I was listening to Rebecca St. James’ song, “Quiet you with my love.”
It inspired me with this picture of God as my loving Father, trying to comfort me.
Hope it inspires you!
“Come to me all who are weary And I will give you rest.
Be still my child---rest awhile. And I’ll quiet you with my love.
Rejoice over you with my song, With my song.”
Imagine a little girl, she’s tired and grumpy. Her long blonde tendrils are tangled, and in some places, clinging to her skin where beads of moisture have formed from sweat. Her little legs are weary from the long walk where she fell and scraped her knee. You can see the evidence of this in the new Mickey Mouse bandaide and the fresh tears on her hot pink cheeks. Her daddy picks her up effortlessly and begins to comfort her. As he sits down with her in the rocking chair, he whispers, “Lay your head down on my shoulder and rest. You’ve had a hard afternoon.”
While rocking gently back and forth, he pats her on the back, and smoothes down her flyaway hair. As she begins to relax, he encourages, “There, there, just close your eyes and let daddy take care of it.” And as she follows his soft direction, listening to the murmur of his chest as he hums a little tune, she forgets how tired her little legs are. She stops thinking about the stinging of her knee. As her little mind floats away with the clouds, thoughts of exasperation and frustration disappear and are replaced with a calming peace. And finally, in complete trust and abandon, she lets the weight of her entire body rest completely on her Father as his strong, steady heartbeat lulls her to sleep.
Isn’t that a nice picture? You can almost envision it can’t you? And you already know where I’m going…
Isaiah 30:15 “This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says: ‘In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength,’ “
Numerous times in scripture, God refers to us as his “children,” his “beloved.” We’re instructed, “cast your cares upon the Lord.” (Psalm 55:22.) He tells us that “my yoke is easy and my burden light.” (Matt 11:30.) That “he knew us before we were formed” (Psalm 139:13-16.)
It doesn’t sound to me like, “oh yeah I know Theresa Zuber (say your name here :) I know who you’re talking about.”
It’s more like “I’ve been making plans for you, way before you were ever conceived. I’ve loved you all along. I’ve been longing for the day that you would understand and love me back! I watched you grow since conception. I still have the first feeble prayer you prayed- it’s hanging on my refrigerator. And the day you claimed my son as your savior and were baptized, we threw a huge party in heaven. I have such blessings and surprises in store for you if you’ll only ask. I want to spend some quality time with you so I hope you have time for me today. I’ll be waiting here for you. You’ll recognize me. I’m the one carrying your burdens.
Oh don’t worry-they aren’t heavy to me. Daddies are very strong, you know. Let me take care of them for you, I don’t mind.”
Psalm 46:10 “Be still, and know that I am God;”
Matthew 11:28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened,
and I will give you rest.”
Zeph 3:17 “The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.”
Take some time today to crawl into your Father’s lap. It’s the most comfortable place in the world!
Thank you, God for such a beautiful picture.Thank you for carrying my burdens. Thank you for watching over me – always. Thank you for giving me strength to carry on. Open my heart & mind to You so I can feel Your quiet presence and hear you rejoice over me in song.
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Have you Ever? By Donna Ensign Woods
Have you ever…
Climbed an Oak tree…
Just to see what you could see ?
Waded barefoot in a cool stream…
or just sat on the river bank to dream ?
Have you ever…
Taken a woodland walk, to think and pray,
While picking wildflowers on a warm Summer day?
Laid in the grass...and got lost in a cloud,
Finding promise in a rainbow arched high and proud?
Have you ever…
Walked on a sandy beach
Knowing God is there...within your reach?
Rode a magic carpet down a mountain of snow
Or watched flames dance in a campfire's glow ?
Have you ever…
Heard a new-born baby's first cries
Or dried the tears from a friend's eyes.
Have you ever…
Twirled and laughed for hours and hours
Dancing with angels in a field of flowers?
Have you ever…
Felt God's touch...when all is still?
If you haven't...I pray you will.
Climbed an Oak tree…
Just to see what you could see ?
Waded barefoot in a cool stream…
or just sat on the river bank to dream ?
Have you ever…
Taken a woodland walk, to think and pray,
While picking wildflowers on a warm Summer day?
Laid in the grass...and got lost in a cloud,
Finding promise in a rainbow arched high and proud?
Have you ever…
Walked on a sandy beach
Knowing God is there...within your reach?
Rode a magic carpet down a mountain of snow
Or watched flames dance in a campfire's glow ?
Have you ever…
Heard a new-born baby's first cries
Or dried the tears from a friend's eyes.
Have you ever…
Twirled and laughed for hours and hours
Dancing with angels in a field of flowers?
Have you ever…
Felt God's touch...when all is still?
If you haven't...I pray you will.
Discernment?? by Joyce Schafer
I have to be honest—this is a word I really didn’t know so I looked it up in the dictionary: Discernment—act or power of discerning, judgment, sagacity. Huh? I’m more confused than ever. I have no idea what sagacity is. I don’t think I have ever heard that word before—so it’s back to my trusty dictionary. Sagacity —quickness of discernment, shrewdness, high intelligence. High intelligence, well, that explains why I have never had occasion to use this word. It also made me feel like I was going in circles.
