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Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Some things I've been reading.

(My latest project, found at Goodwill for $1.97~I've been looking for one like this since Tyler was born, almost 6 years)!

it's been a week since my last post. that's rare, but was needed. I haven't been reading like I once did and the reason is because basically with all my "free time" I've been blogging on here, looking at other peoples blogs or thinking about what to blog.
It was getting to be too much for my soul. This blog will burn up some day as will the words/hours given it. I've been weighing whether I'm okay with that or not. Spending hours of my life giving to something that sometimes feels so *vain*carnal*earthly*. And yet, it is truly a hobby I so enjoy, a creative outlet and a place to gather my thoughts.

As of now I'm not leaving this "Blog Kingdom", so to speak....however I probably won't be posting 3-4 times a week like you are use to me doing. (What one can of cherry red spray paint can do)!

Here are a few quotes from the things I've been reading lately:
"My biggest fear, even now, is that I will hear Jesus' words and walk away, content to settle for less than radical obedience to Him. In other words, my biggest fear is that I will do exactly what most people did when they encountered Jesus in the first century.

SATISFACTION in our lives and success in the church are not found in what our culture deems most important but in radical ABANDONMENT to Jesus.

We had missed what is radical about our faith and replaced it with what is comfortable. Settling for a Christianity that revolves around catering to ourselves when the CENTRAL MESSAGE of Christianity is actually ABANDONING OURSELVES."

~Radical by David Platt~
"Integrity. It's integratedness. It's walking your talk. It's being congruent, inside and out. it's having the courage to act in accordance with your values and beliefs. Integrity is essentially below the surface. It is the root system out of which everything else grows."
~The Speed of Trust by Stephen M.R. Covey~


"ESTABLISH my steps and direct them.
Let not ANY iniquity have dominion over me.
Deliver me from the oppression of man;
so I will keep Your precepts.
Make Your face SHINE upon me,
and teach me."
Psalm 119

It feels like there is some INTENTIONAL WORK that needs/wants to be done in me. I don't know what that looks like or how it comes about. Certainly there is no formula, I've learned that long ago. There is a WILLINGNESS TO SURRENDER that leads to transformation, that I do believe. BUT WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE ON A DAILY BASIS? Sitting quietly in my corner chair with a cup of hot coffee, the birds singing songs to me and the Lord whispering through His Word isn't happening right now in the midst of life with a 5, 3 and 1 year old. HOWEVER, I AM NOT WILLING TO SURRENDER TO A STAGNATE TIME OF MERE EXISTENCE nor will I strive in my OWN STRENGTH AND UNDERSTANDING.

This, to me, is the BEAUTIFUL THING ABOUT OUR GREAT GOD....

His nearness is NOT DEPENDENT upon me,


upon
my works
my prayers
my uprightness.

HIS NEARNESS JUST IS.


And that is what stirs in me a heart of worship,
a song to my King for loving me JUST WHERE I AM, JUST HOW I AM.....and leading me gently, in His own creative ways to His hem.


Psalm 139:1-12, (my own version)

O Lord, you have searched me and known me
, (oh, it feels so good to be known by someone). You know when I sit down and when I rise up; (which is about fifty thousand times each day and night, mostly to tend to my children's needs) you discern my thoughts from afar, (good, because I often can't discern my thoughts even when they are near)!
You search out my path and my lying down, (which I wish were more often)
and are acquainted with all my ways. (Even my grouchy ways)!
Even before a word is on my tongue,
behold, O Lord, you know it altogether.
(uh-oh)
You hem me in, behind and before, (like a perfectly made pillow without any stuffing falling out) and lay your hand upon me.(thank you for Your beautiful faithfulness)
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
it is high; I cannot attain it.
(yet I long to know Your UNRELENTING LOVE).


