The blog is becoming a bit of a burden, so I may need to take a break.
And yet, the things that are going on that keep me from writing are things I would like to be sharing.
The problem is that, as meaningful and satisfying as it can be for me to express myself in writing, most of the time it is not easy. It is painstaking and time-consuming.
The Thanksgiving week was full of such examples.
-- What seemed to be unrelated occurrences, tied to past accolades, brought together from their separate ways three women who really do share a strong bond of friendship.
-- The complexity brought by not taking a day off from work helped me appreciate more something simple like Thanksgiving brunch at IHOP with my husband.
-- A clear answer to prayer emerged. I'd been praying for several weeks -- maybe months now -- to make a step of progress in my 12-step recovery. More recently, several positive signs were present, and Saturday and Sunday brought the opportunity to say a prayer and take action! Taking this step is scary for me, yet I see God showing me all along the way that it is time and He will bless my faithful response.
-- The first prayer walk in more than a month was just one more unexpected blessing of Thanksgiving Day. Even though I volunteered to work my usual night shift, I not only was able to share a morning and a meal with my husband, I also was able to take a walk on a glorious fall day. Something about that walk along the neighborhood trail and around the pond infuses by spirit and recharges my soul. I am most likely at such times to pray for everyone and everything on my "list," and also to smile and sing aloud or silently as my heart overflows with praise, gratitude and joy.
There are many others, but the to-do list beckons as I continue to strive to balance prayer and faith and expression and self-care with service, responsibility and accountability.
And yes, the blog was on the list; it just wasn't high enough that I thought I would get it done today. But when I sat down to read and write in my prayer journal (after the cat jumped in my lap and commenced to purring, the prayer soundtrack), the words somehow inspired me to pick up my iPhone and start composing this little note.
The words were about walking with God over a lifetime. The writing prompt was to express some of the things I love about walking with God.
What I wrote:
... I am never alone.
... I see Your glory wherever I look.
... I have hope.
... I can do all things and believe all things are possible through You.
... I feel Your love.
... When You are big in my life, I am not a problem.
Amen!
And wow!
Thank you, God, for one more shower of unexpected blessings! May I use them to Your glory.
Monday, November 26, 2012
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Gratitude: Don't take it for granted
I'm grateful that, for the most part, I don't take God's grace for granted.
And I'm grateful that, when I do start to take it for granted, not only does He love me anyway and continue to extend grace, He also offers me precious gifts of new opportunities to see His goodness and to glorify Him.
I will be writing more about this soon, God willing ....
And I'm grateful that, when I do start to take it for granted, not only does He love me anyway and continue to extend grace, He also offers me precious gifts of new opportunities to see His goodness and to glorify Him.
I will be writing more about this soon, God willing ....
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Lessons along the way
It's another blog deadline, and I've about decided I'll never get this on the track I had hoped to take. November 5 was the third anniversary of That's The Spirit, and all I can say is: It is what it is.
Well, no, that's not true. I can say more. And so I will!
What I write and share here is helping me grow as a person. It helps me look for the good and express gratitude. It helps keep me accountable. It helps keep me humble. It helps keep me hopeful.
I'm still so far behind on the things I want to write and share. I'm pretty sure I will never catch up. And once again, I really don't have time to spend here today. The past two weeks have overflowed with examples of how God works all things for good if we -- including me -- will only seek Him and open our hearts and eyes and minds and lives to receive Him. I don't even know where to begin in listing them.
-- I thought the first anniversary of my Dad's death would finally bring the flood of tears, and even more so when, less than a week later, my Mom's oldest brother reached the end of his earthly journey that included some final steps similar to Dad's. But tears didn't flow. Instead, there were just continued opportunities to live and love and remember and move forward with family and friends.
-- I thank God daily for my Mom and the amazing woman she is. God truly blesses me through her. The chance to make the 985-mile trip from the North Texas farm to Fort Stockton in far West Texas and back to the farm with her was just one more example. I see so many ways in which she is a peacemaker, and this is what I desire to be. I've seen her grow more and more into this role over the years, and that gives me hope that I, too, can do it. I also admire and seek to emulate her examples as optimist and encourager.
There is so much more, but this is all I have time for. I cannot describe the peace and gratitude I feel this moment, even as so many things -- insurance questions, work, messy house, all kinds of decisions -- continue to be unsettled. I trust God to show me the way through, as He has done in the past for me and all who seek Him. I thank Him for His mercy, love and grace. I pray to know and do His will, one moment at a time, to His glory. And now, I must go forth with joy! I'll probably be singing along the way. Thank You, God.
"Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God." (Matthew 5:9)
"Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing." (1 Thessalonians 5:11 NASB)
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law." (Galatians 22-23)
Well, no, that's not true. I can say more. And so I will!
