Still Reflections: Pruning

Neglected...

My fault, completely. I'd waited for the perfect weather. Waited for the spare time. Waited...for what I should have simply made time for.
Now one plant had completely dried up and withered away. The young basil would be next if I didn't intervene...and soon.

Leaves hung limp. Brown spots covered the yellowing ones. Dirt, hardened and caked, became unmanageable around the thinning stem.

This would be painful.

Recovered...

First I soaked the earthen pot in water to get the dirt loosened and workable again. Then, ever so slowly and carefully, I plucked off each damaged leaf, knowing to leave them would sap the plants limited strength. It would need all it had to disperse its roots into the ground I'd put it in.
Sweet basil scent tickled my nose, enticing taste-buds of delicious meals it would one day flavor. But not yet... Not these diseased, damaged leaves. Gloved hand opened, as crushed, pieces of possibilities fluttered into the trash bin.

Once done, it looked about as pathetic as my dogs on bath day, all scrawny and trembling in the breeze.

Exposed. Bare. Weak.

Finally, I set the fledgling plant into it's home in my garden, conditioning the dirt around it, readying the ground to receive its new occupant.

Then I hoped for the best.

Salvaged...

It seemed a harsh way to treat a plant. And as I worked, thoughts struck me as they often do while gardening....

How many times have I neglected my spirit?

How many times have I put off tending to it?

How many times had God needed to come in and prune off the dead, ignored growth in my heart?

Doesn't my spirit need good, fertile ground to take root in? Doesn't it need frequent drinks of His holy presence to quench thirst? Doesn't it require a strong Light presence to build up strength?

How many times have I found God plucking away the damaged parts of me?

I've been left feeling exposed, bare, weak...

Yet, despite how harsh it feels at the time, His loving hands work diligently to set me back in firm ground so I can grow strong again and produce what I've been created to produce.

Established...

Blessed is the man

who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked

or stand in the way of sinners

or sit in the seat of mockers.

But his delight is in the law of the Lord,

and on his law he meditates day and night.

He is like a tree planted by streams of water,

which yields its fruit in season

and whose leaf does not wither.

Whatever he does prospers...Psalm 1:1-3 (NIV)

When We Hurt Eachother

Does anyone really mean to hurt another?

I suppose, when we hurt, sometimes we lash out at others in our hurt and anger.
But purposefully? With intention? Not when it's someone we love.

Yet, it's the ones we love the most that we tend to hurt the most.
Like angry words at a child when they break something valuable.
Perhaps its a spouse who's not measuring up.
Maybe it's simply taking advantage of someone, forgetting they have feelings, or that they have their own issues they are dealing with.
Or it could simply be letting someone down who put their trust in you.
I don't know why this happens. But the more we love someone, the worse it feels when the hurt comes.

We forget our own humanness. We forget that people are fallible. And the only thing or person of perfection is God himself.

How can we avoid being hurt?

I don't think we can. We are human, and as we've been given the gift of love, so much comes within the pretty package: hurt, guilt, joy, fulfillment, failure, and so much more. We hurt because we love, actually. I just don't think there's any getting around it.

C.S. Lewis wrote:
"To love at all is to be venerable. To love anything and your heart will be
wronged and possibly broken. If you want to make sure to keep it in tact, then
you must give it to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully around with
hobbies, attachments and little luxuries, and avoid all entanglements. Lock your
heart up in a safe place like a casket or a coffin of selfishness. But in that
casket, safe and dark and motionless and airless, your heart will change. And it
will not be broken. Instead, it will become ungrateful... impenetrable...
irredeemable.... The only place outside of heaven where you can be perfectly
safe from all the dangers of love, is hell."

I hurt a friend's heart. And mine is broken as well. I cried many tears when it happened, and I'm sure they did as well in one way or another.

God gave me that friend and trusted me with a precious heart and I got careless. And it would be easy to blow it off, to say "Well, I apologized and they need to forgive and get over it." But it's not that easy. Sometimes we forget what a priceless gift friends are. We forget the price Jesus paid for us. As humans, we forget each other's value.

I never meant any harm. I made a very bad choice. Unwise. I had thought a lot about it, but I don't think I prayed it through enough. Or perhaps at all. That's so important. Involving God in all we do, especially when it concerns others. It's easy to run ahead and forget to not take a step until you have a tight grip on His hand.

Then your left with a thousand broken pieces and you wonder if it's possible to clean up such a mess. A mess I myself have created. And I don't suppose all the brooms and dustpans, all the superglue in the world can fix it. So I turn to God and ask for His intervention.

Father, I've made a big mess and I need your help to clean it up!

I sit and think of all the things I could have done differently. It's strange how much clearer all the should have dones are in hindsight.

I pray that time will heal what's been broken. That God will step in and repair the damage I've so carelessly caused. I pray  for given another chance. And with that second chance, I'll take better care and remember what a gift friendship is. Something that shouldn't be taken lightly.

Father, teach us how to be good, solid friends. Help us remember to never forget what a precious treasure people are. We are all your children, and you love each and every one of us as if we were the only one on the face of the earth. Help us to value each other in that same way. Amen.

jc

A repost from the archives, because some things are worth repeating.

