirit) to guide is grace.

Our God is so very gracious! He is Present in all our moments.
That is grace!

His grace is evident in all the details of my life.
Even and especially the normal life situations.

I ordered a small kitchen island/cart.
Why I thought it would arrive already assembled I don’t know.
Well, of course, it arrived in many pieces. Quite a few pieces!

I knew I was looking at a project. Sigh.
First, I took an inventory, in which I discovered two damaged pieces.  Both belonged to a drawer.
Time to call the company. Sigh.

They will ship replacements.
Okay back to the project. Sigh.

Now lay out all the parts in order of assembly. Sigh.
Now put it together. Sigh.
After a couple of hours of connecting piece after piece I had it assembled.
Now to put the one good drawer in place!

No matter what I did it wouldn’t go. One side kept falling out of the track. Sigh.
It was later evening and time to leave it for the next day.  I was tired.
I walked away, made myself a cup of tea and headed to my chair to enjoy my current read for a bit.

On the way to my chair I stopped to close a window, as the evening was cooling down.
The window wouldn’t close. A two inch gap was where it stopped.  Sigh.
I tried opening it wide and even folding it in as if to clean it before trying to close it.
Nope. Sigh.

So I pulled the shade down and left the window as is and picked up my book.

The whole evening was grace filled.
Without grace this lady would have done more than sighed!
It wouldn’t have been pretty!
The grace was His peace in the midst of one of those bumps life can bring you.

The next morning after spending time with Papa He helped me close the window (I was pushing too far up before trying to close it).
Then in examining the drawer I discovered the manufacturer had put the track on backwards!
In a very short time both issues were resolved. Pure grace!

I am learning to trust His grace for each day.  By recognizing my weakness and often powerlessness His grace is free to flow and
it opens me up to discovering even more grace!

This reminds me of a passage of Scripture.

“but He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you [My lovingkindness and My mercy are more than enough—always available—regardless of the situation]; for [My] power is being perfected [and is completed and shows itself most effectively] in [your] weakness.” Therefore, I will all the more gladly boast in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ [may completely enfold me and] may dwell in me.”
‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭12:9‬ ‭AMP‬‬

AMEN!

I came across a quote from Maya Angelou that reflects a perfect attitude to greet every new day With when we know it will be grace-filled. 

“This is a wonderful day, I’ve never seen this one before!” 


Saturday, May 9, 2020

Restoration

Greetings my dear friends!
I trust that this finds you well and making the most of these days.
Opportunities abound!
Just not all of the ones we were expecting!

One thing I was expecting, that had been on my calendar pre-pandemic, was offering the meditation for my church this past Sunday.
The topic was Rest. Rest in God.

I did things a bit differently from past times.
Being a lover of words, in the past, I would really flesh out on paper what I would be saying. Thing is, if I was yielding myself to the Spirit, much of it never left the paper!

This time I simply had the Scripture references in front of me with a few other notes.
I sensed a difference. Greater freedom in the Spirit! And God showed up!
Very humbling and very freeing!

Another difference was that afterward, for the first time, I did not critique the meditation.
Part of a greater freedom!
It was Papa’s. It was His message and I certainly had no inclination to critique it!

What didn’t change was how I am left depleted. Generally I am wiped out for a couple of days following such an event.
This leaves me especially vulnerable, emotionally and spiritually.

This particular time my wise, all-knowing God had plans to use it to do a little refining of this lady.

One of the tools that the Lord has placed in my life to help me grow and discover more of who I truly am meant to be is the 12 Step Recovery Program. Through working those Steps, which have the Lord’s fingerprints all over them, one is given a systematic way of self-discovery and freedom. Every Step is done with Him, as well as a trusted person.

The 4th Step sounds so intimidating to most, when first considered.

“ Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.”

With time it becomes a way of life as Step 10 states:

“ Continue to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.“

So the stage was set for Sunday evening.
Enter one of my sons, who happens to follow these Steps himself.
During our social-distanced visit our conversation turned to a time five years earlier when a family fissure occurred. He in his no beating around the bush, blunt way, reminded me of my role in the break.
I, honestly, had never looked at it from that particular perspective.
The revelation weighed heavily upon my heart.

Monday and Tuesday found me wrestling with a sense of disappointment, inadequacy and insecurity alternating with justification of my poor behavior those five years ago.

Each evening, before bed, I read a devotion to my husband.
Tuesday’s offering was clearly for me.

