Like rich dessert
After a good meal.
Thou preparest a table for me.
Like a sprinkler turned on
While it's raining.
My cup overflows.
Your blessings towards me
More than sufficiency.
Unnecessarily extravagant.
It is not deserved,
Much given; much to give.
I shall not want.
I will remember
When days are lean.
Life turns full circle.
I will dwell in the house of the Lord
Forever.
Monday, July 30, 2012
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Lessons
Lessons in community,
The body of Christ
Learning to let love replace fear.
It's focus:
Letting Him work through me,
The pressure all on shoulders
more than big enough to handle it
and not
Struggling to be perfect by myself.
Isolation vs. Community
Fear vs. Love
my weakness vs. His Strength
Conformation vs. Transformation
Physical vs. Eternal-
He trades it through chastening,
Orchestrating life to knead out the
worry,
and the bitterness,
and the anger...
Learning to fight instinct:
The gravity of self
That pulls us from the worship
That our spirit was created for.
It's not expecting to understand
What my mind can not hold, just:
decrease self
so that He can increase.
The body of Christ
Learning to let love replace fear.
It's focus:
Letting Him work through me,
The pressure all on shoulders
more than big enough to handle it
and not
Struggling to be perfect by myself.
Isolation vs. Community
Fear vs. Love
my weakness vs. His Strength
Conformation vs. Transformation
Physical vs. Eternal-
He trades it through chastening,
Orchestrating life to knead out the
worry,
and the bitterness,
and the anger...
Learning to fight instinct:
The gravity of self
That pulls us from the worship
That our spirit was created for.
It's not expecting to understand
What my mind can not hold, just:
decrease self
so that He can increase.
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Word Objectification
If you could see your words
take shape
be molded by tone
and objectified,
what would you see?
Fire, smoke and a list of ingredients;
band aids, seesaws and closed doors
Would be my parents talking.
My brother speaks in masks
and vulgar clown paint
with occasional mossy rocks
My sister in syringes
with blacked out labels,
fences and reflective windows
I've heard spoken
hugs, cacti and
dusty old maps
But Jesus speaks
ointment, bread, a balanced sword
and living water.
I am striving
for less bombs and barbed wire
and more Jesus.
take shape
be molded by tone
and objectified,
what would you see?
Fire, smoke and a list of ingredients;
band aids, seesaws and closed doors
Would be my parents talking.
My brother speaks in masks
and vulgar clown paint
with occasional mossy rocks
My sister in syringes
with blacked out labels,
fences and reflective windows
I've heard spoken
hugs, cacti and
dusty old maps
But Jesus speaks
ointment, bread, a balanced sword
and living water.
I am striving
for less bombs and barbed wire
and more Jesus.
Sunday, July 15, 2012
People: elements on the periodic table...
with certain numbers of protons
and neutrons
and electrons.
Sometimes balanced by another.
Sometimes creating violent reactions.
Some are more stable:
rigid solids.
Some more adaptable:
liquids taking the shape of their container.
Some very unstable and hard to contain:
gases.
Lacks and strengths:
our odd numbers of electrons
driving us to combine
with another atom
to create an even number;
Balance.
with certain numbers of protons
and neutrons
and electrons.
Sometimes balanced by another.
Sometimes creating violent reactions.
Some are more stable:
rigid solids.
Some more adaptable:
liquids taking the shape of their container.
Some very unstable and hard to contain:
gases.
Lacks and strengths:
our odd numbers of electrons
driving us to combine
with another atom
to create an even number;
Balance.
Saturday, July 07, 2012
I'm not perfect... I know this and I'm sure everyone around me knows this, but still something inside of me wants to hide my imperfections. Sometimes I try to let people only see the "sanitized" version of my life: the part I've edited to remove all of my mistakes and to make me look less, well, human? I am a constantly striving creature who needs daily renewal to survive spiritually. Of course I make mistakes! The beautiful part of this is that God is so gracious, He doesn't only help me overcome my mistakes, He USES those same mistakes to make me a better person and to encourage other people. He doesn't call me to "sanitize" my life for others, but to sanctify, set apart, my life through His Word so that He can use that mess as a message.
