Unwinding

I've lately been blessed to spend much time outside gardening. There never seems to be a shortage of things to learn from Him on these occasions. Today found me pulling weeds, moving plants around, and pulling out ivy. Any of these could have served as a teachable moment from the Lord, but there was one instance that I heard Him most in. It was the morning glories.

We noticed the very first one opened this morning, which made me resolve to get them a bit straightened out. You see, they are growing all among the other plants in the bed. I set about painstakingly unwinding the ones that had wrapped themselves all around our dill, lilies, evening primrose, liatris, and other things. Once it was finally freed, I would transplant it near my fence where it could climb and wind around as much it it liked. Oh, was it a tedious task!

A friend had recently shared how the Lord takes such tiny detail in caring for us and directing us. I began thinking about these wild morning glories and seeing how I can be just as bad as them. How many times have I wrapped myself around people, situations, or ideas? During those times, He lovingly unwinds me, saying, "Child, wrap your life around me for I am the only source of true security and satifaction." He knows it would go such much better for me if I would just follow through in this way. How He must long for me to entwine my life with Him and rest in His love.

Help me, Lord, to wrap my life around You. I want to think of You first thing each morning and last thing each night. Cause my soul to cling to You so that I am utterly enthralled by Your presence. In the precious name of Jesus, Amen.

Hiding

A friend recently asked for help identifying spots on her lavender that looked like spit. I searched the recesses of my mind for the needed information that I stored away last summer. It had been during a Nature For Kids hike through the Metroparks. The naturalist had pointed out little bubbly globs on several plants that looked like spit. She explained that there was a little insect inside, appropriately named the spittlebug.

I began looking up details about this bug to share with my friend. As it turned out, the bug blows the bubbles using sap from the plant. Neither the "spit", nor the insect are terribly harmful to the plant.  The bubbles are a wonderful defense mechanism for the bug, allowing it to hide and feed under the foam for protection from predators and the heat.

While learning about this, I began hearing the Lord speak to me about hiding. Basically, the spittlebug is creating a smokescreen to hide behind and make life easier. Do I do that? I generally try to be fairly transparent with those I come into contact with. It is one of my pet peeves when people slap a happy face on and act like life is grand even if it's not.

Being real with one another is one of the best ways to build up the Body. The encouragement it can offer is two-fold. First, it can allow each party to see that they aren't the only one who's ever felt this way or walked this path. Secondly, it is a wonderful form of accountability. Sharing enables others to encourage us to get back on the path if we have strayed. We can and should do the same for them.

I've continued to think upon this insect and its way of protecting itself. In what ways do I attempt to protect myself? Perhaps I do okay in the transparency area, but what of the different areas concerning fear in my life? Have I grown comfortable hiding behind all of my fears, rather than stepping out in obedience to Him, the ultimate Protector?

Lord, forgive me for attempting to seek out my own protection when You are more than willing to keep perfect watch over me. Remind me that nothing can come into my life except that which You have lovingly allowed. Help me to see that, come what may, Your grace truly is sufficient. In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

Undivided Heart

I recently brought a beautiful Bleeding Heart plant home from a perennial sale. I knew that my girls would adore it and it reminds me to pray for a very special lady I know. I couldn't be happier with this newest addition to our flower garden.

Sometime last week I came across a scripture scribbled on a piece of scrap paper in my Bible. I couldn't wait to see what it said and quickly thumbed my way to Psalm 86:11. "Teach me your way, O LORD, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name." Hmmm.... that got me thinking. What does an undivided heart look like? Just what does that mean?

First and foremost, I guess it would mean that I should seek after God wholeheartedly. I suddenly began examining each little part of my heart. How was I doing? Was I really putting Him first? Was my heart truly undivided? As I meditated on that passage, I began to realize that any time I allow something "iffy" into my life, my heart becomes divided. At that very moment I have taken a piece of my heart that is rightfully His and given it to someone or something else. Ouch! I don't want to do that.

Next, I began thinking of the passage with marriage in mind. Am I allowing anything into my mind that is causing my marital heart to become divided? Is disrespect present? Am I putting his needs before my needs? Am I loving him for who he is, strengths and weaknesses alike? Am I doing the things he asks of me, his helpmate?

I think I can do better in both respects.

