Holy Ghost Storm

I met God on the street today. 

He was bundled up in a coat and hat and carried his bag of possessions on his shoulder. He had a cup of coffee in his well-worn hand. His scraggly beard covered his weathered face, and when he smiled, his was a toothless grin. He approached the three of us - my husband, a friend, and me. 
With no apprehension at all, he declared in a  televangelist's voice and candor, "HALLELUJAH! THIS is the day that the LORD has made; I will reJOICE and be GLAD in it!" 

And then, the storm blew through...

...And then the storm blew through...

Without skipping a beat, he continued, looking me straight in the eye, "Here's what the LORD says, 'A virtuous woman,'" pointing at me with a finger that hadn't seen a nail clipper in years, "Proverbs 31. That's you."
He turned to my husband and friend and went on, "As IRON sharpens IRON, so one man sharpens another." 
And then with fire in his eyes and real passion on his face, he finished, "I can do ALL things through CHRIST who STRENGTHENS me. No weapon formed against us shall prosper. In JESUS' name. AMEN."
As he began to walk away, he gleefully proclaimed, "I've been an evangelist on the street for 20 years! And I like it! I don't really like being on the street, but I've been preaching the Word of the LORD for that long. I've got twenty dollars in my pocket, so I'm alright." And then he went on his way, singing the praises of God. 
Leaving us stunned and feeling refreshed like after a spring rain, our friend said it best: "I think a Holy Ghost storm just blew through!"

I love how God chooses to speak to us. He never fails to amaze, in fact. He might use a still, small voice in the form of a thought, a fluffy cloud, a moment of relaxation, a good night's sleep. He might use a definite word as read in the Bible, a book, a quote, a sermon. He uses people, places, things, and ideas to speak to us. And sometimes He likes to be overtly obvious and use a person who is full of His Words to come out of nowhere and speak boldly in a way that cannot be mistaken or forgotten, kind of like the homeless preacher on the street today. On the outside, that man looked like any other bum on the corner; but God used the usual to bring His Glory to my life in a very unusual way this morning.

This experience reminds me that my God is alive. He doesn't sleep. His Word really is living and active. It is the Bread of Life and Living Waters. It sustains living. It brings encouragement. It is truth. It is real. And it is yours and mine for the taking.

The Father Heart of God

One chilly evening, as the sun's final rays blessed the sky, I walked to my car ready to head home. I noticed a daddy with his shorty little son heading to the car parked right in front of mine. The little guy, who could not have been more than 2, was running around, keeping his dad on his toes as he tried to catch him and keep him out of harm's way. I noticed that they were both wearing warm, hand-made orange and blue beanies on their heads. As the little guy made a dash for some rocks, his daddy grabbed his arm and scooped him up, making them both howl with joy! I caught the daddy's eye and grinned, giving him a compliment on their matching hats. He turned around and put the little boy down. Then he opened up their black leather coats and showed me that they wore matching blue and white argyle sweaters, as well! Then he  looked down at his mini-me and said something that made my heart swell. With a great big smile, he took his son's hand in his own, stood up straight, and proclaimed, "I'm really proud. My chest is out to here!" 

I'll never forget that little glimpse of the Father Heart of God that I was witness to that evening. It got me thinking about who I am as God's own child and how He feels about me. My Heavenly Father is so proud of me as His child. He created me to be in His image. I don't know if I necessarily have His eyes or similar smile, but I do know that I take after His Heart. I take after the desire He has for loving people. I take after the compassion He has for those less fortunate, be they human or animal. I know that I have inherited His passion for beauty in art and music and  nature. My Father is an extraordinary story teller, which tells me why I have such a liking for excellent stories, both written and spoken. His heart adores kids. So does mine. My Father God and I are a lot alike. 

Just like that daddy's first priority was to protect his son, so is my Father's. He shelters me, comforts me, protects me, provides for me. He gives me space to run and play, but He is always right there to hold my hand or pick me up before I go crashing down. He keeps His eye always on me. There is real comfort in that thought. 

When that daddy puffed out his chest and stated how very proud he was, I believe he was saying two things:  

1. He was declaring how blessed he was to have that child. It was obvious that tiny guy was the apple of his eye.
2. He was stating how honored he was to be a dad. He evidently took his role seriously and thoroughly enjoyed it!

When God made Man, He said, "It is good." He is proud of His creation and takes every opportunity to declare how wonderful He thinks we, His children, really are. He showers us with blessings and love. He gives us boundaries and discipline. He corrects us and never sets us on a path that will lead us astray. Through Jesus, my Father has let me see how truly proud He is to be the One who not only made me but also adores me...

Little glimpses of Glory... Where will I find them next?

First Responder

Do you know the Bible story of Job? It goes something like this: 

There is a really good guy who loves God. His name is Job. The devil wants to prove to God that Job will crack under pressure and curse God. God agrees to let the devil give it a try, as long as he doesn't lay a finger on Job. The man is tried, tested, plundered, and pillaged, but continues to worship God. Long story short, the devil is wrong; God is right; and Job is a hero. The end.

Yesterday I began reading the book of Job. I've always heard the synopsis of the story, but have never really taken the time to really read it. So, what better time than now to start? Exactly.

