The Voice I Needed to Hear

Last night I woke up to the sound of what seemed to my groggy mind as gunshots. . .
Flashes of light , reminiscent of Fourth of July fireworks
then following what seemed like seconds behind was a boom that shook the house and the inside core of my being.
A similar pattern occurred , jolting my mind fully awake, seemingly much louder and threatening.

“Which is it?!” my anxiety ridden heart cried. Shaking, I reached for my husbands arms in the night seeking refuge and answers to the unknown racing through my mind. In a soft and sleepy voice he whispered “It is alright, it is just a thunderstorm.”

“How can it be!?” limbs trembling, I believed that harm was inevitable and I tried to convince my husband of this.
” It is shaking the house. and the flashes are too bright for my eyes!”
My head hurt with each each pounding, rolling rhythm .

Restless,I rose to wander the house, checking on the emotional state of our pets and realized each and every on of them were taking everything in stride. Looking to me and appearing to say, “why so troubled,” Mom.”

Amid intermittent cracks and clashes, I returned to to the bedroom, to the comfort and warmth of my husband’s presence and  his enveloping affections.
Again , but this time adding a comforting touch and inviting me to draw closer into his embrace, he replied, “It’s alright”
” Your senses have been sensitive lately, and it only seems louder. Rest now and go to sleep. It will be alright.” He was not wrong in his observation, because due to a neurological disorder, I have experienced small seizures lately.
“Promise?” I ask in a quivering voice.
“Yes. I Promise.”
He holds me tighter, singing a familiar and jolly little song. Though slightly off tune, it is the voice I am wanting and needing to hear.

As my fears dissipate, along with the receding notes of the storm, I slowly come to  realize what a pleasure it is, these moments, shedding the shroud of fear and anxiousness, and having it replaced by peace . I felt in  awe of a  deep sense and vibrant display of God’s power, not merely with the overt display of natural wonders, but that of His ability and desire to bless me so richly with a love, a leader of our home who so  desires to protect, and bring peace to my heart.

Is this not how our Heavenly Father shows loves us, comforting us, calming us, waiting and wanting us to come into His loving embrace, to rest on His Promises , to yearn to hear His words and listen to His voice.
We can have this security each and every day, by knowing the His truth, His sacrifice for us on the cross. We can come to him, in His innermost chamber with our fears, our questions, as well our joys and
revelations, For His love is never ending and His power eternal.

Often our fears result from previous pain and discomfort, and past occurrences, heightens our anxiety, ( i,e traumatic injuries to our heart, body and souls) Though our flesh may be weak and scarred, we must reach out to Him in hope, believing in He who can heal the internal Hurts and scars.

As did the woman in Matthew chapter 9:

20 And behold, a woman who had suffered from a flow of blood for twelve years came up behind Him and touched the fringe of His garment;

21 For she kept saying to herself, If I only touch His garment, I shall be restored to health.

22 Jesus turned around and, seeing her, He said, Take courage, daughter! Your faith has made you well. And at once the woman was restored to health.

The physical healing was but secondary, It was her desire to draw close and touch the One whom she truly believed had the mercy and authority of God to heal her .

So accept His invitation and trust His promise, for Almighty will never fail to be available for you

Matthew 11:28 (NASB)

28 “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.

Job 37 New King James Version (NKJV)

37 “At this also my heart trembles,
And leaps from its place.
2 Hear attentively the thunder of His voice,
And the rumbling that comes from His mouth.
3 He sends it forth under the whole heaven,
His lightning to the ends of the earth.
4 After it a voice roars;
He thunders with His majestic voice,
And He does not restrain them when His voice is heard.
5 God thunders marvelously with His voice;
He does great things which we cannot comprehend.
6 For He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth’;
Likewise to the gentle rain and the heavy rain of His strength.
7 He seals the hand of every man,
That all men may know His work.

When There Are No Words

WHEN THERE ARE NO WORDS

The innocent trust

of A child’s heart.

