And He cares about my day . . . And yours . . . Hold His hand and walk through His world . . . your world . . . Look at things through His eyes . . . Trust . . . Rest . . . Be joyful!
Saturday, July 20, 2019
Baby's Breath
Sunday, July 14, 2019
Sand Pits and Poison Ivy
Sunday morning I managed to get out the door without little girlies of several ages hanging onto my skirts . . . When Mom goes out for a walk, most often they beg to come along and often I let them. But this morning I snuck away as I sometimes do for some alone time in nature where I might be able to hear myself think.
A few mornings ago on an early morning run turned into a walk the last half, there was a vehicle that acted funny by turning into driveways close by and turning around, careening down the road and then turning into another drive . . . and it worried me . . . I had my phone along and called Japheth. He isn't sure I should be walking by the road like that early in the morning by myself, though I assured him that I would be safer doing what God calls me to do here by the road then out of His will in my house.
So as I contemplated where I would walk this morning and my tennis shoe was rubbing a blister I had on the back of my foot\ankle, I took off my shoes and socks and lifted my skirts a bit so that it wouldn't get so wet in the grass. I took off barefoot down the grass\sod path through our property down and around to our sand pit. The summer morning was warm and the dew felt nice, the grass, sod, and sand textures washed and massaged my feet as I strolled along . . . This wasn't really a place to run, and it was Sunday after all so I communed and walked with the Lord . . .
I have hardly walked through the sand pit much at all . . . It really has been kinda a depressing place . . . When we first bought the property and moved onto it, we envisioned possibly having a garden (as this was really the ONLY flat and SUNNY place on the eight and a half acres that we call our own. We had once thought about turning it into a ball diamond . . . but these dreams never materialized in the seven years that we have been here. For one thing, we'd have to buy LOTS and LOTS of black dirt or rent a dump truck to haul in some dirt from a friends cow pasture . . . and then there's the problem of watering . . . It's so far from any well . . .
. . . Barren dry dessert . . . dead dreams . . . feels like wasted land . . . nothing hardly grows at all . . . sand, sand sand gravel . . . We pile firewood down there and also have a huge burn pile that stays and stays and we never seem to find the time to get the permit and get it taken care off . . . Sometimes our neighbor adds to it (with our permission of course) . . . At times I wonder, why we ever bought this land . . .I like to garden (Well . . . sort of as long as it's not too big and overwhelming) . . . And I feel like I have no bit of earth to grow things on . . . Now that feeling is not fact . . . I do indeed have flowerbeds, but these beds have had the sand dug out and good dirt put in . . . I have tried growing veggies in these, but most of them don't get enough sun . . . and my husband likes his trees . . . and I do too, but I probably like my flowers and gardens more . . .
Along the path, this morning I made an exciting discovery of three plants of Baby's Breath . . . It grows wild up here, the soil must be perfect and I can show you plot after dry plot dotted with large white\grey blobs of shrub\plants of Baby's Breath . . . I've been looking for a good place whenever we drive and planning . . . planning to go out this fall and dig one up out of the ditch and bring home like I did a few years ago . . . But now God has given me some right in my spot on earth, in my barren wasteland . . .
As I walked along the sparse clumps of dessert grass and occasional wild flowers, God spoke to me and awakened my dreams again . . .
Number One. . . . of praise . . . the weapon of praise like Otto Koning talks about . . . verbally praising God for the trials and hard things just like God asks us to "in everything give thanks". So I thanked Him for my "dessert" . . . and for poison ivy, even though I can't see ANYTHING good that could come out of that . . . But as I have been learning in God's special training school for Aimee, that GOOD can come out of EVERYTHING even the deepest, darkest trials if I let Him work in my heart . . .I am learning that in "THIS" I can be thankful that "I CAN DRAW CLOSER TO HIM BECAUSE of this trial!!!"
