A Little Help


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A song hit my heart tonight so I just had to hum a few verses and try to remember the lyrics. The only clear sentence that came to mind is “I get by with a little help from my friends.” I sit here grinning about the lovely people who lift my heart and my very life with joy.

I can look back over times in my life when I felt I didn’t have a friend in name but like most things in this world, it was a lie meant to isolate me. How many of us have been cut from the herd of healthy relationships because the “father of lies” wove a mighty tale of untruths?

I long for a day when the lies are vanquished and friends can not be counted.

Ink As A Cure


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“Whenever you are fed up with life, start writing: ink is the great cure for all human ills, as I have found out long ago.”  C.S. Lewis

I loved this quote because as a writer I have found a medicine in the art of pouring out what may be smoldering inside. We can never light up the rest of the world if we are unwilling to share our own fire.

His Essence Draws Me Deeper Still

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I can smell her perfume upon my clothes long after I left her company. I don’t see her often but I am so touched she knows my name and seeks me out to share encouraging words and hugs. I don’t feel that I deserve her attention but like so many things my heavenly Father gives me in His grace, I receive it as offered….in love.

I feel a hesitation to change my clothes too quickly. Her perfume upon me is a reminder of Abba Father’s love. When I am in His presence, the aroma of His love covers me like an incense I cannot see with my natural eyes. I am moved by it, my Spirit is aroused by it, I want to linger in it, unable to leave. It’s intoxicating but not like the world sees intoxication. Instead I find it fulfilling; swirling in and around me, drawing me to go deeper still into His great mystery. How could I not accept such an invitation?

Nothing will hold me back; He’s making sure of that.

Psalms 42:7  Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me

Looking For Something Good

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There is an artist named Bill Withers who recorded for about 15 years prolifically and had many hits all of us probably know if only by the tune. “Lovely Day, Ain’t No Sunshine, Lean On Me, Use Me Up” just to name a few more commonly recognized songs. I have no idea of this guy’s ideology but I certainly can appreciate the truth he offers in some of his lyrics. Despite many being written from the humanistic viewpoint, the absolute hope offered is easily distinguished when we choose to sing them with a heavenly perspective.

Now mind you, everyone has their opinion and doctrine but I absolutely love the beautiful messages offered in most people who sing from their heart with pure hope!

My perspective…..O’ Lord, my life is yours…so…..shouldn’t I be poured out as a drink offering upon a thirsty land?

When you love me I can’t get enough
I-I and I, wanna spread the news
That if it feels this good getting used
Oh, you just keep on using me
Until you use me up

And how many times have any of us not been able to relate to some aspect of the following….?

Lean on me, when you’re not strong
And I’ll be your friend
I’ll help you carry on
For it won’t be long
‘Til I’m gonna need
Somebody to lean on

Please swallow your pride
If I have things you need to borrow
For no one can fill those of your needs
That you won’t let show

You just call on me brother, when you need a hand
We all need somebody to lean on
I just might have a problem that you’d understand
We all need somebody to lean on

Phip 4:8  Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things

Water Drops On My Kitchen Window

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The clouds have finally come to drizzle their moisture. They bring refreshing nourishment to our rivers and lakes. I look out my kitchen window and the distant street lights are distorted in the misting haze. When I focus my eyes upon the window itself I can see the drops of water gather in multitudes of tiny drops. Though they may look the same I know full well each has different attributes.

Always I am taken back to wonder….who am I? Although a drop in the universe, I too have been given different attributes. How wonderful to have been made different in the grand scheme of the universe!

Following Another Road

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When Dorothy started down her path on the yellow brick road she was being encouraged by a lot of singing “munchkins”. I can’t say my path is yellow but it’s certainly “lit up” pretty good. I read a lot so it helps keep me on the right path but also I am very encouraged by those who walk in real love. Their singing transcends worship. Their very lives are a song.

Psalm 119:105    Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path

Closet Avalanche

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I have been digging around lately in myself and finding items I thought I lost and other items I thought I had finally given away as unwanted. Before I could start digging though I had to do something major. I had to open the door to my closet! You should see this space I have ignored for years, it’s jam packed with stuff. Memories, secrets, forgotten dreams, forgotten hopes, disappointments, hurts, offenses and all manner of luggage gathered over the years of my life. When I didn’t know what to do with these things it just made sense to store them somewhere out of sight.

My Abba Father asked me to open the closet and at first I thought I heard Him wrong but He was pretty quick to get my attention this was exactly what He wanted. I tried to drag my feet about it but I love Him so much I relented in the only way I knew how and that was to push on toward the task at hand.

I thought I could just open it a crack but something unexpected happened. Once I turned the handle it was like a dam breaking. The door flung so far open all the stuff that had been locked away in there started to fall out all over the place. I tried putting myself in front of it so as to lessen the mess. It didn’t help, I instantly found myself being buried under it; I had to step back just to breathe. Looking around at the clutter I know I’ll never be able to pack it back in. I also know I’m going to need some help to sort it all out. Time to call on my brothers and sisters.

Passionate Question?

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Passionate living! What does that mean? Are you in a job? Going about your routines? Perhaps even attending a church? But do you move in passion?

Free Me

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Free Me – Hyperstatic Union Lyrics

I was afraid to let You in
Would I break Your heart again?
So many times before
I could not keep my promises
But You were dying to forgive
You gave Your life for me to live
And now I know it’s time to find out
Who I am in Your eyes, in Your eyes

Come in my heart, come in my home
Come in, You’re welcome at Your throne
Come in and take control
I know that I need You to rule my life

(Chorus:)
Free me from within
I am ready for my new life to begin
Take me from this place
Oh Lord I seek Your face, I seek Your face

I’ve been a fool I’ve been wrong
I’ve been alone for too long
I’ve been thinking that it’s time I apologize
You’ve given life, You’ve given love
You’ve given all I can think of
You’ve given me the time to find out
Who I am in Your eyes

Jane Was Late For The Party!

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“Johnny come lately” is a pretty common cliché. Most of us think about the dude who finally gets to the door just as the party is ready to break up. Just for giggles I looked up the term to see which website would have the number one definition. On Answers.com it was written “Johnny-come-lately Informal A newcomer or latecomer, especially a recent adherent to a cause or trend.”

I am interested in this simply because of how I view myself so let me be honest! I spent many years running away from “truth” and “God” because I had a skewed viewpoint of who He is. I used to think of Him based on the bare minimum of what I knew, the 10 commandments. These seemed pretty much a list of “don’t do this and don’t do that” but if you do then “DAMN YOU TO HELL!” Just being honest folks.

When I found out He is a God of mercy, compassion, forgiveness and absolute LOVE, I was stunned! Is this the same God? Welcome to the whole point of Jesus dying on the cross. Suddenly I realized He knew we could never keep all those commandments perfectly so in His perfect love for us He made a way for us to still be with Him in everlasting eternity. Jesus’ blood poured out was for us!

After so many years running away from a God I viewed as angry and penalizing I felt robbed! Robbed! I was lied to over and over again. These lies led me to waste so much time that was precious to who I was and who I was to others. With my blinders removed all I can say is I am a “Jane-come-lately” and I am ready to enjoy this party ETERNALLY!

Mt 20:12 ‘These men who were hired last worked only one hour, ‘they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.

Mark 10:31 “But many who are first will be last, and the last first”