To hear a mournful cry

Where pride  refuses the world to see

Being treasured Unconditionally.

A  stroke upon  a  troubled brow

Softly whispered “I love you s.”

When there are no words

to describe such thoughts,

with  these I am moved to tears.

Delight W.

Summer 2013

Bible verse for the day:

Ephesians 3;14 -19

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of His glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith  –  That you being rooted and grounded in love, ay have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Ephesians 3:14 -19

At Ease in My Own Shell

Psalm 37:3 -4

Trust in the Lord, and do good;
    dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.^[b]
4 Delight yourself in the Lord,
    and he will give you the desires of your heart.

For the longest time, especially before I was married, I had always felt a bit different, a bit more soulful. My mother used to call it “being deep.”

I suppose I daydream a bit too much, for some people’s taste, and often the “logical approach” and  “dry humor” gets lost on me.  There “has to be something more” seems to be a common thought for me and this often gets me into trouble, especially when my mind takes flight to to more  colorful places and the drudgery of housework takes the back burner.    I am sure some of you can relate and whereas others  may wonder , how can one’s priorities  can get so convoluted. Well, I am finally taking a mature step and asking myself the same thing, and the “light is beginning to dawn.”

Having grown up as a “TK”  (teachers kid) and then moving on into educational field myself, I had been exposed to the “mindset ” intellect is power” and the more you knew , book wise, the  more important your position and worth.    It seemed impossible  to catch up to those in my former profession,  comparing my self to the “Superstars” of the working class; The “Go Getters” and “Workaholics” and  my admiration of them  often bordered on idolatry. I am so thankful that the Lord kept refocusing me , because  if He had not, the subtle spiral in my confidence and \the effects that  began to really haunt me, could  have lead to some serious repercussions, ie: my marriage.

Due to a  health condition, and  with a conflicted heart, I retired from a  position in a local school, and began a three year journey, of rediscovering, or perhaps more like “uncovering,” the” truest me” possible. In this I mean, not with new age and incense burners, but more like hitting wall after wall, facing fear after fear. I began to recognize  and admit to my  the sin of selfishness and anger  I had been harboring  against  God, who has done nothing but bless me with with the greatest of  all blessings. A Father who loved me with a  with a love so deep that no human mind can comprehend it but  left us His Word to to help us understand and prove it!

I had been running from Him because I wanted to live life the way I thought I ought to live it!  Living with serious health problem,  leaving a job that I loved and  being married without children all gnawed at me.

Teaching had been all  I had known, it had given me a source of identity,  pride and certain amount of prestige.  The more prestige one had, the more respect  the “Superstars” seemed to give, but then I started to ask,  ” Who  could really matter that much?  Who was I willing to give my soul, mind and, body To?”   I was allowing myself to be entrapped  in this  childlike  ” if I impress you, will you respect and like me”  mind game.  Here is where “putting  priorities in the proper order” comes into play.

The relationships I longed for were only very poor substitutes for what was really  missing.  I desired someone to trust, someone to give me acknowledgement that I was worthwhile, I needed someone who I could serve wholeheartedly!  I thought I needed to earn the right, but then then I was graciously reminded last night, that in my search to discover that “person”, I had been denying myself of the , greatest  relationships of my life:  God and His gift  of his Son sacrifice for me.

I also realized that I had also been short shifting my best earthly companion and friend, my most loving  husband.  Without my job, and other distractions of the world, the Lord had used this time to help me  understand that “the something more” was My relationship with the Lord  !  I am ”  different” and “deeper”because my identity rests in my relationship with Him and not ones of my own making.

I was reminded, in a very powerful way, that serving Our Fathe in Heaven and following His direction , especially my first ministry as a  a wife,   is no small challenge!  I have  been  given the opportunity to  not only let go of my  fears and bring order to my priorities , but to also submit my heart, mind and soul to Him (  a great privilege!!) ,  I am free to love  and be loved without fear or rejection!!!