My life feels like that sometimes. I get up every morning with high expectations that I am going to do exactly what God wants me to do today and then Life happens.
I go to take clothes out of the dryer only to discover that I forgot to put them in the dryer last night. I go to put milk on my cereal (or worse yet have it on my cereal) only to discover it’s bad.
I go to work and some customer yells at me because he overdrew his checking account. Then some coworker is complaining loudly and giving me a headache.
In the evening as I go over my day and pray, I realize I am always apologizing and asking for forgiveness for the same things day after day. I also give thanks that God has the discernment (judgment) and sagacity (high intelligence) to forgive me time and time again.
My life feels like that sometimes. I get up every morning with high expectations that I am going to do exactly what God wants me to do today and then Life happens.
I go to take clothes out of the dryer only to discover that I forgot to put them in the dryer last night. I go to put milk on my cereal (or worse yet have it on my cereal) only to discover it’s bad.
I go to work and some customer yells at me because he overdrew his checking account. Then some coworker is complaining loudly and giving me a headache.
In the evening as I go over my day and pray, I realize I am always apologizing and asking for forgiveness for the same things day after day. I also give thanks that God has the discernment (judgment) and sagacity (high intelligence) to forgive me time and time again.
Ask Marsha Stewmart by Susan Shull
Dear Marsha,
When my kids were small, I imagined all the entertaining my husband and I would do once they were grown and on their own. I even have the fine china and cloth napkins ready to go. Dreams of the gourmet group we would become part of still surface occasionally. I have never dreamed that instead of a gourmet club, we would be joining the Motorcycles for the Maker group! Now we are out on the road every weekend cruising from one restaurant to another having a wonderful time. We do miss our friends who haven’t succumbed to motorcycle fever. How do we find the balance between time spent with our friends in leather and those still on 4 wheels?
Having a Ball on our Hogg
Dear Having a Ball on our Hogg,
Now honey, get a grip! Don’t beat yourself up over what you can’t do. Just be a creative problem solver! Ask those friends to follow behind in their car or just meet you at your next stop. They can even carry your extra gear-kind of like when I used to hold everyone’s purses and souvenirs at Six Flags because I was afraid to ride the roller coasters. Meeting there should work out great since you can’t visit on the trip there on motorcycles anyway. Watch out! Those non-motorcycle lovers may soon have a bigger “hogg” than you!
Ciao, Marsha
When my kids were small, I imagined all the entertaining my husband and I would do once they were grown and on their own. I even have the fine china and cloth napkins ready to go. Dreams of the gourmet group we would become part of still surface occasionally. I have never dreamed that instead of a gourmet club, we would be joining the Motorcycles for the Maker group! Now we are out on the road every weekend cruising from one restaurant to another having a wonderful time. We do miss our friends who haven’t succumbed to motorcycle fever. How do we find the balance between time spent with our friends in leather and those still on 4 wheels?
Having a Ball on our Hogg
Dear Having a Ball on our Hogg,
Now honey, get a grip! Don’t beat yourself up over what you can’t do. Just be a creative problem solver! Ask those friends to follow behind in their car or just meet you at your next stop. They can even carry your extra gear-kind of like when I used to hold everyone’s purses and souvenirs at Six Flags because I was afraid to ride the roller coasters. Meeting there should work out great since you can’t visit on the trip there on motorcycles anyway. Watch out! Those non-motorcycle lovers may soon have a bigger “hogg” than you!
Ciao, Marsha
Dandelions by Marla Galloway
They’re baaaaack… covering the landscape, bright, yellow and dare I say, cheerful? Yes, it’s dandelions! This pesky perennial will turn white and the wind will scatter seeds to and fro, assuring its continued existence. It’s quite reliable, the dandelion. After all, you can bet every spring it will make its triumphant return. The dandelion is persistent. You can mow it down and the next day it reappears, almost mocking your efforts. he dandelion does not discriminate. It shows up just about anywhere, fields, ditches…. your lawn!
So the next time you start whacking away at this “weed,” consider the characteristics of the dandelion. Traits we should possess like resilience and dependability. We too should be spreading seeds, though of a different kind, seeds of goodness and love.
So the next time you start whacking away at this “weed,” consider the characteristics of the dandelion. Traits we should possess like resilience and dependability. We too should be spreading seeds, though of a different kind, seeds of goodness and love.
Discernment by Julie Short
Wow! God is amazing! Our Wed. night class was lengthy due to the topic “Going and growing through the hurts.” I grabbed the tin of words with little time left in the class and asked someone to pick out the word, she did and read the small piece of paper. DISCERNMENT. We all sighed/moaned collectively, what a deep word.
It was Sunday before I sat down with the word discernment and next week’s lesson, “Put on the Armor.” It’s obvious God chose the word for the week. I read the lesson and searched and read about discernment in the bible. Eph 6:10-18 is about putting on the full armor of God. Eph 6:13 & 14 have had special meaning to me for years. When you have stood firm. Stand firm. To me it means when you think you’re prepared, begin preparing.
