One of those days to say--Wow, Lord!

        Sometimes you simply have to say, "Wow, Lord!  Thank You, Lord!"  Today was one of those days.
        Now granted, it is a spectacularly beautiful day...more like spring than the last day of January.  Sunny and 60's and, oh my, life is good.
        But more than that, I'm thanking the Lord for an amazing day at church.  Wonderful message at Sunday School (thank you, Thomas!).  Fun sharing the greeting duty with a dear friend (thank you, Scottie!) at the front door of our church (which is Broughton High School--sure feels like a holy and happy sanctuary to me--thank You, Broughton!).  Incredibly powerful message through the sermon (thank you, Joel!).  Great music (thank you, Lane!).  And then, to top it all off, we finished off by singing "Forever Reign."  And this is where I say: THANK YOU, LORD!!
       As our youngest son, Peter, said, "Mom, as soon as we started singing that last song, I knew you'd start crying...and sure enough, I looked over there...and you were."  Yep, pretty pathetic.  A grown women unable to sing one of her favorite songs, because the tears were flowing.  Really flowing.  But they were happy, joyful tears.  Good thing I don't wear makeup.
       You see, as I've probably shared here too many times, that was one of the key songs we listened to when Janie lay unconscious and unresponsive in that little ICU room.  Right before her accident, we had seen a very inspiring video that was set to the music of that song.  The video featured a college runner in a regional track meet.  It was the real recording of the actual event, and Heather (I think that was her name) fell hard after the first lap of the 600 meter race.  That's not the sort of fall that you can jump up and recover from in a fairly brief race...much less resume running and be anywhere close to being in contention.
       But remarkably, she did.  In fact, she actually ended up winning the race at the finish.  And all the while the song in the background--"I'm running to Your arms, I'm running to Your arms.  The riches of Your love will always be enough.  Nothing compares to Your embrace. Light of the World forever reign."  And that's just the chorus...the verses are even better.
       While Janie lay unconscious in that bed, we listened to a CD of wonderful Christian songs our daughter, Mary Norris, had made for us.  When this particular song came on, all I could think of was this video.  And my husband and I had prayed, "Lord, that is our Janie.  She's fallen down in her race.  Father, we ask, by Your infinite power and in Your great mercy, that You would allow our Janie to get back up and resume her race...for Your glory, all for Your glory, Lord, and by Your grace."
        And all praise, glory, and thanks be to God that He did.  And she is running her race to--and by--the Savior that she loves.
       So you see, whenever I hear that song, it simply takes me back to a tiny ICU room in Greenville, NC.  A place of sorrow and brokenness...but also a sanctuary of God's love, grace, and beautiful presence.   And all I can say is, thank You, Father, thank You.  Thank You for the treasures of our church...of our dear friends...of our family...of music...of Your glorious creation...of simple daily gifts of food, laughter, home...of Your supernatural healing touch...of days when You are so close, so real, so loving to us in our brokenness...and also of days of joy when we feel Your pleasure....of Your mercy and grace that is infinitely greater than all our sin.
       Lord, keep us running.  Running to Your arms, all the way to the finish line.
       And for any out there who are weary or burdened or discouraged, might they take to heart the message from Joel this morning which might be summed up in a few simple words:
      "Don't stop!  Don't put your gun down and wave the white flag!  Don't. Ever. Give. Up!"
      Thank You, Lord, for the reminder.  To God be the glory.
     

