beauty

Keeper of My Heart

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The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand.
The sun will not smite you by day, nor the moon by night.
The Lord will protect you from all evil; He will keep your soul.
The Lord will guard your going out and your coming in
From this time forth and forever. Psalm 121:5-8 (NASB)

 

The child drapes her arm around her daddy like an open collar, and powder pink sways in his bronze arms. Her sleepy gaze drifts backward to me and I smile with orphan envy. She is held secure in love. When I bow my head and break the bread and drink the cup, I remember and then I re-member.

When I was in first grade, my parents were missionaries in Africa; and so, I attended a boarding school. My teacher was a harsh disciplinarian, our fingers were either smacked with a ruler, or we were locked alone in a closet. And I learned to not ask questions.

At the end of the day, I ran and hid in the hedges because I was petrified of the mean dogs that lived on our compound. I felt safe and sound under the lush, green cover. So, I played with my twig friends and built stick boats and homes until our supper bell rang. Then I raced to get in line.

Years later, I slipped on the same powder pink as the little girl in the pew, and my mother pulled my hair up fancy. I set off for the garden with a skip in my bare feet, but gnarled hands refused to break their rhythm. When I failed to get more than a quick nod and a few mumbled words, I turned and walked away. Then I pulled the bobby pins from my loose bun. I was not seen.

I taste the salt of past tears and recall the hurt. Then my Abba Father declares His great love for me. Though I was dismissed and silenced, God has broken through my defenses. He tucks my tendrils in place with care. And He steadies my footsteps as I stand and sing, “Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me.”

My Savior has hedged me in with thorns, and He protects, defends, and preserves my life. He’s never forsaken me in my wounded and weakened state. I too am kept by love. And so, He calls me to rethink with mercy.

The same gnarled hands held my Jelly Bean close, and her dark eyes were as bright as the pink stripes and sun on her shirt. Her grandfather had hooked the worm on her fishing pole and helped her catch the bass and crappies on the lake. She beamed with joy. And so did he.

I am challenged to lift my eyes and to seek the good intentions of others. And God’s grace prevails. The creator of beauty will not rest until His restorative work is complete.

What is the Lord asking you to remember and re-member? The Keeper of your heart and soul is trustworthy. He protects and preserves your life from here and forever more.

Step up with His assurance,

Lily Mae

He Calms the Storm

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Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea,
and it became perfectly calm. Matthew 8:26 (NASB)

 

The geese have returned to our pond, and there is hope that spring will soon burst with daffodils and Easter lilies. However, our oldest grandson shrinks from the squawk that circles and looks for a place to land. The child is frightened and clings to me for comfort.  Later, he is still afraid and over-tired, and I must rock him to sleep in my arms.

As I watch the toddler’s energetic limbs finally relax, and his eyes close in sweet peace, I’m reminded that Jesus draws us close to His heartbeat when we are unsure and afraid. He sees our frail state of mind.

Jesus was also weary and slept in the belly of the boat while the storm raged above. When His frightened disciples woke Him, He calmed the terror of the wind and waves. Creation responded to His voice and the disturbance ended.

A woman who’d been sick twelve years, chased Jesus through the frantic crowds to touch the fringe of His cloak. An outcast set apart because of her condition, she believed He could heal more than her hurt. And although, He’s on His way to the home of a twelve year old, Jesus pauses. He takes time to restore both. He also opened the eyes of the blind, helped the lame to walk, and restored the mute.

There is power in Jesus’ voice, touch, and presence.

Jesus sees our mad busy, the missed appointments, forgotten bills, and the empty refrigerator. Who will pick up the necessary staples, eggs, milk, and bread? He sees the guilt list that grows with each birthday we overlook, the phone calls we miss, and the letters we start, and then lose in the shuffle of words and responsibilities.

There are seasons of loneliness, missed family gatherings, children to tend to, and deadlines to meet. Then hollow hallways to endure as we wait for the next test, outcome, and uncertain future. Lean into Jesus’ love and be strengthened. Rise to the task.

Jesus knows our humanity, our fears, concerns, and weaknesses. And He hears our cries for help. He is the calm in the center of our whirlwind. Thus, we wait and expect His intervention. Though, it may not look like what we think, we trust that He will lead.

Jesus provides an inner circle.

In the midst of a fierce battle, three courageous warriors sought refreshment for David. They overcame their fears and fatigue and fought the enemy, and the cost was great. Thus, David poured the drink out as an offering. However, it wasn’t a waste. David had learned to trust God’s provision. His power was more than the might of men. Only God could quench David’s thirst. The sacrifice became an act of worship.

Jesus requires a heart response. Do we trust His love and lead? He sees the beginning and the end. So, release the angst. Though an army encamps against us, we too will sleep.

Take courage. God sees. God hears. God speaks. Creation responds and so must we.

Lily Mae

Read II Samuel 23

 

Embrace His Silence…

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The Lord God is my strength,
And He has made my feet like hinds’ feet,
and makes me walk on my high places.
Habakkuk 3:19 (NASB)

Our morning hike around Jordon Pond had exhilarated me with its quiet beauty along a path that led through shaded forest, climbing over boulders along the water’s edge, and balancing on wooden planks over muddy swampland.  I was singing on the inside as I ended the 3 mile loop and rounded the bend, almost running right into a deer feeding in front of me. My husband stopped me with his hand; startled I looked at him and he nodded towards the path ahead.  We stood and watched for a while as the deer fed.  We could have reached out and touched him.  He never heard us coming.

Sometimes I am left breathless by what I see when I learn to still myself and embrace God’s silence.  When we wait on Him and accept His mystery, we discover gifts we never knew were close at hand.  I had spent years keeping busy, going through the motions of my daily tasks and responsibilities.  When hurting, it was better to keep going than to stop and feel.  Until one day my husband took me by the hand and began to teach me to pause ….to notice! And I’ve been slowing down ever since to search for God’s beauty, even when there seems none to be found.

When God is silent and it doesn’t appear that He hears our cries for help, we can be sure His presence goes with us. Our hardships perplex us, and we question their purpose.  But He is on the same path with us and already sees what is around the bend.  We learn to trust our Guide when His hand reaches out and stills our steps.  We turn towards Him and quietly wait for His leading.  We go forward in hope, climbing surefooted like a deer on mountain heights, knowing that where God leads is the safest place.   We do not slip as we look down at the steep climb and He gives us the strength to finish. We are never alone!

You who have been borne by Me from birth
And Have been carried from the womb;
Even to your old age I will be the same,
And even to your graying years I will bear you!
I have done it , and I will carry you;
And I will bear you and I will deliver you. 
Isaiah 46:3-4 (NASB)

Our God never changes; He walks with us and carries our burdens even to our old age. So we accept the quiet stillness and embrace His mystery. He is worthy of our trust and will protect and deliver us!

Blessings can be found in His silence!

Lily Mae