What I write and share here is helping me grow as a person. It helps me look for the good and express gratitude. It helps keep me accountable. It helps keep me humble. It helps keep me hopeful.
I'm still so far behind on the things I want to write and share. I'm pretty sure I will never catch up. And once again, I really don't have time to spend here today. The past two weeks have overflowed with examples of how God works all things for good if we -- including me -- will only seek Him and open our hearts and eyes and minds and lives to receive Him. I don't even know where to begin in listing them.
-- I thought the first anniversary of my Dad's death would finally bring the flood of tears, and even more so when, less than a week later, my Mom's oldest brother reached the end of his earthly journey that included some final steps similar to Dad's. But tears didn't flow. Instead, there were just continued opportunities to live and love and remember and move forward with family and friends.
-- I thank God daily for my Mom and the amazing woman she is. God truly blesses me through her. The chance to make the 985-mile trip from the North Texas farm to Fort Stockton in far West Texas and back to the farm with her was just one more example. I see so many ways in which she is a peacemaker, and this is what I desire to be. I've seen her grow more and more into this role over the years, and that gives me hope that I, too, can do it. I also admire and seek to emulate her examples as optimist and encourager.
There is so much more, but this is all I have time for. I cannot describe the peace and gratitude I feel this moment, even as so many things -- insurance questions, work, messy house, all kinds of decisions -- continue to be unsettled. I trust God to show me the way through, as He has done in the past for me and all who seek Him. I thank Him for His mercy, love and grace. I pray to know and do His will, one moment at a time, to His glory. And now, I must go forth with joy! I'll probably be singing along the way. Thank You, God.
"Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God." (Matthew 5:9)
"Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing." (1 Thessalonians 5:11 NASB)
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law." (Galatians 22-23)
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Thinking of heaven and faithful witnesses there and on earth.
I know the reason my thoughts keep drifting to heaven and that amazing cloud of witnesses there is because my Dad joined that faithful throng one year ago today.
My Dad. Charles Davidson. The Psalmist's son, making me a daughter of the Psalmist's son! No wonder Psalm 23, "The Lord is my Shepherd ...," resonates continually in my life, and never more than today.
I also have a cloud of godly witnesses on Earth, and they bring meaning, focus and joy to this journey. Many are known to me, including my family and dear friends. But others I only know through those connections -- and nowadays even sometimes the earthly witness comes through the unlikely channel of Facebook.
These are a couple of the ties that bind that have lifted me in unexpected ways in the past year. (I hope I get the details right; feel free to correct me if I don't, so I can set the record straight.)
-- Jesus Calling daily devotional by Sarah Young.
I was introduced to this by my Mom, right after Daddy's Oct. 30 passing. She said she was uplifted by the words for Oct. 30, including:
I am with you. I am with you. I am with you. Heaven’s bells continually peal with that promise of My Presence. Some people never hear those bells because their minds are earthbound and their hearts are closed to Me. Others hear the bells only once or twice in their lifetimes, in rare moments of seeking Me above all else. My desire is that My “sheep” hear My voice continually, for I am the ever-present Shepherd. ...
Rather than Psalm 23, the Scripture was John 10:14, 27-28: "I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me… My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.”
As for the cloud of witnesses, Mom had told me she was sent the Jesus Calling book by the godly, recently widowed grandmother of one of her grandsons. I think I saw Mom reading from the devotional or heard her comment on it a few other times before Christmas, so I ended up buying myself a copy to start the year. I now have it as a phone app, too, and read the Scriptures and meditations daily -- often more than once. They focus me on seeking and staying in and being grateful for God's presence, and to trust Him and thank Him in all things. It continues to be transformative for me. And my sharing of how it has helped me has also connected with at least a few other people seeking the same kind of renewed focus on and trust in God. Does that mean I'm also part of the earthly cloud of witnesses? I am humbled and blessed.
-- The plant I brought home after Daddy's celebration of life. But alas, I am out of time, so I will have to write about this later. Stayed tuned.
For now, in closing, I'll just again express my love and thanks to God, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, my own Mom and Dad and the great spiritual witnesses in heaven and on earth.
My Dad. Charles Davidson. The Psalmist's son, making me a daughter of the Psalmist's son! No wonder Psalm 23, "The Lord is my Shepherd ...," resonates continually in my life, and never more than today.
I also have a cloud of godly witnesses on Earth, and they bring meaning, focus and joy to this journey. Many are known to me, including my family and dear friends. But others I only know through those connections -- and nowadays even sometimes the earthly witness comes through the unlikely channel of Facebook.
These are a couple of the ties that bind that have lifted me in unexpected ways in the past year. (I hope I get the details right; feel free to correct me if I don't, so I can set the record straight.)