Grime and Beauty

The price tag on the beat up old chair read $5. It had no seat. The wood was scratched, dirty, and banged up from misuse. 

I thought...

I can fix this. It just needs some sandpaper, stain, polish. A seat! 

Well, I thought I could. 

About half way through sanding, then adding new stain, I stopped. The wood now felt smooth to my touch. The grain... oh, the beauty!

And I wondered...

When we come to God, do we look like the worthless chair? Probably. 

Something the world has cast aside for trash. Yet He takes us and lovingly smooths down the rough places, cleans away the dirt and gives us a new finish. Or a new life. A new look. A new outlook. Soon, everything changes. 

Value. Appreciation. Appearance. Functionality. 

The chair did nothing. I did all the work. So does God. It's not by us cleaning ourselves up, but His skilled hand working in us. 

The chair...? Well, look for yourselves. 



For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Eph. 2:8-10 (NIV)



When Kindness Tumbles Out...

Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'
This is the first and greatest commandment.
And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'
All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."
Matt. 22:37-40

So much hangs on that word... Love. Love God with all you've got. Love your neighbor ...


I was reading in my Bible this morning. It's raining and I'm dragging about gettting out of bed. (Don't judge- lol).

As I flipped through the pages, a bookmark tumbled out, one I'd printed a few years back. The header read:

10 Ideas for Kindness

The bookmark came from a site http://www.randomactsofkindness.org/. It's still there, I just checked. Can't find the bookmarks, but there's lots of good stories and suggestions on ways to be kind. For instance, this week's suggestion is to be kind to someone you don't like. Humm... sounds like advice from the same person who said love God and love your neighbor. Didn't later he say, "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you?"

Hummm... I think so.

So, the 10 Ideas, let me share them with you...

#1: Say hello
How hard is this sometimes? I'm a real introvert. It's hard, let me tell you. Yet, a simple smile and hello goes a long way when you're brave enough to do it. Such as calling or texting that friend or family member instead of waiting for them to text you. Yes? Yes.

#2: Visit a friend
This one isn't as hard. I enjoy hanging out with friends. Not real keen on visiting when they are sick, or down. Let's be honest here. Then it's kind of a drag. Or, how about visiting when you don't need something; like to pour out your frustrations, or to borrow something.
Like saying "hello" why is it so hard just to make the first move to appreciate someone? I don't know. I'd pull out my introvert card, but that excuse is getting kind of weak.

#3: Let another go first.
Yes, even on the highway when they cut infront of you. Instead of making rude gestures and shouting words only you and God can hear, will it really make us that much later to just let a few in? Yes, what they are doing is rude. Doesn't mean we need to sink to their level. And what about letting someone go in front of you that had a buggy full of groceries, instead of a few items? Wow, now thats a big one, J. That's asking too much. Yeah, maybe so. I'd be hard pressed to do it, too. But maybe, just once, you know? Just to see?

#4: Forgive mistakes
Ugh. Yet, aren't we commanded? Forgive to infintiy and beyond... basically. Forgive if we want to be forgiven. Ouch. Ugh. Drat.

#5: Share a smile
Easy peasy... unless I'm having a bad day. Better watch out then. My smile might look more like the Grinch's evil sneer as he planned to steal Whoville's Christmas. Just scary, people. But did you know, smiles, laughter and yawns are infectious? Try it sometime.

#6: Say hello
Hey, didn't we already cover this? Oh wait, maybe there's a reason it's posted twice. Think?

#7: Lend a hand
I'm hearing the song, "I'll be there, yah, yah, yah, you've got a friend..."  Okay, corney, I know. These things just pop in my head. I have no control.
This one... sometimes it's real easy. But when I'm pressed for time... well, that's another story. Or when you feel like you're being taken advantage of. Or when you're dry and have nothing left to give. Need to involve God, ask for help and wisdom. I do, anyways. Jesus didn't heal everyone he passed, only the one's God told him to. We need to be the same.

#8: Be tolerant
There's that push-button "T" word. Fact is, folks, everyone deserves a chance to get to heaven. We are all sinners, and have been seperated from God. And God has done everything possible to close the gap of that seperation. He's done it for everyone of his children. Every one. Love the way He loves. It's the only way.

#9: Offer a hug
Can I wear a sign, "Need a hug, here!!" I suppose to get hugs, you need to give them. When you give them, more often than not, you'll be hugged back, right? Right?

And the last one...
#10: Do an act of kindness every day.
Oh, if only we would. All of us. Everyday. Every day. One thing. Just one. It certainly won't make the world a worse place, right? Right?

Yeah, I don't think so.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. 2 Cor. 1:3-4

Father, help me to be a comfort, to show kindness, to have a giving heart in all things, every day, in many ways. Amen.

Be blessed,
J.

Keeping Balance in a Crazily Tilting World

"But I am afraid that just as Eve was decieved by the serpent's cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ." 2 Cor. 11:3

Typical day. Get out of bed, spend a few quiet moments journaling, thinking - usually about what I'm going to do that day, along with the standard prayer "God, where do I need to be going?" Follow this by jumping into the shower, getting dressed, the kids off to school, then rolling up my sleeves to tackle that To Do list I diligently wrote out the night before.

