Random but listening

Random thoughts spin, hover and take flight
focus seems all but impossible
there is much I want to share
but it seems like I'm pulling words out of a paper bag
my thoughts look like a ransom note...

The first asparagus are pushing their way out of the ground.  Last year Faith realized how delicious they are and now we are trying to teach her that she may not eat them before we get a chance to pick them.

It's my wedding anniversary today -- 12 years ago my life became wrapped with Rick's around the core of God's love -- here again are words I wrote a few years back:

Elizabeth Barrett Browning penned: "How do I love thee? Let me count the ways." Let me take a bit of creative license here and say: "Why do I thank God for Rick? Let me count the ways."

• Rick loves God above all else. That keeps his other priorities aligned.
• Rick is not afraid to say "I'm sorry"
• Rick has the same quirky sense of humour I do. We laugh often.
• Rick is a lifelong learner.
• Rick is quick to encourage and support me in whatever I believe God is asking me to do.
• Rick's bag of tricks, his knowledge and abilities fill in the gaps and compliment my own.
• Rick has a heart that has been kneaded, molded and softened by the Lord.
• Rick always finds new ways to surprise me with his kindness.
• Rick handles our finances with skill and Kingdom mindedness.
• Rick is Rick! He is exactly who God created him to be but open to the Lord's ongoing and never ending work in his life. God is taking him from glory to glory, and I get to come along for the ride.

I know without any shadow of doubt that God had His hand upon every detail of my life-to-be with Rick. If you haven't heard the story of our first face-to-face meeting you can click over and read it here.

The rains have stopped for a bit - leaving the new overgrown spring grass dry enough to cut.  I shall spend some time this afternoon riding in circles on my garden tractor,  the first mow of the new year. I will worship, and I will pray, and allow the Lord to whisper His mysteries into my heart.


Seeing Him in all that surrounds me and sharing with Jennifer and the rest

 

Compassion in Tanzania

 

Bloggers are once again out on a limb for our amazing and loving God. 

Amy Lupold Bair of Resourceful Mommy

Jolanthe of Homeschool Creations

Kelli Stuart of Minivans are Hot

Maggie Whitley of Gussy Sews

Scott Williams of Big is the New Small

and The Nester at The Nester

have joined trip leaders Keely Scott and Shaun Groves to explore what God is doing in Tanzania, seeking His heart and acting from the well of His great love.

You can follow each of their blogs at the links above and/or keep track of them all on the Compassion Blogger's Tanzania trip page here

As I read their stories I hear the voice of My Lord reminding me not to covet other people's mission experiences, particularly in Africa, where the red dirt claimed my heart.  I will try to eleaborate in another post the stirrings in my spirit, but for now, check on those in Tanzania and let your heart beat with His!

 

What is man?

What is man that You are mindful of him,

and the son of [earthborn] man that You care for him?

Yet You have made him but a little lower than God [or heavenly beings],

and You have crowned him with glory and honor.

You made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands;

You have put all things under his feet:

 All sheep and oxen, yes, and the beasts of the field, 

The birds of the air, and the fish of the sea,

and whatever passes along the paths of the seas.

O Lord, our Lord, how excellent (majestic and glorious)

is Your name in all the earth! 

Psalm 8:4-9 Amplified

 

Once again singing His praise with Deidra's choir this Sunday

 

So for now...

There is a post rattling around in my spirit
it has been knocking there the past two or three days
but it seems unwilling to settle enough to give words to...

Perhaps it is trying, like I am
to find wings

waiting has never come easy to me

so for now
in that blind place called faith
I'll join Sandy in the stillness

The fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God,

this faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living.

It's our handle on what we can't see.

Hebrews 11:1 The Message

 

Stop here and breathe in the stillness with Sandy

 

I wouldn't choose rain

The rain today
that falls softly without ceasing
is not unexpected
the earth has cried for moisture
preparation for the growing
that is soon to come

While I, feeling chilled
deep in my bones
would have chosen sun
I surrender to needs
greater than my own
attempt to find joy
turn the heat up
flex and extend my aching knee
pour another hot cup

A wise young writer friend Duane Scott
wrote provoking words on Facebook today
mentioning my name among some very gifted writers

Some of my best blogger friends, always have beautiful endings... they always point things back to God. But I know they struggle. I know they have flaws.
But their God and their faith in God outshines all of those flaws and honestly, I think my perception of them becomes a bit false because of it. I forget they're human. (And I start to think they don't have 1/10th the struggles I do)

I answered back:

It is in our flaws, hung out for the world to see that His light truly shines..

He called me sweet and I replied:

we can't be so sweet that we're not real... it's the real touched by His love...

My heart and my intention is to be open, transparent
it often leaves me raw, bleeding
but I will yet praise Him
yes, I will yet praise Him.

Why are you cast down, O my inner self? And why should you moan over me and be disquieted within me? Hope in God and wait expectantly for Him, for I shall yet praise Him, Who is the help of my countenance, and my God.
Psalm 42:11 Amplified

 

Believing that are no concidences with Jennifer




and walking hand in hand with the redeemed at Emily's

Wisdom adorns her

I kept thinking, 'Experience will tell.

The longer you live, the wiser you become.'

But I see I was wrong—it's God's Spirit in a person,

the breath of the Almighty One,

that makes wise human insight possible

Job 32:7-8 The Message

 

Joining the gathering of her today with Claire, Kelly and Sarah

 

I'll take His much

There is much that I have learned but more still left unknown
much I have held on to that I need to release into hands that can do much more than mine

Here are the words the Lord shared with me this morning:

Would you take things out of My hands into yours?
You who still must learn of consequences
while I know the end of things before the beginning
I know the reason for every bend in the road
for every break
for every pain
When all is black to you
still I see
Can you surrender to My knowing
even when you do not?
Can you open your hands
and let go?

I will take His much in exchange for anything this world can offer
much forgiveness, much grace, much love
all this and so much more waits for those who choose to live in Him.

And if what was transitory came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts! 2 Corinthians 3:11 NIV





Joining Peter and the rest today talking about much