Of the Wind

Except... there's no sunshine today! *gasp*

Just white-grey clouds hovering over the earth. Bla! So incredibly uninspiring!

These type of days are the real reason that I started this blog: looking for those little things in life that make the grey-white days colorful and vibrant.

For instance, my youngest two siblings were out stomping on the huge piles of snow that have drifted in front of our former duck shed and found a vibrantly colored pheasant clucking around the pen. Enthusiasm, joy, shrieking with delight, the youngest rushes in "WE FOUND A PHEASANT! A LIVE ONE!!!"

So many times, I've sat on my bed or on the couch or in the rocker in our old craftsman style home, rocking back and forth, staring out the window at the white snow racing by on the wings of the wind, listening to it howl as it passes by, the cold air leaking in through the window cracks, wondering why on earth God has ever put a human being on this desolate plain.

The last week or so, I've been toldhow jealous some friend of mine are of the incredible weather. "You might think we're crazy..." Yeah, I do! In all honesty ;) Really! You've missed nothing but the sense of going nearly insane, listening to wind blow for hours on end, rattling the house, banging against the house - there is no peace!

Amidst the snow storm I've disregarded the beauty that can be found in it. As I look at the purpose of blogging, to more greatly appreciate the wild world around me, that mystery which continues to grab me by surprise reveals itself once more: how great, massive, wild and unpredictably powerful our Creator is, how powerful He's created this earth of Hie to be!!

How massive, sporadic, random-globe is His creation!

It's easy to see in a thunderstorm, lightening flashing all over kingdom come, from cloud to cloud, from cloud to earth, striking something occasionally and causing a streak of light to settle from sky to earth for split second; thunder bellowing from Heaven - angels or demons? Heaven or Hell breaking lose? I do believe it's Heaven - God's Heaven, thumping, clanging, thundering from Above.

Thunderstorms are the equivalent to strength, power, intensity, passion; they open up a flood of emotion, awe, wonder, terror, inspiration, desire, resentment all rolled into the peels of lightening and crackling of thunder.

But how about a snow-storm? How on earth? There are no terrors of the sky threatening to strike your home, showing themselves in an obvious way, revealing the Almighty's heavenly power in such striking ways...

It's much more settle, much more furious. It's white and grey.

Instead of thunder that causes the earth to tremble, wind howls like nothing else... it's incomparable. Some relate it to a train railing over head, but this doesn't come close to expressing the intensity and unrelenting noise that fill your head, hour by hour, minute by minute... sometimes lasting for a few days at a time... Mercilessly...

Wind, thirty, forty miles an hour, cold, desolate, termed by National Weather Service as "Arctic Wind." Not only does it's strength surpass that of branches, sometimes trees, bushes, plants... But it's power, it's freezing clenches grasping any living thing in it's path. Nothing can resist the cold grasp of the wind.

When it find you, it claws through all the layers you've put on - every one of them, grasping the core of your being, sending a chill down to your bones that cannot be shaken when it's present.

Much like the Almighty, but He isn't cold, only Just, Righteous, Pure, True, sending a chill to all that which is opposed to these qualities.

When He's present, He cannot be shaken, none can escape. He searches the earth for those who are setting out on the pilgrimage of seeking and living out, owning and living out Truth.

The strength of the wind, the strength of God.

Unrelenting, He'll fight for you, fight to get past the walls you put up in your life. Much like the wind fights against the walls of our warm, safe haven of a home.

Walls we each put up in our lives to keep us safe, safe from the danger of having to put others before yourself, having to share those things which are painful, which reveal who you really are deep down inside. Safe from having to give up yourself, to embrace Him who is above all else, which can only be done in its fullest when you surrender pieces of yourself, parts of your life; all of your in your whole entirity.

Like the wind that unceasingly wrestles against the walls of your home, the Lord never gives up, never surrenders in the fight for your soul.

He's as strong willed, unrelenting and hard headed as the wind. He won't give up. Never, ever. If you run away from Him, He'll look for you everywhere. He'll find you, "where did you go? Where are you? Why did you do this? Come out where I can see you. Show me all of you."

The intensity of the wind, the intensity of Yhwh.

When I woke up this morning, I didn't think for a moment that God could be likened to the cold-hearted wind, but as discussion increases, processing progresses and relationship is developed with those loved ones around me, it's very obvious that God is very much like the wind.

"The east wind carries him off, and he is gone; it sweeps him out of his place."

"Terrors overwhelm me; my dignity is driven away as by the wind, my safety vanishes like a cloud."

"The wind blows over it and it is forgotten, and its place remembers it no more."

"As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in the mother's womb,

so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things."

"See, the Lord has one who is powerful and strong. Like a hailstorm and a destructive wind,

like a driving rain and a flooding downpour, he will throw it forcefully to the ground."

"When he thunders, the waters in the heavens roar; he makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth.

He sends lightening with the rain and brings out the wind from his storehouses."

"He who forms the mountain, creates the wind, and reveals his thoughts to man, he who turns dawn to darkness,

and treads the high places of the earth-- the Lord God Almighty is his name."

"The wind blows wherever it pleases.

You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going.

So it is with everyone born of the Spirit."

Capturing The Little Things...

Yesterday and today we've been sorting through probably a hundred or so pictures of our family's past; from mom and dad's wedding album to my youngest siblings growth. Apparently, the lids on the bins that contained these well-loved pictures were not on securely, so they got wet. On several photo-albums, which the pictures were carefully placed in, the wet grew into mold...
We threw away so much...

After already throwing away a great deal...

It's been a highly sad couple of days. Not necessarily depressing, nor stressful (although each day finding new problems to sort through bring a nice dose of depression and stress as well).

Before mom and I started working on the pictures I was getting ready to waltz into the great outdoors and start snapping as many shots of the glorious creation as I could. However, mom found mold on the pictures and that took precedence, obviously. Upon completing soaking the dozens (hundred?) of pictures, clipping them up to a clothes line to dry, and throwing bunches away throughout the process, I really had no desire what so ever to take any more pictures! Why bother? They are just going to get tossed and ruined in the end anyway!!

Okay, so maybe I was depressed. I lacked any hope of successfully capturing the beauty in life, and passing it on, in a photograph, believing it'll all waste away without impacting anyone, without any purpose whatsoever.

But of course, as always, God convicted me...

Through a picture...

who He is,

and how....

utterly tiny I am...

All I am is one eentsy, teeny, tiny piece of this HUMONGOUS plan that He has already set into place.

It's all in His hands.

I'm just the worker bee. He's got it sorted. I just need to be obedient, and faithful to what He's laid before me...

And that's so incredibly comforting.

If He has placed before me something so seemingly insignificant, such as a bee or ant, to take a picture of; a flower or a bird, to capture in mid flight; a brother or sister, whose smile brightens my day immediately; a sun-rise or the sun reflecting off the ocean while dolphins play in the distance, than I have an opportunity to share with someone else, maybe someone else who is burning their own precious dreams on the alter of the Almighty, the beauty of the little things... to capture a shot of the tiniest most insignificant blessings on earth and share the glory of God with another human being... by capturing the little things.

