Love Song to the Gardener...

I'd rather be in the Garden of the Lord
Than in the palace of a king...

 

 

 

He carried me so tenderly and covered me over with rich dark soil,

When I was just a tiny seed.

He planted me deep in the garden surrounded by rocks and thistles

That mocked my every need

Or, at least, that’s what I believed…

I heard His footsteps in the garden growing fainter and fainter.

He was leaving me all alone –

He didn’t stop.

He didn’t care what happened to me.

Or, at least that’s what I believed…

The only life I saw were ugly, broken weeds

Sprouting all around me.

No beauty.

No joy.

No life was in the air around me.

Or, at least, that’s what I believed…

Endlessly, it rained and rained.

I never saw the sunshine.

I never saw a flower.

I called to Him to save me.

But, against this cruelty,

He had no power.

Or, at least, that’s what I believed.

I wept at least as many tears

As raindrops fell upon my fears.

All for what? I didn’t know.

I decided I should just let go.

What was the use in holding on?

He must not love me, or so it seemed.

Or, at least, that’s what I believed.

Strangers came and stomped on me.

They mocked and laughed and jeered at me.

Down in the heart of my tiny seed,

They broke me down and made me bleed.

Left alone to face this mess,

I hated Him, I must confess.

Or, at least, that’s what I believed.

But, He who loved me had buried me deep,

 

Deep

     down

          deep,

He had buried me,

In the rich dark soil of His love.

He had promised He would come for me.

When all seemed dark and dry and dead,

He was still strolling through the flower beds

Or, at least, that’s what I came to see…

I, no longer hoping, no longer strong,

I heard Him walking on the dawn.

He lifted my head to see His face,

He smiled His Glory all over the place.

I never ever doubted His love for me...

Or, at least, that’s what I came to see!

The storms brought the rain that I needed to grow.

The weeds made me fight for the chance to have life.

The stones and the rocks made me sink in the mud,

Where the rich, velvet soil caressed me with love.

He used it all to shape me and form me to be,

A tiny reflection of the One who made me.

I don’t know the answer to all of the whys.

I only know darkness is broken by Light.

I learned to be gentle toward those who are broken,

To reach out in tenderness for those who are lost.

To leave it to Him what I don’t understand.

To trust Him who holds me in the palm of His hand.

To hold on to the One who holds on to me.

Or, at least, that’s what I’ve come to believe…

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“Then He who sat on the throne said,

Behold, I make all things new…”

   Revelation 21:5  NKJV

 

Eventhough...

"I walk through the deepest, darkest valley...
I will fear no evil
For You are with me...
Psalm 23:5
NIV

Like the rest of America yesterday, I sat transfixed before the television pictures of yet another tragedy unfolding, freezing us in time and leaving us heartbroken in the face of the senseless loss of life and harm to innocent victims. 

The height of evil and cowardice, the perpetrator deliberately chose a beautiful spring day to inflict his perverted brand of punishment on unsuspecting men, women and children who had simply come out to celebrate a friend or relative who had chosen to run in the world renown Boston Marathon.

The contrast of the terrorist, too cowardly to openly admit his identity, devising a plan to inflict deadly bodily harm on innocent bystanders who never did him/her any harm, against the spectacle of well disciplined athletes, running to raise funds for a favorite charity is so stark, it takes your breath away. Add to that the stories of heroism and selfless sacrifice to help fellow Americans who had fallen, not to mention guests of America who had come to our shores for the shear joy of running in this race, we have an amazing juxtaposition of good vs. evil on display for all to see.

Watching this horror story replay over and over on TV yesterday, I had so many mixed emotions. Pride in America, once again, as so many of our people rose to the occasion, instantly forgetting their own safety and running forward to assist those who had fallen. This is the best of America. May we never lose that spirit of compassion and selfless heroism on behalf of our fellow man. We see the fingerprint of God in the selfless, instant reaching out to help a fellow human in the face of unimaginable evil.  At moments like this, it is true that the best that is America rises to the surface...

My mind froze at the story of a little eight year old boy who lost his life at the hands of this murderer.  I have an eight year old granddaughter.  I cannot imagine what it would be to lose her in a tragedy like this.  This little boy's story is so heartbreaking, my mind tries to tell me it really didn't happen.  But it did. 

On a beautiful, spring day, a holiday in Boston, this little boy ran from the sidelines to hug his daddy as he crossed the finish line.   That moment of jubiliant celebration and affection between father and son will forever live in the heart of this daddy, who will never be able to hug his son again, never see him grow up, never be able to cheer him on in the race of life.  

To add to that horror, this little boy's mother lies fighting for her life in a hospital while his little sister suffers unimaginable pain from wounds inflicted deliberately on a little girl who was doing nothing more that cheering her daddy on in a race.  This is evil prancing and dancing in the streets on a bright, spring day when no one saw it enter and no one saw it leave - except the Lord...

He knew evil was there - it did not take Him by surprise.  He was right there.  He was there with that little boy to carry him home to heaven.  He was there spurring him on to run to his daddy for one last hug goodbye...  He is there with that mother, fighting for her life.  He is there with that sweet little girl, fighting to recover from her wounds.  He is there with that daddy who is devastated and grasping for a lifeline to hold onto in the face of his losses.  

He is there with us all at the moment that we walk through the "deepest, darkest valley" the "valley of the shadow of death..."  It stalks all of us from the moment we breath our first breath until we breath our last.  Yet, Yahweh, the God who gets off His throne to come and stand beside us in our darkest hour, is with us.  He is with us.  He is with us through it all.  For this, and for no other reason, I will fear no evil.  For Yahweh is with me.  All the way home...

