God You Want Me to Do What?

 

 

 

Years ago, (not ages, but a few years times two, at least) if I was asked to pray out loud my heart would begin pounding and my mind would go blank. I literally detested going to Wednesday night prayer meeting, because we always took half of the evening to pray. I was scared stiff when it came my time to pray and I always felt my prayers were so mechanical. I knew I was missing the whole point, but I didn’t know exactly what I was missing. I couldn’t put my finger on the emptiness there, and I didn’t know how to bring about change.

Fast forward to the present and multiple years spent under the teaching of some very Godly people. The past few years have been life changing as I have learned to say, “YES!” to God. My life has been transformed and still transforming as I follow God’s leading, lean on His strength and power, let go of my fears, loosen my grip on the control in my life, and listen to His voice.

On Friday last week I had a crazy opportunity to say Yes! to God.

I had to make run to Wal-mart to pick up a few items. No big deal, rather routine and just a regular day type activity.... or so I thought!
In Wal-mart there were two ladies who got into a fight in the meat aisle. Not pretty. The language was intense and so was the noise level. In my head, I was thinking, "This is why I hate coming to this store and why I avoid it if at all possible."

Little did I know that God had plans for me at Wal-mart.

As my daughter and I made our way out of the store there was a young man (late teens/early twenties) standing by a table that had a donation box on it. I was getting ready to pick up my pace and speed right by him when I caught the words "teen challenge". I pulled back on the cart and backed up a few paces, just as he began speaking to me. The young man told me what Teen challenge did and I mentioned that I knew a bit about the program. I dug through my wallet and found a handful of change, it was all I had.

As I turned to go I said, "God Bless you."

He replied, "Thank you and have a blessed day."

And that was that, until I reached the car.

As I was putting away the groceries, God kept laying on my heart to go pray with that young man and I tried to avoid it by making excuses about the heat and not knowing what to say. The whole time that I was putting my groceries in my car, I felt like time was playing out in slow motion.

I climbed in the car, backed up and headed up the aisle toward the front of the store where the Teen Challenge table was sitting. I was just going to keep going, but the urging was so strong to pray. I remember thinking, "God if no one is talking to him I'll pray with him." Silly girl with the ultimatums!
You guessed it! No one was talking with him.

So, I turned right, headed down the next aisle and said to Lauren, "Honey, God is telling mommy to pray for that boy we just talked to."

She so sweetly said, "Okay." Like it was something I did everyday. It was no big deal to her!

I re-parked the car.

With my heart pounding in my ears, another handful of change I had found stashed in the ash tray in one hand, and Lauren holding onto my other we headed back up to the table. I said something to him about being back and as I slide the change into the box I mentioned that God had asked me to pray for him. Just as I was saying that another young man walked out of Wal-mart and stood next to us. It was another young person working the table for Teen Challenge.
The one I had talked to mentioned that I wanted to pray with them and the new guy said, “That's great, or awesome, or terrific,” something in that vein. I was too busy with my heart and mind which were racing at top speeds! He immediately put his hand on my shoulder (no hesitation there, thank you Lord!) and his friends. I grabbed Lauren's hand and right there we bowed our heads and prayed!

My heart was pounding so loud in my head and I was so out of breath that I'm not sure if my words came out right, but I did it!

I listened to God’s prompting and obeyed. I know He can use what I said to bring glory to Himself and power to that ministry, even if it seemed garbled in my mind. Because I know its not about me or the perfect prayer. It’s all about Him!

To God goes all the glory and praise!!!!

Magnificent

One of the most amazing revelations of God comes to us when we learn that is is in the everyday things of life that we realize the magnificent deity of Jesus Christ. ~Oswald Chambers

Do you see God in the everyday?  Or do you rush through each moment, each hour, each day?

I’ve been guilty of rushing.

But, when I slow down, when I am still, I see God everywhere, in everything.

 

In the splendor of spring.

 

 

 

In the tremendous bounty He provides.

 

 

In every day play and activities.

 

 

He’s in it all!

Jesus our Savior, lover of our souls.

He is magnificent, holy, beautiful God!