The first bloom...a breadcrumb gift

        "Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar, and all that fills it; let the field exult, and everything in it!  Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy before the Lord, for He comes, for He comes to judge the earth.  He will judge the world in righteousness, and the peoples in His faithfulness." (Ps.96:11-13)
        The first camellia bloom of the new year...and, wouldn't you know it, it opened this morning.  How did that hardy little bloom know I needed a reminder today of God's faithfulness?  How did this little guy realize that yours truly needed to remember thankfulness and gratitude?
        The Sovereign Lord strikes again!  (As He always does.  I'm just a mighty good "forgetter.")
        Let's face it: there are simply days, even brief seasons, where we grow weary and discouraged for no immediately identifiable reason...other than, perhaps, the ordinary wear and tear of life.  The last few days for me have been that sort of season.
        Chalk it partly up to late January and February...at least in my little universe, the most challenging, wearying time of the whole year.  Christmas joy long gone.  Spring impossibly distant.  Gloomy, chilly weather (ugh).  Busyness and activities resumed full throttle.  Some friends and family enduring hard, dark times.  And lots of brown and more brown all around.
        And then the Lord goes and does something like this--a tiny, bright, blood-red bloom to remind us all--I'm here!  I'm working and moving and redeeming and transforming in a million different ways in a billion different places...just because you can't see My work means absolutely nothing!   You need to see through the lens of faith.  Which means walking by faith, not by sight.
        But  just in case, our gracious, loving Abba, Father, sends His little gifts here and there to remind us.  A solitary flower--the color of Jesus bloody death...that He died for you and for me.  The bloom of life...that He rose again to give us.  The buds all around--the promise that just as winter will not last forever, neither will this season of downheartedness.  
       God's creation sings of His faithfulness, His goodness, His power, His majesty, His love.  If the trees of the forest can "sing for joy," how can not we?  Each bloom singing a hymn of praise--"He's good!  He's here!  He's love!  He's grace!  He's Life!"  Oh, Lord Jesus, help us to join in the chorus of thanksgiving and praise, even in winter's darkness, even in life's discouragement.
        For You. Are. Infinitely. Worthy. And Wonderful!
        I loved these words from Edward Welch: "Joy takes practice.  Study joy in the Psalms...the goodness of God is shot through creation [Amen!] and the church, so joy is always possible.  When you can't see it, return to the cross and appreciate the beauty of what Jesus did. [Did you hear that weary soul?]  Appreciate the beauty of His sacrifice--His willingness to be come like us and give up everything. Appreciate the beauty of His love.  Just behold it.  Admire it.   Splendor ascends over the sorrow of life....Some say that joy is the serious business of heaven. But don't think that this is just for the sweet by-and-by. The kingdom of heaven began with power when Jesus came, so you can get into the family business even now."
        Yes, Lord, yes! Thank You for relinquishing so infinitely much in order to bring us redemption.  Thank You for the hideous, terrible, wondrous, beauty of the cross.  Thank You for coming and giving us life--eternal, abundant Life.  And joy--Your supernatural indefatigable joy.
        Finally, Father, thank You for the constant gifts of little breadcrumbs--like Your camellia bloom-that are sprinkled along our way...pointing us, reminding us of the way back home.  Home to joy.  Home to hope.  Home to You.
       Keep our eyes of faith open to see Your breadcrumb gifts that we might join in the joyful chorus of giving You all the praise and thanks.
        To God be the glory.

A Winter's Walk

         Walking early this morning on the greenway with Mr. Bingley--a tiny slice of heavenly beauty and peace.

 And, of course, there were so many fabulous sticks--he was in heaven as well.

        And to think I had dreaded getting outside!  I'd been so preoccupied with worrying about the ice and cold and mess that I'd be facing that I almost missed the gifts!  The wondrous and myriad gifts of winter, all straight from our Heavenly Father, the giver of all good gifts.  The ice-tipped trees sparkling in the slowly rising sun.  The quiet.  Oh what a blissful sound of peace.  The bracing cold that reinvigorates and revives.  The white blanket of snow padding the pathway and covering the bare, brown earth.  The stillness and simple stark beauty of a early winter's morning.  