For the first  time in years, I am comfortable in my own skin!  I was not created to be a “Superstar,” ”  Go Gettter” or “Workaholic” ., but to be more thoughtful, more caring,  slow to anger,  and to approach life in a more discerning manner. I only need to ask and make my relationship with God  first priority.

Sharing this revelation with my Hubby, he could only pray and thank the  Lord for answered prayers, for he to had been lead  to some conclusions as well .  He said   that night at bible study he realized that , as a leader of the house, he needed to  “Wash me in the Word daily” and that “our mornings will begin with a time of worship and devotion to our Father.”  I was overcome with gratitude, for I had been trying to express this need in our home for a long time, and the Lord had reached our hearts and blessed us both in the process!!  Here is the verse hubby  shared with me this morning, it is more powerful than ever as we begin our  building of a marriage so grand, only the Lord can take the credit for it!!!

Deuteronomy 6:5-9

⁵ You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. ⁶ And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. ⁷ You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. ⁸ You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. ⁹ You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

And  some more wonderful reminders from the Book of Ephesians, that we are new Creations in Christ and our identity and worth lie in Relationship that we have with the  Father .  I pray that we can all feel at peace in whatever  your calling may be.

Eph 4:1 – 6, 17 – 24

4 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, ² with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, ³ eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. ⁴ There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— ⁵ one Lord, one faith, one baptism, ⁶ one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

¹⁷ Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. ¹⁸ They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. ¹⁹ They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. ²⁰ But that is not the way you learned Christ!— ²¹ assuming that you have heard about Him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, ²² to put off your old self,^[f] which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, ²³ and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, ²⁴ and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

Eph . 3: 20 – 21

²⁰ Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, ²¹ to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

postscript:

yes, the pic above right  is of ” a true to myself ” moment!! ,, and to ease some of your wondering minds: , the turtle tattoo was artistically done   in “sharpie” 🙂  at a luau on the Big Island of Hawaii 🙂

A Gift from the Psalmist Heart

We are all on a journey. whether or not we realize or acknowledge it, we are a “work in progress. As each day goes by, I am thankful for the lessons I am learning in my new “job” . I am also uncovering and dusting off old passions that I thought were no longer needed or deteriorated beyond my recognition.

Poetry can definitely become a conduit for realizing and expressing  thought and emotion! The first  lines of  this graceful literature I remember reading was the Book of Psalms,written by David, the young shepherd who eventually became one of the world’s greatest kings in history. I am always astounded at how his words, intended as lyrics , often begin as petitions , end in revel elation and/or joy!  Personally, I have endured many trials , kidney and lung issues included, and without the “truth” of God’s heart being spoken through the the words and phrases of  human expression, darkness could have  overwhelmed me. The Psalms are often as the light of a torch or pillar of fire to guide us through the uncharted and uncertain.

Words are gifts from the heart.  God’s Word, are love letters from our Creator’s heart and were written to preserve His story , express His gracious love and enlighten our spirits!  Let us remember that  today and every day , we too can and  are being used as “vessels of encouragement and inspiration!

Psalm 4

Answer Me When I Call

To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments. A Psalm of David.

Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness!

You have given me relief when I was in distress.

Be gracious to me and hear my prayer!

² O men, how long shall my honor be turned into shame?

How long will you love vain words and seek after  lies? Selah

³ But know that the Lord has  set apart  the godly for himself;   the Lord hears when I call to him.

⁴ Be angry, and do not sin;  ponder in your own hearts  on your beds, and be silent. Selah

⁵ Offer  right sacrifices, and put your  trust in the Lord.

⁶ There are many who say, “Who will show us some good?     Lift up  the light of your face upon us, O Lord!”

⁷ You have put  more joy in my heart  than they have when their grain and wine abound.

⁸ In peace I will both  lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me  dwell in safety.

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I would like to thank my fellow blogger and follower, “thepoetsbillow” for their willingness to share articles of passion and hope the  quote by T.S Eliot inspires you as well.