I am astounded.

Crazy in Love

When I first fell in love with my husband, Joel, some 23 years ago. I fell hard. I was crazy with love. It wasn’t a sensible love, but a love that tried to out do itself constantly.

I wrote long, gushing, love riddled letters. I talked to him on the phone whenever humanly possible. I would try to orchestrate possible encounters. Like the day after school when I just happened to be walking on the road with my girlfriends, the very road I knew he would be driving down at that given time in the afternoon. Nothing was too extravagant for my love. I spent a good portion of my time thinking up wonderful and unprecedented ways to show him how completely he had captured my heart.

I was enamored.

I was consumed with a wild, electrical, heart on fire kind of love.

Over the past year I have been learning that this is the kind of love I need to have for Jesus.

It is the kind of love He has for me.

Oh, you know, I have always known that I should love Jesus because that’s what the Bible says and plus He gave His life for me.  But, that consuming love just wasn’t in me. I couldn’t grasp how to go about loving Him that way. And really should I? It does seem a bit radical.

All of these stumbling blocks were in my path. Too much head knowledge and not enough living from my heart was taking place.

As the months have tumbled over one another and the days have flown by it has been a year since I took a stand and made it my hearts cry to be hungry for more of Jesus, to know Him as He truly is, to clear away the religious and grab hold of a deep love and intimacy with Christ.

Oswald Chambers wrote: “If we have the idea that love is characterized  as cautious, wise, sensible, shrewd, and never taken to extremes, we have missed the true meaning.” ( My Utmost For His Highest)

Love for Jesus calls us to extremes.

How about the woman who poured the very expensive perfume, made of pure nard on Jesus’ head, the cost of which was a years wages. The disciples were shocked and a bit indignant. But, Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing.” (Mark 14:6)

A beautiful thing. An out of the ordinary thing. A crazy, on fire, love thing.

And Jesus loved it.

I so easily can be complacent in my love for Jesus. But, I want to be like the woman who put perfume on Jesus’ head. An above and beyond, out of the ordinary love.  I want people to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I’m living for Jesus. I want to be extravagant with my love for Him. I want to spend hours talking with Him. I want to live my love for Him. Not in a safe, stagnant sort of way, but with a tear down the house, love out loud, shout it from the roof tops sort of way.

With a megaphone to my lips I’m going to broadcast,  I’m CRAZY, IN LOVE, with my JESUS.

Braggin’ on Jesus

“I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul makes its boast in the LORD, let the humble hear and be glad.”  Psalm 34:1-2

We were all snuggled up on our respective chairs and couches. Blankets were pulled up to chins. Voices were raised in chorus.

We repeated the verses on the antique chalkboard. Memorizing God’s words. Consuming them. Feeding on them. Learning to live by them.

After the reference was spoken. I looked up and asked, “What does it mean, ‘My soul makes its boast in the Lord?’”

My middle son piped up and said, “It’s like braggin’ on the Lord.”

I loved it!

Yes, Lord help us to brag on you daily!

Help us to focus on who you truly are. Enlighten us with your strength, power, love, mercy, grace and peace. Help us to keep our eyes on you and fill our mouths with praise.

May every one we come in contact with hear how awesome You are.

Open our mouths so that not a single person will be deprived of hearing us brag all about You and the wonderful blessing You give.

Yep, watch out world….

 

we’re braggin’ on Jesus!

Move

I sat down just for a moment to catch a breath after lunch. The afternoon slump rushed towards me. It engulfed me and flowed over me. I shouldn’t have sat down. I felt immobilized, sleepy and my limbs felt powerless. My brain seemed to go into hibernation mode. My thinking slowed and I knew if I didn’t get up and move I would slump over in sleep.

It’s not a good feeling when I have so much that needs done. I forced myself up. I began slowly to work on cleaning the kitchen. Bit by bit my body and mind began to gain speed. Soon I revved up to normal speed and my mind began to fire on all cylinders.

Sluggish.

That’s how I’ve been spiritually in the past. I’ve been happy in my comfortable place. Holed up away from the world. Safe. Secure.

