Flashback Friday - Shoreline sunrise

Image by eszter via Flickr

Jo gave us an open theme this week, as long as we went back in time a bit. Here I go way back to a time when I didn't know that what I needed was Jesus. I am thankful beyond words that He knew all along.

In the pre-dawn silence I walked along the water's edge, shoes in my hand, feeling the soft lapping of the waves upon my feet. The cold was a welcome contrast against the heavy stillness of the air. Time seemed frozen there, on the empty beach as I waited for the morning sun to arise. My eyes had grown accustomed to the lack of light, so that as slivers of orange and red and gold began to break above the surface of the water I had to squint against the brightness.

Stepping a few paces back from the water, I sat in the sand, watching the colourful display unfold. Another morning was beginning, like the day before, and the next, an endless progression of days that seemed to hold no meaning.

“Things fall apart, the centre does not hold” I remembered reading somewhere, and the words fit the pattern of my thoughts. The thoughts of a teenager that indeed was prone to over dramatize, to try to fit my life into a poetry of sorts.

My eyes were dry and scratchy, the lack of rest cracking in the corners. One night? Two? More? I couldn't remember the last time I felt the peace of sleep and so wanted to be overcome.

I had come here alone to walk the shore, to wonder at the beauty, to find something I didn't know I was missing without knowing what that something was. There is no treasure map to follow when you don't know what you're looking for. My hands dug deep in the sand around where I sat, the grit of it caking under fingernails, not chewed but picked at, leaving them sharp, short and uneven. Sand sifted through hands that felt they could hold nothing and a heart that was learning not to try.

Then I spotted it, just an arms reach away, something catching the light in the sand; a small piece of glass, worn smooth around the edges, a milky opaque green created by water, and sand and time. I placed in the pocket of my jeans, rubbing it between my fingers and returned to treading along the beach.

And all at once, there was the day, stretching out before me as I wondered, “what next?”

I was too young to have no purpose, no goals, nothing to aim at. No course was set. No wonder time seem to stretch out endlessly, no scheduled separated the hours.

“I have nowhere to go and no one to be” I thought. “Did I ever have a plan?”

At fourteen I paced the shoreline and tried to remember dreams.

Stop over at Mylestones and share your flashback.

His Cross - my cross

It is a fine line my Lord asks me to walk

that narrow road from death to abundant life

to thank Him for His cross

and shoulder my own

My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20 NLT

My spirit knows the truth of these words, but my flesh, oh, my flesh! Day by day, often moment by moment it struggles to ressurect itself. Perhaps this is what prompted Roy Hession to write in The Calvary Road:

But dying to self is not a thing we do once for all. There may be an initial dying when God first shows these things, but ever after it will be a constant dying, for only so can the Lord Jesus be revealed constantly through us.' All day long the choice will be before us in a thousand ways. It will mean no plans, no time, no money, no pleasure of our own. It will mean a constant yielding to those around us, for our yieldedness to God is measured by our yieldedness to man. Every humiliation, everyone who tries and vexes us, is God's way of breaking us, so that there is a yet deeper channel in us for the Life of Christ.

Help me look to Your cross and lay down my rights that Your life might be reflected in me, not to my credit Lord, but for the glory of Your Name.

Word Filled Wednesday - Seeds

Some skeptic is sure to ask, "Show me how resurrection works. Give me a diagram; draw me a picture. What does this 'resurrection body' look like?" If you look at this question closely, you realize how absurd it is. There are no diagrams for this kind of thing. We do have a parallel experience in gardening. You plant a "dead" seed; soon there is a flourishing plant. There is no visual likeness between seed and plant. You could never guess what a tomato would look like by looking at a tomato seed. What we plant in the soil and what grows out of it don't look anything alike. The dead body that we bury in the ground and the resurrection body that comes from it will be dramatically different. 1 Corinthians 15:35-38 The Message

Today Susan is hosting us at Forever His

Tuesdays Unwrapped - Patience

Image by Premier Packaging via Flickr

"Don't pray for patience" I have been warned more times than I can count. "The only way to develop more patience is through trials and tests." That's almost more than my impatient heart can bear, a heart that wants what it wants when it wants it. I'm the one you'd hear praying "Lord, give me patience and give it to me NOW."

However, today I am unwrapping the truth that my Lord keeps trying to teach me. If I abide in Him, I have access to all that He is. My patience will never be enough, but it's not about who I am, or what abilities I possess. It's about Who He Is and my choice to live in and through Him. He Is patient and I can allow His patience to have its perfect work in me.