Take the Coal: Purify My Heart

"Woe is me, for I am ruined!

Because I am a man of unclean lips,

And I live among a people of

unclean lips;

For my eyes have seen the King, the

LORD of hosts."

Then one of the Seraphim flew to me with burning coal in his hand..."

"Take me past the outer courts, into the HOLY place; Past the Braizen Alter,
"Lord, I want to see your face!"

Pass me by the crowds of people, the Priests who sing your praise;

I HUNGER and THIRST for YOUR RIGHTEOUSNESS!

But... it's only found in one place...

Take me into the HOLY of HOLIES;

Take me in by the BLOOD of the LAMB;

Take me into the HOLY of HOLIES

"Take the COAL touch MY LIPS..

Lord, here I am!"

Isaiah six one through eleven is my absolute favorite piece of the Bible. Really, the best part of the whole thing, I think. Well, to be quite honest, any piece of the Bible is incredible, but those small bits, those pure-gold-nuggets, worth more than all the earth and it's treasure, are those pieces which open up the LORD's glory, purity and righteousness to us.

Isaiah six, especially, speaks to me personally, in a very special way. My hearts dearly longs, cries out... nearly physically painfully at times, to be righteous, pure and holy before the Holy of Holies. By Christ's blood we're washed clean, by God's guidance we're growing in righteousness; by the Almighty's grace, we're created new, and by Jesus' payment, washed pure... But God is calling deeper, wanting more, beckoning me further.

And I want to go!

Lord, call me! Summon me! Extend your scepter to me!

"The Lord has given me a hunger for righteousness and piety

that can alone be of Himself (such hungering He alone can satisfy) yet Satan

would delude and cast up all sorts of other baubles:

social life, a name renowned, a position of importance,

scholastic attainment....

What are these but objects of the 'desire of Gentiles,'

Whose ravings are warped and perverted.

Surely they can mean nothing to the soul who has seen the beauty of Jesus Christ...

... Life is not here,

but hid above with Christ

in God,

and therein I rejoice

and sing

as I think on such exaltation."

Jim Elliot, 1952

I was first introduced to Isaiah 6, probably through Sunday school class, or my parents... but I don't ever remember reading, comprehending, understanding, or even really hearing it.

The first memory I have of genuinely and authentically hearing and listening and sort of comprehending the meaning of Isaiah 6 was about two years ago, singing to myself in the basement doing laundry (where I used do most of my singing and thinking ;),

"I saw the Lord seated on His throne; High and exalted;

and there were angels,

with six mighty wings.

With two they covered their faces,

with two their feet,

and with two they fly...

and I said,

'Woe to me! For I have sinned!

For I am unclean

and so are all my kind!...

But my eyes have seen The King!

The LORD Almighty!"

The mighty picture Isaiah paints before us, with his poetic wording carries a whole lot more weight in it than I first realized.

Coal is generally hot... hot coal... the angel, if you read in verse 6a, picks up the coal with tongs, implying that it's hot, very hot. Too hot to handle.

Throughout the Bible, the metaphor and concept of being purified or refined by fire, as gold, is used. I think this is especially interesting, given the context of this chapter... God's righteousness is so incredibly overpowering, His purity and Holiness so wonderful and overwhelming, that the closer one becomes to the Lord, the more their heart longs, desires, throbs to beat true in His holiness, purity and righteousness. This does not mean perfection, but, rather, a desire to be made into and to desire to long for those things which God desires for them, as Isaiah expresses in "Woe to me!!!" (verse 5)

The heaviness of Isaiah and his plea - the deep calling, never relenting desire humanity has to be Imago Deo (to be picked up out of our sin-filled and fallen state into that holiness that reflects off our Holy of Holy One - Him who is greater than us and all our mistakes combined.)

Kutless reflect this inner-longer in their song 'Take Me In.' Todd Agnew shares his desire in his version of 'Isaiah 6.'

And quite frankly, I would really like to have the words to express this longing without sounding holier than thou.

As Christians we're called to long for and pursue holiness, purity, righteousness; righteousness before our God, and not only long for and pursue it, but also walk and live and talk and think this.

Because third-person words now fail me and cease to come to mind, I'm resorting to writing down this prayer that I've prayed, and continue to pray and will always pray... Please, brothers and sisters, join me in this fight for Purity, RIGHTeousness and Holiness, in the sight of God, and before men (who knows, we could be entertaining angels!).

YHWH,

Take hot coals and touch my unclean lips; my unclean hands;

purify my unclean mind and restore my soul to that of

righteousness, purity and holiness

before you,

O Lord, my God!

take this heart of mine, and make it over;

make me new.

Please, give me the desires of my heart,

because I desire...

I seek...

I deeply, dearly and unrelentingly long for you!

For you alone are God! You are Holy

and

and Mighty,

and I am nothing before you!

I am an unclean being, saved by grace,

my sins washed away through the blood offering,

the purest sacrifice:

Jesus Christ...

But, Lord, please hear my desire,

listen to my petition,

seek my heart for truthfulness and honesty!

I deeply long to be pure before you, (to be)

Holy

and righteous!

My heart cries out for you to say,

"Well done, my good and faithful servant. well done!"

Yhwh,

I long for you;

And you alone.

My life,

it is not my own.

I belong to no man,

no human,

no being,

not myself

or any other,

but you, God -

my Rock and my Redeemer.

For you have save my life,

and obviously want my life extended beyond what I thought it would,

or would have chosen for it.

You have made man's mouth!

You have made the deaf,

the mute,

the seeing

and the blind!

You are what I long for,

You are my hearts greatest desire!

I give this all to you -

it is in your control,

in your strong hands...

You own myself,

all that I am...

Make me holy before you;

Make me pure before you;

Please, at least find me righteous, according to who you are...

Amen

Set Your Word Upon My Heart; Engraved Within My Soul

It does not seem that the time of an eternity could come close to hold all that which is upon the heart of my friends, and my own heart.

My daily prayer is, "Lord, Lord, give me the words You would have me speak! Let my heart meditate upon the things Your heart meditates upon! Make me into Your image bearer; Let me be Your Azer...."

The Lord is very good, and has given enough words in my heart to last through a life time. How these words are to make their way from my heart, to my lips, into the world, I haven't the faintest idea.

My sister in South Africa ("a sister from a different mother but the same Abba, Father"), her and I have been talking over the email for a few weeks now, and she stated in her last email, which I feel absolutely compelled to share,

"What am I and what are you doing

with the wonderful conviction

God has given us?

And how dare we keep it to ourselves!"

Conviction is something that Christians feel when the Lord presses something into their heart. Something that will not, that cannot, exit from your heart; Something that refuses to quiet itself, and prods at your heart and soul and mind until it nearly drives one mad. Unless you let go, and allow it to escape in the form in which God has designed it to be let loosed.

This prodding is that of Purity.

