JOB 12:10

IN HIS HAND IS THE LIFE OF

 EVERY LIVING THING

Our yard in Omaha.

 

Our 10th anniversary, 1995, 

Entebee, Uganda, hotel

Murchison Falls, Nile River, Uganda, 1996

Morocco, 2001

Rio Negro, Costa Rica, 2000

Rio Negro, Costa Rica, 2000

Leeds Castle, 1995

 

AND THE BREATH OF ALL MANKIND 

My desire was to add photos of "mankind"... my family,
 my friends, my dear ones, the many from other nations,
 the newborn babies, the elderly who were dear
to me and ours and are now with the Lord, "breathing" in His eternal world. But, I couldn't add that "million" number of photos and have room on the blog posting.

Nevertheless, our Dear Lord, follows our "breathing" life,
serving Him and caring for His many dear ones, worldwide.

HOMESICK -- ANYTIME, ANYWHERE

=================
This is me.  My husband said so.

Back in September, 1999, when Dave and I were in Uganda for Sam's, our Ugandan son's, wedding, we were staying on the New Hope Uganda orphanage compound in the house of a British family, the Casebows, who were in England for a break time.  They had kids they homeschooled and always had lots and lots of books for them.  Dave and I, both being "bookies" [of the proper type] read and read some more.  

While reading some of the UK history books for kids, Dave picked this one up and read it.  As he did, and saw the description of this author, he handed it to me and said, "It's you."

I wrote the words in a notebook.  When we returned from Uganda and, later, was up in northern Minnesota visiting my dear friend, Susie, she had begun to be creative on her computer.  [I wasn't, then; still ain't nearly as good as she is.]  She typed the words in and found flower of my style and my color to fit the story.  Printed it and gave it to me and I've had it on my dresser all these years.

The truism?  If I go somewhere, see new things, new people, meet friends, help others or receive necessities for life, I always miss those places and those people.

However, my dear Ugandan sons, daughters, grandkids, and international friends who live and work there, are the ones I desire to see more and more.  I SO miss living in Uganda with my dear ones.  But I love all my family and friends here and in England and other places, too, so I don't tend to want to stay one place all the time.  I like to travel around and about.

So, I am "perpetually homesick."   [As long as I'm not away from my husband for too long!  Then I'm not "homesick" as much as I am "hubbysick".]

HIDE 'N' SEEK

Been playing this childhood game
at an unchild age --
hiding from a formidable foe --

The Heavenly Father

Silly, isn’t it?
He knows all,
sees all,
and,
in kindness,
seeks all--

and finds all --

all who are seeking Him.

But I’m hiding --
my flaws,
defects,
imperfections, sins

(especially those pesky sins)

I
-- like a 2 year old --
cover my eyes,
“Hiding”
and
in self-delusion
believe that if I can’t see Him,

He can’t see me.

I hide from His hand --
still not quite believing,
still somehow cringing
Still afraid --

waiting,

waiting,

waiting

for the other shoe to drop.

Of what am I afraid??

That my heart will be revealed for all to see --
transparent before Him --

(and man)

pride rooted out by my
faithful
Father--
Who loves me --

(even me).

Forgive me --

Abba, Papa, Daddy, Father,

for the sin of hiding --

When Your heart’s desire from me
is more

--simply more --

seeking.

========================================

I wrote this poem at least 10 years ago... probably closer to 20... and posted it nearly 3 years ago, as I had just begun to "live" online this way.   Now that I have so many new friends, and love to share more about what is truly "me"... such as this poem ... I'm posting again occasionally.

=============

ALSO, with the attempt to reorganize my blog, something crazy happened and most of it isn't organized the way I had intended for it.  SO am still trying to find the way to get it done.  However, may take some time.  Please put up with me.

COLOSSIANS 3:2

 

T  H  I  N  G  S

       

                                        D

                                       O

                                            W

                                                N

 H  E  R  E

FOCUSING ON OUR LORD, OUR KING, 

 IS ALL THAT WILL COUNT FOREVER.

NOTHING ELSE.  PERIOD.

WALK STEADY

Ephesians 4:1 [KJV] states in part, "that ye walk worthy of the vocation...".   In my old Bible, penned in the margin, is the lofty thought, "a walk is steady."

My son, Steve, when he was ten years old, was a "string bean" with hands and feet too large for his lean frame. 
 

It seemed he was always in trouble for bumping, tripping, falling, or dropping.  Praise God for wise teachers ... one encouraged me by saying, "Steve doesn't have any trouble he won't outgrow.  He'll get all his parts going the same direction.  It just takes time."

When I passed the age of ten in my Christian walk 36 years ago, I also wondered when all my parts would go the same direction ... when I wouldn't have to flinch when I read the words "a walk is steady."

