Quiet Yourself & Listen to Your Heart

It was early January and a cold snowy day -- not much different than what we'd been experiencing for the past few months. My winter blues were turned on "HIGH" that year. My desire for warm sun & hidden beaches was intense. Through a few years of experience, I'd finally figured out that those desires could be fed when I was out in nature observing the wonders of God. The dusk light on a snow covered pond brought peace to my restless soul. The sound of the snow crunching under my feet as I wondered through a nearby woods lifted my spirits. Even as I shivered from the cold air, I felt

I Dance Before the LORD!

I dance before the LORD -- in my home, in my heart... even though...

I was born & raised in the Anderson, Indiana Church of God movement -- not denomination - LOL! The movement began in the early 1900's, out of the Wesleyan Holiness Movement. We reach our hands to every blood washed one. We believe in the Trinity. We believe in salvation & sanctification. We take of the bread & the cup. We wash feet!! But, WE DO NOT DANCE!  

Since my younger days being raised in the Appalachian foothills, I was told that WE DO NOT DANCE! My parents were fine with me whirling about at home - singing, clapping and celebrating. However, that was NOT to be taken outside of the home -- even into the backyard, for that matter. Can you imagine the issues my father - the pastor of that little country ChoG - faced when (unbeknownst to him & my mom) I appeared on the stage of the local elementary school enthusiastically dancing to the latest secular tunes as our community-wide PTO assembly began. Needless to say, I received a little talking to when I got home. And unfortunately, my father received several calls & notes about my serious infarction!

I continued to be a rebel with the dancing -- not understanding in my heart what the problem was if I was just dancing out of joy. In college, my roommates & I hosted an illegal off-campus dance at a local State Park out-building. We raised enough money to send all of us girls to Florida for our Spring Break. (That trip might have been a little outside of my parents' view of appropriate, as well!)

Since those days, my church movement has made leaps & bounds (figuratively) in the area of dance. I cherish the sight of little ones waving palm branches & spinning about in sheer joy. I'm incredibly blessed by our youth dancing to the latest from Mary Mary, Toby Mac & other artists. However, I still haven't quite been won over to watching middle-aged women (like myself) dressed in unattractive smock-type dresses with sashes over their shoulders leaping about the church platform to music. Just give me a little Ballet Magnificat! & I'm a happy camper :)

And so... I continue to dance before the Lord...

KARAR...
I dance before the LORD

with all my might... 2 Samuel 6:14

MACHOL... 

He has turned my mourning

into dancing... Psalm 30:11

I took this photo in Sept of 2013 when the haze
over the fields from the harvest of the soybeans
filtered the setting sun just perfectly.
It always reminded me of dancing before the Lord!

I'm posting this on the Wednesday of Holy Week. In this week, we reflect upon the last words spoken by our Lord in those final days as the cross drew near. We think about whether WE would have been the one to deny knowing the Lord. We bow in awe as we consider the great sacrifice paid for OUR sins. And, on Easter morning, we joyously celebrate the power over the grave & over death which comes through our Lord, Jesus Christ. I can't think of a better reason to dance! 

This Sunday I'll be saying, "He is Risen! He is Risen Indeed!!" ... and I'll be dancing!

#JoyDare No. 2490 dancing

Linking with Ann Voskamp - A Holy Experience today... 

A Chapter Closed - Everyone Will Be Inconvenienced!

In times like these I tend to get a bit anti-social. I have problems doing much more than connecting with people via texts & social media - you know, that third-hand type of connection. "Sunday's to church" is about the only time I want to show my face in public! It's a rough thing to watch... from my seat.

My mind is FULL of thoughts today. We've had a bumpy week to say the least. I'm just plain worn out - physically & emotionally. That's not helping with my attitude. But, I'm hanging in there & relying on someone greater than me to provide for ALL my needs.

The "NEST" is no longer empty.
It was...
for a short time.

We're entering a new chapter in our family as we welcome one of our adult children & a tiny baby into our home for a season. The lives of all three of us will be inconvenienced to some extent with these changes. We are trusting that the life of the little one will be blessed by being here :) This isn't how we had dreamed things would work out for our family. This isn't how she had dreamed of her life as a mommy. A chapter closed today... and a new one opened -- bringing more opportunities for God to show His loving kindness, power, provision & glory!

I have plenty of housework to make things work in this house as we add two more to our home. Some of the projects that weren't all that crucial have become extremely important as we "re-work" things around here. There will be "stuff in the halls" for months to come :) Yet, I digress.

