2/24/11

The Delight of Sacrifice

"Many of us are interested only in our own goals, and Jesus cannot help Himself to our lives. But if we are totally surrendered to Him, we have no goals of our own to serve. Paul said that he knew how to be a “doormat” without resenting it, because the motivation of his life was devotion to Jesus. We tend to be devoted, not to Jesus Christ, but to the things which allow us more spiritual freedom than total surrender to Him would allow." - Oswald Chambers

My delight is in Christ.
My hope is in Christ.
My service can be poured out to those around me.
My family.
My friends.
My enemies.
My neighbors.
Praise be to God.

What are my goals today?
Laundry.
Dinner.
Exercise.
Listen to lectures.

What are my spiritual goals?
How can I be of service to someone today?

Sometimes this is a hard thought because I feel "stuck" at home and cut-off from others.  I see my world of service as very narrow on a day-to-day basis. Yet, right behind me at his little table is my little son.  He deserves my service.  He deserves that I be poured out to him.  My husband, my 8-mon. old, and my 2-year old.  They all deserve me - to give myself to them, I must first draw from the well that is found in Christ - read His Word - commune with Him through prayer.  Then, I may empty myself completely (without resentment) to them.  The "without resentment" is also a point of interest.  I resent that I must be poured out.  I do it most days begrudgingly.  Yet - I am called to be a cheerful giver.  No more resentment or doing it out of "duty" - the key is found in Paul's life.  Paul was so in love with Christ - that it was a desire for him to be poured out for Christ.  May I not focus on the pouring out - but on my Christ who will supply all my needs.

2/18/11

Eternity

"Everytime our love outlast our loved one's life, we hear eternity's murmer...We resist endings furiously because a longing for 'always' is set in our hearts." - Beth Moore

Ecclesiastes 3:11
"He has made everything beautiful in its time.
He has also set eternity in the human heart;
yet no one can fathom what God has done
from beginning to end."

Eternity

Live a life too loud and you'll miss it.
A single day is a gentle whisper.
An hour, is the drawing of a breath.
The earth is dying a very slow death.

Inhale the moments.
Exhale the seconds.
Savor the minutes.
Before sleep beckons.

When the last breath is drawn,
When the physical body is gone,
When death checks off his list,
When time ceases to exist,

Love remains and has won.
The ending has not come.
Time stops and eternity begins.
The truth of this, is within.

More to life than living.
More to love than here on earth.

My God has written with His hand.
Time is not measured with falling sand.

An Eternal God set it in my heart.
This whispered part.
An Eternal God breaths to me of eternity
With love there is no finality.

A sighing is heard in the wind - Life is everlasting, with Him.

My El Olam
My Eternal God
Write Your forever, everlasting Self on my Heart.


Mother's Song

Mother's Song
a Traditional Lullaby
(read by Jennifer Garner)

My heart is like a fountain true
That flows and flows with love to you.
As chirps the lark unto the tree
...
So chirps my pretty babe to me.

There's not a rose where'er I seek,
As comely as my baby's cheek.
There's not a comb of honey-bee,
So full of sweets as babe to me.

There's not a star that shines on high,
Is brighter than my baby's eye.
There's not a boat upon the sea,
Can dance as baby does to me.

No silk was ever spun so fine
As is the hair of baby mine.
My baby smells more sweet to me
Than smells in spring the elder tree.

A little fish swims in the well,
So in my heart does baby dwell.
A little flower blows on the tree,
My baby is the flower to me.

The Queen has sceptre, crown and ball,
You are my sceptre, crown and all.
For all her robes of royal silk,
More fair your skin, as white as milk.

Ten thousand parks where deer do run,
Ten thousand roses in the sun,
Ten thousand pearls beneath the sea,
My babe more precious is to me.



2/17/11

Middle of February


Middle of February

Trees are dark and bare
The ground is torn
No color anywhere
Even the sky is forlorn

Only grays and browns
Not blue, green, or white
Leaves, not to be found
Branches, an ugly sight.

Yet, a bird sings
In the distance near
A hint of spring
In the air, so clear

The weather is nice
Not rain or snow
The earth is tired of ice
Spring is soon to show!



2/16/11

When Death Comes

"When Death Comes (Wishes)"

Do photographers wish
  They had taken more pictures?

Do painters wish
  They had painted more colors?

Do artists wish
  They had drawn more lines?

Do doctors wish
  They had done more healing?

Do mothers wish
  They had given more hugs?

Do lovers wish
  They had whispered more nothings?

Do writers wish
  They had written more words?

Do musicians wish
  They had sung more songs?

Do saints wish
  They had done more praying?

Take more moments
  To be together.
Take time out
  Before death severs.

Record the life
  A life is short and long
We forget to remember
  In picture, word, or song.

We make a mistake
  We wish for more.
Live life loving
  Loving to the core.

Take that picture
Paint with color.
Draw her face.
Heal that hurt.
Squeeze and hug.
Whisper sweet nothings.
Write down the story.
Sing and play the notes.
Pray often, always.