Number Two. I could possibly turn part of my dessert into a watered garden . . . wagon load by wagon load of goat manure, horse manure, my neighbors discarded straw\hay pile that they tried to burn to get rid of it, all the cardboard I saved over the winter and all the cardboard that A Stitch in Time hauls to the dump EACH week and whatever else God might see fit to provide . . . If I would just buy a few more garden hoses and IF we fix the well in the basement of our old house, I might have a source of water.
Number Three. A camping site
Number Four. A wayside bench\shade area to sit and rest in . . alone or with a friend . . . a place of solitude and leisure to reflect, to just be . . .
If none of these dreams go anywhere . . . number one can make me successful, because after all that is what this life should be all about, walking with God, learning the lessons from the "classes" He puts me in and resides as my personal tutor\teacher and Friend . . . I can praise . . . I can learn good things that help me grow and thrive in my spiritual walk . . . I can become more like Him . . .
Part Two coming soon . . . wherein I tell a true story of a friend of mine . . . and her wise advice to her little girl about black sunday shoes . . . (Yes, it does fit in with the above dessert story.) :)
A few mornings ago on an early morning run turned into a walk the last half, there was a vehicle that acted funny by turning into driveways close by and turning around, careening down the road and then turning into another drive . . . and it worried me . . . I had my phone along and called Japheth. He isn't sure I should be walking by the road like that early in the morning by myself, though I assured him that I would be safer doing what God calls me to do here by the road then out of His will in my house.
So as I contemplated where I would walk this morning and my tennis shoe was rubbing a blister I had on the back of my foot\ankle, I took off my shoes and socks and lifted my skirts a bit so that it wouldn't get so wet in the grass. I took off barefoot down the grass\sod path through our property down and around to our sand pit. The summer morning was warm and the dew felt nice, the grass, sod, and sand textures washed and massaged my feet as I strolled along . . . This wasn't really a place to run, and it was Sunday after all so I communed and walked with the Lord . . .
I have hardly walked through the sand pit much at all . . . It really has been kinda a depressing place . . . When we first bought the property and moved onto it, we envisioned possibly having a garden (as this was really the ONLY flat and SUNNY place on the eight and a half acres that we call our own. We had once thought about turning it into a ball diamond . . . but these dreams never materialized in the seven years that we have been here. For one thing, we'd have to buy LOTS and LOTS of black dirt or rent a dump truck to haul in some dirt from a friends cow pasture . . . and then there's the problem of watering . . . It's so far from any well . . .
. . . Barren dry dessert . . . dead dreams . . . feels like wasted land . . . nothing hardly grows at all . . . sand, sand sand gravel . . . We pile firewood down there and also have a huge burn pile that stays and stays and we never seem to find the time to get the permit and get it taken care off . . . Sometimes our neighbor adds to it (with our permission of course) . . . At times I wonder, why we ever bought this land . . .I like to garden (Well . . . sort of as long as it's not too big and overwhelming) . . . And I feel like I have no bit of earth to grow things on . . . Now that feeling is not fact . . . I do indeed have flowerbeds, but these beds have had the sand dug out and good dirt put in . . . I have tried growing veggies in these, but most of them don't get enough sun . . . and my husband likes his trees . . . and I do too, but I probably like my flowers and gardens more . . .
Along the path, this morning I made an exciting discovery of three plants of Baby's Breath . . . It grows wild up here, the soil must be perfect and I can show you plot after dry plot dotted with large white\grey blobs of shrub\plants of Baby's Breath . . . I've been looking for a good place whenever we drive and planning . . . planning to go out this fall and dig one up out of the ditch and bring home like I did a few years ago . . . But now God has given me some right in my spot on earth, in my barren wasteland . . .
As I walked along the sparse clumps of dessert grass and occasional wild flowers, God spoke to me and awakened my dreams again . . .
