The Shadow

My husband and I have been taking Fur Ball for walks every evening up the hill. He likes our evening walks. A couple evenings ago, Fur Ball noticed our shadow across the street, and decided that we were being followed. He insisted on attacking the shadows! Pounce! It became a little frustrating to Fur Ball when he realized that there was not anything he could do about the shadows, they would not respond to him.
He had to eventually give up, surrender.
Surrender, it's a daily thing. I know I have to surrender every day, and sometimes it's pretty darn hard. Sometimes, I'm not exactly sure what I'm surrendering. I have to say to Him that I need Him to take everything, but then I find myself taking bits of myself back, working to be in control, again. Chasing my own shadows...
Jesus, I want to be under the shadow of Your wings, only You. Just as Your Word says to me:

"Keep me as  the apple of the eye; Hide me in the shadow of Your wings." Psalms 17:8

Say That Again, Father God, You will hide me in the shadow of Your wings!

The Dwelling Place

We looked at yet another house yesterday afternoon. This house has a river view, and it truly is lovely. It sits in a neighborhood, so it is not the country house my husband and son dream of, but if they were to only look out the back windows at the river view, then they would have their country!  As we walked through the house and I continued to ask God what His perspective was, He just kept reminding me to rest in Him. He will let us know what to choose and what will suit our needs the best for all of the members of our family. I have found that there are certain things that are important to me, yet if God wants me to give them up, then I will. I have found that I am not super excited about the country, yet if God wants me to live in the country, then I will go, and it will be good. I have found that there are some things that I just want to hang on to, and God is asking me if I am willing to live without those things. I am saying "yes, Lord, but it is challenging". I am feeling some losses, pain, overwhelmed with the work, lonely, frustrated, and sad.  God, has been incredibly strengthening through this process too, as He leads both me and my husband through uncharted territory.
This morning, as I discussed all of this with God, He brought John 14:2 to my mind:

"In My Father's house are many dwelling places, if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go  to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also."

There certainly is not a dwelling place on this earth that can compare to the one that He is preparing for me in Heaven. I am looking forward to that. There will be granite there, I'm sure, and we know there is a crystal lake, and many rivers! And, of course, it is the City of God, with streets of gold, gems, and treasures that are beyond my imagination! It is far better than here.
Say That Again, Jesus, Lover of my Soul, You are building me a dwelling place in the City of God!

The Spirit of God

In Isaiah 11this morning I read this:

"The life-giving Spirit of God will hover over him, the Spirit that brings wisdom and understanding,
The Spirit that gives direction and builds strength,
the Spirit that instills knowledge and Fear-of-God.
Fear-of-God will be all his joy and delight. He won't judge by appearances, won't decide on the basis of hearsay. He'll judge the needy by what is right, render decisions on earth's  poor with justice, His words will bring everyone to awed attention. 
A mere breath from his lips will topple the wicked. Each morning he'll pull on sturdy work clothes and boots and build righteousness and faithfulness in the land."

Oh Jesus, Say That Again! Bring Your Spirit deep within me, and be deeply rooted in my soul.

The Sea Of Glass

My day was really full and many of the things I did today reminded me of the chapter I read in Revelation this morning, it was a very good chapter. It was all about heaven and the Throne of God and all the cool things that surround the Throne of God. Revelation 4, it starts out by John saying that he was in the Spirit and he saw the door of heaven open before him and he saw the throne standing in heaven, and One sitting on the throne. So, if you get the chance, read this chapter, because it's really great, and I love all the descriptions of heaven and the throne.
I camped today on the Sea of Glass. This afternoon, my husband and I drove around the lake to look at another house. We are still searching for a place to live. We drove a country road to a small community, and found the house we had scheduled to see. The lady showing us the house was a little late, so we walked around and peered in the windows and looked at the yard, it was lovely. We also admired the view, which was the lake. The house sits on a hill and overlooks a lake, it is truly beautiful.
We were shown the house and I really liked it. It was lovely. The view was serene and quiet. As I looked out of the front windows of the house I could see the lake, the quiet lake, and I thought of the verse I read this morning:

"and before the throne there was something like a sea of glass, like crystal; and in the center and around the throne, four living creatures full of eyes in front and behind."

Then in Micah 7:19, this morning I read this:

"He will again have compassion on us;
He will tread our iniquities under foot. 
yes, You will cast all their sins
Into the depth s of the sea."

