TODAY'S JOY...WORSHIP...PRAISE

Physically, I'm struggling today.  Tiredness, dizziness, etc.  Tomorrow I have to hit the road to Portland area... not far from here ... and a couple days after that I truly begin to hit my way home, but won't be there until next Sunday night, at the earliest, because I'll be stopping a couple places in eastern Oregon to teach a couple blog-friends about a particular form of spiritual warfare. 

HOWEVER, I wrote this poem even before I came to the Lord.  I was about 19 years old; wrote it in Seattle.  How can I NOT share it today when I know my struggles are held in the Hand of my Dear Father Who loves me.  Nothing/NOONE else counts.

Oh, and today's Word that struck me is Nehemiah 8:10, The joy of the Lord is my strength.  And this poem has "joy" in it.


HIS HAND... HIS LOVE

He gave me His hand and led me
Across stream,
and River,
and Mountain.

He gave me His Spirit to draw me To the Wonderful
sin-cleansing
fountain.

He gave me His Grace and Compassion
His Joy, His Righteousness, too.

He gave me His Love and Mercy
And created a life wholly new.

He gave -- I received --
........Eternal Peace. He gave -- I received --
.............Love never to cease.

REALITY STRIKES AGAIN...

I left Tacoma yesterday, and don't think I'll ever be there again.  The photos were taken another time, because of today's computer issue, and the words written then.  However, the reality is still Reality.  All the photos are connected to Point Defiance Park beach area or downtown when seeing the Rainier... "my" Rainier.  The last photo is on the Washington side of the Columbia River ... one of my favorite Rest Areas.  Will be there in about 5 days when heading east.  But, as I said, this truly is Truth. 

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THE "SOME DAYS" OF LIFE

Some days feel sluggy and bloggy and foggy,

even when hard and firm Rockiness is in sight.

 

[Sometimes the rocks are in bits and pieces;
not a firm foundation.]

Sometimes life simply seems unraveled. Unorganized.

...or dusty, and gusty and dingy and fringy...

 

Sometimes,

yes, sometimes,

that is how our days,

hours, minutes, seconds

... our lives ...

feel.

And yet...

The reality,

The True Reality,

is...

Strength, solidity...

Strong Roots linking our past to the future...

 

Wispy, whispery Spirit breezes swifting through,

bringing Light into our hearts.

 

 

MY ROCKY DAY THEN... AND HEART-ROCKY DAY NOW

I wrote this after the 9/11 episode.  When a few weeks later I was filled with depression, Dave sent me to he North Shore of Superior so I could seek heart-healing.  I wrote a lot while there, some serious, some historical, some humorous.  Two of the poems were funny.  This is one of them.  And this is truly "me". 

 

I have many-hundred rocks in my not-large yard.  From everyplace in the country or around the world where I've visited or lived.   And I never stop smiling at, or grabbing, rocks.  In fact, I have a few in my car this time from Wyoming on the way here to the NW.  Expect to grab some more here, especially from the Oregon coast, because I don't anticipate ever returning.  

 

 Go home without rocks?  I don't think it's possible to NOT

add beauty to my house and yard and heart.

 

Today I feel very serious about a lot that has happened. Family and social issues.  Rejoicing and heartbroken.  Extremely back and forth. 

Decided to share this with you, because it's filled

with truth and joy and shows my funny side. 

Most people don't see that side of me often enough!

 

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THE ROCKS

Tettagouche State Park, Minnesota

Scripture says, “the rocks ... cry out” --

(My out-of-context translation)

And they did.

[They really did!]

 

I planned to not take some home.

(That is what I planned!)

 

But they would have none of it.

 

They shouted to me

to rescue them -- take them away --

away from battering waves and

freezing blasts of wind --

 

Shouted with colors

and sparkles

and barnacle-patterned mouths.

 

And I !!stopped!! --

 just for a moment --just for a short glance.

 

And they grabbed me --

my heart, my soul, my arm --

and forced me to pick them up --

until they over-flowed,

first hand-- and then pocket,

and finally made a temporary lodging

pouched in my over-sized sweatshirt.

 

[Taking me to the shore and saying “no rocks” --is akin to taking a

three-year-old

to a penny-candy store and saying,“We’re only looking.”]

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For some reason the spaces, colors, division, isn't occurring in reality.  Sorry.

 

SEED-PLANTING DAY

 

 

 

 



Yesterday my daughter, her husband and my grandkids went to the Mount St. Helen volcano area.  The kids saw much, were greatly touched and impressed.

When I was there years ago, what touched ME was the way the flowers came up after many stretches of time since the mountain was destroyed, thousands of feet.  Beauty arose... and truly touched my heart.

Today and yesterday and days before that, while here in the Northwest, the Lord has poured His Seed upon me, my heart to reach out and pour seed onto hearts of others.  Praying with/for people on the streets, in the rest areas, on the rivers.  Simply dropped into my life, momentarily.  I don't know the consequences, but certainly hope we will meet in heaven and truly know each other forever and ever in eternity.

