Hello Again!

Hello old friend!
I have missed you greatly. I felt a little lost without you there for a bit, but God showed me that sometimes we have to grow through some things in order to get to the next level. Recently, though, I've been feeling the itch. I've had a few word plays come to mind that make me think you are back and we are ready to do this again. I am so very excited to see what comes next.
What have I been up to, you ask? Well, I worked part time as a florist for a bit. I had hoped that that meant I was done with this chronic illness business, but alas, I was wrong. I went down again and really struggled with finding my worth. Then we moved, which has been awesome, but came with its own set of new struggles and discoveries. My health has continued to be a roller coaster ride. We've had some really great highs and some scary lows. But through it all, we've come to truly see and understand who we are in Christ, and more importantly, who He is.
We also got not one, not two, but three new pups! We had no idea the joy and chaos they would bring. God has taught me so much through them! Then, the kids are all preteens or young teens now. That's been fun, hahaha. Oh the hormonal rages and tears and angst that come along with that age range! Not to mention, all the fun things we have to talk about, including gender, dating, active shooter scenarios, and many other hard things. Ben and I just celebrated sixteen years together. Through our journey, we've come to really love and trust each other, no matter what life throws at us. We've learned it's never going to be 'easy', but if we talk it out and turn to God, it will always be okay.
I look forward to sharing some of these adventures and lessons with you, old friend. I also can't wait to see what God leads us through with this renewal of words. It will be wonderful, come what may!
Until next time, stay strong, be courageous, and trust that He's got you, no matter what!

That Place in the Woods

In that place in the woods,

As the sun

beams upon my face,

I sit in awe at the music

You create.

While the birds in the trees

Are twittering, chittering,

Chatting about their day,

Tap-tap-tapping away..

The breeze dances through the trees,

Scattering the leaves

And whispering to me

The lovely secrets it keeps.

Laughter and love quietly shout

To remind me what it's always about.

The peaceful existence fills my soul

And prepares my heart for battles untold..

I sit back and watch,

as the birds flitter by,

Knowing that soon,

I'll have to say goodbye.

To return to a land

that's lost sight of it all,

And take up my sword

And remind them to pause...

To remember the Savior,

Who died for us all,

And the God who loves us,

Sin and all.

the Gardener

I love when God teaches me a lesson using things in my daily life. This morning, as I was tending to my plants, the comparisons between the work at hand and how He cares for us struck me.

When I am in constant care of my plants, and they are receiving the water and food and pruning they need, they grow and flourish. Some need bright, direct light, while others need a gentle diffused light. Some do better separated from the crowd, yet still close enough to interact with one another. Others love to be in a group, allowing the water to flow from one another and their leaves to become intertwined. Sometimes I have to prune one hard in order to help it grow. Some need a gentle hand, while others need a firmer one. When one is sick or struggling to live, I have to give them extra attention. Sometimes I lose one, and I am very, very sad.

As God cares for us, He knows what we need before we even need it. When we are connected to Him, we grow and flourish. He sent us living water in the form of Jesus, and food for our souls in the form of the Bible, to ensure that growth. He shines a light for us all to reflect, but gives the perfect amount of light for each of us to flourish. He brings people into our lives because we need each other. When we are all connected together, and our arms are intertwined with His, that living water flows from one to the next in the form of grace and mercy. He also prunes us when we need to grow, and while oftentimes it hurts, it is so good for our growth. Then there are those that He loses. If you think they don't break His heart, then you would be wrong. He fights for us all, and gives each of us every opportunity to turn to Him.

He knows what we often don't want to admit: we all need the Gardener. My plants won't live if I turn away. Neither will we, if we turn from Him.

But for those whose roots are firmly enmeshed in His foundation? We will grow.

P.S. I'm so glad to be writing again!

Calling

As I watch the snow,

Gently falling, falling.

I hear Your voice,

Gently calling, calling….

Speak to me daughter,

You need Me, need Me.

Walk with me daughter,

And heed me, heed me.

Pray to me daughter,

And heed me, heed me.

Listen my daughter,

You need me, need me.

I have a plan,

And it’s calling, calling.

It’s time to work,

No more stalling, stalling.

Look at me child,

No more falling, falling.

Trust in Me now,

Hear me calling, calling….

I hear You, Father,

And you’re calling, calling.

It’s to get up,

No more stalling, stalling.

I hear Your voice,

Gently calling, calling.

I will stand up,

No more falling, falling.

Snowflakes

A few weeks ago, a couple of friends and I were talking about the usage of “snowflake” as a derogatory term. We decided that it wasn’t cool to use something so unique in such an unkind way, and that we needed to take that term back. But to be honest, I haven’t thought much about it since that day.