May Yahwey cover them all with the blanket of His love and comfort.  At moments like this, nothing on earth will even come close to meeting their need...



Live Deeply...

"And now, children, stay with Christ. Live deeply in Christ ..."
1 John 2:28-29 (The Message)

I just discovered this wonderful rendering of The Word of God, from The Message.

When I read this, it captured my heart.  I so want to do this and so often fail.  It got me thinking - what exactly does it mean to "live deeply in Christ"?  I haven't figured all of that out yet, but, I love the call of God to come close to Him, to His Son, to go deep in the waters of His love, not just put a toe in.  He wants all of us, not just a little bit.  Sometimes, I find that hard to do - I want to keep parts of me back.  But, when I do, I always pay the price.  

When I run into a razor blade that shreds my life, I run to the One who shelters me, encourages me, keeps me from the destruction that is threatening me from out of nowhere.  At times like that, I want to go as deep as I can into the sheltering arms of my Savior.  I don't want Him "just a little".  I want all of Him.  I need all of Him.  I ask Him to forgive me for my half-hearted love affair with Him.   I thank Him over and over and over again that He is not a fickle, on and off again, lover.  

Lord, teach me your ways.  Lord stay with me.  Keep me deeply in the center of Your will. 

 

Riding the Tiger...

"Let the weak say,
I am strong..."
Joel 3:10
NKJV

Holding on for dear life

To the throat of the tiger

He keeps trying to eat me

If I let him go, he has me

If I hold on tight, he has me

He keeps trying to eat me

I'm scared

I'm terrified

I'm giddy

I'm ready to give up

He's getting ready to eat me

I wish I could get off his back

I don't know how

What am I afraid of?

What if I lose?

What if I die?

It will all be over

Before I'm ready to get off.

I must remember...

I love the thrill of riding the tiger

I love the adventure

I love the journey

I love the challenge

I love the opportunity

I love unpredictable life

I love the joy of the ride

I love twirling in the wind

I love the screeching and the squeals

I love the shear beauty of the tiger beneath me.

I love the life You give me today

I love writing on a blank page

I love drawing a picture only I can see

I love dancing to the music I hear

I love dreaming dreams that are forbidden

I love creating something from nothing

I love all the possibilities

I love waking up in the morning full of promise

I love the evening sunset

I love the day drawing to a close

I love crawling into bed at the end of a hard day

I love that I found You.

Beautiful, beautiful YOU!

Butterflies All are We!

:

"For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord.
Plans for peace and not for evil,
to give you a future and a hope."
Jeremiah 29:11
NKJV

One of the most delicate and magical creations of the Creator is His little fluttering butterfly! Each one hand painted by the Master Artist of all creation, they are like little showcases of His beauty flitting in and out all around us.  

"Now to Him who is able...

The image of transformation, it is amazing to consider what becomes of the little, lowly caterpillar which starts its life crawling in the dirt, only to be elevated to star status by the Creator Himself.  Do you suppose when the caterpillar is crawling around on all fours (or 27s - or however many legs they have!) that he ever imagines what he was really created to be?  Do you suppose he says to himself, "Someday, I will be the envy of all who see me flying from flower to flower!"  Do you suppose he ever hopes he will be anything more than a lowly little insect that can be stomped out at the whim of a child?  Do you suppose that God whispers in his little tiny antenna ears - "You know, I have plans for you that you know nothing about!"  Do you suppose He tells him with excitement all He has planned for him, but the little hopeless, dirt bound caterpillar ignores what he hears and settles into his dreary life with no vision of what might be?  Do you suppose he tells all of his caterpillar brothers and sisters, "Don't listen to that.  This is all there is..."

to do exceedingly, abundantly...

I wonder if he was given the choice of crawling in the dirt or flying on the wind what he would choose.  After all, it's pretty risky to reach for something better!  

 above all that we ask or think...

Life in that cocoon looks pretty scary... It's dark and lonely in there!  Once inside, he might be wondering what's happening to him - why is he there, all alone and not sure if he will ever break out.  And if he does, what will his life be like on the other side of this trial?  Will it all be for nothing?  Poor little caterpillar.  He has to trust that Someone knows more about his little bug life than he does.  He has to trust that Someone is working in Him "more than he could ever ask or imagine..."  He has to fight to hang on until he breaks through...

According to the power that works in us..."
Ephesians 3:20
NKJV

Aaaaah, but, when he does...  He is something beautiful to see!  Why, he doesn't even recognize himself!  Who is He?  Not the little crawly bug, scrounging in the dirt, afraid to even imagine something better.  No, no, no!  He is an absolute masterpiece, witness to the power of our Transforming God.  A teeny, tiny, masterpiece, transformed by the power of the Creator into something beautiful, even magical!  I can almost hear him laughing to himself as he flits from flower to flower.  "Look at me, look at me!  Look at beautiful me!  I never knew how wonderful my life could be!  But then, He touched me!  He touched me, and made me whole..."

That's us - you and me!  On our way to becoming butterflies all are we!  Hang on.  He is making us into something beautiful!

It's Gonna Be Alright...

I love the childlike beauty of this artwork and the simple message of faith and hope that is in the music by Sara Groves.   This is for all of you who are going through a crisis, large or small, that shocks you at times and at other times scares you half to death. Holding on to Faith is sometimes hard to do when we're scared, or sick, or out of a job, or grieving the loss of someone we love.   In those moments of fear and dread of what's coming next, how much we need the faith of friends and family to surround us and lift us up in prayer to the Source of our Hope and Strength. Because, sometimes, we're just too weak to do it on our own. Scripture Reference: 1 Peter 5:7  NKJV "CAST ALL YOUR CARE UPON HIM, FOR HE CARES FOR YOU."