The Deep Freeze

Have you ever noticed that when you are coming into the heart of the cold of winter. The time when it freezes everything solid, that it freezes the ground so cold and hard that it looks smooth and impenetrable? A freeze so cold and forebearing that you could never imagine that life would again push through it and the hope of spring is forever away. Then you come to a point every winter where the cold seems to surrender to the cries of nature and finally gives in to a small thaw. Just enough of a thaw to make mud. The kind of mud that slips off the frozen depths below it. A thaw that puts you in mind of the coming spring. Lets you know of the coming warmth and the hope of new growth as well as the beauty of blossoms, the greenest greens of the entire year, colors so vibrant they take your breath away!

And then.....it freezes again! But this time, the freeze leaves gaps in the defrosted and refrozen earth. Gaps that hold ice crystals and air. A freeze that traps motion so that when the final defrost in the spring actually happens, nature can pick up right from where it left off. Withour those gaps in the ground, how would the crocus and the daffodils be able to penetrate their frozen beds?

God just amazes me. He does the same thing with our lives. Freezes us and waits for us to wake up before we pick up and go again. Sometimes the spring rains have to change our whole landscape with an avalanche of rain or an ice storm that kills off all the imperfections that were starting to take over our lives. We always assimilate to the potter with the clay but the winter freeze and thaw has the same affect. Think about what is frozen in your life today and where the gaps of air and ice crystals are that He is getting ready to have burst forth with wonder!

Highs and Lows

It is funny to me how we focus so much on being happy. How happy are you? Is happiness really a good moderator or should we rather look at how content we are? Yesterday we looked at how life can change to meet the path God has for us. How we can make plans that don't include God's plan for us. If we look again at Genesis 39, we will see that Joseph's life took a dramatic turn. Some may say it took a turn for the worse!

Joseph was in a position in Potiphar's house where the only person over him was Potiphar himself. When Potiphar's wife couldn't get her way with Joseph, she turned his life upside down. Her lack of control and self seeking attitude changed Joseph's life from a ruler of a high ranking household to a prisoner. Did Joseph curse God or wallow in self pity? No! He sought what God's purpose was for him now, in his new location and was blessed for his dedication.

Paul said "Be content in whatsoever state you are in." Can you say that?

Man Plans, God Laughs

We spend so much of our lives dreaming dreams and making plans. How much time do we spend seeking God's will for our lives? God's dream for our life? My devotions this morning were about Joseph and how God redirected his life and through it all Joseph was faithful to God and "God was with him".

I have strayed, for sure, from the benevolent protection of my God. I have sought my own way. Yet, He changes my path around to go back in the direction He wants me to travel. Who knows how I would have gotten to where I am now if I had stayed on the straight and narrow road from the beginning. Yet, so many of the roads I have traveled have prepared me for where I am now. Having some time off in the winter prepared me for an entire fall and winter with a newborn in the house. I even babysat my boyfriends granddaughter one winter, which gave me insight to how children need to be inspired and stimulated and how very porous they are.

I spent another whole winter living on my own in an old house cutting and splitting firewood, stoking the fire and keeping the house, then got a job in the spring only to be laid off, which to me was devastating! I figured out how to make money by selling baked goods at a farmers market. I am interested to see what the Lord has in store for me now.

A career I can take my daughter with me to work. The ablility to use the talents and skills that He has allowed for me to develop. I am so interested to see what the next turn in the road will be. Thank you Lord for your grace and the hope you give us each new day. The opportunity to awaken each morning and have a new day full of possibilities. What can we do today? Look at your path and see what is it that the Lord is preparing you for? How is your life like that of Joseph in Genesis 39? Can you say the Lord is with you? Are you seeking Him first and then making your plans?

I love Proverbs 16:9 " A man's heart plans his way but the Lord directs his steps."

New Year Decorations!

I certainly have not been as attentive in my postings as I would have hoped. But now that the move is over and we are more or less settled and the baby is on a regular nap schedule, I can spend some time in the afternoons working on endless job searches, drawing, my workouts and cooking!! Today I took some time to go outside in the snow while Hannah was napping and watch the voracious birds at the feeder. I took my camera with me and was able to capture some of the wonderful birds hard at work to keep fueled while the large snowflakes blanket the rest of their world.