Number One. . . . of praise . . . the weapon of praise like Otto Koning talks about . . . verbally praising God for the trials and hard things just like God asks us to "in everything give thanks". So I thanked Him for my "dessert" . . . and for poison ivy, even though I can't see ANYTHING good that could come out of that . . . But as I have been learning in God's special training school for Aimee, that GOOD can come out of EVERYTHING even the deepest, darkest trials if I let Him work in my heart . . .I am learning that in "THIS" I can be thankful that "I CAN DRAW CLOSER TO HIM BECAUSE of this trial!!!"
Number Two. I could possibly turn part of my dessert into a watered garden . . . wagon load by wagon load of goat manure, horse manure, my neighbors discarded straw\hay pile that they tried to burn to get rid of it, all the cardboard I saved over the winter and all the cardboard that A Stitch in Time hauls to the dump EACH week and whatever else God might see fit to provide . . . If I would just buy a few more garden hoses and IF we fix the well in the basement of our old house, I might have a source of water.
Number Three. A camping site
Number Four. A wayside bench\shade area to sit and rest in . . alone or with a friend . . . a place of solitude and leisure to reflect, to just be . . .
If none of these dreams go anywhere . . . number one can make me successful, because after all that is what this life should be all about, walking with God, learning the lessons from the "classes" He puts me in and resides as my personal tutor\teacher and Friend . . . I can praise . . . I can learn good things that help me grow and thrive in my spiritual walk . . . I can become more like Him . . .
Part Two coming soon . . . wherein I tell a true story of a friend of mine . . . and her wise advice to her little girl about black sunday shoes . . . (Yes, it does fit in with the above dessert story.) :)
Tuesday, July 09, 2019
Spring in My Heart
I know it's summer . . .
But as I was straightening up my pantry this afternoon, I spotted sprouting potatoes that needed to be used. I brought them to the sink and started cutting sprouts away, washing and slicing them into smaller pieces in order to cook faster. One potato in particular had this sprout deep in it's interior . . . I had to butcher the potato in order to try and get it out.
God brought to my mind that I should be like this potato . . . growing, sprouting, preparing for the future. It wouldn't stop at anything . . . It just HAD to come bursting forth with new life!
It made me think of the verse that talks about out of our bellies will flow rivers of living waters . . . the gushing of new life and growth and inspiration that can ONLY come from God himself.
What is in my heart?
Is it Spring? Can anything stop it? The other potatoes around it weren't that desperate to grow yet . . . but like the thankful leper who came back to give thanks . . . Could I be like this potato? Intense deep joy and vibrant life that it gushes and pours fourth not letting any trial or problem get the best of it?
Wanna join me? Wanna keep that SPRING in your heart?
I do.
I want that . . .
I want to live with LIFE coming forth!
I want to give NEW life and growth . . . It's what He created me to do . . .
But as I was straightening up my pantry this afternoon, I spotted sprouting potatoes that needed to be used. I brought them to the sink and started cutting sprouts away, washing and slicing them into smaller pieces in order to cook faster. One potato in particular had this sprout deep in it's interior . . . I had to butcher the potato in order to try and get it out.
God brought to my mind that I should be like this potato . . . growing, sprouting, preparing for the future. It wouldn't stop at anything . . . It just HAD to come bursting forth with new life!
It made me think of the verse that talks about out of our bellies will flow rivers of living waters . . . the gushing of new life and growth and inspiration that can ONLY come from God himself.
What is in my heart?
Is it Spring? Can anything stop it? The other potatoes around it weren't that desperate to grow yet . . . but like the thankful leper who came back to give thanks . . . Could I be like this potato? Intense deep joy and vibrant life that it gushes and pours fourth not letting any trial or problem get the best of it?
Wanna join me? Wanna keep that SPRING in your heart?
I do.
I want that . . .
I want to live with LIFE coming forth!
I want to give NEW life and growth . . . It's what He created me to do . . .
