The Thief Comes In the Night

This is a picture I took the other night from my back deck.  Since I don’t have my job at the church anymore, I have discovered time…...time to pull over to the side of the road and photograph flowers…....time to sit on our back deck on a cool, peaceful Austin, Texas evening in May and feel the gentle breezes caressing my face and hear the owl who-whoing in the forest behind our yard.  I used to work so much that I didn’t have time for pleasures like these.  So I am grateful.  God rescued me when I didn’t even know I needed rescuing!  (Or maybe I did know…. I just was too chicken to take that step into the unknown.) 

Guard my life and rescue me, let me not be put to shame for I take refuge in You.     ~Psalm 25:20 

Turn Your ear to me, come quickly to my rescue; be my Rock of refuge, a strong fortress to save me.  ~ Psalm 31:2

So this was the moonlit view right before I went to bed the other night at around 11:00 p.m.  Beautiful.  Quiet.  Serene. 

The next morning at 6:30 a.m. it was cloudy and still a little dark but as I walked out into our driveway and passed by my car I was perplexed to see that the driver’s side door was ajar just a little bit.  “What in the world?”  I opened the door the rest of the way and saw that the glove box cover was hanging open.  “That isn’t like Gary to not close the car door all the way, and I wonder why he would take everything out of the glove compartment…….Noooo, surely not……Oh my gosh, did someone break into my car??” 

I ran in the house and called him at work, but of course deep inside already knowing the answer – no, he had not gotten in my car this morning.  I checked in the car again and noticed that the two ceiling compartments for sunglasses were also hanging open.  So I allowed the realization to fully hit me – a STRANGER was in MY car some time between 11:00 p.m. and 6:30 a.m., in our own driveway, with our front and side porch lights brightly illuminating the whole area.  He or she touched my steering wheel, sat in my driver’s seat, opened my glove box and dug around the other compartments of my car.  Violated!  How terrifying.  How unnerving!

I hurried to the phone, dialed 311 for non-emergency aid and a Travis County Sheriff arrived at my home literally within about six minutes.  I have to admit, I am not ALWAYS a fan of those who patrol the streets as I have been known to get the occasional speeding ticket from one or the other of his compadres, but on this particular occasion, I was happy to see officer Lane. 

I gave him all the details and he filed an incident report for me, of course admonishing me to start keeping my car doors locked at night.  I countered and proposed that since I don’t leave valuables in there I had thought that leaving it unlocked was actually better, evidenced by the fact that my windows were not currently smashed in.  He patiently explained that there are some thieves who just carouse around testing for unlocked car doors, and those whose cars are open become the unfortunate victims.

As officer Lane drove away in his squad car I stood there with his business card in my hand, my new case number written on the back, and began to reflect on this event. 

My car had been left unlocked, unguarded.  A thief was allowed free access to it.  There is another enemy out there that we need to guard ourselves against and he is even more insidious, more cunning and more evil than any petty thief that slunk around our neighborhood the other night.  And yet, we are uncomfortable even talking about him – Satan, the devil, and his footsoldiers, the demons.  We don’t like to think about that unseen spirit world, and yet…..it does exist.  There is a spirit war going on and we are affected by it, we may just not know it. 

Be self-controlled and alert.  Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.       

                                      ~  I Peter 5:8

Of course we are not going to see a man dressed in red with horns, wielding a pitchfork and beckoning us to follow.  He is much more subtle than that.  Have you ever just felt a darkness, a heaviness of spirit, or heard that voice in your head disguised as your own telling you lies, discouraging you, condemning you?   Satan is also known as “The Accuser,” or “The Father of Lies.” (John 8:44)

The enemy wants nothing more than for us to lose hope, to doubt God, to give up, or if he can’t get that far, he is content with us to just be complacent, to miss out on all the wonderful things God has planned for us.

Jesus tells us ~

The thief comes only to steal, kill and destroy.  I came that you might have life and have it abundantly.       ~  John 10:10

When we are feeling down or despairing or God is just not answering our prayers as fast as we want Him to…. it may seem like it but we are not walking out here helpless.  He has actually promised that we have power, we are warriors, and He already has won this war and we just need to let Him fight these battles for us.