         Worship of our Lord can happen anywhere, anytime, when our hearts are attuned to Him.  Oh might we be ready to give Him glory at all times, in all places!  And He is always working, always moving, always redeeming, always giving gifts.
         Maybe the greatest blessing of a few days of enforced isolation with a winter storm is this gift of restful quietness, of stillness, and of seeing what's around us with fresh eyes.
         I loved these words I read from a man who writes of taking a weeklong winter retreat in solitude.  Like all of us, he experiences worries and strivings that seem to assault him as he awakens early on his first morning in the little cabin.  Don't we all know the feeling?  Busy, hurried, anxious, fussing and fretting.
       But Parker Palmer writes: "Now, a few hours later, I’m feeling that peace again. It came from a breakfast of bacon, eggs, and toast, all ready simultaneously despite the fact that I’m a certified kitchen klutz. It came as well from looking out on the snowfields, brilliant under the rising sun — but beautifully etched with the shadows of trees and stubble poking up through the snow...After breakfast, I read the January 12 entry in "A Year With Thomas Merton," a collection of daily meditations:
        'It seems to me that I have greater peace… when I am not 'trying to be contemplative,' or trying to be anything special, but simply orienting my life fully and completely towards what seems to be required of a man like me at a time like this.'
        Simple and true, but so easily lost in Type-A spiritual striving! What was required of me this morning was simply to make breakfast despite my well-documented ineptitude. The deal is to do whatever is needful and within reach, no matter how ordinary it is or whether I’m likely to do it well.
        This afternoon, what I needed was a hike, though the wind chill was six below. I’m no Ernest Shackleton, but I learned long ago that winter will drive you crazy until you get out into it — and I mean “winter” both literally and metaphorically. 'In the middle of winter,' said Camus, 'I at last discovered that there was in me an invincible summer.'
        I didn’t discover summer on my hike. But the sun blazed bright on the frozen prairie, warming my face. And high in the cobalt blue sky, a hawk made lazy circles as I’ve seem them do in July. For January, that’s close enough to summer for me!"
        Isn't that so true?--"winter will drive you crazy until you get out into it."  That's what I was reminded afresh this morning.  Sometimes you simply need to take that first step.  Get out there.  Begin.  Step out in faith--whether that means literally taking that first step outside on a winter's day...or taking that step of faith into the great unknown in obedience to God's calling.
        Perhaps too many musings!  But oh how I've loved these past few days of quietness, savoring God's beauty even in winter.  The busy world awaits, and it's almost time to jump back in, but thank You, Lord, for Your myriad and varied gifts and the unhurried time to enjoy them.
        So many gifts from a simple winter's walk.
        Thank You, Father.  Love You, Abba.  To God be the glory.
       

Relentless rejoicers

       

        Waiting.
        Waiting for snow, or sleet, or (horrors of horrors) freezing rain to fall all day long.  Oh joy.
        Here's what I'm wondering: why on earth does any human being voluntarily live in Wisconsin...or Minnesota...or North Dakota?  Seriously, winter in some of these arctic tundra states must be beyond brutal.  I don't care how much you love skiing, sledding, and ice skating...I simply cannot imagine how you survive month after month of frigid temperatures and frozen precipitation.            Yes, snow is absolutely beautiful and peaceful, and the cooler temperatures can be so invigorating, but still...  I wouldn't last a week up there.  No way, no how.
        But..."Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." (I Thess.5:16-18)
        So right now, thank You, Father, for this day, this sleet/snow/freezing rain-filled day.  Thank You for the quietness, for the break from the same old busy routine, for the time at home to (Lord willing) read and and sit by the fire and enjoy time with our families or solitude, as the case may be.  Thank You for dryers for wet clothes.  Thank You for power (so far).  Thank You for plenty of food and chocolate.  Thank You for cell phones to keep in touch with children (won't they be so happy to hear from us?!) and friends.  Thank You for hot tea and Your warm, nourishing Word to savor and strengthen us this morning.
        And thank You for the reminder that we want to be relentless rejoicers and not contagious complainers.
       We have a choice, each day, each hour, whether we will obey Your command to rejoice always and to pray unceasingly, and to give thanks in all circumstances.  It's not theoretical, is it?  We all tend to do pretty well when it's "in theory"...but sometimes, when the rubber meets the road and life doesn't go quite according to plan, well, we forget.  And we fall into the old grumbling and griping or worrying and fretting mode.  Yuck.  Oh how I don't want to be a contagious complainer!
        So thank You, Lord, that Your mana reminds each new day to start afresh.  To rejoice in You this day.  To pray and practice Your presence throughout this day.  And to give thanks in all, all, all that You bring us this day.  This never-to-be-repeated treasure of a day.
        Oh how I loved these words I just read from Ann Voskamp: "The grace that's in this moment is  your mana.  Wish for the past and you drink poison.  Worry about the future and you eat fire.  Stay in this moment and you eat the mana needed for now."
        Yes, stay in this moment, rejoice in this moment, pray in this moment, give thanks in this moment, and find God's amazing, beautiful grace sustaining and empowering you whatever this day may bring.
         Thank You, Lord, thank You...for Your presence, for Your mana, and for the gift of this day.  Teach us, help us, Father, to be relentless rejoicers.
         To God be the glory.