I am always awestruck at how little birds never seem to get cold or frostbite. Sometimes you can even see them sitting in a tree all covered in ice! Amazing the design from the master Creator. My crabapple is dappled in reds, beiges and blacks as the Cardinals, Juncos, Tufted Titmice and the Chickadees all take turns at the feeder. I could not have decorated my little crab apple any better than the Lord has done it! How truly fortunate I am to be able to bathe in the wonder of this creation while my own little wonder sleeps away.

Today I hit my knees in frustration. Frustrated with myself that I am torn between staying home and being a wife and mother and wanting to go back to work to make money for the house. Frustrated because I loose my temper with my Jack Russels and fear I will do the same with my child and then carry through with the life I had as a child. I don't want to be the bad reflection of my past to my daughter. I want to teach her to be giving, kind, responsible, creative and full of grace. People do not come after you intentionally (for the most part). I believe that people just want to be included and feel important and part of something so they lash out in response to someone who can look, act and feel secure in thier own corner of the world.

Lord, you are the only one in control of everything. I am but a vessel. I await you to see what you will do in my life and my families life. Paul told us about how we can plant the seed and water it, but you alone make it grow. How very true that is and how often we forget that we are not in control. Lord, I surrender to you my temper, my will. Please highten my awareness of you and what I should do to grow this gift you have given me.

Promises and Punishment

I read the book of Joel this morning. I was impressed at the severity and desperation that Joel spoke to the people of Judah. They continued to disregard the Lord and the warnings. To the point of famine they diregarded. There were so many locusts. There were four different varieties, to be exact. The locust swarm, the great locusts, the young locusts and the "other" locusts. Whatever one variety left behind, the others would eat. There was no wine, vines, grains, etc. Even the wild animals were looking for food. The entire area was suffering because this people were so stubborn and would not come back to the Lord. Have you ever paid attention to locusts when they come? They are ugly, loud and destructive. It is so amazing a creature. They burrow down deep into the soil and stay there for up to 14 years with no food or water. It's really no wonder they are so destructive when they come out. We would be too if we hadn't eaten in that long!!!
Has God given up or are the punishments now longer lasting and more permanent? Has He taken His hand off this country? Look at the leadership He has put in place currently and the diseases that we are battling...cancer in particular. We are blocked from finding a cure and every year more and more people fall victim to this disease.
Finally, I found it particularly interesting that the Lord promises that Jerusalem will never be invaded by foreigners again. It doesn't say a time frame for that promise, and there are no restrictions so I wonder if Israel still holds hope in that promise? Have you ever been to Israel or Jerusalem specifically? How close are we to end times, I wonder.

Clean Slates

My devotions this morning were a reminder of how Christ, with His unending supply of grace and unconditional love, gives us clean slates. I have spent many any hour or day going over my mistakes and my sins. I have reviewed and rerun my actions over and over. I have been told by several people in my life that I am harder on myself than anyone will ever be. Probably that is normal for most of us. I spent hours on my knees literally crying out to God for forgiveness with a repentant heart for sins I have committed. Things I felt that were unforgiveable.

He asks that we "confess our sins" and then states that "He is faithful and Just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (I John 1:9) We sin on a daily basis. No matter if we became a Christian yesterday or 20 years ago. Christ dwelling in us does not eliminate us from sinning. He will highten our awareness and make our conscience more sensitive to doing wrong as the Holy Spirit nudges us, but does not make us an exception. We don't have to repeatedly ask for forgiveness for sins, nor does that mean that God will hold it over our heads forever. We definately will suffer the consequences of our sins. His forgiveness does not remove that responsibility, but it allows us to come to God in prayer with a humble heart and a heart full of praise rather that guilt.

Life is too short to live it looking back at what we've done. Rather, let's look ahead at what opportunities we have today and tomorrow to use our gifts and share the Hope that lies within us this season. The hope of new life, life eternal and love everlasting.