For though we walk in the flesh we do not war according to  the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses.        ~ 2 Corinthians 10:3-4

So how do you DO that?  Well, Jesus was in the wilderness for 40 days tempted by the lies of the enemy….and He quoted Scripture back to him (Luke 4).  The Word of God is packed with promises of protection, of victory, of our ultimate success in this endeavor, sometimes we just need to remind the enemy (and ourselves) of our status as Children of the King!  And we even have armor!

Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.  Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.  Therefore, put on the full armor of God so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground.       ~ Ephesians 6:10-13

Submit to God, resist the devil and he will flee.       ~ James 4:7

Note carefully that these Scriptures tell us to “take your stand,” “stand your ground” and “resist,”  -- all positions of strength.  It is the devil who will flee!  If you want to read more about the specific pieces of armor we are given, check out Ephesians 6:14-18.

So soldiers, be strong!  Stick close to our Victorious Protector.  And in the meantime, keep your car doors locked – keep your heart guarded, and don’t go out there unarmed! 

P.S.  Guess what the Shady Hollow thief took from my car……NOTHING! 

Motown Messages

Did you know that yesterday was “Motown Monday?”  Well, here in Austin, Texas at a particular night-spot called “The Highball” it was Motown Monday, and my son Ryan, the singer-songwriter musician, was singing lead with a band called “The Matchmaker Band.”  They were bringing the house down with their amazing repertoire of Motown favorites – “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” “I’ll Be There,” “I Heard it Through the Grapevine,” “Rescue Me,” “You Are the Best Thing,” and tons more. 

 

Those amazing Motown songs, the driving beat, the easy sing-ability, the blend of tight vocal harmonies backed with the brassy strength of saxophone and trumpet – you just can’t stay sitting still!  Even the shy, the faint of heart, the ones (like me) whose husbands didn’t come because they had to get up early for work the next morning and it’s a Monday, for goodness sake – were up on the spacious dance floor dancing, laughing, harkening back to the 60’s and 70’s when the Motown label was at its zenith and literally guiding our whole culture.  It’s not a bad aerobics workout, either, if you let yourself cut loose!  As I looked around, many on the dance floor had not even been born yet during that era and yet they were totally involved as well, mouths moving to every word.

And yet, those words…. So many of those Motown songs have words that as I focused on their meaning I realized – there was a virtual sermon going on!  Oh my gosh, the more I paid attention, the more I heard it – we humans are forever calling out to God!  We sing about Him, write about Him, and even disguise our theology in so-called “secular” Billboard Chart hit songs when there are really deeply spiritual truths just brimming under the surface. 

Seriously, if you “unpack” the words to some of these Motown favorites and sift through them with a spiritual mindset, they almost could be classified as Biblical!  Just listen to this classic by Marvin Gaye – and as you read through I bet you can sing the tune in your mind –

Ain’t no mountain high enough

Ain’t no valley low enough

Ain’t no river wide enough

To keep me from getting to you, babe.

Ain’t no mountain high

Ain’t no valley low

Ain’t no river wide enough, baby.

If you need me, call me

No matter where you are

No matter how far.

Just call my name,

I’ll be there in a hurry

There’s no need to worry.

Now THIS time – go back and picture that God our Father is singing this personally to you!  Really – try it!  Have you ever been in a valley of despair or stress and looked up to see only mountains of troubles looming overhead all around you?  How incredibly comforting it is to know that nothing can keep our God from hearing us and coming to us when we call for help. 

Here is actual Scripture that says the same thing –

Where can I go from Your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence? If I go up to the heavens, You are there; if I make my bed in the depths, You are there; if I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there Your hand will guide me, Your right hand will hold me fast.

                                                                        ~  Psalm 139:7-10

Or this Biblical treasure –

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?  Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? …No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.  For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from Christ Jesus our Lord.                       ~  Romans 8:35, 37-39

Here is another MOTOWN MESSAGE, thanks to Miss Aretha Franklin:

Come on baby and rescue me
Come on baby and rescue me
'Cause I need you, by my side
Can't you see that I'm lonely
Rescue me!

