7

[artist: jackson pollack: 1912-1956]

creation
day 7
God rested.
God stepped into His control center.
His rest
was not intended to set a pattern for
laziness and disengagement.
this was when He stepped into orchestrating what He had put in place,
fully engaged,
still delighted in what He had made good,
active in propelling things forward.

what should a day of rest look like for us? 
perhaps
a time each week when we
assess what we have in front us
refocus our attitudes,
redefine goals,
determine strategies,
such that we too can say
it is good.

maybe
the pattern of rest that God established for us
is a change of pace,
yet one that is just as essential to our kingdom work
as the other 6 days.

an artist who sits within her work for weeks at a time,
never stepping back to ensure that the greater goal is being achieved
makes worthless art.

beauty is the product of an examined life.
use day 7 the way He did.
grow your relationships.
be active in setting and accomplishing goals.
know your Savior.
always move forward
for His glory
and for your good.

forward

Jesus
thank You
for taking this year to flesh out for me the
beauty of individual uniqueness
for all of Your grace that allows me to delight in the me that You intended
[from before the creation of the world]
and to move forward
in trust
with one blind step after another



to learn that love is not a temporary emotional response to an individual
but that it is a way of seeing intrinsic value in each person
regardless of how little we understand one another
empowerment
to see a woman who has dreams
no matter how unrealistic
and to speak to her in such a way that communicates that
i know that You are 1- for her, and 2- able to accomplish all that You wish
because You are
near
[intimately knowledgeable of our circumstances]
caring
[compassionate- weep when we weep, rejoice when we rejoice]
good
[giving value and purpose]
loving
[grieves over broken relationship with mankind, selfless redeemer, healer, friend]

now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory...
 

love

i sure do love wednesdays.
i love pulling into the dark driveway on bennett street on tuesday nights
and through the windows seeing mom or dad scramble to push the garage door button so that i don't have to get out of the car before pulling in the garage.
i love that mom will stay up late to talk to me even though she has to work at 830 the next morning.
i love waking up to the sun-brightened guest room
while i'm buried in the most comfortable bed there is.
i love the hopeful sunshine.
i love the promise of spring...coming...
i love the slow, quiet morning with an abundance of time to read and write.
i love the fresh fruit and vegetables that are always waiting in the refrigerator.
i love when dad comes in for lunch.
i (usually) love that he teases me or scares me at least once...
i even love hearing him chat away on the phone with his best buddy.
i love knowing that my precious friend grew up just down the road.
i love that her mom is quickly becoming one of my mom's dearest friends.
i love that i love people.
i love that i don't have to depend on my own strength to do so.
i love that God faithfully delivers on His promise to be my joy
and that all i need to do is ask Him.
i love the Word of Life. i love that He's given me a love for it that i couldn't have produced independently from Him.
i love His generosity.
i love
because He loves
and because He gives me a measure of His.