All In

 

Lily sitting in her toy basket. 

Simply Yoked

photo from Facebook A couple of days ago I write a post questioning Matthew 10:29. This morning I was reading over passages I had highlighted in "No Other Gods" by Kelly Minter and guess what I found? The answer to my question. So here it is.
"This is the yoke of Christ: being bound to his guidance and instruction, as two people walking hand in hand, though in this case his steady yoke is much more secure than our finicky hands. When we take this binding, yet mysteriously freeing, yoke upon ourselves, we naturally follow his commands and find that indeed they are not burdensome, but life-giving, truth-telling, and freedom-granting."
Simply saying yes to his guidance and instruction on a daily basis, walking together, trusting Him.
Did I say simple?  
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

One Option

I remember a story I heard Bill Johnson tell last year about a man who had one arm. He became an incredible raquetball player. When asked what his secret was, he replied,"Everyone else has to decide which arm to use, while I only have one option."

Bill went on to say that in Christianity today, we have too many options. 

Last fall, my friend Vicky came over to transplant a few of her flowers and plants to my newly-dug flower bed. It was a freezing cold day and I was ready to call it quits. She picked up a small plant and began to pull out a spindly vine entangled within the plant. Then she began to pound it until I thought it would break apart and be no good at all. Vicky looked up at me and said something I have never forgotten.

"It's okay. I want to get that other vine out of it, because it will spread throughout your whole bed. It looks fragile but it can take it. You'll see in the spring."

I knew, at that moment, that Holy Spirit was talking to me so I tucked it away inside. 

Four months later, I have been through the pounding along with my family. On the outside it looked for a time like we would not survive. But He knew we could take it. The way has not been easy, but spring will come and we will see.

In the meantime, I am learning to do with far less options. I wouldn't say I have only one, for God is gracious to provide so much. Nevertheless, my options all stem from Him, the One true vine. 

Winter Shadows

I want to write an inspirational blogpost that will make even me feel better, but the words aren't there.

Why do I like Susannah Conway's blog or Liz Lamoreux?
Honesty, transparency, vulnerability.
It's not as easy as it sounds.

Honestly, this has been a rough day. My body is slow in healing from the pancreatic attack in December and today I feel like I took a few steps back.
Shadows linger over my faith.

Waiting , always waiting and hoping and trying to rest upon the scriptures so dear to me.

My memory verse for this week is found in Matthew 11:29 NIV "Take my yoke upon you and learn of me for I am gentle and humble of heart, and you will find rest for your souls."

How do I take His yoke? Trust, surrender, letting go or hanging on? I don't know.
The verse before this says to Come.
Perhaps as my head lies down on the pillow tonight, I will simply come, lay everything before him that makes me heavy, shadowed , knowing that there will be new mercies awaiting my awakening in the morning.

Hooray for Bangor Public Library

I love the library here in Bangor. I can order books online and have them ready at the desk or leisurely browse. I have been a few times in my stay here, yet today I found out that there is another floor with hundreds more fiction books. Hooray!

17 Years of Joy

 

 

 I can hardly believe that we have celebrated seventeen birthdays since God sent us a tiny baby girl loaded with curls. There was no way we could have known then what joy McKenna would bring to our lives year after year. I love you, sweet girl! Happy Birthday.

Mended

 

 

I finished Mended last night. I felt so sad, like I was saying goodbye to a close friend. This may be one of those books I read over and over.

Thank you, Angie, for sharing your heart and life. Everyday you drew me into the Presence of Jesus, our Lord.

Lily Collage

 

What to Write?

 

 

The keyboard before me, unexpected extra time today, a book unfinished...

 

What to write?

I Want, I Don't Want

 

 

...Where do I go from here?

 

Thinking today about setting a new goal.

 

 I want to learn more about photography and taking great pictures.

 

I  want to start writing again, working on that book I began last spring.

 

I need to start an exercise regimen. That means finding a gym here in the city where my daughter lives.

 

What I dont want is to box myself into a load of goals and get bogged down.

 

I don't want to neglect the sacred rituals I have begun this year, my reading, journaling, and scripture memorization.

 

I don't want to neglect my blogs.

 

I want, I don't want...

 

What do you want, Lord?

 

 

 



Fill Up With God

 

 

 

 

"Something will always come to fill the empty places...What will a life magnify? The world's stress cracks, the grubbiness of a day, all that is wholly wrong and terribly busted? Or God? ...
This, I think, is the other side of prayer.
This act of naming grace moments, this list of God's gifts."

Ann Voskamp One Thousand Gifts

My life has been permantly altered by reading Ann's book two years ago, then again and again. Always Holy Spirit calls me to return to the principle defined in her book, "Eucharisteo." The act of giving thanks, daily, for each minute gift, even and especially when it is most difficult to do so.

