what kind of song that will be!

word for the day:  song

 photo by heather armstrong

start.

our God is a God who loves music. have you ever heard the theory that creation was made during a song? i don't know if that is true, but i just love the thought of it. singing creation into being...

right now, surrounding Him on all sides in the heavenly throne room, Jesus has song. they could just be worshiping Him with words or with prostration, but it specifically says there is song. God could have created heaven however He wanted to, and He chose to have the heavenly beings sing to His Son day and night, without ceasing. i wonder what kind of melodies and harmonies they have come up with after singing together for such a long time. i bet it is just breath-taking.

i started studying the book of isaiah a couple years ago, and i was struck by this one messianic passage speaking of Jesus return, and how those from the coast lands would make their way to jerusalem to greet Him singing. maybe it is because i have lived my whole life in california, or maybe it is because of the hard earned music degree i hold, or maybe it just vibrates that chord in me that loves a good song. i just imagine those of us over here on the california coast journeying to jerusalem to see our God who has finally drawn near forever with a joyful song in our mouths and i wonder what the words will be that we are singing. i can hear the laughter in my mind already and the dancing... oh the dancing! i have never been able to stop thinking about that passage when i think about His return.

stop. 

if you want to join in, the instructions are below.



5 minute friday rules:
1. write for 5 minutes flat – no editing, no over thinking, no backtracking.
2. link back here and invite others to join in.
3. please visit the person who linked up before you & encourage them.

if you write a 5 minute friday, let me know -  i would love to visit your blog and read what comes spilling out when writing against the clock!  


charis

a confession

want to know a little confession? i personally avoid reading one of the all-time favorite books of the bible.

romans.

i have this inside rebel who doesn't want the commentary in my head of every sermon i have ever heard, coming at the same verse from various differing, often opposing angles, to crowd out the simple understanding of what is written. so i just avoid reading those books of the bible that are widely preached on.

i know. silly. 

well, i just finished up a 5 month study of the gospels and i felt the Holy Spirit urging me, romans. i tried to ignore it. at the same time i felt this fascination and deeper appreciate of the grace by which we are saved. i have been very aware that there is deep brokenness in me that can never earn my way into salvation, no matter how hard i might try. i had to face the facts - i needed a fresh reading of romans and to ask the Holy Spirit to speak to me through it louder than all the other voices in my head.

so here i am, reading romans and going against my inner rebel.

can i tell you that it is encouraging me so much? how could reading about abraham's faith not be encouraging? for "in hope against hope he believed..." and he was "fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform."

now i don't know what that does to your soul, but it bring mine to life! i have read the accounts of abraham in genesis, and this guy seemed to doubt the promises of God. this man cowered to the fear of death, giving his own wife to another man in some effort to save his life. he tried to make God's promise happen through the only way it made sense to him. he lied. he compromised. he made a big mess that caused conflict in the relationships around him.

and yet, God saw that glimmer of faith inside of him, He saw the desire to believe and obey - that only could be there if God Himself put it there - and He said, well done my son.

though we desire to obey God and really walk the way Jesus walked, not loving our lives unto death, we will mess up. we will lie. we will compromise. we will make big messes. but God sees down into our deepest parts to the desire He put in us to believe against all hope that He would be faithful and see us through this mess. He sees this desire deep inside to believe that God is good and is who He says He is, even when it is dark and cloudy and it is hard to make sense of how He will fulfill His word to us. God sees and He credits our faith - our trust - in Him as righteousness.

...and He is pleased with us.
 
as much as i desire to walk in holiness and devotion to Jesus, may i never put my hope in something i am able to give Him. may i only put my hope in the One who gave everything for me. may i come out on the other side of this mess leaning on my Beloved One.

it is because of my mess ups and failures that i believe. it is because all the sums of my worst days doesn't disqualify me for His kingdom, and He is able to take this broken imperfect person and make me into someone He wants to spend forever with. it is because He alone is faithful, even when i try to be faithful and fail again and again, i believe.

how about you? are there books of the bible you often avoid (or am i the only rebel in the bunch!)? 

are you aware lately of your own struggle and weakness to follow Jesus rightly?

charis

the greatest lesson

i was asked to be a part of a series over at 5 minutes for faith about lessons i learned from my mother. not everyone is a mom who is a reader of this blog (and some are not even women), but every one of us has a mom.

