Reminders

As I was reading my devotional this morning, this phrase jumped out to me...

"My heart goes out to all who truly seek after Me, however haltingly they walk. So, keep on learning to pray - by praying. There is a world of wonder waiting to be discovered through prayer."

AND then that reminded me a something I wrote a couple of years ago...our prayers are precious to our Father.

 “…golden bowls full of incense,

which are the prayers of the saints.”

Revelation 5 : 8b

Lift your prayers,

            allow the praises to flow.

Release them from the hold of this world,

            watch as heavenward they go.

Allow your praise & petition

            to permeate the sky.

Let your heart’s love loose,

            to the Lord let praises fly.

With all the assurance of faith

            & joy of His grace,

Know our prayers have a home ~

            a very special place.

These are not the empty words

            of a hollow heart,

But, Love’s words taken flight,

            in worshipful praise.

They go to our King,

            our Saviour & Lord.

There, in His court

            in golden bowls they are stored.

Our prayers are a treasure,

            the incense of praise.

The gentle wafting of words,

            our chorus of voices raised.

This joining of saints in Love,

            made fresh & anew,

Will sing a new song

            in Glory’s heavenly hue.

Not by our word’s strength or our worship

            are the bowls full of an offering,

But by the grace of Jesus,

            we lift our souls to sing.

Holy, Holy, Worthy, Worthy,

will we forever sing.

By mercy, by Love,

we are a holy incense before our King.

 

Clearing Out

It’s underway! A few friends have requested before and after pics, you got it! Stuff is being sorted through, pitched, re-purposed and in general cleared out.

As I sat, during one of my many breaks from the heat, and looked at all the stuff I just had to laugh! It was as if God was giving me a visual of life….”yep, the ‘stuff’ in your life needs to be sorted. Look at the rocks piled up, perfect for use in the labyrinth…I have been setting these aside for years, just for such a time as this. Now, the weeds and empty pots, they need to go, sound familiar?”

I love analogies, pictures that God uses to show me something like empty pots ~ they used to have something in them, but useful or not, they’re empty now and just taking up space. Show me my empty pots, Lord.

And the rocks, our Rock and Redeemer always right here for such a time as this….

St. Stephen's Presbyterian Church ~ Fort Worth, Texas

What a wonderful visit to this jewel on a hill. The drive in is very pretty, in a quiet neighborhood, just off a busy road. I did not notice the slight climb in the road, as I read street signs and then found myself right in front of the church spire. Lovely! I went to the office door (a large iron ring on an old door, just my “thing”!) to see if it was ok to walk the labyrinth, as they were doing some construction on the roof. 

Everyone was soooo gracious! I was given directions to the labyrinth, just outside the door, and to the old chapel. Just made to feel at home by everyone there.

THEN, I rounded the corner outside and stepped through to the labyrinth nestled to the left of the path, beside the church building…oh my. 

The peace was palatable, the view amazing and the workers stopped. Really, they stopped hammering, etc. for the whole time I walked the labyrinth. Was it their awareness of another? I do not know, but God quieted the air.

I really was breathless and sat on the bench to read from my devotional, one my mother had given me last Christmas, and just take in the moment.

“…a broken and contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.”

Psalm 51:17

Barefoot, I entered the labyrinth…the first, in-person, labyrinth ever for me. What a blessing, a peace and grace-filled time. There is nothing like the focused moments of prayer and listening with our Lord. Is it unspiritual for me to just say, “wow!”?!? 

It was as if time stopped and I could hear every whisper in the breeze. It has been quite a dark season, as of late. The time spent here God really opened my heart to see it is not His desire that I live in such a way. The weights and brokenness I have lived with were my own “keeping”. He has better things for us, His mercies are not meager. So, that day, in that labyrinth, I gave it all over to Him, I lay the hurt at His feet and released myself to His desires. A favourite Scripture came to mind…

Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

Matthew 11:28-30 The Message

Praying the unforced rhythms of grace will ‘wow’ you, too!

Steps

The beauty of the Labyrinth is not just in the physical location and design, tho' that is to be enjoyed, it is in the soul's steps...the revealing of God to your heart, the surrender of ego and pride replaced with joy and purpose, the pure enjoyment of the Peace that envelops you in time given over fully to walk with Him. Our culture is all about more and speed and schedule and, and, and....! 

Jesus said,

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

Matthew 11:28-30 The Message

 
To walk by faith....walk, to move forward with God marking every step, that is the life of faith we are called to live out, because it pleases Him. Col. 1:19 says, "for God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him (Jesus)". There truly is no other victory in the heart, in life, in dreams than to live in His Fullness. The fullness of God, through Christ, brings all things to Him, through His Peace and by His love. The beauty of this understanding is that He gives us the clear vision to see our choices, thoughts, steps of life...does our life praise HIM?

I know for me, the "and, and, ands" of life seem to take on some sort of justification that makes it all seem "ok". Well, thank God He moves us to new seasons and understandings...He doesn't give up on growing us up into the likeness of Christ. ('cuz stagnant sticks!) 

We are constructing a prayer labyrinth at our home and will happily share the walk with you, my friends.  

Pictures and posts to come...until then, here's a labyrinth for you...
 Labyrinth on line

Mary

Well, it has been a while since we've chimed in here, so thought I'd give it a whirl! (birl?)

I just want to say I love the chapter on Mary...because happily she reminds me, nudges me in a new way every time I read this chapter! With the Madonna picture so often pictured in my head, it's nice to stretch the frame a bit. :)Luke 2:19 says in the Message ver., "Mary kept all these things to herself, holding them dear, deep within herself."  and in the NIV, "But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart."
I had to ask myself just what I have been treasuring, what "things" am I holding deep within. Y'all hear me say it all the time, but again I thought of my words, that overflow of my heart's storage place. A good place to sit and regularly ponder for a while.

In the first part of Luke 1:34, “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel,..."
My first thought was that she asked how...like she wanted to be able to recognize this happening! Not 'why', or 'when', but How.


Mark 3:34-35...
Looking around, taking in everyone seated around him, he said, “Right here, right in front of you—my mother and my brothers. Obedience is thicker than blood. The person who obeys God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.” (The Message)
 Luke 11:28...He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”
In our culture we seem to need titles, labels on people. Everyone has to agree or they 'unfriend' you, or don't do something with others because we're different. First, I think that's just funny because we're a melting pot of a country and a world, so 'hello?" But, really Jesus says our connection to each other is HIM...thru Him, making ourselves available and seeking to be obedient in the moment.
It brought to mind our knitting group this past Monday. What a blessed time it was for us! (well, me anyway ;)  At the end of our time, there were 4 of us left talking...Jesus stuff, the rhythm of our lives with Him and all....it was sweet, life-giving conversation, a gift. As I looked around (maybe because of this chapter I was reading at the time) I was struck by Who brought us there. Because we span about 5 decades, it has been wonderful to share our different seasons and encourage one another. I am blessed with many people that God pours into my life...no matter the age, or the season He keeps pouring! Just praying that I remember to ponder and receive.

Prayers & Purls,
~jeanie