things July taught me

Another month ends today, almost as quickly as it began.  I am joining Emily Freeman of Chatting at the Sky in choosing to mark moments of learning, however random.

During the month of July, in no particular order, I learned : 

I need to surrender daily in laying it down again

who I belong to in I am His

I still can't love mosquitoes in don't scratch the itch

I found the source of my energy in photosynthesis

life follows life in the cycle continues

it is hard to live in the moment in right here, right now

how to ask for more grace in pain on the prairie

linking up with Emily 

 

saxy songs

I never knew the way

to Baker Street or

San Jose or any of those 

too hip to show your hand

hang outs

captured by the wail

down paths wide 

and slow

or up narrow, fast 

calling me home and

pulling me back

to dark streets

alleys, drawn

with magnet force

to the wild side

sax cries hot sweat, 

passion drips

into veins throbbing to

live here now

hanging out with the poets today

also adding to the poetic strains of rock and roll at tweetspeak poetry

 

only in silence

In reality, 

only in silence 

can man succeed in listening, 

in the intimacy of his conscience, 

to the voice of God, 

which truly makes him free.

John Paul II

looking for a silence spot with Sandy

pain on the prairie

July will soon depart

prairie summer here and fleeting

we have faced an over abundance of rain,

mosquitoes, dangerous winds

the unpredictable weather

leaves my back weak, brittle

as pain takes my breath

yet there is much to be done

peas, beans, zucchini 

growing full, lush

berries turning dark, 

ripe with juices

I press on, stretch slow

inquire of and lean into my Lord

my petition simple, aching

remove this thorn

or pour out more grace

as You will

that I might best serve You

and the one you chose as my partner

pain, pain go away

don't come back another day

Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. 2 Corinthians 12:8-9 NLT

 

walking with Emily and the broken yet redeemed

 

art of becoming

reaching long

tension strains

to break free

the art of 

becoming

each movement a step

into the unknown

but promised glory

of now

hanging out at the bar, rubbing shoulders with the other poets
 

Traffic in July

It is Rock and Roll month at Tweetspeak Poetry.

The prompt last week was Blue Suede Shoes

"Pick a shoe and put it in a poem, with a little music on the side. 

Black heels. Brown loafers. Red sneakers. 

Okay, or those blue suede shoes. Rock us."

This is what poured forth:

Traffic in July

steam of summer

sizzled on concrete

sun kissed skin

sweat slicked hair

music throbbing

through open windows

bare feet tapping

rock jazz fusion

low spark of high

heeled boys

never too hot

to be cool

Go ahead and have a listen, the strains transport me back to the early 1970's, in a good way!

truth to rest in

But now thus says the Lord,

he who created you, O Jacob,

he who formed you, O Israel:

“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;

I have called you by name, you are mine.

When you pass through the waters I will be with you;

and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;

when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,

and the flame shall not consume you.

Isaiah 43:1-2 RSV

in this truth,

in this powerful promise from my Lord

I will sink in and find a place to rest

seeking the stillness with Sandy 

 

and singing with the Sunday choir at Deidra's

 

I am His

My heart beat heavy and stiff this morning

I left an online message for a friend

Once again I ask for prayers that the feeling of being left out of the loop would flee. I know nothing in this world is about "me" anyway.  At times I feel connected and that I actually belong with the group of writers and poets that gather here in cyber space - and then God reminds me that I belong only to Him.

I did not know the word for today is belong

but I'm certain that He did!

