Cracked Pots

Beauty is not the only way that true light

Shines through.

It may be hidden in cracks of Mercy

Found in me, found in you.

In the haggard, the worn, and weary

You just might find something new.

It’s through cracks of Mercy that

True light shines through.

Though angels may glisten,

And diamonds may shine.

It’s through the poor that

You listen, and fill our

Cracked pots with new

Wine!

The Awakening (A Poem)

You awaken me to the wonder
of your world.

You whisper me the solace
of your word.

The mountains white-tipped
and tall.

Your majesty; a sacred humble
call.

You gather me from shore to
shining sea.

You shoulder me with Love
Astoundingly.

Advent Season

Today is the first weekend in Advent.  It is a season of waiting; waiting for the coming of the King, the Messiah who was born in Bethlehem many moons ago, but He still lives in the hearts of men and women who love and serve Him around this big, wide world.

I think the Advent Season is a season of slowing down.  What’s the rush?  At Christmastime everyone seems to be rushing around with a shopping deadline, but that is really not the heart of the Christmas Story.

Like Mary, who waited 9 months for her delivery, we await again for another kind of Delivery-One of the Triumphant Son who will once again shatter the yokes, and awaken humanity to the God-Head; the Blessed Trinity.

I wish we could link arms around this big, wide world, as a sign of the promise that is to come for all those who await for the Blessed Messiah.

I wish we could pause.  I wish we could break bread, and breathe and just stop what we are doing and give thanks.  

I wish we could celebrate and Be Still, and quiet with a special kind of humming that moves our souls to hark the herald angels sing and wait for the triumphant king to break into our quiet, humble, circle as well as the circle of our not so quiet humanity that sees the star, that hears the angelic proclamation and brings the treasures from afar to worship Emmanuel, God with us!

Battle Scars

I was talking to God tonight.  A lot to talk over these days, and as He so wonderfully can do, He brought up a memory .  It was my second home growing up with my sisters and single mother.  And in that home was a laundry room.  The laundry room was beautifully shaped with a nice picture window up front.  I use to go in there when my mother did laundry. I use to go in there to play hide and seek with my sisters. I use to go in there to find chewed-up shoes that my dog just ruined.  It was a happening place; always very warm from the heat of the washer and dryer. 

But why did God bring this up?  Perhaps because something in me has shifted.  I use to want to go back to my tumultuous adolescence and tell that girl what I now know so she won’t make the same mistakes…but truthfully that adolescent girl doesn’t need that from me now.  In life you don’t get to go back and make changes, and quite honestly I wouldn’t have my life any other way; battle scars and all. 

I would however still tell that girl something.  I would tell her to be happier, to be freer and to be more in love.

Perhaps that girl still lives in me.  I am her.  She is me.  

The Dream Shall Arise!

I believe we were each born with a dream in our heart.  As kids we played make-believe,-we were singers, dancers, and movie stars.  We were destined for greatness.

But as life went on we experienced pain and loss and grief and the dream got buried beneath and may have even died. 

Though the years passed on and we battled against resignation and half-hearted acceptance that life will always be routine.

But still there is a spark deep within us that dares to dream.

We are no longer a child playing make-believe.

We offer our hearts desire to the Lord, and the Dream shall arise.

Just Be Still...

“Be Still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”  Psalm 46:10

Today, I was driving in my car a bit frustrated about areas where I have taken initiative and things have fallen through.  My husband quietly and calmly said, “Be still and know that I am God.”  I was really struck by this phrase and passage.

So often we want to play a vital role in the Cosmic Story of Good vs. Evil.  We want to be the hero or heroine and a key player.  Perhaps we are waiting for our own personal exaltation.

But God rarely works that way.  Why does He wait sometimes a very long time to see promises fulfilled in lives, like Sarah and Abraham?  It’s a mystery, but one thing I am certain of He is the one that needs to be exalted.  He is the one that needs to be lifted up in all the nations and tribes on earth. 

So what do we do?  We need to just be still and faithful.  We need to respond towards his loving initiative towards us. 

God will have His way one day.  Be the bride that keeps the lamp burning for His revival!