YES, in the photo, the volcano rocks are obvious, the dead pieces of the trees in front of the eyes, and then the glory of the Lord breaking through miraculously.  What else can we ever do?

TACOMA ON MY HEART

MT. RAINIER AND PUGET SOUND, POINT DEFIANCE, TACOMA

Since my arrival from the northern Oregon "sisters" location, I have been hanging out at Point Defiance.  Driving through it, walking on the beach, taking a "million" photos of Mt. Rainier ... much more extremely clear now, but I can't download them until I'm home with a computer, so you're stuck with one from a couple years ago.  Anyhow, watching the waves, the islands, the mountains [both Olympic and Cascade ranges seen from the Tacoma area], the boats, the birds, and millions of flowers and trees. I'm overwhelmed with joy.

God has used me to meet and teach and touch a number of people.  I had no idea when or how it would come to pass.  It has been amazing. For instance, I met a lady at my favorite restaurant, Harbor Lights, yesterday.  As I was leaving from the small outside eating area, Terri and I said, basically, "Bless your day."  Well, I asked where she was from and she said Indianapolis.  I said I was from Omaha.  We talked about much, and when she said her son is a leader of a Teen Challenge, I began rejoicing. Shortly after I was saved, in 1967 the book by David Wilkerson, "The Cross and Switchblade", was dropped into my life and filled me with extreme desire to serve and fight for the Lord.  We talked for quite a while, and are going to be spiritual "forever friends".  I never could have imagined that was the reason the Lord had me stop there for dinner, when, as much as I like it, it ain't cheap.  It was more important to meet Terri than to be concerned about a few bucks.

That's one example.  There are others.  Can hardly wait to share those when I reach home in a couple weeks.

I miss reading so many of your posts... but rarely have time to do more than toss something on for you. When I get home, I'll spend a number of days of posting my things and reading yours.

God truly is using me... and I truly am tired and struggling physically and mentally.  Can I trust ME??? NO!!!  Can I trust HIM??? ABSOLUTELY!!!  HE is "IT"!

[Oh, and a long-time friend of mine with me today ... met when in 4th grade ...and, when sitting in her living room, she said very strongly that she thinks abortion and suicide -- as you are old and are ill -- is perfectly OK.  I can't change her mind and her heart, but, while driving her around and about, I told her more and more re: the Word and some of the Reality I know.  Hope Dorothy will eventually turn to the Lord thoroughly instead of just casually.  I truly hope so.  She and her mother always saw me as a poverty, poor, emotionally-ill kid ... they were, in their way of thinking, much better off than me.  Dorothy has a lot more respect for me now, but she also still somehow thinks I'm "less than".  I want the Lord to break through before she dies.  She's dealing with cancer and other issues now--she's been smoking since her teens and will be 68 this Fall.  Believe me, her house is filled with the nicotine stains on the walls and the odor is pretty overwhelming..  So I'm  tossing her on your hearts.  Can trust you more than I can trust me.]                                                    

MY SUNDAY HEART-WORSHIP

Well, this morning I'm heading for Tacoma, but might drive over to the ocean ...Washington side ... or circle off the Interstate to cruise on the Cascade mountain side.  Want to see the beauty, to keep my heart

focusing on our dear Lord. 

 

 I decided to share this Word with you. 

 It truly filled my heart back then. 

Does now. 

BIG TIME!!

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ISAIAH 55:12

 

The mountains

and the hills

shall break forth before you

into singing,

and all the trees of the field

shall clap their hands.

JOYS IN HEAVEN ... and the Northwest





There will be joys in heaven

Words try to express -
"Love" and "comfort"
"Peace" and "Rest".
There will be joys in Heaven
Words try to explain -
"No more tears", "No more pain."

We'll be with Jesus,
We'll be with the Father,
We'll have total freedom and fellowship sweet,
With joyous communion around the throne,
Worshiping freely at Christ's dear feet.

But one of the pleasures that I'm longing for.
One of the joys that I want more and more
Is walking and talking with those that I love,
Walking and talking on streets high above.

No more separation by time or by space,
No more to be missing your sweet loving face
No more to be standing watching you go.
Walking and talking above.

So welcome us Jesus to the house you've prepared.
Let us adore you and worship you there.
Let us be ever, together, dear Lord.
Walking and talking above.

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While today, driving to and from a portion of southern Washington and northern Oregon, I nearly drove off the side of the road.  I saw two of my favorite mountains.  Cascade mountains always break into my heart and fill me with joy. 

Since I was filled with joy, I decided to share this poem/song with you that I wrote back in Spring, '78, when my friend, Susie, was moving from Omaha to northern MN.  God dropped this in.  When I think of her, my husband, many family and friends, this song just overwhelmed my heart again.  If I had some photos of the ocean area I'd be sharing those, too.  Can't see enough gorgous natural gifts anywhere except in the Northwest.  My heart is overwhelmed with joy here simply by the beauty of the created world.