Life’s a Paradox

One day you wake up and the forecast is gloomy,

for the weather and for your attitude alike.

One of those days steeped in the quagmire of melancholy

Wherever you look things are downright messy

and all you can do is pray helplessly for reprieve.

But just when you think you’re about to go down

God sends a helping hand

a listening ear… a shoulder to cry on

and all at once the sun emerges

and the flowers that had closed up tight

waiting for a softer light

open wide and smile at you.

and you smile too.

My girls decide to take mud baths. Gazania open to the sun’s rays on my porch. My spirits are lifted after a rough couple of days.

Perspective…

I see romantic in things of old

He sees “old”

I see winsome treasure from the pasture

He sees “salvage”

I see artistic

He sees “off the wall”

I see a stroke of genius

He sees “retarded”

(the wash tub planters, not the kid!)

I see beauty in the mundane

He sees mundane.

It’s comical really. We were in the quonset the other day when I spotted these old tractor tire rims and my eyes lit up.

“Can I have those?” I asked hopefully. Prairie Guy was working on the boat, he looked up and shrugged. “If you want, I guess.”

I immediately started rolling them out and across the yard. “What are you going to do with them?” He hollered after me. I just kept rolling. I knew if I told him he would shoot the idea down, and I hate having strokes of genius shot down.

So here they sit, rusty and pretty one on each side of the back porch steps. Genius I say, much to his consternation. But I will give him this much. Despite the fact he thought the idea was retarded, he did fill the suckers up with good dark horse fertilized soil for me. Oh the sacrifices of unconditional love.

To his relief I have agreed to permit him to paint the things (shhh…. don’t tell him I was already picturing them a nice clean white or he’ll make me do it myself), but with a garage full of new windows and a house to be sided I do believe that for this year we I, for one, am going to be enjoying the vintage look.

Contemplating Wisdom.

We all want it right? What does it look like? I've been thinking about wisdom a lot lately. I think the truly wise are truly humble and meek and gentle and otherwise full of beautiful fruit. When I examine my life I can see internalized wisdom, head knowledge that comes with experience but I will be the first to admit that I long for that rich wisdom that oozes love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness and self control in sticky situations. Here are a few thoughts that have been ministering to me from a little bible study handbook that has been gracing my bathroom shelf for the past month *wink*.

Wisdom is a lifelong process.

The maturation process will continue until the day we die. We need to seek God's wisdom every day of our lives. Every new set of circumstances, every new stage of life will require that we be involved in the lifelong discipline of seeking God's wisdom.

Wisdom is a painful process.

The discipline required in the search for God's wisdom will always involve some pain. Pain, however, produces a harvest of righteousness and peace. (Hebrews 12:11)

Acquiring wisdom is a necessary process for obedience.

The catch is that we must ensure we are acquiring God's wisdom. Wisdom has always been a highly desirable quality. The quest for wisdom was the basis for the first temptation and eventual fall of mankind. The serpent presented the fruit of the tree as the pathway to wisdom. However, there was no wisdom in the serpent's advice because eating the fruit was a direct contradiction of God's will. Today there exists an abundance of counterfeit wisdom. Popular talk shows and magazines offer advice and counsel to millions who seek guidance on living abundantly in this (as every other) complicated age. In order to weed our way through all the counterfeit wisdom in our society, we must know the characteristics of God's wisdom.

God's wisdom is.... (James 3:17)

Pure.

We can be sure that any counsel or advice that violates God's standards of moral purity is not wisdom from God. But beyond just moral purity, God's wisdom promotes purity of heart and motive. Any thought or action that contradicts God's holiness should be weeded out of our lives. This has been a big one for me lately. I've been suffering from what I could deem "righteous indignation" over a number of circumstances in my life. What God came to show me this past week is that if I am not feeling intrinsic love and concern and a desire to pray fervently for the people/situations that I am feeling indignant about then I have given the enemy a foothold to set up shop and corrupt me. It doesn't mean that I am not right in my assessment of what is going on, but the way I choose to respond to the situation is the proof in the pudding of how spiritually mature or immature I really am.

Peace Loving.

Those who are wise will seek to preserve peace where it exists and restore peace where it no longer exists. The wise woman will endeavor to create an atmosphere of calmness and serenity in her home and in all of her relationships. Through organization and decor and attitude she can develop an environment and a character that is conducive to peace. Through her joyful and calm spirit she can bring God's peace to everyone around her. I cried when I read this, and I tear up even now, typing it out. This is a deep seated desire of mine, to be beautiful and to bless and minister and restore by seeking to acquire and live out this kind of peace.