-- Jesus Calling daily devotional by Sarah Young.
I was introduced to this by my Mom, right after Daddy's Oct. 30 passing. She said she was uplifted by the words for Oct. 30, including:
I am with you. I am with you. I am with you. Heaven’s bells continually peal with that promise of My Presence. Some people never hear those bells because their minds are earthbound and their hearts are closed to Me. Others hear the bells only once or twice in their lifetimes, in rare moments of seeking Me above all else. My desire is that My “sheep” hear My voice continually, for I am the ever-present Shepherd. ...
Rather than Psalm 23, the Scripture was John 10:14, 27-28: "I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me… My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.”
As for the cloud of witnesses, Mom had told me she was sent the Jesus Calling book by the godly, recently widowed grandmother of one of her grandsons. I think I saw Mom reading from the devotional or heard her comment on it a few other times before Christmas, so I ended up buying myself a copy to start the year. I now have it as a phone app, too, and read the Scriptures and meditations daily -- often more than once. They focus me on seeking and staying in and being grateful for God's presence, and to trust Him and thank Him in all things. It continues to be transformative for me. And my sharing of how it has helped me has also connected with at least a few other people seeking the same kind of renewed focus on and trust in God. Does that mean I'm also part of the earthly cloud of witnesses? I am humbled and blessed.
-- The plant I brought home after Daddy's celebration of life. But alas, I am out of time, so I will have to write about this later. Stayed tuned.
For now, in closing, I'll just again express my love and thanks to God, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, my own Mom and Dad and the great spiritual witnesses in heaven and on earth.
Saturday, October 27, 2012
Thinking of Charlie D. -- Yes, that's my Dad
Tuesday will be the first anniversary of my father's death. One of the requests he made when he knew his days were numbered was that I come up with a song about Charlie D.'s farm, to the tune of "E-I-E-I-O," to sing at the gathering after his celebration of life. Yep, that's my Dad! That request, which was fulfilled with great help from my youngest sister, Amy, on the lyrics, has been very much on my mind, along with other memories from his life, especially that last couple of years as God graciously carried our family in His loving arms.
Of course, my heart still feels heavy with the loss and there is an empty place in my life that will never be refilled on this earth, but my strongest feelings when I think of my Dad are just how grateful I am to God for His blessings to our family and the moments we were given and still get to cherish and love and be there for each other. Daddy wasn't perfect, and none of us are, but God's love that binds us truly can and does overcome our shortcomings, even as we can strive to do better. I thank God for His loving presence and blessings, and continue to pray daily (or close to it) for my precious mom and all of our family.
Charlie D’s Farm
Ol’ Charlie D he had a farm, EIEIO
And on that farm he lived his life, EIEIO.
As a little boy, as a family man
And he made it pretty clear he'd be there to the end.
Ol’ Charlie D he had a farm, EIEIO.
Charlie Davidson had a farm, EIEIO.
And from his dad he learned to work, EIEIO.
Hauling hay bales here, working wheat fields there.
Herd the cows, feed the pigs
Lots and lots of farm chores.
Charlie Davidson had a farm, EIEIO.
Ol’ Charlie Davidson had a farm, EIEIO.
And to that farm he took his wife, Siegmund, Alice Ruth.
With a milk plant job, workin' night shift there
Wearin' whites, smelling whey
To feed a growin' family.
Ol’ Charlie D he had a farm, EIEIO.
Ol’ Charlie Davidson had a farm, EIEIO.
And on that farm they raised six kids, EIEIO.
With a Becky here and a Barbie there
Here a Mike, there a Pat, then they had a Kathy.
Turns out 5 was not enough,
So then came Amy Lou.
Ol’ Charlie D he had a farm, EIEIO.
And on that farm he had some cows, EIEIO.
Plus hogs, chickens, cats and dogs , EIEIO.
With a moo moo here, an oink oink there, a squawk and a bark and then a lot of meow
Ol’ Charlie D he had a farm, EIEIO.
Ol’ Charlie D he had a farm, EIEIO.
And on that farm he taught his kids the value of hard work.
Pulling sunflowers here, grooming show stock there
Building fence, catching calves
Loving land and family.
Ol’ Charlie D had a farm, EIEIO.
Dear Charles B. Davidson had a farm, EIEIO
And on that farm he lived his life, EIEIO
Watching grandkids grow, seeing great-grands born
A legacy, stretching far
On and on and onward.
Old Charlie Davidson had a farm, AND WE LOVE HIM SO!
Of course, my heart still feels heavy with the loss and there is an empty place in my life that will never be refilled on this earth, but my strongest feelings when I think of my Dad are just how grateful I am to God for His blessings to our family and the moments we were given and still get to cherish and love and be there for each other. Daddy wasn't perfect, and none of us are, but God's love that binds us truly can and does overcome our shortcomings, even as we can strive to do better. I thank God for His loving presence and blessings, and continue to pray daily (or close to it) for my precious mom and all of our family.
