Happy New Year

From our home to yours, we send wishes for a Happy New Year. May you breathe deeply and step from the old into the new with a sense of joyous anticipation. We are most blessed who can wake each morning to fresh beginnings - to old things passed away and all things made new. Who can wake free from fear and worry, knowing there is One who loves us unconditionally and holds us tightly - close to His heart.

"I do not advise that we end the year on a somber note. The march, not the dirge, has ever been the music of Christianity. If we are good students in the school of life, there is much that the years have to teach us. But the Christian is more than a student, more than a philosopher. He is a believer, and the object of his faith makes the difference, the mighty difference. Of all persons the Christian should be best prepared for whatever the New Year brings. He has dealt with life at its source. In Christ he has disposed of a thousand enemies that other men must face alone and unprepared. He can face his tomorrow cheerful and unafraid because yesterday he turned his feet into the ways of peace and today he lives in God. The man who has made God his dwelling place will always have a safe habitation."
A.W. Tozer - The Warfare of the Spirit

Happy New Year dear friends,
Linda

What Will We Do With Jesus?

"How silently, how silently the wondrous gift is give."

There is no question that He came, this wondrous gift. Reliable witnesses tell us Jesus lived on this earth over two thousand years ago.

For years He quietly worked at the trade his earthly father taught him. At the age of thirty, he put down His carpenter's tools and began His ministry as an itinerant preacher. He gathered a group of young men around Him and traveled the dusty roads healing, teaching, performing miracles, raising the dead.

All of that almost paled in comparison to the things He said. He declared that He was the Messiah - the Son of God. He had come to restore the relationship between God and man; to bring us the gift of eternal life.  It didn't sit well with the spiritual leaders of His day.

Three years into His ministry He was arrested on trumped up charges, tried and found guilty. They beat Him and hung Him on a cross between two thieves. His friends put His lifeless body in a borrowed tomb and mourned the loss of the One on whom they had hung all their hope.

Three days later He appeared to them. Witnesses tell of seeing Him, the scars of crucifixion still fresh on His hands and  feet and in His side. For forty days He once again walked this earth talking, forgiving, preparing. Then these same people watched in awe-struck wonder as He ascended into heaven with the angel's promise of His return ringing in their ears.

No, there is no question that He came. The question is what will we do with Him? Will we dismiss Him as a figment of the imagination of hundreds of witness? Will we, with a shrug of the shoulders, call Him as a good man - but just a bit delusional? Will we shake our heads and say He was truly the worst deceiver ever to have walked the face of the earth?

Or will we, with open hands and heart, believe He was who He said He was? Will we accept this most precious of gifts, given with more love than we can possibly comprehend?

"Unto us a Son is given." To us - to you and me. What will we do with the gift?

Praying this Christmas finds your heart filled with the wonder and love of a Savior who came to redeem us.

Blessings,
Linda

The Magnificat

"Oh how my soul praises the Lord.
How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!
For He took notice of His lowly servant girl,
and from now on all generations will call me blessed.
For the Mighty One is holy
and He has done great things for me."

Thanking Him for the Gift He so lovingly gave to us all. 
Thanking Him for all of you, my precious friends. Words cannot adequately express the blessing you are to me. You are a precious gift.

With love,
Linda

His Plan

They were living in difficult times. The oppressive boot of Rome had come down heavily on Palestine. The people staggered beneath the weight of poverty and unjust taxation. To make matters worse, the Emperor, Caesar Augustus, had  issued a decree that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth. Quite a proposal even for one who considered himself to be a god.

It would require everyone to travel to the city of his ancestors to register for a census that would enable Rome to tax them even further. For one young couple, it would mean traveling seventy miles from Nazareth to Bethlehem – a difficult journey under the best of circumstances, nearly impossible for a teenage girl only days away from giving birth to her first child.

What went through Joseph’s mind as he looked with tender eyes at his young fiancee? Did he question God’s timing in all of this? Did his mind reel with  imagined scenarios of what could go wrong? Suppose Mary’s labor begins on the road to Bethlehem? Suppose she has complications? How will I keep her safe?
Or did he remember the words of the prophet – words he had surely read:

“But thou, Beth-lehem Ephrathah, which art little to be among the thousands of Judah, out of thee shall one come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting.”  Micah 5:2

Please continue reading at Laced With Grace. Thank you so much kind friends.

Blessings,
Linda

Security

A few weeks ago one of our neighbors was robbed. Someone broke into their home, the place where they felt safe and secure, and stole some precious things. Suddenly nothing in our peaceful, quiet neighborhood was as it had been. Our sense of security was shaken. Ironically, gates were locked, doors shut tight and alarm systems armed - the very things we had put our trust in and the very things that failed to keep one of us safe.

I had been thinking about security and what it means when the unthinkable happened in an elementary school classroom. All the right security measures were in place, and they failed.

