Three Olive Trees

Sidestepping around crushed purple olives, I kept wondering why a fruitful olive tree was put smack in the middle of a playground for children? Who had planted this tree? What was the thought behind it? I did a quick look around at other trees planted in the park and in total there were only three olive trees.

Inwardly, I began laughing to myself. It was time to release the child in me. I balanced myself to walk the cement wall surrounding the playground. The equipment design was like a spider’s web, but there was a bigger plan at work to release these young one’s into a destiny of purpose. They won’t be captured in the web of deception.

Jer 11:16a  The LORD called your name, Green Olive Tree, Lovely and of Good Fruit.

Red Leaves Dying

Laying upon the ground where I walked, I saw leaves of red which had fallen from nearby trees. Their beauty was incredible and it just seemed wrong that in their glory they would fall to the ground and die. Looking closer at these, I felt my heart break because I could see in them the sacrifice of my King.

He was in His prime, young, in his thirties. He healed every sickness and disease. Loving everyone He met. Giving Himself away. Feeding the hungry. Teaching those who desired to know Him. Bringing the dead back to life. He shared of Himself every good thing we as people long for but…we as people, failed to recognize the answer to our prayers.

We took this beauty, this hope, this answer for our very lives and hung Him on a tree. He didn’t have to, but He chose to let us do this, knowing what it would bring forth.

Joh 12:24  I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains [just one grain; it never becomes more but lives] by itself alone. But if it dies, it produces many others and yields a rich harvest.

Resistance!

Resistance! As a definition it’d be a force that tends to oppose or retard motion. I’d say forward motion for me. I can be honest to say I’ve felt resistance today especially in the way confidence can erode with a few misplaced words.

I moved my keyboard too hard and a vial of mustard seeds fell over on my desk. I had forgotten they were even there. Reaching over, I picked up the glass tube, holding it in my palms, wondering. I was reminded that if I had the faith of these tiny seeds I could move mountains.

A lack of confidence had come against me for something I knew I was supposed to do, but these seeds reminded me it wasn’t my confidence or ability that could do anything. It was my faith that would move mountains.

These Are What I Offer….

If I played an instrument out of tune

Would you hear the melody?

And if I sang a song that didn’t rhyme

Would you hear the poetry of my heart?

If I drew a picture without form

Would you see the shapes anyway?

And if I painted with only one color

Would you see the sunsets I have drawn?

These are what I offer

But Your smile lets me know You love them all…

Glory To Have My Heart

I dropped to my knees

Humble, lowly, why me

King of glory

Have your glory

My heart is yours

My life is yours

You are so glorious

You are so glorious

I can’t comprehend

I can’t understand

In your hands you hold the stars

You are so powerful

In me you will have your glory

In me you will have your way

It’s all about you

Have your glory

History Will Stop Repeating

Several years ago there was a song fusion of unique styles blended so wonderfully I kept a copy on every digital format I had. Electronic producers named PropellerHeads from Britain fused big beat with jazz using Welsh singer Shirley Bassey on vocals. It sounded like a voice lifted from a 1930’s speakeasy combined with a club mix of dance music.

As interesting as that was in itself, I probably would not have taken notice of it if not for the hook….”History Repeating”. I rather enjoy reading about history. Not dry facts like we learned in high school, but the intricate details as they relate to human nature and especially the social aspect of our society.

For over 2000 years we have been passing down our history both orally and in written form but it seems as though not enough of us are reading the writing on the wall, the word of truth. We have a history book we should be paying attention to in the bible.

Lyrics for “History Repeating”….

The word is about, there’s something evolving,
whatever may come, the world keeps revolving
They say the next big thing is here,
that the revolution’s near
,
but to me it seems quite clear
that it’s all just a little bit of history repeating

People get ready….now is the time for history to stop repeating and let’s welcome the revolution. The writers of this song got it right about the revolution being near but they are also very wrong! History is not doomed to repeat itself endlessly. There is a very real end in sight.

Matthew 24:44  So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him

Hear The Voice

There are days I just want to lay on the carpet feeling the softness against my cheek; a tender moment just being quiet to listen. So much around me is constant noise I can’t always hear the voice my ears desire to hear speak. It’s time to turn off the phones, the computers and the distractions. Now is the time I must take to pay attention to what’s really important.

Deer Trail

lagoon-valley

The inner child within me takes much pleasure in the simple things that surround us daily. Now I have a full time job and other obligations that keep my attention but nothing brings me joy like nature and being outdoors. I have a mind for details so I can spend lots of time looking at flowers or leaves, even blades of grass.

This afternoon I followed a deer trail and found where a deer had been laying next to a tree on a hillside. I was so tickled to sit down in this patch of grass and look around to see the same beauty as a deer had taken in earlier. It was incredibly peaceful. I could understand why this would be a good spot to lay in the sun and absorb for a while. I decided to get out my journal and write about this moment. Some things are worth remembering and so many of those are the moments that pass you by without notice.

2009 Dawning

The New Year has rolled around so we have a whole new calendar. 2009 is before us and there are questions for what we have in mind to do with our lives in this year. Many offer so called “New Year’s” resolutions which never last since we often make them in haste as temporary solutions to long term problems.

I have to say I myself haven’t even thought of these today. Somewhere in my life I have learned that anything worth doing is worth doing on the day you think of them rather than waiting for a new day to dawn.

I do think goals are valuable however so I will have to contemplate what things might be worthy to accomplish in this upcoming year. At the moment however I have nothing more in mind than making sure our fire stays warm and my husband is comfortable enough to relax on this rare day off from work.

Best wishes to those we love and have yet to meet in this new season of life.

Humility A Life Lesson

The conversation was rich with details and I loved hearing them all, even those moments of irritation and offense. Without facing these type of issues we become irrelevant to those around us. I can never help others if I can’t understand being offended or getting angry.

Our emotions are strong in these areas and I wonder sometimes if I am as quick with feeling love as I am to feel anger? Ah, the constant walk of learning. With maturity comes a realization we are forever to be students or else we become stagnant as human beings. The minute I say, “I finally know it all” is the moment I need to be smote right there on the spot simply on principle alone that I have not learned the most important lesson of all, “humility”.