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...

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.