Waxing Eloquent

“…this faith…It’s our handle on what we can’t see.” Hebrews 11:1-2 (MSG)

I’ve felt lousy off and on for the biggest part of three months and even though I am on the mend I just am not that inspired nor do I feel inspiring. I’ve had writer’s block for about six weeks now. I have several ideas and I even tried to write a paragraph or two but my writing just seemed lumpy and bland. I want so much to write and blog words that matter.

This morning as I was sitting on my front porch, eyes closed, face to the sun-breaking sky, on this the first day of tolerable above freezing temperatures in a long time I thought of a situation my husband and I have been praying into. Our hope is the outcome would be one which breathes life, health and functionality to all involved. Things are being shaken in this situation but I have to admit as an outsider looking in things appear not to be leveling off and being rebuilt. It almost seems as if a sinkhole has opened up and is about to swallow all involved.

Huh; hmmm and all of those other pondering words. This is not what I had in mind when I was praying. In fact the opposite of what I would do if I were in charge of the universe is happening. But as I was swinging in the sunshine on my front porch the following are the word pictures and thoughts that were impressed on my mind.

If you take a sickle and swipe it at a plant you’ve still left the roots to take hold, go deeper, and shoot another sprout above ground. However, if you get down closer to the dirt, get your hands dirty, dig around, pull, tug, dig a little deeper you don’t just cut the thing you can see you get to the literal root of the problem.

Sure there is by far more effort exerted to get a deep rooted long existing plant up out of the ground than what it takes to swipe a sickle at the above ground foliage. The digging may even leave us exhausted. The process will most likely cause a blister or may even leave us a little calloused and bruised but in the end if we persevere the problem will be gone.

So today for the first time in a long time I can see by faith past what is to what will be. For the first time in a long time I feel where we are in this situation is not the destination but part of the pot holed path we must traverse.

I so want to bring encouragement to everyone who stumbles upon and reads my writings yet lately what I have been feeling just doesn’t fit into the encouragement category. I decided today encouragement doesn’t only come through distant mountain tops of rainbow sprinkles and sunshine. Sometimes encouragement comes from standing knee deep in the mucky ditch of life declaring this is not my destination!

Remember Your Water!

As the New Year approached I gave a lot of thought to what my New Year’s resolution should be. Most of the time my resolutions have to do with dieting and eating better and walking more, and I am usually good for a couple of months and then well…

As I was reading my Facebook feed one morning a friend of mine had posted to see what everyone else’s resolutions were going to be. She ended up deciding to drink more water. It was something she needed to do and it would be an easy resolution to keep. A light went on in my head. How fabulously brilliant, simple, easy, and good this resolution was! According to WEBMD.com drinking adequate amounts of water balances bodily fluids, controls calories, energizes muscles, helps reduce stress, keeps skin looking good, helps filter the blood stream of toxins and helps solid waste to move on out of your body.

I never knew New Year’s resolutions could be so easy. I thought I just might have to decide this would be my New Year’s resolution as well!

As I contemplated this resolution over the next couple of days all I could think about was the Living Water/the Water of Life. I thought about the river flowing from the temple in Ezekiel’s vision, the waters flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb in Revelation. I though about Jesus and the Samaritan Woman and how he told her whoever drank from the Water He had to give would never thirst again! Yet the one reference which stayed foremost on my mind was of Jesus crying out in the temple on the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles.

³⁷ On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. ³⁸ Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.”^[c] 39 By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive John 7:37-39 (NIV)

If I partake of the Holy Spirit…the Living Water…He filters out those things which are spiritually toxic like those found in Galatians 5:19-21 It is obvious what kind of life develops out of trying to get your own way all the time: repetitive, loveless, cheap sex; a stinking accumulation of mental and emotional garbage; frenzied and joyless grabs for happiness; trinket gods; magic-show religion; paranoid loneliness; cutthroat competition; all-consuming-yet-never-satisfied wants; a brutal temper; an impotence to love or be loved; divided homes and divided lives; small-minded and lopsided pursuits; the vicious habit of depersonalizing everyone into a rival; uncontrolled and uncontrollable addictions; ugly parodies of community. I could go on. (MSG)  