Yes, I do mean sexual purity, but, my friends, I also mean a mental and emotional and relational purity that the world does not usually speak of. In fact, as a young adult, I have rarely (never, in fact) heard of this kind of purity, verbalized in such a way, until a sister in the Lord introduced it to me. And this for a girl raised in the church!!!

Purity is something that, I believe, my generation, a great number of us, are seeking, and yearning for and desiring with our entire hearts. But it not introduced to us in the way which the Lord would like us to be walking in - the depth which Christ intends us to chase after with fuller abandon.

Many young people are encouraged to keep journals or write letters to their future spouse. This is one way which they can keep themselves accountable and create in their minds a psychological tangibility of the idea that there could in fact be a godly man or woman also waiting for them, as they themselves are waiting.

However, as this friend stated, and which had not actually made itself fathomable to me in my own mind (if fathomable is the appropriate term - because the right words for things only come to me with great challenge)...

... that the idea has now crossed my mind(through the conversation with a dear friend and sister in the Lord) that this may not be the most healthy thing young men and women are doing for themselves, or, in fact, their future spouse and their relationship.

I, myself, now see this to be the case, to an extent.

Not only do you, as a human being, create certain expectations and a certain ideal of what your future spouse will be, look like, how they will think, act, etc., but, as my friend stated, it also creates, psychologically, a relationship with someone who has yet to materialize in your life.

Putting this plainly, they are writing letters to a figment of imagination and creating expectations and an ideal of someone whom can never be. Perhaps there will be similarities between their imaginative spouse and the spouse whom God chooses for them, of this I don't see as all that unlikely, but it does seem unfair to hold onto such childish things, especially when our fantasies only reach a certain depth (of shallowness) and real life and real relationships can be so deep, and rich, and edifying.

I have found, personally, that my imagination and fantasies are sometimes not all that edifying. Not nearly as edifying and rich and don't carry the depth which life and other human beings can offer.

Again, I do not mean to imply or say that writing to your future spouse is evil or negative, or any such thing, itself. Rather, one, as humans, and romantics, and perhaps even lonely people, tend to make it into something negative. It is a good tool for a good season to keep you accountable to someone who is to come.

Blessings in Him who Was and Is and Is to Come!!
Miss Elisabeth

(I wrote this sometime last month, or so, but didn't post it because thoughts and ideas were still coming to mind... I dearly hope it makes some sense, and so dearly wish that words were something that came a little more easily to my slow mind! Praise the Lord for those of you who God has laid many words upon your lips! You Aaron's are an amazing blessing! Speak those words which the Lord would have you speak!

God richly bless and keep you all :)

Home

"To My Home;

I am going home!

Here where the winds of Heaven Blow...

And everything that really matters, it comes to bring and gather me to my home...

To my home!

I'm going home..."

I am going home. Where my heart is.

My home is with a few people... we will be going home together. Home, where the winds of Heaven Blow, and all the things that really matter will bring and gather me to this place that God is creating for me. The place Above.

Though I know that this time that I am here is to be spent on this earth, doing the work written in Scripture, and living life to the Fullest, as Christ did, is what is allotted me now, I do so long for the day when I will be gathered together with my brothers and sisters and we will kneel at the throne of the Holy One, singing praises together; raising our voices as one, singing, "Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts!"

Home, Here in America CD By Rich Mullins

Attitude!

As I was working today, it struck me how few people actually, actively, live out a good moral life style. Yes, moral by a Christian's standards are higher than for those of non-Christians (at least non-religious folks, some atheists, etc.), and I'm stating this very loosely, not at all inclusively. And I'm also defining Christian as someone who has committed their life, wholly, to God. No holds bars!
Yes there are some "good" people at work. But they are good until you reach about mid-depth on the personal level.
When it gets right down to it, to be honest, please excuse my language, they are pretty pissed off people. Deeply hurt people; Some people who are indifferent to humanity, if humanity isn't complying to their every whim. And some people are nice on the out side, but when it gets right down to the hard thing, the only people they have in mind to take care of is them self. Yuck!
I mean, I am so sorry if you are offended by that statement, but, honey, you seriously need to get an attitude adjustment!
Not that all the people, or none of the people, or whatever black or white statement you want to insert here, are this way. There are some really fantastic people gentlemen and women there too! They happen to, generally, be over the age of thirty, married, and have children of their own (the last two are especially important: married and committed, have children and deeply love them and care for them!)
A few people, not many, are just plain ol' disagreeable! Still, trying to be friendly, extending gratitude and being positive around them... it's so terribly hard sometimes!
One of the people that work there I desperately want to sit down and say, "Okay, hun! You've got fifteen minutes to come up with a good reason why you are so negative, grumpy and rude! (Good is defined as: my parents have died, my entire family has died, I have no one left, I have been abused/ neglected, seriously, I'm starving to death or watching my siblings starve to death - think third world country here).

The world owes you nothing!

You work your way through!

You work to earn your money!

Work hard and have good work ethic

and you'll reap the rewards!

I know you probably really didn't need to hear that, especially from someone so naive and young as I, but I feel OH SO MUCH better having said it ;)

I apologize for making myself sound holier than thou. Please, lemme back peddle. I had a horrible attitude on Wednesday. Irritation was a better acquaintance that anyone from work. Irritability and some offense.

Bad, bad, bad!

To be honest, I was throwing a hissy-fit/ temper tantrum for myself. Poor me, there is only one other Christian in the area I work. HAH!

People in the world have much bigger issues that Miss Elisabeth not finding a kindred spirit *laughs*

Like, worrying about how you will be persecuted for simply being a Christian! Let alone the paranoia that must accompany some people in some countries, when meeting another "Christian" (are they really?!)

But I'm sorry... this post seems half finished... my thoughts are still turning in my head, hurting my head really, and my eyes are so tired!

But God richly bless and keep you, my brothers and sisters! May His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you! May He lift His countenance upon you and give you peace! The Lord God guide, protect, heal and deliver you, and give you the desires of your heart.

Amen.

Drinking From My Saucer

I was wanting to complain today. Complain about all the "hard work I've done." "All the hard work I did." And sometimes how, "Oh! I had to do it alone..."

A friend posted this on her blog on Facebook, and this, instead, I will now pray!

Drinking From My Saucer

By John Paul Moore

I've never made a fortune and

And it's probably too late now.

But I don't worry about that much,

I'm happy anyhow.

And as I go along life's way,

I'm reaping better than I sowed.

I'm drinking from my saucer,

'Cause my cup has overflowed.

I don't have a lot of riches,

And sometimes the going's tough.

But I've got loved ones around me,

And that makes me rich enough.

I thank God for his blessings,

And the mercies He's bestowed.

I'm drinking from my saucer,

'Cause my cup has overflowed.

I remember times when things went wrong,

My faith wore somewhat thin.

But all at once the dark clouds broke,

And the sun peeped through again.

So God, help me not to gripe about
The tough rows that I've hoed.

I'm drinking from my saucer,

'Cause my cup has overflowed.

If God gives me strength and courage,

When the way grows steep and rough.