This morning, I give thanks for the young women who are walking out this practice in their lives and sharing through their writings the deep work of God in a heart surrendered.
My most recent companions morning and evening are Mended by Angie Smith and What Happens When Women Say Yes to God by Lysa Terkeurst.

 If you are looking for a book to begin the new year, I would recommend any of these three.
Let me add a couple more books for your weekend excursion, which have impacted my life in the last few months.
Jen Hatmker's 7 and No Other Gods by Kelly Minter 

 



Pizza Making

There Are Days When...

 

There are days when a girl just needs a little sunshine.

Hidden Treasures in Secret Places

 

 

 

Six months ago I would not have seen myself taking a walk  through the cemetery in January.

 

I wouldn't have noticed a single stem of winter blossom.

 

Today I look for treausres in new places. Treaures previously hidden to my eyes.

 

 I pray for open eyes. Every day.

 



A Spring Walk in January

A Day With the Family

Daddy Reading

Lori

Dan & Amy

Hug for Grampy from Kobi

Look Me in the Eye

 

 

In our busy world, we take for granted so much. Often we will sit in a room together, never looking up from our phones or iPads or television screens while carrying on a conversation. Lily is teaching me the value of eye contact.

 

Lack of eye contact is often found  in a child with autism. When Lily looks me in the eye, I know I have a treasure.

 

We celebrate every time.

 

That is why I posted this picture on both of my blogs today!

Celebrating Elephants

 

 

In a past post, I mentioned that we recently discovered two-year-old Lily has autism.

 

From time to time I will share some of the things we are learning and putting in place for her.

 

Today was not her best day, so Lily and I watched Diego, which featured an elephant. I kept saying, "Where is Lily's elephant?"  After a few tries, Lily pointed to her elephant. The next time she picked him up and hugged him.

 

Mammy clapped!

 

We are celebrating the little things these days.

Sweetest Word

 

Lily said Mammy today. She didn't forget me. Sweetest word I've heard today.

Heading South

Heading south tomorrow to stay with my girls.
Although its hard to leave home, I look forward to all kinds of hugs. :)


Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Beauty in Burdocks

 

As I perused my pictures, looking for inspiration, this one caught my eye. Even autumn burdocks look beautiful in the dead of winter. Hope comes in all sorts of packages. I have had a few deliveries today. :) 

Hear

Inspired by Liz Lamoreaux's Here poems.

Hear

 

here

despair lurks in doubt

pressuring peace

my eyes watch

pain

 

here

ordinary tasks

mountainous

wounds wrestle hope

breathe

 

here

a prayer for believing

to fill my soul

to do what I cannot

heal

 

here

I wait

tuning ears

beyond

 hear

 

the Voice

 

I will not fail you

You will see

I am here

 



Siesta 2013 Begins

Normally at the onset of a new year I set a number of goals. This year I am changing that pattern, partly because I want to remain open to what God has for me this year without my own mindset restraints. The other reason is to focus succinctly on that which is vital for me right now.

My focus beginning 2013 is to memorize scripture on a regular basis because I know the Word contains power.

One of the ways I plan to do this is by joining Beth Moore's Siesta 2013 Memory Team. Check it out here- http://blog.lproof.org/2013/01/2013-siesta-scripture-memory-team-verse-1.html

Today I have set a timer to go off every hour as a reminder to center on a scripture I am memorizing for health and healing. I got this idea from Marilyn Hickey on "It's Supernatural."

Join Beth or myself as we focus in on scripture memory. Perhaps I will set something up next week for you to join. For now, please feel free to leave your verse in the comments. I look forward to it.

OPEN

Verse for 2013:

So the Lord alone did lead her and there were no strange gods with her. Deuteronomy 32:12

My word for the year is OPEN.
I would venture to say what that means for me but inevitably it always becomes bigger than what I thought.

I only know that I want my life and heart to be more open to the work of Holy Spirit this year, less walls of self protection. I want to be open to His leading in my life.

What an interesting progression from 2010's disencumber and 2012's shift to OPEN.

Happy Mapping!

My girls spent New Year's Eve with me, while hubby visited his mom. We dug out the magazines and created life maps for 2013. I used to do this every year but last year I made a mini map to hang in my office. Two previous maps line the walls of my closet.

I love this exercise! All you do is gather a piece of poster board,  stack of magazines, scissors, glue stick and your intuition. Now you're ready to begin. Sit down and begin to thumb through the magazines, cutting out pictures and words that draw you. One hindrance is your head. Move from there to your spirit and start gluing. Oila'!

One hint: Dont rush. Oh, and my girls kept telling me "stop planning."

Hang it up where you can see it everyday and watch what happens. I used to go sit in front of mine when I had a decision to make and let Holy Spirit guide me.

I was going to share my new word for the year and my verse today but I will save that for tomorrow.

Happy Mapping and Happy New Year!