hence and thus

read a quote this morning by andre gide...

“art is a collaboration

between God and the artist,

and the less the artist does the better.”

think that's what being caught in the overflow says to me.  when i'm who i am in Christ, then the me He says i am IS the overflow ~ it's Him in me...  Him through me.  with Him as my foundation, the dream to be artistic and creative is expression.  and there's no greater delight.  hence the prayer, o Lord, let others see YOU in my gifts.  and thus, every moment is a way to offer worship...

cheerful chorefulness

today is saturday, and normally a cleaning house-buying grocery-laundering clothes kind of day.  i look around the place where i live, seeing all the "stuff" that is mine, and am thankful.  i think gratefulness is such a huge part of living "caught in the overflow."  for me, i realize just how much i have been given and want to be in a perpetual state of appreciation, not in an autopilot taking-for-granted or an i've-worked-for-this-it's-owed-to-me attitude.  so as i clean our home, provide for my family and suck dust bunnies, wipe toothpaste off the mirror, empty garbage, do dishes and put things away for the umpteenmillionth time, i breathe a prayer of joy to my Provider and feel contented rest at the end of this day.  and tomorrow is another day ... of thankfulness for the past week, of worship in the present moment, and surrender for the coming week.  God indeed is so good!

it is well

these days, there is much talk and speculation about japan and the events there.  in my own heart, i waver between the overwhelming compassion for the people there and the deep humility i'm feeling living here in peace and contentment.  the contrast is striking.  yet there is this gnawing ache in my stomach and in my mind about security.  our security is indeed in God, not in our circumstances.  Jesus spoke of that often.  the connection between the spiritual and physical is real.  it's only in being "caught in the overflow" that the peace that passes understanding can be had.  the best picture of that in the Bible is Jesus in the garden the night before His supreme sacrifice.  perhaps that's where i can go in these days of "unrest," sitting at his side rather than asleep, and entering in to the knowing that what's happening in our world today, whether it's natural disaster or political unrest and injustice, Jesus knows, experienced, understands and carries us.  blessed are those who make the Lord their trust...

when peace like a river attendeth my way, 

when sorrows like sea billows roll

whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say

it is well, it is well with my soul.

thanks for letting me share 

and sit with me there, if you will.

eyes to see and mouths to sing

"how great is our God, sing with me..."

this morning, i'm reflecting on yesterday morning.  during the church service that we were at, someone shared a miracle God had done in him, and then also through him.  God-incidences.  there's nothing more that thrills the soul than being in/sharing our/hearing others' God moments.  miracles of grace on this path to eternity.  i'm marvelling!  the God of the universe really does step into time and space, revealing Himself, for us to see if we have eyes to see ~ Jesus spoke of that often in His teaching.  and how marvellous when we can take joy together in "the things He has done."  i hope i never "get used" to them, or heaven forbid, am skeptical or critical of someone's sharing...  in fact, my heart hungers to see God in action ~ around me, through me, and in me.  our God is indeed great!  so let's open our eyes, and let our mouths overflow, because we as believers have so much to sing about.

thanks for letting me share,
and sing with me, if you will.  :)

prayer for japan

sitting here thinking about japan.  watching the videos of the waves thrusting ruin around like a rag doll, leaves me feeling numb.  i simply can't imagine the devastation, the helplessness, the fear they are going through.  and so i'm praying.  but i don't even know what to pray... i'm thankful the Holy Spirit hears our groans and sighs.  the words "caught in the overflow" are going through my mind like a moving billboard.  i believe trusting in God's overflow is the only thing that can carry us and all people everywhere, no matter what happens in our days.  His overflow is life, purpose, hope, power and passing-understanding peace.  thinking that's what i'll pray for japan today, and tomorrow, and beyond.

come, pray with me.

you thirsty?

it's pouring outside as i write, the precip trying to decide whether it wants to be snow or rain.  i think the rain is winning, and i'm watching an eavestrough overflow, like a mini waterfalls.  there's something mesmerizing about falling water.  perhaps it's the power of nature.  perhaps it's the sound of gentleness.  perhaps it's the cleansing property.  perhaps it's simply our basic inner need for water.

"as the deer pants for water, so my soul longs after You, O Lord." (ps.42:1)

a couple of years ago, we visited fraser island off the coast of australia.  it's the world's largest sand island, about 22 km at it's width and 123 km in it's length.  tall rainforests grow there on sand dunes at elevations over 200m.  about 45 minutes into our 4wheel drive bus tour, (what an adventure that was!) we came upon an isaiah 35 crystal-clear view:

"...water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert, 

the burning sand will become a pool, the thirsty ground bubbling springs...

...the redeemed will walk there, and those the LORD has rescued will return,
they will enter Zion with singing, and everlasting joy will crown their heads..."

all this talk of flow and streams and rivers reminds me of a song by darrell evans:

"let the poor man say ~ i am rich in Him,
 let the lost man say ~ i am found in Him

let the blind man say ~ i can see again,
let the dead man say ~ i am born again

let the river flow, let the river flow,
Holy Spirit come, move in power, let the river flow."

so next time you're drinking water, or showering, or hot-tubbing, or even enjoying one of those automated car washes, think of how amazing that clear liquid really is.  what a valuable resource it is!  physically and spiritually.  and thank the one who said, "I am the living water."  He promised we'd never thirst again.

