Melancholy Moments

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. 

Romans 5:1-5

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Melancholy Moments

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Melancholy moments

have their veins of gold

as do memories

marbled with grief

Good can come

from each circumstance

I’m told –

if we will…

but believe

For it’s our attitude

that blesses or burns

and gives them worth

I’m learning

to mine for treasures

and be thankful

for things could have been worse

Using faith to pick at rocks

and with His Power

I’ve found

I can pan for gold within the pain

swishing it

in Living Water

round and round

Focusing on eternal gems

casting aside

marred and broken thoughts

and slipping sparkling

words of wisdom

into my leather pouch

of all

that He has taught.

Wendy/2013

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The passage of time seasoned with His grace can turn anything life dishes out into something savory.

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In the low lying areas of life’s journey treasures can be found.  I love the mountaintops – but we can’t stay there all the time… at least not on this side of Heaven.

In the valley I become acutely aware of my lack and my need.  The personal growth of faith and spiritual maturity takes place here on the bottom.  And  you know what they say about being here: The only thing left to do is to look up.

When I am on higher ground and feeling confident in myself rather than confident in what He is doing in me, and through me, then I am dragged to the bottom in a landslide of suffering (pride before a fall).

Suddenly everything in my environment seems uprooted and unstable.  Any idols I had foolishly clung to show their real substance – fluff!

Some landslides come simply just because… and not self-induced.  Stuff happens on this planet. But our hope in Christ, and his word, can cause us to soar sooner than the world would have expected us to – and that glorifies God!

 It reveals his strength and majesty while we are slowly being conformed into his likeness, and our faith is refined into something of far more worth than anything we might mine for…

Character Building Blessings ~ Wendy

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In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith – of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire – may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.

1 Peter 1: 6-7 

I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Romans 8:18 & 28

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He Gently Leads Me

The LORD is my shepherd,

I shall not be in want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures,

he leads me beside quiet waters,

he restores my soul.

He guides me in paths of righteousness

for his name’s sake.

Even though I walk through the valley

of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil,

for you are with me;

your rod and your staff,

they comfort me.

Psalm 23: 1-4

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He Gently Leads Me

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I’m lead, by Him, so gently

and with the utmost care

to places that create in me

hope – rather than despair

His rod is used to guide me

I’m  blind without his cane

He nudges me – this way and that

onto higher and higher plains

It’s foolish when I long for

pastures not his own

for his lie by quiet waters

and his valleys lead me home

There’s a reason why I’m compared

to the simple, lowly lamb

for much like it- I’d wander

without the Shepherd’s guiding hand.

Wendy/2013

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When Ian and I first got married we had planned to have at least two children and to have them before I was thirty.  But since I was in recovery, from eating disorders in my twenties, our plan didn’t pan out.  My body was struggling to gain enough body fat and so my cycle was sporadic until my thirties.

Right when I was beginning to accept our fate (after a failed adoption), I read some encouraging words about prayer and decided to pray fervently for God to open my womb.

Within weeks of my starting to pray for children, my husband announced that a real estate agent had called and offered to give an appraisal of our home.  Ian was itching to move out to the countryside up island.  I was cozy and content where we were.

One thing led to another and we were offered a ridiculously high amount for our heritage home by a man who had just come into an inheritance.  He  loved our place and the gardens.  My heart sank until I listened to the Lord telling me that my husband’s dream of  getting out of the city was more important than a house.

We moved to a secluded acreage and I stayed at home while Ian worked in town.  My body responded to the healthy change and I gave birth to our first son after 12 years of marriage.  Our first-born was followed by our second son and our daughter until I was a 39-year-old mother of three kids five and under!

What I learned was that prayer opens the door wide for our Good Shepherd to lead us to where He wants us to be.  I also discovered that it doesn’t hurt to ask.  He is able to comfort me if his answer had not been yes.

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Surely goodness and love will follow me

all the days of my life,

and I will dwell in the house of the LORD

forever.

Psalm 23:6

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Good Shepherd Blessings ~ Wendy

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Has God led you to a pasture you had not expected?  Did you hedge like I did?

Songs of Eternity

He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end. Ecclesiastes 3:11

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Songs of Eternity

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I see signs of eternity

written before my eyes

where stars cross the sea

and the sun dots the sky

I read words of eternity

etched in the earth

where winter writes decay

and spring spells rebirth

I feel the breath of eternity

When summer winds set sail

gently coaxing trees to dance

and clouds to glide like whales

I hear songs of eternity

in the ocean’s tide

a sacred, soothing, and soulful hymn

strumming on heartstrings inside.

