A Gentle Whisper

It stands silently, rather unobtrusively, under the bedroom window waiting for night to fall. It knows that before I hop into bed I will turn the knob that sets its blades whirling and dancing with life. Its gentle hum filling the room, lulling me to sleep.


It first made its appearance when my husband experienced a ringing sound in his ears. We thought the noise of the fan would cover the ringing and help him sleep. It didn't work as planned, but I have become so used to that constant noise I can't sleep well without it. It has become smugly secure knowing we will even take it with us when we spend the night somewhere else. For some reason, when it isn't turned on the silence presses against my ears and I can't sleep. I have become quite dependent on it.

Ironic, since my word for this year is "quiet." Like the consistent hum of the fan, the background noise of my life had become a habit. I was constantly filling the silence, not realizing what I was missing until I simply couldn't hear myself think any more. Worse still, I couldn't hear that gentle whisper above the din.

There is a verse that keeps coming to mind these days:

"Your own ears will hear Him. Right behind you a voice will say, 'This is the way you should go,' whether to the right or to the left."
Isaiah 30:21

How I long to be all He created me to be; to live out the story He wrote before I ever drew breath.* I have a tendency to make difficult the simplest of things. I don't have to struggle to find the right path. He is right behind me. Think of it! He is speaking to me, and far too often there is so much noise I cannot hear Him.

I am deliberately creating little oases of quiet throughout my day. Places where I can escape from the noise and just be still. I don't always stop what I'm doing. I just turn off the clamor and drink in the quiet. And often there is the sound of a gentle whisper.

Blessings,
Linda

*"Thine eyes have seen my unformed substance; and in Thy book they were all written, the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them."
Psalm 139:16

One Thousand Gifts

"O Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; Let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms. For the LORD is a great God, And a great King above all gods, In whose hand are the depths of the earth; The peaks of the mountains are His also. The sea is His, for it was He who made it; And His hands formed the dry land. Come, let us worship and bow down; Let us kneel before the LORD our Maker."
Psalm 95: 1-6

The list, corrective lenses that give me clearer vision of Him, continues:

32 - a seagull gliding over the waters of the Gulf


33 - seagulls taking flight


34- soaring into the clear blue sky

35 - Sandpipers racing the waves on tiny legs


- 36 Brother -in-law and sister-in-law strolling down the beach

37 - brothers, spending time together

38- the lovely homes in the historic district of Victoria

39 - cardinal singing for joy on top of a telephone pole
40- the sound of bubbles popping while taking a relaxing hot bubble bath
41- pigeons lining the birdbath, gathering for an early morning drink
42- getting my hair done
43- cows gathered at the watering hole
44- husband's black eye - getting better every day
45- the clouds dispersing to reveal a brilliant sun
46- beautiful ride to Corpus Christi
47- flock of birds circling the cows feeding pen
48- a.c. in the car as we head south and the sun shows his face
49- rays of sunshine slicing through the clouds to earth - glory!
50- bales of hay - like huge spools of golden thread, scattered in the fields
51- the flat land stretching out to the hills
52- husband helping the man in the wheelchair at McDonald's
53- live oaks
54- little white wooden farm houses
55- palm trees swaying gently in the wind
56- crossing the Gulf on the huge bridge
57- the Gulf stretching to the horizon
58- "riding" on the water
59- rich black soil waiting for the plows
60- frightening world events but peace knowing He is in control
61- little abandoned house all falling down; what memories does it shelter
62- waterways through the grasses
63- breakfast outdoors, sitting by the RV
64- water, water, water, as far as the eye can see
65- sweet little cottages
66- first blossoms - tree dressed in white flowers
67- Ocean Drive
68- walk along the ocean front
69- duck diving underwater - fishing
70- diamonds sparkling on the water
71- elegant egrets
72- ferry ride (free!)
73- new leaves wearing that new-born green color
74- hawk perched atop a tree
75- little white and purple wild flowers, delicate harbingers of Spring
76- wonderful teaching on overwhelming grace

The Gratitude Community is growing weekly. Please come and join us.

