Sing Your Song

Children, Faith, family, grace, praise

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I stood outside my daughter’s bedroom one day.

She was singing before church.

Her voice, clear and honest, uninhibited.

Not too long ago, I walked as softly as possible towards my son’s door as he played his guitar.

Day 4 of Advent is depicted in bright, vibrant combination of colors.

Hark!  The Herald Angels Sing…Glory to the newborn king.

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I bet the angels sang like a Sunday morning praise with no one around or a Sunday afternoon strum to calm the soul.

When Jesus was born in a manger under a starry sky of cobalt blue.

Unabashedly, joyously and unreserved.

My friend Carolyn is an accomplished artist.  She encourages me.

She prefers oils,  pastel or watercolor.

She and I talked of layering, of color and of creating with abandon.

Our hands covered in color, applied with intent or spontaneity, uninhibited.

Velvety vivid, touchable colors created for emotion

With emotion.

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Singing when no one’s around or  fingertips covered in color.

All art is praise.

Joy.

Glory to the newborn king

Born to be our Savior.

To be gloriously and happily praised.

In the quiet private and the wide open.

 

 

 

 

 

Three as Design

Faith, family, grace, Prayer, rest, Trust, Uncategorized, Vulnerability

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Day 3, its image soft in color, peaceful again

Beautifully scripted three at the base, centered at the foot of the cross

The chorus of a longing lyric, trading ashes for beauty

Laying burdens down.

Lord, help us to center ourselves at the foot of the cross.

The culmination of your good design.

Help us remember the goodness of three.

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Like standing back to reflect on placement of objects to mark occasion in places all around the house.

Like adding a tiny candle, satisfied now.

Let me add nothing to or remove what you purposed for me…

To call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins. Matthew 1:21

 

Reminded of Rescue

courage, Faith, grace, Prayer, rest, Trust, Uncategorized

Advent Thoughts

The Advent image for today, the second day, is darker in color, a brilliantly deep red.

Smooth and symmetrical white lines evenly flowing through color and text,

“Deep calls to Deep.” evoking thoughts of wide, deep ocean.

The red, a deep wash. The hue representing our Savior, the color of love, blood-red.

Psalm 42 : a cry for rescue

Psalm 41 and 42 : a cry for rescue

 

I read Psalm 42 this morning.

A searching for peace,  questions of returning to a place of discouragement, of remembering God’s kindness; but, being unable to muffle the sounds of the tumultuous raging of life’s seas.

The waves and surging tides washing over again and again.

Life mirrors the Psalms.

We praise. We thank. We glorify and honor.

We cry out. We question. We long for understanding.

We remember the rescue only to question again the storms.

We search for redemption rather than remember we’re never without.

God’s love is unfailing. He beckons us, calls us, longs for us to experience the deep. Deeply loved, loving deeply.

We find ourselves lost in the deep to eventually find his love is deeper still.

We find ourselves in Him

When we come undone in His presence.

My prayer for Day 2 of Advent, my exercise in mindfulness and peace…

Cleanse me Lord, wash over me anew so that I can believe again, be reminded again…of your rescue.

You have preserved my life because I am innocent; You have brought me into Your presence forever.

Psalm 41: 12

 

Peacefully Believing

courage, Faith, Prayer, rest, Trust, Uncategorized, wonder

 

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On Saturday, I opened a gift to our family.

26 beautiful little paintings to illicit thoughtful pause and intentional focus,  26 days before Christmas Eve, the season of Advent, time of preparing hearts.

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Not being quite sure of the proper activity, I’ve displayed them all and will, each day seek to be enlightened.

Prayerfully, quietly, peacefully.

Day 1,a buff colored tan with barely noticeable white lettering.

If peace were a color, it’d be white like this.

Barely there, almost translucent.

And white against a background of subtle doe colored buff would be contentment, acceptance, humble submission.

A color evoking a heart that has settled, found a resting place. A color that speaks of  believing what God promised would be.

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A heart like Mary’s, settled and waiting

unafraid of the scary or the spectacularly miraculous.

Because she believed what the Lord said would be accomplished.

So, I begin this journey of Advent, purposefully seeking to be at rest, to believe, to anticipate my heart’s welcome of the coming day.

To believe in the glorious

To believe like Mary

To be brave in a quiet way. Brave enough for feet to travel places that minds say are not possible.

Humbly content

Confidently at rest and accomplished through God’s hand on my life

Mostly though…

To be still in His presence and wait for Him to act. Psalm 46:10