I'll not ask for other blessings,

I'm already blessed enough.

And may I never be too busy,

To help others bear their loads.

Then I'll keep drinking from my saucer,

'Cause my cup has overflowed.

God richly bless and keep you,

May He guide you and protect you,

Showing you, bringing you, Divine appointments,

Giving you opportunities to help others bear their loads,

Revealing to you those opportunities which us, as humans, commonly miss,

to reach out and touch the life of another human being, another creation of the Almighty!

Miss Elisabeth

Thoughts 101

Mission, Faith-Believing Christian:

• PREACH THE WORD
• BE READY IN SEASON and OUT of SEASON
• CONVINCE
• REBUKE
• EXHORT
• with LONG SUFFERING
• and TEACHING (2nd Timothy 4:2)

Mission, Citizen of the United States:

• STAND
• for TRUTH
• and DEEP FREEDOM
• "CONGRESS SHALL MAKE NO LAW RESPECTING AN ESTABLISHMENT OF RELIGION, OR PROHIBITING THE FREE EXERCISE THEREOF." (First Amendment)

Mission, Employee:

• IN ALL THAT YOU DO, DO IT FOR THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST, IN REMEMBRANCE OF HIM
• DOING THE BEST THAT I CAN, WHICH IS TRUE PERFECTION
• WHAT NEEDS DONE?
• DO IT!
• DOING THINGS AS CHRIST WOULD
• FINISH WHAT I START
• CLEANING UP MY MESS

Mission, Warrior:

• DEVOTE YOURSELVES TO PRAYER, BEING WATCHFUL AND THANKFUL (Colossians 4:2)
• BE THERE
• BE CONNECTED
• BE PRESENT
• LOVE LIFE
• PRAY
• BELIEVE
• HAVE FAITH
• WALK IN OBEDIENCE, IN FAITH
• PRAY 'TIL THEY'RE ON THE NARROW ROAD

Mission, Sister:

• WAIT! IT'LL BE WORTH IT!
• HOLD SELF TO THE HIGHEST STANDARD (the best I can, in all that I do)
• THEY LOOK UP TO ME: WHO DO I WANT THEM TO BE?
• WHAT DO I WANT THEM TO BELIEVE?
• WHAT DO I DESIRE THEM TO BE DOING?
• WHO DO I WANT THEM TO BE LIKE (ultimately, Christ!)

Missions, Daughter:

• I HAVE INSCRIBED YOU IN THE PALMS OF MY HANDS (Isaiah 49:16)
• YOU NEVER KNOW: YOU MAY JUST BE ENTERTAINING ANGELS
• WHAT DO I WANT MY RELATIONSHIP WITH MY PARENTS TO BE?
• WHAT'S MY PART?
• DO IT!
• PRAY!
• WORK, EVEN PRESENT, IN THE RELATIONSHIP
• THEY A) BIRTHED ME, B) FED & WATERED ME: I OWE 'EM MY LIFE!
• ACT LIKE IT!
• THEY OWN ME NOTHIN'!

Mission, Final thoughts:

• DEVOTE MYSELF TO PRAYER
• BE EVER WATCHFUL AND THANKFUL
• FIGHT!
• WIN!
• NEVER GIVE UP!
• NEVER SURRENDER!
• JUST KEEP SWIMMING!

Blessings upon you,

in the name of the One who has called us,

who has set us apart.

Miss Elisabeth

My Plans vs. God's

The day at work had gone really well. I was being chummy, funny, conversant, and overall having fun!

But, then, as I was walking into the freight room to put away some wrapping stuff, one of the guys was talking about me with another one of the guys. The first guy was stating, quite confidently, that I liked this other guy.

My first reaction was shock, stopping in my tracks. I wanted to burn a whole in the dude! Who in the world does he think he is? He doesn't even know me!! I do not like any guy at this time in my life! I'm very happy being single, and am rather content in my singleness (God is good!!!).

I do know that I'm called to get married and have a family, eventually. But I am so not ready for this in life! Waiting seems like a very good idea to me right now :)

Anyhow, in my shear shock, which rapidly turned into a... ticked off-ness, putting away the packing stuff and marching back out was all I could do to keep from burning a non-literal-hole in the guys' back, with my eyes (yes, apparently, at least according to my younger brother, I do have laser eyes when I'm mad [not angry though])

I don't think I would have minded, so much, if I knew the guys were also Christian's, but thus far my doubts are trumping any hopes of such things.

The feelings I felt following anger were, strangely, that of being degraded. My worth trampled. My person hood depleted as something to talk about, not someone to talk with, in these dudes' minds. This is a rather disgusting feeling!

Sandra Huxtable's line came to my younger brothers' (same one who says I have lasers for eyes) lips:

"You men!"

YOU PREACH IT, GIRL!!!

(Except, I would totally erase the whole "man" thing and replace it with, "guy!")

Now, does this have an actual affect on who I am in Christ?

Not unless I give it a foothold in that door, which I will not!

I've taken to wearing a clay cross with wire twisted around it, on a leather cord, and a pearl on a gold and silver chain, whenever I leave the house any more.

The cross reminds me, personally, that I am nothing more than clay to God - dust particles with His life (water), creating clay, which He will mold into the shape He desires, if I give Him control.

The wire reminds me that in His strong, firm grip, I am safe (attaching the cross to the leather cord), and the cord: 3-strands are not easily broken (God, me and the Holy Spirit - of course Christ, but I talk with God as my Father, and the Holy Spirit is she who gives me wisdom, as stated in Scripture)

The pearl on the silver and gold cord is not as unique, but still personal:

I am HIS pearl of great price!

Being purified, as gold,

and as beautiful as silver...

I suppose another reason why the dudes' words, at work, bugged me so, was that they were based upon my physique (as the past two, "are you dating," questions are). Nothing personal. Not like any one could no, nor would they ask. It's not at all personal, and a rather judgemental statement.

As I'm working, I try so very hard to have the mentality that "in all I do, do it for Christ." Who knows! Maybe I've even entertained an angel or two?

But that simple, short phrase, that verbalization of an idea that had no founding, gave way to doubts in my own head: has everything I've been praying about, striving for in Christ, praying God would be who they see, and I would simply vanish into the decor of pet 'n grocery... Has this all be in vain? Do they see nothing more than a girl? Someone who blushes, maybe too easily, is obnoxiously silent in her job, and works like a fiend?

If so, I might just melt into a puddle of nothingness

and vanish into the void of life!!!

God is good all the time! As I'm sitting at the computer, on Face Book no less, sinking into the most pitiful pits of my interior self (quite narcissistic-ly I might add), a dear sister in Christ replied to a comment I made.

She said something beautiful, bringing new life, meaning and genuine-ity to my pearl necklace.

"Too many people float through life

glazed over,

plugging away, drives me nuts.

You're in there, connected, present,

lovin' life.

And God loves that about you!!!

He can use that to touch others.

