dry

May draws quickly to an end

the ground is dry, cries

for the nourishment of rain

farmers fret, gardeners

itch to plant, flats of flowers

packets of seed, wait

surely there is a time

for new life

so too my spirit thirsts

for promised refreshment

let it rain, let it pour

soak us again 

until joy overflows

make yourself ready

Fellow blogger Beth has also sensed that her word for 2014 is PREPARE.  On Friday she blogged:

The second part of the definition from mirriam-webster.com is: to make yourself ready for something that you will be doing, something that you expect to happen, etc.

I instantly recalled the song the Lord gave me years ago, crying out not only to me, but to His church to prepare.

In the garden, in the spice grove,

I am waiting for you there

In the garden, I will linger

I am waiting for you, My bride to prepare

Make yourself ready, make yourself ready,

Make yourself ready for Me

And for all you cannot do

My Spirit I send you

Make yourself ready for Me

Oh the fragrance of the garden

Love everlasting and free

I will give riches of heaven

To the one who surrenders all unto Me

Make yourself ready, it's time to get ready

Make yourself ready for Me

For My bride must be pure

And My bride must be holy

Will you be ready for Me?

I am calling, from the garden

I am waiting for you here

But the time is growing shorter

And My message to you right now must be clear

Make yourself ready, make yourself ready

Make yourself ready for Me

Make yourself ready, you need to be ready

Make yourself ready for Me.

 

hot days growing shorter

a large moon is rising as day's light begins to fade

earlier and earlier each day

the pattern speaks of Autumn

but temperatures sizzle 

finally announcing Summer

If I listen, I think I hear the corn plants

singing as their ears grow

they have waited long for this

as have I

so even as sweat drips

and heat prickles my skin

I will rejoice and not complain

soaking in the warmth

knowing the long dark months

are soon to come

 

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

 

Sunday flower

Blossoming flowers look great before they're cut or picked,

but without soil or water they wither more quickly than grass.

That's what happens to all who forget God—

all their hopes come to nothing.

Job 8:12-13 The Message

 

Joining Deidra and the Sunday choir

 

Losing time

Tomorrow will be summer
again, and it seems
I have just packed away Christmas.

Time is slipping through my fingers
faster than I can ask
where have the hours gone
the days, months, years?

Soon vegetables shall ripen
in the garden that seems just seeded
and I will be about the task
of preserving the harvest
in freezer bags, jars of spicy recipes
quickly, before snow flies
again.

Yet even this worrying has no use.
Perhaps I was never meant to hold time
but let go, let Him
do as He wills
when He wills
He always has
He always shall...

Yes indeed, it won't be long now." God's Decree. Things are going to happen so fast your head will swim, one thing fast on the heels of the other. You won't be able to keep up. Everything will be happening at once—and everywhere you look, blessings! Blessings like wine pouring off the mountains and hills
Amos 9:13 The Message

Joining Jennifer rejoicing in what is never coincidence

and walking in community with Emily and the imperfect

 

In the hidden parts

Geranium buds begin to open

looking much like roses in their unfolding...

Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts,

And in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom

Psalm 51:6 NKJV

 

Inhaling the silent stillness with Sandy


and celebrating Sunday in community with Deidra

 

Blooming in the shade

The days have grown long now
the vegetable garden begins to explode
with the promise of fruits to come.
Yes, these are the practical plants
seeds that are transformed into body nourishment
for ourselves and others.

Like any other farmer, Rick, the gardener,

does his daily, or twice daily, or thrice daily walkabout

checking progress, whispering prayers

exhaling words of thanksgiving.

These last few days

there has been time for the frills
the colour and chaos of flowers.
We planted in baskets, containers and beds
and I do my daily, or twice daily, or thrice daily walkabout
taken with beauty, whispering prayers
exhaling words of praise.

I hear His voice in these gardens

see the creative work of His hands.

Each flower unique in its thriving

those needing heat do not scorch in the sun

while others demand shade's cooling touch.

He Is, always

both my light and my shelter

I bloom beneath the shadow of His love.

The Lord himself watches over you!

The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade.

 Psalm 121:5 NLT

 

Joining Jennifer in celebrating His God-incidences

also walking in community with Emily and the redeemed

 

Green Sunday

Those who trust in their riches will fall,

but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf.
Proverbs 11:28 NIV

Singing with Deidra and the chorus of praise

  

True prayer

True prayer is measured by weight,

not by length.

