time

I can hardly believe 

the number on the calendar

15

today is the fifteenth

where  oh where does time go

second upon second

minute upon minute

hour upon hour

days

weeks

months

I want to shout STOP

just 

STOP

and let me revel in this moment

at this time this day, this month, this year

but I know time ticks on

time was not created to stand still

but to be a marker of moments

hours, days, weeks, years

a marker of milestones

of family, friends, acquaintances

of appointments,

meetings

and coffee dates

in my life lately time has marked

advent walk through 

ministry retreaters

Christmas parties

and family birthdays

and everything that belongs to this wonderful season of Christmas

time ticks on

and I find myself attending my grandchildren 's Sunday school program

and my grandson's kindergarten concert

beaming

waving like a granny gone mad lol

and sitting misty-eyed

because I am remembering other times

of Christmas pageants and school concerts

and yet it feels like yesterday

when I got to the school an hour before in order to get a good seat

time

you measure moments

celebrations 

but also sorry and life changing events

we wait for time to pass

then lament where it has gone

It is a respecter of no one

although at times we hear that "time has been good to them"

time teaches us that we need to treasure the gift of today

without trying to rush to the surprise of tomorrow

time ticks

as hair turns grey 

and hands wrinkle

and steps get slower

and yet in one's mind "it seems like yesterday"

time

my best friend  - my not so best friend :)

you make me frazzled when overbooked

and yet at other times you make me quite content in the moment

fully aware

fully awake

fully alive

to the time around me - 

to sights, sounds, smells 

without you

I'd never know the grace that comes with age

the wrinkles that come with laughter

and the wisdom that comes with living life

without you

id never move out of my cozy house

or comfy pew

or complacent job

or walk in adventures with my husband, my kids and my grandkids

without time

i would never see my grandkids grow

and run and talk

i would never see the beauty that God brings our of ashes

I would never see the forgiveness that happens after its worked through

I would never see the heart heal after broken into a million pieces

I would never venture out in boldness 

and Id never learn to count my blessings

time you are my friend and sometimes you feel like my foe !!

you felt like you were never ending when I was a child

carefree and living a simple and good life

but now as and adult you cause me to reflect backward and sometimes i feel old

time

you have reached through the good times

but felt like you stood still during the sorry

and yet time

you've grown me

you've defined moments in my life

you have sealed occasions in my memory

and have made me realize in retrospect

the great life God has given me

through my 57years of time

time

you measure my life

but you are a gift from God

and I am so thankful

- Joy

December 15, 2015

"time has a wonderful way

to show us what really matters"

- Margaret Peters

breath of God

Based on my quiet time with God this morning, as I was lead to read Ezekiel 37 which is about the valley of dry bones.  These are my thoughts.

carried away by the Spirit

he was taken in a matter of no time at all

to a valley

not just any valley

but one of desolation and eat

bones were everywhere

dry

dry 

bones

too many to count 

and while standing eyes wide open 

in wonder and astonishment

he head the voice of God

clearly 

God was right there 

and asked him a very interesting question based on the sight before his eyes

"Son of Man can these bones become living people again?"

everything within in felt like that was impossible

yet, just being there, carried by the Spirit of the LORD 

he knew he was going to see something amazing

he had that feeling

"O Sovereign LORD" he answered 

"You alone know the answer to that."

and then he heard the Sovereign LORD during him to speak a prophetic word

from the lips of this visionary prophet

not just any words, but words that came straight from the mouth of God, to his

"Dry bones listen to the Word of the LORD.  

This is what the Sovereign LORD says, Look I am going to put breath into you

and make you live again.

I will put flesh and muscles on you and cover you with skin.

I will put breath into you and you will come to life.

then you will know that I am the LORD."

the prophet stood there briefly

digesting the words given him to speak

breath

life

wow!