thanks for letting me "go with the flow."  :)

singing and sighing

one of the things i'm learning, being caught in the overflow, is contentment.  (phil 4:11)  it's living in the moment and looking for God at the same time.  it's entrusting myself to Him and trusting my circumstances are in His hand, at the same time.  it's letting go of anxiety and holding onto peace.  it's a resting place, for sure, but it's also a place of excitement and adventure.  it's Jesus in the driver's seat and me with one hand on His lap and one grabbing the handle.  :)  it's learning to be alive, not just passing time.  it's being on purpose, not resigning myself to fate.  it's rejoicing in His supply and worshiping in the lack.  it's marvelling at Jesus being the Lion, and quiet awe at Jesus being the Lamb.  it's singing, and sighing...  knowing i'm loved.  fully and completely.  content.

thanks for letting me share,
so, what do you do with your hands?

just a thought

so it's sunday night, late, and just thought i'd share a thought before bed.  i'm so grateful for the day just gone by.  it's ending as it started, filled with worship and the overwhem of a God who's both wholly other and abba father.  how can i grasp those two thoughts at one time - the mystery and greatness of the eternal holy One who spoke everything into being with a word, and the wonder of that One wanting to have a relationship with me?  i don't get it.  and i'm glad i don't have to get it.  i simply get to have it.  thank you Lord that You are Love, that Your love overflows, and that being caught in that overflow is really only a thought away...

manna and gathering

when i first realized that faith was indeed a journey, there would be "high" days and "low" days, "full" days and "empty" days.  and i began to notice that the high days were full days and the low days were empty days.  the high days were filled with God moments and mostly were either at conferences/concerts or tough days when i came to God because i needed Him.  mostly, my ordinary busy everydays were low and empty.  i found myself wanting to have high days everyday, but most opinions were that "highs aren't real and don't really last".  i prayed about that and felt that God said something quite different.  we were meant to live high and full.  and that's when i found myself "caught in the overflow".  like manna, His grace is more than enough for everyday; it's there and available, i simply need to go out and gather.  it's become a habit, an awesome habit that compels me to approach His throne.  so much of worship music lyrics today speak of drawing near to God:

"press in to the heart of the Father
hold fast to the grace received
breathe in the life of the Spirit
and with all faith believe
believe on this the Word of Life
our Lord the Christ has come to save us
receive by faith…"

God's presence becomes real when we believe and receive.  receiving introduces an awareness that changes everything. 

"all of You is more than enough for all of me
for every thirst and every need

You satisfy me with Your love
and all I have in You is more than enough
You are my supply, my breath of life
You are my reward, worth living for
You're my sacrifice of greatest price
You're my coming King, You are everything
still more awesome than I know…"

more than enough.  for today.  for every moment.  awesome...

thanks for letting me share,
and gather with me, if you will.  :)

obsession magnificent

i remember well the days when my faith was there, but barely.  i'd think of God, and then realize that several days had passed since my last thought of Him.  all that has changed these last 10+ years, since i got "caught in the overflow."  and i'm thankful.  so thankful for Him answering the cry of my heart - to know Him and to love Him.  the 24/7 thing.  feeling that cry in my heart like an ache, and then the love like an overwhelm.  a magnificent obsession.  steven curtis chapman describes it well:

"so capture my heart again, take me to depths i’ve never been
into the riches of Your grace and Your mercy
return me to the cross and let me be completely lost
in the wonder of the love that You’ve shown me

You are everything i want, You are everything i need

Lord, You're all my heart desires, You are everything to me

You are everything I want, You are everything i need
i want You to be my one consuming passion
everything my heart desires, Lord, i want it all to be for You."

can we be too fanatical about God?  i think so, but that's what He wants!  abraham was willing to put his son on an altar.  david was a man after God's own heart, dancing around in his ephod.  mary knelt at Jesus' feet and washed them with her tears and her hair.  were they obsessed?  oh yes, magnificently.

thanks for letting me share,

and obsess with me, if you will.  :)

love poured out and all...

you'll be able to tell by my writing that songs, music and lyrics speak volumes to me.  our daughter went to hillsong college and their music has been an inspiration to our family.  two of their songs are below.  yesterday, i talked about Jesus' love being "poured out" "upon that cross":  

this is our God

Your grace is enough, more than i need, at Your word i will believe

i wait for You, draw near again, let Your Spirit make me new

i will fall at Your feet, i will fall at Your feet, and i will worship You here

Your presence in me, Jesus light the way, by the power of Your Word

i am restored, i am redeemed, by Your Spirit I am free

freely You gave it all for us, surrendered Your life upon that cross

great is the love poured out for all, this is our God!

lifted on high from death to life, forever our God is glorified

servant and king, rescued the world, this is our God!

i will fall at Your feet, i will fall at Your feet, and i will worship You here...

God's overflow is described in these wonder words:  

more than enough, new, presence, light,
power, restored, redeemed, free, rescued.

and especially this very little word:  all.

a wee word with grand meaning:  whole, complete, total, entire, everything.

i can't begin to define what God's all is.
i don't think i really know what my all is either.
but our all somehow encounters God's all in a divine circle.
from Him to us.  from us to Him.  love poured out.

with everything

open our eyes to see the things that make Your heart cry
to be the church that You would desire, Your light to be seen
break down our pride and all the walls we've built up inside
our earthly crowns and all our desires we lay at Your feet
let hope rise and darkness tremble in Your holy light

that every eye will see Jesus our God, great and mighty to be praised,

God of all days, glorious in all of Your ways
o the majesty the wonder and grace, in the light of Your name
our hearts they cry, be glorified, be lifted high above all names
for You our King, with everything, we will shout forth Your praise.

that's all!

thanks for letting me share,
and shout with me, if you will  :)