#fmfparty

Take a Knee

courage, Faith, Prayer, Uncategorized

 

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Colt got the “game ball”.

There was a time on the field, all the players gathered round, came together.

Excited over the win or sullen over the loss, they came together when Coach Ray

said “Take a knee!”

And I can see it now, my son’s face, sweaty dark strands of hair matted into place when he took off his cap.

Attentive, waiting, respectful for what was about to be said.

Watching from a distance, I waited until they rose, walked towards the dugout and went back to being little boys, cuttin’ up with their buddies or running around together.

They had left it on the field. The win, the loss, the errors or the game winning plays.

The team had taken a knee, listened to their coach and then moved on with their day.

I told my Sunday school class last week, “It’s different if my knees find the space next to my bed in the morning. It’s just different in that place, that posture.”

This morning I “took a knee” and then with clarity,  He taught me, reminded me and I moved on to devotions and journal and I made a list of things I can and can’t control.

Rules of this game of life, attentive to the coach, my Savior and teacher.

Lord, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty: neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me.

Surely I have behaved and quieted myself, as a child that is weaned of his mother: my soul is even as a weaned child.

Psalm 131:1-2

Take a knee.

Writing as prompted by the word, team.

Lifted up

Children, courage, Faith, grace, Motherhood, praise, Prayer, rest, Trust, Uncategorized

At 7:11 on August 11th, I’ve overslept.

Lingered on crisp cool sheets too long, praying before rising.

Lord, let my words be love, fix what needs to be fixed  draw me near, keep me near so that others draw nearer too.

Feeling  56, I stumble towards coffee, look at my phone and see my cousin’s text:

“I know you prayed for me regarding my career. Just wanted you to know that God answered. I love you and hope this is the happiest birthday yet. Thank you for your prayers.” Lara

I replied to her and  myself really…

I love you. This is amazing! Prayers take longer than we like but are answered in Gods way. I needed to remember that this morning!!!!!
You deserve this. Love you.

Then went about my day, ending with a birthday cake colored sky and my prayer, the one I longed for most in the smiles of my children, it was answered.

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I’ll look up today and everyday. I’ll lift my eyes to the one who sees me, hears me, knows me.

Knees down, face up, hands and heart open and waiting.

Linking up with http://katemotaung.com/2016/08/11/five-minute-friday-lift/

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Dogs and Happy

family, rest, Uncategorized

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If I chased happy like Colt chases a lime green ball, I might be inclined to find it more often.

Or if I simply welcomed its possibility, like a dog bounds into the backyard

hoping that I follow into the moist morning grass

to reach down for the tennis ball,

squish it, soft, dirty and worn

and then throw it, straight and solid across the yard.

He rushes back, happy to  have it then drops it “Good boy!” I say like mama to child, “That’s good.” and he looks at me, happy to have pleased me.

Today I will pursue happy; invite it and be exuberant in my retrieving.

Then bring it back, drop it at the feet of the Father, the one inviting my pursuit.

 

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Found in the Morning

courage, Faith, Prayer, Uncategorized

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Morning makes me feel like a child, there are chances and choices and I wake with the realization of opportunity.

Morning, more clear in its inventory of me, my prayers are more honest, less prompted as if thoughts were shuffled in my sleep to the place they become conversation with God, bedside and solitary.

Words are exchanged and then silence before the thoughts that can no longer be hidden from the day are offered, truth.

Lord, help me to stay on track, get back on track and stay there.

Have I hidden my eyes from you or have I allowed the maze of life to mask my view?

No need for pretty words or inserting of song or verse.

The heart has spoken in the time before day takes over and tries to obscure my view.

The secret things unhidden. I have been found.

The longings and commitments unmuffled and unmarred by this world we live in.

Morning, a brief abiding and

A prayer to stay here longer, abiding in Him.

And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at His coming. I John 2:28

Prompted to write about being “Hidden”.

todayi am

 

 

 

 

New and Foreign Territory

courage, Faith, Prayer, Teaching, Trust, Uncategorized

She asked if I’d help and I was hesitant.

“I don’t want to say yes and not do it well. I want to make sure it’s right for me, want to make sure I can connect.”

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I told her I knew nothing about being a Missions leader because, well…I’m just not a mission type person. It’s all so foreign and far away. I’m not worldly thinking. I told her I’d look into it, see what a leader should look like, don’t want to do it halfway.

All the countries, all the places all over the world and “Shoot! I’m afraid to even get on a plane!”

All my life I’ve considered my work my mission, called it that sometimes.

poverty, abuse, homelessness and suicide

My mission field is my work.

Still, I promised I would consider leading and the deadline to tell her, I missed it, but knew she was waiting to hear, waiting for me to pray about it.

I hadn’t until just now.

Asked God, “Clarify to me what you would have me do.”

Last week I met someone who described faith in action as being a deliverer of God’s kingdom right where you are to as many people as possible, to just start a spread.

I read in Matthew, a parable of an invitation to a wedding, unopened by many, ignored by many.

Then today, thinking about the question, the nomination…I journaled again, the words of Jabez…Bless me indeed, adding little words…good things, best things, right things.