This one change will bring other changes. There's a part of me that's longing for another day. I'm longing for the day when our other house sells & closes AND we are done with double mortgages, double property taxes, etc. I'm longing for days when school loans are a thing of the past! I'm longing for the day when I no longer hear the cries of hurting ones (yes, that's another HEAVEN reference from me). I'm longing for the day when a lot of things will make sense to me!

Some of the scattered thoughts I've had today...

• I'm a bit tired of the same ol' same ol' stuff... however, this continues to be my daily prayer... through all of it... LET MY LIFE PRAISE YOU! Take a listen!
• This quote comes to mind and is a great reminder to me... "How has your Christianity inconvenienced your life this past week? Or, is it merely a matter of convenience?" ~ AW Tozer
• The things which bring the greatest joy to me... don't put a penny in my pocket... but, I am grateful for the priceless blessings that fill my heart!!

Thank You LORD for remaining constant in all of the change! Thank You LORD for scattered thoughts that bring me back to You & Your faithfulness. Thank You LORD for creating me to trust Your Heart when I can't see Your Hand.

(found this in the unpublished folder today... good day to publish it)

HOPE, Being Changed 10-16-13

What's your first gut reaction to the following question:

Do you like change or do you dislike change?

My first response would probably be that I dislike change. I feel better when I am comfortable with things -- after I've had some time to get familiar with how things are. Just the word "change" can bring up all sorts of thoughts of uncertainty. The idea of change has sent me into panic mode on more than one occasion.

But, as we all know, there's really no way to avoid change. If we refuse to move, things continue to move around us. And, before we know it, we are changed by it all. Change can be good and, it can be bad. I wrote a blog post several years ago which I've yet to publish. The title is "I Am Forever Changed!" Something had happened in my life that shook me to the core. I didn't know how I would go on with that change. Writing about it that day was the beginning of the process to pick up & move forward.  

I love this quote: 

"I can be changed by what happens to me, but I do not have to be reduced by it." ~ Maya Angelou

Regardless of my desires... daily, I'm being changed. The question is whether I am being changed for the better or otherwise! I think we all have the choice to allow changes to mold us - instead of break us. We can learn from changes in our lives to become better. We can choose to make changes in our lives to help us become better. 

I don't want to be reduced by change in my life... I want to be made better! I want to say honestly to the Lord... not my will but Thine be done... as I am being changed!

His promises...

"We are assured and know that all things work together and are fitting into a plan for good to and for those who love God and are called according to His design and purpose." Romans 8:28

Linking this month with The Nesting Place

 for the 31-day Challenge

Radical Lifestyle

I've been thinking about my life a lot lately. How will things play out? I can make all the right choices and stay away from all the bad places. But, there are so many horrible things which happen in the world -- things over which we have no control. I'm reminded daily of that.

Just last evening a sweet woman, only 46 years old, was shot & killed in her own home. Left to grieve & cry out "Why?" are 4 children (ages 10-21). Days before opening presents already wrapped & under the tree, a life is stolen from those children.

This world is broken.
Only God can make it whole!

Last week innocent children were gunned down, as adults sacrificed their own lives to stand in harms way. What kind of a monster can do such a thing to innocent babes? When did our world lose its reverence for life? Are there any guarantees?

Someday my loved ones will sit with a pastor or funeral director and attempt to sum up my life. Will it have ended peacefully or as a result of a horrible tragedy? There's really no way to know. Of one thing I am certain. I want to be remembered for my radical lifestyle. 

I want anyone who comes in contact with me to see that I'm a radical in my beliefs & in my choices & in my actions. And, by radical, I mean radical to this world's thinking - like a breath of fresh air!

In Romans 2, we are told of the type of change God makes in our lives. It's not meant to be subtle. It's meant to stand out... to require hard work & effort... to be seen as different. I love the way it says in The Message:

"God is kind, but he's not soft.

In kindness he takes us firmly by the hand

and leads us into a radical life-change."

Romans 2:3 The Message

I've chosen the path I want to follow. I have studied His Word and know what being His follower. Taking the road less traveled - with The Lord. Isn't easy but, now that I know it, I want to walk that way.

"God overlooks it (sin) as long as you don't know any better

—but that time is past.

The unknown is now known, and

he's calling for a radical life-change." 

Acts 17:30

I don't know about tomorrow. But, I know how I want to be remembered when I am no longer here. I want to be remembered as a loving person who lived her life in a radical way which made the world a better place & made people want to "live like that."