He has called to me 

in the night seasons

in the brightness of day

on the breath defying heights

and in the valleys of despair

until I cry out my desperation

and He answers

Here Am I

when I strive to belong

to anything or anyone else

I lose sight of Him

and cannot find solid ground

and yes, perhaps He allows the loss of balance

the teetering

knowing I will fall

into His arms

linking up at Lisa-Jo's where the word today is belong

 

laying it down again

Sunday morning I woke earlier than necessary
I lazed in bed while Rick slept, my mind wandering free
cycling through visions of my home, friends, comfortable life
and I pondered my decision to give it all up
for a faith based life on the mission field
"maybe I heard you wrong, Lord" my flesh whimpered
not quite willing to let go
the feeling lingered as we gathered with fellow believers
even into our time of corporate worship

I heard my voice joining in the following song:

A new song I will sing
An offering I bring
My life is for the glory of my King

My all I give to You
Lord do what You must do
My heart is Yours and Yours alone

All I have is Yours
Use me as You will
I lay my whole life down for You

and there, finding my way to my knees
I was broken, weeping
the words suddenly so very real, sharp, true
as again, I surrendered

walking with the broken redeemed at Emily's

 

butterfly effect

a touch

so light

I would have missed

it had I not 

been looking

wings 

so fragile

beating into 

currents strong enough

to alter winds

may my words

so broken

fall soft upon tender

hearts ready to

change the world

hanging out at the pub today, where poets meet

 

Activist Faith by Burroughs, Darling and King

I have long been moved, almost haunted by the words of James:

Real religion, the kind that passes muster before God the Father, is this: Reach out to the homeless and loveless in their plight, and guard against corruption from the godless world. James 1:27 The Message

How can I claim to be a disciple of Christ and shut my ears to His call?

In their new book Activist Faith, From Him and For Him, Dillon Burroughs, Daniel Darling, and Dan King tackle the tough issues of our time:

Human Trafficking; Immigration; Poverty; Environmentalism; Disaster Relief; Homelessness; Defending the Unborn; War, Terror and Genocide; Religious Freedom; Parenthood and Sexuality: Crime and Urban Decay; the Orphan Crisis.

Using quotes as varied as the Word of God, modern theologians and others, the words hit the mark and convict the spirit.  For example:

Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not. —Dr. Seuss

All three authors share stories of people they have met and lives that have been changed, including their own. I wept through Dan King's telling of a mother in Kenya:

My biggest question is the same for everyone we meet: “How has the opportunity to run this business with the support of the micro-loans affected you and your family personally?” 

She responds simply, “Now I have some extra money to buy things for my kids.” She has three young children under the age of ten. 

This is a response that I can really relate to! I have a six-year-old son at home. As his dad, I love having a little extra money from time to time so I can buy something special for him, such as a handheld gaming system. But I don’t see many kids around there playing on their handheld gaming systems. In most parts of Kenya, the term “handheld gaming system” usually means “a stick.” Some of the more fortunate kids I see get to play with an old flat soccer ball.

So I ask her, “What kinds of things do you buy for your kids?” She shrugs a little bit and responds, “You know, meat and bread.” 

For the first time ever in my life, I am utterly speechless. Here I am thinking of all the luxuries I’m going to shower my son with when I return home, and she just told me that all of her hard work provided her the luxury of buying her kids food!

Activist Faith does much more than remind us of what God desires. The authors provide examples, resources and effective steps to take with sections in each chapter: How You Can Help;Think It Through; Helpful Tools and Resources - for Research and for Action.

I pray that this book changes each and every one of us.  May these ending words burn deep in our spirits:

As you pray for guidance, consider that Jesus might answer, “I’ve changed you so you can live out your faith where you currently live, work, and study. Begin right now.” Okay, so Jesus did not exactly say it like this in the Gospels, but it’s accurate realistic paraphrase. You might not like your job, your major, or your place in life at the moment. God might have some big plans for you in another part of the world someday. Until then, start where you are. That’s where He’s placed you for the moment. Live with Activist Faith.

Activist Faith isn't just a book, it is a way of life.  Be sure to check out the website which is intended to be an ongoing resource to support the movement.

I was privileged to receive an advanced reader copy of this important work by Navpress.  The opinions I have expressed are my own.

 

Photosynthesis

I woke this morning with the word photosynthesis on my lips.  "How odd" I chuckled as I shared this with Rick.  I hadn't been thinking or dreaming of plants so it seemed strange indeed.

I sensed perhaps God was trying to tell me something and a Google search lead me to wikipedia where I read the following:

Photosynthesis is a process used by plants and other organisms to convert light energy, normally from the sun, into chemical energy that can be used to fuel the organisms' activities

Normally from the sun?  What about the Son?