My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. James 1:2-4 NKJV

What treasure have you found today? Join Emily at Chatting at the Sky to share what you've unwrapped.

Have you opened the gift of abiding in Christ and experienced the joy and freedom it can bring to your life? Leave me a comment, I'd love to hear about your journey.

God, me, baseball and the church

I grew up in the Chicago metropolitan area, north side, far north side. That friends, would make me a Chicago Cubs fan. It also might explain part of the learned pessimistic anxiety I wrote about in yesterday's post. When you ride with the Cubs you hope for the best while expecting the worst, that way, you're never disappointed.

I admit that I was just a casual fan, without much real knowledge of the game, so it surprised me when Jesus spoke to me about His church using baseball terms. It would make sense for him to talk to Billy Coffey this way, Billy lives and breathes baseball, but me? I guess He is proving His Word:

But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 1 Corinthians 1:27 NIV

So here is the journaling time I shared with my Lord:

Thank You Lord for Your everlasting presence in our lives. Thank You for speaking to Your bride in words and visions and scriptures. Today I choose You again Lord. I choose to serve no other gods. What would You like to say today?

I see a baseball diamond and You Lord are playing every position, both infield and outfield.

Yes, for I Am the only One Who would be able to Be all places, all things at all times. I Am that big and that powerful. As for you, in your world, you need each other. For you can only play one position at a time - one pitching, one catching, one for each base and so on. Your role may change from time to time as abilities and talents shift, but I have gifted you each for your area of service, to function with the help of others. Can all be first basemen? Are all called to left field? But let each one serve where they have been placed.

Think of the beauty and timing and intricacy of a triple play - each player focused on the task, aware of each other, moving with precision to accomplish what seems impossible.

My church can be like such. if you follow My lead, work as your part instead of attempting to be the whole. I created you to need each other. Together you can equal so much more than your scattered parts.

As each draws closer to Me, learning to practice My presence, so too must you practice the presence of each other to learn how to live and move and have your being together as one body. Think again of the baseball team - they only function well because of hour after hour of practice. Actions and reactions become almost automatic. They don't think "catch now throw" rather the body just moves. So too will My church operate when you learn to function as one.

You will see victory upon victory, even facing teams that seem impossible to beat.

You will be My mountain movers, filled with power by My Spirit. A team of those united in and by My Name. Unstoppable for My glory.

Spring will come

The farmers are out on the fields here, cultivating, fertilizing and even beginning to put the seeds in the ground for this year's crops.

The trees are showing off their buds, some bushes are flowering, and we have asparagus popping their heads out of the ground.

I walk out into the sunshine and breathe in the scent of new life, wanting to be filled with the promises of Spring.

And though God is helping me to break free from the fear of disappointment, I hesitate, and tune my ear into the voice of memory. Logic and reason tell me to curb my excitement, watch, wait and remember last year.

The forsythia blossomed early, not expecting the snows yet to come.

This is the view of my backyard on the 15th of May last year, this is the image that is holding my joy hostage.

Do you also have memories that try to steal the joy of the moment? I don't want to miss the beauty of these days by worrying about what tomorrow may bring. I want to rejoice in the best instead of expecting the worst, because my God already knows what lies ahead.

Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? Luke 12:25 NLT

Today I choose to trust in the One Who created heaven and earth, knowing that if spring is not yet here, it will surely come.

The "What If?" Challenge

Image by laurakgibbs via Flickr

Last week, the Faith Barista, Bonnie Gray asked me to particpate in her "What If" Challenge.

I responded with the following list of five what ifs :

What if I believed God truly is for me and not against me?
What would I do knowing He would move all of heaven and earth to accomplish His work through me?
What if I really wrote that book?
What if I finally learned how to organize my time effectively?
What if I forgave every person who I ever felt hurt by?

Bonnie asked us to post today on how we met the challenge and link back to her.

I must admit I'm not sure that I've made much progress this week toward making these a reality.

I have meditated on the power God has to work all things for good, which touches on what if I believed God truly is for me and not against me and what would I do knowing He would move all of heaven and earth to accomplish His work through me?

I posted another excerpt from my NaNoWriMo Challenge work for last week’s Flashback Friday, so that counts as progress on what if I really wrote that book?

I haven’t even started on what if I finally learned how to organize my time effectively? I’m too disorganized to begin, I suppose.

The need to forgive has been following me, knocking around in my heart and spirit. The Holy Spirit is gentle yet persistent, convicting me that what if I forgave every person who I ever felt hurt by is a challenge I must meet.

