it's the simple things

it is often the simple things in life that we enjoy most if we can pause long enough to really see. 

the days in the park when it is blazing hot, but the shade of the trees and the warm breeze makes it tolerable to enjoy the blue sky and long afternoon.

a simple game of catch.  teaching the young ones the skills of throwing and catching.  watching their amazement when daddy throws the ball high in the air and it lands in his mitt.  remembering your own amazement not too terribly long ago when your daddy showed off the same trick.

watching them eat their first foods fresh and full of summer sweetness and refreshment. laughing that the rind of the melon serves as a teething toy as well as entertainment for this little one who will be running around the green fields with his brothers and daddy all too soon.  slow down baby boy, slow down.

holding back from kissing the freckled nose of the little boy who was the baby so very recently, but who will not allow you to call him baby.  david, call me just david, he insists.  knowing the melon dripping down his shirt will take some time to clean but enjoying watching him enjoy the small pleasures in summer somehow makes the laundry work to come tolerable.

gazing at the green eyes that are the only one of the 4 sets that match your own.  as much as you love the others being blue like their daddy's, there is something about seeing a bit of yourself in your little ones that makes the heart swell and eyes stare. amazement at how God designed each feature drawing from both mommy and daddy to make a unique mix in every child.

wishing this little one would slow down just a little bit, yet thanking God for every moment that you are privileged to watch him grow up.  careful to not take the moment for granted, knowing that it is a treasure that will soon fly by, fleeting as the wind, and leave you with only the warm memories of grace gifts He chose to bestow in kindness on your life. 

reminding myself of all He has given.  sometimes speaking to myself, reminding myself, is the greatest gift i can give myself.

life is so full of grace.  each moment, 

if we can see it - if i can see it, 

is full of grace.

251 - 274:

251. that God holds us in the palm of His hand - our lives are literally sustained by Him.

252. the countless number of people praying for and giving to our dear friends and baby audrey.

253. every answered prayer, no matter how small or how large they may seem... every answer is such grace from Him.

254. my four wonderful, beautiful, amazing, strong little men - God has richly blessed me.

255. chocolate peanut butter cup ice cream.  s'mores ice cream.  okay, anything with chocolate in it. it isn't so much the ice cream as the chocolate.

256. bike rides in the park with my favorite 5 men in the whole world.

257. the chickens that keep trying to eat my garden.

258. roadside strawberry stands selling the sweetest berries for amazing prices.

259. a bag full of local berries in the freezer ready for smoothies.

260. tomatoes growing on the tomato plants... hope of what is to come.

261. the promise that He works all things together for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.

262. the Holy Spirit who will never leave us... He promised He would not leave us as orphans.

263. a bbq at the lake with our house of prayer community filled with fellowship, good food, and prayer.

264. a group of people who are devoted to prayer, a group of persistent widows, to walk through the hard times of life with knowing they actually will pray.

265. He will one day bring justice once and for all.

266. we get to taste of His justice to come now in measure and the longing it stirs within me for the day of His coming.

267. the honor of living the life i do and getting to do what i do.  how am i counted worthy to waste my life on Him?

268. so so many new clothes, that fit!, after a shopping trip with my sisters and mom to forever 21 sponsored by my family's generous birthday money gifts.

269. relaxing lunch, great coffee, and pastries all from my mom on our girls' afternoon getaway.

270. warm summer nights.

271. the beautiful place i get to call home... so often when looking at the mountains, river, lakes, or just enjoying the warm summer nights i am known to say, now this is why i live in here.

272. fireworks.

273. amazing grass-fed local steaks from the cow we went in on with friends.

274. swimming in cool water on a hot day.


i am linked up at a holy experience.

i would love to hear the grace in your life that you have eyes to see... it opens our eyes to see the grace He has give us in our own lives.

charis

when life takes us by surprise

there are things that happen in life that take us completely by surprise. we can be in cruise control in pretty normal day to day life, not extremely up or down, and then be thrust into the most surprising and difficult trial imaginable.

it is in these surprises of life - not the birthday party or flowers on the table for no apparent reason - that we realize our need for community, family, and deep friendships that become pillars in a time where all else around seems to crumble.

these surprises - usually smelling strangely familiar to that valley which king david wrote of where darkness and death loom all around threatening and taunting and draining one of all strength - are when the connection to the Lord is tested.  do we harden with offense accusing Him - how could You let this happen to me?  or do we fall back into His arms realizing in that moment that He is with us comforting us with His perfect leadership?  

we often live under the delusion that these surprises of life only happen to someone else.  never to the ones i love... never to those i know... never to me.

and when these delusions, the idealism of our own making, are shattered our priorities shift.  the mind spins into a blur with all the to do list, that was previously occupying the thoughts, and the what ifs, which start to crowd out everything else.

in this moment we grasp for some sense of control to stop the spinning mind.  for me, a sink full of dishes is suddenly feverishly scrubbed and dried, the sink scoured, then the counter tops polished, the floors swept and mopped, as i take out my angst on every speck of dirt that offends my kitchen.  the more i cannot control the surprises, the more i reach to control that within my grasp - desperately trying to find stability and not give into the crashing, the falling, and the swirling that threaten to overcome my soul.

then it cracks.  it is a soft word of comfort or a touch on the shoulder and the outward facade that everything is in control crumbles and the tears spill out.  a mix of anger, grief, and confusion race to the surface and the little that we can control is suddenly put back into perspective - meaningless.

God alone is the Refuge in the surprises of life.  we as believers, as friends and family, have the privilege of walking with one another, encouraging each other to look to the Source, the Refuge for our souls.  when we realize how very little we can control in life, we also realize how big He is and how much He is in control - He holds us in the very palm of His hand. 

photo by myriah grubbs

this past week has been one of these kind of surprises for our house of prayer community.  a family in leadership with the watch has been thrown into intense circumstances completely out of the blue and out of their control.  their baby girl's life hangs in the balance.  the life of one of our own hangs in the balance and we get the opportunity to find out how big our God is, how perfect His leadership, and how much we believe that He can do the impossible.

for what is impossible with man, is possible with God.

i cannot stop hearing this proverb in my thoughts as i pray and try to serve my dear friends whose world has been turned upside down.

a friend loves at all times, 
and a brother is born for adversity. proverbs 17:17

this is what we were born for - to love in the way He loves, to stand beside and fight with those we love and pray until they pass through the valley and breakthrough comes.

He is our Strength.  He is our Refuge.  He is our ever present Help in times of trouble.

we will not fear.

we get to be His hands and His feet.  we get the privilege of crying His tears of compassion with our dear friends.   

we serve.  

                we fight.   

                               we pray.   

                                              we love at all times.   

He will win - now and forevermore.

would you like to help our dear friends  

will and atasha macivor? 

we have a facebook page set up with details of how to pray and how to give if the Holy Spirit leads you to help.  God is bigger than all the surprises of life.  we believe He can and He will bring complete healing to baby audrey.   

thank you for your prayers for our house of prayer community as we fight for the life of one of our own.

charis