It is, I think, the nature of the world we live in. The things we put our trust in prove to be so inadequate. Inadequate to protect and inadequate to satisfy. There is only one who meets every need. He came into this fragile world and turned it all upside-down. It is in our vulnerability we find safety. It is in our weakness we find strength. It is in Him, and Him alone, we find the security we long for.

He came and nothing has ever been the same. He gathers us into arms that once stretched the length of a wooden cross-beam and holds us, and all that is most dear to us, in perfect safety. Evil may do its worst, but it cannot take away the security we have in Him. He is eternal life and hope and peace.

Blessings,
Linda

The little Santa is a Christmas decoration from my childhood. He is old and faded, but somehow he is quite lovely.

What Became of the Shepherds?

"That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord's glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. 'Don't be afraid!' he said. 'I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior - yes, the Messiah, the Lord - has been born today in Bethlehem, the City of David. And you will recognize Him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.'
Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others - the armies of heaven - praising God and saying,
'Glory to God in highest heaven,
and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.'
When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, 'Let's go to Bethlehem! Let's see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.'
They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joesph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. After seeing Him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. All who heard the shepherd's story were astonished, but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often. The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them."
Luke 2: 8-20

There the story of the shepherds ends. What a story it is. Heaven itself opened up to these humble men and the glory of the Lord surrounded them. Surely their lives could never be the same.

I have thought about them - about what happened in the days following those miraculous encounters. The scriptures tell us they went back to their flocks, back to their ordinary lives. Did they wonder what would happen next? As the days slipped into weeks and eventually into years, and the images of that long ago night began to fade, did they begin to have nagging little questions and perhaps a bit of doubt? During the long lonely nights on the very same hillside, did their gaze shift heavenward hoping for a further sign? Did they long to hear news of the baby and His parents? Were they discouraged when it looked as though He had simply vanished?

Thirty years later, did word reach them about the young carpenter from Nazareth who said He was the Messiah? Did they hear of the miracles and did their hearts race at the news? Were they waiting expectantly for the Promised One to take His rightful place? Did their hearts break when news of His crucifixion reached their little town?

I wonder (I hope)if the news of His resurrection somehow reached them. If it did, did the vision of that long ago night burst into their hearts once again? Did they see, in their mind's eye, that little baby now become their Savior? Did they rejoice once again knowing the long wait was over; the promise was fulfilled? Fulfilled in a way they could not possibly have foreseen. How could they have known that the little baby they saw that long ago night would one day live in their hearts? It was even more glorious than they had imagined.

What does this story of the shepherds have for us? What would they like us to know and understand? Perhaps it is this:

Have you ever had a glorious word from the Lord, a promise that He spoke to your heart? Perhaps the promise of something you had prayed for with great urgency or a dream He birthed in your heart. Not only did you have that word, but it was confirmed in ways that could only be from Him. You believed and waited for the promise to take form.

Days slipped into weeks, weeks into years, and you began to doubt that you heard correctly. Discouragement filled your heart, and you thought the promise would never materialize. But remember...

The shepherds didn't know what had become of the baby. They didn't know that "...the child grew up healthy and strong. He was filled with wisdom, and God's favor was on Him." (Luke 2: 40) While they waited, the promise was taking form. While they wondered when He would appear again, He was working at a carpenter's bench. When they grew discouraged, He stepped onto the stage and began the work His Father has sent Him to do.

While we wait, the Father is working. In His way and in His time, He will do what He has promised.

"Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep His promise."

Hebrews 10:23

Blessings,

Linda

This one is from the archives.

The Light

The Light shone through the darkness
 Radiance in the form of tiny babe.
And darkness, cowering in the corners,
Tried its best to extinguish the Light,
Heart-rending cries of mothers
split the darkness;
Mourning the loss of innocence,
While the tiny spark lived on.

Darkness has its day,
Slithering out of corners,
Ever seeking to overtake,
But the Light shines still.
Darkness cowers in the radiance,
And our hearts find hope .

Thinking About Mary

Christmas is coming quietly for me this year. As a family, we've all agreed to cut back on the giving of presents - just children this year. So there is less shopping. We haven't cut back on our activities, yet everything seems to be moving at a slower pace. It has given me time to savor this Advent Season; to let my heart wait in silence.

I was thinking about Mary today. What was on her heart and mind all those hundreds of years ago as she awaited the birth of her first child? Scripture tells us she "treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart." I find that so compelling. I wonder how I would have behaved after hearing the news the angel delivered to her one ordinary day. Suddenly life changed forever for her, and her response was simple obedience - and trust.

When I have been given overwhelming news, I'm afraid my reaction has not been like Mary's. I want immediate answers. I want to know what is going to happen, when it's going to happen and above all - why. Mary wasn't given very much information. She had to wait - through the hurt and disillusionment of the one she loved, the questioning looks of friends and neighbors, the long, difficult journey to Bethlehem. She did it quietly, obediently - never doubting that the Father would keep His promises.