Typical next day? Get out of bed. A few moments of quiet time. Thinking. Asking... "Where do I need to be going." Followed by the standard shower, shove the kids off and schedule tackling. Back to a "New and Improved" To Do list.

I keep asking the same question. Sometimes, I wonder, am I asking the right question, though.

Rushing from one task to another, do I miss what's really important? Do I miss out on hearing God in my haste? Do I miss out on gifts He drops during the day? Like the bird's morning songs? The beauty of sunlight beaming across the dining table? The smile of one of my kids as they head off to school?

I'm trying so hard to stay balanced in this crazy, tiltling world.

But am I simply living for the now? Here in This Moment? Stopping to listen? Stopping to see? Waiting to hear?

Or do I keep rushing ahead, searching, yearning, wanting.
Wanting when right here. Right now....

"Man is a mere phantom as he goes to and fro.

He bustles about, but only in vain,

he heaps up wealth, not knowing who will get it.

But now, Lord, what do I look for?

My hope is in you."

Psalm 39:6-7 

When You're Eye to Eye With a Tuna

Be joyful always;
1 Thess. 5:16


When I got out of bed this morning, I wasn't too joyful. More like, overwhelmed and discouraged. As if I'd stepped out of bed into deep waters, I felt submerged in a sea of Way-To-Much-To-Do. My list of things I needed to accomplish flooded my heart, and as I walked around the house and saw how behind I was in taking care of things, I sank deeper into confusion and lack of direction. 


How do I let myself get to where I'm eye to eye with a tuna? 


pray continually;
1 Thess. 5:17


That's exactly what I began doing... praying. "Lord, how do I get all of this done? How do I focus my time, take care of my responsibilities, yet continue to do the task I need to do? 


When you ask, a way out begins to reveal itself. 
Normally, I look at my list and dive into it, then about mid-day, I wear down and it takes awhile to get myself going again. As I thought about my rhythm, I realized I'd do better working with myself, than against myself. Since I'm more creative in the morning, I should set that time aside for writing work. In the afternoon, when my mind gets groggy, its a prime time to get outside and work in the yard, or do some housework. Anything physical. 


This made so much sense, and I tried it today, finding it really did work. 


He doesn't leave us submerged for long. A hand always reaches down into the depths and pulls us back up. 


give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
1 Thess. 5:18


Soon as the doom and gloom hit me, I fought back. I grabbed my Gratitude journal and began to think of the gifts I'd seen lately. It's amazing, how once your eyes are focused on the good, everything else falls into focus as well. Joy returned. So did an eagerness to figure a way to get everything done. 


I wrote down all the things I've started, every project I want to do, every job that needs to be done and every writing piece I need to work on. It's like putting all your ducks in a row, so to speak. Now I know what I have. Now I can begin to break down how I will get it done. 


He pulled me out, spitting and sputtering, but I feel my breaths again. I'm back on solid ground. I can see a path, a way through. Of course it's there. It's always been there. 




No matter what you are faced with, start with counting the blessings. It clears your mind like a fresh wind clears away the clouds. Don't let discouragement keep you submerged in hopelessness. 


He loves you. He has good plans for you. If He is for you, none can stand against you. He will make a way. There is always a way through. 


Go ahead. Throw back your head and smile big. Let praises rise up with reckless abandon. He is good and worth to be praised. 


Be blessed, 
J. 

Still Reflections- On The Road Again

(A re-post from the archives. One of my favorites!)

Staring out the backseat window of my friend Patty's Silverado truck, I half-listened to the conversation between her and our other friend, Dawn, about the need for first-hand research.

Dawn: "It would be fun to visit Connecticut, Patty, but we can't right now. We've just come from Minnesota. We need to go home."

Patty: "But in the Writing Authentic Historicals class, they said research is a very important. What better way to get the details right than to take a road trip over that way?"

I watched the white highway lines zoom past, ready to get home to my every day comfort, as well. The trip up to the conference and back had been such fun, but home beckoned.

Dawn (determination now steeling her voice)- "Maybe so, but we can't just head off to Connecticut. It's not anywhere near Texas."

At this point Patty turns to face Dawn, an eerie glint in her eyes like a toddler set on getting the last cookie from the jar placed on a high shelf. Then she says something I don't think I'll ever forget. With both hands firmly gripping the steering wheel, she stares transfixed at the winding road ahead and replies,

"I have four wheels and a tank of gas, what do you mean I can't go to Con-nec-ti-cut?"

Dawn's mouth drops, as well as my own. I swear that Patty meant it with all the sincerity of a boyscout . As long as she had a car, a tank of fuel and four inflated tires, what's to stop her?

Oh, but I wish I had such tenacity about plowing forward with my life.

We weren't meant to stand still. If we were, we'd sprout roots from our feet and grow leaves. No, God created us for the journey. He created us to run and not grow weary.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith... (Heb. 12:1-2)

Everybody is going somewhere...

Sometimes, the path is smooth and open. My feet meet the pavement like soft butter on warm toast. Everything is great. My joy explodes with each step. I have a song in my heart and a wave for every passing stranger.

Life couldn't be better!

Then other times, I stop dead in my tracks... breath, heart and stomach caught in my throat over what lays ahead.