Deep in my little protective nest. Sleepy. I don’t get hurt there. There’s nothing scary there. Warm and dependable. I know exactly what to expect.

But.

I don’t get blessed there. I don’t shine there. I don’t share Jesus there. I don’t grow there. I don’t move there. I remain small and stagnant. Powerless.

I’ve learned so much in the past year.

God didn’t call me to become a recluse in my own home or church. He didn’t call me to safety and warm fuzzies. He called me to move for Him. His Great Commission doesn’t say keep God’s Holy, Saving, life-changing Word to yourself. No. God called me to spread His Word, to chase away the darkness. Those who don’t know Christ, who do not have a relationship with Him, who don’t believe, they are walking dead (Eph 5:14; Col 2:13). Doesn’t that just shake you up? And those in the church just going through the motions. They are sleeping. It’s time to wake them up.

This year, 2012. God has given me the word, “MOVE”. I’ve been sleeping too long. My brain and limbs immobilized by fear. My heart captured by things other than God. This time, here and now, He is challenging me. Asking me to step out of my comfort zone. He is teaching me how to share who Jesus really is. Yes, He is love, but so much more, too. He is everything and more than enough to fill all the empty voids in our lives.

And as I type this I know that God has given me the word “move” as the heading for my year, but also the subtitle of “more than enough”.  He is that!  I am learning to grasp that and pray that daily.

“Lord, you are enough!”

“Oh, that we might know the LORD! Let us press on (move) to know him. He will respond to us as surely as the arrival of dawn or the coming of rains in early spring."  Hosea 6:3 (emphasis and italicized wording, mine)

“For in Him we live and move and exist…”  Acts 17:28

 

I’m sending out a wake up call to you. What are you willing to do?  Are you going to charge ahead into battle for the Lord or are you going to go AWOL?  I’m choosing battle. I’ve been asleep too long. I’m “armoured” up and stepping out. Let’s wake the sleeping. Let’s show the dead that there is life. A bright, radiant, everlasting, full to the top, life with Jehovah, our God, our Savior, Life Giver, All Sufficient! He is enough!

“But you are chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of the darkness into His wonderful light.”  I Peter 2:9

The Gift

The tree is up, lights adorn it and every last ornament dangles from every single branch.  Gifts are discussed, bought, wrapped and tucked gently under the bottom branches.  Yet, in my daughter’s eyes, something is missing. With beautiful, heart-felt, child-like faith she asks to make a gift for God.  A gift full of love for her Heavenly Father straight from the tender heart of His little princess.

That small, sweet gesture cut straight to my heart. 

I have always celebrated Jesus’ birth during the Christmas season. But, would I be okay without all the gifts, goodies and myriad of luxuries? If I only had Jesus on Christmas or every other day of the year, as a matter of fact, would I still be full of Joy. Where does my heart truly lie this Christmas season? Is my heart filled with gratitude for the Best Gift ever given? I think so, but still I feel there is more for me to give.

My daughter’s gift to God made me stop and think. What am I willing to give my Savior?

My daughter makes paper hearts.  Or ornaments out of salt dough, filled with color and words of love.  Why shouldn’t I also send a gift straight from my heart to my Lord and Savior.

 

How about you? Are you willing to give God the only gift He desires?

This Christmas let’s give God our hearts. Not just the pretty and clean parts, but everything. God doesn’t require a pretty package all tied up with a flourishing bow. He wants us. He desires us.  So, no holding back bits and pieces because you think He won’t want what we have to offer.  Give Him everything. Even if it doesn’t feel safe or comfortable. Give the parts that have been held back. The fearful parts. The dirty parts. The addicted parts. The hurt parts. The depressed parts. The controlling parts. The faithless parts. He wants them all. He desires to carry your burdens. To God this is the best gift ever, our hearts placed in His hands.