"We are tragically deficient on enduring love and ending love well at the close of a lifetime."
-Beth Moore

Do not come to the end of a life
(a mother's, a father's, a grandmother's, a child's, or your own)
Do not come to the end of a life
   and wish for more.
God has given the time,
   measured it perfectly.
God is still God.
God is still Good.
Death has no victory.
For those in Christ.

Jack, Sarah, and Delma
(me and my grandparents)


2/14/11

Dancing in the Minefields

by Andrew Peterson

Well I was 19 you were 21
The year we got engaged
Everyone said we were much to young
But we did it anyway
We got the rings for 40 each from a pawnshop down the road
We said our vows and took the leap now 15 years ago


We went dancing in the minefields
We went sailing in the storm
And it was harder than we dreamed
But I believe that’s what the promise is for

Well ‘I do’ are the two most famous last words
The beginning of the end
But to lose your life for another I’ve heard is a good place to begin
Cause the only way to find your life is to lay your own life down
And I believe it’s an easy price for the life that we have found

So when I lose my way, find me
When I lose loves chains, bind me
At the end of all my faith
to the end of all my days
when I forget my name, remind me


Cause we bear the light of the son of man
So there’s nothing left to fear
So I’ll walk with you in the shadow lands
Till the shadows disappear
Cause he promised not to leave us
And his promises are true
So in the face of all this chaos baby


I can dance with you
So lets go dancing in the minefields
Lets go sailing in the storms
Oh lets go dancing in the minefields
And kicking down the doors
Oh lets go dancing in the minefields


And sailing in the storms
Oh this is harder than we dreamed
But I believe that’s what the promise is for
That’s what the promise is for

 Happy Valentine's Day
to Jason, who I have enjoyed these past 5 1/2 years, dancing in the minefields with you!

2/12/11

Wordle

Wordle is a toy for generating “word clouds” from text that you provide. The clouds give greater prominence to words that appear more frequently in the source text. You can tweak your clouds with different fonts, layouts, and color schemes. The images you create with Wordle are yours to use however you like. You can print them out, or save them to the Wordle gallery to share with your friends.

The is what Wordle created with John 15.

When I entered my blog, this is what it created.


2/9/11

Full

"He saved and sanctified you to exhaust you. Be exhausted for God, but remember that He is your supply. 'All my Spring are in you.'" Oswald Chambers
 My Life is Full
Full of
Exhaustion
Fatigue
Weariness
(repeat!)

Full of
Endless crying
Teething with zero teeth
Fits of rage and frustration
Broken toys
Torn books
Diapers, dirty, wet, everywhere
Breakfast of pancakes
Lunch of sandwiches
Dinner of something
(repeat!)

Full of
God's subtle work
A restrained tongue
A Measured Spank
Anger sizzled
Tears dried
Naps taken (at the same time!)
Laundry done (for now)
(repeat!)

Full of
Love
Impromptu kisses
Squeezing hugs
Evenings together
Sitting close on the couch
Building a house
"I uv you, mommy!"
Patience
No spanking
Just warning
A deep breath
Slowly sigh
Walk away
Come back calm again
"Panky poon mommy?"
Joy
Smiles
Laughter
Giggles
Jumping on the bed
Chasing a tiger
Making silly faces
"I funny, mommy!"

2/8/11

Grief

Time gone.
Tears shed.
Memories clasped.
Wishes lost.
Sadness prevails.
Emptiness lingers.
Heaven gains.
Earth lost.


I miss her so.
Her laughter.
Her hugs.
Her wisdom.

I miss her house.
Her home/garden butterflies.
The bear on the bench in the hallway.
The TV room, Papa's room.

I miss her talks.
How she would just listen.
How she would advise in her subtle way.
How she would watch the TV, but you know she's not.

I miss her.
Her stylish clothes, even at 77.
Her permed hair, she no longer colored.
Her soft, long fingers.
Her dancing, sparkling eyes.

Can she just come back one more day?
To hold my sons again.
To give me a hug.
To fix me a sandwich.
To laugh with me.
To cry with me.
To tell me that she's in a better place.

The Wisdom of Advice

Pride only breeds quarrels, but wisdom is found in those who take advice.
Proverbs 13:10

A true friend..advises justly, assists readily, adventures boldly, takes all patiently, defends courageously, and continues a friend unchangeably - William Penn

Without wise leadership, a nation falls; there is safety in having many advisers.
Proverbs 11:14

Many receive advice, only the wise profit from it.

The right word at the right time is like a custom-made piece of jewelry, and a wise friend's timely reprimand is like a gold ring slipped on your finger.
Proverbs 25:11-12 (the message)

Not only do I want to give the right advice, I want to receive the right advice too. To give the right advice, I must first throw myself into the only source of True advice - the Word of God. I must know it so intimately that when I speak, only its words come from my mouth. When receiving the right advice, I must seek out those who are deeply attached to God's Word as well. The people who speak to me the Words of God instead of their own fancy are those that I must surround myself with.