Father, thank you for speaking to me about my heart. I love that You care enough about me to have these "conversations" with me. It helps me to feel that You are with me. How very precious You are to me! Please help me to always be sensitive to what You are telling me. I do want to have an undivided heart so that I may fear your name. In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

Opening

Lord, I've been watching these flowers outside my front window. For about a week now they have been ever so slowly opening. They are not there yet, but they are definitely on their way. I am like those flowers, slowly opening to You. I am reminded of the tail end of Isaiah 61:3 - "They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor." I'm not quite there yet, but I long to be. Or am I mistaken? Am I, in more ways than I am realizing, displaying Your splendor? Speak to me, Lord, I will listen...

Room to grow

This certainly looks like a strange picture to center today's blog around. When I started this whole blog adventure, I sincerely prayed that the LORD would speak to me through my natural surroundings, His awesome creation. He has been faithful in that way, and I record some of those revelations here.

So what did I learn from these green onions? I guess I'll start with a little background information. The girls and I planted them from seed and they sprouted up nice enough. The package gave directions for us to thin the seedlings to stand three inches apart when they were one to two inches high. Contrary to the growing instructions, I did not thin the plants. I just did not have the heart to yank out all of those green onions. They were alive, I reasoned, and that should be good enough.

The onions grew only up to a certain point and then kind of sputtered out. It didn't take me long to realize that they just did not have enough room to grow. I had not followed the package directions and done what was necessary to ensure a good outcome. Little by little I began pulling an onion out here and there. My daughter and I always tried to eat them, tiny as they were, to lessen my guilt from not letting them continue to grow.

Slowly but surely, as they were given more room to grow, certain onions really began to thrive. This encouraged me to the point where I was willing to pull even more of them out to create more growing space for the particularly healthy ones. The preceding picture was taken after I had finally gotten to that place of being able to pull out a larger amount. In a way it was very freeing to be able to pull that many.

Through this little lesson, my extaordinarily loving and patient Father has shown me that I may not always understand why He calls me to pull certain things out of my life. It might not make total sense to me, and may even seem wrong or cruel. If I will just obey Him when I feel His leading, though, I can see that the outcome will be better. Like the onions, He may just be trying to give me room to grow. Why would I go against His best for me, knowing what I do now? He knows what He is doing and I can trust Him in that.

I hear You, LORD, and I will listen to You.

Unexpected beauty

A few mornings ago I discovered that my mystery flower out front is a sunflower. I've had some of them growing for a few months now, but I didn't know what they were. Could they be zinnias? Maybe. We did, afterall, have zinnias there last year. They might have somehow dropped seeds again.

After a bit it became apparent that we would soon know what kind of flowers they were. One was getting closer and closer to opening. Each day we'd check its progress and look for any clues to its identity. So that's what it was - a sunflower.

A beautiful, unexpected sunflower. We did not plant it. I'm supposing it came from our bird feeder. And now we have this lovely flower. I am reminded that beautiful things can come from seemingly nothing. That's so like our Father. No circumstance is ever beyond His ability to beautify.

"He has made everything beautiful in its time" (Ecclesiastes 3:11).

Lord, help me to trust that You will, in Your perfect timing, bring beauty out of my current circumstances.

Cover Me

A few nights ago I desperately needed to get away for a bit. My loving husband drove me out to this covered bridge even though we'd barely be able to stay long enough to justify the drive. I just had it in my mind to go all at once and he could see that it would help me to decompress.

How thankful I am for him. I look at this picture and it reminds me that I am covered by my husband. I am beneath his protective umbrella and that brings me comfort and a sense of security. His headship and covering has always been extremely important to me. And our intimate moments are just a physical reminder to me of that covering. What a beautiful thing!

Besides the covering of my husband, there is, of course, the covering of God. He is so much more of everything I love about my husband's covering. Actually, He is perfect in His covering. How much more should I feel secure and comforted, knowing the Living God is covering me? I don't even know that I can fathom that.

I've always loved the Bebo Norman song "Cover Me". Here are some of its lyrics:
Cover me, cover up my tears
Cover up this man who's covered up in fear
I need a peace of mind, I need a piece of you
To cover all that's gone and everything that's new
You unveil me with your mercy
I want to breathe you in
You unfold me, then you hold me

Cover up my heart, cover up my soul
Cover up this world and everything I know
You cover up the sky, you cover up the sea
Cover up the mountains and every part of me
Every single breath I breathe...cover me