(You can totally see that kind of light in someone)"

So maybe I'm just totally a dumb, emotionally-oriented girl, but this really struck me as, "Oh! Maybe that's what they are seeing, maybe!!! Maybe I haven't totally screwed up God's plan, and He really is using me, maybe!"

Maybe, maybe, there is, somehow, something God is doing, despite me, possibly even through me!! OOooh, I do hope so! I hope I can keep myself out of the way enough for HIM to work and I

"Disappear... without a trace!"

God richly bless and keep you,

As you too strive to vanish into His creation,

Allowing Him all the glory, allotting Him all that is (for He created it)

And stepping aside so "His will be done! On earth as it is done in Heaven!"

Amen and amen,

Miss Elisabeth

Thoughts for the Day... Sunday, =)

Well this morning I went to church with my family; had a wonderful time of Praise and Worship, and felt thoroughly rejuvenated and filled up by The Lord.

Went to work, and, apparently, that "glow" personified itself in a "perkiness," which I was totally unaware of!

One of the guys I worked with commented on me being "perky this morning," and then asked me why :)

Opportunity #1: Got to share that it was church and family together that made my day (on a deeper level, God!)

Saw my manager, and handed her a lovely box of stuff for her Painting department. Smiling, she said thanks....

Opportunity #2: Special, personal delivery of items that do not belong in the Pet and Grocery Department (yes, this does include all painting, gardening, hardware and lumber supplies).... Sub opportunity: Got to wish my manager a Happy Mothers day, which she thoroughly appreciated, and beamed for the next forty-five minutes :-)

Took my lunch/ dinner/ 1/2 hr. required break for food, sat down, and really fought sleep :-P

BLAAA!

Was in the break room with one of the gentleman I know from Hardware, but he was reading the news paper. After he left, I was thoroughly alone! I twas wonderful!!!

The Bible verse that was read for church today kept pounding in between the two sides of my head and I had to find it and read it over.... and over... and over... and over... and over again...

Opportunity #3: 'Twas able to read the Bible at work!! This lead to me writing the entire verse down a couple of times and sticking one copy in my back pocket... Sub-opportunity: Had a piece of the Bible to read to myself whenever I wanted to throughout the rest of the day...

After break I accidentally broke a bag of something, and it needed tape. Walked up to my department desk, retrieved the tape, and was asked by one of my co-workers "What have you done?!" After telling him that I did break it, and that I now was fixing it, he order that I owe him twenty bucks (a number following me all stinking day *laughs*).... I considered the options before me:

a) comply and mock-hand him money

b) do the whole "oh, c'mon," stupid-not-any-fun-boring-too-common-response

c) Be a total rebel and do the unexpected...

Feeling highly, *ehem*, "perky," from reading my Bible and stuffing some in my pocket, my mouth broke loose into a smile and took over... A grin, really. That dark, oh look, ha ha, I will now make you suffer, kind of grin...

I mock-spat in his hand.

The dude grimaced and wiped his hand on his shirt!!! *laughs hysterically*

Opportunity #4: Used the situation to " my advantage; grabbed the opportunity to have the upper hand and covertly expressed my conviction that I owe no man nothing, at this time in life.

I am solely Gods'!!

The lovely, adventuresome-day, in little but meaningful ways mind you, ended beautifully. Dad had to take some notes over to the office and I had the opportunity to drive with him. Was wonderful :)

Opportunity #5: Daddy time! Can't beat that ;)

Dad was gonna put on a Hebrew-language CD, but I asked him if we could talk instead. There are many questions I have about humanity and how humans function and work...

Opportunity #6: Asked my siege father for advice, information and his opinion on the relationships and people-types at work. This was very much well worth the getting-out-there and asking!

And now, my dear friend, I am going to say goodnight! Sleep well!! Sleep dreams :)

See you in the morning!

Enjoy the sun-rise, sleep deeply, knowing that, God has inscribed you on the palms of His hands...

Opportunity #7: Passing the blessing along!

El Roi: GOD SEES YOU!

God Richly Bless and Keep you!

Miss Elisabeth

Opportunity #8: You have many opportunities in your mundane-day-to-day-life. What are they? Are you going to shove your foot in the door and fling it open, or let it slam shut?

You can change the world: One step at a time. (whether this be one aisle at a time, one customer at a time, one prayer at a time, or one meal at a time, or one diaper at a time

Just keep swimming ;)

"Behold, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands;

your walls are continually before Me.

Your builders hurry;

your destroyers and devastators

will depart from you.

LIFT UP YOUR EYES AND LOOK AROUND!"

Isaiah 49:16-18 NIV

Humph!... And... *sigh*.... Really?

(For the purpose of this writing, the terms, "pastor," "preacher," "leader," "evangelist," "fisher of men," and "disciple," will all be separated into different meanings.
Being a
Pastor - a person who has a personal and emotional connection and investment with you, as someone they care about, care for, and love genuinely. They know who you are and are personally invested in your spirituality and emotional/ spiritual state of being.
Preacher- a man, or woman, who speaks publicly in the church at the pulpit on Sundays (these types of humans are much more common than pastors)
Leader- a person who carries a certain amount of charisma, which attracts others to them. People naturally flock to these people to be directed for a common vision and goal. These people have a clear direction, vision, mission, commission, calling and goal for their life: their lives are this vision.
Evangelist- a person, man or woman, who's main mission in life is to spread the gospel to the far reaches (and close knit) of the earth. They see their job in life as sharing the good news of Jesus Christ with those they come into contact with, in a formal way (public speaking, preaching, etc.)
Fisher of Men- these people are a certain type of evangelist, but less formal. Their main form of reaching the earth is through their life style, choices and how they live. In the seemingly mundane ways they shine the light of Jesus Christ.)


The whole doctrinal argument about Science vs. (or and God) has been hammering at my mind lately. Well, this is not entirely true. I do have some vague idea of why I am stuck thinking about the scientific factual evidence of God (despite the very fact that Science cannot prove anything).
Now, please don't get me wrong. This is not necessarily a questioning of the my faith (God does in fact exists; Jesus Christ, who is the Son of God did die on the cross and resurrected himself on the third day after his death; there is no way to the Father (God) except through the Son (Jesus) - this I believe), but rather a questioning and digging deeper into my faith; begging the question. Thinking the harder to think "I don't wanna 'cause my brain will hurt" thoughts. I am reading a book based around the arguments of C.S. Lewis, David Hume and Bertrand Russell, which has thoroughly captured my interest.
The ideas surrounding a non-believers conviction that there cannot be a higher Deity (a. the world is evil, b. there are two Deity's pulling against each other, c. the Deity is quite despondent and non-interested in the human condition), has thoroughly captivated my mind, and for the time being, my heart.

What is the basis behind these accusations?
Do these people have a faith in something?

What do these humans believe?

All three of these men are obviously deeply intellectual, have spent a great deal of time and thought in their convictions and beliefs, and, for the most part, they had to sacrifice something for their beliefs making them that much more believable.
As I read, I find one of my frustrations with the church surfacing: our "pastors," or more appropriately titled "preachers," do not answer the hard questions. The most common answer to the hardest of life's questions, I have seen, felt, heard, and been told myself, are:

"You just need to have faith,"

"Get over it,"

"it could have been worse,"

"at least x didn't happen,"

"it'll be OK in the end."