Blessings,
Linda

"Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus"

Helen Lemmel, the daughter of a Wesleyan Methodist minister, was born in England and moved with her family to America when she was twelve years old. They eventually settled in Wisconsin.

At an early age it became apparent that Helen was gifted musically. Her parents made it possible for her to take singing lessons from the best teachers, and when she was older she went to Germany to continue her studies.

When she returned to the United States she began her ministry - giving concerts in churches and auditoriums throughout the Midwest. She was talented enough to have become a professional singer but chose to use her gift to serve the Lord. Eventually she taught at Moody Bible Institute.

It was in 1918, when she was fifty-four years old that she wrote the hymn "Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus." She was inspired by a statement in a tract written by Lilias Trotter:

“So then, turn your eyes upon Him, look full into His face and you will find that the things of earth will acquire a strange new dimness.”

She wrote about the profound affect these words had on her in her memoirs:

"Suddenly, as if commanded to stop and listen, I stood still, and singing in my soul and spirit was the chorus, with not one conscious moment of putting word to word to make rhyme, or note to note to make melody. The verses were written the same week, after the usual manner of composition, but nonetheless dictated by the Holy Spirit."

This deeply inspirational hymn was published a few years later. It is only one of over 500 hymns Helen wrote. She also wrote poetry, music for children and a children's book entitled, "Story of the Bible."

O soul, are you weary and troubled?
No light in the darkness you see?
There's light for a look at the Savior
And life more abundant and free!

Thro' death into life everlasting
He passed, and we follow Him there;
Over us sin no more hath dominion-
For more than conq'rors we are!

His word shall not fail you-He promised;
Believe him, and all will be well;
Then go to a world that is dying,
His perfect salvation to tell!

Chorus: Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of his glory and grace.

Blessings,
Linda

Taking a Little Break

I am taking a little "bloggy break." See you in a week or so!

Blessings,
Linda

"What A Friend We Have In Jesus"

The author of the hymn "What A Friend We Have In Jesus" is Joseph M. Scriven. His story is so filled with tragedy I was hesitant to share it. However, his life was one of such selfless service and the words of the hymn so precious I decided I would.

Joseph was born in Ireland in 1829 where he eventually attended Trinity College. The future looked bright. He graduated and was engaged to married. On the eve of their wedding his fiance died in a drowning accident. Filled with grief, Joseph emigrated to Canada.

He taught in schools in Ontario and also tutored Pengally family. It was during this time that he met and fell in love with Eliza Roche, a relative of the family. Tragically, unbelievably, she died a short time before their wedding of pneumonia.

After this second heart-break, Joseph joined the Plymouth Brethren and dedicated the rest of his life to helping the elderly. His own suffering produced in him a heart filled with compassion for the weak and poor. It was said that he lived out the Sermon on the Mount, giving away his money, his service and even his own clothing. He never married.

His famous hymn was originally written as a poem for his mother back in Ireland. It was written to comfort her at a time when she was ill and was originally titled "Pray Without Ceasing." Joseph had no desire to gain any notoriety; it was a friend who discovered the poem and had it published.

There are questions surrounding his death. His body was discovered on August 10, 1886 in the spillway of the grist mill owned by his neighbor. He suffered severely from depression, and his friends were not sure whether his death was accidental or a suicide.

Joseph Scriven's legacy of service and love continues to touch lives today through the words of this familiar and cherished hymn:

"What a Friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.

Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged; take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness; take it to the Lord in prayer.

Are we weak and heavy laden, cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge, take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do your friends despise, forsake you? Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In His arms He’ll take and shield you; you will find a solace there.

Blessed Savior, Thou hast promised Thou wilt all our burdens bear
May we ever, Lord, be bringing all to Thee in earnest prayer.
Soon in glory bright unclouded there will be no need for prayer
Rapture, praise and endless worship will be our sweet portion there."



