marriage

growing love

courage, Faith, rest, Trust, Uncategorized, Vulnerability
The soil of faith

The soil of faith

To love someone in reality is easy.

I wonder if there’s more to be said for Faith that stands, that lingers.

That withstands and makes stands.

In love and for love.

Faith is the staying the course, an intentional choice of aligning.

Faith is decision tied to action, doing, not just being.

To have faith in someone is to cultivate love.

Tend to them. To grow them like seedlings.

Nourishing love’s roots planted deep.

Faith is the soil.

Hope is the water.

Love, like the changing of tiny branches from brittle to verdant green to lush and flowering,  stronger in the growing because of its roots and it’s soil.

Seasonless and for every season.

Faith-filled soil, Moist, pillows of soil, cushioned by hope.

Love grows best there.

We plant. We water. God grows.

 

 

 

The catalyst, Colt

courage, Faith, family, Trust, Vulnerability
Photo credit - my beautiful school teacher daughter aka the Dog Whisperer

Photo credit – my beautiful school teacher daughter aka the Dog Whisperer

Most situations, crises, questions to be answered, issues resolved have a turning point…a turning of stubborn will or surrender and acceptance.

A tipping point, catalyst, straw- breaking camel’s back revelation.

Colt, a chocolate lab was I thought, the catalyst for us.

He almost went back to the shelter.

Me, in “I’ll show you.” mode.

My stubborn, I’ll show you ways almost made a point.

More than surrendering a shelter dog.

So much more about to be thrown back, given up on.

I am prone to making points and then quietly walking away.

Points that solve very little but make big statements.

Statements that say, “No more!  I am standing up for me!”.

Statements that are quick and decisive, for the sake of the upper hand.

Years of trauma make acceptance and waiting hard.

We kept Colt.

The catalyst, not a breaking point.

He’s settled in. So have I.

Into a bending.

A beautiful bending, a “Keeping”

Colt, the catalyst, the big change.

Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; He rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for Him. Isaiah 30:18

Love, Hope, and Faith

Faith, Trust

PaperArtist_2014-05-04_21-55-44

Last week, I created a gift for a friend, a hostess for a big event.  I decided to make a handmade gift, a simple vase, with a twine laced tag…the word, Hope, hand painted. I filled the vase with fragile white “snowball type” flowers. So fragile that I had to carefully deliver the simple gift being careful not to shake the little petals from the stem. It was my friend’s wedding anniversary and I felt the affirmation of Hope was timely. It was providence I now know in choice of this simple word, Hope. A timely message neither of us could have known; but, just as I imagine her glancing towards that simple little gift, that nondescript text of ” hope” I have many times myself smiled inside at the timeliness of this gift.

Yesterday, I prepared for a wedding. My nephew was about to marry the sweetest, most angelic little bride I’ve ever seen. At the last minute, I decided to grab this simple sketch of husband and wife, toddling along, together still. The sketch, an afterthought of an extra gift, no frame, not yet complete. I decided to add, the words “Faith, Hope, Love”.

The wedding was special, as are most. The procession of wedding party, the lighting of unity candle, the soloist, the giddy, yet passionate smiles on the faces of bride and groom. But, then the recitation of scripture chosen by bride and groom, read by my brother. His voice, strong and composed,he began. I watched, listened intently as he swayed nervously yet intent side to side in a sing-song motion reading from I Corinthians 13. FInally, concluding with “And now these three remain, Faith, Hope, and Love; but, the greatest of these is Love.”

Love is the answer. Hope is the motivator, Faith is the foundation; but, Love is the gel, the cushion, the cure.

and the afterthought…the clarity of a gift from the heart, a gesture, an extra kindness not required

And we know all things work together for good. Romans 8:28

I am amazed by the Lord’s weaving together of seemingly insignificant acts.