As we allow Him to filter the poison instead of spewing toxins on others out of our lives will flow good things like the list from Galatians 5:22-23  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 

As I was contemplating all of these things Graham Cooke posted this on his Facebook and summed my need for the Holy Spirit up this way "Your language has to be in alignment with Heaven. The first thing we teach in Prophecy School 101 is you can't prophesy over people if you are slandering or gossiping. If you want to get brilliant prophetic words over people, stop gossiping, stop slandering, stop speaking against people, quit all that negativity, and if you can, stop whining! A fountain can't bring forth both sweet water and bitter." From MIND OF A SAINT

Not that I feel that I have the gift of prophesy, but what I am called to do is to speak words of life into people. I will hinder myself from doing this I don’t start filtering the toxins out of my spirit. Direct evidence that I have slacked off in this area is that I have not keep as tight of a rein on my mouth as I should be for the past two months and guess what?! This seemingly harmless, yet conscious, lack of control has had an effect. I’ve spewed toxins not only about, but on people. I need to sit at the source and drink. Times of refreshing…

So here’s my New Year’s Resolution: Remember My Water…both physical and spiritual.

For some reason today I couldn't upload any videos but here is a link to a great song!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ga1B2_7IlAU

Steadfast Love.

As I sang the first line of O Come All Ye Faithful at my church’s annual candle light service a thought hit me like a ton of bricks. I had always considered myself faithful but really I’m not. Well, I am in the marital sense. I mean I do not serve the Lord as faithfully as I’d like or as I ought.

I’d proved this fact the night before working in the school’s concession stand with my husband; just the two of us. I love my husband. He is delightfully ADHD. And bossy. And has a lot of energy. I am ok with who he is and I never want to stifle that in him. But let me tell you that night in the concession stand I sure was tempted to. I will not bore you with the details because they are ugly; and most of the ugliness was reactionary and came from me.

What I learned that night is I am not as faithful to my beliefs under stress, or when I am angry as I expect myself to be. To tell the truth and much to my annoyance I am still mad at him, and I am mad at myself for not conducting myself in a Christ like manner. I am disappointed in me.

The week before, during, and after the concession stand incident there has been a theme that has looped itself through my conscious and subconscious thought process. It was sparked when a friend of mine posted on Facebook she had the privilege of reading Lamentations 3:22-23; 31-33 at a funeral for her dear friend.

²² The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
    his mercies never come to an end;
²³ they are new every morning;
    great is your faithfulness

³¹ For the Lord will not
    cast off forever,
³² but, though he cause grief, he will have compassion
    according to the abundance of his steadfast love;
³³ for he does not afflict from his heart
    or grieve the children of men.

 (ESV)

I am sinful, I miss the mark, and I fail. Nonetheless His steadfast love never fails.

Please don't misunderstand what I am saying. I have always known I am not perfect and I fail, however, I have never been so acutely aware of the fact that I need a Savior as I am this Christmas season. His mercies are new every morning not because I quit sinning, not because others need His mercies, but because I.am.a.sinner. Failure is part of the human condition from which I am not exempt. 

I love how The Message interprets these passages from Lamentations, and I’m throwing in a couple of extra verses because I love how it reads.

^22-24 God’s loyal love couldn’t have run out,
    his merciful love couldn’t have dried up.
They’re created new every morning.
    How great your faithfulness!
I’m sticking with God (I say it over and over).
    He’s all I’ve got left.

^28-30 When life is heavy and hard to take,
    go off by yourself. Enter the silence.
Bow in prayer. Don’t ask questions:
    Wait for hope to appear.
Don’t run from trouble. Take it full-face.
    The “worst” is never the worst.

^31-33 Why? Because the Master won’t ever
    walk out and fail to return.
If he works severely, he also works tenderly.
    His stockpiles of loyal love are immense.
He takes no pleasure in making life hard,
    in throwing roadblocks in the way:

God’s love can’t run out, it can’t fail, it will never dry up. His mercies are new every morning. Great is His faithfulness even when I’m not faithful!

I am going to take some time this week to go off by myself, to enter into silence, bow my head in prayer, not run from or ignore this state I am in, and wait for His hope to appear.

This video is a song from the 70’s that has been playing in my mind. It is a great throwback and has an awesome message.Here’s to a great 2014 and the awesome fact His steadfast love never ceases!

Diligence in the Pit Stop.

We recently hit a yellow-caution light on the parental go-kart track of life. Thankfully it was a regrouping pit stop/wake up call and not a complete spin out. These warning flags are part of parenting and are to be expected. While we were dealing with the details the word impressed upon my mind was diligence, and how it pertains to parenting.

When I think about the word diligent my mind always goes to Hebrews 11:6 “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that comes to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” (AKJV) I was curious how and where else diligence is used in the Bible. What I found has deeply moved me.

What I found when used throughout the Old Testament (Hebrew) the word diligence conveys something done as a willful conscious effort with all one’s might and power until the task at hand is done; much like the rebuilders of the wall in Ezra and Nehemiah. Some of the men were set to work at rebuilding the wall, defensive weapons in one hand building tools in the other. Some were set to be the guards, or the watchmen, they were to be on the lookout for enemies who were threatening the destruction of their hard work.

In the New Testament (Greek) the word diligence conveys a work or labor that is painstakingly, even elaborately, examined or investigated. It conveys a sense of urgency, and providing on the behalf of someone else.

A good example of this is 2 Corinthians 8:11-12 (MSG) “So here’s what I think: The best thing you can do right now is to finish what you started…You’ve got what it takes to finish it up, so go to it.”  Paul was urging the Corinthians to put to action their good ideas on the behalf of others.

When you bond the O.T. idea of zealous, willful, guarding, watching, perceiving, one-step-ahead-of, protection and warning with the N.T. painstaking, elaborate, examining, careful handling and the desire to be at one’s best on the behalf of and in action for another you get a parent.

Am I the perfect parent?! Goodness no! Will I always be a step ahead of or aware of everything which takes place in the lives of my kids? No! Are there days parenting gets exhausting? Yes! But by the grace of God and a little help from others I will strive to be diligent and continue to steer them in the direction they are supposed to be going.

  

This experience has been a good reminder that although my children no longer require the constant supervision they did as littles they still need me to be their ‘watchman’ to help them become the men they were designed to be.

The Big Reveal

I am obsessed with HGTV. I enjoy watching House Hunters because I am intrigued by how inexpensive housing is in other parts of the country. However, my favorite shows are the ones where they completely remodel an old junker to something completely fabulous in 30 to 60 minutes. For some reason (maybe because my homes have been in a perpetual state of remodel my entire married life) it gives me a sense of closure a sense of completeness. I can watch these shows back to back to back.

I am fascinated by the big reveal at the closing of these shows because I like to watch the looks of awe on the part of the home owners. Inevitably their newly finished home goes beyond their wildest dreams and expectations. A great portion of the time these people are overwhelmed with emotion at the greatness which lies before them. Some even become apologetic for arguing with and not wanting to relinquish control to the designer. I, however, am a mere observer watching these designers work their miracles.

As the Christmas season approaches the name for Christ which is foremost in my mind is Emmanuel ~ God with us. I love this name for Him and am reminded of a song we used to sing at church in the 80’s simply titled Emmanuel.

Emmanuel, Emmanuel,
His name is called
Emmanuel.
God with us,
Revealed in us,
His name is called
Emmanuel.

Emmanuel, Emmanuel,
Your name is called
Emmanuel
God with us
Revealed in us,
Your name is called
Emmanuel.

(posted from Lyrster.com)

There is that word reveal.

I have been mulling over this word reveal for the past six weeks and what it means in light of Emmanuel being revealed in me. Am I an accurate revelation of Christ?

When people are around me does my life reveal the emotion inducing design revealing awesomeness that Christ is? When people are with me are they able to observe an everlasting-chain-breaking love? Are they able to rejoice and become emotional because of what they see the Master Designer can and will do with their lives? Kind of like the emotional people on HGTV?

Don’t get me wrong. I am not saying I am Christ. Nor do I believe that every single second of every single day is going to be a mountain top experience with Christ where I shine His love perfectly. There are days that are going to be rotten. Kind of like the remodeling on HGTV where they hit dry rot, or mold, or knob and tube wiring that has to be replaced. What I am saying is I am, as Christians we are, the vessels through which the Designer is choosing to reveal Himself. My words, my actions, the freedom I am to live and walk in are the revelation that He is Emmanuel God with us!

