Spring

Oh, visit the earth,
ask her to join the dance!
Deck her out in spring showers,
fill the God-River with living water . . .
scatter rose petals down Your paths,
All through the wild meadows. . .
Set the hills to dancing. . .
Let them shout, and shout, and shout!
Oh, oh, let them sing!
Psalm 65: 9, 12-13 (the Message)

As the season of new beginnings calls to us in the splendor of His Glory, may our thoughts take notes on the wonders of the Earth-Tamer, Ocean-Pourer, Mountain-Maker, Hill-Dresser. . . Dawn and dusk take turns calling, "Come and worship."
(Psalm 65:8)

God, mark us with grace and blessing!
Psalm 67:1 (the Message)

~dho

Future Reminiscing

It is good to have a past that
is pleasant to reflect upon.
Take care to create such a gift
for your future.

~Mattie Stepanek December, 2000

Wordless Sighs

If we don't know how to pray or what to pray, it doesn't matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves. That is why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good. Romans 8:26-28 (The Message) Holy Father, I've told You the things of my heart ~ my thankfulness for Your unending love, my willingness to be obedient to You, my love for my family and friends. What joy and goodness You have given to me, over and over and over! My soul sits by the window and looks out at Your ocean of blessings. Your Grace, like the waves, splashes over me, again and again and again. Like the wind, my wordless sighs come to You - unseen, but known. Amen. Charles E. Poole writes in his book Beyond the Broken Lights, "We have made it through, by the grace and goodness of the One who is always up to more than we know. All those times when God was doing less than we hoped, God must have been doing more than we knew. Amen." ~dho

Possibility

This is the assigned moment for Him to move into the center, while I slip off to the sidelines. John 3:30 (The Message)

In her book, When the Heart Waits, Sue Monk Kidd writes Over and over again God calls you and me to the gardening of our own divine depths . . . to tend what lies seeded in the soul, this kernel of our truest nature - the God-image or True Self. She goes on to write about soulmaking and transformation and wholeness. Kidd writes C. G. Jung . . . demonstrated that there's a True Self dimension of the human personality . . . Self doesn't refer to our narrow identity or our ego (as in myself) but to the Center, the image of God within us. It has been compared to the inner kingdom that Jesus referred to (Luke 17:21).

Some of the Pharisees asked Jesus, "When will the kingdom of God come?" Jesus answered, "God's kingdom is coming but not in a way that you will be able to see with your eyes. . . God's kingdom is within you." Luke 17:20-21 (NCV)

Our True Self must reflect the image of God. So often we allow "other agendas" to occupy our Center. As believers in Christ, we must constantly slip off to the sidelines allowing Him to move into the center. If we choose God's Agenda over our agenda we could . . .

soar above those who run faster

whisper the moments of parting

chant together the music of life

recall the places time takes away

dream through the void

wonder more and want less

pray His Desires within our hearts

worship the One True Light

~dho

Strength

We pray that you'll have the strength - the glory-strength God gives . . . strength that endures the unendurable and spills over into joy, thanking the Father who makes us strong enough to take part in everything bright and beautiful He has for us. Colossians 1:11-12 (msg)

Hope

I sat there in despair, my spirit draining away, my heart heavy, like lead. I remembered the old days, went over all You've done, pondered the ways You've worked. I lift my hands to You in prayer. As dry land needs rain, I thirst for You. Come quickly, Lord, for my depression deepens . . . Wake me each morning with the sound of Your loving voice, for I am trusting You. Point out the road I must travel, for I have come to You in prayer. . . Help me to do Your will, for You are my God. Lead me in good paths by Your blessed Spirit. Lord, let me live so people will praise You. Psalm 143: 4-8, 10-11 (the Message, NLT, TLB, NCV) This past Thanksgiving (2005), we traveled back to North Carolina to celebrate the holiday with Jennifer. On Tuesday, the snow was falling as we approached the base of the ascent up the mountains to Boone. Mississippi seemed far away, but my uncertainty of purpose in this new land was near. I had been missing the familiar and finding it all again challenged my thoughts of change and possibility. In the journal that I was keeping during this trip, I entered the following words: God has reminded me that uncertainty exists because we live in a world that tampers with His Plans. He - however - never changes! In Him, there is certainty of love and grace and purpose. Holy Father, the beauty of Your snow covered mountains delights my soul. With the snow, You have outlined the trees and covered imperfections. Because of sin, we need our imperfections "covered". Father, only You can cover my imperfections and exaggerate my gifts. I am listening for Your affirmations in the details - show me! The unknown confuses my ordered, analytic mind. I confess I like a plan; I love the details given sequentially. Yet, in Truth I find the bigger picture. You are a God of Perfect Love who loves us inspite of our imperfections. You are a God of majesty and miracles who reveals our beauty and requests our hearts. You are a God of compassion who finds our brokenness and restores our hope. Father, love me with Perfect Love. Let me love like You. Reveal Your beauty in me and help me open my heart. Find all the broken pieces; restore my hope. I give You all these pieces - the imperfect, disordered, uncertain pieces. Through faith, I know You can heal the broken places, guide me past uncertainty, show me possibility. Hear this searching heart. Amen. ~dho