This Christmas I want my heart to be as much like Mary's as the Lord can make it. There are some things - things that mean more to me than my own life that I am waiting for. I want to do it with a faith that doesn't falter and doubt. I want to do it quietly, trusting that the Father will do all that He has promised He will do.

I had a dear Pastor who once said, "It was not an indication of Mary's worthiness, but rather an indication that God's grace would be unique in her life." Surely I am not worthy, but God's grace is sufficient. Sufficient to give me faith to walk obediently and to trust in Him. My part is to receive that grace with an open heart. Come into my heart, Lord Jesus.

Joining the writing community at my sweet friend Jennifer's blog today:

 

Blessings,
Linda

a repost from the archives

Worshiping

I grew up attending a small church. It was very different from the church we attend now. You could probably fit the whole church in our choir loft - with room to spare. I gave my heart to Jesus in that little church (any number of times, being the kind of little girl who wanted to be very sure). It was during those years that a firm faith foundation was laid. I am forever grateful for the truths that were planted in a tender heart.

However, it was a very traditional church. We didn't do things like clap or raise our hands - absolutely not. Ours was a quiet, staid congregation - at least during service (and truly, there is nothing wrong with that). So it came as quite a shock to me the first time we stood for worship in an interdenominational church and the people around me tilted their heads heaven-ward, closed their eyes and raised their hands. In all honesty my thoughts went something like this: "Are their lives so perfect they can stand before God and everyone and worship in that way? Because, really, unless you are totally right before God you couldn't do that." My legalistic little mind couldn't imagine such a thing. But there was something there I knew I'd been searching for.

We began to attend regularly, and I learned something about worship. It isn't about me. Imagine that! It's all about Him - and He is more than worthy. Before long, I found it impossible to stand with my hands at my sides. I had a deep longing to reach out to Him and tell Him how amazing and wonderful I thought He was.

For the past few years, my husband and I have been singing in the choir. I can't begin to describe the absolute blessing it is to be a part of this group of worshipers. Some weekends the choir loft is pretty crowded, and we stand shoulder to shoulder . We begin to sing words of praise -  arms bump and hands get tangled up - and I imagine the Father looking with love-filled eyes at His children worshiping together.

What could be more beautiful than that?

Joining Emily for tuesdays unwrapped.

Blessings,
Linda

Laying It At His Feet

 

He comes with gentle words, spoken by those I dearly love, knowing my need of encouragement.
He comes with infinite patience, never reminding me of the infinite number of times we've walked this path.
He comes with love, ever mindful of my neediness.
He comes with grace, knowing my weakness.
He comes with wisdom, knowing how prone I am to foolishness.
He comes with hope, for making all things new.

In this season of giving gifts, He places in our hands the gift of gifts. The gift itself, wrapped in the body of a tiny infant, contains every good and perfect gift. They flow from Him to each of us - every one unique, every one of infinite value. No one, not one single one, is left standing with empty hands.

Perhaps we look down at the gift and wonder at its smallness. He waits, knowing He can make something grand of it - if we will offer it back to Him. For grandness takes on new meaning in His kingdom. It is not measured in numbers or comparisons. It is measured in love and gratitude and obedience.

The words of a song keep echoing in my heart:

"Such a tiny offering compared to Calvary, nevertheless we lay it at Your feet."
 MercyMe - "God With Us"

I come here with my tiny offering and lay it at His feet.

Thank you for your kind words of encouragement dear friends.



Blessings,
Linda

Pondering

I have been "pondering" for days and days. I could say all this pondering has resulted in my deciding to take another break from the blog. It hasn't. What is has resulted in is....confusion (my habitual state of affairs). 

I am weary and discouraged. I have begun to think I have missed it once again. I seem to be forever answering a "call" that isn't there. I am well into my sixth decade of life and still wondering if I somehow managed to slip through with a missing part. You know....the one that tells you what you were meant to do.

I have always tried to be honest here. Now I need to be honest with myself. Writing may not be what I am meant to do. I've set the book aside, wondering how I ever imagined it was something I should do. I may set it all aside, the blog, the FB, the writing.....  perhaps it's time to go back to my books and knitting needles.

In the meantime, I send you all wishes for the most joyous Christmas ever.

With much love,
Linda

Wonder

Our word for this Five Minute Friday is:

Wonder

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When I was a young girl, the wonder of Christmas came wrapped in colorful paper tied with pretty ribbon,  stockings hanging limply from the fireplace mantle, tins filled with Christmas cookies, carols and  candlelight and most of all Santa Claus. The wonder of gifts tumbling over themselves under the tree and stockings filled with all sorts of little delights made sleep a total impossibility. I was so taken with the wonder of it all.