1 Corinthians 6:11
And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
The "sanitized" version of my life doesn't allow God's grace in my life to shine through. If His strength is made perfect in weakness, I have to let my weaknesses show sometimes, to be able to show His strength!
The sanitized mindset wants to have a perfect home before inviting people over and then, is stressed to keep it maintained while they are visiting that I don't allow Jesus to use me to love them. The sanctified mindset disregards the pride that motivates my hyper-cleaning and instead focuses on loving the people who are in my home.
The sanitized mindset avoids meeting new people because I'm scared and awkward and don't know what to say. The sanctified version doesn't focus on myself, but on the other person's needs.
The sanitized mindset finds fault in an effort to lift myself above others because of their defects. The sanctified version recognizes the amazing ways grace has transformed my mistakes into my greatest witness for Christ, and my own daily necessity for forgiveness, and extends that same grace and forgiveness to those around me.
I don't want to be my version of "sanitized;" LORD, sanctify me.
1 Corinthians 6:11
And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
The "sanitized" version of my life doesn't allow God's grace in my life to shine through. If His strength is made perfect in weakness, I have to let my weaknesses show sometimes, to be able to show His strength!
The sanitized mindset wants to have a perfect home before inviting people over and then, is stressed to keep it maintained while they are visiting that I don't allow Jesus to use me to love them. The sanctified mindset disregards the pride that motivates my hyper-cleaning and instead focuses on loving the people who are in my home.
The sanitized mindset avoids meeting new people because I'm scared and awkward and don't know what to say. The sanctified version doesn't focus on myself, but on the other person's needs.
The sanitized mindset finds fault in an effort to lift myself above others because of their defects. The sanctified version recognizes the amazing ways grace has transformed my mistakes into my greatest witness for Christ, and my own daily necessity for forgiveness, and extends that same grace and forgiveness to those around me.
I don't want to be my version of "sanitized;" LORD, sanctify me.
Monday, July 02, 2012
There are statements that constantly bombard my thoughts if I let them and move my focus from letting God work through me to bless others, and shift it to myself. Statements like:
"You're never good enough."
"No one wants to be around you."
"You have to earn love."
"You should be what others want you to be."
"What you're doing does not matter."
"You need things to make you happy."
Some of these are true occasionally, but the Word of God challenges each of these thoughts with a higher perspective.
When I think "you are never good enough," it responds: No one is good enough, that's why Christ died and I work best through your weaknesses.
When I think "no one wants to be around you" it responds: It's not about you. If I be lifted up I'll draw all men to me. Lift me up.
When I think "you have to earn love" it responds: Love isn't earned, it's who I AM. Nothing you do can make me love you more. Nothing you do can make me love you less.
When I think "you should be what others want you to be" it responds: Seek first MY kingdom and righteousness and the things that really matter in life will automatically fall into place.
When I think "what you're doing does not matter" it responds: Do everything as unto Me; only what's done for Me will last. Do those things that always matter.
When I think "you need things to make you happy" it responds: Lay up your treasure's in heaven, that's your true destination. Don't get distracted from the eternal reality by the mirage of this world.
"You're never good enough."
"No one wants to be around you."
"You have to earn love."
"You should be what others want you to be."
"What you're doing does not matter."
"You need things to make you happy."
Some of these are true occasionally, but the Word of God challenges each of these thoughts with a higher perspective.
When I think "you are never good enough," it responds: No one is good enough, that's why Christ died and I work best through your weaknesses.
When I think "no one wants to be around you" it responds: It's not about you. If I be lifted up I'll draw all men to me. Lift me up.
When I think "you have to earn love" it responds: Love isn't earned, it's who I AM. Nothing you do can make me love you more. Nothing you do can make me love you less.
When I think "you should be what others want you to be" it responds: Seek first MY kingdom and righteousness and the things that really matter in life will automatically fall into place.
When I think "what you're doing does not matter" it responds: Do everything as unto Me; only what's done for Me will last. Do those things that always matter.
When I think "you need things to make you happy" it responds: Lay up your treasure's in heaven, that's your true destination. Don't get distracted from the eternal reality by the mirage of this world.
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