As I pondered and mediated this week, I sat down with my journal and my Lord, and this is what Jesus had to say:

I am holding your broken heart. Even as you extend it to others, it remains in My hands. I know when you hurt, little one, but I am the One Who calls you to love. Your heart cracks, then grows as it heals. The bigger the heart, the more pain it can feel.

No, I didn’t create you for misery, child, but to feel a portion of what I feel. You have a heart in training, learning to love against all odds, those who do not return love, and those who seem most unlovable. When that heart bleeds, not for itself, but only for the pain of others, its lessons will have been well learned.

You have asked Me to use you. And I do, and I will. But as you surrender, it is not your choice of use, but Mine.

Does the clay tell the potter what form it should take? So too must you allow Me to craft a vessel suited to My purposes. As I broke for you, you also, little one, will break for Me.

Then help me to know Lord when the pain I carry is not my own, that I might bear it well.

Keep looking and listening to Me. Other voices swirl about like winds and create confusion. My voice is Truth and Light and brings you revelation and wisdom. Voices that bring darkness are not Mine.

We will open each room in your heart to discover those things that do not belong there. Some were indeed proper for a season; others were never supposed to be stored there at all. I already know what your heart holds, child. Now it is time for you to see as well.

I see netting around my heart, almost as if it’s there to keep my heart from falling apart, but it also stops it from growing. Have I used this net to protect myself?

Indeed, like a safety net – old patterns and beliefs, that you think will help you if you fall. Only I can catch you, little one, and I will.

Nets can be cast off. Chains can be broken. Walls can come down. Your heart is in My hands.

Word Filled Wednesday - Fretless

Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Matthew 6:26 NLT

Christy is hosting us today at Critty Joy

Ephesians 6:18 Saturdays - Repentance

Pray at all times (on every occasion, in every season) in the Spirit, with all [manner of] prayer and entreaty. To that end keep alert and watch with strong purpose and perseverance, interceding in behalf of all the saints (God's consecrated people). Ephesians 6:18 Amplified

Last time we were looking at prayers of confession, where we confess our sins, asking for and receiving forgiveness from our Father. Confession deals with the sins that were committed. Repentance deals with the state of the heart that committed the sins.

Many people think of the following verse as an example of repentant prayer:

if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14 NIV

The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia defines the word turn as it is used in this verse:

The term שׁוּב, shūbh, is most generally employed to express the Scriptural idea of genuine repentance. It is used extensively by the prophets, and makes prominent the idea of a radical change in one's attitude toward sin and God. It implies a conscious, moral separation, and a personal decision to forsake sin and to enter into fellowship with God. It is employed extensively with reference to man's turning away from sin to righteousness.

Prayers of repentance involve not only a conviction and confession of wrong but a turning away from the sins we are confessing.

Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon. Isaiah 55:7 NIV

Prayers of repentance are truly life changing, we come clean before our Lord, ask Him to help us walk in His ways, and then can ask:

Put me on trial, Lord, and cross-examine me. Test my motives and my heart. Psalm 26:2 NLT

Is your heart heavy laden? Are there things which you need to confess and turn away from? Run to the Lord, He is always ready and willing to listen, already knowing all your heart holds and waiting to assist and comfort you. Run to Him and receive His love and mercy beyond measure.

Next week, we'll look at prayers of petition.

Flashback Friday - Road Trip

Jo's prompts this week were to write about spring, or family vacations or road trips. What follows is a road trip taken not in Spring but in the Fall, in the days before I knew my Lord and was searching without knowing what I was looking for.

I was always drawn to the water. The repetitive sound of the waves as they tiptoed or as they crashed flowed through me like a symphony, blocking out voices, and bringing me peace. I was glad that the lake was so near, one of the city's greatest charms.

I had seen the Atlantic years before, visiting with my grandparents while they wintered in Florida. The beach was nice, the sun was hot, and I was glad to be away from the cold of February, yet this wasn't what I imagined the ocean to be. I wanted something wilder.

After working hard, I had saved enough money and time to plan a trip to the East Coast. I had dreamed of fishing boats and lobster traps and long piers, sails and seagulls and salt in the air. Such was my idea of the sea. Everyone thought I was crazy to want to travel alone, but I wanted the time to walk the windy shores, where I wouldn't expect anyone to know me. I didn't want to take anything or anyone along that would remind of me of home and the life I lived.