Wendy/2013

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One of the glimpses of eternity I often think about is the one I see when I desire more time in a day. Clocks will be irrelevant in Heaven. My body gets tired by early evening, but my mind has a million things it still wants to accomplish. Life here on earth is simply a sample of what’s to come. It contains the only darkness that God’s children will experience and the only light that his detractors will ever see. His grace is abundant here.

Yet, we’ve only just begun to see his goodness and glory.  The Bible says that we have not even imagined what He has in store for those that love him.  Wow!  Now that’s a good reason to cast aside our idols and focus on eternity.

But we are flesh and blood.  We fail.  We fall.  And, yet, his grace picks us up and sets a glorious sunset before our eyes as He tucks us into bed.  In the morning He greets us with an equally exquisite sunrise reminding us that He is still in control and always has been.  Eternity is his time frame, and He desires for us to think in terms of it too.

When we are wronged by others, we, the forgiven, can also forgive those who have sought to harm us.  He has said that He will wipe away the tears – every last one.  Our sufferings here will be vastly overshadowed by the goodness of God in eternity.

Do you enjoy glimpses of eternity?

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And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 1 John 5:11

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Eternal Blessings ~ Wendy

A Perfect Plan

For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.               Romans 1:20

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A Perfect Plan

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The wordless mountains declare your praise

As straight and stalwart their heights are raised

Your glory’s portrayed in their massive span

Highlighting the works of your mighty hand

The rivers and creeks flow at your command

Meandering past trees you’ve formed on land

As waterway highways for fish or man

A perfect God creates – a perfect plan!

Wendy/2013

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Romans 1:20 does not leave room for doubt that we have been given sufficient evidence for the existence of a divine Creator.  When we step in for a closer look we discover even more evidence at a microscopic level too.  Each living thing is comprised of living cells which each have an information package inside called DNA.  Here’s a question for when or if we have doubts there is a God: Who informs?

When we bought LEGO kits for our children, they each came with information on how to put them together. Someone put the directions in print and made sure they were placed into each box.

Who put the information into the DNA that is unique for each person? Who informed the cells?

Informed Blessings ~ Wendy

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Dear Creator God,

Thank you for what You and your Son have created here on this planet and in the heavens. You opened my eyes to see and thawed my glacial heart to believe that this universe was not just an accident.

I already knew – I just wanted to do things my way. Help me in this daily struggle of self-will against your will that I might submit to your perfect plan for my life. After all, You know all the information in my DNA; therefore, You would know the path I should take.

Love always,

a pilgrim on your path

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For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Romans 1:21  

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What is your favorite evidence, in nature, of a divine Creator?

Streams of Water

As the deer pants for streams of

water,

so my soul pants for you, O God.

Psalm 42:1 NIV

It is God who arms me with strength

and makes my way perfect.  

He makes my feet like the feet of a

deer;

he enables me to stand on the

heights.

Psalm 18:32-33 NIV

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Streams of Water

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Draw me near

closer to your heart

that I may drink

streams of living water

that quench these lips

so parched

Too often I run on paths

not your own

stumbling

faint of heart

further and further

from home

But you wait

knowing that with each step

my longing will have grown

and brought me back

to You

where I’m loved

and fully known.

Wendy/2013

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There is no other Well of water that can truly and deeply satisfy the human heart.  Often I get distracted by the pretty pleasures of life… simple things that satisfy only briefly and leave me empty and longing for his peace.  Good stuff is only good when it is enjoyed in balance – otherwise we stumble instead of  “standing on heights”.

I love the grace of God.  He calls us gently back to his path and provides “streams of water” through the Bible.  And his love for us is so perfect that if we ignore the whispers of his Word; He allows the hunting hounds of adversity to chase us back home to him. Not because He wants to shame us; but because He wants to hold us close.

He wants our walk to reflect his glory.  In the dark woods of this world He desires lanterns burning with his oil to light the way for others to see and seek him. It does not bring him pleasure to see any fall prey to the enemy. His desire is to save – the enemy’s desire is to destroy.

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Dear Father,

Thank you for daily inviting me to drink from your “streams of water”.  I rejoice in this honor and gift. Remind me continually that it is not about me – it’s about your kingdom.  May my life reflect your glory. Enable me to “stand on heights” so that the lantern of my life burns with the oil of gladness. Use my life for good so that I may not cause others to stumble. Make “my feet like the feet of the deer”.  You are so good!  I can’t wait to hug You, Father!

Lost  in  your love,

a found fawn

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Thank you to Heidi who so kindly and generously allowed me to use these pictures that she took.  I love both her poetry and photography.  Bless yourself by visiting her blog.  Click on the word blog in the previous sentence for the link staight there.

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Streams of Water Blessings ~ Wendy

Thank you to all of my friends who have joined me here on this new blog.  It already feels like family here! xo

PS – What is your favorite Bible verse, lately, that is quenching your thirst?