I was in the living room chair watching the news when the light seemed to change outdoors. I looked out the window and was wowed. I am always fascinated with the creation. God did not have to make it so diverse and He did not have to share it with us. Daily there are things to marvel at. The photos below could not quite capture the intensity of the stormy looking sky.
By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth. He gathers the waters of the sea into jars; he puts the deep into storehouses. Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the people of the world revere him. For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm.
Under the bird song
Below the raucous calls of mating
Rhythm of tree frog
Melody of spring peepers
Ah breathe in spring
Through your ears
Hmmmmm they seem to say
This is lovely
Exhale on their melody
Inhale during the chorus
Slow your breathing
Tempo of April
There are pauses
In their score
Wait for next stanza
Focus here now
Find your center
Cadence does not vary
Catch the next bar
Tame frantic monkey mind
Bring all to peace
Lower your shoulders
Tiny amphibian power
Tames futile mind race
7:27 and song seems to cease
I listen and recall
I have this power within
Enter center down silence
Direct me Lord
On cusp of next breath I am led
Spring rains
wind thunder
fragrant hyacinths
hillside purple with flowers
demure trout lilies quickly go to seed.
Forsythia blooms
lilac buds opening
pussy willow full blown
soon to send out leaves
Twisty willow branch from florist
rooted in the arrangement and sent out one leaf!
hope to nurture it and plant it outside
February Primrose is pot bound now
ready to live in the garden
I’m pot bound in homemaker duties
Lord help me enter
Your center-down silence
and glory in praising You
even in activities of the mundane
Oh fragrant April morning
gusty hyacinth perfume
raindrops glisten on garden border fence
Symphony of bird song
sidewalk littered with night crawlers
Insistent bird cries, “Awake! Spring is here. Now."
I praise You in the work You have given me
in this part of Garden Earth.
When I worked as a secretary and encourager at Having the Courage To Change with women recovering from drug and alcohol addiction as well as many released from prison, one of their sayings was about not quitting too soon. “Sunday is coming.”
“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.” (1Corinthians 15:58)
“If you stop one hour before God is done, you will miss the blessing!”
I love Danny Gokey’s line that “God had the answer before you had the problem.” Reminds me of Isaiah 61:24 “Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear.” Yes, He is more powerful than we are. He is NOT surprised by what occurs in our lives.
Have you been praying and you still have no answers? Have you been pouring out your heart for so many years? Have you been hoping that things would have changed by now? Have you cried all the faith you have through so many tears?
Don’t forget the things that He has done before And remember He can do it all once more
It’s like the brightest sunrise Waiting on the other side of the darkest night Don’t ever lose hope, hold on and believe Maybe you just haven’t seen it, just haven’t seen it yet You’re closer than you think you are Only moments from the break of dawn All His promises are just up ahead Maybe you just haven’t seen it, just haven’t seen it yet Maybe you just haven’t seen it, just haven’t seen it yet Maybe you just haven’t seen it
He had the solution before you had the problem He sees the best in you when you feel at your worst So in the questioning don’t ever doubt His love for you ‘Cause it’s only in His love that you’ll find a breakthrough, oh
It’s like the brightest sunrise Waiting on the other side of the darkest night Don’t ever lose hope, hold on and believe Maybe you just haven’t seen it, just haven’t seen it yet You’re closer than you think you are Only moments from the break of dawn All His promises are just up ahead Maybe you just haven’t seen it, just haven’t seen it yet Maybe you just haven’t seen it, just haven’t seen it yet Maybe you just haven’t seen it
He is moving with a love so deep Hallelujah for the victory Good things are coming even when we can’t see We can’t see it yet, but we believe that He is moving with a love so deep Hallelujah for the victory Good things are coming even when we can’t see We can’t see it yet, but we believe that
It’s like the brightest sunrise Waiting on the other side of the darkest night Don’t ever lose hope, hold on and believe (Don’t ever lose hope) Maybe you just haven’t seen it, just haven’t seen it yet (Just haven’t seen it yet) You’re closer than you think you are (Think you are) Only moments from the break of dawn All His promises are just up ahead Maybe you just haven’t seen it, just haven’t seen it yet Maybe you just haven’t seen it, just haven’t seen it yet (You gotta hold on, hold on) Maybe you just haven’t seen it, just haven’t seen it yet (Hold on) Maybe you just haven’t seen it, just haven’t seen it yet (Just haven’t seen it yet)
A few weeks ago I saw the bathroom design in the master bedroom and questioned what was installed in ours. Guess I did not question it enough! Last week we went in the model and I saw what I thought it should look like. Yep, I was right. The wrong bathroom was installed. Turns out after the search of how that happened somehow the actual workers were given the wrong blueprints of what we requested. For now we do not know if other items were ordered wrong or not, (things like flooring).
Here are some photos. WE HAVE WALLS NOW!
No driveway or yard, but soon to be ours!
From kitchen, looking into great room.
From great room looking towards dining area and sliding door.
The office location I will be writing from.