The Color Purple

I’m turning 44 on November 30^th.  Like every year, I drag my husband to see a Musical with me.  My father use to take us to Musicals as a treat or give us tickets in my younger years.  It’s something about the music, the stories that bring passion and hope alive; two things we so desperately need in our lives.  Passion that moves us to act in this world in Loving and Affirming ways, and  Hope that stirs us up to keep going and looking to the horizon of our dreams.

I wish passion and hope to be alive in my 44^th year of life.  Let God stir it up in my heart, and in the lives of others I know…like a mighty wind rushing in or a river that has overflowed fill our hearts again like a mighty river overflow.

I am going to see the Musical, The Color Purple with my husband and sister. 

Let us laugh, and dream, and sing and dance and Love- Life and Love is of God- and God is a good thing!

Devotion

Jesus asks something very simple of us, but difficult to live out in our day to day lives.

He asks for our devotion.  He asks for our heart, our soul, our mind; the whole of our life.

The thing is life gets cluttered with possessions, status, success, power, money, and others.  This clouds our view of Jesus, and His simple-hearted desire for us to be whole-heartedly devoted to him.

In our devotion, he is able to inhabit us in intimate and powerful ways.

The truth is we were made to Worship God in whole-hearted devotion.  He inhabits the praises of His people.

Let us Go to God and express our love to him. 

Christ should always be bigger and other things smaller.  It is a Big Letter C.  When we worship him we get just how Big he really is and how small we are in this world that we live. 

Here on the Streets...

                                              

“My kingdom is not of this world…” (John 18:36)

If you could lift me a little higher,

I could see the goodness of the Lord.

Above the cities, towns,

That shimmer.. 

Though none compare

to our beautiful Lord. 

Though drums do beat,

And words do simmer.

Where sorrows cease,

And lights do glimmer.

Here on the streets

Where light posts glisten,

The sign says,  “GO!”
Our Christ is risen!

Kings and Queens

There is such a drive in us to be liked, to be accepted, to be acknowledged, to be respected.  And consequently, we can become people pleasers of heroic proportions. 

What is the worst thing that can happen to us- we end up alone, rejected, ridiculed, and persecuted.  This is our greatest fear. 

But what does Jesus ask of us?  To befriend the dejected, the outcast, the unknown, the lost.  He became one of them, so he could identify with the deepest sorrow of humanity. 

He asks us to leave the 99 sheep to go find the missing one and bring her home.  Jesus always left the crowd to go out and gather the lost sheep of Israel.  He wanted them to feel safe and known, to be accepted and trusted.  He was the good shepherd that lay down his life for the sheep.

He says :
“ I will take your rejection, ridicule, persecution, loneliness, and give you a place among Kings and Queens of the Kingdom of God.”

“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.”  Matthew 25:35

By His Wounds...

“But he was pierced for our transgressions,
    he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
    and by his wounds we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5)

Live out your wounds well for Joy’s Sake!

We are easily wounded folk.  Our families can wound us.  Our friends and co-workers can wound us.  Our church can wound us.  What do we do and where do we go with our wounds? We can allow them to fester and infect us with bitterness, resentment, anger and unforgiveness or we can go to Jesus and lay our wounds down to the one who was wounded and crushed by the whole of humanity.  Our wounds have a safe place to go. 

When our wounds are covered by the blood of Jesus I believe we will walk in a greater peace, and understanding that is Supernatural.  People will take notice, but that’s not the most important thing- Peace and Grace are!

We need to go to Jesus, the most peaceful and grace-filled person there ever was and cry out to him…

“Jesus cover my wounds.  Help me not allow them to fester or grow a root of bitterness.  Keep me pure-hearted and vulnerable to your needs and the needs of others.  Walk near me and grant me the blessed assurance to know that you are with me and always ready and willing to heal.

Amen.”

By Resurrection

You made him a little lower than the angels; You crowned him with glory and honor and placed everything under his feet. Hebrews 2:7

You went lower than any other

Human being,

Then God lifted you to the

Highest place.

You danced-your

Feet once bleeding,

Now Forever cloaked

 by Grace.

The Crown you wear

of Glory and Honor,

Was once a crown

Made of pure thorns.

The curtain torn,

The sounds of thunder;

By Resurrection-Christ

Our Lord!

