Two Words

A few days ago I posted a picture of my beautiful Peony in blossom. See June 14. This is that same flower prior to its opening. Before that it was a tight green bud, covered in ants. I called my friend and she said that was normal, but it wasn't until this week that someone told me they won't bloom unless the ants eat the outer green coating off. You can still see a bit of that skin around the edges here.

Week 2 of Inner Excavate-Along includes a meditation of the senses. I call them "be still & know" times (Psalm 46). As I was sitting quietly, breathing and listening and asking simple, one of the books I'd purchased over the weekend came to mind.
It is Holly Gerth's book, "You're Already Amazing."

I read chapter one and began to answer the questions in the back of the book for that chapter.

Two words spoke into my spirit.

The first is mended.

I thought about the day to day journey of life and walking with the Lord. I may have posted a year or so ago about the scripture in the last chapter of Hebrews that talks about Jesus equipping us. The word for equip is the same root word in the Greek as used in Matthew 4 where the disciples are mending their nets. The NIV says "preparing." It literally means "to mend by stitching.
Anyone who has done any sewing or quilting or handcrafts knows the labor of hands-on love that goes into this process.

Why would the immense God, who created and controls the universe, take the time to create a flower that can only blossom when the ants eat away the outer covering?

Why does He mend with stitches when He can heal instantly?

We, as artists, writers, crafters, women, know the love of the journey- not merely the finished product.
We are created in His image. He, too, loves the journey with us. With me.

My second word is Cherished.