Considerate.

Heavenly wisdom is not rude or smug. It does not persist in self-promoting or monopolizing conversation, but provides a listening ear and a compassionate heart. It pays as much attention to the feelings of a child as to the feelings of a person of worldly rank or importance. It doesn't let anyone fall through the cracks. It builds people up rather than making them feel inferior and second rate.

Submissive.

It is willing to yield to reasonable requests out of an intrinsic trust in God's sovereignty and His desire for us to serve rather than to be served.

Full of mercy and good fruit.

Acting in accordance with God's wisdom means readily extending forgiveness to all who offend us. Such action frees us from the bonds of bitterness. It also helps us understand and receive God's unconditional acceptance of us. Heavenly wisdom goes a step beyond forgiveness though, by including the offer of goodness to others. Generosity and cheerfulness will be typical actions of a wise woman.

Impartial and sincere.

A wise person need not hide any part of his or her person from another. Impartiality and sincerity go hand and hand. If you are impartial, you can be sincere and your sincerity will bless and minister to others and build intimacy and trust through the bonds of fellowship.

"If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him." James 1:5

"Wisdom is supreme, therefore get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding. Esteem her, and she will exalt you; embrace her, and she will honor you. She will set a garland of grace on your head and present you with a crown of splendor." Proverbs 4:7-9

my thoughts and excerpts from the bible study handbook "The Beauty of a Disciplined Life" by Rebecca Gates.

One Fine Day

It’s been a wretchedly cool, annoyingly windy, not exactly joy inducing kind of spring.  And the worst part of it all is things are bone dry.  For all the chill and gray we have been experiencing, there has been very little rain.  I’ve been working extra hard to “look on the bright side” but seriously, the climate has stretched the limit of even my long arm of optimism and grace.  I’ve been pretty peeved for quite a while now.  Today I was sure it was going to pour.  Twice I ran to get separate loads of laundry off the line as  the first big drops started to fall.  Nothing.  The sky gets all black and menacing, a huge wind rises, and they all blow away and the sun comes out to trick us into believing it is here to stay only to have a repeat performance, ad nauseam. 

But last night?  Last night was enchanted.  It was the first time in I don’t know how long that there wasn’t a breath of wind.  The sky was clear with just a few of those puffy clouds, and the sun was in its lower reaches when everything gets that softer, not so bright and stark appearance and you just breathe it all in. 

I wandered back into the orchard and just had to scoot back to the house to grab my camera.  The kids were in bed already, everything was so still and surreal and quiet apart from the many soothing sounds of nature.   Birds in their nests, grasshoppers and frogs in the pond, the lambs in the pasture.  It was a perfect summer evening and I soaked up every minute of it,  and captured a few for good measure.

“Merrily, merrily shall I live now

under the blossom that hangs on the bough.”

William Shakespeare

“The apple blossoms shower of pearl

though blended of rosier hue

as beautiful as a woman’s blush

As evanescent too.”

Letitia Elizabeth Landon

“And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud   

was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.”

Anais Nin

Some of you have emailed me to ask what’s on my mind since I’ve been rather visual and not overly verbal the past few weeks.  It’s true, it’s not like me to keep my ponderings to myself.  My mind has been active, pondering  things like wisdom, peace, the pursuit of Godliness, discipleship and ministry.  When time and energy converge to create a channel for me to share a window into my brain I promise I will.  For the moment I  hope you will continue enjoying a window into my physical world because right now merely being aware and appreciative of the miracles that surround me is a liberating act of worship.

If It’s Privacy You’re Seekin’

Carry on my wayward son.  There’ll be peace when you are… gone.

Look at the little rascal who came calling today

cute as a button and nigh giving our dog a heart attack from all the barking she did.

she must have barked for three hours straight

till she finally convinced this little rascal to come out from under the playhouse.

To say that Rascal was aloof would be an understatement.

He pretty much let Sophie give him an Eskimo kiss.

and just sat there scratching his chin, ho-hum… this dog is such a bore.

adorable doesn’t even begin to cut it.

I seriously wanted to pick him (her?) up and get give  some serious snuggles..

I came MIGHTY close I tell you

not close enough for any Eskimo kisses, though.

I think she was a little overwhelmed by all the attention. 

when all she was looking for was a peaceful place to unwind.

take a little afternoon dip

Play some water polo…

Sorry girl, you came to the WRONG place if what you were looking for was privacy.