A single groan before God

may have more fullness of prayer in it

than a fine oration of great length.

C. H. Spurgeon

 

In community with Deidra and the chorus of worship today

 

Waiting...

It is another day of waiting.
Waiting for words.
Waiting for rains to answer the pleading cry of our land.
Waiting for the unfurling of leaves as life reaches up into this new season.

Much is yet unseen...
but so close
taste almost touches the tongue

 

Rooted

They'll rebuild their ruined cities.

They'll plant vineyards and drink good wine.

They'll work their gardens and eat fresh vegetables.

And I'll plant them, plant them on their own land.

They'll never again be uprooted from the land I've given them.

God, your God, says so.

Amos 9:14b-15 The Message

 Taking a moment with Sandy

 

New life

For as the soil makes the sprout come up

and a garden causes seeds to grow,

so the Sovereign LORD

will make righteousness and praise

spring up before all nations.

Isaiah 61:11 NIV

 

Taking time, with Sandy, to simply be

 

Knowing Your Master

The air has taken on the chill of late autumn and we know that it is time to begin making preparations for the winter that is soon to come. With leaves crackling underfoot, my husband Rick moves back and forth around the yard, putting away tools, covering the most fragile plants with straw and cultivating the gardens before the snow falls.

Each time I catch a glimpse of him I notice he has a shadow: our dog Faith....

to read the rest of the story, click over to Internet Cafe Devotions where I'm sharing today.

 

Word Filled Wednesday - Refreshing

Observe the commands of the LORD your God, 

walking in obedience to him and revering him.

For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land

—a land with brooks, streams,

and deep springs gushing out into the valleys and hills 

Deuteronomy 8:6-7 NIV

Visit Internet Cafe Devotions to see more Word and
image combos   

Saturday magic

After holidays away, I have spent the week feeling scattered, trying to catch up with work to be done but lacking focus. I have wanted to simply sit in the presence of my Lord, allowing Him to wash away the travel dust.

This is good. This is good indeed, says He.

Today I find strength, a sense of comfort and joy as I dig deep, pulling roots from the soil. Beets, onions, carrots.  There is dirt beneath my fingernails, coating my toes.  I wash, chop and shred preparing for magic, the witnessing of transformation.

The beets, crusted with dried bits of dirt and dead leaves are homely and humble in the gathering pail, but a bit of water and heat reveal their inner beauty in a riot of scarlet.

Then there is the mixing, a bit of this, a lot of that, items almost insignificant on their own that blend together in the pot to create bowls of nutrition, fresh, hot and filled with flavour.

Yes, there is wonder in what results from the coming together of humble parts to create a glorious whole.  Now come, sit, eat.

Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him! Psalm 34:8 NKJV

A year in a day

The Lord’s words to me this morning came before I looked to see what the prompt was for this week’s Faith Jam. I may not have known what I was to be writing about today, but, as usual, He surely did. This is what He shared in the early morning hour:

It is a time of gathering as you harvest the fruits of your garden, but little one, there is much fruit you know not of and it is good indeed, and it too is being harvested in these days.

Do you not know that you have planted seeds with every kind word spoken, every loving touch? Spiritual gardens have been watered with every prayer you never knew you prayed, uttered as freely as breath.

In the season of dryness, your roots have grown deep and strong as they sought for moisture like buried treasure. Have I not promised that those who seek Me will find Me?

Then you will seek Me, inquire for, and require Me [as a vital necessity] and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:13 Amplified

Soon there will come a drenching rain and you will be able to stand in the wind of My Spirit, rooted, grounded and secure.

Together We will joy and laugh in each falling drop of glory.


Bonnie's prompt for the Faith Jam was this:

What season of faith are you walking through? Fall (letting go) – Winter (loss/waiting) – Spring (new starts) – Summer (embrace and celebrate)

I have lived through days that seemed to last a year
and years that have been crushed into the space of one day.
Seasons tossed, turned. spinning

The long days of scratching, digging, breaking thru
preparing the ground for planting
and the joyous work of scattering seeds

Weeks of waiting for the nourishment of rain
precarious, to much or not enough
both lead to trouble, loss, from parching or rotting

We celebrate the growth that has endured
as we race head first into a season of gathering
learning that plants have to die
as they offer up their fruit

I am scattered and watered
thrive and die
mourn and rejoice
lift my voice in wails and cheers
letting go while holding on
all by His hand




Jamming with Bonnie today about Faith Seasons

sharing also with Emily and others both broken and redeemed