He is the Lord Almighty, El-Shaddai, All-Sufficient. Our God knows how to take our gifts, even if they seem worthless to us, and mold them into beauty. He will replace our fear and trembling with trust and stability. He will wipe away the dirt and insert purity.  He will fill us with strength and fortify us when we are weak. He will take our hurts and pour sweet, soothing love over us. Jehovah-Rapha, the Lord who heals. God will take all we give Him, the areas we hold on to so tightly (you know the ones), if we release these, He will fill us with sweet, overflowing peace. He will give us understanding and wisdom that will push out our faithlessness.

But, best of all, when we give Him our hearts freely, without restraint, He will fill us to overflowing with Joy. A joy that’s only available through Him. How amazing! We give Him a gift that we deem unusable and in return He abundantly blesses us with His love, peace and joy!

Today, I urge you to give Him your heart, your time, your song.  Do you realize how much He loves you?  Do you know how much He desires you?  Don’t pass this up! Sing to Him a new song this Christmas. A song full of giving.  A song laden with desire for Him, Christ your Savior. Sing a love song to your Lord telling Him you are giving HIM a gift this Christmas. Then hand Him your heart every itty, bitty piece of it. Hold nothing back and you will have unspeakable JOY.

Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The LORD, the LORD, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.    Isaiah 12:2-3 (emphasis mine)

Worship Deep

It was just her and I in the car on an hour long journey.  I glanced back in the mirror and was blessed by the rosy cheeks and bright, life-filled eyes gazing back at me.  Sweetness and curiosity practically oozed from her as she asked me about worshipping.

“Mom, when we sing in church do we worship God?”

“Mom, when we just sing with the radio is that worship?”

“How about when we make up songs? Is that worship?”

I answered a resounding, “YES”, to all of the questions she fired at me.

She responded with a beautiful song of worship straight from her love filled heart…

Hallelu, Hallelu, Hallelujah

Praising the Lord!

Better than a Hallelujah sometimes.

Better than a little cherry on top.

Better than cherries on top.

Okay…maybe a little cherry on top.

Better than a Hallelujah sometimes.

Hallelu, Hallelu, Hallelujah

Praising the Lord!

This girl of mine amazes me at the thoughts she has.  I was astounded that she had so many questions about worship. But, really should I be?  God has been teaching me much about worship and how important it is. Why shouldn’t He use my child to help me see worship  in a child-like, simple, untangled, and unrestricted manner?

Worship, to honor and revere, to bow down and acknowledge God’s deity.

Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth. Sing to the LORD, praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among the peoples. For great is the LORD, and most worthy of praise; …Worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness; tremble before him, all the earth….Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it; let the fields be jubilant and everything in them. Then the trees of the forest will sing for joy; they will sing, before the LORD,…  (portions of Psalm 96)

Today, I am rejoicing.

Today, I am singing.

Today, I am proclaiming His goodness.

Today, I am accepting His love.

Today, I am acknowledging His holiness.

The very earth proclaims His greatness.  And so today and every day that follows I will lift my voice and heart in worship of my Holy Lord and Savior.

With song.  With praise. With reverence. With awe. With prayer.

WORSHIP!

 

Song of Joy

Lord, My God, My Savior, My Strength

My heart is yours;

My soul is yours;

Every fiber of my being I give to You.

 

        

 

You are my strong tower.

I need not fear.

You are my Redeemer.

I need not hide.

 

 

You are my Love.

In you lies my HOPE, my JOY, my ALL.

My Savior, My King,

Reign in me!

He is my DAY!

Life has been overly and exceptionally busy here lately.  The days are packed with gardening, picking, freezing and, canning, with all of life’s other requirements shoved in among the cracks and crevices.  And a few things that I would not choosen to shove in, but are there none the less.

The days don’t seem near long enough, but at the same time seem entirely too long, as my limbs feel heavy and my brain slow!

 

 

There have been too many days here lately when I have felt like the day has just gotten away from me.  The list on my dry erase board still taunts me and more seems to get added and less gets crossed off.  At those times I can get frustrated and feel like I can’t manage one more thing.  But, God is good and gracious.  Each time I feel I can’t go on He blesses me with a gift.  Most often it’s something from nature that reminds me He is so very near to me.  Or it is a song that seeps deep into my soul and reminds me he is holding my hand.