At His Feet

It’s never been about the gifts.  I want to tell you a story of a woman.  She lived a sinful life, but still she had this one beautiful thing that she kept a secret.  It was an Alabaster Jar of rare perfume.  It was her dowry.  It was her inheritance.  When life got bad or worse she would turn to it and remember she always had a way out. But then the day came when she heard about Jesus, she saw him; she heard his words preached and she knew she needed to find him, and worship at His Feet.

It would cost her-this very expensive perfume.  She knew only Jesus would be worthy of it. So she risked it all by giving it all to him- one night with many witnesses.  She didn’t care.  She was compelled to do it beyond judgment or criticism.  She wanted to be right with God again. 

She came to him, fell at his feet and worshiped him with all that she had.  And the sweet aroma of her sacrifice filled the house!

I want to tell you-There will come a time when we are no longer enamored with the gifts, because the anointing comes when the gifts are shattered at the feet of Jesus.

To know him, to love him, to surrender to him, to walk beside him is the greatest treasure and sweetest pleasure we will ever know.

The Invitation

One of the greatest lessons we will learn is the importance of going where you are invited.  Often times the places where we are invited are places that we may not have chosen for ourselves, but they are entry points to experience the Life and Love of Jesus.   Truth be told, we are ambitious people and often we would choose the way of lights, camera, action-Roll!  But this is rarely Jesus’ way. 

Joseph and Mary entered into Bethlehem in need of a place to stay.  I’m sure they asked a lot of best selling hostels before the open door of the manager was made available to them. 

Jesus says whatever town or village you enter, find out who is worthy and stay at his house until you move on. As you enter the house, greet its occupants. If the home is worthy, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you.…  Matthew 10:12

Just think of how great the peace was of those who welcomed the Baby Jesus that night to a humble and simple stable. 

Just think of how great the peace was of the Shepherds that kept watch and heard the angels sing.

Just think of how great the peace was of the Wise Men that traveled from a far to bear witness to the True King of Kings.

Just think of how great your peace was when you received Jesus into your heart as Lord and Savior.

Jesus says, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.”

Revelations 3:20

Another Time, Another Place....

When I was in college, I was a new Christian; and I had so much to learn about our Loving Savior and I still do.   I always loved a diverse array of worship music.  One day while living with a College Mentor of Faith, I stumbled across a song by Sandi Patty entitled; “Another Time, Another place.”  The chorus sings…

So, I'm waiting for another time and another place
Where all my hopes and dreams will be captured
With one look at Jesus' face
Oh, my heart's been burnin'
My soul keeps yearnin'
Sometimes I can't hardly wait
For that sweet, sweet someday
When I'll be swept away
To another time and another place

I realized that in True Worship that’s where we go… We are swept away to another time and another place- The Lord’s time-The Lord’s place…

And nothing and no one can take it from us because it’s eternal.  Eternity lives within us. 

That’s why Jesus says, thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven…

There’s so much we don’t understand here on earth, but when we get a glimpse of the eternal embrace that we can experience in True Worship, we realize that fullness of Joy is ours and we are filled with a love that overflows from His Heart of Pure Gold.  

Thank you Jesus for what you have done for us, and what you remind us to behold every day of our lives… Your face, your gaze that penetrates us with an inexplicable longing for Another time..Another place…

Worthy

What is a soul worth?  Jesus thought a soul was worth dying for. Jesus was the perfect father, the perfect lover, the perfect friend.  He thought our lives were immensely worthy to be called sons and daughters of the Most High; that’s why our struggles here on earth though real, are light and momentary compared to the Glory that will be revealed in us.  (2 Corinthians 4:17)

We need an eternal perspective every day of our lives.  We need an eternal perspective to lift us up beyond our jobs, our communities, our homes, our ailments, our struggles.  How much do we need the Church-God’s powerhouse; the place where we can run to and leave our burdens behind! A place where we can allow the simple and pure Love of Jesus to lift us up and fill us with his good Will and desire for our lives- The Truth of who we are In Him that envelopes Joy and Peace and Confidence and Hope and Love; this love that has never been ashamed of us-But calls us His very own.

Dear God please give your daughters and sons an eternal perspective, so we don’t sweat the small stuff that creeps up in our daily lives.  Help us to laugh at the days to come; to feast on the bread of heaven, and to delight in Jesus, your son.