Saturday, April 27, 2019
Heart Hunger
If you have never read Anita's blog, you need to read it today. What she says in her two part series about that deep heart hunger that we all have, connected with me . . . Though i could never have put it into words like she did . . .
https://lifeisforlivingbook.com/2019/04/25/the-seduction-of-sehnsuht/?fbclid=IwAR0zGCTLvoiRagwnFMTVrdUTpRkaRxOEPORB3w-wFnq1712qp4hqiDOB-c8
https://lifeisforlivingbook.com/2019/04/25/the-seduction-of-sehnsuht/?fbclid=IwAR0zGCTLvoiRagwnFMTVrdUTpRkaRxOEPORB3w-wFnq1712qp4hqiDOB-c8
Tuesday, April 23, 2019
Weeds and Honesty
I noticed when I passed by the rhubarb this morning that there was some grass in my tea patch . . . This afternoon, I wanted to do something profitable in the sunshine rather than just sit on my swing in front of the house. As I was weeding, I realized that I was thanking God for these weeds . . . AND really meaning it! . . . Not sure I have EVER thanked God for weeds that were growing where I didn't want them to grow.
I do sometimes thank God for particular things in life that I wonder how there can be any good in . . . like the Bible tells us to do . . . "In EVERYTHING give thanks . . ."
And like Betsy ten Boom's example of giving thanks for even the fleas BEFORE they saw how SOME good could come from them . . . I was gving thanks to Him in my mind . . .and verbalizing it out loud to the sunshine as I worked, because I know it is good to verbalize things as well :) . . . But I honestly DID see good reason to communicate my thanks as I was glad to get my fingers in the dirt, soak up a bit more sunshine and breathe more fresh air. I truly WAS grateful for these weeds and not having the only reason be that " in this trial, the only real good thing that I can see right now is that I CAN DRAW CLOSER to God through this experience\thing that He has allowed".
I am lovin' the warmer weather and the sunshine that is being poured out on me. God's gifts from above are wonderful!
I do sometimes thank God for particular things in life that I wonder how there can be any good in . . . like the Bible tells us to do . . . "In EVERYTHING give thanks . . ."
And like Betsy ten Boom's example of giving thanks for even the fleas BEFORE they saw how SOME good could come from them . . . I was gving thanks to Him in my mind . . .and verbalizing it out loud to the sunshine as I worked, because I know it is good to verbalize things as well :) . . . But I honestly DID see good reason to communicate my thanks as I was glad to get my fingers in the dirt, soak up a bit more sunshine and breathe more fresh air. I truly WAS grateful for these weeds and not having the only reason be that " in this trial, the only real good thing that I can see right now is that I CAN DRAW CLOSER to God through this experience\thing that He has allowed".
I am lovin' the warmer weather and the sunshine that is being poured out on me. God's gifts from above are wonderful!
Sunday, April 14, 2019
Flooded by God
I was woken up by a husband with a hurting back who couldn't sleep . . . in the early morning hours . . . so that gave me an early morning. This was good! A blessing. We are hosting twenty guests overnight at our home so . . . yeah . . . AND as life is never perfect, we have been processing\battling\fighting for a loved one who as we all are is on a journey and at times the spiritual success or failures bring so many emotions and fears and tears that quiet time with the Lord is so very needed and loved!!!
I wasn't planning on getting out and walking or running this morning. The snow had almost a melted away and dissipated when we accumulated another foot plus more for good measure. It looked cold and this is a day of rest after all . . . But God called me out . . . and I ran . . .
I decided this morning that even more than my leg muscles, my lung muscles are weak and wimpy. Such wheezing and panting . . . my legs after slowing down to a walk again could run some more, but my lungs couldn't take it anymore . . .
The air . . . the oxygen . . . is so VAST and always around me, ABUNDANT . . . being poured out and SURROUNDED . . . I am immersed in life-giving air . . . and as I am gasping and desperate, I am gulping, heaving, grasping for more air . . .
