Together on the Path

One week ago today, Steve and I were watching our grandsons, Camden and Keegan. When it came time to take our dogs for their afternoon walk, I asked my husband if he would like to bring the children along for the walk; he agreed. We live across the street from a wide open desert with many paths; we took the dogs and the young boys and walked through the desert without restraint. This morning I reflected on that walk we took together.

The dogs loved the freedom to run through the desert and the boys were equally excited to join them. They joyfully ran a distance ahead of us, laughing as they went. Keegan fell twice, but seemed to be having too much fun to care. Only occasionally would the boys attempt to go off on a different path when the road forked; at this point we would call them back and they would come. In this manner, we could dust them off when they fell or pick them up when they got tired. We were also close to protect them from danger.

This morning I related our walk with the boys to my walk with God. I thought about the joy it brought me to watch our grandsons enjoy themselves on our walk together. I was blessed to see to their protection and to watch Keegan step on every weed as if he were a conquering hero. Camden loved to run far ahead and we let him until he got nearer to the street. Then I easily caught up to him and made sure he did not cross alone. I decided God must have a similar joy to let me run free, delighting Himself in my discoveries, in His world, but I must always stay on the path he has chosen for me. I must be able to hear His voice and respond because I am only safe in His presence.

This afternoon, during lunch, I picked up the book I was reading by Warren Wiersbe, "On Being a Servant of God." I was amazed at what I read on page 103. Relating how he asked God for a promise to sustain him for what he anticipated would be a difficult future in ministry, Wiersbe cited Psalm 16:11. Emphatically, Wiersbe proclaimed, "Life! Joy! Peace!, For those who walk in God's path, live in God's presence, and seek God's pleasure." I am awestruck.

Psalm 16:11

You will show me the path of life;

In Your presence is fullness of joy;

At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

No Service Available Here

All of last year my cell phone did not work well at my place of employment and I would frequently go home with a drained battery. It was frustrating. This year, going back to work started out the same. However, last night I gained some insight. Alyssa and I were chatting and somehow wound up talking about our cell phones. I told her about the terrible service and the dead battery. Alyssa explained to me that my phone is looking for service; it is actually using all the energy in the battery trying to find service.

I reasoned then that it was not enough for me to turn my ringer off at work, I must shut the whole phone down when I am in that place. Only then will my battery cease to be drained and my phone able to use when I get in the right spot. I told the Lord this morning, "You must have something to teach me with this." He did.

He said it is like me. I get into some small dark area of serving myself; one no one else would even notice because it is just a little compromise, and I am unable to serve Him there. I am born again, to serve Him. How often am I frustrated and exhausted because I am trying to serve Him in self? But there is no service available here. He doesn't expect me to do anything for Him; He just wants me to obey. As my friend Chelsea recently reminded me, even a child without wisdom can obey.

Colossians Chapter 3


Thursday, August 25, 2011

God's Heart Beat...

Today I took the song I wrote to a very talented young man at my church and watched as he began to translate it on paper. Three years ago I asked God for a lullabye for my grandson. At that time, I had a yellow slip of lined paper with the words of Psalm 121 tucked inside my Bible (one of the ladies from Bible study had given it to me for encouragement). As I looked at the Psalm, the words seemed to change order slightly, a melody came into my mind and some more words came too. I wrote and I sang until I had the song memorized. I have sung it to all four of my grandchildren and watched them fall asleep as though God Himself was lovingly, soothingly, lulling them to sleep. I do not know much about music at all except that I love to listen to it and I love to sing. I wanted to record this, especially for my grandchildren who live so far away in Virginia. Joshua wrote out the key in which it is written--C#. He wrote out the tempo; there are three different tempos contained in the song. Finally, he wrote some numbers and letters--137bpm. I looked at the notation and thought, "That must mean beats per minute." I expressed my thoughts out loud and Joshua confirmed them. On the way home it occured to me that I have a heartbeat, measured in beats per minute. This made me think that God's own heartbeat is in this song, at the rate of 137 beats per minute. I do not mean to be irreverent or to put God on the same level with humans. I know that He is holy and so high above His creation; I just felt so close to Him. He gave me the melody, the words are His words right from the Bible. Life happens so fast and memorable moments are so easily forgotten in the chaos of life. I want to cherish this experience with my God and writing helps me remember.

Oh the Joys!...