Major Discipline

God has definitely been  encouraging me to learn more fascinating facts about His plan for me while having fun doing it! Yes, we are expected to live by God’s standards and He knows that because we are human we will fail, but He has always found wonderful  ways for me to learn by! Daily, He  astonishes and  challenges me to go beyond what I think I can do. Though my favorite lessons are the ones where He makes me chuckle . This is what my blog is about.
You see, my hubby and I are what you would call “organizationally challenged,” meaning our house is one big “unfinished project.” Even now, my priorities are in a sad state of disarray,  as is my dirty kitchen and the laundry !  Oh, I feel a guilt  trip coming on . . . Be right back!
Whew, dodged that bullet! (took out the garbage, put in one load of laundry and took the dog for a walk!)
As I was saying, not only are we a match made in heaven, but also on earth, both with the same procrastination gene! Month after month, and with the best of intentions, we revamped our resolution to tackle the clutter that seemed to multiply by the minute. When we  tried designating couple time to talk,  we ended up watching a classic film. We  bought a dry erase calendar, where we could assign chores to each other by week  and forgot to erase the old month and currently the ink, which may be dried permanently, reads JULY?AUGUST 2011!! So much for best intentions. Time after time, we failed to follow through. Then a revelation! Why not get a puppy!!!?

Our 5 month old “drill instructor”, Major

Okay, so your incredulity is showing!  The cocking of  your eye brows  and shaking your head  gave it away . I realize many of you sit there gaping in disbelief! We, being known to arrive a half hour late for almost everything, except church (usually 15 minutes late on Sunday, because We must do our best on the Sabbath you know!!)  we came to the conclusion that raising a puppy may not have been the smartest idea!

For example today, as I am writing and editing, periodically, I have to get up and check on our new addition. EVERY piece of paper off the coffee table, EVERY bit of lint under the chairs, EVERY crumb that falls off kitchen counter is consider edible booty, a feast for our tenacious rover! (which I just discovered is a synonym for “pirate by the way! too cool!) That Laundry I mentioned earlier? Were you aware that ALL clothes NEED to get FOLDED AND PUT AWAY? Well, obviously we didn’t until our four-legged drill instructor ran us through his version of an obstacle course!!  Around the rocking chair, under the coffee table (watch out you don’t crack you forehead making that dive), sliding on the entryway rug, right on through the kitchen and  you must touch all three wooden  steps down into the family room! And the most incredible, and tricky option is to do all this while firmly grasping a pair of sweatpants between your teeth. We opted out of the sweatpants variation and decided to work on our deep breathing , while yelling “No!! ”  “Stop!!” and “Do you want time out?!” Sad , huh? Other times he is barking at our Joy, who is just happy that he is not using her litter box!  Quickly,she realize her need  to exercise more! Lately, her only comment regarding all these early morning sessions is: “ME -OW!)

Joy dreaming of peace, quiet and a the motivation to start her new diet 🙂 Does any one have a low cal recipe for tuna casserole?

Yet, despite the  canine induced workouts, and  “voice training lessons,” we seem to recognized God’s hand in it all. As You can see from the photo above he is a” major  charmer” too! My husband says he charmed all the girls at the vet clinic the other day and just think he  went for shots and come out the local Heartthrob!! It just amazes me, but not surprising! when his big brown eyes observe the smallest bug on the sidewalk, his innate need to greet and love on all people no matter the size shape or color. His desire to cuddle his warm 45lb body next to you, laying his head in your lap and saying “I love you ” in puppy language, licking your hand and sighing the deep sigh of contentment is all the  reminder that I need of God’s gracious and merciful goodness. We have neglected the gifts of His provision, our home included, far to long and because of this WE no longer can avoid taking those steps of discipline in keeping our home in order! Our  drill-instructor wouldn’t have it any other way 🙂

My son, keep your father’s commandment,
and forsake not your mother’s teaching.
Bind them on your heart always;
tie them around your neck.
When you walk, they will lead you;when you lie down, they will watch over you;
and when you awake, they will talk with you.
For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching a light,
and the reproofs of discipline are the way of life,  . . .

