Monthly Archives: June 2012

Fear and Faith

29 Friday Jun 2012

Posted by in Influence, relative

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Fear and Failure, Faith and Fantastic…

The words easily roll off my tongue, I could turn them into a song:

“Fear goes with failure, Faith is fantastic.

Fear is for losers, Faith is for winners.”

But I would be lying through my teeth.  Just like so many others who give the subtle message that fear is bad and faith is easy and always good.  Because it’s just a bit more complicated than that…

Fear in itself isn’t wrong, or evil, or to be shunned.  I am afraid of being burnt, or caught, or tortured.  It keeps me making sound decisions most days.  But when fear paralyzes me because my mind has somehow been make a prisoner of it, like the fear of driving in traffic or the fear of giving a phone call, I am in trouble.  I must give myself a good old talking to and work against it with all that is in me.

It’s all relative, isn’t it?  We ought to have perspective rather than make rushed judgments on people, situations and choices.

Faith in itself isn’t right, or beautiful, or to be sought after.  Faith in the lottery, or in my ability to defeat gravity, or in my superpowers is just plain stupid.  The lack of it keeps me going to work, grounded on the earth, and humble most days.  But faith in my God causes me to soar like an eagle, to walk and not get tired, to run and not become weary.  Faith in His promises drives me forward and gives me a future.  And that is just plain excellent.

It’s all relative, isn’t it?  We ought to have perspective rather than make rushed judgments on people, situations and choices.  Maybe that should be the theme of the song… but you really wouldn’t want me to sing it; sometimes, you just have to know what you’re not so good at.  That’s common sense.

And isn’t that what’s needed, instead of blanket statements?

I’ll take some common sense, thank you very much.

Cultivating Thankfulness with Ann Voskamp

#163 The sun peeking through my dusty window this morning

#162 The exhilarating feel of a great workout

#161 The trust of a friend with a precious secret

Linking up with Faith Filled Fridays and RJD

Wednesday’s W: WILL

27 Wednesday Jun 2012

Posted by in choice

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I WILL….  or     I WILL to…

 

I WILL scrub the toilet even though my WILL is to snuggle up with a good book.  Hmm…  after I scrub, I’ll read.

My WILL determines my “I WILL.”

Interconnected somehow…

What do you WILL?  What WILL you do?  Can you see a connection?

Cultivating Thankfulness with Ann Voskamp

#160 Books that I can’t put down

#159 Books that make me want to become better

#158 Books that make me smile

#157 clean toilets in my house

Death brings Life

26 Tuesday Jun 2012

Posted by in Death, life

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Every time.

The seed must die and be buried in dark dirt.  Forgotten, discarded, seemingly lifeless.  And when spring springs forth, the seed comes to life and becomes a living organism–powerful, beautiful, strong and gorgeous.

And the Lamb had to die and be slaughtered by men.  Buried behind the stone.

Forsaken, judged, condemned.

And after three days passed, Life conquered the grave.  Overwhelmed it big time.

And I have to die to the self I hold on to.  Give it up, let it go, bury it deep in the dark.  Then the life of the Son overcomes me and wins.

Every time.

Cultivating Thankfulness with Ann Voskamp

#156 His tender mercies toward me

#155 my oak tree in the backyard

#154 reading glasses

Linking up with Tell me a Story, The Extraordinary, Titus 2sday, SDG, Gratituesday, Deep Roots, Miss Elaine-ous Life and A Pause on the Path

Gifts

24 Sunday Jun 2012

Posted by in beauty, Gift

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There are just what they are:

a sunset,

a sunrise,

a new pair of shoes,

a sky full of birds

and the smile on your face.

Yet when my eyes are open to them being God’s gifts to me personally, everything changes.

The marvelous sunset last night?  It came after I fought with myself all day long and finally came to a place of peace.  I knew that God was in control and I let go.  And then He gave that sunset to me. It is well with my soul.

That breathtaking sunrise this morning?  God’s reminder to me that He will be faithful to be all day long, and then some.

The new shoes I am wearing?  I feel like I walk on air.  And with them I can run, leap, jump and just play.  They make me feel so happy and when I put them on, they declare to me His attention to details.

Oh, and the birds in the sky? They know where to go in the winter, and how to come back in the spring.  They follow the leader, a great dance in the sky. They are intricate, majestic, powerful.  And their song makes my heart sing.  Liquid gold for my soul.

And the smile on your face, it is indeed God’s gift to me.

God’s very specific love notes to me.  They change me from the inside out.  They make me ponder and declare that I am loved from here to heaven and back, all the way to this little plot of land where I dwell.

Cultivating Thankfulness with Ann Voskamp

#153 The evening song of birds in my backyard

#152 The Sunrise over the Maine Coast that took my breath away

#151 The sun setting on Blue Spruce Lake

#150 The joy of being loved from here to heaven and back

Linking up with Inspire me Monday, Jumping Tandem, the Better Mom, a Mama’s Story, Denise in Bloom, Play Dates with God, Hear it on Sunday, Still Saturday, Bible Love Notes, What Joy is Mine, Graceful Summer, Thankful Thursday and Create with Joy

Name Calling

22 Friday Jun 2012

Posted by in Name

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I call myself a clutz; He calls me sanctified in Him.

David was an adulterer, yet God called him a man after His own heart.

I call myself a loser; He calls me an over-comer in Him.

Gideon hid in the winepress, and God called him a mighty warrior.

I call myself weak; He says I am strong in Him.

You see your husband as a loser, and God calls him a priest over his household.

I call myself a simple girl; He calls me a daughter of the King.