So was it about God’s judgement and disappointment in me, His child? No it was a gentle, loving touch from my Father telling me that I needed to be refreshed.
The devotional was about Elijah after he had been used of God and was so worn out. He also faced some serious opposition in the form of queen Jezebel, who threatened his life. (See 1 Kings 19)
He needed to be refreshed and then rested he would then be able to face the issue before him.

I was worn and needed a good, restorative sleep, which I hadn’t had the past two nights. Sensing Papa’s Presence, His love and acceptance I turned it all over to Him and slept well that night.

These past few days I have prayed, read, meditated and then spoke with a trusted friend.  Neither my God nor my friend have judged me, but offered support and encouragement.

I cannot tell you how many things the Lord has brought my way on the subject of guilt, asking for forgiveness and restoration this week!
The process has been amazing to me. The Lord God is so wise and gracious.

Meditations!
Podcasts!
Music!
Some through my usual, daily readings, some from friends, who had no idea what I was working through!

Through those different offerings I was challenged to examine my motives and attitude.
In asking for forgiveness we can think ourselves the ‘better person’. Especially when others had a part too and aren’t owning it.
Apologizing needs to be only for one’s part without accepting anymore.
The focus is our ‘side of the street’. That is our only business.
How our apology is received is not our business either.
Use only necessary words and DO NOT add a ‘but’ in there! No excuses!
In other words humility is necessary. So is speaking truth in love!
The result? Peace in our hearts and possibly reconciliation.
Both are God’s part.

Before I sat down to write this post I wrote a letter that’s words have been taking shape all week. It sits in my mailbox now waiting to be picked up.
The weight has lifted and I rest in my God restored no matter how my offering is received.

You see He is my Shepherd.
He leads me and restores me!

To God be the the Glory!


“The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; My cup overflows. Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭23:1-6‬ ‭NASB‬‬



Friday, April 24, 2020

On Hold?

Hello there my friends!
I don’t know about you, but this has been a challenging week for me!
Actually, I am pretty certain you have had your own challenges.
Even if we weren’t in the midst of this pandemic life usually presents us with a few on a regular basis. No doubt!

The season we are in has definitely presented extraordinary challenges.
The challenges of how to adjust our daily lives are ongoing.
So much that we took for granted isn’t even a choice right now.

For me the biggest challenge is not being able to hold those family dinners!  Then there is the inability to pop over to visit a friend or meet someone for coffee.
Relationships. They are still in tact, but at a distance.

I am grateful for FaceTime, Skype and Zoom! I may not be able to hug anyone, but at least I can talk face to face with them!

As I’m sure you are aware, there are many things on the challenge list, but there is no need to rehearse them.
What we need to do is focus on how we handle them.

Over the years, as I spent time with some precious people that struggled with addiction one of the common comments was...”I can’t wait to get back to my life.”
Many people in this world are echoing those words.

My response then and now?  ”What is it you are living now? Someone else’s life?”

I know what most everyone means is they want to get back to life as they knew it.
I get it.
However, no-one should dare to view their lives as on hold until the current situation they find themselves in passes.

There is a good challenge during this time.....seize the time to learn and grow!

Get to know your God better.
And thus get to know yourself better.
This will lead to strengthened relationships first with Papa and yourself and then with your dear family and friends.  Even at a distance.

What have you always intended to delve into but never found the time?
What refreshes your soul? Explore!

This week Papa, in His grace drew me out of a number of funks, so I could be living my life instead of wishing it were different.

On Monday I was feeling unsettled and not happy that the rest of the week was going to be wet and cold.  Then a gentle thought came that I was wasting a perfectly beautiful day worrying about tomorrow!  So I got out of the house and went for a hike alongside a river.
The sound of the river, along with the birds chirping happily in the trees along the banks and the crunch of my boots on the path settled my soul.

How gracious our God is!
A cousin of mine says He is extravagant in His grace and love. I agree!

Tuesday was wet and cold, but it is the day I watch my precious grandson while mommy and daddy work. Nothing blesses one’s heart more than a little one who is learning and growing before your eyes!  This kept me from dwelling on all the other grandkids and loved ones I cannot be with right now.
Grandma slept well that night, as he is now nine months old and in constant motion!

I have been using a shopping service for some of my groceries, but I have found it uncomfortable and it has felt disconnected to me.  Until Wednesday.
When an item isn’t available the shopper will message you to see if he can substitute it with another item.
This happened and as we exchanged messages the shopper was getting stressed by the app and, I believe, the whole shopping thing.  I learned later that he normally does tree work and just took this job so he could have some income right now. As a typical guy shopping isn’t fun for him.
Some of his messages had me doubled over laughing!
Papa also allowed me to lighten the mood for him too.