In places like this I find myself gasping out fervent prayers for help, assistance, rescue. Yet, I venture on, steps cautious like a tight-rope walker. I see the road, though it's a bit unstable, perhaps flooded with worry and concerns.

And like David in Psalms, a cry escapes my lips, "For you are God, my only safe haven. Why have you tossed me aside?" (Ps.43:2 NLT)

That's kind of how it feels when the road gets rough and I become unsure of where to go next.

Still, other times, I stare up in disbelief at the mountain ahead, wondering how will I ever make it over this obstacle. Faith needed to cast the mountain aside, has been cast aside at the sight of such insurmountable opposition.

But once I really look, and sometimes you have to look really, really hard...there it is...

For when you did awesome things that we did not expect, you came
down, and the mountains trembled before you. Since ancient times no one has
heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on
behalf of those who wait for him. Isa. 64:3-4

There, my eyes locate a small narrow path winding its way past tight turns and steep uphill climbs. But it's there; a way over and to the other side. It's always been there. It will always be there.

Eyes must learn to focus on the small steps, not the giant leaps.

We are called to travel, to move forward, to continue the race set before us.

Despite how the path looks, how low, how obstructed, how high- He will not abandon.

He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me;

Psalm 23:3-4

Father God, help me to walk boldly along the paths you have set before me. Help me to not look in trepidation at the obstacles that get in the way, but to always, always, always, keep my eyes focused on you. For you walk at my side. You hold my hand securely. You guide with gentle nudges. Keep me near. Keep me close. Amen.

The Candy Drawer

I don't know how many times I passed that drawer. Unaware.

And honestly, I didn't even care what was inside. Until I found out... what was inside.



My friend has a heart for giving. And she loves to host dinners and gatherings in her home. It's a modest home, but very comfortable. Big, plush chairs fill the living area. There are two dining tables. An open kitchen. Like I said, she has a heart for welcoming people in and making sure they enjoy their time there.

So one day, we had a church dinner at her house. Several of the guys were gathered around this drawer. At first I didn't think anything of it and went to sit in the living room. But then I heard it... that sound... that distinct sound a person makes when they've found something good.

First I heard the riiippp, crinkle, crinkle, crinkle... followed by mmmmmmm....

Intrigued, I had to go investigate. I'd never dreamed there was something good inside. Yet, it was there, all the same. When I rounded to corner to where the guys were gathered I found my husband there, his hands full of the goodness that drawer offered to anyone who would venture to open it up and reach inside.

CANDY!!

And since that first discovery of this treat drawer, hardly a time has passed when I've seen it empty. It's almost always full with some delightful sweet.

This got me to thinking:

If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!" Matthew 7:11

How many blessings do we miss because we don't keep our eyes open to God's grace which abounds all around us? How many gifts do we walk past because we have our eyes on our lack? How many delights do we ignore because our eyes are focused on our own needs and not on the abundance God has provided?

It's there, just like the candy. But that candy doesn't hurl itself out of the drawer and smack me upside the head to get my attention. I have to look for it, open the drawer, reach in, riiipppp... crinkle, crinkle, crinkle... mmmmmm....

Oh yeah, it's there. Since I've began counting things I'm grateful for, my eyes have started to refocus, to see things they didn't see before. And the bounty is more mind-boggling than that candy drawer. Sometimes, the candy drawer is running low, or once, I believe, I actually did see it empty. But God's blessings... they never seem to end.

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matt. 6:33

His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness. 2 Peter 1:3

Everything I need can be found in Him. The gifts are there if you'll only look.

Be blessed,
J.

When Enough is Enough

I close the book and run my finger over the picture of hands holding a bird's nest. For the past three years I've been following Ann Voscamp's blog, A Holy Experience. For three years, her beautiful words have encouraged and inspired me to be thankful for the small things.

Then I got a copy of her book, One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully. Since I began reading it, the word of giving thanks, even in the pain, has resounded all around me.

I heard it while on Retreat last week.

"Attitude is behind every action and reaction." said one speaker as she talked about how our attitude will make our break our lives. She gave three ways to have an attitude like Jesus had:
1. Having an attitude of gratitude- giving thanks in all circumstances.
2. Having an attitude of latitude- understanding that God loves us right where we are.
3. Having an attitude of fortitude- being courageous even in adversity.

2 Peter 1:3
His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.

Everything we need...

The other day I got really angry with one of my kids. I mean furiously angry. First came the outburst, then the guilt. Why do I let myself get so bent out of shape? Not that my anger wasn't justified, but the outburst wasn't.

As I sat at my desk, seething with anger, I heard in my spirit, "Think of what you are grateful about this child."

I'll be honest, it was hard at first.
But I grabbed my little moleskin book, the one I've begun writing down gratitude gifts in, and found three great qualities about this (at the moment) very annoying child.

With each one I wrote out, the anger ebbed away like water into a parched ground. I began to breath again. My muscles relaxed. The only thing left was the guilt over having let my anger get the best of me.

Mistakes happen, right? But his grace is enough. Sufficient.

His love covers a multitude of sins.

He died that I might live. And learn. And move on.

First I had to forgive myself. He'd forgiven. It happened at the cross.

