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| Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns. ~ George Eliot |
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Weekly Photo Challenge: Fall!
Friday, September 23, 2011
Salted for Destiny
I am powerfully aware of a great shift in my life. Something has been launched and I am in reverential awe as I anticipate this day and the rest of my life.
I have been meditating recently on Ezekiel 47 and the River of Life. This has been my husband's and my theme scripture for our ministry. We wanted to stay in the deep, over our heads waters that bring healing to the nations.
The scripture that the Lord illuminated to me was the 11th verse, "But its swamps and marshes will not be healed; they will be given over to salt."
I realized that if I do not stay in the flow of the river, but get sidetracked into the miry places, I will not be in the healing flow or be used by God for healing. Yet even in the miry places God is merciful. In the Torah, the salt covenant is one of the most awesome. Read this excerpt from this website:
http://www.homeworship101.com/fyi_salt_covenant.htm
"YHWH’s Salt Covenant (Hebrew, b'rith melah), is the most extraordinary of all HIS Covenants. It is symbolic of endurance, preservation, and freedom from corruption. It is a perfect picture of our CREATOR, and it is sprinkled liberally on HIS Ancient Path to preserve it and keep it pure. The Salt Covenant is rich in spiritual symbolism, and so important that for those who can see, it is visually demonstrated by the salting of the Temple sacrifices, which was to perpetually remind the faithful of their solemn Covenant responsibility to YHWH (Num.18:19). YHWH instructed the Israelites that every sacrifice, including grain offerings, was to be seasoned with salt as a sign of their Covenant with HIM (Lev. 2:13, Ezek. 43:23-24). Even the Holy ingredients used for the incense offering were to have salt added. "You shall make of these an incense, a compound according to the art of the perfumer, salted, pure and holy" (Ex. 30:34-35). Salt, like the rainbow, is a sign of our CREATOR. "
I have been in a miry place lately. I realized today as I felt myself been cast upon a new shore, that I have been spending much time, like Lot's wife, looking back. I have been lost in memories of loved ones long gone. I have been keeping my eyes in the past when God wants me to keep my eyes on Him and the destiny He created me for.
The reason I felt compelled to share this with you , is I am a prophetic person. I have learned through the years, that what I am experiencing in the right now moments, is not just for me, but is a prophetic word for others.
I believe if you are reading this today, that you are being launched out of the place where you have been stuck and if you are willing, God will lead you on a journey that will change the world!
You have been salted by God to become rich in endurance, preservation and freedom from corruption!
Get ready, get ready, get ready!
"For I know the thoughts I think toward you", says the Lord, "thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:11-13
Do not fear! God is doing a new thing! He is equipping you even now! Do you not feel it?
Blessings, Anna Marie ps read the following post for more on salt!
http://drm7.blogspot.com/2009/08/more-thoughts-on-salt.html
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Monday, September 19, 2011
My Abba, by Anna Marie
My Abba
A time away – a moment of peace
Nature sings, hums, and bubbles all around me
As I listen for you, my Abba
In this moment – in this time
Your presence is real – it is palpable
As I hear you, my Abba
Why is it then – why do I fail
To stop and hear you each day; fail to feel your presence
In my daily life, my Abba
As I rush and as I fret
You travel with me patiently
At my feverish pace, my Abba
A time away – a moment of peace
As telephones ring and emails arrive
I pray that I may notice you are there
And stop to say hello
My Abba, my Abba, My precious and faithful Abba.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Who Else Wants to Blog a Day? No Way... LOL!
I am a huge fan of second and third and umpteen chances. Until they sprinkle my ashes into the Black Canyon of the Gunnison, I will never give up!
Speaking of the Black Canyon, has anyone else out there ever been there? It is completely beautiful. My husband, Jack, and I, in our foolish, newly-wedded blissful state, crawled over the edge and climbed down to sit on a tiny ledge, with our feet dangling almost two thousand feet above ground! (It was an awesome spot to share a breath-taking kiss!) ;=)) What a difference thirty+ years make...now I would freak out if the grandkids got too near the edge!
Some day, I want to ride the donkeys down into the Grand Canyon. I have been blessed to see it from the north rim and the south rim.