Now, about writing. One estimate was we would close early May. Since they have to tear out the bathroom and start over, I have no idea how far closing will be set back. I’m thinking that there will likely be a few weeks I do not post anything. Than again, if I get really cracking I might be able to create enough entries to not miss a week!
After 15 years in one location, there is lots to pack and plan. We have been at it for months now. When we actually have the movers come to pack, move (and unpack at least the kitchen) I realized the other day, we will still not know WHERE most of our things are. Tried to label boxes as we went along on things we packed. So yes, life will be somewhat of a mess. Who knows when I will write? Or, just maybe, writing will be a great diversion once the computers are set up!
Lucky will be kenneled for 3-4 days during the initial chaos. We took her to the house the other day after walls we installed. She was not delighted as huge propane dryer and fans were blasting away. She could no longer walk between the studs, but had to go room to room with us. Here, she has taken to sleeping on a ‘blankey’ in our closet during the couple thunderstorms we have had so far. She is in for a neat surprise! The new master closet in 12 feet long! Sure, it will be filled with clothes and storage tubs, but it is massive compared to the one here.
Will try to keep you updated on the bathroom fiasco!
It is a treat to see a Pileated in the back yard. It is unusual to see two at a time. Three Pileateds equal a huge event! We have lived here 15 years and never seen them courting and dancing tree to tree, wing displays, calls and all! Perhaps they were simply defending their territory? We may never know. It was exciting for us! There was no time to set up a video camera on a tripod. Besides, that would have sent them off to some other part of the woods. Robert Dutina shot the video while I just ooh-ed and aah-ed!
Facts from Wikipedia: “Adults are 16 to 19 in long, span 26 to 30 in across the wings, and weigh 8.8 to 14.1 oz, with an average weight of 11 oz. Each wing measures 8.4 to 10.0 in , the tail measures 5.5 to 6.9 in, the bill is 1.6 to 2.4 in.”
I swear, from the kitchen or bedroom window they look like small chickens compared to the black capped chickadee or sparrow! Here is a shot out our bedroom window one winter.
At times when I hear them call I think of the zoo or a jungle somewhere!
Ears and eyes alert! Never know when you will happen upon a treasure! Hoping there are some at our new address!!
Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?
If you are a regular reader you know that the Lord often stirs me with music. Various phrases of this song have been rolling around in my head. I finally tracked it down through lyrics and then YouTube. What a blessing! I played it for hours as I ran around doing grocery shopping and was blasting it all the way home down the road while surrounded by huge trucks and the windows open to the spring air.
I think this is more than fitting for Easter Monday or perhaps Pentecost Sunday? Maybe just any day that you are longing to be closer to Jesus. Seems to me this is some of the best new church music!
The Lord your God is with you,
the Mighty Warrior who saves.
He will take great delight in you;
in His love He will no longer rebuke you,
but will rejoice over you with singing.”
Zephaniah 3:17
I put the lyrics below the song in case you want to follow along. Brandon Lake wrote the song and posted this comment on YouTube.
“Just Like Heaven” was written after I had a very simple but powerful revelation that when we’re in the presence of God we’re getting a taste of what heaven and eternity is going to be like. When you get a taste of heaven, you will want more. We were made for eternity. That’s where I want to live. We don’t have to wait until heaven to experience it — God wants to bring heaven to earth. This song is my personal journey of crying out for more of His presence.” Written by Brandon Lake, Jeff Schneeweis, and Jacob Soote
Isn’t it just like Heaven When You walk into the room? There’s not a thing that’s hidden When every eye is on You Can’t get enough of Your presence It’s the perfect point of view Isn’t it just like, just like Just like Heaven?
Ooh Come a little closer, stay a little longer Ooh I can’t get enough of You Ooh Come a little closer, stay a little longer Ooh I can’t get enough of You
Doesn’t it sound like Heaven When You’re singing over me? There’s not a voice more constant Your melodies they never cease Here I will stand in Your presence In my true identity Doesn’t it sound like? Yeah, it sounds like Just like Heaven
Chorus repeats: Ooh Come a little closer, stay a little longer
Holy, You are holy You’re such a perfect Father I’ll worship You forever Holy, You are holy I’ll lay down any treasure For us to be together Holy, You are holy You’re such a perfect Father I’ll worship You forever Holy, You are holy I’ll lay down any treasure For us to be together
Chorus repeats
Oh, enough of You, oh-oh A little more of You I just want more of You, Lord I just want more of You, Lord I just want more of You I can’t get enough
I am not talking about peanut butter eggs or jelly beans. I am talking about the Christian Easter morning excitement. Some church folk declare to one another, “He is risen!” Others recite, “The Lord is risen.” “The Lord is risen indeed, alleluia!”
I have one friend who before Covid could barely attend Easter services because the tremendous number of flowers set off his allergies so bad he practically cried through the service.
I am not talking about the flowers, the greetings, or the candy.