These days there is a different kind of wonder. The wonder of a gift given with such all encompassing love. A gift whose wrapping was marred by the dirt and dust of a stable; a gift more precious than any ever given and unnoticed by nearly all the world; a gift simply and humbly placed where any heart can find it and make it its own. And the miraculous wonder, that it is mine.

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I'm joining the Five Minute Friday community at Lisa Jo's. Won't you come?



Blessings,
Linda

Jesus Was Here

I saw you Jesus - right here in my own home - just a few days ago:

- in the smiles on the faces of those I love most dearly
- in the gentle way a grandson helped his great-grandfather
- in the hands that labored and served
- in the way a father and son leaned in to talk and listen
- in the tears falling down my Dad's cheeks

I heard you Jesus:

- in the voice of a son who prayed thanksgiving
- in the laughter of little girls playing
- in the conversation around the table
- in the thanks
- in the sharing of memories - nearly one hundred years old
- in the "I love you's"

I felt your presence Jesus:

- in the hugs and kisses
- in the young hands that clasped  weaker older hands
- in the listening hearts, generations passing down memories of You
- in a butterfly clasped in tiny hands
- in the joy of children running and climbing trees
- in the wonder of eternity placed in our hearts
-in the moments, these once in a lifetime moments, to treasure in my heart 

Thank you for coming Lord Jesus. Thank you for staying. Thank you for making everything sweeter.

Blessings,
Linda

His Plan

With an inner clock set in motion by the One whose word brought them into being, they know it is time to return. When the days warm to just the right temperature, I see them hovering around the empty space where the hummingbird feeder hung all last summer. In the same way they knew it was time, they remember the place. It’s time to make the mixture of sugar and water they have come to depend on.

To read the rest of this devotional please visit Laced With Grace. I would be so grateful.

Blessings,
Linda

Thanksgiving

Psalm 100
^"Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth.
² Serve the Lord with gladness;
Come before Him with joyful singing.
³ Know that the Lord Himself is God;
It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;
We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.

⁴ Enter His gates with thanksgiving
And His courts with praise.
Give thanks to Him, bless His name.
⁵ For the Lord is good; 

 His lovingkindness is everlasting
And His faithfulness to all generations.

This quiet home will soon be bursting at the seams with family and friends. I'm going to take a week off and enter this beautiful season with joy. 

Wishing all of you the most joyful of Thanksgivings. If the Father had given us the one eternal gift of salvation, it would be more - so much more - than enough. Instead He daily lavishes us with gifts, wrapped in grace and love. Blessings heaped up and running over. 

With deep gratitude for the gift of your friendship and love,

Linda

Still Saturday - After the Storm

"The sound of 'gentle stillness' after all the thunder and wind have passed will be the ultimate Word from God." 
Jim Elliot


Joining my dear friend Sandy this beautiful Saturday morning.



Blessings,
Linda
 

Five Minute Friday - Stay

The Five Minute Friday word for today is:

Stay

start:

It comes with a promise, this word stay. When I speak it, lying somewhere underneath is a promise of faithfulness. It must not be spoken lightly. If it doesn't hold true, it leaves a trail of pain in its wake.

We often say it easily, meaning it for the moment. But life bumps against it, and we call it back. It is, perhaps, inconvenient now or even too costly. It becomes a hindrance to plans newly formed. So we toss it aside, often leaving innocent victims standing alone on the sideline of our important lives.

There is One who promised to stay. He said it with His life - in the midst of more pain and selfless suffering than we can understand. He meant it. There is nothing, not a more important plan, or failure to perform that will cause Him to break that promise.

stop

I'm joining Lisa-Jo and all the other wonderful writers here:



Blessings,
Linda

It Is In the Doing

If I am looking, He is there - right in the middle of a green and brown day. One of those days that feels the same as all the others. One of those days when "everyone else" is out and about, doing new and interesting things - things that really make a difference. I plod through the apparent sameness, complaining ever so quietly under my breath about how tired I am of the dull routine.

I go through the day, shoulders up around my ears, head hanging low and my gaze cast downward - and it comes. That gentle whisper, a soft touch willing my shoulders to relax.

"Daughter. Do you remember the things you've been reading - the ones about doing all things as unto Me?  You agreed with it, if I remember correctly. Rejoiced in the truth and wonder of it."

My heart beat quickens, and I mentally ascent.

"Do you remember what I said - about the value of those things?"

"Yes Father," I whisper.

"Is it enough, dear daughter, just to read the truth?"

I shake my head feeling the weight of his words.

"Live them out daughter. Let them move from the page to your heart."

I ask forgiveness and step into the ordinary with a heart turned toward Him.  I look up, see the bright splash of color in the midst of the ordinary, and the day grows a bit brighter.