Remembering

        Goodness gracious, this has been one of those days...as in, where are earth has this day gone?  I've been busy since the moment I got up this morning, but the day just seems to have slipped right through my fingers.  There's been a lot of "this and that and the other"--as in, organizing this, emailing that, preparing and cleaning and picking up and dropping off and responding and...who knows what else...all day long.
        The day is nearly finished, and what on earth have I got to show for it?  Just a lot of minutiae and busyness.  Yet in all that "sound and fury signifying nothing," I failed to stop and spend time with the Maker and Sustainer of the universe.  Geez...talk about misplaced priorities.  You'd think an old gal like yours truly would know how to put first things first and make sure the truly important gets accomplished before the seemingly urgent.   Forgive me, Lord.
        But here's the thing.  I can continue to berate myself and remain grumpy and frustrated...or I can simply start now.  I'm that little child crawling into her Daddy's lap, knowing He'll love me even when I've missed the mark.  I don't want to allow any more of this day to slip away without spending a few minutes with my Heavenly Daddy.
         I loved this prayer from Tim Keller: "Lord, so many of my problems stem from not remembering you.  I forget your wisdom and so I worry.  I forget your grace and so I get complacent.  I forget your mercy and so I get resentful of others.  Help me remember who you are every moment of the day. Amen."
        As the old hymn says, "Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it.  Prone to leave the God I love.  Here's my heart, Lord, take and seal it, seal it for Thy courts above."
      It's never too late to remember and repent and return home.
      Thanks for helping me remember, Lord...and please keep reminding me.  
      To God be the glory.

Keep us singing

         Early morning.  Dark and still outside.  Oh how I love this time of day!  And here's what I'm thinking about: Lord, what is my song of praise to You this day?
          I read these words just now from our next passage for Bible study in the book of Nehemiah--      "And at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, they sought the Levites in all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem to celebrate the dedication with gladness, with thanksgiving and with singing, with cymbals, harps, and lyres." (Neh.12:27)
        And then in the Daily Light for this morning: "I will trust and not be afraid; for YAH, the Lord, is my strength and my song; He also has become my salvation." (Isa.12:2)
        News flash--fish oil, kale, and green tea are not our strength.  Weight training, power walking, and exercising with good buddies are not our strength.  Plenty of sleep, fresh air, and sunshine are not our strength.  Our sweet dogs, happy homes, and shared laughter are not our strength.  Dare I say it?--Maria's chocolate cake, hot baths, and reading by a warm fire are not our strength.  Even those dearest to us, our family and friends, are not our strength.
       They are all gifts, wondrous gifts many of them, to be sure.  Oh how overwhelmingly thankful I am for such treasures in my life!  Thank You, Father, for such treasures of priceless family and friends, for home, for Your creation, for good food and fellowship, for the joy of laughter and love and life.  What incredible joy they bring to my life--and it's all grace, grace, grace!
       But above them all, You Lord, You are our strength and You are our song.  And because You are our song, we will always have reason to rejoice and a song in our soul to sing.
       Thank You for giving us such gloriously wonderful earthly treasures in our family and friends.  Thank You for the dear gifts of dogs and home and laughter and books and homemade chocolate cake and walking in the fresh air...and on and on.  What gifts from the hand of the most generous of all Gift-Givers!  But thank You most of all for The Gift of gifts--the Lord Jesus.  "Thanks be to God for His indescribable Gift!" (2 Cor.9:15)
       And so, like the folks way back in Nehemiah's time as they prepared to dedicate and celebrate the rebuilding of Jerusalem's walls, and like the Psalmist, let's begin our day with a song of praise.
      Ask God to give you a song.  And remind yourself of it throughout the day.  Sing the chorus in the rush of the morning routine.  Sing it in your heart as you prepare to eat lunch.  Hum a few bars quietly to yourself late in the afternoon as your strength is flagging.  Just a little reminder of Who is with you and for you, right there, whatever you are doing--He's there.  And He is your song.  And therefore, you can rejoice, no matter what the day may bring.
       "Bless the Lord oh my soul, oh my soul. Worship His Holy name.  Sing like never before oh my soul. And worship His Holy name.  The sun comes up, it's a new day dawning.  It's time to sing Your song again. Whatever may pass and whatever lies before me, let me be singing when the evening comes..." (Matt Redmond, "10,000 Reasons")
       Father, keep us singing to You, our strength and our song.  To God be the glory.
     