I even like little canyons. We had a "secret" canyon on my mother-in-law's property near La Grange, TX. It cut down into the earth about thirty feet. At the base of the canyon was a dry creek-bed that would flood during a good rainstorm. We spent many happy hours exploring and looking for artifacts and unusual rocks. Found several nice arrowheads and and a fossil or two. I am looking forward to some cooler weather, so I can take my grandkids exploring for earthen treasures. (Not too close to any steep cliff-edges!)
The crispy early morning air, just begs me to explore.
Strolling down the earthen path, I feel my spirit soar.
The dusty road has left me notes about my nighttime friends.
There're little fawn feet, racoon hands and all around the bend,
I even see a slither trail, I'm glad it's gone before!
Blessings!
Sunday, September 11, 2011
What Really Matters?
When it comes down to it, the only "things" important that I have lost are people. Nothing in this life is more precious than the people God has placed in our lives. When we truly boil it all down, we can lose everything that we have worked all our lives for, but if we still have our loved ones, we consider ourselves most blessed.
Love is the most enduring substance there is. As I watched the stories of the the First Responders of 911, what stood out powerfully was the intensity of saving life. Two brothers re-united reduced me to tears.
My prayer is, that I never forget to honor and cherish my relationships with the people that God has placed in my life, from the closest to the acquaintance.
Even the Facebook friends I have learned to love are a blessing to me. Thank You, Jesus for the intense reminders of how much You love us and how much You want us to love.
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
As Through Fire...
Right now, Texas is on fire. The merciless drought and the high winds have culminated in devastation. I am watching the stories of terrible loss, grown men crying, but looking ahead to re-build. Bastrop, TX looks like a war-zone.
My heart hurts for those who have lost everything. I pray for their families. There have not been any reports of deaths, which is a blessing.
I remember a couple, in our church back in the eighties, who returned home from a trip to see their house in ashes on the ground, and fire-fighters finishing their work. As they stood there holding each other, all they could say was, “We are so grateful we still have each other.” They had lived in that place for their entire married life, over 30 years. Every photo, every memento, gone, but they were able to comprehend, in that moment, what truly mattered to them, their love for each other.
I remember a couple, in our church back in the eighties, who returned home from a trip to see their house in ashes on the ground, and fire-fighters finishing their work. As they stood there holding each other, all they could say was, “We are so grateful we still have each other.” They had lived in that place for their entire married life, over 30 years. Every photo, every memento, gone, but they were able to comprehend, in that moment, what truly mattered to them, their love for each other.
I have never forgotten that night. It gives me hope for those suffering right now. I pray that they will be fortified with hope and the outpouring of love and help from the community.
Watching these terrifying events unfold has had me reflecting on the words of Paul in 1Corinthians 3:10-15:
"According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and another man is building upon it. Let each man take care how he builds upon it.11 For no other foundation can any one lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if any one builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw-- 13 each man's work will become manifest; for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. 14 If the work which any man has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. 15 If any man's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire." RSV
It is difficult to imagine the devastation that can be left by fire until you see it in reality. When it utterly destroys a building, the only things that remain are the foundation (if it was properly built), those things that were fireproof, and the Human parts that make the home: the love, the memories, the people.
As I am searching my heart today, I am asking the Lord to reveal to me anything that I am building that is not fireproof. I am asking that He teaches me how to properly construct every detail of my life and ministry, so that I only use the most precious stones and purest gold and silver. Basically, what I know to be true, for me, is people are all that really matter. Helping people to come to know and love their God, come to know and love themselves, and come to know and love others, is the greatest treasure in my life. If I lost everything else, it would be okay, as long as those remain.
Watching these terrifying events unfold has had me reflecting on the words of Paul in 1Corinthians 3:10-15:
"According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and another man is building upon it. Let each man take care how he builds upon it.11 For no other foundation can any one lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if any one builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw-- 13 each man's work will become manifest; for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. 14 If the work which any man has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. 15 If any man's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire." RSV
It is difficult to imagine the devastation that can be left by fire until you see it in reality. When it utterly destroys a building, the only things that remain are the foundation (if it was properly built), those things that were fireproof, and the Human parts that make the home: the love, the memories, the people.