Oh the joys of community blogging! The contest I entered on "The Writer's Beat" ended on the 30th of March. Out of the thousands of members in this community, a total of about eight people voted. There were so many submissions (about 15), they had to divide them into two groups, therefore, I got to vote twice! I voted once for mine and once for another story I really liked (I am so glad I was able to vote for her story also). It looks like there were some ties, but I do not know what they do now. There has been no official notices of anything. I tried to get on the "Newbies Nook" in my "FaithWriters" site, but I could not figure out how to do this. I long to have someone show me step-by-step how to navigate these pages. Even on this blog site, I frequently wander until I get where I want to be, never really sure how I arrive, and so I am destined to wander again and again...

I Just Have to Share This With You...

Easter is coming soon! I am so excited! It makes me think now of the theme for the writing contest I entered (unknown memories), and I wanted to share it with you. There is nothing more important or worth celebrating more than Jesus. I hope you are blessed in reading (and even more in believing)!

The End

It was the final week.  Life in the flesh as I had known it was coming to a close.  I had not been here before, but each scene that unfolded before me was hauntingly familiar.

I told my associates to get me a colt to ride upon. I knew where they could find it and I knew they would have no trouble acquiring it for me. It was mine, but I would return it. My associates did just as I told them. One person asked my associates what they thought they were doing, but retreated when they told them I had need of it.  Zechariah had said it would happen just as I am recounting it for you now.

My associates put their coats on the animal’s back and I sat down on it. Although the colt had never been ridden before, it yielded docilely to me.  Many people laid out palm branches and coats before me to ride upon as they shouted my praise. “Hosanna in the Highest!” they exclaimed.  Others were angry and said I should make them stop.  It was my world, and these were my people; the praise was justified. I did not, however, thrive on the praise of men; I only needed the approval of one.

I knew the praise would not last; people are fickle. I knew that I had to leave; I was going back to the place from which I had come. I was going back to the place where those memories were written when I had not yet lived even one of them.

Those who were angry with me sought my death vigorously.  I escaped them repeatedly, but the time was drawing near when I would surrender myself to them (how foolish they were to think they would capture me!) 

My closest allies had followed me loyally; they were with me even now, but they were asleep. My associates missed the urgency of the hour because what I was about to do was incomprehensible. 

In my flesh, I sweat great drops of blood; I knew what was coming and I sought another way. There was no other way. My world was broken, my people were broken. There were others too, that needed me. I wanted them. I wanted them all. I did not want to oppress them—although I certainly had the power to do so!

They were condemned people, destined for hell. The law was precise in defining right and wrong, and the penalty for doing wrong.  Not one of them was guiltless. I, on the other hand, was completely innocent.  I had the power to condemn them to the sentence they deserved. I also had the power to pay the debt they had incurred.  I set my face like flint to do the unthinkable, alone.

A heavily armed mob came for me in the dark of night. I had been praying while my associates slept. I woke them up and told them the time had come.  I faced the mob without resistance, but one of my closest allies, Peter, bless his heart, tried to defend me. He cut off one of the men’s ears.  I told Peter to put his sword away as I put the man’s ear back on his head. 

Later on that night, I watched as that same brave man, Peter, denied ever having known me.  Peter’s cowardice here did not provoke me to recoil any more than his earlier, nobler deed inspired me to continue toward my goal. I do not change like men and women. Everything I have ever done was based on who I am, not on what people thought or think of me. 

I was falsely accused, covertly arrested and unjustly tried at night.  My jailers felt free to mock me—beat me even, under the cloak of darkness. (Why do men think no one sees in the dark? Are not babies formed perfectly in the dark confines of their mothers’ wombs?) I knew exactly who they were and what they were doing—even when they blindfolded me.  I accepted the ridicule and the humiliation (though this was undeserved), just as I had accepted the praise. No one seemed to notice. (Do they notice even now?)

The sentence was passed, death by crucifixion. My enemies reveled in my defeat. My allies hid themselves from my distress.  None of them knew my impending doom would be my greatest victory. How could they?  “They pierced My hands and My feet; I can count all My bones. They look and stare at Me. They divide My garments among them, And for My clothing they cast lots.” How many years had it been since I read this Psalm of David? Hundreds I am sure. Now, I lived them. I breathed my last and it was finished; the debt was paid.

I was dead once, but now I live, never to die again. This too was written before; it is the sweetest of victories, both for me and all who trust me.

Something New!

I finally decided to do something new! I don't know why I did not do this in the first place! I will continue with my original community blog, since we are so close to the end of this class, but I just subscribed to a new place to see if I can get just a little more interaction. I do not yet know much about this site, but I read two articles I really liked. I will keep you posted...


http://www.faithwriters.com/corp-history.php

Very Interesting...

