My cinquain for "B"

{Counting the Omer – Day 12}

 I grew up knowing that there were 50 days from Easter Sunday till Pentecost.

I grew up marking time from the Resurrection to the birth of the church.  In my young heart, it wasn’t nearly important as Christmas or Easter, because children weren’t showered with gifts on Pentecost…

And now that I am older – I think perhaps we have it all backwards?  Pentecost is a celebration of the most incredible gift – the one that Jesus couldn’t wait to pour out upon His friends.

In the midst of longing somewhat for liturgy, being led into creating a liturgy of my own with the help of the Holy Spirit…part of the year of contemplation – liturgy (a form of public worship) and contemplation (a form of private devotion)…

Read the rest of this post over here (click to go)

…They were both righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and
requirements of the Lord…

One verse. 20 words. The summation of a long life lived for the Lord.  This was the pronouncement of the Holy Spirit; the “well done, good and faithful servants”, spoken of two people who had gone unnoticed for years, but who had nontheless served their God faithfully, in the shelter of secret places – of heart and home, of minds and souls.  I remember thinking to myself, “I would be thrilled for that one sentence to be said of me!” 

  For a brief moment in the history of the world, this couple was lifted from their obscurity and became the center of miracles, of God intervening in human affairs, of setting the stage for His next stage in the plan of redemption…and when it was over, the Scriptures do not speak of them again…but I am sure they continued on in the same way as before, both righteous in the sight of the God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord…

That day, true ministry from the heart was clearly defined to me.  A single focus.  A heart with one passion.  A simple obedience.  A goal worthy to aspire to…

And yet, my fallen heart constantly wanders astray…

That is probably the reason I loved this poem, shared at a conference I attended early in my walk as a spirit-filled Christian:

You know Lord, how I serve You,
With great emotional fervor
in the limelight.
You know how eagerly I speak for You
At the women’s club.
You know how I effervesce when
I promote a fellowship group.
You know my genuine enthusiasm
At a Bible Study

But how would I react, I wonder,
If You pointed to a basin of water,
And asked me to wash
The calloused feet of a
Bent, Wrinkled
Old Woman,
Day after day,
Month after month,
In a room where nobody saw,
And nobody knew.
(Author Unknown)

How is ministry defined?

Not by gifts and callings; not by whom we are ministering to; not by practicing the disciplines of the faith; not by fasting or prayer or worship.

Ministry is defined by our Lord Jesus, and we find our ministry as we passionately pursue Him, following His leadings…where ever those might take us…

Faded Red Chairs

Read about them and find more photos by clicking here!

A man who flatters her and a man who compliments her…

A man who spends money on her and a man who invests in her…

A man who views her as property and a man who views her properly…

A man who lusts after her and a man who loves her…

A man who believes he’s a gift to women and a man who believes she’s a gift to him…

And then we need to teach our sons to be that kind of man.

Author Unknown – found in our little hometown newspaper…

Dear Father in Heaven, I know that You have given me special gifts, talents, and abilities to use in Your service. Please stir up those gifts, talents, and abilities within me. Help me to see how and what I am to do for You. Work through me, through the power of Your Holy Spirit, to accomplish Your purpose and to draw people to Yourself. I know that all that is done through me is not of my own power, but of Your power, God. May You be glorified. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

---

Confidence in Numbers
TGIF Today God Is First Volume 1, by Os Hillman
03-09-2012

“David was conscience-stricken after he had counted the fighting men, and he said to the Lord, ‘I have sinned greatly in what I have done. Now, O Lord, I beg You, take away the guilt of Your servant. I have done a very foolish thing.’” – 2 Samuel 24:10

It just seems to be human nature. As we grow in wealth and ability, our confidence moves from complete trust in the Lord to trust in our resources. King David decided one day that he needed to know how many fighting men he had in his army. This was a grievous sin in the nation of Israel. God always made it clear to the nation that He, not their army, was their source. It was against the law of God to number the troops. David’s general, Joab, knew the serious nature of such an action.

But Joab replied to the king, “May the Lord your God multiply the troops a hundred times over, and may the eyes of my lord the king see it. But why does my lord the king want to do such a thing?” (2 Samuel 24:3)

Joab knew that David was treading in dangerous waters when he brought up the idea to him. But David had it in his mind that this is what he was going to do. And he did. The result: God judged David for this sin by smiting the nation with a plague that resulted in the loss of 70,000 lives.

What my soul really needs – what my leap-day showed me…

Plus here is today’s post on my Studio (art and life) blog:

Planting seeds of a prayer garden…

More to come on what God is saying and how you might make one too! This one anyone can do – it is a desk top variety!

{blessings on your weekend}

done by my Sneak Peek Friday friend, Sadee Schilling @apicturebooklife

For the past week I have been thinking about a place in the Bible that is so powerful, yet sad at the same time...Exodus 20:18-21, where Jehovah God is meeting in the wilderness with Israel for the first time  -

 18All the people perceived the thunder and the lightning flashes and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they trembled and stood at a distance. 19Then they said to Moses, “Speak to us yourself and we will listen; but let not God speak to us, or we will die.” 20Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid; for God has come in order to test you, and in order that the fear of Him may remain with you, so that you may not sin.” 21So the people stood at a distance, while Moses approached the thick cloud where God was.