As I am searching my heart today, I am asking the Lord to reveal to me anything that I am building that is not fireproof. I am asking that He teaches me how to properly construct every detail of my life and ministry, so that I only use the most precious stones and purest gold and silver. Basically, what I know to be true, for me, is people are all that really matter. Helping people to come to know and love their God, come to know and love themselves, and come to know and love others, is the greatest treasure in my life. If I lost everything else, it would be okay, as long as those remain.
Saturday, September 3, 2011
We Can be Happy!
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| This tiny pink flower is less than 1/4 inch wide in the bloom and maybe 1 in. tall. Hope in a dry thirsty land! |
I found this beautiful quote by Natalie Goldberg in my favorite book on writing, The Right to Write, by Julia Cameron. Ms. Cameron has such a love for writing, but even more she oozes encouragement to the rest of us.
She reminds us that we all have a voice. And it is through sharing our words that we connect to each other.
I have so fallen in love with the awesome power of the Internet to connect me with people who are faceless to me, but whom I know, because we share ourselves through our writing. It has an eternal feel to it. Just as prayer we send out for people, who we only know by a name from an e-mail, or Facebook, or Twitter, and we may not ever know the impact of until we meet again in Glory, these blogs reach other's hearts and minds in a way we may never know, but it is felt in the Soul. It is a form of brotherly love.
In her book, Ms. Cameron suggests making a list of those things that bring you happiness. Her suggestion is for 50. That may be tough to do, but I would encourage you to give it a try. I have been working on my list for awhile. I am still not up to 50. I was shocked at that. I am a rather happy person by nature, but this exercise made me realize that I have to be more intentional in my life.
I am going to share the top ten from my list for you, as a pump primer. The items don't have to be profound or complex, just straight from your heart. Try it. You 'll like it! Try to write them down as they pop in your head.
1. Being lost in worship
2. The faces of my grand-children
3. The Beach Boys or John Denver Beach Boys- Wouldn't it be nice? (Click here to hear one of my favs!)
4. When my husband tells me I look pretty
5. Finding a flower growing in the midst of a drought (Hence, the picture at the top of this blog.)
6. The perfect slice of pizza
7. Sharing with others the ways God has touched my life
8. Making snow-angels
9. E-mails from my cousin George (And he will surely say something about being at the end of this list! LOL)
10. When someone tells me they liked something I have written....that really floats my boat!
Blessings, Your soul-sista, Anna Marie
She reminds us that we all have a voice. And it is through sharing our words that we connect to each other.
I have so fallen in love with the awesome power of the Internet to connect me with people who are faceless to me, but whom I know, because we share ourselves through our writing. It has an eternal feel to it. Just as prayer we send out for people, who we only know by a name from an e-mail, or Facebook, or Twitter, and we may not ever know the impact of until we meet again in Glory, these blogs reach other's hearts and minds in a way we may never know, but it is felt in the Soul. It is a form of brotherly love.
In her book, Ms. Cameron suggests making a list of those things that bring you happiness. Her suggestion is for 50. That may be tough to do, but I would encourage you to give it a try. I have been working on my list for awhile. I am still not up to 50. I was shocked at that. I am a rather happy person by nature, but this exercise made me realize that I have to be more intentional in my life.
I am going to share the top ten from my list for you, as a pump primer. The items don't have to be profound or complex, just straight from your heart. Try it. You 'll like it! Try to write them down as they pop in your head.
1. Being lost in worship
2. The faces of my grand-children
3. The Beach Boys or John Denver Beach Boys- Wouldn't it be nice? (Click here to hear one of my favs!)
4. When my husband tells me I look pretty
5. Finding a flower growing in the midst of a drought (Hence, the picture at the top of this blog.)
6. The perfect slice of pizza
7. Sharing with others the ways God has touched my life
8. Making snow-angels
9. E-mails from my cousin George (And he will surely say something about being at the end of this list! LOL)
10. When someone tells me they liked something I have written....that really floats my boat!
Blessings, Your soul-sista, Anna Marie
Friday, September 2, 2011
Thirsty? Stop in for a drink of living water!: Weekly Photo Challenge: Up!
Thirsty? Stop in for a drink of living water!: Weekly Photo Challenge: Up!: Up above San Diego! Nothing like a bird's-eye view to put your life into perspective!
Weekly Photo Challenge: Up!
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| Up above San Diego! Nothing like a bird's-eye view to put your life into perspective! |
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