“Agree with God and be at peace; thereby good shall come to you.” Job 22:21

Cultivating Thankfulness with Ann Voskamp

#149 my husband who still tells me every day that he loves me

#148 the mirror of His Word 

#147 His ability to change my mind

Linking up with Just for Fun, Still Saturday, Women Living Well and Graceful Summer

God in a Box

19 Tuesday Jun 2012

Posted by in Christ centered

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Two things about me:

1. I am highly organized; or at least, I think I am. Everything has its place in my house and in my head, and I tend to think in categories. It makes life manageable; it works for me.

2. I think in absolutes. Things are either black or while; period. I get all uptight when they are grey, because I don’t really know what to stand on.

So when it comes to God, I want to do the same. I want to declare, “That’s how He works.”  Or, “That’s what He is like.”  Or, “That’s what you can expect.” I want little compartments and absolutes; I want to put His ways in neat little boxes with labels on them, like “How God provides,” or “What God does when I cry.”

But God won’t let me. He won’t allow Himself to be categorized.

One time He provides with ravens, another time with water out of a rock, and another time He tells His disciples to go fishing. He had me give away my last potato the day before He brought me a 50 pound bag of the same.

When I am in despair, He sometimes tells me to toughen up, or calls me to repent, and at times He just holds me until I can go on.

When I needed wisdom, He has opened His word to me, and He has also told me to ask for secular help.

When my friend acts in a way that I judge not acceptable, He tells me to get over it.

I can’t figure Him out.  

He has a sense of humor, yet He is the most serious one I know.

He is God Almighty, and He can play like a kid.

He is all about life but doesn’t hesitate to kill.

And at times, He is o.k. with grey.

He won’t be put in a box.

 He is God.

Deal with it, Barbara.

Cultivating Thankfulness with Ann Voskamp

#144 God surprises

#143 My husband praising me

#142 My healed knee

#141 A great kickboxing class this morning

Linking up with SDG. GratiTuesday, Faith Filled Fridays, Titus 2sday, Denise in Bloom, God Bumps, Bible Love Notes, the Alabaster Jar and Just Write

Slow Down

17 Sunday Jun 2012

Posted by in beauty, carefulness, choice

≈ 24 Comments

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Slow down to  listen.

Do you hear each little raindrop falling on the windowsill?

Slow down to feel.

Feel the summer warmth wrap itself around your bare shoulders.

Slow down to look.

Look deep into the eyes of the child telling you his forever dream.

Slow down to enjoy.

Enjoy the effect if the wind swaying the little tree in the backyard.

Slow down to taste.

Taste the deliciousness of the pumpkin cheesecake in your mouth.

Slow down to drink.

Drink in the soulful music in the air.

Slow down to breathe.

Breathe in the fresh baked bread and the fragrance of the Lillies-of-the-Valleys in your backyard.

Slow down.

Listen to the chatter of a baby, and take the time to fold the sheets nice and crisp, and wipe the tears with kindness and care, because

Life is not an emergency.

It is here and now. It isn’t what you have to do to get to the place where you can just chill on your own.  It is what you are all about. It is who you are and what you do and it is right here. Right now.

Cultivating Thankfulness with Ann Voskamp

#141 the internet

#140 words in my heart and at my fingertips

#139 My daisies in full bloom 

Linking up with Jumping Tandem, Hear it, a Mama’s Story, Finding Beauty, the Better Mom, EOA, Tell me a Story and In and Around Mondays

Cultivate

15 Friday Jun 2012

Posted by in beauty, Influence

≈ 12 Comments

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To cultivate: to develop, to improve, to train for the purpose of growth.

Can I cultivate my eye?  Train it to improve its view? Is it possible to sharpen its sight, and make it focus on its purpose? Because I desperately need to cultivate an eye for all the graces imparted in my life.

I have gone through the hours of one, or two, or even three whole days without taking notice of these lovely daily graces: the refrigerator full of fresh goods, the hug of my friend, the sense of well-being, my bed so cozy at night; the music in my head, the feast in my heart, my settled spirit, the excitement of my thoughts, the strength of my body; the love of my children, the faithfulness of my husband, the toilet paper that doesn’t run out.

And what I don’t see clearly doesn’t benefit me.  Amazing graces renewed daily, and they go unappreciated.  Not savored.  When I don’t live in the awareness of them, I waste joy.

Oh, for the discipline and grace to cultivate my eye.  Train it, improve its view, its sight, its purpose.

And somehow, my eye is intimately linked to my mouth, because when I really, really see, I seem to always acknowledge it with words.  And when I use my mouth to recognize those lovely daily graces, my sight becomes more accurate.  And when my eye purposefully looks for these lovelies all around, my mouth finds itself cementing them in my heart.  It’s the eternal circle of thankfulness.

The crop is delightful, and laden with fruit.  Which makes my eye happy and fills my mouth with a song.

Cultivating One Thousand Gifts with Ann Voskamp:

#138 my cozy bed

#137 lunch on the patio, listening to the birds 

#136 the softness of my chair

#134 a thinking mind

#133 my swept front porch and its robin’s nest 

Linking up with Faith Filled Fridays, The Alabaster Jar, Bible Love Notes and Small Things

Wednesday’s W: WANT

13 Wednesday Jun 2012

Posted by in carefulness, choice

≈ 6 Comments

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I have wanted so much in my life–from the Prince Charming to the gorgeous house. I have been given so much in my life.  From Prince Charming to the gorgeous house.

And I still want so much.  But my want is different now.

As I have traveled through the years of my life, I am learning a wonderful secret:

I am leaning to want what I already have.  

And it is more than enough.

What do you want?  And what has your want taught you?

Cultivating Thankfulness with Ann Voskamp:

#132 A job well done

#131 Raw cauliflower crunching in my mouth

#130 Reading glasses

Linking up with EOA, Denise in Bloom, God Bumps and Imperfect Prose

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