He can take this old junker heart of mine and redesign me so He is revealed in His awesomeness; if I will relinquish control to the Master Designer.

I leave you with the song God With Us by Mercy Me.

Can I Help You With That?

Around Labor Day this year my husband decided to pour a concrete slab for a partial basketball court for our boys. I have accumulated many funny-concrete-pouring stories over the past twenty-plus years. I will spare you those.

On this particular concrete pour our good friend who is a rock mason, and experienced in pouring concrete, came to help my husband. Our friend brought his three youngest children with him; the littlest is his only girl.

After the cement truck came and went I went inside to straighten up my kitchen. Our friend's little girl followed me in shortly thereafter. As I was scurrying around my kitchen I started to unload a grocery sack that was lying on the floor that had cans of chili in it.

“Can I help you with that?” She asked. Wow; six simple yet powerful words! I was elated  with her offer of help.

I wonder how many times I've missed out on an opportunity to help someone else because I was too busy, or too wrapped up in my own stuff? Or because I was being selfish with my time and talent? Or because I was frozen in my tracks with fear of not ‘doing it right’?

I wonder how many times I have passed on help from my Heavenly Father because I didn’t avail myself of His help.

My latest word fascination is with the word incline. As in He inclines His ear to us when we ask Him for help. I ran across the word incline in a Psalm the other night.

Incline your ear to me

rescue me speedily!

Be a rock of refuge for me,

A strong fortress to save me!

Psalm 31:2 (ESV)

In another version:

Get down on my level and listen,

And please-no procrastination!

Your granite cave a hiding place,

Your high cliff aerie a place of safety.

(The Message 31:1-2)

There are several different Hebrew words used in the Old Testament for our English word incline. Most of them include common definitions. Words such as to be drawn, to hear, to be attentive, heed, to pay attention, to stretch out, extend, to bend down, to bend, and to bow.

I get the mental picture of a benevolent Father with a small child bending down to get on eye level or bending gently to pick up a child that needs comforted.

I think all too often we see God only seated on the Throne in His Sovereignty and not inclined towards us in His love.

There is one instance of incline used in the Greek in the New Testament that stands out and overwhelms me beyond words and beyond tears.

After he took the wine, Jesus said,

"It's done . . . complete."

Bowing his head, he offered up his spirit.

John 19:30 (MSG)

This was the ultimate act of God inclining, bending, and bowing towards humankind. May I ever be aware of His desire to bend towards me everyday of my life. 

Cursing at Pie Crust and Other Things I Don’t Want You to Know I Do.

First of all let me apologize to my church ‘Aunties’. Well, and probably my mother too, but she’s used to me by now.

Every time I make an apple pie with homemade crust I think I should be given an award for the ugliest-best-tasting pie! I have never gotten the knack for rolling pie plate shaped crusts that don’t fall apart on transfer from cutting board to pie plate. (I have since learned they need to go in the fridge for five to ten minutes.)

So the other day as I was transferring the latest ugly crust to the pie plate and it fell into a million pieces in the space between the cutting board and the pie plate I said a word you definitely can’t say from the platform at church. Well you could but… ya, no.

I thought what would your church Aunties think about that? Well after they got over their shock they would probably say nice mouth DenaRae and love me anyways. Not that they would condone the language. Neither do I to tell you the truth, but hopefully they’d go home and pray that I’d stop cussing because honestly I’m trying to. But it is a habit a long time in the making.

I remember one occasion when I still had my driver’s permit and someone cut me off in traffic. I let loose with a hand gesture and a string of four letter words…and then I remembered my mom was in the car. “DenaRae young ladies don’t act like that and they don’t talk like that!” was all she said. It’s probably a good thing my dad wasn’t in the car.

What’s my point why am I telling you all this? There are days I am so frustrated with where I am in the process of my life. I’m not just talking about cursing at the pie crust either. There are many facets of my life where I can see where I want to be, yet I feel as if I am perpetually stuck on level 33 in Candy Crush not able to clear the required jellies to get to the next level. Somehow I don’t think I am alone.

So today I choose to trust His process of who I am becoming. The woman He designed me to be.