Charlie D’s Farm
Ol’ Charlie D he had a farm, EIEIO
And on that farm he lived his life, EIEIO.
As a little boy, as a family man
And he made it pretty clear he'd be there to the end.
Ol’ Charlie D he had a farm, EIEIO.
Charlie Davidson had a farm, EIEIO.
And from his dad he learned to work, EIEIO.
Hauling hay bales here, working wheat fields there.
Herd the cows, feed the pigs
Lots and lots of farm chores.
Charlie Davidson had a farm, EIEIO.
Ol’ Charlie Davidson had a farm, EIEIO.
And to that farm he took his wife, Siegmund, Alice Ruth.
With a milk plant job, workin' night shift there
Wearin' whites, smelling whey
To feed a growin' family.
Ol’ Charlie D he had a farm, EIEIO.
Ol’ Charlie Davidson had a farm, EIEIO.
And on that farm they raised six kids, EIEIO.
With a Becky here and a Barbie there
Here a Mike, there a Pat, then they had a Kathy.
Turns out 5 was not enough,
So then came Amy Lou.
Ol’ Charlie D he had a farm, EIEIO.
And on that farm he had some cows, EIEIO.
Plus hogs, chickens, cats and dogs , EIEIO.
With a moo moo here, an oink oink there, a squawk and a bark and then a lot of meow
Ol’ Charlie D he had a farm, EIEIO.
Ol’ Charlie D he had a farm, EIEIO.
And on that farm he taught his kids the value of hard work.
Pulling sunflowers here, grooming show stock there
Building fence, catching calves
Loving land and family.
Ol’ Charlie D had a farm, EIEIO.
Dear Charles B. Davidson had a farm, EIEIO
And on that farm he lived his life, EIEIO
Watching grandkids grow, seeing great-grands born
A legacy, stretching far
On and on and onward.
Old Charlie Davidson had a farm, AND WE LOVE HIM SO!
Saturday, October 20, 2012
Sometimes God makes His message very clear
Sometimes, God makes it really clear where my focus should be.
This is how it unfolded Friday.
Reading this:
The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” (Exodus 33:14)
in Jesus Calling made me think of one of my go-to Scriptures, which speaks directly to what I need today:
(paraphrased) Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee.
Then I read on Facebook:
"You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you."
(Isaiah 26:3, NIV, Copyright © Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV)
And then in my Upper Room devotional:
"Those of steadfast mind you keep in peace — in peace because they trust in you." (Isaiah 26:3, NRSV)
And so, dear Lord, I pray to do so: to keep my focus on You. I desire Your peace. Please help me live to Your glory, today and always.
(Another interesting note: My A Praying Heart journal reminded me of the importance of prayerfully reading and meditating on God's word, clearly an important part of getting Him back to first place in my heart and life. So, I went to the full chapters of the excepts referenced above. The Exodus passage included Moses' cry for God to "Show me You glory." This was also part of Tuesday's A Praying Heart devotion, and it noted how God showed His glory in His goodness. This stuck with me, and now it seems to be reinforced. Things don't always fit together, but it seems to help me when they do. And my daily prayer continues to be: Thank you, God, for Your mercy, love and grace. Please help me know and do Your will, one moment at a time, in all things, to Your glory. I thank You for Your presence. I trust You, Lord.)
This is how it unfolded Friday.
Reading this:
The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” (Exodus 33:14)
in Jesus Calling made me think of one of my go-to Scriptures, which speaks directly to what I need today:
(paraphrased) Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee.
Then I read on Facebook:
"You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you."
(Isaiah 26:3, NIV, Copyright © Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV)
And then in my Upper Room devotional:
"Those of steadfast mind you keep in peace — in peace because they trust in you." (Isaiah 26:3, NRSV)
And so, dear Lord, I pray to do so: to keep my focus on You. I desire Your peace. Please help me live to Your glory, today and always.
(Another interesting note: My A Praying Heart journal reminded me of the importance of prayerfully reading and meditating on God's word, clearly an important part of getting Him back to first place in my heart and life. So, I went to the full chapters of the excepts referenced above. The Exodus passage included Moses' cry for God to "Show me You glory." This was also part of Tuesday's A Praying Heart devotion, and it noted how God showed His glory in His goodness. This stuck with me, and now it seems to be reinforced. Things don't always fit together, but it seems to help me when they do. And my daily prayer continues to be: Thank you, God, for Your mercy, love and grace. Please help me know and do Your will, one moment at a time, in all things, to Your glory. I thank You for Your presence. I trust You, Lord.)
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