It isn’t very often that I sit and do absolutely nothing.  We moved our old wooden swing last weekend to the shade of a Drake elm in our backyard. When he built the swing we wanted it under a shade tree. When he planted the Drake elm we wanted shade. Guess what…. So I sit in the shade with an occasional breeze passing over me and I hear the birds and the quiet. All three kids are enjoying someone else’s house at the moment and the builder of swing and planter of tree is off doing his preparations for hunting…

Today my first child graduates from college. She will walk across a stage in celebration of the last four years of hard work and determination. I know she will praise God for allowing her the opportunity to live in a time and place that allows this to be so.  She has been interacting with children since she was six weeks old. I am not quite sure when she decided this so called major of hers. Her heart has always been on fire for loving others. And now she will make a career out of loving children in the classroom.  She…

The lace of grace that comes from God is so tightly woven nothing can penetrate it.  The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.  Romans 16:20 (NAS)

When my heart is heavy but light I desire nothing more than to sit in the Presence of God and rest in knowing Him.  Nothing fills the space in my soul like the wondrous outpouring of grace from Him. 

It is too important to wait a second longer.  You need to stop whatever it is you are doing and listen to me.  This is not something you can put off any longer.  Do I have your attention?  I mean your full attention.  I cannot pound these keys any harder or faster to get this message across to you.  This is the most important message you will ever read.  I am not kidding. Are you listening?  Really listening?  This is not my message but this message comes from the Most High. Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short…

Again?  Yes, again. A new opportunity awaits. With it comes new possibilities. There may be bumps in the road but we can bounce right through them because sometimes we all need a good shaking. That shaking stirs us tighter. Packs us in and makes room for more.  Luke 6:38 Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.” Apply a little pressure and make more room so the filling will overflow. And…

Not again. Oh, please not again. The ripping in this heart can’t take another blow. I am weary of this uncertainty. I am weary of this lack of stability.  Is this a punishment for how we have treated others?  Have we brought this on ourselves by not being completely obedient?  Unity doesn’t exist in division, right?  Are we so divided that unity can’t exist?  A house divided cannot stand so on what does a divided house rely on for a sturdy foundation?  Do we each have our own thing going on and no one is really sure what the other…

I am so quick to desire God to fill me up and provide fulfillment and satisfaction. Even so far as demanding that I be saturated with His goodness. He is faithful and provides such bountiful blessings.  But what do I do with those blessings?  Many times the provisions He blesses me with get poured out and wasted. Not poured out in worship of Him but poured out in vain.  When my full devotion and worship should be poured out for Him. With the reflection of His love and light being evident in me. Me being a constant reminder of how…

She spoke words echoing my heart.  It is in the clicking and the quiet that I come to Him and know His Presence.  She keeps visual reminders of grace so that when the chaos builds all she need do is look around and glimpse those reminders.  A spiritual reset.  That is what she called it.  A spiritual reset. In the midst of the broken and ugly, choosing to see that which is gift.  Returning to grace because sometimes chaos deafens and blinds causing need to refocus.  Remembering devotion becomes the devotional.  Living in a fallen world in need of that…