Ummm... can you please excuse me while I go gag...

*gag, gag, gag* *choke* *cough* *cough* *cough* *gag*

As I am thoroughly fed up, sick of, tired and worn out from, jaded because of, horrified by and embarrassed by my personal incapability to answer some of these hard questions, I happen to have set upon a personal mission to find out why in the world certain things happen, how they happen, and what Christians are called to do besides "stand by, pray, fast and read the Bible."
Alrighty, so perhaps you have picked up on the fact, over various writings, that I'm more of a "DO!" type of person. I cannot stand standing around twiddling my thumbs. If I am ever imprisoned in some small 6x6 (4x4) ft space, you can be certain that I will have a) learned another language b) written a voluminous novel, c) created a new language complete with diphthongs, feminine, masculine and neuter case endings, d) finally mastered higher math to the point of brilliancy e) gone completely and hysterically insane.
Because of this detesting for the simple, easy, basic and nauseatingly heartless.... er... normal answers to the world, I started reading 'God and the Reach of Reason,' by Erik J. Wielenberg, as well as "Dark Night of the Soul," by Thomas Moore.

This morning, pouring over Wielenberg's book, I began feeling highly frustrated, rather agitated and thoroughly malcontent. My mind began running over the various reasons that people don't believe in a Deity (brought to the table by 'God and the Reach of Reason.')

Why can't people simply be quieted with the answer, "you just need enough faith?"

Struck by the stupidity of the question, my mom's constant reminder to my siblings came to mind, "God gave you a brain! You were made to use it!"


So, my question is now,

Is it more displeasing to God for you to actually seek the Truth with all your might, asking the hard questions, begging the question, giving the question the benefit of the doubt,

or...

to not question at all and simply stuff yourself with the negligent answer of "just have faith."

(Yes, I do believe there are many things in life that don't have an answer. Human beings, by design, seem to be cravers of answers. There will be many, many things in life which will never produce an answer; at least, not until we reach the other side of Heaven. And I do believe there is a time and season to "just have faith," but I am also thoroughly convicted that "simply having faith," and doing nothing, seeking nothing, and thinking through nothing is not only slothful, but even spitting in the face of the God who created you to think!)



God richly bless you and keep you,

Miss Elisabeth

Excerpt Of Literature

Part I

Meanwhile, Great-heart commanded the others to find crowbars and wedges. pulleys, and ropes wherewith to pull down the walls of Doubt. "There must not remain one stone upon another that shall not be thrown down," commanded he.

In the process of searching for tools, Honest and the two brothers found themselves amid the clutter and trash of the (dead) giant (Despair's) apartment (for 'tis oft the case that the servants of evil are quite messy. And the reason? Why, to drive away any angel visitants from the kingdom of light - for amidst confusion they cannot long abide).

Then Joseph shouted down from the apartment window, "Great-heart! You should see a these statues of naked people here in the witch's (the giants wife, Diffidence) apartment!"
"Remember your covenant, Joseph," he warned. "Look not upon them, lest you be defiled by them."

"What then?"
"Obey the Scriptures. Smash them!"
So Joseph kept his soul pure by keeping his eyes above the necks of the voluptuous statues. One by one thirteen idols where beheaded and smashed into heaps of dusty rubble.
Then James came forth from the library carrying several ancients books and reading them amusedly from one of them. Shouting from the window he said, "Great-heart!" The Giant even has a library of joke books. Why, here is one called 'Nations Geography' that speaks of millions of years to create one little worm! Can you imagine!"
" 'Tis science- falsely so-called. Those books are the very cornerstone of Doubt. Burn them. Burn them all!"
"What about these funny paintings of monkeys turning into men?"
"To the flames with them!" Commanded Great-heart. "Don't even look upon them. Let us return this castle (of Doubt) to the jungle."
So they fell hard to destroying the abominable statues, vile images, deceitful books, and all the instruments and appendages of demon worship. Then they set out to bring down the walls and towers of Doubting Castle (which was not so hard now that the cornerstones had been consigned to the flames.)

- (in the dungeon, Matthew and Samuel are releasing prisoners of the dead Despair, and Doubting Castle) -

"There was a loud creaking sound as Matthew forced back the rusty door, saying, "There you are, professor. Free as a bird."
"Thank you, lad. Thank you very much. You may address me as Dr. Liberal."
"Don't thank us, Doctor," responded Matthew. "Thank God."
"God! Hmmph," snorted the man as he gathered up some papers. "Don't you know yet? There is no such a thing as God!"
"What!" Exclaimed Matthew incredulously. "No God!"
"You heard me correctly, lad. God is a figment of man's imagination - word invented to describe undiscovered technology."
"But the religion of Christ..."
"Ah, yes. Religion - a powerful tool of the priestly caste used to control weak men's minds."
Just then came a thunderous crash as another pillar of Doubt crashed to the ground.
"We, say what you want, friend," answered Matthew nervously. "We have opened the door to freedom. You can either escape with us for find your own way out."
"Out! Ha! This dungeon is an intricate maze from which none have escaped. How do you propose to find a way out? He challenged belligerently.
"We'll pray at each point of decision," answered Matthew confidently.
"Pray! Mocked the man with an all-knowing chuckle that sent ripples cascading down his long, flowing academic robes. "Ha, ha, ha! Surely you can't be serious!"
"We also accompany our prayers with action," added Samuel.
"Action? What action?"
"Well," said Samuel as he picked up a loose cobblestone, every time we encounter a mirror of confusion (which was seemingly on every wall of the dungeon in order to bring confusion to the walkers of the dungeon halls) we make our way easier by smashing it."
"What! Hey! Wait, wait, wait!" He protested. "This maze of Doubt has taken years to construct! It is a word-famous work of art!"
"Built for the destruction of souls!" Declared Matthew.
"Souls! Bah!" Scoffed the man. "There are no souls. This life is all I have."
"Well then, all the more reason to follow us out lest all you have be lost," answered Matthew. "A stone strait ahead, Samuel."
And this Samuel did wish smashing success.
"Stop!" Cried the scholar.
"Another other to the right, Sammy."
"I said stop!" Shouted the earned professor amidst the sounds of shattering glass. "You are desecrating fine art!"
"We are saving our lives!" Shouted Matthew amid the thunderous sounds of another great battlement crashing down above them. "Our brothers don't know about this maze. They must think we're already out."
"Brothers! And just what are your barbaric brothers doing up there?" Demanded the professor.
"They are destroying Doubting Castle."
"What! and what about a the giant's (Despairs) exquisite statues?""Well, if I know master Great-heart, they are' no doubt reduced to a heap of dust by now," answered Matthew. "Come along now."
"And what about he paintings?"
"Probably gloating away in a cloud of smoke. Are you coming?"
"And the library?"
"The same. Come, everyone. Hurry! Lead the way, Samuel." So Samuel started out, towing Despondency and (his daughter) Much-afraid (whom they had found in the dungeon earlier) along by their hands. Matthew, loathe to lose the indignant scholar, tried once again to persuade him. "And you? Are you coming?"
"You destructive barbarians! Away with you!"
"Do you know the way out?"