So is this my typical life? It is for now. Life isn’t on hold. It’s just different.
I believe it will never go back to what it was so I had better be flexible!

Now we come to Thursday.
I had been praying nonstop for a friend who had CF. She was in the hospital for quite a while waiting for two compatible lungs. The surgery happened in January and she went home a couple of weeks ago.
Somehow she caught COVID-19. She died yesterday leaving a ten year old daughter. I told my God it just wasn’t right! True injustice!
What do I know?  Not much.
I do know Papa is loving and good. This is the One who brought me peace in the midst of this heartbreak.
 I know He doesn’t cause these calamities and injustices, but is intending to redeem all the brokenness. We need but rest in Him.

To rest in Him we need to get to know Him. We have the opportunity right now.
Today is a perfect time to draw nearer Him.
I know that was His intention for me this Friday.
I’m spending the day on the couch waiting for the reaction to the shingles shot to pass.
That’s life.
My life.
A perfect time to draw near my great God and live my life in its fullness!

“Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.”
‭‭James‬ ‭4:8‬ a NASB‬‬

“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High Will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the LORD, “My refuge and my fortress, My God, in whom I trust!””
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭91:1-2‬ ‭NASB‬‬

Thursday, April 16, 2020

The Illusion of Control

Dearest Ones, I am in a quandary as to what to entitle this post.
You, of course, know the title as you are reading the finished product!
“Control”or “Acceptance” are my top choices at the moment.

A few days ago I had the title or so I thought...
As I was journaling I had a few thoughts for a fresh post. My journaling is between Papa and me. So when my heart heard “How about Control?” I knew Who was speaking.

My mind starting forming ideas of how to approach this subject....
How I have learned to let go of the false belief that I have control over much.
How others try to control you.
How freeing it is to let go.
How important it was to be still and sit with one’s thoughts.
Etc!

The last few days my God has revealed to me what He had in mind.
The intention was to help this lady realize she had been reverting to old behaviors! Very controlling behaviors!

I am a lover of lists.
Having lists means you can check things off, which gives a sense of accomplishment, at least to me.
Lists are not a problem in themselves...it’s what we do with them.  Do we allow them to control us?

Back in the day I would make impossible lists for each day and then go crazy trying to complete them.  I liked to stay on top of everything at all times!

A list from forty plus years ago had many typical things on it with the addition, one particular day, of reupholstering the couch. The thing is I expected to accomplish all my usual tasks AND get that couch covered all in one day. Do or die!
I did it too!
Only problem was it required neglecting and abusing loved ones, including myself,  as this driven woman became very grouchy!

I have learned that one must be realistic.   Whenever I have tackled projects since then I try to set time aside and accept that something else on “the list” will have to be left undone.

This desire to cross every ‘t’ and dot every ‘i’ has haunted me all my life. This is the foolish drive to be in control at all times!  It is an illusion.
It is one way of keeping so busy you have no time to address what is really going on in your head and heart.

Monday evening I was listening to a Brene Brown podcast in preparation for a zoom meeting with some of the most beautiful women I know.  
I was ironing as I listened
Yes, I still iron!
Anyway, lo and behold the topic was about control and as I listened I thought none of it was new to me. I mean after all I have moved past this!

Back to the ironing...I was ironing because there was something to iron and being back in my old ways it needed doing right then and there!
It had been a full day. We had just sold our old home and I had some loose ends to tie up. Things that had to be moved to the top of the list.
Since I was letting the old self have its way this meant that prioritizing only moved items around on the day’s to do list.
I had to run out before the meeting, which made me late. Something else I like to have control of...time!  I do not like being late!

So, dear friends I was a bit crazed!
Until Papa got my attention.
I was fussing that I would be late. And I was tired.
A simple question came to me. Getting a little weary?
Ah yes my Lord, I am weary! Weary of me and my craziness.

I took a deep breathe, accepted the fact that I would be a little late for my meeting and got a measure of quiet for my soul.

Keeping myself busy to distraction brings unnecessary complications.
Earlier in the day I had written two letters and wanted to include copies of my last blog post. After the meeting I decided to get that done.
It seems I need a fresh lesson...
In my rush I deleted the entire post.
My thoughts and words gone in one tap of my keyboard.