Blessings,
Linda

Simplify - Write It Down

Simplify. It's a whole sentence all by itself. I've been giving it a lot of thought lately. Part of me feels a tad guilty that there is this need to simplify in this season of my life. It is the season of an empty nest - a time I thought would be filled with leisure hours. It hasn't quite worked out that way.

In thinking about simplifying - or more accurately for me, balancing - I have realized that I would have more of those leisure hours if I didn't waste so much time. Hours to use wisely and well.

For example, often I turn on the computer to check email after breakfast. That simple task should take only a few minutes. Seriously, I don't get that much email. In reality, an hour or more later I am still sitting there in my bathrobe having allowed myself to wander over into blogville and FB. The rest of the morning becomes a mad dash to catch up. The sad thing is, I am apt to repeat this performance again in the evening. I plan all sorts of creative pursuits - knitting, writing, reading, any number of things I enjoy doing - and then leave very little time to do them. Feelings of guilt follow me to bed, and I vow to live a more balanced life.

One simple thing that has helped me to find balance n the past, and one I used to do faithfully when there were actual children living here and lots more work to get done, is make lists. I have old notebooks filled with them - a sort of journal of daily life in my home. I stopped writing daily lists when there weren't as many things to do in a given day, and I need to get back into that habit.

For me, writing things down helps me not only do them, but it helps me think things through. When I have procrastinated about doing the necessary little tasks around the house, they begin to weigh on me. I even have dreams about trying desperately to get something done and being frustrated at every turn; simple things like making a phone call (I know I sound absolutely paranoid). In my dream I try over and over again to make the call without success. I wake feeling exhausted.

If I take the time to make a list of those things, they suddenly look quite manageable. As I work my way down the list (without allowing myself to get distracted), it seems to go so quickly. I cross off the last item with a real sense of accomplishment.



That is one step I'm taking toward simplifying my life. I've also gotten away from keeping a journal - letting blogging take its place. I somehow never feel that things are "finished" if I don't write about them. It helps me sort out my thoughts. I am sure that would help me to find the balance I'm looking for to.

So...onward in the journey.

Visit Cheryl's blog if you would like to come along.



Blessings,
Linda

Time

I have this one moment
this fragile, translucent
piece of time.
I am not promised more
just this one
tick of the clock

May I spend it wisely Lord,
hold it close
and see the treasure
deep within;
whether of joy or pain
wealth or poverty,
see the gift
from Your hands.

May I not spend it
rushing ahead in thought
to all that must be done
to all that I fear may come;
or looking back
to all that I regret
to all I wish to hold.

Give me eyes
to see in this moment
all that Your eyes see.
Engrave it on my heart
with all that You intend
that I might grow
in wisdom and grace.

linking to One Stop Poetry today.

Inspired by this - the book, chapter 4, her talk

Blessings,
Linda

Words

Words. I love them. Individually they are interesting enough but combined in just the right way they come to life. For those of us who love to read there is nothing more enjoyable than a well written book. Words strung together in such a way that we are held captive - taken to another time and place. Words written from a heart that we somehow know, that bring us to a place of deeper understanding.

For those of us who love to write, words are the means by which we seek to communicate something of what we are, something of what we hold dear. The discovery of that perfect combination of words is exhilarating.....

I am writing at Laced With Grace today. If you would like to read the rest of this little devotional, please join me there.

Blessings,
Linda

He's In the Circumstances - Gratitude

It is a rare delight to find novels that speak eloquently of spiritual things. Stories with characters that are real - sometimes failing, sometimes succeeding, always growing in wisdom and grace. We close the book with regret but with a knowledge that we are richer for the experience.

I am rereading the Mitford Series by Jan Karon. I go back to them often thinking I'll just read one and end up reading all of them because I can't bear to say good-by to Father Tim and company. Every time I read them, there is something that speaks specifically to a need or a question in my own life.

The question of suffering the consequences of past sin, even after we are saved, came up in a conversation not too long ago. The person was agonizing over things done wrong in the past that might affect others - the consequences of wrong choices.

