The Cornerstone

These are both pieces hanging on my wall in my massage room. I like to put holy ideas in my workspace so that when I am
working I can meditate on the things of God.

The Nativity is one of the favorites that I have collected. The bottom piece is beautiful art work done by my son-in-law, Devon. Between the two the room is filled with the lifespan as man that Jesus gave us. Holy Child, to Lamb of God, to Savior, He is the Joy of every longing heart. Son of God in a lowly birth, grew up to the rejection and the cross. Yet, He lives now and forever the Messiah, Lord of Lords, Emmanuel, God with us!
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He came unto His own, and His own received Him not.
John 1:11

Deer Envy

Okay, so right off the bat, I confess that this entry is going to be a bit different from my others. I am exposing a childlike side of myself that you may think is crazy. A few of my close friends know about it, but not a lot of other folks do. I get really strong personalities exuding from stuffed animals. I think God reveals things about the heart through what He shows me in the Spirit about these individual creations of fabric. The lessons are really about all our heart issues as human beings.

I found this sad little guy at the Goodwill store today while looking for a few baskets to fill up with goodies. The poor little stuffed toy seemed to want to be something other than a bear. He had a tiny hat of reindeer antlers on, and was posing, quite sadly, as something other than what he was created to be. Look at him...he is not smiling. He has sad eyes, but note his tender pink heart. I doubt that the cause for the antler headdress was a celebrating of winter or Christmas season. He must have come to the conclusion that it was better to be a deer than a bear. Somewhere along the way he was tossed out and ended up in the second hand store. He had developed deer envy.

Well, I love bears, so he was in the right place at the right time. My heart warmed as to a stray puppy, and I took him home. I hope his smile will come back, and he will rediscover the wonder of being a bear. He will delight in the things a bear can accomplish that a deer cannot. After all, he has yet to learn how to fish in rushing waters, or the great and awesome task of hibernating through the winter months, or climbing a tree. Deer can't do those things.

I guess my point is about how God creates all of us, and puts gifts differing in each one. Sometimes a friend will say to me, "Is there anything you can't do?" Oh my, let me make you a list! Keeping a spotless house is not one. Investment banking is not one. Anything that takes a LONG TIME is probably not on the list, either. Left brain and patience are not areas where my strengths abound. And frankly I hate the assignment of having to call people on the phone to try to get them to do something. But what is a task for me is a breeze for someone else who is gifted in that area. Why are we envious of each others gifts? Don't we know that God made us a Kingdom quilt, with need of all to work together to bring forth God's full glory?

Going up to strangers and talking to them about Jesus is my Colorado friend's gift. I am amazed to see her hand out baked goodies to strangers and pray for them. She is out there doing the love legwork of ministering to the whole community the love of Christ. I could sing to them about Him, or show them a photograph and tell the story of how God revealed himself in it. I am fitted by the Creator to minister through different giftings. I am a unique snowflake. Yes, a little flakey at times, but one of a kind.

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Be imitators of God...as dearly loved children, and live a life of love...as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
Eph. 5:1-2

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So God, show me how to be love to everyone I see through the unique ways you made me to serve the Body.

Water of Life

As I was searching for path pictures for the previous post I came upon a photograph of Peyto Lake in Canada. I remember putting it on a list of things to see before we took that trip, It was one of those times in life where a picture of something cannot compare to seeing the size, beauty, and essence of it in real life. The expansive color of turquoise for the eyes along with the magnificent smell of the forest was enough to make me dizzy.

I think about heaven, when I will see in a high place the one face to face who is my River; the one whose Spirit washed me and swept me into the flow His love.
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And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.
Revelation 22:1

Where You Lead

I was listening to Carole King sing 'Where You Lead' and went down memory lane to some paths that have invited me. Several have been country roads such as these. I am a sucker for a road with a grass ridge down the center. I am driven to find where it leads. Lots of wildlife and wildflower encounters have happened on paths such as these.

Something draws me to the path less worn; the road less traveled. I want to discover what is around the bend. I love to be there by myself or perhaps with one other special person. Once in Colorado I was with a friend down such a byway close to Granby. A path beckoned to me after we had just seen a moose in the trees to the right. I found a path through tall grass on the left that led down to the lake. I only got a few steps into the tall grassy walls when I got a warning by the hair standing up on the back of my neck that I needed to stop, turn around, and get out into open space again. Perhaps that path did not have 'life' for me, but something dangerous, if my senses were warning me correctly.

I have found that the urgency to see so much more of the beauty of this planet is increasing as I age. I am not ready for the rocking chair, unless it is to rock a sweet grand baby. I still want to take chances and experience fully that which God has put in me to do and see. Much joy comes from quiet times alone with God. If those times come on a country worn path of life to which He has led me, or the top of a mountain, Lead Me On! Strengthen me, as I am filled with joy in your presence.
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You have made known to me the path of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence.
Psalm 16:11

God Sees The Heart

It seems that God puts heart shapes in front of me no matter where I go. These happened to come in the forms of cactus, leaves, and deer prints. I think it's a message to remind me He sees the heart and is giving each beat of life to it, His home in me. It is pretty simple stuff, yet the very core of relationship with God. God wants to be ruler of your heart, not keeper of the rules. He sent his one and only Son as a babe to set us free.

I recently restudied a piece of work by Jeanne Guyon. In it she states:

For some reason men try to love God by forms and rules. Can you not see it is by these very forms and rules that you have lost so much of that love?...

The simplest can know Him, and in the deepest way, with no help from rituals or forms or theological instruction!
(Experiencing the Depths of Jesus Christ)
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God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. In this way, love is made complete among us...
1 Jn. 4:16-17