Proverbs 6: 20-23

Free to Choose

Free to Choose.

Coming across this particular blog piqued my interest. Nowadays, the words “free ” and “choose” are in a battle of perspective. Our modern media often uses the phrase “free to choose” or “freedom of choice” as a motto for more liberal-minded activities. Whereas, the writer of this blog quotes Max Lucado, who takes a more conservative look at two words that need to be rescued from bonds of oppression and death. Let us see how “free” and “choose” are brought back to life and used in love.

a quick excerpt from “EACH DAY” by Max Lucado

“In a few moments, the day will arrive. It will roar down the track with the rising of the sun. The stillness of the dawn will be exchanged for the noise of the day. The calm of solitude will be replaced by the pounding of the human race. The refuge of the early morning will be invaded by decisions to be made and deadlines to be met. For the next twelve hours I will be exposed to the day’s demands. It is now I must make a choice. Because of Calvary, I’m free to choose. And so I choose….

I CHOOSE LOVE…
No occasion justifies hatred; no injustice warrants bitterness. I choose love. Today I will love God and what God loves.

I CHOOSE JOY…
I will invite my God to be the God of circumstance. I will refuse the temptation to be cynical…the tool of the lazy thinker. I will refuse to see people as anything less than human beings, created by God. I will refuse to see any problem as anything less than an opportunity to see God.

I CHOOSE PEACE…
I will live forgiven. I will forgive so that I may live.”

Just as the blogger who re posted this piece, I ask us all to take up the challenge to “choose”

God bless my readers today! Be strong in the Lord and never grow weary of doing good 🙂

Free to Choose.

Good For My Heart

There is something to be said about having heart and this morning my husband and I are off to a good start. We have been on our marital journey for two months short of 7 years and our friendship over twice that long and never have our hearts been healthier.  Readers, were you aware that our hearts can not only be encouraged  but physically brought back to life by touch?  We have heard of a surgeon massaging a heart back to life, directly hand to muscle, but having a doctorate is not required to strengthen the hearts of our family and friends.

About 15 minutes ago, as per our A.M ritual, my hubby called me via cellphone to let me know he was safely at work. You see, he commutes. Need I say more. Approximately, 45 minutes down  the I5 freeway into the heart of the big city.  There, my hero battles for our daily bread, amidst computers, calls and coworkers. So,the potential cacophony of activity can often disturb his senses and mood, thus affecting him physically! Our solution!? Long hugs and passionate kisses, as he steps through the door in the A.M, as well as the P.M!  The result?  Well, not only was his blood pressure down by ten points at his last Red Cross palette donation, but I am rewarded with hearing his voice on the other end of the cellular “line”  say ” You are good for My Heart.” And this is very, very good therapy for mine.

By the way, ladies and gents, if you are interested in creating a heart healthy breakfast for your spouse and kids, may I share our special version of oatmeal with you ? Warm on the tummy and a tasty tropical memory to start your busy day!

Warm Mango Oatmeal

3 cups of water

1 cup of  oatmeal (our favorite is Bob’s Red Mill steel cut oats)

1/2 cup to whole cup of  slightly warmed coconut milk (When I discovered this a our t local grocery store, I was SO  EXCITED)

fresh Mango (cut, diced) (okay, who are we kidding mango is messy !)

and a sprinkling of brown sugar to taste

Heat the water to a boil.

Add oatmeal and stir for 10 to 20 min (depending on whether you prefer al dente or soft )

I then drain the water off

Place the mango in the bottom of  bowl and pour oatmeal over the top. Yum! This warms the mango up

and pour warm coconut milk over the top with the brown sugar

and as you stir you can smell the fruity island breezes! Enjoy and Aloha!