^"Don’t fool yourself into thinking that you are a listener when you are anything but, letting the Word go in one ear and out the other. Act on what you hear! Those who hear and don’t act are like those who glance in the mirror, walk away, and two minutes later have no idea who they are, what they look like."
James 1: 22-24 (The Message)

Joining my precious Em at imperfect prose today.




Blessings,
Linda

A Special Blessing

Here in South Texas we wait for it. For months we tell ourselves it will come. The sweltering days will be blown away when the first cold front makes its way down from the north. We look at friends' pictures of variegated landscapes with just a tad bit of envy, listen to talk of chilling temperatures and hot chocolate in the late afternoon.  We pull on shorts and slip into sandals for yet another day, and we wait.

And finally it comes - like the flip of a switch. The wind blows strong and the temperature plummets. Jackets and sweaters that have lain dormant for months see the light of day. Some of us even put on ......boots!

In our house there is something that has been cold and silent for seven months - ever since we moved into the new house. Every other thing has been used - the appliances all learning the rhythm of our lives.

This one almost didn't get to be a part of things. It put a strain on the budget. At one point it was eliminated - erased from the plans. But a tenderhearted husband made the dream come true.

This cold, damp evening it came to life and was everything I had dreamed of - warm, comforting, dancing light.

I am so abundantly blessed. It is humbling.

Blessings,
Linda

Confident Expectation

An elderly (even more "elderly" than the two of us) couple lives across the street from us. The entrance to their gated driveway is lush with beautiful flowers. Behind the gate is their house, which is also home to two border collies. One is, like her owners, quite elderly. The other is a little younger, and much more energetic.

Three days a week the lady of the house waits at the gate for the little bus from the Senior Center to pick her up and take her to her exercise classes. She leans on her cane waiting, the dogs pacing around her feet. When the bus arrives she climbs carefully up the steps. The dogs stand for a minute behind the gate watching her go. Then they walk resignedly back up the driveway toward the house.

The older collie spends most of her time sleeping in a comfortable spot under the oak trees. Not so the younger. Every vehicle that drives up our street is fair game. She waits until it is even with the fence that surrounds their property and then gives chase. Leaning into the run, she speeds toward the end of the property line, pulling up short just before the fence. Mission accomplished, she trots back with a self-satisfied grin and waits for the next round.

She takes great delight in barking furiously at dogs walking by with their owners, restrained by leashes and strong arms they have no way of reaching her.  Those of us who go for walks, get the same treatment. I've tried talking to her in my sweet, can't we be friends voice, but she will have no part of that. It is her duty to protect and defend.

She is a busy little collie, that one, but about an hour before her mistress is due home all activity ceases. She walks to farthest corner of their acreage,  faces the road she knows the bus will travel and sits.  A short distance behind her, the older one slowly comes and lies down.

Neither moves. They have been about the business of life, but that is over now. They simply wait. There is no doubt in their little doggie minds that she will return. They are confident in her love. They wait, looking with confident expectation for her return.

Joining my sweet friend Laura today:



Blessings,
Linda

Quiet In the Midst of the Storm

It is time for Five Minute Friday - already!  Lisa-Jo's word for today is QUIET.

start:

I've seen the force of the ocean, felt the force of the wind as it pelts my face with salt water. And I try to imagine Him asleep in the midst of it.

It is the sort of quiet I long for. I am knit together with a pattern that includes a need for solitude. I don't often find it. It is this peace in the midst of the storm I need. A quiet heart when the dark clouds lower, covering the sun.

It is easier to find peace curled up at His feet, head resting against His knee. It is difficult for me to find it in the midst of circumstances that push hard against me. I tend to look at the waves towering over me and fail to see His face. I cower as the wind buffets, forgetting to run to His open arms.

Quiet - in the midst of the noise and chaos. It is what He offers and what I long for.

stop



P.S. Our daughter flies in tonight from Paris. She will be with us for two weeks, so it will be a bit quiet around here. However, she is a free-lance writer - so we may just sit and write together! In any case, I wish you quiet and peace in the midst of your circumstances dear friends.

Blessings,
Linda

A Bit of Encouragement

I've been quiet here concerning politics, and I don't intend to change that now. I just want to share a little something from my heart.

I woke yesterday with an underlying feeling of discouragement - a little like a low-grade fever. It lay there below the surface disturbing the peace. I read friends' words of encouragement, read His words and prayed - still it lingered.

We had choir practice last evening. I always go feeling a bit weary (I'm not what you'd call a night owl.) and leave feeling exhilarated. I carried my discouragement in the door with me. Ray, our music minister, spoke just a few words - just a few. And then we sang one of the hymns we'd recorded several months ago. All around me faces turned toward heaven and hands were lifted high as the music filled the great room:



"This is my Father's world
 Oh let me ne'er forget.
 That though the wrong
 Seems oft so strong,
 God is the ruler yet."

Words are powerful, but something special happens when they are set to music. I share this to offer encouragement just in case, like me, you're feeling just a little let-down.

