Fire In The Night

fire-in-the-night

Strengthen the weak hands and make firm the feeble knees…Isa 35:3

I looked at the fire in the darkness and found comfort. Even the smoke rolling off of it made me feel protected. Light to guide me and the incense of praise to keep my heart in good places.

My weaknesses always feel obvious and my stumbling brings scarring to my kneecaps as I fall again and again. Still I am given His hand to lift me back up to continue my walk.

Inception or Deception?

My husband went to see a movie I knew nothing about called “Inception”. Afterward he briefly explained to me it was about dream manipulation. He said it made him “think”.

In a world where art has such a huge influence on us as a society, I wanted to know more about what would provoke thinking. The very word inception meant a beginning and starting point. With my first attempt to search out a premise for what this movie represented, I was stunned by its truth.

Movie Synopsis: In a world where technology exists to enter the human mind through dream invasion, a single idea within one’s mind can be the most dangerous weapon or the most valuable asset.

Our mind is literally the battlefield where the most brutal of wars are won and lost daily. What we think of ourselves, hope for ourselves, believe for ourselves. Before we even take a step out of bed in the morning, our battle plans are being drawn up. Good day? Bad day?

The movie synopsis I had read was a truth. What was invading my dreams? How was the technology in my life affecting my dreams? In my simplest thoughts I wondered about the invasive aspects I had allowed through hopeless news, music and movies. In my more complicated thoughts I wondered about avenues of doubt and fear I had personally entertained.

Dreams are precious gifts, but often we rarely know what to make of them. The best of dreams fill us with hope and wonder. The worst of dreams fill us with dread and fear. Both can be insightful, but we need to continue to learn from the messages being delivered by the dreams. Are we being given truth and direction or are we being lied to with deception?

Weapon or asset? Not a question to leave unanswered. True or False? There is no in-between. Are we paying attention to our dreams?

A Kingdom Is Announced

Drumming rumbles within

Vibrations deep from creation

A Kingdom is announced

Clap our hands

Stomp our feet

Share in the music of Life

Hear the sound

Hear the sound

Our King is coming

Glow Sticks

Laughter fills my whole being when I see a vision of who we are….glow sticks! Bright and luminescent. With childlike wonder, I must know more, and I set out to seek better understanding.

My search takes me to the science first…A glow stick uses a translucent plastic tube containing isolated substances which when combined make light through a chemical reaction-induced chemiluminescence which does not require an electrical power source. Although intriguing, I find the science too wordy for my search of better understanding; time to break it down for my simple wonder.

Translucent teaches me of how light is allowed to pass through diffusely. I think of warm windows with sheer curtains on a winter night. To be translucent then I have nothing to hide about who I am.

Substance teaches me of its essential nature, the gist or heart of a matter. I think of those things that really matter to me in life; love, hope, honesty, trust and relationship. To be of substance then I have to have character built upon the foundation of Christ.

Light teaches me of how it makes things visible and gives illumination. All colors depend on light, so creativity is in this brilliant blaze. I think of holiness, revelation, sincerity and truth.

Laughter fills me again. We are glow sticks! We were born to go into the shadows; places where our luminescence lights up the darkest corners.

Dive For Deep

The cliff’s edge was high and winds pummeled his body. Looking down he could see the breakers hitting rocks. He’d have to propel himself outward enough to avoid danger. He’d done too much thinking; now was time for action. With one smooth motion he squatted low and pushed upwards and outwards. The dive was calculated to be three seconds. Making his body into an arrow he had forever it seemed to think about this moment.

He didn’t have a death wish or a desire for an adrenaline rush. He sought something more. He lived his heart’s desire in this action. He wanted to go deeper. His body pierced the deep blue sea, carrying him further into the water than he’d ever dived before. Resistance finally stalled his momentum and he gracefully flipped upwards. For a split second he could see the bubbles surround him before he began to rise again.

He knew this was the moment and he cried out in his heart, “Now Lord, let me drown in your revelation”.

From The Valley To The High Places

When I spend too much time in the valley I start to lose my perspective of where I am really living. My natural expression to experience my supernatural reality is to go up into the highest hills I can get to. From here I look out over the lands to remember promises and readjust my sight once again.

My inheritance is more than I can see with my eyes. It’s the desires and hopes hidden so deep within my heart, I speak of them to no one. My heavenly Father knows them. He draws me to the high places so I can see an expanse of possibilities. Once my eyes are readjusted then I can understand what He is speaking.

I am not to ask for just what I can see in the natural, I am to ask for those things I cannot see. The view can often take my breath away. When I ask for those things which seem so impossible, my heart races with anticipation.

Col 3:24  knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.

I Can’t Even Save Myself

His name was Carl. He seemed so different than Jimmy and she knew this guy was probably the one. The way he looked at her; he was so attentive. She could forget the night he’d gotten so mad and slapped her, he was tired after all.

So you’re searching for an angel

Someone who can make you whole

The hour was getting late. How was she going to explain there wasn’t enough money to pay the electric bill? She’d been sick all afternoon, remembering how her stepfather had beaten her when the evening meal wasn’t what he wanted.

I know that you’ve been damaged

Your soul has suffered such abuse

She lay in bed trembling, sweat causing the thin t-shirt to stick to her body. Her daughter Cindy came into the room. Hugging her tightly she asked, “Mommy, can I do anything to make you feel better?”

I can not save you

I can’t even save myself

* Lyrics from Stabbing Westward – Save Yourself

No Defense

Now and again I meet up with my past in unique ways. Conversational chats seesawing back and forth. They either let you know how “you’re not the same person” or else try to tell you, “this is who I still remember you to be”. Some chats are friendly, but some come with frustration. An almost irritation can be felt that you no longer do what you used to do, talk like you used to talk or act like you used to.

The playbook comes to mind, and this one is called, “no defense”. I can almost see the chalkboard of my Coach showing me the end run around to get me into the goal. It’s not my words which will convince anyone of a renewed nature. It’s simply my actions, my heart and time. The play doesn’t look like anything I’ve ever seen before because it’s not aggressive in nature, but I will hang back and run this one as laid out for me.

It’s all about the end result anyway and I am the victor in this game.