CUSHION OF CALM!

A "Cushion of Calm" prevails before the predicted storm filled with gusts, ball-sized hail and tornadoes hits! 

How special to await it on our front porch with

a devotional book, a new book and a cuppa in my Lake Junaluska mug. The cushion in the chair, for the physical comfort I needed, even included the reminder. 

LIFE ISN'T ABOUT WAITING FOR THE STORM TO PASS. IT'S ABOUT LEARNING TO DANCE IN THE RAIN.

In times of storm His sovereignty gives us His strength and peace, aka a "cushion of calm".!

A time of God's peace to rule in our thankful hearts. So we dance.

HOPE TOO!

Hope in Him is our anchor in the storms of life!

H e

O ffers

P eace

E ternally

When one gets caught up in the storms of life, people mean well reminding us rain nourishes and water cleanses. All those platitudes that are meant to help one focus on the blessings to come, can have a negative effect. 

Often the most help, apart from God's word, can be a listening ear from one who has been on the same side of the struggle and reminds us of the true anchor of our souls in the floods of life.

When you go through deep waters,

I will be with you.

Isaiah 43:2

He only is our  hope. 

I will be with you. (5 words with the MOST comfort)

STORMS OF LIFE!

Literal storms have been a BIG part of spring 2023. Storms of mass physical destruction.

From rare snow storms in areas of California to tornados in the south upwards to the north east.

Survival is difficult as folks begin to assess damage and pick up the pieces. 

Storms leave behind deep scars in one's psyche. Soul, mind and spirit.

Life is full of storms of struggle even without atmospheric tragedies!

How does one pick up the pieces of this mental and emotional, shattering? How does one even begin to stand?

The answer is the same for all our storm woes.

• ......Draw near to the throne of grace.....(Hebrews 4:16)
• The eternal God is your dwelling place.....(Deuteronomy 33:27)
• ......Put your hope in His word. (Psalm 119:114)
• Draw near to God...(James 1:8) 
• Put on the full armor of God....(Ephesians 6:11)

Know the One who is the Answer!

Life is not always as it seems.....

Punxsutawney Phil told us at the first of the week that spring is just around the corner! My daffodils around the mailbox, ready to bloom, would certainly bear witness to that..

Hubby, my resident meteorologist, cut them and brought them into the house a few days later.

He knew things are not always as they seem and "storms" were on the way.

A day later, a severe thunderstorm came barreling through battering down many pre-blooming flowers on our street. 

Mine, however, were in a small vase in the kitchen put there by Hubby himself.

He has an awareness about many things which slip right past me. One being weather.

Life is often that way and we are caught off guard. 

Why? Because our perceptions are limited. Our vision is obstructed when we think that all we can see, is all that there is. We think that way because we don't know the whole story. 

Christians are blessed to know the whole story. Even in the midst of the diagnosis we hate to hear, or the hurtful words that have been thrown our way, we can still have hope---hope for the very thing we cannot see. That's what our faith is. Never does it feel more real than when life doesn't make sense.

God did it for Joseph as well as the thief on the cross beside Jesus. All the "not" seen goodness of those situations were made known. (Matthew 10:26)

"We only "see in part." (I Corinthians 13:12, NLT)

God promises enlightenment, total and true throughout eternity. We will see Him.

"Things are not always the way they seem" is truly an understatement for believers. Aren't we glad!

A New Dance

Steps are still being worked out for my new "spiritual" dance. It's difficult because steps "seem" hard---probably because of my negative attitude.
I learned in Psychology 101 that that "feelings follow actions." So....I needed to take action---to let go of my negativity or Dotsy Downer dronings, as daughter Molly dubs them.

Choosing to focus on "Pleasing God" has helped and the pleasure was increased as "Hubby" provided the new journal for recording these thoughts. A daily reminder to "dance in the rain."
Rain---those hard places of "what if "fear, slick with regrets or drowning in "lack of." We all lack something.

Those challenging places. Storms that need a right response. A new dance step.
Tripping lightly. Not tripping as to fall headlong. (Psalm 37:24)

In my GAC zumba classes, I have discovered that It is so much easier to "follow" the dance when the leader/instructor is talking me through the steps while modeling them as well.  

Physically, I follow the instructions of my teacher---his verbal clues tell me exactly what to do and my feet seems to "finally" respond to the dance floor below them---- especially when my shoes are covered by my peds---those little nylon stockinettes that just barely cover the foot of my shoe and keep my tennis shoes from grabbing.

  

Spiritually, I need to move through life on the dance floor that is given---maybe I can "glide" along trusting the best dance partner to guide me once again, regardless of the bumps or splinters on the floor. A dance revival.....with Him in the lead.

To move and celebrate life. To let my spirit start to soar once again. To dance as I've never danced before.

"blus-TEA-ry"

....... for the wind was against them. (Matthew 14:24, ESV)

Three weeks ago in Brooklyn, with 2 yr old Lucy, we experienced a "Winnie the Pooh" kind of day. Blustery! BIG winds! Cutting winds! Biting winds! Wind chill of 17º!

I wanted to "retreat" to books and an indoor tea party but......son Josh just bundled up Lucy and went forth, noting that in New York one doesn't give in to the weather, but "dresses" appropriately and rides it out. Just another "winds-day."