Come on and take my heart
Take your love and conquer every part
'Cause I'm lonely and I'm blue
I need you and your love too…..

Would you like to see what her predecessor King David had to say to the LORD when he was in a similar mood?

Turn to me and be gracious to me for I am lonely and afflicted.  The troubles of my heart have multiplied; free me from my anguish. Look upon my affliction and my distress and take away all my sins. See how my enemies have increased and how fiercely they hate me! Guard my life and rescue me; let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in You. May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope is in You.                                        ~  Psalm 25:16-21

Man, we could truly do this all day!  See what I mean?  The Motown songs are coming from the soul of all of us!  

Here is one more Motown Message to close us for now – and this time, as you sing these words in your head to the familiar tune, again by Marvin Gaye, sing them to your Father, your Rescuer, your Best Friend –

I needed the shelter of someone’s arms

And there you were.

I needed someone to understand my ups and downs

And there you were.

With sweet love and devotion

Deeply touching my emotions.

I want to stop, and thank you, baby

I just want to stop, and thank you, baby

How sweet it is to be loved by you, yes it is

How sweet it is to be loved by you.

I close my eyes at night

And wonder what would I be without you in my life.

Everything was just a bore

All the things I did, seems like I’d done them before

But you brighten up all my days

With a love so sweet in so many ways…

I want to stop, and thank you, baby

I just want to stop, and thank you, baby

How sweet it is to be loved by you, yes it is

How sweet it is to be loved by you.

Thanks, Motown.  Thanks, Matchmaker Band.  Thank you, Lord.

And just in case you want a Motown refresher….

www.TheHighball.com

www.MatchmakerBand.com

Mamm-OH-gram

I had my annual mammogram today.  Or should I say, ENDURED my annual mammogram?  Man, that is uncomfortable!  And I must say, I went to Austin Radiological Association with every intention of writing all about it..….in a derogatory, derisive way, to once again point out and unveil all the ridiculous, almost inhumane humiliations and inconveniences of it all.  Another behind-the-scenes expose’, so to speak. 

But here’s the thing…. something altogether different transpired and I find myself seeing this whole experience with a new perspective.  The medical assistants and radiology technicians were actually kind and patient.  Upon checking in at the front lobby I was immediately ushered down a hall to a special separate waiting room specifically designed for those awaiting their mammograms.  The walls were decorated with encouraging artwork, a plaque with the words “Live, Laugh, Love” hung on the door, and cheerful accessories brightened up the tables.  Even the live plants were dressed up with pink bows. 

After my paperwork was processed by the soft-spoken attendant I was taken to a dressing room to disrobe (“everything off above the waist”).  After having donned the obligatory hospital gown over my jeans I was again invited to come back and sit in this private waiting room IN MY GOWN.  Here we go, I thought.  But there were other women in there too, IN THEIR GOWNS, and we quietly became a sort of club.  We talked to each other, we enjoyed the surprising array of flavored creamers offered with the complimentary coffee…..we were connected in this shared ordeal of womanhood.

One of the posters hanging near me was a little less encouraging – “One in eight women will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer some time in her life,” it warned.  I looked around the waiting room…. There were five of us – would we all be safe? 

The information on the poster continued, “How do I know if I am at risk for breast cancer?”  

Guess what the first two criteria were --  #1 – Being a woman.  #2 – Aging.  Not exactly preventable risk factors…..

And as I was sitting there trying to decide what to write about in my planned tirade about mammograms, my thoughts went instead down a different path.  You see, this past year I had the privilege of walking closely with my dear friend Brenda through her deepest valley – her breast cancer diagnosis, surgery, and subsequent excruciating chemo and radiation treatments, in her ten-month battle to beat that deadly, horrible disease.  Thanks be to God, our miraculous Healer, she is now well again.   At long last, all of her scans and blood tests have been returning with the magic word “CLEAR” gracing the results column.   So, I began to rethink my intentions of making fun of such a crucial and life-saving procedure….

For I, the LORD am your Healer.  ~  Exodus 15:26

Back in the mammogram waiting room, one by one each of us from our new club was called for our own turn with the machine of torture, and yet that technician was gentle and patient as well.  Painful?  Yes, absolutely!  But quick.  And worth it. 

