Spring Time!

I love the Spring after winter. The Lord is so thoughtful and purposeful in creating the seasons of life in the timeline, He did. I dont think I would apprciate the life of spring as much if it didnt follow the death of winter. The flowers' blooms and smells. The skys' hues and shapes. The earth's colors and growth. My own heart's awakenness to "New Life". I was studying this morning over coffee and came across this verse. "Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, and come along. For BE-hold(stay upon; mediate in; grab hard to) the winter is past( the same word for passing through the red sea and over the jordan river; denoting movement and transportation from one to another; disappearance of what is behind and visible direction to what is ahead) and the rain is over and gone. The flowers have already appeared(shown themselves and caused themselves to be seen doing their purpose) in the land; The time has arrived for pruning (singing) the vines.." How precious are those Words. The Bible is so specific and directed in how it teaches and exhorts us. My mind is reminded of Zeph 3:17 as well, "The Lord your God is in your midst; A victorious warrior. He will exult (sing, over joyed with, same word is used to described the excitement and passion of a Groom for his bride) over you with joy, He will be quiet in (renew you) in His love, He will rejoice OVER you with SHOUTS (not whispers) of joy." That warms my heart as this sun does my face. Wow.... I notice that He is in my midst admist spring time. One of His names is the DaySpring of Life... that is so what this season is for me. He is springing up new days for me. He is my Day-spring! I love the spring! Let us forget what has been wintered behind and let us press on into the aroma of new life and spring up as new creations, blooming in their purpose as do the visible flowers.

Two's Company

Sometimes the sweetest moments that spark a smile are the smallest surprises that are otherwise overlooked or excused. I was home this weekend with my family. I had gone upstairs to be domestic...you know, laundry folding, vaccuming, and cleaning the bathroom... the typical critera. I was perched neatly on my knees in front of the dryer surrounded by warm clothes in piles, when my daddy walks up the stairs. I love hearing the movement of people around me. I know I am not alone. We began chatting briefly as we swiftly passed by the "woman's room" where I was folding. Then, as if there was a 6th sense to linger, he stopped and stooped down to me. Without a word, daddy began to fold with me. Unasked, unintentionally uninvited, and unmerited...he just wanted to be with me.The key phrase being "with me".



Things, whether extraordinary or completely average and expected in a given day, take on a surprising and fulfilling element when accomplished "with" another. I then began to teach my dad, who has been my teacher in all life's complexities, the simplicities of properly (according to Martha) folding a T-shirt. He was astonished and adorably amused at the technique and the speed that I was doing his shirts. He wanted to learn. We both were laughing, smiling, and folding those shirts in a matter of seconds. A job that I could do alone and was doing so... just took on a new diminsion. That little unexpected moment in the hallway gave me a smile that went deeper than my face. It was great to teach my teacher something simple yet valuable. It was even more great to see the Teacher in that "two's company" moment. The little normal task became marked with joy that seemed too lofty for such an experience... yet it perfectly folded right into it.

My dad and I proceeded to actually re-organize his entire armoire that night with the new technique that he had never known. It was hilarious! We raced at folding and chuckled at each other. It was a sweet father- daughter bonding moment that milestoned a truth for me. "Two IS better than one" as the Bible states so eloquently. Marriage would not be if it were not but for 2. A child would not be if it were not but for 2. Life is done better and with more fulfillment in EVERY task when it is done by Two. Look for opportunities to be Dependent with, not nessecarily on, someone. Folding laundry and organizing took on a whole new meaning when it was done with my Daddy! Oh that we would not be so pridefully "seperate" and "sufficient" and in turn miss daily surprises that are packaged along with someone. "Enlighten the eyes of my heart, Lord, that I might see You..." (Eph. 1)

Blessed New Year!

Truly, every good and perfect gift comes from the Father of Lights, with whom there is no variation or unreliability. The Lord blessed my family with the awesome opportunity to ski in the New Year in Crested Butte, Colorado. This was an extra special surprising gift, as Crested Butte was the original place my brother and I learned to ski. We had a blast! The weather was crisp and perfect, except for the blizzard on Tuesday. The snow was at least 4 packed feet at the base of the mountain with flurries and flakes during the day. We skied all day and did not have to ski the same run twice. It was exhilarating!

As I skied up and down and tranversed side ways, my mind recalled a spiritual truth. "Wash me, Lord, and I will be whiter than snow." (Ps.51: 7) "Come now, let us reason together, says our Lord, though your sins be like scarlet, they will be (and are) as white as snow." (Is 1:18) I love how simply the Lord talks about such profound topics as salvation and sanctification. He makes the beautiful pictural analogy between our new natures in Christ and the whitest element, snow. As I floated on top of the snow, it glimmered in the sunlight, almost blinding my eyes. It was so white and bright, when it was relflecting the sun. You see, we are most bright and "glorfied" when we are reflecting the purity and glory of the Son! It is amazing, that our Infinite God uses finite things in order to speak to our hearts. My blood demanding scarlet sins were made whiter than snow even, when I first believed in and received Jesus Christ. He is continuing to make us purer and brighter through the "express image of His person"... "for with an unveiled face, as beholding in a mirror, we are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory." (I Cor.3:18) " And "when Christ, who is our life, is revealed, we also will be revealed with Him in glory." (Col. 3:3)



When my profound Father teaches me so simply of His ways as He promises to do in Ps.25, I stand awed. I can never look at or ski in snow the same way again... for just as it is the definition of pure white so am I viewed as whiter still, through the eyes of snow's Creator! Oh how I love Him and His ways with me... May He laden our hearts with lessons like this all year long and sharpen our eyes to find His supernatural in the natural!