I went onto my community blog today and found out that 24 people have read something I have written without one comment. I discovered someone else had 106 people view his or her writing with only three comments. This knowledge makes me feel much better about not having anyone respond to me, although it remains difficult to feel part of a community where there is little or no interaction. I still have not figured out how to tell how many people have viewed my contest entry, however, I will know something soon enough because today the voting starts! They broke the voting up into two groups of stories; I am in the second group. I am fine with this, I just don't know whose story to vote for! Though I have read a couple stories that I really like, I am partial to my own (do not know the protocol for voting on your own story:). I have a week to figure this out as voting closes on March 30. I discovered something else today. Under my sign-in name I have been given the designation "pencil pusher", and under that it says, "official member". I have no idea how or when I became an official member and how I got the designation of "pencil pusher".  It is strange to become an official member of a community when I have no idea how I accomplished this! Obladee, Oblada, life goes on La!... (must I site the Beatles for this?...)

I learned something new...

I went on the Writer's Beat today and learned that other writers feel neglected too! Some of them have been writing on this site far longer than me. Others had suggestions for them. I made a comment and asked some questions on how to implement some of the suggestions I had read. I also went on the "Free Writing" space. You can write for ten minutes there about "whatever". I initially hesitated about writing there because I don't think it's necessarily a good thing to utter all your heart (which I am sometimes prone to do!), especially if you're in a "mood".  I finally wrote there with caution and kind of enjoyed the experience. I hope to be able to look, maybe tomorrow or Wednesday, and see if there is a response there or not. Writers have said this is a place to garner comments on your writing rather than full critiques. Any sort of dialogue would give this site more of a community feel for me.

What Next?

I feel like I am in limbo on my community blog site! While the people there remain generally courteous, and the critique of fellow writers is both thought provoking and inspiring, I feel very out-of-place. Either I like something or I don't, and that opinion doesn't help anyone improve their writing (which is 1/2 my purpose for being there). I read other's criticisms and many times I can see the value of their input; I just don't think of those things myself. I am still reading and trying to give valid input, but I find it difficult. There are no comments on my contest entry and I will not find out about that until the 23rd of March. Given these circumstances, I am not quite sure what kind of an expert I will become, nor what I will have expertise in! I think I will try to get on two more times this week and write something in other areas on the site. There is one area that has a ten minute free write and edit. I wonder if it is cheating to write on this site what has already been rolling around in my head for several days...

Ready to Write!

I went on my community blog page today and noticed some things I had not paid much attention to before. Under my sign-in name, I am listed as a "new author". Other people have a designation under their names of "official member". I do not yet know how you get from one lable to the next. A week or two ago, I commented on some stories I read. Today, I found that one of the authors thanked me for my comment. Then I remembered reading somewhere that this community thinks highly of the amount of "thanks" you receive from others. It shows the community that you are making thoughtful comments in the interest of helping your fellow writers become better at their craft. It is also important for you to "thank" others. I like this idea and I am taking more notice of how people who have many "thanks" are responding. They really do take great care to encourage others, even if all their comments are not favorable. One person noted some very positive things about a fellow writer before sharing some confusion he had about another part of the writing. The author "thanked" him, and then explained why he had written what he did. This seems to me to be a very valuable exchange.

I also found a contest for prose. The contest initiators provide the theme and we provide the prose in 2000 words or less. The contestants are scored on grammar and mechanics as well as content and staying within the word limit. The theme is "unknown memories" and I plan to enter. I look forward to telling you how this goes...

Walking the Writer's Beat...

I just finished spending time on my community website and I posted my first comments. I found a place where they have writing contests. Someone gives a prompt and writers respond. The prompt here was, "Unknown Memories". The contest rules said you could write in any style, but not use more than 2000 words. I read two full stories, Coffee Memories and Ramona, and half of another story. I really enjoyed both of these stories and went to the thread to make comments. I also looked at other peoples' comments and I liked the way that commentors took the time to say what they liked and why and they also pointed out things that were a problem for them and explained why. This kind of constructive criticism seems both respectful and helpful to me. Also on this comment thread people can ask the staff questions about contest rules or other things they may not understand. These conversations are a little confusing to me, but maybe they will get clearer after I have been around for a while. Last week a found a discussion thread where people just talk about topics. They had a topic about homosexuality and some of the comments there seemed harsh and vulgar. I do not know what the community does about this. I have not been back there since and I plan to stay away. I like the contests and people's responses. I will learn from these people how to give the same respectful and helpful criticism before I respond to a story I do not like!