"I don't need your ignorant help, if that's what you mean!"

"We have the only light." (the light was the life of men, and the light shined in the Darkness: John 1)

"Light? Light is only an impingement of photons on our retina causing complicated molecular changes that send electrical signals to the inner recesses of our brain."

"What?"

"In plain English, light is only an illusion."

"That's funny. It works well enough for me. And what about darkness?"

"What is real? What is not? Who really knows?"

"I do. Follow me and see!"

"Matthew!" Cried Samuel from far up the tunnel. Then came another great crashing sound.

"Coming! Come on, friend. We can debate truth up top."

"Truth! What is truth? Can it even be debated?"

The renewed sounds of falling timbers and crashing stones added further urgency to Matthew's voice. "Later. Later!" he commanded. "You must hurry!"

A shower of dust and debris from above added weight to Marthe's command and even the professor saw that philosophical discussions could wait for another day. "Oh, very well," answered he petulantly. "Just let me get my Doctor's degree. Takes years to earn one you know. A fellow can't get a decent job without one."

Another collapsing wall shook the earth and sent a cloud of dust roiling down into the dungeon.

.... Turning back, (Matthew) was dismayed to see nothing by the Doctor's backside as he dug among all his many articles and dissertations (looking for his Doctor's degree).

"Be right with you. I seem to have misplaced my degree," muttered the scholar. In his frantic search he scattered reams of paper about in a virtual snowstorm. "I could have sworn I had it right here. I look at it every morning, you know. Perhaps I have hit it under the chamber pot."

"Forget it! There is not time"

"Time? Time is only another illusion. But my degree is my touchstone of reality. Now where on earth did I put it? Perhaps in my dissertation."

"... Well, I'm going, sir. Catch me if you can." And with that, Matthew turned to rejoin Samuel and his charges who were growing increasingly fearful of being buried alive.

"I'll be right there," muttered the over-intelligent Doctor of Philosophy as he continues his search in the rapidly darkening dungeon. "My! You would think that in such a small cell as this, one could certainly find a simple, gold-leafed degree, wouldn't you? Hmmm. Perhaps it is in the pocket of my gown..."

Meanwhile, Matthew had gotten himself caught up and was leading the ascent up the last, twisting stairway. And so they made their escape just moments before a tottering wall crashed down and buried the last exit from Despair's dungeon.... "

- Pilgrim's Progress, Part 2: Christiana. (An unabridged retelling of John Bunyan's immortal classic) -

Stepp'n Forward

"If you take that first step into the unknown;

He won't let you go;

So what are ya wait'n for? What do you have to lose?

Your insecurities are trying to hold onto you;

You were made for more...."

About three weeks ago I started working at an excellent job. You might as well know, the jobs is at Menards. I work in the wonderful-sounding "Wall Coverings Department."
Sound glamorous? Well, one doesn't realize that part of the wall coverings department is Pet-'N Grocery.

It's a good job, don't get me wrong! It's good money for good work! I'm learning stuff (like what a... uuhh.... what is it called??... stuff about Hardware that I didn't know before :-D).

There are a few people who I like hang'n out with (such a relative term when it revolves around body-building-type-work). Some really moral, decent, good, hard working people. People I can relate to, really, which is totally awesome!
In my department, however, there is the looming possibility that I'm the only Christian (committed or non)... a rather... intimidating type of possibility. I know for sure of two other guys in the store who are Christian.

I have also noticed in my jobs previous this one that, whether or not your in a Christian environment, one does not talk about their faith. Period. The end. Don't even think about discussing it, 'cause you'll just get a really odd looked, and probably marked a "prude."
So, I have fallen back to the strategy the other Christian's (who I have no doubt are there) have taken to. This strategy is brilliant! It should be patent! And oh so easy to! And the entire process takes four simple steps.
A) Silence.
B) Don't react (ever)
C) Continue your secluded, lonely, silence.
D) Don't overtly act like your a Christian.
Disclaimer: Don't worry. They'll figure it out any way (if you're walkin' your talk). Just try not to be too prudish.
Simple, huh?!
Thought it would be real great to just follow this procedure and get around the fact that we, as Christians, are called to "go and make fishers of men."
HA HA!
Thought I could totally get away with the whole Jonah idea, and hide from my calling (as a follower of Christ.) Thought it would be simple to fraternize with the "other side" of the world, without actually having to be, act our my faith in overt ways that those around me obviously see.
PAH!
Ladies, and gentlemen, please don't try this at home, work, or anywhere else.
"The Truth" will most definitely "set you free." And "there is nothing hidden from the Lord."
God thoroughly laughed at me. In my face, rather hysterically, if I didn't know any better.



Listening to Britt Nicole's, "The Lost Get Found" before going to work on Friday, I was thinking it would be so incredibly easy to continue my hiding, and not come out and admit that, "yes, I'm basically enmeshed with the church. Grew up in it, worked in it, ministered with it, and committed to it! Yup! That's me!"
The irony of God's timing is brilliant. Really! He ought to be a comedian!

Friday evening, one of the guys who works in Hard Ware (which is next to my department) came over to talk for a couple minutes, during a "dead as a door-knob" time. The typical, "how's work? Ya enjoyin' it," type of stuff. Not rocket science or anything.
But then, oh to my amazement, I cringed. The next question, whose answer I wasn't ready to totally scream to the rest of the world, but a skeleton that I couldn't very well hide in the closet much longer, as it was beginning to become more of a nuisance than help.
"Where did you work before this?"
I cringed. And, I'm sure, my sudden halt in lifting the over-sized dog-crate box up the ladder was more than obvious to this acquaintance.
"Uuhh.... Welll.... I worked in child care." HA HA!
"Oh. Where?" *all smiles*
Darn. It didn't work.
"At a church."
Now, one must remember that talking on the job is something that is heartily looked down upon by the managers if you are a good worker.
By this time, the guy from Hard ware had begun to edge his way back to his department, so it was really hard to tell what exactly the "oh" that followed meant. Despite my utter confusion to this not-at-all-strong, rather-apathetic-reaction, I have found it's one that actually kind'a common here. Sort'a, and not really.
People either react with raised eye-brows, and a disapproving shake of their head, followed by retorts of, "Christians are boring," "you never do anything," "you're a prude," etc., etc. Or a non-reactive-reaction.
The latter is far less common, and terribly annoying.
Especially when there isn't even a hint of bias.
UGH!