Strength Infusion

         Early this morning, Peter, Mr. Bingley, and I drove up to our son's favorite go-to spot for a fast breakfast--good old chick fil-a.  Yes, we're all about nutrition around here.  sigh.  But he'd convinced me that a bagel chicken sandwich was just what he needed to power through school today...and he's the baby of the family, so well, I indulged him.
         But here's the thing--I awoke this morning weary.  As in really bone-tired weary, and discouraged.  I know, I know, that's not supposed to happen at the joyous beginning of a new year with all it's new resolutions (which I rarely make) and new possibilities (although I'm kinda of status quo girl, as in, "Can we just agree that all our children won't grow up and leave us and we'll all stay at this age and not have to endure any more challenging changes?"  Somehow I did not get a vote on this.)                  
          Here's the point--I was feeling spent, overwhelmed, and generally "blah." I won't go into all the reasons, but weariness and down-heartedness were dogging my every step.
         As we rushed out the door, I grabbed a David Jeremiah devotional book and told Peter the price for going to chick fil-a was him reading us a devotion while I drove up there.  I wanted to get a bit of God's Word into him before he headed off to school...what I didn't realize was that God knew yours truly needed to hear it far more than our son.
         Let me cut to the chase--God used the words of man I've never met, read by my son, to speak Truth right into my heavy heart and weary body.  The devotion began with these words: "If you feel weary or weak, think of these Bible verses on the subject of strength. Choose one to commit to memory and ask God to use it to impart strength to your fainting heart."  Gee whiz.  As Peter read verse after verse, tears slid down my cheeks.  It was quite literally an instantaneous strength-and-hope infusion right there in the old suburban.
       Oh my, what a sovereign, loving Savior--to know just what His faltering child needed to hear, right when she desperately needed it.  What a caring, personal, wonderful Lord we serve!
        Maybe nobody else out there today is in need of a strength-by-the-Truth infusion like I was, but just in case you are, can I share some a few of God's life-giving, joy-producing, hope-filling verses--
        "Your sandals shall be iron and bronze; as your days, so shall your strength be." (Dt.33:25)  "Seek the Lord and His strength; seek His face evermore!" (I Chron.16:11)  "Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength." (Neh.8:10--one of my very favorites as we've been studying the wonderful book of Nehemiah)  "My flesh and my heart fail; but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." (Ps.73:26) "The Lord is the strength of my life...Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart." (Ps.27:1,14)  "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." (Phil.4:13)
          What a relief!  It's not up to us to gin up some strength or simply try to push, push push harder.  Nope--it's God's joy that is our strength!  It's Christ who strengthens us and enables us to do whatever He's called us to do.  It's God who is our strength and portion forever.  Hallelujah!
         Be strengthened in the Truth of God and live in the supernatural power and indefatigable joy of His presence--He is the Living Word who is with you every moment of this day and everyday.
        "The joy of the Lord is your strength!"  And His strength will never, ever run low.  As David Jeremiah put it: "When our strength is exhausted, His is undiminished."  Yes!  Thank You Lord!
        To God be the glory.