I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in His holy people, and His incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strengthHe exerted when He raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms,
Ephesians 1: 18-20
“THAT’S what I’m talkin’ about! ” Are we excited about the power God has placed in us because of the resurrection? Do you participate in that power under the Father’s direction? Are you yielded to His inspiration and leading? Are you willing to let Him use you in any way He sees fit to further His kingdom? Are you excited that this power is available to you 24/7-365? Have you asked for the baptism in the Holy Spirit? Would you trade your chocolate rabbit for it?
Celebrate the real reason for our joy as Christians. Jeremy Camp says it SO well!
When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; He has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. 15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. Col 2:13-15 NIV
Jesus did some nailing to the cross of His own! He took the list of everything we owe God, everything that stands against us and condemns us, He took it all and NAILED it to the Cross. He made a public spectacle, a laughing stock of the powers and authorities of darkness by His triumph over them on His cross.
Do you know this old song by Carmen? You might have to turn up the volume at first. Lyrics are below.
Here are the lyrics to The Champion:
In the vast expanse of a timeless place Where silence ruled the outer space Ominously, towering it stood The symbol of a spirit war Between the one name Lucifer And the Morning Star, The ultimate of good
Enveloped by a trillion planets Clean as lightning and hard as granite A cosmic coliseum would host the end Of the war between the lord of sin and death And the Omnipotent Creator of man’s first breath Who will decide who forever will be the Champion
The audience for the ‘Fight of the Ages’ was assembled and in place The angels came in splendor from a star The saints that had gone before were there: Jeremiah, Enoch, Job They were singing the “Song of Zion” on David’s harp
The demons arrived, offensive and vile, cursing and blaspheming God Followed by their ‘trophies’ dead and gone Hitler, Napoleon, Pharaoh, Capone Tormented and vexed and grieved Waiting for their judgment From the Throne
Then a chill swept through the mammoth crowd and the demons squealed with glee As a sordid, vulgar, repulsive essence was felt Arrogantly prancing, hands held high, draped in a sparkling shroud Trolled by demons, Satan ascended from Hell
Then Satan cringed, the sinners groaned! The demons reeled in pain as a swell of power like silent thunder rolled With a surge of light beyond intense, illuminating the universe In resplendent glory appeared the Son of God
Then a Persona, yes, Extraordinaire appeared in center ring God the Father will oversee the duel Opening the Book of Life, each grandstand hushed in awe as Majestically He said “Now here’s the rules. He’ll be wounded for their transgressions Bruised for iniquities” When He said, “By His stripes they’re healed,” the devil shook! He screamed, “Sickness is my specialty. I hate that healing junk!” God said, “You shut your face, I wrote the book!” Then the Father looked at His only Son and said “You know the rules Your blood will cleanse their sins and calm their fears.” Then He pointed His finger at Satan and said “And I know you know the rules You’ve been twisting them to deceive My people for years.” Satan screamed, “I’ll kill you Christ! You’ll never win this fight!” The demons wheezed, “That’s right, there ain’t no way.” Satan jeered, “You’re dead meat, Jesus, I’m gonna bust you UP tonight!” Jesus said, “Go ahead, make my day!” The bell rang, the crowd cheered, the fight was on And the devil leaped in fury With all his evil tricks he came undone He threw his jabs of hate and lust A stab of pride and envy but the hand that knew no sin blocked every one
Forty days and nights they fought, and Satan couldn’t touch Him Now the final blow saved for the final round Prophetically Christ’s hands came down And Satan struck in vengeance! The blow of death felled Jesus to the ground
The devils roared in victory! The saints shocked and perplexed as wounds appeared upon His hands and feet Then Satan kicked Him in His side, and blood and water flowed And they waited for the 10 count of defeat
God the Father turned His head His tears announcing Christ was dead! The 10 count would proclaim the battle’s end Then Satan trembled through his sweat in unexpected horror, yet… As God started to count by saying “…10…” “Hey wait a minute, God…” “…9…” “Stop! You’re counting wrong…” “…8…” His eyes are moving… “…7…” His fingers are twitching… “…6…” “Where’s all this Light coming from?” “…5…” “He’s alive!” “…4…” “Oh – nooooo!” “…3…” “And yet,” “…2…” “Oh…Yessssss! “…1…” He has won! He has won! He’s alive forevermore! He is risen, He is Lord He has won! He has won! He’s alive forevermore He is risen! He is Lord!
Proclaim the news in every tongue Through endless ages and beyond Let it be voiced from mountains loud and strong Captivity has been set free, salvation bought for you and me ‘Cause Satan is defeated And Jesus is The Champion
Jesus said in New Revised Standard version of John 15:12-15
This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father.
NRSV John 16:7, 22 Nevertheless I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.
So you have pain now; but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.
He went to the Cross for a multitude of reasons, not the least of which was to fulfill the promise of the Holy Spirit indwelling us. The same Spirit that inhabited Jesus.
Friday was brutal suffering. Unimaginable anguish. But He knew, Sunday was coming!
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” Hebrews 12:1-3 NIV
Treasures in Plain Sight, A Christian Blog 