Here is a funny for you because I can’t resist ~ 

But…..mammograms…..not so bad after all.  In fact, I highly recommend them – not for fun or even an enjoyable day, but for life, for health, and for early detection if by any chance there is a problem brewing.  And while we are at it, Brenda wanted me to also stress to you how crucial your monthly breast self-exams are as well!

Heal me, O LORD, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for You are the one I praise.  ~  Jeremiah 17:14

And on the way home from ARA, I happened to have my camera in the car and I saw these flowers by the side of Manchaca Road, so of course I pulled off onto the shoulder to get these photographs of them so I could share their beauty with you. 

So enjoy.  And get that annual mammogram!

Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well.  ~ 3 John 1:2

Soar Above the Fear!

I was reading a book today by Joyce Meyer and she made a profound point that I wanted to share with you --

Courage is not the absence of fear; it is pressing forward while the feeling of fear is present.    

                                                                             ~ Joyce Meyer, Never Give Up 

She also used the eagle as an example of living in the midst of difficulty but soaring above it with strength and courage, and in freedom and trust.  I like that comparison.  And so does God, as He offers us even more through the prophet Isaiah ~

Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength.

They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.                                                                                ~  Isaiah 40: 30-31
                              

We are all going to feel fear at times, and yet it is actually what we do with it, how we handle it that really matters.  Do we let it paralyze us?  Does it drain all our energy?  Do we give up and just settle for the known, the easy, the rut?  OR, in the midst of our fear do we trust that we are not alone – that the God of the Universe knows, sees, cares, loves and reaches His hand to us to hold ours and help us through?  I am going to go with that choice! 

God promises us ~

Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, ‘Do not fear, I will help you.’     

                                                                                                                               ~ Isaiah 41:10, 13

So let’s be encouraged today.  There is hope.  There is another way besides fear. 

Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you, not as the world gives, do I give to you.  Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be afraid. 

                                                                                                                                  ~ John 14:27 

Meltdown? You are in Good Company!

I had a little bit of a meltdown today.  I know YOU never do, and honestly I don’t very often, but there it is.  I am trying so hard to not be anxious about this not-having-a-job thing, to trust that God has a plan, that He will provide, that He will continue to take care of us, He will open a door, He will have the answer…..but sometimes when we are in the thick of it we want to ask, “But WHEN?  How much longer?  I know you have a plan, Lord, but……do you REALLY?

Today I was praying, well, I was driving along and praying….out loud….and the sound of my own voice pleading with God and asking him these questions just made me cry.  And not only was my fear over my thus far fruitless job search getting to me, but the very fact that I was not being strong and having faith about it made it worse.   Because then came the accusations pounding my thoughts…… “I even taught a class at church where we studied the book, “Calm My Anxious Heart” by Linda Dillow.  I was the TEACHER!  Doesn’t that mean that I should have this stuff down?   That I should be beyond getting anxious about things anymore, thus making me the expert who can then teach a class about how to not be anxious?”

God patiently let me rant for a while.  Then he whispered this to me, “King David got anxious sometimes, too.  David did his fair share of ranting.  You are in good company.”

Oh my gosh, that’s right!  All through the Psalms, David journals through his fears, his disappointments, his times of utter hopelessness.  Yes, David, the person in the Bible who as a young boy was the victor over the giant Goliath with just his sling and a few stones; who then became the great and mighty king, and is commemorated for all eternity as “A man after God’s own heart” (Acts 13:22). 

Just listen to these words of David ~

Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am pining away.

Heal me, O LORD, for my bones are dismayed

And my soul is greatly dismayed;

But Thou, O LORD – how long?

I am weary with my sighing;

Every night I make my bed swim,

I dissolve my couch with my tears.

My eye has wasted away with grief.             ~  Psalm 6:2-3, 6-7

Or this one ~

I am poured out like water

And all my bones are out of joint;

My heart is like wax,

It is melted within me.

My strength has dried up.                              ~  Psalm 22:14-15

Our fears and thoughts tend to exaggerate and intensify when we are having a meltdown…..David even did that, too!