Eternal Embrace

I went through an in depth healing program called Living Waters, and one of the chapters of the manual was called- Embracing the Process.  I always hated that chapter, but it proved to be one of the most profound. Because we all want quick solutions to problems, quite honestly- “Let’s just move it along, people!”  But life and humanity are a process to embrace, not a problem to quickly solve.

How can we stand it, when we live in a culture with quick smart phones, and quick microwaves?  The long and slow process of recovery is challenging to say the least.

What can we hope for in embracing the process in our relationships, job culture, and personal lives?

There is not a quick solution.  You just gotta hang in there.  Take every day as it comes.  Do your best, do your homework, take risks, Ask for help when you need it, stop and smell the roses, stop being a perfectionist, develop a sense of humor, stop caring so much what others may think or say about  you- It’s what God says that matters.

Stay Hopeful above all things.  Stay connected to your creator, who loves you with an eternal embrace.

Sabbath Rest

But in the seventh year the land is to have a year of Sabbath rest, a Sabbath to the LORD. Do not sow your fields or prune your vineyards. Leviticus 25:4

Why does the Lord call All of Creation to a Sabbath rest?  I believe it’s to become even more fruitful.  The Bible says let the land have a Sabbath rest so the poor can glean among you, and servants can be refreshed. Exodus 23:10-12

Fallow Land means according to the dictionary; plowed and harrowed but left unsown for a period in order to restore its fertility.

People need a Sabbath Rest, and so does all of Creation.  Rest enables us to become more fertile, fruitful and productive. 

It’s very hard for Americans to take a Sabbath day of rest for even one day of the week, let alone an entire year in order to pursue God in quietness and trust- where you will find your strength.

Even our gifts need to rest.  Even our gifts need Sabbath.  I’ve always felt I was gifted in the area of dance and writing, and it’s so interesting how different times in my life one gift has been more prevalent over the other. The other gift has been “resting” in a way until God begins to fan into flame. 

I’ve been writing fairly steadily for about a year, but I’m feeling God is calling me to rest from the posture of active writing.  Not to say all writing will cease, but there is a rest I’m being called to here. 

I have to laugh, maybe I’ll start dancing again, because I haven’t danced in over a year, or maybe something new will pop its head over the horizon.  It’s hard to let go of the Gifts, because they are so fulfilling, but God knows what He’s doing, maybe He’s preparing us for new terrain.  Listen and Let go….That’s the wave of the Spirit!

Forever

I lived with my mom for a long time in my young adult years.  I think I loved it because I always wanted to be an only child and I had to share her with my sisters for so many years.  But when I graduated from college until I was almost thirty I lived alone with her. 

One of the beautiful memories I have is in an apartment we shared that had a bright and beautiful kitchen.  We would gather there on Saturday mornings and talk about God and the Bible.  She had a sunny window in that kitchen and started a garden.  One plant was a flowering pink plant with petals that folded upwards.  It was a funny looking plant, but of all the flowering plants we had it lasted the longest.  For at least a couple of years it would bloom.  We were always amazed by it.

Recently my mother was hospitalized.  I wanted to bring her flowers and found that same strange pink flowering plant that she had in her kitchen window.  She remarked that she remembered we had that plant when we lived together and that it lasted all year…

I quickly responded, “yes mom it lasted forever….”

A seed that will remain...

But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. Luke 2:19

Never underestimate the power of prophetic women.  Consider Mary, the mother of Jesus.  She was told of the birth of her messianic son before anyone else knew about it.  She traveled to meet her cousin, Elizabeth and Elizabeth’s son, John the Baptist prophesied even in the womb.

The angels appeared to the Shepherds pronouncing:

Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in the highest heaven,
    and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

Luke 2:11-14

Mary was favored and chosen by God to birth His son and all she could do was hold these words of promise and ponder them in her heart.

And then painful words would come, too-“A sword will pierce your soul as well.”  Speaking of the sword that would pierce her son's side while on the cross in which He died for all mankind. 

Mary pondered the Good news of the Savior’s birth.  She nurtured the Word planted in her, and it developed and bore fruit that would eternally last. 