I wrote in the new journal I had purchased for the trip:

“I shall wander to the sea, and by the sea yet I shall wander. I will listen to the secrets that the waves call out to me. And I will be changed, forever changed by the mysteries of the waters. I will finally be who I am meant to be.”

Vacation plans take on a life of their own, and hearts create expectations that can rarely be fulfilled. But for once in my life, in many ways, I was not disappointed. I longed to hear the calling of the waters. For three weeks, the waters sang. For three weeks I was free of any sign of home.

I found a waterfall in the middle of a small Maine town. I had heard of this place from a girlfriend who had traveled this way before me. I was dismayed to find that only a trickle of water flowed over the rocks. Passing by later that day, the trickle had expanded a bit, flowing faster and fuller. My motel was only half a block away. When I woke the next morning, I could hear the song of the water and dressed quickly, rushing down to where I had been the day before. The little bit of water had now grown to completely cover the rocks, leaping and dancing and bubbling into the bay. I sat beside it on a rock, and let the sight and sound empty me of any other thoughts. Soon I opened my journal and began to write:

“I could stay here forever. Here I can be who ever I choose for no one here knows who I should be. This would be a chance to create myself again, but I'm not sure yet who I would be. I would live here by the sea and have friendships with sailors. When they hauled in their nets I would have a comfy place for them to rest. Fresh bread and wine, coffee and cookies, flames in the fireplace to chase away any chill in the air. I would write music and sing them to sleep. There would always be flowers in vases on counters and tables and bed stands, their fragrances fresh and sweet. Life by the sea, where the sea has a life of its own. The morning light would shimmer through lace curtains and find me wrapped in the arms of one I know would soon be leaving. I wouldn't mind, knowing he would return when the tides brought him home. There would be others to fill his absence. Maybe I would learn to paint and express myself with colour as well as words, filling journals and sketchbooks. I would take a basket down to the waters edge, picking up shells and beach glass in all the colours of the sea. I would give them as gifts to my visitors as they departed, as if the tokens could show them the way back. There would always be plenty of fish to cook into rich tasty chowders and stews.

No one knows who I am, who I was or who I will be. I would be known simply as “the woman who lives down the lane” and that would be enough”

I closed the journal, tossed it into my bag and taking a last look at the waterfall went for a walk up and down narrow streets dreaming of houses I could own. I walked until I remembered that I had reservations in another town further up the coast for that night. I stopped one more time at the waterfall, then back to the motel to shower and pack. I grabbed a sandwich and drink for the road, and saying goodbye to a dream, moved on.

“I am always saying goodbye to my dreams” I thought as I drove through the changing colours of a New England autumn. The maples were scarlet and blazing orange against the dark green of the pine trees, all the more precious because their beauty was so temporary.

I began to sing as I drove:

Dreams will come and dreams will go
as the beauty of autumn soon is hidden under snow
and even as I wish my dreams would linger on
I know I must be moving, turn around and I am gone.
But the winds might blow me back one day
back to where my heart has longed to stay
I'll return without a sound
right there when you turn around
If the wind would blow me back this way.

There was more of a chill in the air as I travelled north, and the coast line shifted from calm bays to rocky cliffs. I drove with the window open, not only because I was smoking, but to catch the scent of the ocean. The sun, the wind and the salt in the air had left my skin red and dry and I could feel the sting as the air blew across my cheeks. My hair was tangled, knotted in the wind and I was enjoying every bit of it. I went back to singing:

I'm free to wander where I will
along the rocky shore
I've had just a little taste of it
but that leaves me wanting more
oh, it leaves me wanting more.
And I wonder as I wander
if they miss me back at home
as for me I love the freedom
of being here alone
oh, I'm happy here alone.
So don't try to put a fence around me
No, don't try to keep me where the waters cannot flow
For I was born to wander free
No one can have a claim on me
The more you try to hold me
the further I will go.

I sang my songs over and over as I drove so that I would remember the words long enough to write them down later. I had no way to record the melodies because I didn't know how to read or write musical notation. At least I'd have the words. And words were what I loved most.

Join Jo at Mylestones and share your flashback this Friday!

A narrow place

Image by Brett L. via Flickr

While journaling this morning:

I see You Lord, deep inside a cave. Your light shining, but You seem far from the entrance and in a spot where the cave narrows.

Yes, little one, you see correctly, for surely it is a narrow road to walk where I Am. It is like the road you envisioned last week, that began broad but grew smaller and smaller. As you come to Me, you will indeed be squeezed and pressed. But though I may seem distant, see how My light illuminates the entire cave?