But here is the thing – David didn’t stay long in those pits of despair.  Sometimes within the very same Psalm he ends up praising God, leaping and dancing, probably playing tunes on his lyre.

Here is an example ~

I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD

In the land of the living.

Wait for the LORD.

Be strong, and let your heart take courage;

Yes, wait for the LORD.                                    ~ Psalm 27:13-14

And this one ~

I sought the LORD and He answered me

And delivered me from all my fears.

They looked to Him and were radiant

And their faces shall never be ashamed.

The poor man cried and the LORD heard him

And saved him out of all his troubles.

The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear Him

And rescues them.

O, taste and see that the LORD is good!

How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!                        ~ Psalm 34:4-8

So, driving along, as I began to feel the encouragement of God pour over me like a comforting warm shower, I felt my fears and anxiousness release their crush on my heart so that I could be open again to faith and hope. 

So don’t be too hard on yourself if you have the occasional time of doubt, of fear, of losing your grip on this faith walk – you are in good company with those of us who also struggle as well, but more importantly, when you are in that dark time – you are in good company – God’s!

Here are the very next words of Psalm 34 – verses 9-10 ~

O fear the LORD, you His saints

For to those who fear Him there is no want.

The young lions do lack and suffer hunger,

But they who seek the LORD shall not be in want of any good thing.

Peace.

Races With WHAT Kind of Dogs?

Okay, there is an internationally famous race and it is right in our neck of the woods.  Yes, Buda, Texas.  Last weekend was the 14^th Annual Buda WIENER DOG RACES!  I had the audacity to miss them this year because I was jet-setting to Colorado for the “Captivating” Retreat…. But others were jetting to Buda, Texas, dachshunds in tow, to compete with the hopeful, the long, the four-legged, the squat-but-fast Weiner dogs in hopes of winning, yes a trophy, but so much more important – bragging rights! 

 

Why, you may ask, do I sound so knowledgeable about this strange and sort of silly-sounding event?  Because, my friends, my Annie is a racer!  And not just any “thank-you-for-participating” wiener dog, but an almost-champion!  The past four years in a row this petite unassuming lovable little canine has twice gone all the way to semi-finals and twice to finals!  And this is no small feat (ha!) considering that the field of dachshunds starts with literally hundreds and by the final races there are only 14 still in the running. 

Gary and I entered her for the first time back in 2007 because we thought it would be funny – and it is, but we had NO idea that she would win….and then win again….and keep winning!  People ask, “Do you train with her?”  Oh my gosh, of course not.  We do take her on walks around the neighborhood, but this is all just her.  We were even interviewed for the local news station a couple of years ago, and when the reporter posed the question, “Why do you think Annie keeps winning?” the revelation that came to me on the spot was, “Annie runs so fast to us because she just can’t stand to be apart from us.” 

If you are having a hard time imagining what in the world I am talking about, let me give you a few details to go with these photos.  The doggies are assigned seven to a race and are staged in a specially-designed box divided into seven separate cages whose metal fronts are lifted with a big lever all at once, releasing all seven barking, pawing four-legged racers into the grassy lanes at the same moment.   Some shoot out of their captivity like a rocket, but others upon release amiably stroll around enjoying the sights and smells, completely heedless to their “handler” at the finish line squeaking favorite toys, clapping, jumping up and down and calling their name.   Of course, those are the race heats that provide the most comic relief!

I have to say though, one thing that always amazes me about these races is this -- amid the wild din of cheering crowds, the whistling and calling, the squeaking rubber balls and bones, and of course, various octaves of barking…..the dogs can sift through all of that and find their own master.  And it occurs to me that for us humans, in the midst of stresses, pressures, deadlines, decisions, heartaches, and the incessant press of the world, can we still hear our Master’s voice clearly? 

The sheep hear His voice, and He calls His own sheep by name, and leads them out.  He goes before them, and the sheep follow Him because they know His voice.  And a stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers.

[Jesus says], ‘I am the Good Shepherd; and I know My own, and My own know Me.’    ~ John 10:3-4, 14

Also, the reason that I believe Annie wins is that she is passionate with every inch of her wiener dog heart and soul that to be safe and happy is to be WITH us.  She cannot STAND to be separated from us.  And again….is this how we are with OUR Master?

