Enchanted

   I have become enchanted with God's creation of the feathered sort. When we moved to our new house, I hung a birdfeeder on a large tree right out the front window of our sunroom. Birds flocked to it. So I hung another and another and now I have five feeders and two suet cages. I'm fascinated, enamored, amazed over my new feathered friends.
   In my opinion, the bright red northern Cardinals are the most beautiful. I have a half dozen or so that visit every day. I have two red-bellied woodpeckers that are arrayed in my favorite color combination: black and white back feathers and a red head. Then there's the black and white striped downy woodpecker. What a charmer! Not to mention the rather large family of tiny goldfinches that can eat a tube of black oil sunflower seeds in half a day or less.
   I can sit and watch their comings and goings for hours. I marvel at the artistry, complexity and beauty of God's created beings. He didn't have to give us birds and butterflies. It would have been enough to just have blue skies, warm sunshine and green grass.
   But because of His infinite love, He chose to give us tulips and monarchs and robins and rainbows and seahorses and zebras. For us to enjoy. To help us understand His love. To humble us at His majesty. God's creation is indescribable! And I'm enchanted and totally in love with the Creator of it all.
   "Look at the birds. They don't plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren't you far more valuable to Him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?
   And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don't work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, He will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?", Matthew 6:26-30.

First Snow

     We had our first snow of the year this week. I had a scary drive home in the midddle of it. Then I settled down in the sunroom and marveled at the whiteness; how pure, how clean.

     I know that much of our country this year has dealt with extreme blizzards and digging out from record amounts of snowfall. People in that situation aren't going to be thinking about the beauty of snow but how quickly to get rid of it.

Where I live, we have been blesssed to have one small, perfect snow-so far, anyway. I sat in wonder of it, watching it cover the crumbled leaves and brownish grass.

I thought about what Jesus has done in my life. He has covered my imperfections , my sins, my wounds with His Amazing Grace. He is turning this broken woman into something beautiful. I sit in awe and marvel.

"Come now, let's settle this," says the Lord. Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make themas white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them white as wool", Isaiah 1:18. NLT

 

 

 

 

A Song of Praise

   When I first started writing this blog two years ago, I was bent down under a heavy load. I thought I would write about all my struggles overcoming childhood sexual abuse. I thought I would share about the ways God had healed me and He had healed me in many ways.
   But there was still a darkness in the core of me that I couldn't dislodge. When my back pain began to cripple me a year ago, I was forced to spend a lot of time at home in my chair. During this extended time of sitting, I tried to keep my focus on Jesus. As I did, His light shone more brightly in me.and began dislodging that core of darkness.
   And my blog has become, fittingly, a song of praise from my heart to His. I love you, Jesus. You are everything to me.
"But I trust in Your Unfailing Love. I will rejoice because You have rescued me. I will sing to the Lord because He is good to me", Psalm 13:5-6.
"From His abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another", John 1:16.

Sweet Like Honey

   Sometimes when I'm reading my Bible, I come across a verse that's sweet like honey. (How sweet your Words taste to me; they are sweeter than honey",Psalm 119:103)
   That happened this morning. Nothing I could say today would be better for you to read than this verse about how much God loves you. I hope and pray that you feel His love poured over you today and that you feel blessed in the life He is giving you,
   "But each day the Lord pours His unfailing love upon me, and through each night I sing His songs, praying to God who gives me life", Psalm 42:8. 

My Blog

   It's now February. I've been doing this blog for two years. That is beyond amazing to me for many reasons. The first being that someone of my age and limited tech savvy could even get it started. I remember being snowed in the day of my first post, I remember all the excuses I came up with for not doing it. And I remember clearly feeling like God had said, "Do it. Now. Today."
   I remember how good it felt to publish that first post. I also remember the fears I had of putting my "stuff" out "there" for anyone to read. I remember praying to God that I would let Him give me the words to write and I would let Him be in control of everything else. Because, you see, this blog is a thing between Jesus and me and I would do it if noone ever read it. For Him.
   I was so depressed that dreary, snowy day two years ago. Since then, I've gained a new understanding of Grace. It hasn't come easy. Nothing ever is for me. I'm stubborn and rebellious at best and addictive and self-destructive at worst.
   Last May, I was on my knees in tears, broken. I was begging God to take my life because I was in so much back pain that I didn't think I could go on. That was when Grace slipped in, shined through, picked me up, and carried me along. I stand in awe because of the good place I am in now. Because of Jesus. And I'm so very thankful for the friends I've made through my blog. He really does have "the whole world in His hands".

"Praise the Lord! For He has heard my cry for mercy. The Lord is my Strength and Shield. I trust Him wiuth all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with Joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving", Psalm 28:6-7. NLT