And as prophetic women, we need to treasure up the words that have been spoken to us.  We need to wait, and allow God to develop and give birth to a seed that will remain from everlasting to everlasting…

Rough places smooth

“I will go before you and make the rough places smooth: I will shatter the doors of bronze and cut through their iron.”  Isaiah 45:2

The streets are a rough place to live.  You see how people wear poverty and violence like jagged rings in earlobes.  It’s wonderful to still see the innocence, and purity of children who live in the midst of it all, but soon that innocence will disappear beneath the harsh realities of street life. 

Yesterday, I went out into the streets to talk to people; characters that I would normally pass on by and maybe even walk more quickly when seeing them, but yesterday I stopped, I smiled, I talked, I listened, I invited, I made connections.

There is so much violence on the streets, because people are desperate.  People are hungry.  And this is what Jesus asks of us.

Feed the hungry, and help those in trouble. Then your light will shine out from the darkness, and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon. Isaiah 58:10

Dirty Rags

You made me,

And all I can

Offer you

Are dirty rags.

You tear

Up my soul

With your

Beauty;

With your

Sacrifice.

I am

Lost without

You. 

You

Make me

Clean;

All of you.

I just stand

And adore

You in frailty,

In vulnerability-

And you

hear me.

It’s not cheap-

Nailed hands

and feet.

Green Pastures

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding.  Acknowledge him in all your ways, and He will direct your path.” Proverbs 3:5-6

So much of our lives we don’t understand.  We think we know what God’s doing, but we don’t.  He is making a way for us, but often we need to lay down our own expectations of what that way looks like.  When we lay down our expectations, we can trust in a God who provides-streams in the desert and honey from a rock!

What does the Lord require of us?  Trust first, acknowledge him in all our ways 2^nd, and the path will open up ahead of us.

When I was a school-aged girl, there was a path that my father, sisters, and I use to walk behind the house that he lived.  It was a long path, and often my dad would pass the time away by telling us very bad jokes.  I remember we loved walking that path with him.  At the end of the path was a beautiful golf course.  We weren’t members and we weren’t supposed to be there, but we would still break the rules and walk around it, and in the summertime even jump through the sprinklers with our dog. 

It was indeed green pastures.

I pray that green pastures would open up ahead for you.

I pray that you would lay down lofty expectations, and simply and humbly acknowledge Him in all your ways, and watch and see!

 He will direct your path.

Dripping with Nectar...

Hummingbirds remind us to always actively seek out the sweetest nectar, extracting the good and beauty in life!

That is why the practice of gratitude is so powerful and important.  Throughout our days and interactions with others there will be positive and not so positive things that will surface, but we need to keep our eyes and ears keen to what is good.  Unfortunately what feels not so good can ring like a megaphone in our ears, dampening our heart and attitude.  Our heart, feelings and attitude can be a real battle ground.  Feelings are important.  They are often an entry point for God to work, when we invite him into it.

Other people are also really important, because sometimes their reaction to the interaction is completely different.  They become an objective voice. 

The lesson of the Hummingbird can be a real example of how we should live out our days; extracting the sweetness, the beauty, the good, and being deeply grateful for it.

Now- the light will come in, the dampening will go- For tomorrow we will arise and find a new day dripping with nectar.

What's so hard about change?

What’s so hard about change?

First you have to leave what is safe and familiar and launch out into the unknown.  This always causes fear and anxiety because it tests us in the area of trust. 

Often with change we are being asked to let go of something, and this releases our control and when we don’t feel like we are in control insecurity creeps up on us.

In change, we can enter into a cocoon of transformation where we shed many layers, and in some way a death of our old way of life may precede a new way of being. 

Change is very hard, but why does God ask us to wrestle with it?

I think because it grows our trust in God- We relinquish a control of our lives and give over to Him the authority to do with us as He wills.  And through this He transforms us to enter a place where we become more truly ourselves.

God is in control.  He asks us to do very small things, like say yes to this, and say no to that.  Take a step in this direction.

A prayer to enter in.

Dear God, I give you complete control of my life.  I pray that I would walk in the abundance, freedom and beauty that you desire for me.  May I release onto you my fear, anxiety and insecurity. May I not fear the death of old ways of being, but trust your grace and goodness over me to enter into more fully who you created me to be.