Winnie the Pooh: Happy "Winds-day", Piglet."

Piglet (being blown away) "Well... it isn't... very happy... f-for me."

Life can send winds that seem to blow against us. Strong winds that threaten to blow us over. Stormy seasons. Often, when that happens we have a "Piglet" approach of negativi-TEA.  But God....can use those storms to drive us to Himself-----with an increased intensity in our prayer life.

This was brought home to me this morning as I opened sweet Katya's email sent from Ukraine:

From one side it is such a hard time of uncertainty and inability to make plans and look into the future. It’s been hard for me to think and also explain to other people why we are bringing a new child into this world that can outburst with a war any minute. But from another side it’s a perfect time to practice out trust to God and to see how real our love and faithfulness to God. It a wonderful time when many Christians are expecting and looking thoroughly to see the Lord in each day! It’s a wonderful time when the Lord is stirring hunger and thirst for Him! It’s a wonderful time with many opportunities to be real in Christ and to show it to those who are close, by serving to them! So our nation and we, as a family, are very blessed as God is at work with us! HE is close and He is Real and Faithful!

Well said, Katya.
Truly a warm cuppa of good at-TEA-tude during one's "Tea With Thee" time can turn a blus-TEA-ry day into a "positive" event.

"Tea"-fixes

   And there arose a great storm of wind. (Mark 4:37, KJV)

Some storms come up like great winds and blow us over. Others in the tornadic range crush us.

Storms of life were last night's H2H small group discussion. Storms that break us, if only for a season. Loss of a child or parent. Unfaithful husband. A friend who can no longer be trusted. Home invasion. Terminal diagnosis. 

Dis-may. Dis-loyalty.  Dis-honesty. Dis-ruption. Dis-appointment. Dis-ability.

Diss has been the verb of choice for teenagers in recent years---often used with a VERY negative tone and volume. I have never used it as a verb, seeing it only as a pre-fix. Recently I came to see the power of that trio of letters. That pre-fix can quickly change words in our language just as storms can quickly change our lives. I propose a "tea"-fix for those storms that "break" us or at least change our at-TEA-tude in the midst of them.

Dis-card the dregs and brew a better tea with a new perspective. Dis-appointment can remind us to keep our "early" appointment with the Lord. Allow God to show you that you are able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we can imagine (Ephesians 3:20) so the disability can become an abili-TEA, when empowered with His strength. Even an honest look at one's own sin might enable us to be more forgiving of another.

Acceptabili-TEA of the new norm in our life, brought on by the storm, might be the re-brew for that disruption of life. Life as we knew it before the breach.

A new cuppa. a A re-brew. A "tea"-fix.

WHAT A GIFT!

12/14/13 A REAL Gift. A Gift of Love. A Labor of Love. 

A gift from the heart of the Lord through the heart of the giver.

Each year the format provides "light," as well as "encouragement," through 12 Days of Christmas. 

This year, like all years, the theme is unique. This year's topic is especially apropos because giver and receiver have prayed and weathered many storms together understanding that storms filtered through His hand can make us stronger.

Gems Gleaned thus far:

• Weather Words used metaphorically in scripture can give insight and new perspective. 
• Stormy circumstances are inevitable. 
• The Lord is in the storm----in Psalm 29 His name is given directly 18 times. 
• It is incorrect to assume that storm/suffering occurs because it's beyond God's control. 
• In storms of life, Jesus is our "safe room." 

A "peek" ahead found this shining jewel. "Better to go through the storm with the Lord than to have smooth sailing without Him. (ODB. Fisher, 5/25/13)

What a gift, indeed!

"Dancing thru the puddles from recent storms"

1/29/13 Hearing these lyrics recently.....

If I had no voice, If I had no tongue, I would dance for you like the rising sun. And when that day comes and I see your face. I will shout your endless glorious praise.

I searched out the entire song, "You Are". (And downloaded it from iTunes)The words seemed to speak to my heart as I continue to "work" through some "storms" right now! Let me rephrase that---as I try to dance through these storms----just trying to praise God as I dance in the residual rain and puddles of several recent storms. Once again the Lord will turn my mourning (& fear) into dancing & clothe me with gladness----I know He will. (Psalm 30:11) Click the screen and enjoy----and even dance around if you choose!

When I can’t find the words to say how much it hurts You are the healing in my heart When all that I can see are broken memories You are the light that’s in the dark Chorus: You are the song, You are the song I’m singing. You are the air, You are the air I’m breathing You are the hope, You are the hope I needed. You are And when my circumstance leaves me with empty hands. You are the provider of my needs. When all my dirtiness has left me helpless. You are the rain that washes me.

Sunday Storms

9/25/11 Warnings postponing my post ---will return when warning is lifted.

Just changed blog because I have storms on my mind.

Storms in life too often interrupt my peace. I prefer joy.

Yet I have learned that striving for that joy and peace is wearisome. Acceptance is key. Accepting that life will never be perfect this side of heaven, no matter how hard I try to make it so. Choosing to see joy in the imperfections and interruptions that life sends my way.

Accepting that I am His in the lull before the storm, in the midst of the storm and in its aftermath.

He Himself is our peace, (Ephesians 2:14)