I was reading "In This Mountain" and came to a conversation between Father Tim and Buck Leeper. They were talking about Buck's wife whose past had been an agonizing struggle with abuse and alcoholism:

"It was the alcohol, of course. All those years..."

"Those years are behind you."

"Yeah, they are, thank God." Buck looked at him. "But you pay the consequences."

"True. But now God is in the consequences with you. Otherwise, you're in them alone, desperately alone."

There it was. It is true, there are consequences; but now there is nothing we must face on our own. Now there is grace, a loving Savior to walk with us, and His Spirit dwelling within our hearts.

I am thankful for such love and grace. He takes the brokenness of our past and makes all things new.

And thankful for so much more:

15 - delicate, abundant leaves of my ivy plant
16 - drops of water glistening on the dark purple of an eggplant
17 - the clouds parting to reveal blue sky
18 - the sound of the wind in the trees - like ocean waves
19 - red flowers on the Poinsettia - so vivid
20 - clouds like charcoal smudged across the evening sky, faintly tinged with pink
21 - the power of words set to music
22 - sunshine turning the long, brown grasses to gold
23 - a deer stretching in the morning air
24 - country roads
25 - pigeons lined up like sentinels on street signs
26 - first ray of sunshine falling across the quilt
27 - letter from a friend - sent by the Father
28 - the moon casing shadows over the front lawn
29 - thin, wispy clouds like feathers across the sky
30 - elderly couple dining out for Valentine's Day - she in a beautiful red jacket
31 - a Valentine bouquet


Linking my thanks with that of so many other grateful hearts at Ann's today.



Blessings,
Linda

"Great Is Thy Faithfulness"

"Great is Thy faithfulness," O God my Father,
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;
As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be.

Summer and winter and spring-time and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above,
Join with all nature in manifold witness,
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,
Thy own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

chorus:
Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided-
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord unto me!

This beautiful, inspiring hymn was written by Thomas Obediah Chisholm. He was born in a humble log cabin in Kentucky in 1866. At the age of sixteen he began teaching in that same school.

He became the associate editor of "The Franklin Favorite", the local newspaper, when he was twenty-one. Six years later he received Christ as his Savior at a revival and went on to become a Pastor. Poor health forced him to give up the pastorate, and his later years were spent at The Methodist Home for the Aged in New Jersey where he died in 1960.

In his lifetime, Mr. Chisholm wrote over 1200 poems and hymns. He based this hymn on verses found in the Old Testament:

"His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness."
Lamentations 3: 22,23

These words were found in a letter he wrote in 1941;
“My income has not been large at any time due to impaired health in the earlier
years which has followed me until now, although I must not fail to record the unfailing faithfulness of a covenant-keeping God, for which I am filled with astonishing gratefulness.”

Blessings,
Linda

"Not Guilty"

I am so dry. I don't have any words just now. But these....words we will sing for the choir number in church this evening. They are filling my heart just now:


"I stand accused;
There's a list a mile long of all my sins,
of everything that I've done wrong.
I'm so ashamed;
There's nowhere left for me to hide,
This is the day I must answer for my life.

My fate is in the Judge's hands;
But,then He turns to me and says:

I know you, I love you;
I gave My life to save you.
Love paid the price for mercy.
My verdict: Not guilty.

How can it be?
I can't begin to comprehend.
What kind of grace
would take the place for all my sin?
I stand in awe
now that I have been set free,
And the tears well up as I look at that cross
'cause it should've been me!

My fate was in the nail scarred hands.
He stretched them out for me and said:

I know you; I love you;
I gave My life to save you.
Love paid the price for mercy,
My verdict: Not guilty.

