Stand Up

Capture

Strong, a force when present, a bright flower in a field of green.

Noticed, desirable, different even when some may want only one color scene. Fine with true understanding of all she brings. Oftentimes misunderstood, in a world of misunderstanding. Where people whisper and conspire rather than forgiving.

Honesty takes work, to really say how you think and share of yourself is scary to some. To address the unknown or a concern in being too “real” is frowned upon. Even when… tactfully done.

The joke, taunt and undeserved laugh,

is easier than dealing with things on behalf,

behalf of my mind, my soul and even what I’ve been taught,

For the shame is in those who don’t care to voice their thought.

Instead they stay silent and turn away… from the one thing they could’ve made a way

Stop, don’t be afraid for you are you like no one else can be.

A beauty, force, resister, changer, searcher, researcher and all that makes us free!

Knowing all too well that civilization is dominated with lies, smiles of deceit and untrustworthy people filled with selfish motives. They want what they want at all costs. It shows on the radio, TV, internet, and the jaded news. Anything can influence a gullible and naive mind.

Stand Up! Stand Firm and Be Encouraged!

You will find it in our nations capital, the corner store, and in our workplace. “I” and me and I again and again… all about self. Talking instead of listening, rushing into a thing because of a feeling… this is our world.

Question, Command, Care!

 humility, truth, compassion, service,

The attributes shine brightly where even the blind can see.

Believing in something greater than, seeing with acceptance, having assurance in faith, confidence in Spirit and hope in God.

Stand Up, Stand Firm and Be Encouraged!

Unshakeable, even in the worst hour.

Showing the world His glory and grace from the heavens,

Surrounded by angels, loved!

The greatest is love.

No more silence, no more fear for a new day is ours to share.

With God…

I am in love and the feeling is captivating!

photography of footpath between green grass field during golden hour

I think about the long journey to this space in my life where feelings of doubt and uncertainty were my reality. Words that were hurtfully spoken, actions less than honorable taken and thoughts of throwing in the towel existed daily. But God…

At first I’d pray to escape my “horrible” existence where love did not grow and harsh exchanges were made.. to only realize how God was transforming my mind each time I asked for His help. As I’d write in my prayer journal, I started to see his hand at work. My prayers became, help me to love my husband again Lord. Help me to understand him and have him see me for who I am instead of how I’ve hurt him. The more and more I gave to God, the more I had to endure, the more I

And so… years later here I am thinking of my husband smiling. It hasn’t always been pretty but I feel pretty, it was not always smooth sailing but we know now how to manage the storms and above all else without a doubt we know love. The love that goes above and beyond for one another and puts the other first.

Today I am captivated by his love, his strength, vulnerability to only me and his view that becomes increasingly greener with every passing field. I am encouraged in God knowing all that I’m becoming as a wife through Him.

I often think about Romans 8:28 ..And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

When God is in it there is no limit, take heart and be encouraged!

Him

So many things going on…to remember, make sure get done. It’s Monday! It’s gloomy and gray out after days and days of rain. I feel tired and wanted to stay in bed this morning for real.
One thing, yes the one thing that fuels me is my husband’s love. Sweet kisses this morning while I was dreaming of our time away on vacation. He knows how to make me feel like I’m the only thing that matters in the world and a girl needs that! Especially from the one she is doing life with. He just reached out to remind me to make a call. He is my helper, my ride or die and definitely has my back.
Thoughts of his smile, his touch on my back and the way we get along swirl in my head as I smile. This weekend was church on Sunday, the wedding on Saturday night, breakfast out with  talks about our desires.
I think about how he spent the money on a vacation club because of me while in Mexico, going against his first mind, that’s love! Yesterday he was like an octopus all over me and today he told me how much he really loves me. He makes me feel high off love.
He is the string to my guitar, the butter to my bread, the tick to my tock.  I love him.
us*

 

Compassionate Hearts

Up early, tomorrow is Father’s day and things to do with the boys. Buying hubby’s gift was my priority and so we headed off at 8:30am.  Breakfast and Kohl’s by 9ish to get the Air Fryer dad has asked from us. Caught a fabulous sale and the deep discount had me feeling thankful. God is good I told my middle child..smiling.

We leave the parking lot, out on the main road, waiting at the red light and BAM! Hit from behind. I immediately get out, look at my car, see the gentlemen behind me and ask him what happened? He looks jittery and not quite right with his response, “I don’t know.” I ask him to pull off so not to block traffic and we end up in a parking lot across the intersection where the incident occurred. He is driving a beautiful orange metallic color Lexus and the smell of cigarettes permeates when he gets out of the car. I notice cuts on his hands, his eyes look heavy and he can’t stay still. I feel shook, my hands are shaking, nerves and I’m thinking that this is just a hassle when my next stop was a car wash.