For behold, those who are far from You will perish.  But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; I have made the LORD God my refuge, that I may tell of all Your works.  ~ Psalm 73:27-28

So let us draw near to Him, let us run to Him as if we just can’t stand to be apart from Him!  And then we will win our races, just like Miss Annie.

Therefore since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance, and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you may not grow weary and lose heart.   ~  Hebrews 12:1-4

A Mountaintop Experience -- Actually in the Mountains!

I will lift up my eyes to the mountains.  From where shall my help come?  My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.  ~  Psalm 121:1-2

I just had the amazing privilege and blessing of spending the past four days in Colorado at a women's retreat called "Captivating," sponsored by Ransomed Heart Ministries and John & Stasi Eldredge.  It was stunning.  Breathtaking.  Life-changing.

And yet, last week I had decided I didn't want to go.... "WHAT am I doing spending all this money to fly out of state to a retreat when I have just lost my job?"  Gary kept having to remind me gently that when I registered for it in February I didn't KNOW I was not going to have my job by the time the retreat happened, but still..... I was pretty agonized about the whole thing....beforehand. But deep inside I really knew that God did have a plan.  He had led me to sign up, and He was in control.  So I went. 

For this Texas girl, riding up the steep and winding mountain pass in the bus which came to take us from the Denver airport to Crooked Creek Ranch and seeing snow still capping the peaks towering on either side, it was utterly amazing.  I left the 90-degree April weather back in Austin and entered a snowy, forest paradise, the beautiful Young Life property nestled in the Rocky Mountains, and felt a little like we were being given a glimpse of heaven already!  It didn't take long for the feeling of nervousness about the impracticality to fall away and I felt my heart open in anticipation for what we would experience. 

Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean. Wash me and I shall be whiter than snow. ~ Psalm 51:7

And SNOW it did!  Almost the whole time we were at the retreat, white, thick, beautiful snowflakes fluttered down, billowing up in drifts around the paths we were walking as we hurried between the lodges and meeting halls.  It was spectacular!  We had to touch it, taste it, stomp our feet in it – and even make snow angels.  It was like God was so clearly saying, “I’m here.  I love you, and I am giving you this glorious gift to show you.”

And along that same line, words that quickly rose up out of the retreat, the worship songs, and the speakers were ~

Healing

Restoration

Surrender

Acceptance

We were encouraged to bring our wounds, our disappointments, our broken hearts to the God who loves us, who cherishes us, and who doesn’t want us to drag along in life carrying burdens of regret, guilt over mistakes, or torment because of the “if only’s” of our past.  We were allowed to go off by ourselves and journal about the truths we were hearing, and allow Him to begin healing and restoring us. 

"Come now, let us reason this out," says the LORD. "No matter how deep the stain of your sins, I can remove it. I can make you as clean as freshly fallen snow. Even if you are stained as red as crimson, I can make you as white as wool.  ~  Isaiah 1:18 - NLT

Here are a couple of excerpts from one entry of my journal this past Saturday as I sat bundled in a big comfy chair turned around to face the windows and soak in the snowy view ~

God, as I look out the window to this mountain paradise with the soft flakes of snow still coming down, covering all the rough, rocky places, powdering the landscape with a pristine beauty, I know that this is what you offer to do with me and with each of the ladies here.  You promise to heal, restore, cleanse, and make beautiful my life, my soul, my heart, my past, my present and my future.

*********

I have a messed-up life that is covered by beautiful, powdery-white forgiveness and mercy from my Father.  Lord, you can make all the rough edges soft and smooth.  You can cover over the mistakes, the sins, the faults and weaknesses with a lovely blanket of acceptance. 

And I share this with you because you can have the same (even without the actual snow).  You can have healing for the wounds of your heart.  You can be relieved from the weight of the burdens you are lugging around unnecessarily.  Study these photos I am sharing with you – these are actual ones that I took this weekend – and picture God softening your rough edges, forgiving your mistakes and blanketing you with beauty…..like the snow.   You….are….captivating!

LORD, before the mountains were born or You gave birth to the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.  ~  Psalm 90:2