However, it’s snowing here today, and it is the most amazingly beautiful snow I’ve seen in a long time. I’ve spent my quiet time today watching the beauty that God created. It started with sleet, and then gradually changed to snow. The sleet was pounding down in a straight path to the earth; hitting hard at the end and bouncing a couple of times before coming to rest and melting slowly into nothingness. Meanwhile, the snow floated gently down, in a meandering path, knowing that it too would come to a rest on the earth as well. However, instead of melting immediately, the snowflakes begin to lean on one another. Thus, making a quiet peaceful blanket of snow, covering everything they came to rest on and supporting those flakes that come later.

That’s when it occurred to me…

Why are we not more like the snowflake? Each is individual. No two are exactly the same, just like us. A snowflake alone melts into nonexistence, but when they lean on and support each other, they can bring a peaceful existence to an otherwise insane world, at least for a short time.  Man cannot stand alone, lest he melt into nonexistence. God created us to stand together… to support one another, and love each other. Yet instead of standing together, we race to the finish line, bouncing off any and everything that stands in our way, not caring who we harm or what we have to do to win.

We run over each other to finish a race none of us are competing in.

You guys. We all get to the same finish line. Some of us will reach it with grace and mercy, having made an impact of support and love. Others will reach it with terror and anger, having made an impact of neglect and hate, or icy cool indifference.  Which do you choose?

As for me and my household, we choose God's grace and mercy. We choose love. 

We choose to be snowflakes.

Divisive Device

He saw the device

in our hands

and devised

a devilish plan..

A divisive device

that can

divide

man from God, and

man from man.

A created device

no one would think twice,

to check once,

twice,

Thrice a minute...

ignoring anything

and anyone

who was not in it.

A vise of a vice

that would grab hold

of our hearts

and minds

and not let go...

A vise of a vice

we treat better

than our young

and our old,

and consider far more

precious than gold.


A 'necessary' device

which we can't

live

or love

without,


A device to be used

to spread hate,

lies

and doubt...


A device to get advice

from all but the right place,

a divisive device

that will destroy

the human race.


As we hide

behind the screen,

and say terrible things...

Things we would

never say

if we were face to face.


So how do we battle

this evil device?

When everyone

desperately clings

to this vice?


An evil plan

for sure

of that, there's no doubt,

I do think it's time

we throw all ours out!


It's time to find

a vice

that is true,

a vice

that is pure...


There's a vice

that is Holy,

powerful and sure.

We desperately need to

crack it open

and admit

we're all broken..

that the enemy is

winning..

while we're all

sinning..


We need the Word

more

than ever before,

of that, you can be sure.


But it takes

strength and Faith

to say no today,

to stand

on your own

and face

what they say.


To trust that

the Word

we hear from

above

is far more

important

than this device

that we all love.


This device

can't divide

without our

permission.

We have to

stand strong

and accept

our mission.


To share His truth,

His message of love,

to show that He cares,

He came from above..

To show the enemy

he won't win.

To accept our

power,

and walk in truth

once again.

But God. He Is Enough.

But God.

Two small yet powerful words. Everything hinges on those two words. Think about it. We wouldn't be here, But God created us. We didn't make this, But God did. We can't do this, But God can. You intended this for evil, But God used it for good.

That is it right there. It doesn't matter how badly we mess up, how stupid we act, how wrong we are... He can change it. He makes our crooked paths straight. Think about it. How many times have you done something that you immediately knew was a very bad idea? How many times were you able to get out of it on your own? How many times have you been so certain you were right, only to find out later, you were very, very wrong? I mean it. Seriously take a few moments and think about the screw-ups in your life.

Who rescued you?

But God. 

I wouldn't be here...... But God rescued me. But God used people to help me see. But God was there. But God loves me. But God.  It all hinges on that one tiny little phrase, that is so very big. It all comes back to Him. He loves us enough to do the things we cannot do. He loves us enough to rescue us time and time again and straighten our paths back out when we've made them all crooked and crazy.

If only we could remember, instead of going into panic mode each time something new happens. We always seem to forget when it comes down to the wire. We definitely forget when things are going our way. We think that we are in control and that we can do what we want, when we want, and not have any consequences, because it's all about me, right? Then we finally, finally hit our knees.... crying out to Papa, "PLEASE!!!!!!!! HELP ME! I CAN"T DO THIS! PLEASE LORD I NEED YOU!!!!!!"

And we realize.....

He Is Enough. 

In every situation, He is enough. In everything, He is enough. Try it out... Lost your job? He is enough. Divorced? He is enough. Childless? He is enough. Hungry? He is enough. Thirsty? He is enough. 

Each and every time, we come to understand two things:

But God.
He Is Enough. 

Put them together and you have the most powerful thing you could ever carve into your heart and mind:

But God, He is Enough. 

No matter what I face. No matter where I go. No matter what I do. No matter what anyone else says.

But God, He is Enough. 

Always and forever, amen.