Jesus said "It's finished."

It was enough.

I have enough. The more I write down the gratitude gifts found around me, the more I realize just how much I have. Often, more than enough.


Be Blessed,
J.

When God Seems Small...

God starts with the small, the seemingly insignificant--

A garden and two people
     A boat and eight people
          An old guy and a barren women
               A shepherd boy
                    A babe born in a stable

And yet... God may start small... but he finishes BIG!!

The world is populated with those two people.
Then re-populated with those eight people.
A nation numbering the amount of the stars comes from the old guy and barren women.
A shepherd boy grows up to be a mighty king and unites a people.
A babe born in a manger grows up to save the world.

SPREAD OUT! THINK BIG!

"Sing, barren woman, who has never had a baby. Fill the air with song, you who've never experienced childbirth! You're ending up with far more children than all those childbearing women."

God says so!

Clear lots of ground for your tents!
Make your tents large. Spread out! Think big! Use plenty of rope, drive the tent pegs deep.

You're going to take over whole nations,
you're going to resettle abandoned cities.

Don't be afraid--you're not going to be embarrassed.

Don't hold back--you're not going to come up short.
Isaiah 54:1-4 MSG

Don't despise the day of small beginnings, the word says. How do you see yourself? As a tiny seed, hidden the the dark earth? That's all right. In time, you have the potential to be a mighty oak, strong against the winds and storms. Shelter. Food. Life!

When life seems parched

The poor and needy search for water,

but there is none;

their tongues are parched with thirst.

But I the Lord will answer them;

I will make rivers flow on barren heigths,

and springs within the valleys.

I will turn the desert into pools of water,

the the parched ground into springs.

I will put in the desert

the cedar and the acacia, the myrtle and the olive.

I will set pines in the wasteland,

the fir and the cypress together,

so that people may see and know,

may consider and understand

that the hand of the Lord has done this,

that the Holy One of Israel has created it.

Isaiah 41:17-20

I woke up feeling down and discouraged. I get out of bed and go out to find chaos slung across my house. Grabbing a cup of coffee, I retreat to my quiet spot and pour out my heart to Him.

He is faithful to answer. As I pour out my hurts, and fear, His presence is right there beside me, dabbing up every last tear. Then his encouragement follows, pouring into the empty vessel I'd become. Showing me things I'd not seen. The beauty of a sunbeam even as it hits a dirty counter. The glorious colors of a sunrise as I look across my unkept yard. The wag of a tail and eyes full of love of the very dog who messed on the carpet. Yet it's there. Those things that cause smiles despite it all.

I’ve found God right here. Even in all this mess. And I’m going to choose to glorify him today. And I’m going to pour myself out into this home, my family, friends, and into the words I write.  I’m going to keep trying not to worry. He has my days. My hours. My minutes. I have no need to worry. I just need to keep pouring. Like the widow woman. She was down to her last bit of oil and flour, and she kept pouring out until she fed the whole town. That’s God. That’s what he does for us. We just have to keep pouring.

Be blessed,
j

Finding the Cleft of Quietness

It's been one of those crazy, busy weeks where some things have a way of getting pushed to the side. My most sincere apologies. Here is a post from the archives that seemed appropriate for this time. Next week, I promise to be back to my regular schedule with new thoughts. God Bless.

The Lord said, "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the
Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by."
Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the
rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind.
After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the
earthquake.
After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire.
And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his
cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.
Then the Lord said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"

When I was a child, I loved to climb high up in the trees, find a sturdy crook in the branches, and sit there, surrounded by greenery, splattered sunlight and a gentle rustling breeze. It felt like I'd entered a whole different world. Swaying... Cool... Soothing. I could sit up there for hours and hours, just thinking... swaying... hiding away in the tree's strong cocoon of shimmering greens.

I still find a need to seek out those solitary, quiet places. Now I'm bit too old to climb trees. Darn it. But I often find myself lured to quiet shady spots beneath spreading branches. I need that quiet. It's where I hear God best.


It's so easy to get swept up in the daily cacophony of noise, stress, demands and pressures. It's so easy forget to withdraw, every once in awhile to those quiet places, whether it be the shade of a tree, cradled in the bough of branches, or swinging on a hammock, or simply sitting quietly at a desk, or a favorite chair.




I need to let the gentle breeze of His voice flow over me, tickling my skin, tugging tresses of hair, gentle air kisses on my cheek, whispered words in my ear. Time to be still before Him. Opportunity to hear Him ask, "What are you doing here? What's your purpose? Are you following mine or yours?"

We need to find God,
and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness.
God is the friend of silence.
See how nature - trees, flowers, grass -
grow in silence;
See the stars, the moon and the sun,
how they move in silence...

We need silence to be able to touch souls.
Mother Theresa

Father, may I always remember you are my rock. You are my place of safety. You are the quiet place where I can seek refuge in a crazy world. Meet me always in those quiet places. Let me always hear your voice come on the quiet breezes. Amen

All You Really Do Need Is LOVE...

Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so. Little ones to Him belong.

They are weak, but He is strong....

When I was very little, I knew this song by heart. And, as my family often told me, I'd sing it whenever I got into trouble.