Once more Jesus addressed the crowd. He said, I am the Light of the world. He who follows Me will not be walking in the dark, but will have the Light which is Life. John 8:12 Amplified

He Who Is light gives me the energy to do all that He asks of me.  I find great peace, rest and the freedom to be still in that simple and  profound truth.

 

needing to be still with Sandy

abiding with Cheryl

 

Right here, right now

there is much I have left behind

shaken off like an extra layer of clothing

useless and heavy in the heat

I don't spend much time 

looking back

pressing forward, ever forward

like Paul urged us

Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my own; 

but this one thing I do: 

forgetting what lies behind 

and straining forward to what lies ahead, 

I press on toward the goal 

for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus 

Philippians 3:13-14 RSV

yet that forward thrust

leaves me missing this moment

right here, right now

the gift of the present

a breath inhaled

then gone

we have answered God's call

agreeing as one

here we are Lord, send us

paperwork completed

we pray, we wait

attempts to silence the questions

fall short

as my mind grinds on

where? when?

feeling like those who wait for a child to adopt

checking email, again and again and yes, again

maybe the phone will ring

or something at the post office...

and today slips away again into yesterday

left behind

joining Lisa-Jo where the prompt is present

 

Firefly Island by Lisa Wingate

There are times when I want to disappear into someone else's life, stepping away from the "real-life" around me.  Lisa Wingate's tales set in Moses Lake have provided just such an escape in the past and her new novel Firefly Island took me down a familiar road.

The back cover teases:

Mallory Hale's life quickly veers off course when she falls hopelessly in love. After a whirlwind romance, Mallory finds herself leaving the bustle and action of Capitol Hill for the remote town of Moses Lake, Texas--with husband, stepson, and a U-Haul in tow. 

A sweet, mishap-filled journey into marriage, motherhood, and ranch living ensues, and Mallory is filled with both the wonderment of love and the insecurities of change.

This is not however just a sweet little romance.  There is mystery and intrigue that kept me turning pages long after I should have been sleeping.

If you have journeyed with Wingate to Moses Lake in the past you'll want to read this addition to the series. If you haven't yet stepped foot in Moses Lake Firefly Island is a great place to start.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House a division of Baker Publishing Group.  The opinions I have shared are my own.

 

don't scratch the itch

and on what day did God create mosquitoes?

here is a re-post from the 2010 archives 

because I'm too busy trying not to scratch 

to concentrate on writing at the moment:

My thoughts are scattered, I submit them to the Lord

I praise Him for this day as the sun burns its way through the clouds

just as I have praised Him through the rains that yet threaten to continue

But He is God, in all things, of all things, through all things.

All things.. yes, that must include the mosquitoes

inescapable in this the wettest season we've seen in years

seeming as large as the hummingbirds that hover

fighting for spots around the feeders we provide

I must coat myself in repellents or choose the safety of the indoors

where I watch as they seem to taunt me from the window screens

but.. He is God.. of all things, yes,

even when, particularly when, I cannot comprehend His reasoning.

Okay Lord, I'm not complaining, really,

it's not me You hear, it's the whine of the dreaded insect

as I slap it dead against my bare skin, awaiting the welt that will rise,

repeating to myself, "this is a test, this is only a test...."

At last, I have thought of one benefit of the noxious pests..

they make me forget about the wood ticks.

For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. 

[For all things originate with Him and come from Him; 

all things live through Him, 

and all things center in and tend to consummate and to end in Him.] 

To Him be glory forever! Amen (so be it). 

Romans 11:36 Amplified

 

in a flash

Listen, I tell you a mystery: 

We will not all sleep, 

but we will all be changed— 

in a flash, 

in the twinkling of an eye, 

at the last trumpet. 

For the trumpet will sound,

 the dead will be raised imperishable, 

and we will be changed.

1 Corinthians 15:51-52 NIV

 

singing in the Sunday chorus with Deidra