Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Making Magic

Find the drops from your wrung-out day. Launch a relentless pursuit of the art.


 
Write for 30 minutes. It is not a waste of time.

Take a walk with your camera and see what you can find.

Dare to believe you have something to say but remember it’s because He said it first.

Sit in the quiet just because. A lot more may happen there than you might think.

Savor the moments to talk through the dreams, to sift through the disappointment, to pray for the miracle.

Do the work you love when the early morning lifts up her head with a smile and a high-pitched song.

Sit at the table and make your art when the evening sky fills up the yard right outside your window.

Don’t do it because you have to. Do it because you can.

 
Then? Open wide your eyes and see what happens. It may be the littlest things that change a life, and the magic is in the details.
Chatting at the Sky by Emily Freeman

 

 

 

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Perfectly Placed

Tonight has just been another one of those nights when I am again reminded of what I don't have.
It's not fun, just so you know. Not even a little. And when I get in this mindset it's hard to focus on what I DO have (mainly because if I had someone special in my life to share it with it would be that much better)
BUT....
the Holy Spirit always reminds me of the Letter to the Exiles, a letter that resonates with me.
You probably know it as "For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord...." but I know it as SO much more.
"This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon:  “Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.” Yes, this is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “Do not let the prophets and diviners among you deceive you. Do not listen to the dreams you encourage them to have. They are prophesying lies to you in my name. I have not sent them,” declares the LORD. This is what the LORD says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the LORD, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the LORD, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.” Jeremiah 29:4-15


Build houses, raise families, plant crops. You are going to be here for a while, settle in. These people had dreams, exile probably never entered their minds. They had plans in Jerusalem and lives there.
But God had other plans. God WANTED them in exile, the exile into which he carried them. He asks them to pray for and seek peace and prosperity which to me implies a significant lack in such things.
But the bedrock of the truth is TRUST. He wants them to trust Him with their lives. He knows what he's doing, he knows the effect it will have. God has me where he wants me. I'm perfectly placed. I may not do what he wants all the time (or most of the time) but he still uses me in ways I don't even see. My station in life (and love life) is what God wants.
AND...I'm done trying to find this "Mr. Right" We are not playing some big game of hide and seek. He has not entered my life yet and I'm thankful because although I may be in denial about it (and maybe him as well) I'm not ready or he's not ready. He's out there, i know this BUT I don't want him until he's ready for me. I don't want him until I'm perfect for him.

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Sprirtual Epiphanies Don't Mind the Time


Eowyn daughter of King Theoden.

Sometimes I think of God at the oddest times. Showers and driving are the most frequent. Today it happened while going down to my office. I had just showered and felt so clean and loved starting my day fresh ( LITERALLY!)
Then the idea of a fresh start with God came to mind. I should feel this freshness with God every day. A new day, another gift from God. Another day to experience His love and majesty.
Like washing away the dirt of the day before I should wash me of myself and bathe in the Spirit. Each day to be lived for God, not myself.
As Paul says we should die to ourselves DAILY. Get up in the morning and rid ourselves of our sinful nature and put on the armor of God to battle this crazy situation called life.
Two forces are at war around and within us, we just have to be aware and KNOW who we're dealing with and who's side we're on.
We are not only sons and daughters of God but we are WARRIORS.

Monday, June 6, 2011

Naked and full of shame

Adam and Eve faced temptation about a tree in a bright, sunny garden, a paradise with no pressure. But Christ faced temptation about a tree in a dark garden, a garden given the name that meant ‘oil press,’ and certainly he felt squeezed like an olive in a press on that dark night, to the point that his sweat was like drops of blood.

If Adam and Eve obeyed God about the tree, they would live. If Jesus obeyed God about the tree, he would die.Jesus obeyed. And through his obedience he gained for us far more than Adam lost for us through his disobedience.
Adam lost for us the beautiful ‘naked and not ashamed’ of the garden. But at the cross, Christ hung naked and full of shame. It wasn’t his own shame. It was your shame and my shame. He ‘endured the cross, despising the shame’ (Heb. 12:2) so that ‘everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame’ (Rom. 10:11).”
— Nancy Guthrie

The Promised One: Seeing Jesus in Genesis

Sunday, June 5, 2011

The Tree

I was walking to church one evening during a light spring shower. Soon I noticed that the raindrops had lessened considerably. I had walked into the shade of a tree. As I was walking God reminded me of a simple fact. He is protecting me from the rains of life. Yes a few drops here and there may fall through the leaves but I am safe from the true downpour of the rain because I choose to stand in his shadow.



I can always choose to leave but I know that when the downpour of life comes I’ll have no one to stand in front of it. Time and time again I return to the tree of Life. The One who carries my burdens as if they were His own. The One who knows my deceitful heart better than I do. The One who can change me but more importantly the One who died because of the love He has for me.



Such a simple reminder during a spring rainfall.