Always There

You’re Always There for Me

Attribution

 When the world comes crashing in
And chaos rules my mind,
I turn my heart to you, Lord,
And pure, sweet peace I find.  

Attribution

You lift me out of trouble
You comfort me in pain;
You nourish, heal and cleanse me,
Like cool, refreshing rain.  

Attribution

In times of joy and bliss,
When things are going right,
You lift me even higher,
And fill me with delight.  

Attribution

You listen to my prayers;
You hear my every plea;
I’m safe because I know
You’re always there for me.  By Joanna Fuchs  

May your unfailing love be my comfort,
according to Your promise to your servant.~~ Psalm 119:76 (NIV)

   

Never Before Heard Real Sounds

This is a repost from October 27, 2011 but with our life riding the waves of a tumultuous sea lately, I felt I needed to read it again and thought perhaps I should share it here once more.

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Years ago we purchased a piece of property in a little known town, Quilcene, WA.  Quilcene is about a 4-hour drive from our home in Portland, and our dream was to build a retirement home in Quilcene.  Time went by, and God's plans for our lives unfolded differently from our own and that didn't happen.  Yet, I still remember a day we were there clearing away brush and debris, making our plans and dreaming, and yes, gazing out over our view of the area, something like the view in the photo here.

photos.moxis.com

The day was clear and the sun shone down on us as we worked.  A light breeze kept us comfortable as we worked.  My husband had wandered farther away from me where I couldn't hear or see him.  Suddenly, I heard what I thought was thunder, and then this little rustling sound that kept repeating over and over again.  Then the thunder would roll again.  And another rustle.  You can imagine this city girl became a little leery of the sounds she was hearing.

I went in search of him and when I explained my concerns, he laughed his heartiest laugh.  This made me furious that he should laugh at my fears.  His explanation calmed my fears and made me laugh at myself.  The thunder I heard was the hoof beats of the retired thoroughbreds galloping on the next property over, and the rustling was the gentle fall of dried leaves one or two or three at a time in succession.  How silly I felt!  Living in the city sounds are so cacophonous that we don't hear the gentle sounds of the quiet, far away from the city sounds noises. 

Athloneassociates.com

I went in search of him and when I explained my concerns, he laughed his heartiest laugh.  This made me furious that he should laugh at my fears.  His explanation calmed my fears and made me laugh at myself.  The thunder I heard was the hoof beats of the retired thoroughbreds galloping on the next property over, and the rustling was the gentle fall of dried leaves one or two or three at a time in succession.  How silly I felt!  Living in the city sounds are so cacophonous that we don't hear the gentle sounds of the quiet, far away from the city sounds noises. 

Many days the sounds around me shut out God's desire to be closer to me, and I don't take the time to stop and listen fully.  Perhaps I hear a whisper or a nudge, but like the hoof beats and leaves falling I mistake them for something other than God attempting to enter my life.  Like a child at her father's knee, I want to be closer to him and listen fully to what he has to teach me.  That will only happen if I slow down and still myself to quietness. 

"Step out of the traffic! Take a long, loving look at me,
your High God, above politics, above everything." 
Psalm 46:10 (The Message)

Q4:  Have you stepped out of the traffic lately?  Have you stepped away from the noises of every day life?  Have you heard the quiet and listened for God?

Signing Off for a Few Days

As I mentioned in an earlier post today, I'm undergoing surgery tomorrow and expect to not be up to blogging for a few days.  However, at this season of the year, I wanted to leave a short post to say where I am and to wish you the very best of the Christmas season.  Remember to take time to anticipate and wait patiently for the gift of God's immense love.

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Philemon 1:3 (NIV)

 

Advent and Still Counting One Thousand Gifts (#218-224)

Each Sunday we're counting down to that special day.  The day we gather around the tree, open packages . . . . . no, wait!  Aren't we supposed to be patiently waiting for the celebration of His birth long ago?  We get so caught up in the world's Christmas that we often tend not to focus on the importance of Advent in our Christian focus.

The Christmas season is an unlikely and inconvenient time for scheduling surgery.  But in my life this year, it is a fact of life.  Tomorrow at noon, surgery to fuse my spine, then a recovery and rehab.  Well, Husband and I discussed it, and this year we're not decorating to any great extent.  Just small touches here and there.  I've been frustrated by my situation since it began last May and I remarked the other day that the journey to tomorrow has been just too long.  The waiting just too much.  But has it really?

In the midst of waiting, God has worked in me.  I have been forced to slow down.  I have had no choice.  Decisions were made around the house about what we could let go and what we would do together.  Oh, I forgot to mention -- my husband has been suffering with sciatica for three months!).  So, our  home isn't as tidy as usual, I haven't written or quilted as much, cooking demands are simpler, and on and on and on.

Yes, life has taken a turn, and yes, it could be worse.  The point is we stopped, looked around and made new choices about our life during the holidays.  And perhaps you might want to try doing the same even in good health and spirits.  Just a snippet here from these demands, and another little adjustment over there.  What do you say?

I know one thing -- my awareness during this Christmas season of what I've been missing during those other Christmases past when I ran myself ragged is like the diamond-sharpened edge of a knife!  And it's given me more time to focus on counting his marvelous gifts:

218.  Encouraging visit with surgeon.
219.  Advent's peace and fulfillment of promises of long ago.
220.  Hymns and songs of Christmas.
221.  A new mom to mentor at MOPS.
222.  Sense of peace as surgery date approaches.
223.  Husband's gift of a poinsettia in a year we're not decorating.
224.  Good talks with friends.

Although I'm a day or two late in linking up with Ann Voskamp at A Holy Experience, won't you join me in going over there today?  Ann's book, One Thousand Gifts, is an awesome read and truly awakens your soul to the tiny gifts all around you.