He takes all my sins, my pain, my agony, everything that I am willing to give to Him, and throws it into the Sea of Glass!  It is gone, it sinks down to the bottom, forever. Never to be recovered.  I am loved, I am released, I am called into His Kingdom!! This is true because He has taken my sins and thrown them into the bottom of the Sea of Glass.
Jesus, You are amazing. You are on the throne. You are God.  Say that Again, Dear God, You will take my pain and throw it into the Sea of Glass!

The Roar

I spent three hours in church on Sunday, one hour of that was worship. It was pretty cool. One of the songs we sang had these words "Aslan's on the move breathing life in you and me..."  It reminded me of the verse in Revelation 2:1

"The One who holds the seven stars in His right hand, the One who walks among the seven golden lampstands, says this,
I know your deeds and your toil and perseverance, and that you cannot tolerate evil men, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and you found them to be false, and you have perseverance and have endured for My name's sake, and have not grown weary."
The next verse cautions with this:

"Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place-unless you repent."

Then there's a promise:

"To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life which is in  the Paradise of God."

Remember the pit that Jesus rescued you from. He is walking in our churches, He is living in me worshiping with me, His breath is hot, revival, renewal, restoration. Aslan roars.
Say That Again, Jesus, You have promised me the tree of life which is in the Paradise of God, because I am Your child, I have persevered, I have repented, I have remembered.

The House Adventure

We looked at some houses yesterday.  One was in a quiet neighborhood with a beautiful yard. My son imagined himself living in the basement with the black and white checkered floor. The next one was on 5 acres in the country, a shaded area with a lot of large trees and a chalet type house. It was a beautiful area, but for me, I was unable to imagine myself there at all.  The next house was also a long drive, but it sat by the railroad tracks, and my husband dug in his heels and said no before we even started.
While we were house hunting, someone else was looking at our house. I wonder what they thought?
My attitude sometimes thinks it's all an adventure, and then there are times that I slide down to thinking that it is not an adventure at all, but a chore and a trial.  I forget Who God is, and who I am, and it all becomes about the house.
This morning, I was feeling like it was all about the house again. As I prayed, and prayed some more, I ended up in Colossians 2.  The first couple verses are especially good, 2-6:

"there hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God's mystery, that is, Christ Himself, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I say this so that no one will delude you with persuasive argument. For even though I am absent in body, nevertheless I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good discipline and the stability of your faith in Christ. Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him. having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude."

In Christ, there are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge!  As we, my family and I, continue the house adventure, we will walk in Him, having faith that He will see us through.  Firmly rooted and overflowing with gratitude. He is an amazing God, He will continue to build me up, establish me, love me, hold me, and bring me to the treasures and wisdom of His will.
Say That Again, Lord God, in You all things exist.

The Reminder

I left early this morning to drive a friend to the airport. On my way back I cranked up my music to it's usual high volume and enjoyed the drive home. As the music floated, or as some might prefer to say, blasted, through my truck, God gave me a gorgeous reminder of His love by gifting me with a clear silver lining on the horizon with the sunrise peeking through. It was magnificent! It felt like He was telling me, once again to just be still, really, really, still.  The picture He was setting before me was incredible, and it was only Him. The song playing was "nothing is wasted in the hands of our Redeemer, every broken piece will be found! From the wreckage, glory will shine...."
Did you hear that? He takes absolutely everything and turns it around, somehow. I don't know how. But, nothing is wasted. So, the fact that I feel like I have wasted days, and I feel like I'm loosing out on places to live and stuff here on earth, and maybe I've made poor choices at times in my life, God knows how to turn it all for good. He knows because He is God and He knows my heart, and He loves me, He has released me and He has called me for His Kingdom! All of His children are called for His Kingdom, all are loved and all are released! Released into His hands, Redeemed. Gifted with a silver lining for eternity, because He is keeping our souls, my soul. This is what Jude had to say:

I, Jude, am a slave, to Jesus Christ and brother to James, writing to those loved by God the Father, called and kept safe by Jesus Christ. Relax, everything's going to be all right; everything's coming together; love is on the way!

Called and Kept safe by Jesus! So, relax, it's going to be okay.  Chill out, right? It's my version of God's  "be still". Jesus, You have promised that all things will come together, and that You will keep me. You have called me to be still in You and have faith. Say That Again, teach me to relax in You!