I tend to read quickly, especially if it's a good story. My husband suggested I slow down and "savor" the words and meaning once in a while. So, I am trying that with Job. That means, I only have read chapter one. And I'm glad, because there is a lot there to consider! But there is one thought, specifically, that keeps running through my head: My response is my responsibility.

First responders are emergency personnel who arrive first on the scene of an emergency. They are trained to think on their feet and know the right thing to do to help those who need it, no matter the situation. They asses the situation and go to action without stopping to map out a plan, dwell on their feelings, or take things personally. They know that gets everyone nowhere fast. Without first responders, many emergencies would become even greater within no time at all. They are key players in saving lives and deescalating tragedies.

So what does this little assessment have to do with Job, you ask? Well, let me tell you!

Job was a very rich and blessed man; and Job loved to worship the LORD. He strove to live a righteous life and did all he could to please God. His focus was not on his circumstances, as pleasant as they were, rather on fearing the LORD and shunning evil. Because God allowed it to happen, tragedy struck. All in one day, Job lost his thousands of flocks and herds, hundreds of servants, and his 10 children. This kind of news would be enough to break any man...and no one would think twice about it! And guess what happened... Job mourned. And Job fell to the ground in worship. 

(1:21) He said, 

"Naked I came from my mother's womb,

and naked I will depart.

The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away;

May the name of the LORD be praised!" 

(22) In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.

Do you see that? Job was a first responder in his own emergency. He did exactly what needed to be done first in order to "save" his life. HE WORSHIPED. That was his first response. And it got me to thinking...Maybe my day-to-day "emergencies" don't quite compare to Job's; or maybe they do because, regardless, they are very real threats to my personal walk with the LORD. In reality, they are potential stumbling blocks on my own path to righteousness and living in His Glory.

"...Then he fell to the ground in worship..."  ~ Job 1:20

And this is what He has taught me: My response is my responsibility. My first responsibility is to worship; that's what I was created to do! Putting God first puts the rest of it all into perspective: It's not about me. At all. Ever.

In the words of my friend Rebecca, "I overlook the power of and in my response. I underestimate the influence of my response for good and for glory." Me, too. All I know is that I can't control the world around me. I can't control other people and their thoughts, feelings, or actions. All I can do is realize that my response to life's horrible circumstances (misunderstandings, fights, stress, intolerance, disapproval, etc.) should be to stop and let God be God. And that is how His Glory is made known.

Wow. If that was all from chapter one...bring on chapter two!!

The Colors of the Spirit

"Nature always wears the colors of the spirit." 
                                                              ~ R.W. Emerson

crabby little apples

Every season has its own beauty; and Autumn always awakens a little bit of romanticism in me. The vibrant colors in the last of the flowers, the beautiful leaves, harvest of garden vegetables... I feel like love takes a new form is the golden afternoon sunshine and the cool night air. The moon is brighter - sometimes golden and pink. 

There are a couple of crab apple trees outside of my home that the squirrels and I love. In the winter, the twisted and spindly branches are lined with snow and creek in the wind. In the spring these trees are full of fluffy, fragrant, fragile blossoms. They buzz with energy from the bees who find their life-source in the nectar. In the summer the tress provide lovely shade for those who pass under the branches. But these trees are my favorite in the fall. 

In the fall they are loaded with thousands of bright red crab apples. They drop their fruit all over the place, making a huge mess where people walk and squish the apples beneath their shoes. The smell of crab apples warming in the sun makes me think of cider, sunset, and contentment. And the food they provide for the neighborhood birds and squirrels is what reminds me that my God keeps His promises. Give us this day our daily bread. He always provides for the animals and He surely provides for me!

Finding Glory

This is what I know is true: "The Heavens declare the Glory of God and the sky above proclaims His handiwork." Psalm 19:1
But is God's Glory only displayed in the sky? My God is not limited. So, this I also know to be true: He is evident in all creation. And this is what I seek to always discover.
My husband encouraged me that I see things in a unique way, and I have the ability to write about it. He suggested to me that I "start blogging again." (I kind of took a 14 month sabbatical from such writing.) I had been journaling for said amount of time, so the writing didn't cease; but a journal is quite private. Now I think it's time to step out, step up, and step into a new perspective.
So, the next question is, what do I write about? I think I see this as a blog that will continue to take shape as I explore its perimeters. I do know that entries will probably be short. I want to see if I can figure out how to post pictures and whatnot. Maybe I'll acquire a follower or two. But my main goal is to let this blog be an instrument that declares God's glory, goodness, and joy in my life and the world around me.

So, here I go! It's time to start blogging again...

On the road that takes me to work every day is a school bus stop. Since last fall I have been privy to observe a particular family and watch them change and grow. The part of the family that I "know" is made up of a beautiful mother and her two small twin girls. This mother is tall and looks as if she knows how to work hard and play harder. She has maintained her black-with-silver-strands shoulder-length hair style since last year. Her two little ones must be first graders at most. Every morning she stands with her girls at the bus stop and every afternoon she is there to welcome them back home. And she talks  to her girls. I can tell she genuinely takes in her every moment she has with them. Seeing that makes me happy. I like when Agape (unconditional love) is obvious. It reminds me that my Father has the same for me. It also deepens within me the desire to be a mommy. Yes, this family declares the Glory of God, whether they know it or not. He really does use everything (even my random observations) for His Glory and my good!