Do not fear the narrow places. Do not be afraid to come to where there is only room for one. I Am that One and in those places you cannot survive but that you abide in Me.

So then Lord, this is more about the journey towards death to self? We cannot both occupy that small space, so I must die to live in You. I'm not sure I know how to do that, Lord.

You know more than you think, child, and each day you are both growing and shrinking. Each act of forgiveness, is death to self. Each time you choose to lay down some perceived rights, death. Each act of submission, how ever small, an act of dying. Listening for My voice and responding in obedience, death to self and life in Me.

Step by step by tiny step you are indeed walking the road to your own cross. When you find others willing to walk that road, help each other, love each other enough to press each other onward.

Does it seem strange to you to set death as a goal? Surely that is not the way of the world. Continue to be radical for Me, little one, for I tell you that life in My Kingdom seems like the world turned upside down and inside out.

Your ultimate victory over death is death. Death to self and new life in Me, and once alive in Me, death cannot harm you.

All those things that the enemy seeks to steal and destroy are things of your "self". When you lay that "self" aside he has nothing to threaten you with.

Do you long for that kind of freedom from fear? Then come, little one, continue to press into this narrow place, for there Am I.

Are you also on this journey, walking the way of the cross, choosing life in Christ instead of living for yourself? Let's take His advice and encourage each other, day by day, step by step.

Let's see how inventive we can be in encouraging love and helping out, not avoiding worshiping together as some do but spurring each other on, especially as we see the big Day approaching. Hebrews 10:25 The Message

Word Filled Wednesday - Justice flows

But let justice run down like waters and righteousness as a mighty and ever-flowing stream. Amos 5:24 Amplified

Lori is hosting us today at All You Have To Give

Tuesdays Unwrapped - Word on bitterness

Each time I sit down with my journal and seek to enter into the presence of my Lord He speaks to me and gives me yet another precious gift to unwrap and ponder.

After almost a week of physical illness in the midst of a season of emotional turmoil, this is what He shared with me this morning:

Bitterness comes from hurt, little one, and though the flavour is not pleasant, it is not easy to shake free of. Some peole choose to spit it out all over those around them in anger. You, child, more often swallow it down, yes, even as you express it to others, you still digest it, make it part of yourself, part of who the enemy whispers you are. He would convince you that is who you are and what you deserve. Lies. It is all lies. I know you and formed you to contain and carry my sweetness.

Hurt will surely come, and bitterness and anger. You will chew on them and taste them and tears will be shed. But you do not need to own them, swallow them or make them a part of you. Allow My Spirit to show you safe places to spit them out - in ways that will not hurt you or others.

Just as your physical body had a week of "spitting out" so too shall we continue to work together to cleanse your heart and spirit.

The tears that flow and taste so salty on your tongue are honey to My liups, little one, for they are real and they are a part of you and they are setting you free. And each step in freedom is a leap closer to Me.

Join Emily at Chatting at the Sky to share what you're unwrapping today.

Talking Marriage at Exemplify Online

It's that time of the month again....

I'm talking about marriage at Exemplify Online.

Click over and see what I have to say about turning your marriage into a sanctuary.

Holey - not holy

Image by retro traveler via Flickr

My heart and my spirit sense that the journaling session I had with the Lord this morning is something He wants shared, for He was not speaking to me alone, but to His beloved bride.

Good morning Lord, thank You for the continuing restoration of my physical well being. I come to seek Your heart this day. What would You like to say to me?

I see You holding up a large cloth, like a sheet and it is filled with holes of various sizes, there are more holes than there is cloth. I know before You speak that You want me to recognize the cloth as Your bride, Your church.

And then You say “each hole is someone who has left My body, walked or fallen away, out of hurt or disgust.” And I see the pain in Your eyes and the longing for a bride that is healed and whole. You fold the cloth carefully and hug it to Your chest, showing the love You have for the pieces of cloth between the holes, those that remain. “If many more leave, there will be nothing at all to hold My bride together.”

I knew we were far from being without spot or wrinkle Lord, but I am saddened at the desperate state you’ve shown me. I am in tears.

that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish Ephesians 5:27 NKJV

Turn to Me. Turn to love. Turn to truth. Rid yourselves of bitterness and envy. For truly My Spirit walks among you to lead you in My ways – if you but open your hearts. Every new soul builds the Kingdom, and this indeed is good. But every soul, once a part, that chooses to turn away, leaves an opening that the evil one longs to fill. What then shall you do? If one does so choose to go – as you continue to pray for them, draw closer to each other to repair the empty space.

