~ How To Be Wise ~

Christmas wish:

A most anticipated time of year.

Perfectly decorated house.  Goodies baking.  Hot Chocolate simmering.

Smiles on faces.  Love and kindness abound.

A season of beauty, wonder ... magic.

A time where the heart-soul and thoughts are 

directed toward others - giving, loving, sharing.

A time when we focus a little deeper on

the meaning of it all.

Him.  "The reason for the season."

Reality:

Gift-list's - low funds.

Goodies to make - 2 days already in the making.  Feet, body, brain exhausted.

Christmas program to set up for.  2 days setting up.

Nerves on edge ... and not just mine.

The market.  The decor store.  Tree's to get up - 4 days stringing lights.

Crowds.  People everywhere.  More crowds.  Smiles on faces - very few.

Food in the crockpot early a.m. for said Christmas program.

Hours of practicing for said Christmas program.

Christmas piano recital in between it all.

Music to purchase and burn on c.d.'s for upcoming Nativity Festival.

Taxing daughter to and from weekly choir practice for Natitivty Festival.

3 dozen cookies to bake for said Natitivty Festival.

Heavy life challenges in addition to all above mentioned.

Normal daily house chores in addition to all above mentioned.

Stress building like a pressure cooker ... steam ... the whistle ...

And then I see it.

Stops me dead in my tracks:

I take a long deep - in the depths of my soul - breath.

I want to be wise for the very purpose it reads.  I long for it.  I wish for it.

Can I make this my Christmas wish.

The one and only thing on my "list?"

I stand right where this most meaningful -

heaven sent message just for me, in this very moment for such a time as this -

stops me still. 

Still.

Isn't there is a scripture that says something

about being still,

and know that I am God?

How does one be still amidst the chaos that WE create

at this time of year?

How can I be wise and continue to

seek Him

through it all?  Daily?  Hourly ... minute by minute ...

and create heaven-seconds.

I begin to slow-walk, intead of my usual fast-paced hurry, hurry, hurry stride

and ponder deep.

I want to be wise and still seek Him

through it all.

My daily priority list will change - making Him first, so that everything else will naturally

and joyfully

fall into place as it should - minus the stress outlined soul within and without,

replacing it with

Peace.  Reflection.  Remembering Him.

Seeking Him through daily spirit-to-spirit relationship.  Connection.

Through continuing, enduring and seeing with my heart-vision ...

all the gifts already in front of me - within all of the inbetween life stuff.

Seeking and seeing Him through changed vision as I see others.

In their eyes.  Their heart.  The way He would see them. 

Through preparing, creating and making daily chores as if doing it for

Him.

Seeking Him through love spoken on the lips, to those I pass in my everyday journey.

Especially with my family.

Through stopping my self-created-chaos, and creating something meaningful,

whether it be word or action - something valuable beyond today with focus in

Him. Through writing.  Prayer.  Pondering.  Reading.  Breathing divine-deep. Loving. Feeling.

Carving moments in the day to be still. 

To be in the moment with Him.  Even through life struggles, because isn't that where

I need Him the most?

Seek Him, that I may avoid spiritual amnesia.

Seek Him

within daily heaven seconds. 

"Whenever Christmas begins to burden,

it’s a sign that I’ve taken on something of the world

and not of Christ.

Any weight in Christmas has to be of this world."

~Ann Voskamp

~ Soul Harvest ~

They say that the best time to pick corn from the stalk
is when the "silk" fountains over the ear of the corn
and turns brown.

Funny how such a small tiny seed
can grow into such a tall creation
sky-scraping heavenward with
delicious sustenance to happy-feed the body.

They also say,
that the best way to pick a watermelon
is by how hollow it sounds when you tap on it.

All of the fruit on my trees
seem to fall easily into my hands as I gently twist,
when they are perfectly ripe.

The "rule of thumb" as I have been taught
- by those who know - when it comes to a ripe pineapple,
is that when you pull on one of the green blades, it will easily come out.

I have been pondering all of these signs these past few days.
Especially since my corn seems to be ready
with it's brown silk -  and family anxious to sink their teeth into
row after row of sweet, juicy goodness.

But what makes a soul ripe and ready for harvest?

What evident signs outward,
show that my soul is good inward ...
good for the partaking for those souls around me?

Is it a one-time seasonal harvest event?

How do I spend my precious life breath daily?  What do I focus on the most?
What good do I do for others in my little corner of the world?
How are my thoughts ... words ... deeds ... attitude ... patience ... habits ... facial expressions ...
tone of voice ... and love shown?
How are my relationships with those I love most - and with Him?
How do I treat those who I consider a challenge to love?
How do I treat complete strangers?

Aren't these outward signs of the inward soul?  And if they are,
then isn't this a daily ripening
life-long journey to an eternal destination
of soul-harvesting?

I have a long way to go. 

There is no doubt in my mind that the soul-seeds needed,
to spring forth the best soul harvest
are indeed a daily walk.  A daily journey.  Daily doing.  Discoveries.
A smoothing of the rough edges. Humbling.
Daily with Him.

All of this journey ... life-elements ... daily nourishing of soul ...
is a finishing touch to the end -
of the beginning ...
of who He planted - is nourishing and pruning me
to become.




"Be not deceived; God is not mocked:
for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption;
but he that soweth to the Spirit
shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting."
-Galatians 6: 7,8

~ Patches Of Light In The Shadows Of Life ~

It has been said that whenever there is a shadow,
a light source is nearby.

I think of this in my
daily journey of life,
in moments when dark shadows 
creep close
wanting to consume.

Remembering to remember ...
that light piercing patches in shadows
- is a stronger force than darkness.

It has also been said that
darkness is merely the
absence of light. 

Light is power.  Light is the way.
Light is Him.

May your wanderings today be
immersed in patches of light
within your shadows of life.

That you may know,
the light source - His Light -
is patching
the dark holes,
and He is illuminating your path
even if it's just a thread-lining,
He is there. Always.

Learning how to see the light
instead
of the shadows
will change everything.




"Turn your face toward the sun
and the shadows will fall
behind you."
-Charlotte Witton

"Behold, I am the Light of the world.
Whosoever followeth me shall not walk in darkness,
but will have the light of life."
-John 8:12

~ The World ... An Invitation ~

It's all around -
a world
inviting you
to run in joy-filled and
drink up within soul-fiber,
all that He has created for
YOU!

The forest's ... mountains ... ocean ... desert -

All of it for
you.

Glorious palette sunrises and sunsets
painted streaked across endless sky
with the touch of
His finger.

Billowing clouds held in perfect awe
by light and shadow
mirroring eye to behold shapes and creations.

Melodies of inspiring music that touch your
very innermost being,
when nothing else can.

Wind twirling dancing through hair
like laughter swirling ...
Sun kissing skin
drenching body fiber with gentle warmth
beyond compare.

Birds singing, flowers blossoming, black canopy sky
studded
with a zillion diamonds strewn across vast eternity ...

All of this for
you.

The world is a glorious invitation on the edge of forever ...
jump in ... partake. Thirst for it.  Drink it up.
It's been waiting for you.