I posted for a few minutes then decided to practice a little yoga and have time being quiet before my God.   I heard...

““Be still and know (recognize, understand) that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations! I will be exalted in the earth.””
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭46:10‬ ‭AMP‬‬

Finally I let everything go.

The following day was a day of reflection and listening.
I’m not anxious over this pandemic.
I do know I am powerless apart from following guidelines. My trust is in my God.
I just do not like feeling restricted. I want to see whom I want to see when I want to see them.
Feeling powerless over many choices that I have normally is unsettling.
Until I admitted this and accepted it I would revert to my frantic behavior.
Papa and I sorted this all out.
Peace has been restored to my soul.

This morning I awoke with a thought of how to recover that deleted post.
The first paragraph is lost, but I was able to repost the rest.

Once I ‘let go and let God’ clarity came.
My God is always in control, but when we are trying to control our world we are too buy to notice.
The solution is to get quiet before the Almighty One. He has it all under control. Even when it seems our world is spinning totally out of control. Much if it is our own doing!
Getting quite before Him allows us to gain His perspective. One that brings peace with it. Then things fall into place!

It’s decided! I’m using ‘Control’ in the title!

The verse I have ended my previous two posts fits here as well.

“So teach us to number our days, That we may cultivate and bring to You a heart of wisdom.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭90:12‬ ‭AMP‬‬

Wednesday, April 8, 2020

Opportunities

Dear Readers,
The first paragraph of this post from April 7th was inadvertently deleted. However, I decided to repost. May it be a blessing to someone!

I, for one, am choosing to take every opportunity that is afforded me.
These opportunities are meant to help me learn and grow and come out the other side of this crazy time.

I chose the opportunity to have order in my day. I keep to a routine.
And first things first....
Thus....

God first!
Every day we have the opportunity to start afresh with our God.
Like every relationship that we want to see grow, we need to invest time and attention.
No matter what commitments may fill one’s day it is critical to make time to ‘come apart’ so you don’t ‘come apart’!

For me journaling is the first piece.  I dump all my thoughts out and in doing so Papa helps me sort through them. Reading, meditation and prayer follow.
Then I’m ready to go into my day to seize the many opportunities that are mine to pursue.

One opportunity I am taking advantage of is to keep my body moving. This means I practice my yoga on a daily basis and get as many walks in a week as possible.

Today I took two walks.
The first walk was in Litchfield. The walk took me through the Stations of the Cross.  This was an opportunity to reflect on what this week means to me.
I brought my journal and wrote my thoughts down as I walked. For me writing makes more permanent the thoughts and feelings that arise so they do not become lost.

The second walk was after dinner and kept me in my sweet neighborhood.
There are many mature trees around us and quite a few have little buds getting ready to unfurl.
How this made me smile!

I thanked God for the season of spring and that this pandemic didn’t occur in the dead of winter!
Could you imagine if we were more confined? Imagine if it were very cold and overcast?
It would not do anything to lift our mood!
I, for one, become a little blue towards the end of winter.
It wouldn’t have been pretty!

A question came to mind, as I expressed gratitude for the season.
“What else makes you smile?”

My reply?

My sons!
They are wonderful men and I love their sense of humor!
Thinking of some of their antics makes me chuckle!
Reflecting on their kindnesses and love brings a big smile to my face and heart!

Then there is a little eight month old boy who is the best boy!

Oh the list grew and words of gratitude tumbled out in a rush.
Truly I could go on with all that came to mind...all my dear family and friends.
Each one a treasure from Papa to me!
People are the true treasures, aren’t they?

So an opportunity to reflect upon those treasures is available to each of us!

When a name or face comes to mind that we wouldn’t truthfully be able to declare a treasure, we have the opportunity to bring them before our God and learn to see through His eyes.

You might be reading my words and wondering if I’m for real...how can anyone be so positive?
Well, I have my moments when I find myself down and anxious. But I have learned that what one focuses on grows bigger, so I turn my eyes to my God!
He can never grow too big!

I love writing and over the years have had some periods of time where the words just flowed.
Then they seem to dry up.
I’m taking the opportunity to get back into the flow. It is the perfect time, as I seem to have some extra room in my schedule!

All that journaling and those walks I take give the Spirit the opportunity to speak to my heart. Thoughts arise that I know are not from me.
Perspectives are presented that I need to consider.
Directions and paths are fine tuned.
When I’m willing and open that is!