The other night it was the cool, soft breeze through a cottonwood tree that calmed my soul. It was as if God reached out His hand and stoked my cheek. In the quiet of my mind and heart I new He was telling me to give it all to Him. I knew He was telling me to take His had and trust. I was reminded how much He loves me.  And I knew that He was right there beside me. 

Oh how I need to remember when I feel like the day is getting way out of hand, to just turn to my Lord and Savior. He alone is my strength and refuge.  He is the breeze that brushes my cheek, the glorious sunset that tells me of His majesty, the laughter bubbling from my children.  He is in everything and is everywhere. 

He is my DAY!

Savor

For the past couple of months I have made it the cry of my heart that I would become hungry and desperate for the Lord.

Too often I have let myself, my heart, my thoughts become busy.  I fill my life with blogging, photography, reading, crocheting, gardening, mothering, homemaking, homeschooling. These things are not bad. They can be good and extremely worthwhile.  However, when they become my focus, my all in all, then they become my idols.

Honestly very rarely in my life have I felt desperate to spend time with the Lord.  It saddens me to see this in writing, but it is truth.  The times I have earnestly sought Him I have been in fear or distraught.  Times when I have been brought to my knees in desperation, I have sought Him fervently.  Yes, these are important times to cry out to Him, but it should be my soul’s cry every single day. 

I should long for Him as He longs for me.  I should yearn to spend time worshipping and praying. I should be hungry for His word and His presence.

And so it has become my cry.

Make me hungry.  Make me desperate.  Make me run to you with an earnest heart. 

I don’t want to do my Bible reading, prayer, and worship out of a sense of duty. I want to be on fire!

So, I have started to spend half an hour each afternoon worshiping the Lord.  During our household quiet time, I go into my room, close the door and remind the kids that I will be spending time with God. (If they need me, they know they can come in).

I put on a worship CD and lift my voice in praise to my King.  I open my journal and I listen.  I write out scriptures that touch my heart.  I write down anything the Lord impresses upon my heart.

Sometimes its sentences.

Sometimes its a single word.

Monday I was once again calling to the Lord to make me desperate for Him. I was listening to a song I have listened to hundreds of times before and all of a sudden I knew what the Lord was calling me to do.

SAVOR

My SAVIOR wants me to SAVOR Him!

He desires for me to enjoy Him. To be excited about our relationship. To relish in his presence.

To take my time, no rushing, and let his sweetness, his strength, his love, his awesomeness seep into my soul.

To SAVOR!

 

Taste and see that the LORD is good. Oh, the joys of those who trust in him! 

Psalm 34:8

Truth

Do you know the TRUTH?

The one and only.

The Lord Jesus is our TRUTH.  He is the way, the truth and the life. (John 14:6)  There is no other way to heaven, but by excepting Him as your Lord and Savior. 

Cry out to Him, confess your sins, voice your belief in Him as the Christ who died for your redemption, accept His free gift and receive eternal life.

“Then you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free.”  John 8:32

Free!

With Jesus we are free to lay our burdens on Him.  We don’t have to carry them any more. We just need to hand them over to our Rock and our Salvation.  He will release us from all that weighs us down.

He will quiet us with His love. (Zephaniah 3:17)

He will be our strength and our song. (Isaiah 12:2)

Fly to Jesus, reach out and receive.

 

Sweet Peace and Blissfully Perfect

What would lure a girl into braving ticks, mosquitoes, deer flies, nettles, prickers, brambles and POISION IVY?

No, it wasn’t temporary insanity.

REALLY.

Okay, maybe partially.

I was desperate for a half hour of sweet silence spent picking these…

I wish you could have been with me, it was GORGEOUS day.  The sky was a brilliant blue full of puffy white summer clouds.  There was a steady breeze that made the branches of the trees rustle a comforting, mesmerizing cadence.  The birds filled the thickets where I was picking and kept me company with their various scoldings and flirtings.

It was PERFECT!

It was just what I needed.  As I walked along the edge of the field searching for berries I took in deep breaths of fragrant air and I felt God’s calming hand on my heart.  The beauty of God’s earth never fails to calm my soul. 