I left choir practice filled with hope - feeling exhilarated.

Blessings,
Linda

P.S. That's Ray singing with his oldest son Ben.

Making Memories

I look at her eighty-nine year old face and see the same smile - the one in the black and white wedding portrait - her gown a silky cloud around her feet. Some things are ageless.....

I knock loudly, knowing she will not hear, and call out to her as I walk toward the living room. My arms are full of my sewing project - a couple of pillows to set off the new quilt. Although this is not the house of my childhood, it is still like coming home. For a few hours, I'm not the responsible adult - I am a loved child. There is such comfort in being "kiddo."

She is seated on the couch, her books and handwork spread out around her. I lean in to kiss her soft cheek. She is eager to get busy on my pillows so we slowly make our way to her sewing room. I walk behind her and my heart hurts a little at the sight of the bent back, the slow gait. She often bemoans her inability to do the things she used to do. I am just thankful she is here.

We work together - mother and daughter, teacher and pupil. She has taught me so much - so many intangibles. Conversation has always flowed so easily, punctuated with laughter - and sometimes tears.

She sits while I look through a box of lace she has collected over the years. It is difficult for her to stand for any length of time.

Footsteps sound in the living room. Dad is home from dialysis. He peeks around the door, "I knew I'd find you here." She smiles the beautiful smile as he comes toward her to give her a kiss.

And my heart stores the memories and I am thankful for this day.

Blessings,
Linda

Pulling Back (really)

I feel very much the way this sweet little girl looks. I'm coming, shuffling my feet, praying you'll understand. I am embarrassed to think about the number of posts I've written declaring I was going to be cutting back on time spent on-line; that I was going to get more balance in my life; that I would be reading and commenting less.....yadda, yadda yadda.

Every single time, I slipped right back into my old familiar pattern. I reasoned that I needed to be an encourager (After all, isn't that what some people said I was?), and a good encourager reads all the posts and leaves comments every single time. The truth is - I was completely lacking in self-control and operating out of this inherent need for approval.

In the meantime, my husband sees more of the back of my laptop than my face, my piano is collecting dust, there are unfinished knitting and sewing projects, there are letters unwritten, phone calls not made, books on the night stand, a book waiting to be written....the list goes on and on.

I watched all of the talks from the Allume Conference and knew the Lord was speaking directly to me. It is way past time to make some changes. I am thoroughly sick of my big self. So......I will be a bit scarce around here from now on. I plan to write posts as often as I can (maybe I'll get more written this way!), and comment as time allows, but I am going to have to strictly limit my time on-line.

Just today, while I was doing my Bible Study Beth Moore hit me right between the eyes with this:

"What if we really believed that if we seek God's kingdom and His righteousness, everything else of true value would be given to us (Matt 6:33)"

It is difficult for me to pull back. My heart hurts to think I might lose some friends in the process. I would ask if there is anything you would like me to pray about, please let me know. I am apt to miss some things, but I promise to do whatever I can.

I love you,
Linda

My Grandma - Five Minute Friday

Today's Five Minute Friday word is "roots:"

start:

I have only a few treasured pictures of us together. This one sits in a tiny ornate frame on top of the piano. I sometimes sit and look at it with great longing. The pictures are my only "memory." She died when I was two.

I hunger for stories about her. In my heart she is the strong root system I am  thankful to draw from. She came to this country as a five year old child having sailed on a big ship from Italy with her mother. She didn't get to go to school because her little sister wasn't old enough and she had to stay home with her.

When she was thirteen an arrangement took place, and she was married. It turned out well. I always smile when my Mom says she grew to be taller than her husband. She worked hard - so very hard. She lost several babies - a six month old daughter to blood poisoning (just a little scratch from a rusty piece of metal). The hardest was the five year old son - meningitis. In her grief she ripped out a piece of her own hair. It never grew back.

She took in family members who immigrated from Italy - caring for them until they could get settled. She worked when there wasn't enough money from my Grandfather's barber shop and hocked what little precious jewelry she had to make ends meet.

She was a midwife - the one the neighbors called when there was sickness they couldn't deal with. During the great flu epidemic she went with the doctor from house to house. No one in her family ever got sick.

She is my precious Grandmother. She is part of my roots. I miss her dearly.

stop

Joining Lisa-Jo today at Five Minute Friday

Blessings,
Linda

A Little Gift

I'm pausing today - just to catch my breath. In the meantime, here is a little gift to you, dear reader, from me via Word Candy. It's a lovely place to visit. You could make a little gift of your own. (Just click on the picture and it will take you there.)


Blessings,
Linda

Day Thirty-One

Day thirty-one. There were some days I felt like giving up, but here we are - the last day. For some reason I'm wiping away tears. I can't explain them.

