Hi.
Welcome to my blog. I document my adventures in travel, style, and food. Hope you have a nice stay!
Welcome to my blog. I document my adventures in travel, style, and food. Hope you have a nice stay!
We’re living in a land of make-believe, (and who doesn’t like to imagine and dream?), but I think most of us realize that what our souls crave is something real.
Something or Someone we actually can believe in.
And if the God of the universe moves towards us close when our hearts are breaking, why not let Him? Do I see that my tears are an invitation, welcoming Him to come near?
One starry twinkle that pointed to a baby.
And who knew - that the One who arrived under that bright night star, will come again someday as “the bright and morning star”?! The Christmas star directs our hopes to the past and the future. This same coming that we remember, we anticipate.
When hope is delayed a heart can be worn weary in the waiting. … But Christmas is Hope arriving on the shattered scene of our discouragement and gently cupping our face, turning it towards Him and saying,
“Yes! You can hope again!
Thin from the rub of real life, a heart can lose it’s capacity to hold on to things that have not yet come. Hope seems to leak out from every split and tear.
clearing space … The now empty corner feels odd, yet I find myself breathing deeply at the sight of an empty space. It stands open, ready and waiting. This is the feeling I want in my spirit, soul and body as I enter the Christmas season.
As I rewarm my leftovers, I’m considering how I feed my spirit. “Leftovers” can be great for a day, or even two. But I WILL run out. And my tastebuds WILL tire of the same flavors. By saturday my mouth will want a steak, or spaghetti or pad Thai… anything other than turkey!
Just as my preparations for Thanksgiving support my hopes for the day, I’m asking God how to prepare my heart for the things that I’m hoping for.
Meaningful conversations around the table that kindle love and knit hearts. …
The thing is, what I notice the most - shapes me. Spirit, soul and body all respond to where we focus.
enter.
I consider doors I’ve entered the holidays through, without thought.
Likely because I’ve entered them every year, in much the same way.
As demands, expectations and the noise of this season mount, I’m seeking simple. I want to align my spirit, soul and body to a sacred flow, weaving Thanksgiving, to Christmas to the New Year. Stitched together purposefully and naturally.
But each year the chasm between her age and abilities expanded. I’m not sure when, but the realization that we had adopted a child with special needs settled in bringing waves of fear, denial and hard questions for God and myself.
Because let's face it... Easter begins with a focus on DEATH. And death doesn't "sell" It's not as sexy as Santa and presents and holiday parties and "White Christmas".
So maybe we can breathe deeply, and being free of the distractions that a secularized distortion of a holy day brings, we can fully submerse ourselves in it. All it's drama. And ugly. And beauty. And mystery. And hope. (the bunny has NO power to compete with this!)
Wait!
Did Jesus just say that even the branches that are “doing a good job” & bearing fruit will get pruned?!
So either way I’m getting cut?
How does that offer me any encouragement? Any comfort?
I’m not too keen on the idea of someone searching my life, rifling through my actions, words, thoughts and intentions. I’ll share what I want to share thank-you-very-much! Funny how in a Facebook saturated culture, we’re all about sharing… but really,… we’re all about sharing what we want others to see or think of us.
And that’s all.
... He is mysterious and big and wild and gentle and unpredictable and a bit revolutionary and there is so much that must have been confusing to the people who heard His voice.
Yet His purpose was to reveal.
This idea of the “true” vine has always felt like a little speed bump to me. If Jesus is making a point to identify that He is the “true” vine, then there’s a reason for this distinction.
Meditations on John 15, how to to live 'present'. What is it to ABIDE?
# one -
John 15:1-2