It is AMAZING!

Sanity restored.

This week has felt scattered.  Lauren was really sick Monday and Tuesday.  When she spiked a temperature of 104.2, Monday afternoon, I decided a visit to the doctor was in order. 

Thankfully by Wednesday she was perking around and I was able to begin catching up from the two days I took “off” to care for her.  It’s astounding how many weeds can grow in a garden in two days time and laundry…EEEK.

Plus it is the height of Black Raspberry season and their was and is jam to make. 

I think I am catching back up with all that needs to be done, now I if I can only tackle those extras I’d like to accomplish like window and curtain washing.  However, I suppose those can wait until another day (or year) because today it was

   

Can you tell who the camera diva is?  She kept saying, “Take a picture of me, take a picture of me!”

What a camera hog!

As if the day wasn’t already blissfully perfect, when I came up to the house after berry picking, a package sat on my front deck.  I was trying to figure out what it was, because I hadn’t ordered anything. Then, I saw the word SURPRISE written on it.  I immediately new that inside that postal package was a handmade delight!

My friend Bevy had made me one of her amazingly, creative bags.

Bevy, thank you so much!  Words cannot express how grateful I am to you for your friendship and generosity.  You have such a precious, loving spirit and I thank God that he arranged for us to meet through blogging.  You are a treasure.

If you’re in the market for a new bag check out Bevy’s Etsy site, you won’t be disappointed!

With all that said, I’m looking forward to this weekend.  I’m on a mission to accomplish much and have a great time hanging out with my kids and husband.

I have a feeling it’s going to be OUTSTANDING!

Scrubbing My Heart

Stubborn stains stick to the basin, scouring powder plasters every inch of the surface.  I scrub and scrub.  Putting all my strength into getting out spots that insist on remaining.  Going over and over the stains that seep deep down.  My arms ache. My back protests. Some stains yield.  Some resist.

I am like that sink.  And God is my scouring pad. I’m stained and spotted. God is scrubbing. Showing me spots and stains. I’m yielding. I’m refusing. Sin seeps in, roots deep.  I’m raw with recognition of the sin in my life.

I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. (19) For what I do is not the good I want to do; no the evil that I do not want to do, this I keep on doing.  Romans 7:15,19

Paul says it well.  I don’t want to sin, yet I continue to do the very thing which distances me from God.  Scrub, scrub, scrub.  Sin is chafing.  When I open my heart to the Lord he opens my eyes to the distance I have created between us.  He begins to cleanse me, to purify me.  Sometimes all that scrubbing leaves me sore.

Thankfully God has provided us with a special cleansing agent.  A cleansing agent that abounds in love and mercy. The blood of Jesus Christ.

To the Lord our God [belong] mercy and forgiveness, though we have rebelled against Him. Daniel 9:9

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace  Ephesians 1:7

Therefore, my brothers, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Acts 13:38

The narrow way is never easy to follow.  God told us it wouldn’t be.  With God at the lead I must forge ahead, even when it is painful.  Even more so when it is painful.  If I turn away from my Lord just because he is opening up raw wounds with his scrubbing, I will never know the fullness of His love.  I will never experience the full extent of joy that Jesus can provide.  I will never feel the soothing balm of his forgiveness, mercy, and grace.

Jesus died for me.  He paid the price of my sins, so that I may know His cleansing forgiveness.  Jesus takes away the pain of sin if I ask for forgiveness.  Even sin that I may repeat over and over again. He purifies me. He creates in me a new heart. He loves me with an everlasting love. Yes, a sinner like me has found redemption. 

I pray that you, too, may know the price that Jesus paid for your sins.  Open your heart to him.  Acknowledge Him as Lord and Savior.  Place your soul in His hands.  Live for Him so that you may feel release from the weight of your sins.  Ask for forgiveness and be filled with joy only Jesus can supply.

Take a moment and lift your heart up to His today.  You will immediately know that…

Forgiveness cleanses!