I must confess that for a while I was chaffing at the bit, as I thought I had all the opportunities lined up for the foreseeable future. The majority of them had to be put on hold until who knows when?
Then there are all the family gatherings that, too, are on hold.
I could list many things I do not like at the moment, but then I would be missing the opportunities that are available to me!

So by the grace of God I choose acceptance of what I cannot change and the courage to change the things I can.
What can I change?
My attitude!

Then with a change in direction I can...

Go after ever opportunity Papa has made available to me to help me learn more about myself and Him.  Opportunities that lay a fresh path that is less cluttered!
The opportunities are endless!
Look around...what opportunities has the Living God made available for you?

We can start by praying...
“So teach us to number our days, That we may cultivate and bring to You a heart of wisdom.”

Psalm 90:12

Tuesday, March 31, 2020

Redeeming the Time

Hello there my dear friends!
It has been a few years, yes, years(!) since I have contributed anything to my blog.
You might wonder why now or you are presuming that our current world situation is the motivator.
Not so.
Let me explain....
A course I am taking asked me to list twenty simple things I could do in the following few days. I numbered the page one to twenty and then began my entries. The very first one was to write a paragraph or two for the blog.
My immediate thought was...”What? that isn’t something ‘simple’, Papa!”

You see I knew it was my God who had my hand write that down.
So I told Him that He would have to give me the words, as always.
Then I went my merry way.
That was yesterday.

Each morning one of the very first things I do is to journal three pages worth.
This morning was no different and as I began to write I realized I was being given the words to share here.  How faithful my God is!
May they encourage your heart and cause you to draw nearer to the Living God!

The last day of March! A March that no one will ever forget!
April will join it in infamy, I am certain.
What will be written about this time in history? It will depend upon who is doing the writing!
Everyone has their opinions, but how many really know the truth of any situation?
We all see from our own perspective, but is it with clear lenses? I doubt it. There is only One who sees clearly, is unbiased and not motivated by any fear.
It is in this One that I put my trust.

It seems like most everyone is waiting for the other shoe to drop.... Who will contract the virus next? Will it be me? Someone dear to me? Will we survive?
Again only He knows. And He is in control!

Is He watching from afar and moving pieces around like on a chessboard?
This one is next....That One doesn’t make it......
No! I do not believe that at all!

My God is Creator, not destroyer.
He does not bring calamity on anyone.
He is the God of compassion. He is the God of all comfort.
And He is the Redeemer!

He is redeeming now. We need to just open our eyes and heart.
Yes, there is pain and loss and I do not make light of this fact. However, dwelling on this does not change it, but does add to the darkness around us and in us.

If we looked to Him and trust in Him....Cry out to Him, He will open our eyes to all the blessings, all the good! We will begin to see through His eyes and gain His perspective.

My desire through all this is to draw nearer to Him, to grow deeper in my intimacy with him. I desire to be a usable vessel, His vessel meet for the Master’s use!
This comes from the Scripture verse - 2 Timothy 2:21.
I memorized this some 40 years ago and did it in the King James Version.

“If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work.”
‭‭2 Timothy‬ ‭2:21‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Meet...useful.

In the beginning this vessel (me) was so packed full of junk... Clogged.... Not hospitable or welcoming and definitely not a place worthy of my God! It needed to be cleaned out!  Just like a blocked artery.
I don’t know much about the medical procedure done to clear out an artery, as to whether it  gets everything out of the artery and leaves it clean and like brand new, but I know that the cleaning out of this vessel has been a long process. And it’s ongoing!

Pain, of course, has been part of this process, but it has been a healing pain.
The more we yield, the easier it is to let go of the junk and make more room for the Spirit of God.
In time His life, His Spirit becomes like a river that seems to flow in and through our lives. God is then able to work through us to touch the other lives.  This brings Him glory and honor and brings us great joy!

Right now we are being called to go within, to clean house, to make room and there we will find we are free!

“Out of my distress I called on the LORD; The LORD answered me and set me free.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭118:5‬ ‭AMP‬‬

We’ll find that our lives have fallen into pleasant places.

“The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭16:6‬ ‭NIV‬‬

In those pleasant places we will discover a sure foundation.

“He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭33:6‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Those pleasant places and sure foundation are found in the Almighty God alone!
He is worthy of vessels meet for His use!
Allow Him to Redeem this time in your life so one day you can look back and say you were eternally grateful for this very hard time in your history.

May this prayer be on every heart.

“So teach us to number our days, That we may cultivate and bring to You a heart of wisdom.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭90:12‬ ‭AMP‬‬