I have loved writing about this God who is ever present, this Holy One who sits enthroned in the highest heaven and longs to hear my voice and hold me close. I confess, it is so much easier to write the words than to live them out. Forgive me Father. How can it possibly be true?

Why do I choose other things over You? Why is it so hard to stop caring about the way others see me and be satisfied with Your tender look of love? Why, when you reach out to me do I turn the other way and pursue those other gods - the ones I've let take up residence in the place that is rightfully Yours? Why do I find it difficult to trust - to come to You with open hands and let You take what You must and give what is best? Why, when I have been given priceless treasure do I settle for cheap imitations? And why, after all those things, do You love me so passionately?

I let the questions roll down my cheeks and know that this journey can never end. It reaches to the end of my days and then into eternity.

It is a bit of a conundrum this seeking after God - for He wants desperately to be found. It is that thought that brings the tears. The tenderness, the love, the longing of a Father who spared nothing that we might find Him. From this thirty-one days I take a longing to love Him well, to drink deeply, trust fully, walk ever mindful that He is always with me. I pray it is the same for you. He loves you.

Blessings,
Linda

Pursuing Happiness - Day 30

"Happiness recedes from those who pursue her."
 Phillip Yancey

When I was much younger and not very wise, I thought I had the right to happiness. I had somehow developed a bit of my own theology wherein, if I did my very best then surely the Lord would see to it that my life would be one titled "Happily Ever After."

It didn't take long before I realized there was a bit of hole somewhere in my theological reasoning, but I couldn't figure it out. Why would God allow all these troubles to come to me when I was trying my best to obey all the rules?

I began to feel a bit out of sorts with God for not keeping up His end of the agreement I had drawn up. So I decided to find happiness on my own. I looked in all the places other people seemed to be finding it. My troubles didn't vanish into a cloud of euphoria, but I felt happier.....for a while.

Somehow this brand of happiness seemed to be rather superficial. It didn't satisfy. I found I had to work harder and harder at it for there to be any measure of satisfaction. Where was this elusive happiness my soul craved?

In the midst of my frantic searching someone whispered, "God is far more interested in making you more like Jesus than He is in your happiness."

I could hardly take it in. Really? Would He allow me to be miserable? It sounded painfully like truth. So I bent my knees. I asked Him to do the work in me He wanted to do. Not without a bit of fear and trembling and not without a secret little hope that He would relent and just make me happy.

It turns out He really is more concerned about molding and shaping me into the image of Jesus than giving me everything my little heart desires. I have seen Him do miraculous things, and I have seen Him allow difficult circumstances that shake me to the foundation of my soul, but always, always He has been there.

I have discovered that joy is much more substantial than happiness. It under-girds suffering and shines through tears of  sorrow. It is His gift, wrapped in a love which does what is best in spite of the pitiful cries for happiness.

Blessings,
Linda

Through the Valley - Day 29

Tears coursed down her cheeks as she told me the story. Many years had passed, but the memory was as fresh as today. Her Mother had fought valiantly against the cancer that consumed her body, but it was clear the battle was nearly over. She lay on a hospital bed in the living room - a dearly loved daughter and husband constantly by her bedside.

I had known the family nearly all my life. This daughter, my sister-in-law, several years younger than I had become like a sister to me. We talked easily about the things stored deep within our hearts. We've been through a lot together. So I felt I could ask the question - one I'd pondered off and on for a long time.

"Was she afraid?"

It seemed a foolish question. Her Mother was a strong Christian. She had served on all of the same boards as my own Mother; they had been good friends. Her faith was without question. Still I wondered. How is it for a child of God knowing they will soon be going home?

Her answer surprised me. "Yes," she said, "she was."

In fact, she became so troubled they called their Pastor and asked him to come and visit. This sweet, Godly woman tearfully told him of her fear - the fear of going into the unknown - alone.

He listened. He didn't admonish her for being fearful, instead he tenderly assured her she would never be alone. He read from the 23th Psalm:

"Even when the way goes through
    Death Valley,
I’m not afraid
    when you walk at my side.
Your trusty shepherd’s crook
    makes me feel secure."
(The Msg.)

Our journey will one day take each of us through the valley of the shadow of death, but we will not walk alone. He has promised to never leave us or forsake us - not for one single second. Those words falling on the ears of a dying woman brought her peace. Just a gentle reminder that we are always in His presence. We have nothing to fear.

Our Father understands the things that make us tremble. We know heaven is perfect and wonderful in every way. It is the going - the way we must travel - that can cause us to be afraid. So He promises we won't have to travel alone. He will walk beside us and bring us safely home. 