Amen

A New Thing!

I love clothes.  Always have.  It’s hard to pass by a beautiful summer dress, a flowing blouse, or a floral skirt.  I have always been inclined to clothes shopping.  Interestingly enough, I could care less about spending money on other things, like household furniture and decorations.  This drives my husband crazy, but it is what it is. 

I was thinking about the process of trying on clothes to see if they fit.  We are first attracted to the article of clothing, and we look to see if we think it’s the right size.  Then we take it in the dressing room, and truth will tell.  Is it too small, or too big?  Sometimes we feel disappointed, because we thought it would be a good fit, and other times we are pleasantly surprised, because we didn’t really think it would fit at all.  It’s funny how that works.

I think life can be similar when we start new things.  Often we give a lot of thought, time and energy to them.  We can become a little obsessive.  I think it’s because we are trying things on.  We want to see how they fit into our daily lives.  It can be anything from becoming a new parent, to starting a new job, to buying a new home.  At first we are so enamored with this thing, but as time goes on it becomes as a comfortable as an old sweater. 

I think it’s helpful to know we need to give ourselves time, space and grace to try new things on.

Newness can be wonderful.  It can be exciting.  It can be beautiful.  It can be surprising!

Isaiah 43:19 says:

 See, I am doing a new thing!

Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?

I am making a way in the wilderness and

Streams in the desert.

The truth is we need newness, so life doesn’t get too dry.  Newness brings hope and change.  

Newness is God’s provision to us on the road of Faith-

For He is indeed making a new way.

Perseverance

“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.”  Hebrews 12:1

This past week, I went on vacation with my husband’s family.  On the first day out we took a hike.  We thought it would be easy, but it ended up being uphill for most of the time. It felt hard at times, and we wondered how much longer until we reached the peak?  There were moments when we even considered turning around, but thankfully some cheered us along to keep going.

At one point in the hike, I just accepted that I was going to persevere and I got my second wind.  Finally, we made it to the top and saw a beautiful view.  Then the descent felt relatively easy and was downhill most of the time.   So with energy, speed and great Joy we made it back to our cars and found our way to enjoy a refreshing, and rejuvenating dip in a river.

There was so much to learn on that hike:

1) You need to keep a sense of humor when expectations are not met. 

2) You need others to encourage and cheer you on when life gets hard and you want to quit.

3) Remember-Don’t give up because there is a beautiful view that you just might miss. 

4) Always talk to others who have gone before you because they will tell you what’s ahead.

5) After persevering God will refresh you with Streams of Living Waters.

There is a race marked out for everyone of us.

There are guides, and cheerleaders, there are companions and friends.  There are peaks, and valleys.  There is sweat and laughter.

We need to keep going “fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.” Hebrews 12:2

For Joy’s Sake!

Tuppence a bag!

A letter to my mother and sisters:

“I want you to see with the eyes of my heart for you.

So often we are focused on the big picture, on the big dream, on the big idea.

But what if God’s love for you is like the grains of sand by the sea.  Every grain collected over time and season.

I want you to know that you have cared for and loved children and that may seem small to you.  

Maybe you haven’t seen the big deposit for your future in this.

Maybe your love feels like small crumbs to feed birds with.

Listen to the words of this song.”

Early each day to the steps of Saint Paul's
The little old bird woman comes
In her own special way to the people she calls
Come, buy my bags full of crumbs

Come feed the little birds, show them you care
And you'll be glad if you do
Their young ones are hungry
Their nests are so bare
All it takes is tuppence (anything at all) from you

Feed the birds, tuppence a bag,
Tuppence, tuppence, tuppence a bag
"Feed the birds, " that's what she cries
While overhead, her birds fill the skies

All around the cathedral the saints and apostles
Look down as she sells her wares.
Although you can't see it, you know they are smiling
Each time someone shows that she cares

Though her words are simple and few
Listen, listen, she's calling to you
"Feed the birds, tuppence a bag
Tuppence, tuppence, tuppence a bag

 (Feed the birds-Julie Andrews)

-In her own special way to the people she calls-she feeds them and shows them she cares, and all around the cathedral-the saints and apostles are smiling each time she appears.