i feel so blessed by the way i have witnessed my mom live her life. please come visit me at 5 minutes for faith to read the greatest lesson i have learned from my mom.

would you consider leaving a comment there letting me know you dropped by? we also are giving away an 8 by 10 print of this beautiful painting "growing in love" by my dear friend gina of silverlakesound! details are at the end of my post on how to win it! 

see you over there in the comments! click here!

charis

my dearest hosea

my dearest hosea,

today you are one year old. i can't believe my baby boy is already growing up! you are my grace baby... number 5. God gave me the best pregnancy with you, following the worst pregnancy with your brother, and although it wasn't a perfect blissful ride, it was doable. for that i am thankful.

but you were late in coming out. you decided to make your mama wait to meet you! i joked at the time that you were waiting for a name because we didn't even decide on your name until the night of your due date... and you were born 5 days later. the funny thing is, your name wasn't even in our top considerations - it just suddenly felt right that night when your daddy and i were out to dinner and talking about all God was doing with us and teaching us and who we thought you would be... and suddenly we knew that it was who you are.

hosea justus. "salvation." the original name of joshua and then of Jesus, our Messiah who is our promised salvation. the saving Grace that we need so badly. justus... the greek name for justice. and there is just something about the prophet hosea and his demonstration of the undeserved unrelenting love of God... well, now i know how much it fits you and how much i need that constant reminder of His unrelenting love.

your labor and delivery were different than all my others. for one, God decided, for reasons i still don't quite understand, that the perfect time for you to come was during one of my darkest hours. such intense grief and threatening fear, and yet such a thick presence of God that i cannot quite put into words. He met me and carried me through when i didn't think i could do it. He heard my cry and didn't leave me alone.

i am so thankful, my little boy, for your life. you fit our family so well. you are so playful and full of sugar and sweetness and joy. you have the most gentle dove eyes - a lot like how i imagine Jesus' eyes to be (besides the crystal blue color). so much innocence and peace and gentleness in those eyes of yours.

your first year was one of the hardest of my life, but it was your first year. and i just want you to know how much i love you with all of my heart - how thankful i am for you filling my tears with smiles. you are such a good baby and you are my baby.

happy birthday my special little boy. i love you more than my fumbling broken words can describe on a page.

charis

to experience Him anew

it is a simple post today friends.

i have had the old chorus from psalm 51 going over and over again in my head over the past couple days. i am longing for a fresh experience of His mercy on my heart that needs mercy so badly. i am longing for a taste of His love that never fails. i want to feel and know His great compassion towards me. i desire to live from His forgiveness - extending forgiveness towards those around me. then to have my heart come alive! ...not in a boastful power, but in a broken meekness that leans on my Beloved One.

this is my prayer for you as well.

have mercy on me, o God,
according to Your unfailing love;
according to Your great compassion
blot out my transgressions...
create in me a pure heart, o God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me...
the sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; 
a broken and contrite heart, 
o God, You will not despise.
                                           psalm 51

still counting gifts to 1000...

848- 866:

848. my 5 wonderful boys.

849. God is not disappointed in me because my weakness doesn't surprise Him

850. my husband is also my friend.

851. i serve a God who is meek and gentle in His dealings with me.

852. the resurrection. so especially thankful for the resurrection.

853. my dad's faith was tested and found to be true.

854. the hope to see my daddy again.

855. the excellencies of Christ teaching by allen hood - stirring a passion in my heart for this amazing man - Jesus my Messiah.

856. time away from my family on monday mornings to spend time with Him.

857. another new beautiful nephew - 3 new nephews added in the past couple months.

858. a beautiful bike riding date with bill - felt like a kid again.

859. the Holy Spirit breathing in me a hunger to know the Word.

860. forgiveness. mercy. the meekness of God toward me. the cleansing of the Holy Spirit like water on my heart.

861. my almost 1 year old baby.

862. fun soccer filled days.

863. hearing my boys confess their sin and experiencing the tenderness of their hearts.

864. friends praying for me in my hard time.

865. all the new life of spring.

866. having real community in my life who stop me and ask how i am doing -who care.

i am linked up at a holy experience.



if you haven't liked this facebook page, you can in the upper right of this post.  you can also follow this blog or subscribe in a reader.  i would love to keep in better touch with you! 

please leave a link to your list of gifts in the comments and i will come visit your blog as well!  i love to give thanks together.


charis