My mom would narrow her eyes at me as she retold the story and say, "Do you know how hard it is to spank a child that's singing Jesus Loves Me at the top of her lungs?

Singing about how He loves me got me out of a lot of trouble back then.

And it still does. 

Remembering, when times get tough, when the waters begin to rise and the storms rage, that He loves me. He loves me. He loves me.

It's like a lifeboat. With a roof. And lots of flotation devices tucked inside.

Time and again, just the knowledge that Jesus loves...
It makes all the difference in the world. Even now it keeps me out of trouble. Even now, despite everything that does or can happen, knowing He loves me and has my best interest at heart is more than enough.

I hope it is for you too.

Yes, Jesus love me... Yes, Jesus loves me... Yes, Jesus loves me...     I just know it down deep in my heart. 


Happy Valentines Day, Friends

(turn off the music on the sidebar and enjoy.)

Strongholds- looking from the bottom up

Stronghold: World English Dictionary: 

1. A defensible place; fortress

2. A major center or area of predominance.

A stronghold is meant to be impenetrable. The walls tall, smooth, unclimbable. The thickness of sheer stone unbreakable. Those that hide within are safe, untouchable. 

So when I heard someone say that they've had a stronghold in their life since childhood, I thought, it must be a mighty one to have held for so long. And if it 's that strong, that it had held firm for nearly a lifetime, what could possibly come against it? 

I can hear you now, "With God, all things are possible." or "God is bigger than any stronghold." 

My answer is, yes, this is true. But the person who spoke about the stronghold is a longtime Christian. A strong Christian. A firmly believing Christian. 

I think, no matter who you are, when you are standing at the bottom looking up, it simply seems insurmountable. No matter what or who is standing next to you. 

That's how it looks, anyway. 

Which led me to my next thought... how we look at things. 

As long as she saw this thing as a stronghold, then it would keep it's strong hold on her life. All she could see was the sheer wall surrounding her and no way out or over. Yet, in all this, the enemy kept finding a way in to steal her joy, kill her hope and destroy her will to fight her way out.

This is the enemies best trick. He keeps you looking at the wall, so you can't see that if there's a way in, there has to be a way out. He keeps that one thing prominent in your view so you don't see the One standing next to you, or the others: friends, family, your church body who are surrounding you, ready to fight with you. But your eyes are so locked on that THING. . . . 

What was needed was to change how that THING looked. To the enemy, it was nothing. I thought about the second movie in the Lord of the Rings trilogy when the evil army advanced on Helm's Deep with the intent to smash it to pieces. They nearly succeeded until the rescuer on the white horse arrived with the dawn. 

We have a rescuer. He doesn't see things like we do at all. 

"'For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,' declares the Lord." Isa. 55:8

How To Get Over The Walls of a Stronghold:

1. Make sure that stronghold isn't a safe-place for you. Sometimes we get comfortable in our pain and shortcomings. Examine your motives. 

2. Change how you view that stronghold. Change what you call it. Stop giving it so much power. It's not a stronghold, it's simply an issue that needs to be dealt with. 

3. Stop giving it more power than it deserves. God is out cleft, or safe place. He covers us with his hands. (Isa. 51). 

4. Be willing to look around at the resources God as placed in our lives. Friends, family, our church body. 

5. Get out your climbing gear and move on. 

Spend time with God and allow him to reveal the truth about this issue. Where did it come from? How can it be surmounted? Be willing to share with others, those who you feel are safe, what's going on with you. It's amazing how many other people have traveled the same road we find ourselves on. 

Strongholds are meant to be safe places. But they can also become prisons. 

See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland. Isa. 43:19

Equipped

Nearly all week I've been stuck inside the house. The roads have been a sheet of ice, temperatures have been steadily below freezing and it's simply a risk to get out on the roads. 

All week, we've battled frozen pipes, rolling blackouts and trying to keep warm. I don't think our heater has stopped once and I'm afraid to see what next month's bills will amount to. Between leaving the water dripping all night for a week, to the added electricity and gas to heat the house... well, it's not going to be good. 

Our northern neighbors, I'm sure, are rolling their eyes thinking, "Oh please, are you serious? That's a spring day to us." 

We, in the south, simply aren't equipped to deal with this sort of weather. We could be. Perhaps we should be...

In the north, this is nothing. 

It made me think of how we as a people are equipped for different situations, different temps, different circumstances....

I walked out onto my porch this morning, surrounded by this amazing winter wonderland. All was still, quiet. No birds sang in the morning, as usual. No revving of cold engines, readying for the commute to work. No sleepy teens passing by on the way to school.  

All stillness. All quiet. All at peace. 

Except the chattering of my teeth. I'm not equipped for this kind of weather. I'm a pure southerner. Born in sunny California, then moved to blazing-hot Texas. I can take the heat. My northern in-laws melt and wonder, "How do you live like this?"

My exact thoughts when I visit up north in the winter. But they are equipped for the cold, and months of dark, cloudy skies and sub-zero temperatures. 

Funny how we are each equipped to live in the place God has placed us. And maybe we didn't start out that way, but we manage to adapt. We manage to accept the place we are at, eventually, some quicker than others... and we make our way. 

