Crackling

If you squint real closely you can see that the black portion of this bamboo is actually fine little hairs…

it’s velvety soft. This shoot was only about a foot tall the other day, and now it is over four. I am convinced you could sit and watch these things grow! And that’s when it hit me! Wouldn’t it be cool to grow like the bamboo? OK, so maybe not the velvet part, but the change overnight part, so that change is visible to the world.

For several days, this thought has been running through my head, “God meets us where we are to take us to where He is.”

 And oh, how we do need Him to meet us where we are. How often in life, tho’ have I just put a period mid way in that  sentence and am fine just sitting where I am. (insert frowny face here!)

This morning was full of ‘lessons in the labyrinth’. I had to also trim off part of the bamboo that was about 40’ tall and over the roof, so up on the roof I went! 

What a sweet view and such an encouragement to see the progress.   It’s getting there!

After cutting off the bamboo, I pulled the portion (15’ or so) around back. Then went to pick up some other branches and when I came back, I heard a strange crackling sound. If you turn up the volume here you may be able to hear it, too.

Do you hear it? That is the sound of the bamboo leaves shriveling up…dying. Never in my life have I ever heard this! I got chills in the Texas heat! AND the juxtaposition of that butterfly, the visual beauty of it along with the sound of the leaves, was amazing to me! I just stood there, so grateful for this glimpse of creation that God was sharing! God meets us where we are to take us to where He is…He will cut off what needs to go and replace it with the beauty of Life with Him!

Read a quote the other day that said, “Moving on doesn't mean you've stopped caring; it means you can’t change it.” - Rick Warren. Well, sometimes life crackles, sometimes it flits in the breeze and sometimes it shoots up, but whatever it's doing let's step out to where HE is, with the butterflies, of course! 

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come to me and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, “declares the LORD…

Jeremiah 29:11-14a

New Growth!

He directs our paths, always…not just when we are aware, but always.  The labyrinth is a ‘physical’ way of opening space to walk with and listen to the Lord. In laying the path here, my desire is to have Him set all our steps, beginning with the actual labyrinth design. 

I was absolutely thrilled to see new growth at the base of the giant timber bamboo and it is coming up right where it will form part of the wall of the pathway!

Isn’t that just the way of God, to bring in new growth and always right where it needs to be. We may not know we “need” it at the time, or what to do with it, but He will direct the path when we seek Him to do so.

Then as I was taking a few rocks at a time from the big pile, I thought, “I may need more Lord. It’s going to run out” HA, I turned around and there behind the ginger was a whole other pile of rocks waiting to be used and already on the side of the labyrinth where they are needed! That seemed like a great time to take a breather and sit for a moment and thank Him, yet again, for His provision in all this.

As I stopped to catch my breath a bit and look at the path so far, I was transported back to my childhood. My brother, sister and I used to have a favourite past time when camping in the woods. We made leaf houses, pretty elaborate ones as I recall! And here I thought this labyrinth making was new to me. 

Well, nothing new under the sun, Lord! Guess all those leaf houses were practice for the prayer labyrinth that He would one day have me make at home.

The Lord watches over you—
    the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
the sun will not harm you by day,
    nor the moon by night.

 The Lord will keep you from all harm—
    he will watch over your life;
the Lord will watch over your coming and going
    both now and forevermore.

Psalm 121:5-8

BLOG

I had a few minutes this morning to begin laying out the pattern of the labyrinth. So exciting to see it starting to take shape! My supervisor was pleased, too.

Moving one pile of rocks and another so the Center is now loosely marked out. I thought it best to start here and work around the center. There are some things already set in place, like the giant timber bamboo that can’t be moved, and they make good anchor points. I guess that’s probably the best way to do everything! Start with Him and work our way to the rest of life.  

 It sure would make things easier if that were always my normal “go-to” move. God most definitely has put some wonderful “anchors” in my life; people that pour His grace right into my soul! I had to pause and thank Him for this sweet reminder of some of you this morning.

And I know that for a moment this will seem like quite a leap, but skip over for a minute with me….Am I the only one that thinks that is a weird word? BLOG

I guess I could google the origin, but even doing that doesn’t make the word sound appealing. Promise there is a point to this ;)

So, as I was thinking on this “blog” and then my mind went rambling towards my dislike of the word, a beautiful thought came…

 Bless Lord Our Gathering

I got goosebumps!!! Thankful that He took my wandering mind and brought it back to Him, to His point for this space…Life giving, Spirit-filled steps closer to Him with you, my gift of friends from Him.

So, it continues to be my prayer that the Lord bless our conversation here! BLOG away!!!  

Glory in His holy name; Let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice!

I Chronicles 16:10

Paintin' Pallets

There was a sweet breeze to keep things cool for a bit this morning, so I began painting the pallet “walls” today!!  Painting and humming along with the doves made for a peaceful morning. There’s just something great about taking these old pallets and giving them new life!

The thought struck me that this is exactly what God does with us, by restoring us and giving us a usefulness in His kingdom. Tho’ I paint sloppily with my brush, He covers us beautifully, completely by Christ’s sacrifice on the cross.

I watched as I painted today, as the grain of two of the boards matched up. Unnoticeable before the paint, but as the paint went on the swirls of the grain lined up perfectly. Like us? On the outside, in our human-ness, the differences seem many, but covered in Christ we match! Our “grains” are as intertwined with each other as our eternity is in The Cross…our steps of life made perfect in our steps with Him.

He has declared that He will set you in praise, fame and honor high above all the nations He has made and that you will be a people holy to the Lord your God, as He promised.

Deuteronomy 26:19

Kessler Methodist Church ~ Dallas, Texas

I found a listing for this labyrinth online and decided to go visit on our second day in DFW. The day was overcast and a little rain fell occasionally, but nothing too stormy. The road I drove in on wound through a pretty, hilly neighborhood. The Church is on the corner and filled with large oak trees, something we do not see where we live!

As I pulled around to the parking lot, I saw that there was a school and the children were playing outside and laughing. It was quite a difference from the quiet hill on the morning before. The sweet, boisterous, joy-filled sounds of children filled the air! 

As I walked around the sidewalk to the entrance of the labyrinth, it began to rain and everyone ran inside. I also, ran back to the truck and waited. Then, after just a few minutes, it stopped. So, settled under a smaller tree at the edge of the labyrinth, I opened my book. The Scripture for that day was Ephesians 4:30,

“And grieve not the Holy Spirit, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.”

At the very moment I read that, it began to mist a bit, but I was under the tree and staying dry, so I sat. A moment later there was a clap of thunder and one single drop came flying in (at an odd angle) and landed by my eye and ran slowly down my left cheek......We cried softly for a moment, and the skies cleared.  

One of the purposes of the labyrinth walk is to ask God what we should take with us after our time with Him. Again, another analogy, a visual to confirm our time the day before on the hill…So, this day I left my mourning there with Him in the morning rain and took with me the Peace that passes all understanding.

Then young women will dance and be glad, young men and old as well. I will turn their mourning into gladness; I will give them comfort and joy instead of sorrow.

Jeremiah 31:13