God has so desired to fellowship with us!  From the Creation forward, it could be said that this fellowship, this communion, has been all He has desired and worked and reworked towards!  The sad thing is, that the people begged to not hear His voice!  I have so hungered to hear Him, and have wonderfully so!  But lately, there are so many other voices that have gotten in the way...

At the beginning of the year I spent time with Him, and one of the most profound things He said to me was "Let Me be your business coach"!  Amazing!  You would think that I jumped right in to listening for His instructions, but it was like I was frozen.  I became have been as the Israelites, listening to others, not begging to not hear His voice - just ignoring making the time to hear, ignoring writing down what His Spirit whispered anyway.

Yesterday was leap-day.  An extra day - and so I took a little "holiday" for normal and focused on many unfinished projects and asking Him (finally) just what He wanted this business thing to look like...*sigh*, why did I take so long?  He really just re-itereated to listen for His voice.  I realized I had a fear that He would ask me to share the deeply intimate, personal relationship we have.  I am not good at vulnerability (funny for a counselor to say, right?)  I can be vulnerable with Him, but people have disappointed many times; I tend to guard my heart until trustworthiness has been proven...and just how does that get proven in the online community?  I simply don't know...

And then I felt Him nudging me to read in this devotional this morning: God Calling... here is the reading for March 1st...

Shower Love

I always hear your cry. No sound escapes Me.

Many, many in the world cry to Me, but oh! how few wait to hear Me speak to them and yet to the soul, My speaking to it matters so much.

My words are Life. Think then, to hear Me speak is to find Life, and healing and strength. Trust Me in all things. Love showered on all brings truly a quick return.

Just carry out My wishes and leave Me to carry out yours. Treat Me as Savior and King, but also with the tender intimacy of One much beloved.

Keep to the rules I have laid down for you, persistently, perseveringly, lovingly, patiently, hopefully, and in faith, and every mountain of difficulty shall be laid low, the rough places of poverty shall be made smooth, and all who know you shall know that I, your Lord, am the Lord.

And all I can say is - "Yes, Lord!"

And please pray for me and others that you know are needing to focus in on hearing Him!

I put together some of my favorite ideas from around the web so I could work on them today and tomorrow – and I thought you might enjoy them too…

Paper Heart Garland by my friend Jennifer at StudioJRU

100 Ways to Make Your Marriage Rock – 100 ideas for him and her…

The Ways That I Love You - Homemade Valentine

Conversation Blocks Tutorial! – There is still time, but only if you are super motivated!

Valentine Subway Art (Free) – Print and put in a frame you already have!

There’s still time to make these using Wal-Mart’s 1 hour photo processing (or print out on your home printer!)

Love Message Board Tutorial - so cute and it can stay up all year round!

And just to keep it real, fresh, and joyfilled  – possibly the best-ever post about marriage and making it work by Ann Voskamp over at {in}courage – worth keeping and looking back at several times each year…

photo credit

Leah conceived and bore a son and named him Reuben, for she said,
“Because the Lord has seen my affliction…Genesis 29:32

Perhaps it is because time hasn’t slipped very far from the season of Advent, when the ancient prophecy is repeated “…Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” Isaiah 7:14 KJV, that makes me think of Jesus at Leah’s declaration…you see, Reuben means Behold, a son! in the Hebrew language.

My favorite Christmas sentiment - a small tract I have kept for years

It’s that word “Behold” that He uses to link the two for me…and I know I must find out more about this word…hinneh in Hebrew, pronounced hin-nay’. It is first found in Genesis, at the Creation, on the evening of the sixth day, when He looks at all He has made – including man – and declares it “very good”.  It is found 1326 times in the King James Bible.  It is a bidding to attend to what is being said; to look; to see.  There is a liveliness, a vivacity associated with the word…think of a young mother, delighted that the Lord has blessed her, and “showing off” her baby, when you read the name “Reuben”.  Imagine the Lord extending His figurative hand at all of Creation and with passion, even excitement, bidding us to actually, really see what He has done…and demonstrating the same delight and anticipation as He announces the plan for the coming of His Son.  He points specifically, gives detailed description, helps to direct our gaze, focuses our attention to what He has provided for us!

“Behold, a Son” to “Behold, His Son”…

and in this is the foundation, the beginning,

of His dealings with His people,

with those who embrace the Son,

with me…

it all begins with Jesus…

And God bids us to LOOK, to SEE, to FOCUS…

to behold Jesus…

and as we do so, we enter into worship, almost without effort,

because as we behold Him,

we receive a fresh revelation of Him…

And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld – to behold, look upon, view attentively, contemplate,  take a view of as when meeting with a person, to learn by looking, to see with the eyes, to perceive – His glory), the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,  full of grace and truth.         John 1:14

 God looked across time, because He saw our affliction,

sent His Son,

and cried out…

BEHOLD!