Discernment means: to have keen insight, good sound judgment.
We must be able to discern good from evil. A discerning heart seeks knowledge. With the Knowledge of God’s word and fully dressed in God’s armor we can be prepared. But, it’s easier said than done. I recently sat in a workshop on Infant Mental Health for work. The presenter kept saying “you must know what you stand for.” She instructed us to turn to the person sitting next to us and tell them the #1 thing we stand for. I knew my answer, but I was suddenly nervous. I knew that I was at a professional workshop. I turned to the person on my right and said “My faith, I stand for Jesus” she told me what she stood for and I felt relieved and a terrible since of guilt. It shouldn’t have been so hard to pronounce my faith publicly. My faith means everything to me. I soothed myself by saying “yes, but you did it, you were prepared, you stood firm (wimpy). Just then the presenter took her microphone and began walking though the packed room. She held the microphone in front of a person asking them what they stood for. She continued to point and ask. I shrunk in my seat, with my head turned away and down. I kept telling myself if she puts the microphone in my face I will say “Jesus, I stand for Jesus, I must say I stand for Jesus.” But my body language was crying out “don’t pick me, please don’t ask me.” I had stood firm, but I was sinking fast. I thought of Peter. I thought of how prepared I thought I was to give an answer. Then I heard a gentleman speak the words into the microphone “I stand for Jesus” He was prepared to give an answer.
1 Peter 3:15 But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.
I felt horrible, “what was wrong with me?” Before this moment I would have told you with great confidence that if I was ever asked what I stood for I would jump up and confidently state “I stand for Jesus.” All my keen insight and good sound judgment was failing me. Why, because in my haste to prepare, I had failed to prepare. We must daily put on the full armor, and when we think we are prepared we must begin to prepare. The enemy is out there and he is prepared. Without discernment and knowledge of God’s word and daily putting on God’s full armor, when asked without warning what we stand for we might surprise ourselves by realizing we weren’t as prepared as we thought we were.
Kyra read the book “She said, Yes” about the girl at the Columbine High School. One of the gunmen held a gun at her head and asked her if she believed in God. She answered “Yes” and was killed. Kyra felt proud that a teenager would stand for their faith and be willing to die for their faith. She said Yes because she was prepared.
It was Sunday before I sat down with the word discernment and next week’s lesson, “Put on the Armor.” It’s obvious God chose the word for the week. I read the lesson and searched and read about discernment in the bible. Eph 6:10-18 is about putting on the full armor of God. Eph 6:13 & 14 have had special meaning to me for years. When you have stood firm. Stand firm. To me it means when you think you’re prepared, begin preparing.
Discernment means: to have keen insight, good sound judgment.
We must be able to discern good from evil. A discerning heart seeks knowledge. With the Knowledge of God’s word and fully dressed in God’s armor we can be prepared. But, it’s easier said than done. I recently sat in a workshop on Infant Mental Health for work. The presenter kept saying “you must know what you stand for.” She instructed us to turn to the person sitting next to us and tell them the #1 thing we stand for. I knew my answer, but I was suddenly nervous. I knew that I was at a professional workshop. I turned to the person on my right and said “My faith, I stand for Jesus” she told me what she stood for and I felt relieved and a terrible since of guilt. It shouldn’t have been so hard to pronounce my faith publicly. My faith means everything to me. I soothed myself by saying “yes, but you did it, you were prepared, you stood firm (wimpy). Just then the presenter took her microphone and began walking though the packed room. She held the microphone in front of a person asking them what they stood for. She continued to point and ask. I shrunk in my seat, with my head turned away and down. I kept telling myself if she puts the microphone in my face I will say “Jesus, I stand for Jesus, I must say I stand for Jesus.” But my body language was crying out “don’t pick me, please don’t ask me.” I had stood firm, but I was sinking fast. I thought of Peter. I thought of how prepared I thought I was to give an answer. Then I heard a gentleman speak the words into the microphone “I stand for Jesus” He was prepared to give an answer.
1 Peter 3:15 But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.
I felt horrible, “what was wrong with me?” Before this moment I would have told you with great confidence that if I was ever asked what I stood for I would jump up and confidently state “I stand for Jesus.” All my keen insight and good sound judgment was failing me. Why, because in my haste to prepare, I had failed to prepare. We must daily put on the full armor, and when we think we are prepared we must begin to prepare. The enemy is out there and he is prepared. Without discernment and knowledge of God’s word and daily putting on God’s full armor, when asked without warning what we stand for we might surprise ourselves by realizing we weren’t as prepared as we thought we were.
Kyra read the book “She said, Yes” about the girl at the Columbine High School. One of the gunmen held a gun at her head and asked her if she believed in God. She answered “Yes” and was killed. Kyra felt proud that a teenager would stand for their faith and be willing to die for their faith. She said Yes because she was prepared.
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