I think I've got it now!

Okay, I watched Professor Lee's podcast (again), and realized that I forgot to add the word "forum" or "bulletin board" to my google search. This time I did it and found a writer's site where published and unpublished authors meet. It is, http://www.writersbeat.com/ Members join for free and write stories and poetry. There are contests to enter and threaded discussions in which to engage. The site puts out a quarterly newsletter in which I found some very interesting prose. One member, Brandon Walsh, had members vote his story, "The Princess of Kosovo: A Memoir",  to be in the newsletter. Though I felt the story could use a bit of editing, it was a very gripping tale and I was glad this member won. I encountered a poem that did not rhyme much, but I really liked it anyway (this is unusual for me). It was called, "Paper Garden", by Fegger (I am sure this is an online name). One more thing I found quite fascinating was something called, "Writer's Vault". It seems that the writer of this section finds about a half dozen antiquated words and defines them for readers. I am not yet sure if all the words come from the Victorian Era, or just the ones in this quarterly issue. Anyway, members have the opportunity to write and submit a piece called "flash fiction" in which they use one or more of the outdated words. Winners of this contest have their entries published in the quarterly newsletter. It seems like a lot of fun. I only hope I can balance my time there with my homework!

What if...

Recently I saw a comment on facebook that said something like, "What if your knight in shining armor turns out to be just a man in a tinfoil suit?"  The attitude I sense in this question bothers me; if your husband is merely a man in a tinfoil suit he has failed to live up to your expectations. I must confess, I have had the same attitude for many years.  My husband certainly failed to live up to my expectations! What I had not considered, however, was that there is something wrong with this thinking.

Since then, I have been considering other "What ifs?" What if  I cannot discern the difference between shining armor and tinfoil? What if it is not my husband's tinfoil suit that has been blinding me, but my expectations. If these things are true, I have a new hope, not that my husband will become what I have always wanted him to be (am I now everything I always wanted to be?), but that he is truly a treasure that I have failed to see.

Yesterday, my husband and I attended a sweetheart banquet at our church. We had fun, food, fellowship, some good teaching and some good interaction. Our pastor decided we needed to write letters to one another. The first writing assignment was to tell each other about the gifts and the strengths our spouse brings to the marriage. The second one was what we wanted to tell our spouses if we knew that we would die tomorrow. I will not divulge the contents of the letters here; I only bring them up now because the writing of them reaffirmed something God has been teaching me about my husband.

My husband is not here to rescue me; that is my Savior's job. My husband is not here to meet my every need; that too is a job belonging to my God. As I allow God to meet all of my needs, I am free to love my husband just as he is, and then I discover how wonderfully he cares for me and how good a friend I have in him. God is my everything; that job is too hard for any man, but my husband is my very special one thing and I am happy to be his.

Only kid on the Blog

Is there a way to express frustration without sounding like I am compaining? I don't know! (But I think I am about to find out!) I am not sure that I am doing what I am supposed to be doing for my class assignments. I chose a community blog that I thought was frequently updated, but I am bored there already; no one has posted anything new for four days. I found some people with similar interests through this blog, but I do not know how to talk to them.

Yesterday I got a really cool, new phone. Today I started working on my very first quilt; a friend of mine from work is helping me make it! I took pictures of what I have done so far with my really cool, new phone. Then I took the really cool, new phone home, got out the really cool USB cable that hooks my phone up to my computer and figured out that I need to figure out how to get the cool pictures I took on my phone off my phone and onto my computer. I am stumped!

Maybe it does not really matter much how I sound here since I am still the only kid on the blog and therefore, pretty much just talking to myself...

New Kid on the Blog

I have got a really BIG birthday coming up, but that does not stop me from being the new kid on the blog! I do not really want to be doing this right now, but it is an assignment for a technology course that I must have to earn my level two teaching credential. This is my very first blog, and while I've read a few blogs in the past, I have never participated, so this will be interesting if it is nothing else. I chose writing because I write a lot! I write essays for school, devotions for family and friends, poetry, and most recently, songs! I have a very gifted writer friend who writes her own Bible studies and she honors me by letting me edit them. I would like to learn how to edit better. I found a blog site called inkthinker and I really liked the title. I frequently think in word pictures. The posts are recent with enjoyable content. I hope I can figure out how to get this post there!