It's easy to look at those around us and wonder, "How can you do that?" or "What are you thinking?" or "What are you whining about? I deal with that all the time."

Throughout the Bible, God set different people in particular places. Like Ester. When her relatives, her people, were being persecuted, and she was sitting pretty in the palace, her cousin Mordecai knew it was for a reason. "How do you know, you have not been put in this place of royalty for such as reason as this?" 

(Est. 4)

What about Moses who was born just as the Pharaoh decided that all infant male Jews needed to be killed off? Moses was sent to be raised by the Pharaoh's own daughter, until such a time when he would rise up and help free his people. 

There are so many other examples. When it looks bad, and doesn't make sense. Joseph, destined to rule had to go to prison first. To look at these stories, you wonder what did people think of Ester, Moses, or even Joseph? They lived lofty lives... for awhile... while other's suffered.

As I stood on the porch, in the quiet stillness, wondering if my kitchen sink would work this morning or not, I couldn't help but think, you just never know about things when you are looking from the outside in. 

Everyone has a reason and purpose on this earth. Not everyone realizes that. The enemy seems intent on discounting that purpose. He seems intent to cloud the truth, to whisper lies, not only to us, but to those who observe us. 

But God has placed us right where we need to be. Either in a hot, sweltering climate, or a frigid one, standing up to our knees in snow. For where He's placed us, He's equipped us to deal with our situation, and to carry out those plans He has for us. If we so choose to accept them. Not all do. 

No, here in the south, we are not equipped to deal with the freezing temperatures. But we aren't meant to. No more than the north is meant to deal with the insane heat we have here. We have our means to deal with our physical circumstance. For the most part. We still complain and wait eagerly for fall to arrive, just as the Northerner's sigh with relief when the snow melts and the first buds blossom. 

Spiritually, are we accepting the place in which God has set us? Are we allowing Him to equip us for the circumstances He has called us to? It's different for everyone. Are we being supportive of our brother's and sisters, even when it really doesn't make sense? Are we asking first, "have you heard from God?" before we shake our heads and give our opinion on their plight in life? 

Just wondering. Now that my toes are numb, I'm going back into the warmth of my house. The snow is nice and fun for awhile, but I'll be glad when Texas gets back to her normal weather patterns. My sneakers aren't meant for this ice and slush and my flip-flops are ready to come out and play. 

Be blessed,

J.

I fall down. He lifts me up

(a repost from the archives)

It's inevitable, that we'll find ourselves face down on the ground, spitting dirt, from time to time. Such has been my week.

And it's also inevitable, that the enemy we face in the spiritual realms, being the opportunist he is, will kick you when you're down. And kick you hard.

These occurrences are as likely as Murphy's law.

I had messed up, harming a friendship and my self-confidence. And the enemy, being the said opportunist he is, began telling me all sorts of accusations to break me down, to cause me to give up on myself.



A myriad of emotions can hit us when we hit the ground. Depression. Doubt. Fear. Then skipping right along behind...anger.

That's where I finally got. I became angry at the unfairness of the situation. Sure, we make mistakes, but why does the punishment for it have to seem so severe at times? And maybe it's because I was an only child who rarely got in trouble while growing up, but I don't do well with discipline. Actually, I simply hate for people to be disappointed with me. Even when I was a child, I did my best to please everyone, and it's something I haven't grown out of much.

So my sadness over what I'd caused turned to anger. Not just irritation, but a real temper-tantrum fit. "This isn't fair. I'm done, Lord. I want no more to do with people. I'm not going to do this anymore. When I screw up, the consequences are too severe and I can't handle when I hurt someone. I can't. I wont! Don't ask me again!! Do you hear me, God? Don't ask me to befriend another of your lost children. You'll have to find someone else more qualified to do that."

And I meant it. Foot stomping included... when nobody was looking.
And yet... right in the midst of my fit throwing, He gave me a picture. A mental image of what he thought about my situation.

Sometimes, I can hear his quiet voice speaking, sometimes I feel a nudge. Many times, I see a picture that conveys what God wants to say to me.

He could have been angry right back. It's what I deserved. Instead, he showed me that he was holding me and loving on me despite all the emotions swirling tornadically and tearing up my heart and spirit. He showed me that I was cradled in his arms, and it was okay for tears to flow and dampen his shirt. It was okay to fall limp in his arms. He had me. He wouldn't let go. His love would keep me secure no matter what happened or how I felt about it.

And isn't that his way? To love when we are unlovable? To comfort when we rage? To be compassionate when we sully up and feel full of hate?

During this time, He showed me a verse from Psalm 103:8-12

The Lord is compassionate and gracious,

slow to anger, abounding in love.

He will not always accuse,

nor will he harbor his anger forever,

he does not treat us as our sins deserve

or repay us according to our iniquities.

For as high as the heavens are above the earth,

so great is his love for those who fear him;

as far as the east is from the west,

so far has he removed our transgression from us.

Father God, thank you for your forgiveness, for loving me when I'm unlovable. For pulling me into your arms when I'm hurting, when wounds have been banged and ache. Thank you for showing me how you feel about me, your compassion, your grace and mercy reign forever in my life. May it reign in the lives of others who read this story and understand that you love them even during their unlovable times as well. We thank you. Amen!