The same is happening and has happened in my spiritual life . . . and this morning again, I am desperate . . . desperate for comfort, for hope, for help, for strength, for endurance and stamina . . . desperate for MERCY and forgiveness . . . for GRACE . . . for love, for His presence, His peace . . .
I pray all these things and more for my loved one . . . but in the midst of the battle, I am stopped by my own needs and emotions that I fall before the throne for my own weak, weary, heartbroken self . . .
This morning, the ALMIGHTY God reminds me . . . that His love, mercy, forgiveness, grace are all around me, surrounding me like the air I am breathing, gasping in . . . and it is SO OVERWHELMINGLY much that I can never make use of it all . . . but it's there for the taking . . . there for the breathing and living and awaking to new life and strength, to new growth and abundant grace to my loved one as I grow and mature . . . as I weep and pray . . . as I mourn and rejoice . . .as I live and die . . .
Malachi 3:10 New King James Version (NKJV)
"Bring all the tithes into the storehouse,
That there may be food in My house,
And try Me now in this,”
Says the Lord of hosts,
“If I will not open for you the windows of heaven
And pour out for you such blessing
That there will not be room enough to receive it."
I wasn't planning on getting out and walking or running this morning. The snow had almost a melted away and dissipated when we accumulated another foot plus more for good measure. It looked cold and this is a day of rest after all . . . But God called me out . . . and I ran . . .
I decided this morning that even more than my leg muscles, my lung muscles are weak and wimpy. Such wheezing and panting . . . my legs after slowing down to a walk again could run some more, but my lungs couldn't take it anymore . . .
The air . . . the oxygen . . . is so VAST and always around me, ABUNDANT . . . being poured out and SURROUNDED . . . I am immersed in life-giving air . . . and as I am gasping and desperate, I am gulping, heaving, grasping for more air . . .
The same is happening and has happened in my spiritual life . . . and this morning again, I am desperate . . . desperate for comfort, for hope, for help, for strength, for endurance and stamina . . . desperate for MERCY and forgiveness . . . for GRACE . . . for love, for His presence, His peace . . .
I pray all these things and more for my loved one . . . but in the midst of the battle, I am stopped by my own needs and emotions that I fall before the throne for my own weak, weary, heartbroken self . . .
This morning, the ALMIGHTY God reminds me . . . that His love, mercy, forgiveness, grace are all around me, surrounding me like the air I am breathing, gasping in . . . and it is SO OVERWHELMINGLY much that I can never make use of it all . . . but it's there for the taking . . . there for the breathing and living and awaking to new life and strength, to new growth and abundant grace to my loved one as I grow and mature . . . as I weep and pray . . . as I mourn and rejoice . . .as I live and die . . .
Malachi 3:10 New King James Version (NKJV)
"Bring all the tithes into the storehouse,
That there may be food in My house,
And try Me now in this,”
Says the Lord of hosts,
“If I will not open for you the windows of heaven
And pour out for you such blessing
That there will not be room enough to receive it."
Thursday, April 04, 2019
Dark, Dry, Cold
My daughter was given an Amaryllis bulb by her grandmother. It has bloomed beautifully. As I was talking with the neighbor friend who stopped in yesterday about how to care for it the rest of the year, I started pondering the lesson of the Amaryllis bulb. After cutting the sturdy stalk off to an inch of the bulb and then letting it grow and fertilizing it during the summer. It is to be stored\put away in a dormant state where it is kept dry, cool and dark. I find that fascinating . . . Isn't it interesting how God made some plants\ bulbs to need the darkness, and the dryness and the cold for a season. I just plopped my baby girlie who recently turned one into her crib for a time of rest\solitude\quiet and sleep. Often times these things we sometimes wish we could eliminate from our lives are what makes it possible to flourish and bloom again . . . If for a season, we need be . . .
"But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you." - I Peter 5:10 NKJV
"But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you." - I Peter 5:10 NKJV
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