Lily Pads

There is an Abbey I like to visit and there are a few trails off the grounds I like to walk.  One trail will take you to a high rock, and you are able to look down upon a natural pond.  One summer, I walked there with my sister.  I was compelled to go down lower to pond level and look more closely at the lily pads that appeared that summer.  I touched one, and as I tried to pick it up, I realized it was connected by stem and root to hundreds of other lily pads.  I was amazed.

On the surface, each lily pad seemed independent, solo, floating on their own, subsisting beside other lily pads, but if you dug a little deeper you could see how interconnected each lily pad was to the other by stem and root.

This got me thinking about how we live our lives.

As Americans, we value independence; we can’t wait to grow up and go, and live out on our own-away from our parents, and enjoy the freedom, and independence that adult life brings.  We go out and rent apartments, buy homes, work jobs, volunteer at local churches or other grass-root organizations of our choosing.  We may stay a short or a long-time and then leave to go somewhere else and build new relationships.

But what impresses me is that no matter where we go geographically we are spiritually like lily pads.  We grow stems and roots; we connect not to other lily pads, but to actual people and places.  We have a spiritual interdependence to the towns and people in which we live, work, and volunteer. And when we leave, no matter how short or long our time is, we may feel an uprooting.

This helps me see past my likes and dislikes, and makes me more grateful for my experiences.

This also stirs me to take more seriously and prayerfully the decisions I make regarding where I live, where I work, and where I worship, because no matter what we may think-we are not flying solo out here.  We are not just subsisting beside other people.  We are divinely and spiritually connected in ways beyond our control, and yet we make choices everyday to where we go and who we talk to. 

Lily pads are amazing. They create shade and protection for fish in ponds, and they provide a gentle resting spot for frogs and dragonflies. (Facts on Water Lilies-Home Guides)

Lily pads are sublimely connected to their environment and So are we!

Rabboni!

“My Love is Enough for you” Jesus

Do you believe that the greatest treasure that we hold and carry is the Love of Christ that surpasses all understanding? (Ephesians 3:19)

It’s the Love of Christ that fills the void, the lack, the need, the holes.  So many broken, hurting, and wounded people came to Jesus in the Gospels and He met their needs and then some, but what did they take away with them?  They encountered a Love that healed, made whole, delivered, and set free.    

Whatever we are looking for, whatever we are seeking-it’s like a crapshoot, a poker game.  We may win that hand or not, but regardless of the outcome- there is someone who waits for us on the other side of the door-and He will give us something more valuable than any amount of lottery win that we could have hoped for.

“My Love is enough for you.”  You have to believe wherever he sends you; His love goes before, beneath, beside, between you and every person you encounter. 

“I do not give to you as the world gives.  Do not let your heart be troubled and do not be afraid.”  (John 14:27)

“Jesus asked her, who are you looking for?” (John 20:15-16)

RABBONI!

Shame

“God is as close to my shame as this shawl is to my shoulders.” Lauren Winner

Shame.  We don’t really think about it too often, unless we have experienced trauma of some sort.  But shame is always there, hiding beneath the surface.  But God is also there, closer to our shame than we think. 

When Adam and Eve first sinned, shame entered into the story.  And you know what God did? He covered their shame.  In the book, “Wearing God” by Lauren Winner she describes how God may have tenderly dealt with Adam and Eve before they had to leave the garden.  She says, “While I feel cloaked with shame, God is tenderly stitching me a suit of clothes.  The clothing is God’s own self.”

God enters into our shame and covers it with Himself.  He doesn’t want us to stay in hiding. 

I’m sure there are areas in all of our lives where shame is lurking.  Mostly they are areas we would rather keep in hiding, better left unsaid, rarely or never to discuss.  When we talk about these areas, we feel embarrassed…like someone has found us out. 

Our own bodies carry so much shame.  Most of us are not content in the bodies that we inhabit; always thinking how we can cover them, lose weight, and hide the blemishes.  How difficult it is to accept our own bodies when shame is lurking there. 

So, what do we do?  I think first we have to acknowledge where there is shame in our lives.  We have to come to terms with it.  Maybe even talk about it.   Then we have to invite God into it, and ask that He would cover our shame with His Love.

This may free us from always having to hide beneath the fig leaves, and instead turn to God who is in our corner, tenderly stitching our clothes.