I will knit you together in a tighter fashion in these days if you will allow Me.

Oh Lord God, may we be pliable threads in Your hands. We have failed on our watch and let the gaping holes remain. Choosing instead to stand firm in our own ways.

At times it is good to “stand” little one, and I call My people to “stand” often. But be ever listening, and prepared to move when I say “move”. Sometimes only the tiniest shift can move a mountain.

Love. Listen. Learn. And leap forward.

Flashback Friday - Forgetting

This week Jo gave us this prompt:

"Let's just run with the theme of FORGETFULNESS. Write about a time when you forgot something or someone. Or write about an experience or person that was UNFORGETTABLE."

I have to take a deep breath, dive in, and trust you won't laugh so hard and so long that I'll never be able to show my face again. But since I know that God despises the proud I submit my tale in humility.

We had recently moved from Rick's home town to a much smaller town about 30 minutes away. He was settling in at his new job and I had quit my work as a cashier at Safeway Foods to work as a cook/waitress at a local diner. Rick would leave to walk to work at 7:30 and I would usually find things to do around the house until it was late enough that I'd have to drive the few short blocks to make it in on time before the breakfast customers started arriving.

On one particularly clear day I decided I would walk, so I made sure I gave myself lots of time. I was enjoying the feel of the warm air and the opportunity to observe the state of everyone else's vegetable gardens as I passed by. Much nicer than driving, I thought, and made a mental note to do this more often.

I actually arrived with much time to spare, so the owner suggested we sit and chat over a cup of coffee or two. I poured us each a cup and brought them to the table. I sat and lifted the cup to my mouth... and... by the grace of God alone, before I parted my lips I realized that I had left home without wearing my false teeth. Now I'm not talking about a tooth or two here and there.. but a full denture on the top and a partial bottom plate that filled in for all but 3 remaining real teeth.

My hand went to my mouth immediately and turning my head I muttered about having to run back home for a minute, promising to be back before my shift was due to start. Instead of a leisurely cup of coffee, I power walked back to the house, mouth shut, fixed my teeth in place and drove back. Not quite the best way to start what had seemed to be a good day.

Now, when you stop chuckling, go visit Jo at Mylestones and add your own Flashback Friday

Time Warp Tuesday - More

I'm joining Victoria at Let The Son Shine for the first Time Warp Tuesday.

Victoria says:
"Join me on the first Tuesday of each month as we own our writing, old and new, alike! No more apologies over sharing old news--we're making what's old, news again. As we revisit our intended re-posts, we're going to add to them any new lessons and insights we've gained in the time since the original publishing."

I'm going back to a post from July of 2008 called More Than Meets the Eye.

On July 1st we took off alone to some less visited areas of Riding Mountain National Park, avoiding the crowds that were gathered at Clear Lake for all of the usual Canada Day festivities. In the beauty of His creation we both feel God’s presence more acutely.

Rick, as always, stayed busy snapping pictures with his still relatively new digital camera, purchased before our Uganda journey. We are both quite taken with the native wildflowers and many shots were captured.

Once home again, we plugged the media card into the computer and took a quick look at the pictures. Some very nice flowers indeed, we thought. A few days later, with more time available, we decided to take a better look.

Here was a nice shot of some sort of daisy type flower with strange pink balls on the edge.

We decided to enlarge the view to get a better look at them. Now we could see the pink balls better, but we also noticed something on the white part of the flower that looked like it might be an insect.

We enlarged it yet again to find a wonderful shot of an odd green bug.

This encouraged us to look closer at more of the photos.

This is a picture of a dried reed. When enlarged we found a damsel fly.

Enlarged again there is also a lady bug near the upper left corner.

It seemed that every picture we looked at began to show us more than we expected, and certainly things that Rick didn’t know were there when he took the shots.

I believe this was God teaching us to look closer. He was showing us that there is always much more than we can see with our natural eyes. He desires to enlarge our spiritual senses in the same way our computer enlarged the digital photos.

Forgive me Lord God for so often being content with my natural abilities and not asking for Your divine revelations. Help me to open the eyes and ears of my spirit, to be in tune with what You hear and what You see.

Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. Hebrews 4:13 NIV

Today, in April of 2010 I realize that God indeed has been answering the prayer I prayed that day in July, and I have felt my spirit soaring to new heights that have enabled me to begin to see a little more of what He must see. At times that brings me great joy and other times it calls me to my knees. He does call us to be in step with His Spirit, so I shall continue to ask for His vision and His heartbeat.

May it all be for His glory!