 

Even In the Winter

Normally winter doesn’t bother me.  I can take the cold, snow and shorter days all in stride. But, this year has been different. I don’t know if its because I’m getting older or just because my children and I have been so sick.  This year I have found myself counting the days until spring.  I have a yearning for green, vibrancy and flowers. 

The other morning my oldest son came in from doing his chores and urged me to go back to the stream.  He promised me I would be able to get some great pictures.  So, I grabbed my camera, pulled on my winter boots, chore coat, fuzzy hat and thinsulate gloves. As I trudged back the well worn path I looked around me and all I saw was dull, muted winter colors.  I began to doubt whether my son had seen any beauty at all.  Then as I rounded the curve in the path I was rewarded, astounded and rebuked for my doubting.

The trees may be bare. Snow clouds may scuttle across the sky.  Winter may continue, but…

 

How can anyone question whether God is the creator of all things…

 

Look at the intricacies…

The delicate workings of a Master…

Even in the dead of winter, He provides beauty.

And on that day he lightened my heart and renewed my spirit with the awesomeness of His glory.

Late Summer Beauty

 

This little beauty is called Grass-of-Parnassus. It grows down by our stream. It is about 3/4 if an inch across from petal to petal.  A solitary flower grows on top of a nearly leafless stem.

It's small beauty is what made me notice it in the first place. But, what really drew me to it after it caught my eye, was the green striping down its white petals!

You just have to love God's creativity!

Giving Thanks

..."Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."  Ephesians 5:19-20

Word Filled Wednesday

"Has not my hand made all these things, and so they came into being? declares the Lord..." 

Isaiah 66:2

I took this picture this summer of a Monarch butterfly that my children and I raised from a caterpillar.  After it had hatched from its chrysalis and dried its wings, I set it out on this Aster in my garden.  I think this picture captures the amazing beauty of God's creation.  The intricacies, colors and design of God's earth is amazing and testifies to his glory.

For more Wordless Wednesdays visit 160 Acrewoods

The LORD's Light

"The lamp of the LORD searches the spirit of a man; it searches out his inmost being."  Proverbs 20:27

Can you picture the Lord holding up a lighted lamp.  Can you see him looking deeply into your eyes and searching you innermost thoughts and feelings?

I can.

When I read this verse, I can picture the Lord looking deeply into my soul.  I can picture his compassionate gaze and sense his deep love for me.  He knows my hidden thoughts and darkest secrets.  He knows what I try to hide from others.  He knows my failings. 

Yet, he loves me.  He loves me so deeply and completely.  I can't even begin to imagine the intensity of His love for me.  He loves me unconditionally, even though he has seen the ugliest parts of me. 

This verse imparts a beautiful reminder to me of how much I am loved, but it also pricks my heart.  It reminds me that I can't hide my innermost being from the Lord. 

It saddens me. 

I know the things I have thought, said or done that are unloving.  I know the actions I have committed that are ungodly.  This verse inspires me to live my life more like Christ.  To be careful.  It's like the song that I have taught my children.

"Oh be careful little mouth what you say.  Oh be careful little mouth what you say.  For the Father up above is looking down in love.  Oh, be careful little mouth what you say." 

Be careful mouth what you say.  Be careful eyes what you see.  Be careful ears what you hear.  Be careful hands what you do.  Be careful feet where you go. Be careful mind what you think.  How hard it is to guard ourselves, but so necessary.  If we are to have inner beauty and peace we need to guard what we allow into our lives. Then we need to carefully, intentionally live these lives that God has given to us.

Thankfully, the Lord loves us even when we feel our ugliest.  He loves us when we mess up.  He loves us when we feel unlovable. He is an AMAZING, FORGIVING God.

"The LORD is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion. Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the LORD has been good to you." Psalm 116:5 & 7

Autumn Delights

The beauty of this time of year is amazing. These are just a few of the pictures of the gorgeous color in our yard right now. The view from each of the windows in my house greets me with beautiful sights. Even better, is stepping outside and combining the scenery with the scent of Autumn!

"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 41:20

How anyone can dispute that there is one true God when they look closely at nature is beyond me. I see Him in every leaf, flower petal, berry and creature. How amazing He is!