Yes, I loved my Lord then, and I dearly love Him now.  My heart yearns for more closeness with Him.  My heart is in the right place.

But --  this wife, mother, grandmother, missionary [local and beyond], knee-jerk-taking-care-of-people-person...

    ...sometimes finds her feet tangled, trying to be all things to all people;

    ...sometimes cries in tiredness and frustration;

    ...sometimes whispers a sleepy "I love you" to Jesus as another hectic or complicated day ends.

I know that the malady of our cultural age -- too much activity crammed into too little time -- has no easy answers.  Most of my activities are not options and, even those that are, do appear to be God-directed.

So -- I gallop jerkily along, occasionally coming to a screeching halt, tripping over gravel in the road, definitely not walking, and definitely not steady.

But God loves me anyhow.  He loves me when I over-book my schedule ... and when I use my few times of leisure inappropriately (Who, ME??? staring off into space??) ... when I am undisciplined in my study and writing needs and have to "cram" ... when I open the Word, the posts, the FB life ... to read it, only to fall asleep half way through the intended scriptures.

Why am I sharing this "negative confession?"  Because I am not alone.  In the work-world, our living day-by-day world, the [not me!!] texting-instantly world, the FB world, I hear and see that others struggle with the same awkward gait ... who long to be that fine-tuned specimen of Christian maturity and "walk steady."

And I'm sharing this because of the common ground we share,  the ground of God's love -- our joy, hope and crown.  He knows our hearts, and, in spite of our busyness, He knows we love Him.

That gives me HOPE... forever and ever.  AMEN!!

MY "SOLID" NEW YEAR [REVELATION] RESOLUTION

PSALM 40:2-3 [LB]

² He lifted me out of the pit of despair,
    out of the mud and the mire.
He set my feet on solid ground
    and steadied me as I walked along.
³ He has given me a new song to sing,
    a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see what he has done and be amazed.
    They will put their trust in the Lord.

USUALLY, verse 1 is used and shared.  However, it wouldn't have been "me"...  Waiting patiently?  Expectantly for the Lord?  NAH!  I was headed towards death in my late teens,  through violence, alcoholism, or suicide.  Certainly didn't expect Him to turn my life around, as I knew it should be; I knew I was a big-time failure.  I was extremely disgusted at what and who I was and extremely buried in depression.

SO, that's the beginning.  Now I'll move along re: these other verses, especially that last portion of verse 3.  Because I am on the solid ground of God [Vs. 2], my hope in life is that folks who know me -- whether long-time past or short-time present -- will see or hear what He did, and will be amazed and will put their trust in Him. Nothing could be a greater blessing for me.

How do I share?  Well, in our present-day world, I blog, FB, email, grocery shop, mall-wander, walk around and about neighborhoods, drive hundreds [or thousands] of miles and stop at rest areas or tourist places. Through those, many will hear of the glorious things He did for me, and stand in awe before the Lord, and, as that verse says, will put their trust in Him.

 I often say to people, "If He could save me, He can save anyone."  Within me, an angry young person, groaning, moaning and fighting, He planted seed, in spite of the fact that the ground around me was dry and hard and harsh and filled with poison.   He overwhelmed it.  The seeds -- friends, acquaintances, passersby, teachers, co-workers, even books and movies -- were planted, then surrounded and protected by the Love of God.

I still struggle with the fact that, even though saved, I ain't perfect enough to bring more and more glory to Him.  However, I also desire deep within me that God can/may/will use me in any way possible to be a seed planted in others.

If nothing else, I will share "songs" of worship and praise [in my heart, not necessarily out of my mouth] -- while touching, hugging, or encouraging those who happen to be in dry, hard, harsh, poisoned ground.

HE "revealed" this today to me [again] through His Word ... and, although titled that way, it is not a New Year, but a Forever Resolution.

[Going to a First Responders murder site late this afternoon.  Scripturally and spiritually, we will clear the blood from the land and plant any seeds possible.  The plants may not burst from the ground in lovely flowers or healthy vegetables for a long time, but, as proven in my life, I believe they WILL!!]

NEW YEAR, 2013 -- JOHN 8:12

MY FOREVER GOAL ...

 TO FOLLOW HIS

 LIGHT...

[NOTHING ELSE COUNTS... ]

All photos taken in Uganda... the first two behind our home at New Hope Uganda, the orphanage where we worked.

The last photo taken near Sipi Falls, in southeastern portion of Uganda, filled with beauty.

No matter how this Word of God is applied, I must say that, because the Lord sent us to Uganda, even though we've been home for years, we still have many [MANY] Dear Ones there -- sons, daughters, grandchildren, faithful friends.  

The Light of our Lord has TRULY flooded our path with His light and His Word.  While there.   While here.