I'm falling on my knees to thank You.
With everything I am I'll praise You.
So grateful for the words I heard You say:

I know you; I love you.
I gave My life to save you.
Love paid the price for mercy.
My verdict: Not guilty!"

words and music: Sam Mizell, Matthew West,
and Mandisa Hundley


Blessings,
Linda

One Thousand Gifts

I closed the book and knew that I had to do something different. I began counting the 1000 gifts November 4, 2007 and the number grew week by week. It numbers in the hundreds now, but I have decided to let it stop there.

When I finished Ann's book, I knew I had to begin reading it all over again - turning the pages of her heart and taking the words deeply into my own. This is not a book I want to slide into a spot on my bookshelf and go on with business as usual. I know the Lord has spoken something life-changing through Ann's words. I don't want to, as I have with so many really excellent Bible Studies I've completed, forget the bulk of it. It is astonishing to me how little I retain of the things I've thought I could never possibly forget.

Putting into practice what I've learned will help seal it - moving it from my head into my heart. Part of that process, for me, is beginning a new list. It probably won't look any different than the old one, but it will have been written differently nonetheless. It will be written with clearer vision. I have seen gratitude more deeply. It will be the "ink" with which I record the blessings.

My prayer has been - Open the eyes of my heart Lord, that I might see heaven on earth.

#1 - 14
ancient oaks bending limbs in the strong wind - standing firm - roots deeply planted

little doves huddled on the porch rail in the piercing cold; He sees and cares

husband going out into the freezing night to help Mom and Dad with frozen water pipes

snuggling under the warmth of a quilt stitched by loving hands

the sweet fragrance of a lighted candle

learning to play a rhythm chart

sunlight glittering on a blanket of snow

seeing my daughter with new eyes - little girl all grown up

Ann's book - long prayed over, held in my hands, reaching into my heart

sweet email from a precious friend

sunshine across the tiles of the kitchen floor

husband scattering bread for the poor little birds

the incredible blue of the sky

black cat walking slowly, gently through the grass

joining the Gratitude Community today



Blessings,
Linda

"Face to Face"

Carrie Elizabeth Ellis Breck was born January 22, 1855 in Walden, Vermont but spent most of her early life in southern New Jersey where her family had moved.

She and her husband, Frank Breck, moved to Oregon some time between 1910 and 1920. Carrie was a devout Christian. She devoted her life to serving her husband and five daughters. It was a demanding life, and she was not in the best of health. She had to take frequent rests while doing her chores and used those times to write poems. She would sit in her rocking chair with her notebook, pen and, very often, a little one on her lap or playing nearby. Although she couldn't carry a tune, she had a gift for the rhythm and beauty of poetry. She wrote over 2000 poems in her lifetime.

In 1898 she sent one of those poems to the well-know composer Grant Colfax Tuller. As Providence would have it, it arrived on a day when Mr Tuller was revising a hymn he had written earlier. He was happy with the melody but felt the words he had written were not quite right. The words of Carrie's poem fit his melody exactly - not one word or note needed to be revised. The name of the hymn is "Face to Face."

Face to Face

Face to face with Christ my Savior,
Face to face what will it be;
When with rapture I behold Him,
Jesus Christ who died for me?

chorus:
Face to face I shall behold Him,
Far beyond the starry sky;
Face to face in all His glory,
I shall see Him by and by!

Only faintly now I see Him,
With the darkling veil between;
But a blessed day is coming,
When His glory shall be seen.

chorus

What rejoicing in His presence,
When are banished grief and pain;
When the crooked ways are straightened,
And the dark things shall be plain.

chorus

Face to face! O blissful moment!
Face to face - to see and know;
Face to face with my Redeemer,
Jesus Christ who loves me so.

chorus

There is such powerful truth and glorious hope in this words; they draw out equally powerful emotions. I am thankful for this sweet homemaker who used a precious gift to give us a priceless treasure. Carrie died March 27, 1984.



Blessings,
Linda

Simplify

Proverbs 16:32
"Better a patient person than a warrior, one with self-control than one who takes a city."