As I am looking at this guy, I start feeling sad. Not understanding why I feel like crying…I ask him for his information and he starts looking for his paperwork. I start taking pictures of his registration when he hands it to me, his insurance card shows as expired but he tells me it’s not, so I take another picture. I ask him again, what happened..”did you hit the gas instead of braking, cuz that’s what it felt like.” He responds again, I don’t know..I didn’t have my phone and I wasn’t texting but I may have fallen asleep. Ah, he fell asleep, yes… I can see that. He looked tired from maybe partying all night, definitely was under the influence of a narcotic… but I am looking at him and feeling sorry for him. He can’t find his license but he gives me his employee card showing me where he works, click, another picture. I take pics of his car, my car and after calling my husband, I call the police and let him know the police are on the way. He is frantically looking for his license and a very short while later the police arrive.  The officer approached us, looking at his car first and asked is this it? I tell him no, his car had that dent, he hit me from behind officer. The officer tells us to get our paperwork together. When I go to hand mine over to the officer, he immediately tells me something is off with the other driver.

The officer walks over to the other driver and the guy proceeds to tell him that he doesn’t have his license, then the officer goes into a line of questioning where I knew to back away. I walked around to the other side of my truck and listened to the officer asking the guy to be honest…the rest is a blurb cuz I am watching my kids view this scene.  Eventually, the officer handcuffed the guy and he was on the ground… Here’s me still feeling sorry for this guy. I had such overwhelming compassion for him and started to pray. Praying for mercy, for healing, for a blessing, for protection, for this guy who I think has a good heart but is relying on the world and drugs to keep him going… I prayed for the officer and his job. The tears are flowing and my sons are now watching me! Eeck… I wipe the tears away and tell them to pray. My heart seeing this guy on the ground crying like a child, knowing it was just a mistake, he fell asleep cuz he’s high. A dumb and costly mistake.  He could be my brother, my son, someone I love who makes this mistake. I could only share this with my boys because they understand me, they understand my heart and we did pray together…where two or more are gathered, Jesus is present.

While it is an inconvenience, I wonder if God created that scene because the driver  needed restoration or forgiveness or time to think and God used me cuz he knew I’d pray. I was just speaking about prayer and intercession to the girls at group this week! How we need to intercede in prayer for others who do not know our God. Again, this morning I woke up with the thought of a book “How to Pray, when you don’t know what to say” on my mind. Knowing that it was an answered prayer on what I would teach next to my womans group. Just good! WOW!!! I am floored by God.. and I haven’t seen anything. PRAY! So powerful is prayer.. I lift up the guy who shares the same car insurance company as me to Abba! Amen and Amen.

artistic blossom bright clouds

Next steps

So…it’s Monday morning in North America and I’m at work… but thoughts keep running through my mind about next steps. Taking the next step to self discovery, a new hobby, cleaning my closet, organizing my garage and the list is endless. Lord knows my mind needs to be de-cluttered too! So much useless information in this cranium that I am easily distracted, hence this post while I am at work and should be doing countless other things.

Really, yesterday’s teaching was about next steps. What is the next step God is calling me to complete? Having a heart that just accepts is not so easy…without pause or question… now that takes work and with so many distractions, calming my mind to listen to his direction on those next steps can be rather difficult. Something inside me does come to the forefront of my mind when I am on my ride to work, praising with worship songs on the radio, blessing every driver on the road to their destination and that’s people. The hurting world that does not see or feel hope but get sucked into the news and the tragedies happening all over the world daily. How can there be a God with such evil and prejudice? How can there be a God with illness and a young teen dying while in school?

Then I remember Jesus said, “there will be troubles in this world but remember that I have already conquered the world,” and that brings me peace and purpose. I don’t want my co-worker to be hopeless, the woman who has come to my house (a stranger) sharing the loss of her husband with me or the mother who has buried her son because a shooter who was a fellow student felt hopeless and thought to hurt others. The question isn’t why…the question is when.

When do we get so sick and tired that we become the love the world desperately needs. Cuz isn’t that what Jesus is… love. The greatest of these is love… for I so loved the world that I gave my only begotten son. Love! Reckless love, insatiable love, unforgettable love, beautiful love… we are love.

Not for ourselves, for our own gains, our selfish motives…but because in our hearts we feel sad. Sad for the lost, the suffering, the poor, the desolate, the broken-hearted. Compassion and empathy for things we simply cannot understand but we can feel..or maybe you are the one experiencing sorrow.

I want to be love. But I cannot do this alone, there is no light switch I can turn on, I’ve tried to be “holy” but it didn’t work. Today it’s Jesus. The way, the truth and the life! Jesus…and as long as I stay focused on him, I am the light. The lamp stand he has called Christians to be. So today I choose to spend more time with Jesus, to quiet my mind with Jesus, asking for his help with that. He is my next step.

Instrument

slider-frameworks-auf-buehne-1170x550

You form me, shaping me into a beautiful instrument, using my tired strings to play a song while others listen.

You are the harmony to my music, the beat to my drum, the percussion to my horn. Your song melodious.

Others come to me as I am out of tune but your rhythm keeps them listening. You are a grand symphony orchestra, tempo just right, elevating those who would not normally hear.

Your bass carries to distant places, long forgotten, the depth of undertones, a desire for more… 

Although they do not see what I feel, I know you are creating a song in me that I have longed to play. While my ear is not in tune, they only hear the newness of your song that makes my heart complete. 

I’ve never known a sound as this, lovely, pure and true. 

You are my teacher, song writer of the most magical chorus and your freedom song is in me. 

I am your instrument.