A Baby

A baby will make love stronger,

days shorter,

nights longer,

bankroll smaller,

home happier,

clothes shabbier,

the past forgotten,

and the future worth living for.

Thankful for a day with my sweet granddaughter, Malli.

Naked

As I watched the leaves fall from the birch trees this morning, I began to take notice of the stretching, reaching form of their limbs. Shedding their garments. Baring their nakedness.

Vulnerable.

Yet, rooted deeply here for years. Weathering many storms. Standing strong.

Naked.

I,too stand naked. Nothing to put on. Nothing to wrap myself up in. No covering. Or threads of pride, accomplishment, gift, talents, or ministry.

Vulnerable. And, yet, I am still standing strong. With roots that reach even deeper now.

...the benefit and vulnerability of being stripped naked of the things that defined me, becoming dependent on finding my identity in Christ.
from Emerging Grace

“All that is gold does not glitter, not all those who wander are lost; the old that is strong does not wither, deep roots are not reached by the frost. From the ashes a fire shall be woken, a light from the shadows shall spring; renewed shall be blade that was broken, the crownless again shall be king.” J. R. Tolkien

Over the past year I have struggled with "institutional church."

I discovered this particular writing by Mark Berry on his blog at http://markjberry.blogs.com. I can relate to most of his thoughts.

Is Church" like living in a cold climate? Odd question to ask during the summer I suppose but the more time I spend outside of "Church" the more it looks like a bunch of people trying to survive in sub-zero temperatures... we huddle together for protection, we surround ourselves with layer upon layer of insulation from the climate (culture) around us and pray for Summer... we pull our lifeblood back from the extremities into the centre spending more and more time at this meeting or that, this group or gathering or that... I know many good Christians whose whole life is lived in "Church", whose diary is jammed with "Church" events (the workplace being the only exception) and whose social life is spent entirely with "Church" people (families often the only exception) trouble is it seems to me that living like this means sooner or later the extremities will die and ultimately it is not the way to survive... some Christians can't stand the waiting around and the self preoccupation and head off into the cold regardless of the outcome... some seem able to take the risk and acclimatise, adapt, so that they can survive and even flourish... though perhaps in a new way! I want to be hopeful, I really do, maybe I'm just the type who can't stand standing around in a huddle facing in with my back to the weather (like those penguins do on "March of the Penguins"!) I'm not saying I have the answer, not even saying I know how to survive just that I'm not sure "survival" is enough or worth it in it's own right... I guess I'm more of a "blaze (or freeze) of glory" type! My Rural Dean said at the interview for my post that the role should be "meeting light and relationship heavy" I guess that's part of the reason I'm here in Telford and why at this moment I'm more than happy being outside "Church".... with my face, not my back to the storm!

Happy Fall Y'all

Every leaf speaks bliss to me,

Fluttering from the autumn tree.

Emily Bronte

He is for me

The victory lies not with us, but with Christ, who has taken on him both to conquer for us and to conquer in us. The victory lies neither in our own strength to get it, nor in our enemies’ strength to defeat it. If it lay with us, we might justly fear. But Christ will maintain his own government in us and take our part against our corruptions. They are his enemies as well as ours.

Let us therefore be ’strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might’ (Ephesians 6:10). Let us not look so much at who our enemies are as at who our judge and captain is, nor at what they threaten, but at what he promises. We have more for us than against us. What coward would not fight when he is sure of victory?

—Richard Sibbes
The Bruised Reed

Empty but Filled

These times,

these days of less,

these days of need,

I see

Him.

Less of me,

More of You,

Lord.

What does it take to be truly grateful? Is it when the bills are paid, everyone is healthy, and the cupboards are full? Is that when I praise Him most? Can I really be thankful in times when nothing seems to be going my way? When I have more bills than income? When the path I should take is unclear and uncertain?

I have had plenty and been impoverished.

And now...

I have had less and been rich.

It's true...really. In God's economy, less is more.

Less of me, more of Him.

Now unspent richness that I can not contain or use up.

Overflowing.

Empty and poured out, but filled.

Filled with gratitude for the gifts.

This feast of blessings.

530. a child's smile

531. giggling children in a classroom

532. encouraging words

533. a small, country school

534. grand daughter puckering up, blowing kisses

535. spanish moss draping trees

536. old friends, familiar faces

537. watching glowing bride-to-be open gifts