Cheryl has begun a series, a journey really, toward simplifying her life. I have joined her because it is a journey I've been on for a very long time it seems. I tend to think of it as finding balance in my life. In one way or another, there have been things in my life that have tipped the scales so far in one direction that other important things have been neglected. As a result, I find myself frantically scrambling to get those important things done and feeling frustrated in the process. It feels a bit like running to keep up with myself.

Exhausted, I pray asking forgiveness for my neglect, only to repeat the very same process the next day. At its roots it is a lack of self-control. I feel Paul's words in the very center of my being:

"For the good that I wish I do not do; but I practice the very evil that I do not wish."
Romans 7:19

So that is where I begin the journey - yet again. Paul goes on to say in the very next chapter of Romans:

"There is therefore no no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."
Romans 8:1

I tend to be rather hard on myself. The Father, on the other hand, is infinitely patient - willing to go back to "square one" time and time again until the lesson is learned. It is this, this unconditional love and unending grace, that compels me to press on.

It is not a journey He ever intended for me to take alone. He walks beside me. He fills me with His Spirit. He extends His hand. My part is to grab hold and walk with Him.

I'm stepping out.

Blessings,
Linda

linking to Cheryl's blog: Culture Smith

Snow (Humor Me)

It arrived under the cover of darkness (and I had so hoped to witness its coming), while we were sleeping under a pile of quilts. The infrequency of its coming makes it something of a wonder. An event to be recorded and preserved for posterity. (Humor me-this is after all South Texas!).









Water is already running off the roof and the sunny spots have melted. It will be gone by afternoon. Just a nice, polite little visit.

Blessings,
Linda

Home

I have been thinking about home. The days that make up the past few weeks have been filled to the brim with things to do. So many things, grocery shopping, doctor appointments, volunteer work, piano lessons, and a dozen others. Nothing out of the ordinary but all things that take me away from home.

I find myself, at the end of the week, longing to simply spend time at home. This is the place where I am totally comfortable, the place I can fully rest and relax, the place where all of my favorite things reside. The pictures on the walls, the quilts on the beds and hanging from the quilt rack, the piano, the books, the candles, the violets on the window sill, the basket of knitting by the armchair...they all seem to welcome me when I walk in the door.

Today was the day we visit Mom and Dad, and as I was sitting at the little kitchen table, hands wrapped around a hot cup of tea, chatting with Mom I realized that home is not just a place. It is people. When I am with her, I feel as though I have come home. I am totally comfortable, fully embraced and always welcomed.

My own home would not be the same if my husband were not there to share it with me. It is the warmth of his presence, the sharing, the security of being together that make it all so comforting.

There is a day coming when I will find myself in a new home - one whose beauty is beyond my imagining. It will be more wonderful than tongue can tell the scriptures say - streets of gold, gates of pearl, a sparkling river, a mansion custom made just for me. It will be a home like none I've every known, but that is not what will make it warm, comfortable and welcoming.

What will make this custom-made mansion a real home is the presence of the One who made it all possible. For He Himself is home.

"In my Fathers house are many mansions: if it were not so I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you."
John 14:2

Blessings,
Linda

linking to Emily's imperfect prose

Someone

Thinking we were complete
we walked through our days
not understanding why
there was a certain sense
of something missing
someone missing

Slowly the realization came
there was room for one more
in our hearts
perhaps a little someone
who would make us complete
someone special.

We began, with prayer,
to search for her
for that was all we knew
the someone missing
was a little girl
someone unknown.

We looked through heartbreaking books
so many little faces
with longing eyes
how to choose
from so much need
just one someone.

She came unexpectedly
a gift from Him
softly curling chestnut hair
sweet smile and light brown skin
different from ours
Someone just right.

She gave more than we ever could
little sister to two big brothers
all smiles or tears
spirited and strong-willed
gracious beauty from within
Someone so loved

All grown now
walking down the aisle this spring
we will watch with tearful smiles
remembering the way
she completed us
Someone so precious.

This is my contribution to Random Acts of Poetry at High Calling and One Stop Poetry

Blessings,

Linda