(The rest of the verses are from the Message version)~

Is there anyplace I can go to avoid your Spirit?
to be out of your sight?
(because just like my children, I can quickly get out of view)
If I climb to the sky, you're there!
If I go underground, you're there!
If I flew on morning's wings
to the far western horizon,
(which sounds pretty good to me right now)
You'd find me in a minute—
you're already there waiting!
(such a comfort)
Then I said to myself, "Oh, he even sees me in the dark!
At night I'm immersed in the light!"
It's a fact: darkness isn't dark to you;
(and brokenness isn't brokenness to you, it's a great place to showcase what You do best~~RESTORE)
night and day, darkness and light, they're all the same to you."

"with unveiled face I will see Him.
There my soul will be satisfied."


9 comments:

Mommajoe said...

Just finished reading "radical" by david platt..it ought to be required reading by every Christian. I really was convicted after reading it. I home schooled all four of my children, one of whom we adopted from an orphanage, and I felt God leading me to do those things .Now God is speaking to me through this book as well as his Word. I am waiting for His next leading in my life. I have read several blogs but yours is one of four that I can't wait to read and keep up with. You do such a wonderful job writing as well as decorating. We have a lot of tastes in common. I love old things and repurposed items. We live in a log cabin in the middle of 110 acres in the middle of nowhere and I wouldn't trade being here for anywhere ( except on the top of a mountain). Keep blogging. I want to see finalized pictures of the carriage house.

AmyK said...

I love the chair!

The lady of the house... said...

Mommajoe~it sounds like YOU'RE the one who should have a blog! I'd like to learn more about your life, your little loves and your longings! In which state do you live? 110 acres! GLORIOUS!!!!!

Thank you for taking the time to "stop by" and leave a comment.

J.

Mommajoe said...

Thanks for your interest in my part of the world. Actually I left a comment as "anonymous" on your blog about homeschooling. I home schooled my four children beginning in the 80's when it was not as common or as popular as it is now. I am not computer savvy enough or a good enough writer to begin a blog:). If it weren't for my wonderful hubby of almost 33 years I wouldn't be able to function on a computer. My children got me started on reading blogs because one of my daughters started blogging and I can keep up with my grand twins on her blog. I try to help her as often as I can but we Iive almost four hours apart so I don't get to see them as often as I would like. Her blog is www.bogueandweejer.blogspot.com. She sometimes writes about us and she is a much better writer than I am:) I read about four blogs on a regular basis and other than my daughter's blog, I enjoy yours most of all the many blogs I have read. You can find a lot of blogs to read when you are up all night with 14 month old twins:). I found your blog through a friend of my daughter's blog when you sent a picture of your front door Christmas decor of this past Christmas. I immediately fell in love with your decorating and writing format...I saw a kindred spirit:). I live in the southern part of Alabama, love the Lord, love country decor and antiques (even objects found on the side of the road that others have thrown out), loved homeschooling, love chocolate, love to crochet and crafting, love reading...but the one thing we don't have in common is that I do not like to cook:). I will clean up and eat that delicious food and decorate for an occasion but someone else will have to cook the food. I love living in the country with the nearest town having only 4500 people. I do have access to civilization about 25 minutes down the road. Anyway, enough about me but please continue blogging because I do enjoy reading about your life..that sounds stalkerish...but I figure that if someone blogs they want to have regular readers...or that's what my blogging daughter says!

Pure Bliss Management said...

Hey J~
Just wanted to add that this is not all in vain as you encourage, bless, minister to and inspire sooooo many people as they read your blog and are challenged by your thoughts and your beautiful heart. You ARE making a difference~ one you probably won't even grasp till the other side. Blessings!

~Rosanne said...

His nearness does not depend on me - oh how ture thanks for sharing your heart on here.

Unknown said...

His nearness Just IS! I love that. Thank you for the reminder!

Love the chair also!

Jena said...

thought you should know that I spray painted my stool and tea kettle.
love you.

Fiona said...

I agree with Pure Bliss Management, you are such a blessing in disguise. Often your words of Godly wisdom are the only ones I read in an otherwise busy day. It's great to get a 'real' perspective of how you live for Christ each day (and I love the creativity and childhood antics too! Please keep blogging, even if it is less often. You never know who is listening xx Fiona in Australia