"Don't let your light go down; Don't let your fire burn out;
'Cause some where, somebody needs a reason to believe.
Why don't you rise up now?
Don't be afraid to stand out! That's how the lost get found! That's how the lost get found!
So if you get the chance, are you gonna take it?
There's a really big world at your finger tips,
and you know you've got the chance to change it."
~ Britt Nicole, 'Lost Get Found'

Britt Nicole's new CD has been my new favorite, and constant reminder for
who I am,
who God is,
and what He expects me to be.

a) Follower and obeyer of His commands and words

b) A Fisher of Men.

Which reminds me of my all-time favorite Sunday School Song,
"Go and be Fishers of men, fishers, of men, fishers of men... Will you follow me? Will you follow me? Will you follow me? God and be fishers of men, fishers of men, fishers of men.... And follow me..."
We used to sing that every Sunday when I was little, in the South West. My Sunday School teacher at that church was committed to the calling of going out into the world yet not being of the world and inviting people onto the The Way of the King, through our thoughts, words and actions.

In all my previous jobs, I was "a Christian" by default.

This time, I'm a Christian, on the job, with a mission, and a deep conviction, by choice.

Which means that all that I think, say and do must reflect that.

The whole concept of Prudishness is an absolute must to a committed Christian's decisions in life.
The call of evangelism demands a higher standard, a standard you hold yourself to.
A standard you don't ask of others.
I'm sorry, this sounds prideful, doesn't it? I'm just trying to process through some stuff!
But as followers of Yhwh, we have no choice! Christ never said, "uh, yeah, if you find that one thing really hard to believe, than don't worry about it!" He makes it very clear that "Believe me or not!" "If you are not for me, than you are against me..." And again, "there is no way to the Father except through Me!" Malachi states this way back in the old Testament,

"'They will be mine,' says the Lord of Hosts, 'on the day that I prepare My own possession,

and I will spare them as a man spares his own sons who serve him.

So you will again distinguish between the righteous and the wicked,

between one who serves God and one who does not serve Him."

(Malachi 3:17-18)

I'm not saying anything about those who are on both sides of the fence (necessarily, but certainly not pointedly). I'm just stating, that one must decide one way or another. I happen to decide to be proactive in my faith, rather than it being a fall-back, or something I do when my mental and emotional states of being switch to auto-pilot (when things get stressful). Not to say I wasn't committed before, just another step in the grand scheme of things.

One step at a time. One foot in front of the other.

"You look around, it's staring back at you;

Another wave of doubt will pull you under;

You wonder: What if I'm overtaken,

what if I never make it,

what if no one's there?

Will you hear my prayer?

When you take that first step into the unknown;

He won't let you go!

What are you waiting for?"

Both the beginning and ending quotes are from Britt Nicole's "Walk on Water," from her "The Lost Get Found" album (2009).

Certain Women...

*sniff* *sniff* sniff*

Let me just go grab that box of tissues... hang on a second!

Okay, the book Certain Women, by Madeleine L'Engle, is an incredible, masterfully woven piece of art!

The story of David is one that most of the world is, at least relatively, familiar with. The Christian world is certainly familiar with Dave's tale. Chosen-ness by God, betrayal, attempted murder, romance, adultery, death, redemption, power-grabs.... True Drama. Perhaps even a tragedy. No, it is a tragedy. An unresolved ending in regards to David's family.
His spirituality - his relationship with God, perhaps more of a comedy: an unexpected ending!

L'Engle weaves together a tale for you paralleling that of King David's family life; romance, anguish, divorce, unfaithfulness, adultery, unforgiveness, but in the end... redemption!!

Ahh, sweet, sweet redemption!

'My strong habitation, where unto I may continually resort: thou hast given commandments to save me; for thou art my rock and my fortress.'
I do believe this hymn, 'Be Though My Strong Habitation!" more or less sums up this wonderful book.

A definite must read for L'Engle fans :)

God richly bless and keep you this week!
Miss Elisabeth!

"And David spake unto the Lord the words of this song in the day that the Lord had delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and our of the hand of Saul.
And he said, 'The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer;
The God of my rock; in him will I trust; he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour; thou savest me from violence.
And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: and he was seen upon the wings of the wind.
He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them that hated me: for they were too strong for me.
He brought me forth also into a large place: He delivered me, because he delighted in me.'"
II Samuel 22:103,11,18,20.

So much to write... So little time... A listening ear?

What is the purpose of writing but to express ones' opinions, thoughts, deepest longings and dreams.
Too many times I have picked up a book, read a blog, or happened upon an essay or speech that was completely lacking in emotion, passion, and all over-personification.
The author had no personal connection to their subject, leaving the reader entirely wanting!
Beyond aggravating!

I suppose I can relate, however.... No, I know for a fact that I can more than relate. I understand to a T the angst a writer feels as they begin the process of bringing to public attention their innermost being. Or in my case, I understand the anxiety associated with slightly-burnt-orange "Publish Post" button on the lower left corner of my computer screen.
"What will the reader think? What if I offend them?"

When Anne Shirley tells Myrilla Cuthbert, "Oh Myrilla, if you only knew how much I wanted to say but don't... you'd give me some credit."
The sign of a true "authorette!"

There are so many things I personally have written about, I could easily make at least a few volume-novels out of them. Whether they would actually be read or not is completely beyond me, nor do I have any inkling of desire to find out.
"The world may know my words, but it has no such privileges with my heart..."
("Jane Austen..." by Beth Pattillo, page 233)

But, as a writer by nature (writing in odd places, about whatever comes to mind, rain, sleet, snow or hail), I've come to a rather intimidating cross-roads: publish to the world those things, those thoughts and ideas, which are most dear to my heart - my more personal opinions and thoughts - and risk scrutiny and offending others, or continue hiding them away, carefully picking through those thoughts which are "acceptable" for public consumption, and those which I desire not to share with the world, for fear of being looked upon unkindly.

(Book of the Week: Jane Austen Ruined My Life, by Beth Pattillo)

Poetry, by Henry Wordsworth Longfellow

A Psalm of Life

By Henry Wordsworth Longfellow

Tell me not, in mournful numbers,

Life is but an empty dream!-

For the soul is dead that slumbers,

And things are not what they seem.

Life is real! Life is earnest!

And the grave is not its goal;

Dust thou art, to dust returnest,

Was not spoken of the soul.

Not enjoyment, and not sorrows,
Is our destined end or way;
But to act, that each to-morrow

Find us farther than to-day.

Art is long, and Time is fleeting,

And our hearts, tough stout and brave,

Still, life muffled drums, are beating

Funeral marches to the grave.

In the world's broad field of battle,

In the bivouac of Life,

Be not dumb, driven cattle!

Be a hero in the strife!

Trust no future, howe'er pleasant!

Let the dead Past bury its dead!

Act,-act in the living Present!

Heart within, and God o'erhead!

Lives of great men all remind us

We can make our lives sublime,

And, departing, leave behind us

Footprints on he sands of time;

Footprints, that perhaps another,

Sailing o'er life's solemn main,

A forlorn and shipwrecked brother,

Seeing, shall take heart again.

Let us, then, be up and doing,

With a heart for any fate;

Still achieving, still pursuing,

Learn to labor and to wait.