And then he spoke clearly and boldly to the dry bones

and before his eyes

the valley resounded with the rattling of not just one

but thousands of bones

shaking

moving

rattling

what a noise

what a sight

even though scattered

each bone knew where to attach with the other

making up complete skeletons

And before his eyes

muscles and ligaments attached 

and then skin ~ 

full complete bodies

but while complete

they had no breath

But the sovereign LORD told the prophet to speak prophetic words again

calling to the valley

and specifically calling to the bones

"O breath from the four winds

breath into these dead bodies

so they may live again."

and there before the prophet's eyes

that all came to life

before his eyes - they stood

the sight of a mighty army totally taking his breath away

prophetic word revealed

spoken

and come to be

the prophet was brought to his knees by it all

and by the realization of the sovereignty of the LORD GOD that he served

"But what does this mean O Sovereign LORD?" 

and the  LORD GOD explained it all message of new life

to a people ini bondage

in exile

and without hope

dry bones

breath of God

new life!

And as I read about the prophet's encounter

I knew it was for me today

my dry bones can come to life

because of the breath of the holy spirit within me

And so I breathe deeply ~ 

waiting for him to fill my being

Today

I choose life!

Peanuts BlueJays and Woodpeckers

This picture does not do him justice at all!!

The sun is shining
The air is crisp
And the porch beneath my barefoot is cold reminding me that it's December
I dump the container full of peanuts into the bird feeder
and having stripped the wrap off of the seed block, I place it quickly on the prong
Knowing that within minutes my family of feathered friends will be there

I take my seat in the comfort of my home
Fresh cup of coffee in hand - I watch
and there they are in all their beauty.
a living reflection of the Creator
the jays beauty reflected by the shades of blue and sometimes raucous behaviour
the magpie who has found the bird feeder to be an easy snack
huge and powerful he flies in barely stopping to grab a peanut in its shell
he flies in, chasing all the others away merely with his intimidating presence
(and I thought the Blue Jays were big)
the nuthatch who loves to hang upside down and peck away at the block of seeds
and the woodpeckers with their red marked heads and speckled bodies arrive in all sizes.

God's array of beauty
in feathers, beaks and calls
Ive heard the Jay as he sits on the feeder looking towards the window and calling a specific call
which whether its his intent or not ~ when I hear it I know the peanuts are all gone
(the woman at Birds Unlimited did warn me about rationing the peanuts with the Jays!)

And then last but not least the cute little chickadees who (as my grandkids say) sing "chicka dee dee dee) when they are around

I watch them on this quiet sunny morning
and I realize that God's giving me many teachable moments through my feathered friends
If I believe the Bible is true - which I do
I believe what it says when Jesus uses the examples of the birds of the air
they are not worried about their lives because He cares for them SO how much more does he care for me!
Sometimes I forget that
and live my life as if I am in control
as if I have to make all the decisions alone
in my physical life I know i live recklessly and willfully rebellious often
Even though the Holy Spirit within me makes me aware of His presence and nudging
Oh how often I must quench the Spirit
Lord forgive me.

As I watch the birds eating for their sustenance and fuel
i realize the times i eat because I feel empty but its often not because of physical and real hunger
He has remained me today that He cares about ti all
each breath
each drink
each morsel of food
And has told me that He alone can fill that void
that I try filling with sweet things other than Him

I know that all the sweets in the world (or in my cupboard)
can't fill me up
He is the Living Bread
He is the Living Water
HE IS

I sat and watch the Blue Jays as they shake the peanuts to see perhaps if the shell contains one peanut or two
They pick up and drop and pick another
and sometimes shake it far back into their fullest and pick up one more peanut
Often they come to the feeder one after another like I have watched the planes at Chicago airport come in one, then another and another
This is God's Blue jay runway outside my window.

Oh and I just realize all the peanuts are gone
And i decide to and dump another container fools that I can continue to enjoy the teachable moments
of this hour
of this day
of my life

And then - like the kisses that God often places into my life as a reminder that HE is GOD and HE is HERE ... he sends the biggest woodpecker ever at the feeder.
The beautiful pileated woodpecker,


This is the Scripture the LORD led me to today:

Matthew 6:24-34New Living Translation (NLT)

24 “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

25 “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? 26 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? 27 Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?

28 “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, 29 yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. 30 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?

31 “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ 32 These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. 33 Seek the Kingdom of God[a] above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

³⁴ “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.

Grateful!  May You also enjoy some teachable moments throughout your day!
blessings

joy