Blessings,
Linda

Seek Him - Days 27 & 28

"Let the first act on waking be to place yourself, you heart, mind, faculties, your whole being, in God's hands. Ask Him to take entire possession of you, to be the Guide of your soul, your Life, your Wisdom, your Strength. He wills that we seek Him in all our needs, that we may both know Him truly, and draw closer and closer to Him and in prayer we gain an invisible force which will triumph over seemingly hopeless difficulties."
Henrietta Sidney Lear (1824-1896)

Joining dear friends Sandy and Deidra:





Blessings,
Linda

Immanuel - Day 26

One of the names given to Jesus is Immanuel. It means God with us. When He walked this earth He told His disciples that if they had seen Him they had seen the Father. There He was, quite literally, God walking, talking, sleeping, eating, doing miracles with us.

There are days I long for His physical presence. I imagine sitting at His feet, resting my head against His knee and feeling His hand caress my head. Most days, that would be enough. But there are other days I long to hear His voice. I want to lie still, tucked beneath my quilt, and hear Him tell me the things He has on His heart. After all, I talk all the time, and He listens - oh how He listens.

The reality is, both of those things happen all the time. I may not see Him with my physical eyes or feel His touch, but He is here with me. I may not hear His audible voice, but He speaks to me.

I was reminded of this in a movie theater one afternoon several years ago. It was a movie I really wanted to see despite the R rating. I'm a big girl, after all, and can filter out the bad stuff. Besides, my favorite actors were in it. No one else was available to go - so I went by myself.

It was an early afternoon showing, and I literally had the little theater almost to myself. I was surrounded by a sea of empty chairs. I relaxed into my seat as the the lights dimmed and the movie began. It was a good movie. It really was. However the language was really rough. I became increasingly uncomfortable. I looked at the empty seat next to me and imagined Jesus sitting there. After all, He goes everywhere I take Him. He resides in my heart. So there He was, and I felt such sadness sweep over me.

I made a decision that afternoon, to never go anywhere or listen to anything I didn't think Jesus would be comfortable with. I confess, I have messed up a couple of times, but for the most part this knowing He is always with me has shaped my choices.

I don't say this is right for everyone, but for me it is exactly right. My imagination and sensitivity is such that I don't do well storing up certain things in my heart. There are some things there I wish I had never seen or heard.  He knows what is best for me. I think He showed up that afternoon to gently get that point across.

Immanuel - God with us.

Blessings,
Linda

With Us - Day 25

I'm very late today. It has been a full day with little time to write.

We voted.

I picked up my new glasses - progressive lenses! I finally had to admit I can't see very well - not to read, not to work on the computer and not to see long distance. So....I am walking around as though the ground beneath my feet has suddenly turned to water, trying very hard not to get sea sick. Also, it feels as though someone is pulling at my eyeballs. They say it takes time to get used to them. sigh.....growing old is not for the faint of heart.

Then we met friends for lunch. Good food and great conversation, sprinkled liberally with laughter. We all came back here to our house to continue the talk.

It was a good day. And He was with us - every single moment:

     - as we voted with hearts turned toward Him; I felt the privilege deeply today
     - as I slipped on new glasses - everything came into sharp focus, and I thought about seeing things      through His eyes
     - as we gave thanks for the abundant provision of our daily lives
     - as we shared our faith with one who is still seeking
     - praying throughout the day for the deep, deep needs of dear friends

This is what it is to be in His presence. He is with us - even in the ordinary. There is never a moment He is not near. We are so blessed.

Blessings,
Linda

In the Valley - Day 24

I like it on the mountain top. I like the feel of sunshine on my face, the clear, fresh breeze, the amazing vistas spreading out below me. From my point of view, the limited earthbound one, it would be wonderful to live there. No worries, no cares - just sunshine and puffy white clouds. Wouldn't it be easy to feel the presence of God all the time?

The truth is, it is far more likely I will find Him in the valley. When dark clouds hang heavy, obscuring the sun, and I am surrounded by mountains of suffering and fear I run to Him. It happens in my life over and over again. Those seasons of despair, in the hands of a loving Father, do a deep work in my heart. I find in Him all I need. I find His promises are true. I draw closer to Him.

"But without a valley
How would I ever know
That His strong and gentle hand
Would never let me go
How would I know for sure
That I'm secure and safe wherever I go
Without a valley
How would I know"
Rodney Griffin

Blessings,
Linda

We Will Remember - Day 23

A look back, in remembrance, through the words of Tommy Walker:

We will remember, we will remember
We will remember the works of Your hands.
We will stop and give You praise
For great is Thy faithfulness.

You're our creator, our life sustainer
Deliverer, our comfort, our joy.
Throughout the ages, You've been our shelter
Our peace in the midst of the storm.

With signs and wonders, You've shown your power
With precious blood, You showed us Your grace.
You've been our helper, our liberator
The giver of life with no end.

When we walk through life's darkest valleys
We will look back at all You have done
And we will shout, our God is good
And He is the faithful One.

I still remember the day You saved me
The day I heard You call out my name
You said You loved me and would never leave me
And I've never been the same.



Blessings,
Linda