Jc

pictures: Fallen Warrior and Cry Out To Jesus created by myself.

Heart Songs

Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines,

though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food,

though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls. . .

Habakuk 3:17

It starts to moment my feet hit the floor. The water pressure in the shower isn't working right. The shirt I decide to wear has a missing button, or needs ironed. The kids don't want to get out of bed and when they do, their unending demands and arguing cause me to want to send them to school in their pjs.

The day not only starts off like this, but continues along with one calamity after another until I'm ready to throw up my hands and take cover until the storm subsides.

I text a friend my woes and she responds with sympathy and a few of her own troubles as well. But then... then she says the words that always cause me to take a deep breath and find that inner drive to just keep going:

"God is good and He loves us."

In the midst of a particularly troubling storm, this song from Chris Tomlin came to me and it's done wonders for lifting my spirit when I simply wanted to give up.

There is an endless song
Echoes in my soul
I hear the music ring
And though the storms may come
I am holding on
To the rock I cling


How can I keep from singing Your praise?
How can I ever say enough
How amazing is Your love?

. . .yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior.

Habakuk 3:18

I will lift my eyes
In the darkest night
For I know my Savior lives
And I will walk with You
Knowing You'll see me through
And sing the songs You give

I can sing in the troubled times
Sing when I win
I can sing when I lose my step
And I fall down again
I can sing 'cause You pick me up
Sing 'cause You're there
I can sing 'cause You hear me, Lord
When I call to You in prayer
I can sing with my last breath
Sing for I know
That I'll sing with the angels
And the saints around the throne

There's not much I can do to stop misfortune and trails from hitting me on every side. But I CAN sing. And I can sing praises to Him. Because like Peter in prison, when he sang praises, God's glory showed up and the shackles dropped off his arms so he could walk away free.


There's a power in praise.
It does something for our beaten down hearts.
It brings a sense of revival.
And it reminds us that no matter what's happening, how hard it gets, or how bad it looks He is good and He loves us.

How can I keep from shouting Your name?
I know I am loved by the King
And it makes my heart want to sing

No matter what, He loves us. He loves us. Oh, how He loves us.
And that's enough to make me want to sing!

And when I sing praises to my King, the enemy flees and my troubles don't seem so mountainous, because I am loved by Him who created and rules the universe.








Turn off the music in the side bar and enjoy Chris Tomlin's "How Can I Keep From Singing" video.







The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights.
Hab. 3:19

Why Can't We Just Love?

Early one morning, Jesus met a crowd so large he retreated to the water, to sit in a boat and speak with them.
In my quiet place, I can close my eyes and see him looking over the people, hear the water lapping against crusted wood, hear the whispered shifting as the crowd waits in anticipation of what the Teacher might say.

Finally, in a loud, clear voice, Jesus begins:

"A farmer went out to sow his seed. . . ." (Matthew 13)



Light or Rocks?

We do not draw people to Christ by loudly discrediting what they believe, by telling them how wrong they are and how right we are, but by showing them a light that is so lovely that they want with all their hearts to know the source of it.

Madeleine L'Engle

While in my quiet place, my wandering imagination takes me to another Bible scene. The same Teacher, surrounded by a group of angry accusers. Their reproving fist clutching large, death-stones. 

Treacherous woman, face on the ground, fear pouring out with her sweat and blood.

Jesus looks at none of them. "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her," he replied as he pick up a small stick and began to draw in the dirt. (John 8) That same dirt his father created us from. That same dirt we fight against daily, washing it from our hands, our clothes, our homes. Yet, that same dirt each and everyone of us began as.

When I close my eyes, I can hear the staggered silence, mingled with the woman's fearful breathing, and the scraping of wood on earth. Then a thunk. Followed by another thunk. And another. Thunk. Thunk.... Thunk.

In Luke 6, this very same Teacher implored his followers to "love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked."


Doesn't make sense, does it?

But the fact is, the farmer didn't go tear up the rocks before sowing his seed. He knew eventually it would find good ground, hungry ground. He never stopped to shoo away the birds, or watch where he tossed. He cast his seed with loving abandon.

Jesus, the son of God, never condemned the prostitute. Matter of fact, when he asked if any were left to condemn her, she said "No one, sir."  He didn't either. He simply told her to stop it. Which, most often, when we are face to face with God and our sin, isn't that usually his response? "Stop it, my child. Stop hurting yourself. I love you."

I don't know. I think it is. It's what I usually hear when I'm on the ground with my sins. "Just stop it. Get up, daughter, dust yourself off and let's go. There's something much better."

And my hunger for him overtakes my gluttony for the junk food I've been feeding on.


Where does that leave us? 
L'Engle said, "Show them a light that is so lovely, that they want with all their hearts to know the source of it."

We have that light within us. As God's own children, it's there. No, it doesn't make sense why He would have such a love for the "ungrateful and wicked."  But He does. He does.

Who are we to grasp stones? Not when we are made of the same substance. The same dirt. Truth is, we are all the same. So why not try to get along and love each other no matter what?

"But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown."

My mom used to say, "You can catch more flies with honey than vinegar." Maybe she had something there.

Love and Blessings,
J.