Then on to the next line, a simple, vulnerable, powerful prayer…

Enlarge my territory.

I stopped, knew it then, underlined the words, straight solid and bold.

I researched the goals, the purpose of WMU and I decided to help.

Woman’s Missionary Union challenges Christian believers to understand and be radically involved in the mission of God.

To be challenged to understand more and to be radically involved.

To help the women and girls of my church as believers becoming more involved in things we see as “foreign”.

Linking up to hurriedly talk about help for Five Minute Friday…I think I took longer, though.

http://buff.ly/29QYESi

Color and Heart

courage, Faith, grace, rest, Trust, Uncategorized

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I began to think, if this happens at just the right time and the precisely right way, then I will know it is just as it should be.

That I should continue to create the Colors of My Bible journey, story, art.

To visit friends, honor them and God, telling the stories of us.

I got lost, though, and I wondered if maybe it was a sign, the directions told me I’d arrived when in fact I was crossing one of three old country bridges over a wide, wide river.

If precision and pattern or duplication of previous experience were signs of favor, perhaps this was a sign of something else.

Of course, I took it that way.

But, only for a second or two, this time

remembering asking God for an unfolding of my day in early prayer.

Giving up control as a measure of contentment.

I will feel confident and determined, I will write. I will paint.

I won’t rationalize and manipulate the patterns, colors, textures and encounters.

Setting out to create the perfect blog, column or canvas.

Ending up with an attempt at duplication and nothing more than effort, no heart.

Thankfully, the heart knows clearly and the mind slowly remembers.

Then I’m afforded moments, sort of stumble upon open windows of times that are

Quiet, calm and easy.

And I fill the time with heart, words, and colors

Words come, precise and uncontrived.

Stories flow from relationship, encounter or stillness of memory saved, unfolding without agenda.

Nothing good by force, Lisa.

Art, writing, stories and encounters…life.

Layers soft, colors thick, stories touchable.

Less force, always heart.

More heart.

Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.  

Proverbs 4:23

Create.

Five Minute Friday

Going There

courage, Faith, family, grace, Prayer, Teaching, Uncategorized, Vulnerability

There’s a place I’d like to go except that it’s hard to go there.  I imagine the plans, think of the beginnings and I understand the decision; but, wish it made sense for now.

It wasn’t a trailer, it was a mobile home. It was big and solid and positioned in the spot away from pines but cushioned by the shade of trees.  Its foundation was intentional and solid, not blocks strategic in their placement, no there was a real foundation.

My parents’ last home, the home place. They waited a long time to be there.

The home was stable, designed with stability in mind; it sat on a firm foundation.

The road to turn towards the place is still dirt. A slight left at the bottom of the hill will carry you through a narrow path and a field to the place it still sits.

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It’s been a long while since I’ve gone to the empty house.  Someone asked recently, “When’s the last time you went?” I answered, “A long time, hard to think about it.”

Then nothing else was said.

It’s still standing despite years and weather and no touch from the hands of family. But, still standing because it was built on a permanent foundation.

The place of its situation is level and smooth, built on faith, dreams and hope and it was good.

It was loved. It was loved well and will be again…at the appointed time.

Yesterday,  I heard a quick word about good things that come at appointed times. Things that come when we reject the hindrance of doubt. Essentially the words reminded me, God is good and Lisa, he wants good things for you. He knows the things you long for, things that have been established ahead of time to come to you.

The foundation is there. The building up is happening, maybe you don’t see it. Maybe you want to rush in, rebuild, tear down,start over. You look back at what was or you look at the passing of time and fear the longing to build will be forsaken…you’ll accept the falling down of the roof and the rotting of the boards because you understand it can’t happen on desire alone.

And some of the tools of the rebuilding are simply not yours, are not matters in your hands.

At the appointed time, though, if you believe, it will come to pass.

The foundation will be there underneath it all. It will be steady. It will not have moved.

Waiting for the time to build again, a place to gather and remember our family, our foundation, to built on strength and heart and patience.

Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. Psalm 27:14

 

http://katemotaung.com/five-minute-friday/

 

Deciding Quietly

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

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The sun made the narrow spaces between the blinds a warm golden hue this morning.

Allowing time for an easy morning, I looked towards the window and considered  getting up, raising the blinds and taking a picture.

Decided against it because I knew it wasn’t the sunlight in its beginning of day that my mind embraced.

It was the light edged in shadow that kept me there under cool sheets and swift, swirl of fan, for moments longer than usual.

Looking towards the day in a way that spoke softly for my submission, as if knowing I’d grown weary of demands.

Barely lit bedroom,  a haven and my morning less  of dread…the light beginning to filter through, quietly without forcing response from me.

Slowly and with calm intention, I move on  towards the morning.

I begin with note to self, calling it a commitment.

Certain of its timing, I write clearly, my penmanship better than it’s been, under today’s date and encircle it in a bold bracket.

Stop looking at what others are doing. Do what your heart tells you is right, is true, is good.

Then, moved to study God’s word, today’s passages in read through my Bible plan.

And because God is God, a few words were planted there to be discovered,  to be certain of the quiet wisdom of today.

Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness.

 I Timothy  2:11

Linking up my five minutes of Friday here: