working on holiday? nope, i don't call this work.

today was a farm work day for us, despite most of the country enjoying a holiday.  but i don't mind.  for i often get to spend the day with my kids, doing something i enjoy, and between some conversation, just worship the day away together.  today it was hillsong united on the ipod, and songs like "God be the solution" and "all day" with their rhythms dictated the beat of grading peppers.  during other songs like "soon and very soon," and the infamous 12-minute "Saviour King," it was all i could do to keep my hands moving peppers from crate to box, instead of lifting them up...  i have often told my kids when thinking about their choice of vocation to find out what they love to do, and then get paid for it!  well, today i'm realizing my own advice is exactly what i'm following ~ i get to worship all day long and "get paid" to do it!  but just a warning.  if you happen to stop by the packbarn some day, more than likely, you'll "catch us in the overflow..."  :)

full on and in flow

the last several weeks have been a series of the most continuous demands of time, tests of faith, strains of perseverance, importance of details, stubborn obstacles and relentless prayers.  last weekend was a series of blessing, adventure, joy, worship, service, appreciation, pampering, good food, romance, and God's provision.  through all of it, i've known God's hand on my heart, His protection at my back, His forgiveness in my stumbling, His lead in my seeking, His strength in my exhaustion and His 'crazy' love catching me in His overflow - His surrounding, relentless, right-where-i-need-to-know-it care!  so i'm at rest and still, in this moment, feeling the waters of His grace over me, the swirl of His peace around me, and i'm marvelling and thankful for His strength in what has been.  sigh...

what happened you ask?  a snake in our basement, tractortrailer stuck in our lawn, awful windstorm that flattened trees, broke greenhouse glass, left us with no water and no power for 4 days, car trouble, carpenter ant fumigation in the house, little sleep, intense planning for a town-wide multi-church love-o-community day followed by a local friday-evening concert by a favourite christian band, an amazing wbis saturday, and a 30th wedding anniversary tailored-by-our-kids celebration adventure sunday that spoiled us beyond our imagination...

just feeling so humbly blessed by trusting God in the yuck stuff, totally emptying myself for Him in serving with-hands-and-feet worship, and then having His hand restore, refresh, renew right after... who said this deep and constant closeness and nearness to God (calling it a spiritual high really isn't fair) can't be the everyday...

Jesus, You are all to us...

let the glory of Your name be the passion of the church

let the righteousness of God be the holy flame that burns

let the saving love of Christ be the measure of our lives

we believe You're all to us...

sigh again...