Inspired

Dry bones.

That’s all I am, Lord, unless you breathe into me.

I want to live a life inspired, inhaling Your life-giving Spirit so that my lungs practically burst

Exhaling more of my self with each breath, expelling with crackling wheezes the filth of lies, faulty thinking, selfishness and sin

Your pure love and compassion swelling and beginning to flow in my brittle blood vessels, softening and revitalizing

Truth coursing through them invigorating and nourishing

Your power and grace forming muscle, enabling me to stand

Faith and hope spreading out in a vibrant layer of new skin, holding me together

My new eyes glistening with expectancy, bright and clear

My feet stretching and raising on tiptoe

My face bearing Your resemblance, upturned and clean

My hands raising in surrender, but also in praise to the God who is the beginning of all life

Of all real life.

Inspire me, God.  Breathe Your breath of life in me.

Then he asked me, “Son of man, can these bones become living people again?”

“O Sovereign Lord,” I replied, “you alone know the answer to that.”  Ezekiel 37:4

Notes from the last few days of class

I’ve been learning a lot the last few days, thought I’d share from my mental “notes”:

Fasting from facebook has been good for me, but is sometimes difficult.  It’s just so fun to catch up on everybody and, I have to admit, play a few games in free time.  My 10-year-old niece added me as a friend (I got an email telling me) so I went on facebook JUST to add her.  I didn’t want her to think I was ignoring her – she doesn’t know I’m not using facebook right now.  My middle girl came downstairs while I was on the facebook page and asked me with hands on her hips, “Mom, what are you doing?”  Continue reading

For Those Who Wait

I was listening to my ipod during lunch today, sitting in my car while rain fell gently on the windows outside.  A new Fireflight song came on called “For Those Who Wait” and while I listened to the encouraging lyrics Isaiah 40:31 came to mind:

Those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.
They will soar high on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary.
They will walk and not faint.

Notice it says those who trust (hope, wait) in the Lord will gain strength.  I take that to also mean “those who scramble about like chickens with heads cut off trying to control everything will find themselves exhausted and no better off than before.”   It’s in there, just read between the lines.

Which Direction?

My girls think I overreact when they drive recklessly or make a mistake on the road but they don’t realize that in those split seconds my brain immediately recalls the dumb stuff I did as a teenage driver.   I guess I could see how my sudden gasps while clutching the dashboard for dear life might appear as overreacting.  One memory of my early driving years in particular that makes me laugh now but then scared the stuffing out of me was when my sister and I were attempting to navigate the one way street maze that is downtown Indianapolis – at night.  I don’t remember what we were doing down there but at one point we turned left onto a street and started to head to the next intersection, only to look and see cars parked on the curb facing the opposite direction and a lady in the crosswalk waving her arms and pointing.  Continue reading

PWYP

You know how yesterday I blogged about loving the unlovable and how much I love my daughter even when she disobeys or does something that hurts me?  Well last night after swatting away (as gently as possible) a disrespectful attitude that was thrown at the back of my head by said daughter, I sulked into my bathroom to get ready for bed and felt God poke me on the shoulder.  I could almost see a smirk on his face as He asked me, “So, do you still love your daughter?”  I practically rolled my eyes at His question as if I had a feeling it was coming.  “Yes, I love her,” I muttered to myself through gritted teeth, “I love that little…”  (insert synonyms for “pain in the neck,” “toot”, “pill”…you get the picture).  Continue reading

I love you

A husband and wife sat together at the kitchen table in awkward silence.  They had decided, having trouble getting along lately, that perhaps they should share with one another the frustrations they had with each other by each making a list.  After some quiet thought and pencil scratching it was time to share their complaints.  The husband read his wife’s first. A long list of his faults filled the page, and then another page. Continue reading

No Fear

They said three days.  So why was I still waiting to hear from them?  Granted, Monday happened to be Labor Day, and of course the lab was closed that day, so that didn’t help.  If it was nothing I would have heard by now.  The not knowing was so hard.  If only I knew the situation fully I could face it, but facing an unknown, invisible enemy was awful and seemed impossible.  I could hardly keep my mind from trying to figure out or imagine what it was, what the outcome would be.  During that time of waiting, the anxiety was so intense that my very nerve endings seemed on edge, all over my body, as if fear was continually pricking my skin. Continue reading

SCL

I stumbled on the “Stuff Christians Like” blog a few months ago, thanks to a link my friend PJ had posted on his blog.  After reading a few posts, I was hooked.  This guy is funny!  At the same time he speaks truth – truth sometimes that stings just a little but is so, so necessary.  I subscribed to his blog and get his posts sent to my email everyday.  I’ve never regretted that decision.  I also follow him on twitter – and no, I’m not creeping on him or stalking.  I just think he’d be a fun guy to have as a friend.  And hey!  He put himself out there, okay? Continue reading

Surrender

“There is a God.  It is not me.”

(The first line of chapter five in the book I’m reading, “The Me I want to Be” by John Ortberg.)

What a great line – that should be my motto.  It’s the beginning of true wisdom.  To really live in relationship with God, we have to surrender.

Surrender is difficult: it requires a pushing down of my pride and that’s an ongoing battle.  I have to  admit I’m not in control and that if I really was it would be a disaster; that I need someone else to take control and “drive” my life – someone who is stronger and wiser.  It’s an act of denying my selfish wants, opinions, hopes and brilliant plans.  It’s a falling back and completely letting go, which is scary!  What if God messes up or isn’t paying attention or…?  Continue reading

One

Click the link below to watch a video – watch it all the way through.

One of those moments.

What struck me the most after seeing this is how much, how incredibly much, this man’s life was changed by the other man’s monthly gift of only $38.  It is mind-boggling.  I think I can understand why he was so overwhelmed to meet his friend and “savior” face to face.  To be saved from starvation and a life destined to be wrought with struggle and hardship, then set on a path to wholeness, hope, and purpose – how could he fully express his gratitude?  He had no words.  I would have no words.

Do we realize what we have been saved from by Jesus?  Continue reading