As it seems?

A few nights ago, I snapped these pictures of the sky. It was a beautiful evening, and these poor pictures in no way capture it.

As I looked at them on the camera screen, I was struck by the thought that if you turn the picture upside down, it looks like you are on top of the clouds, like when you're looking out the window of a jet...

...or
it looks like the ocean.

A song I heard recently came to mind, by Lifehouse.

"Storm"

How long have I been in this storm?
So overwhelmed by the ocean's shapeless form
Water's getting harder to tread
With these waves crashing over my head

If I could just see you
Everything would be all right
If I'd see you
This darkness would turn to light

And I will walk on water
And you will catch me if I fall
And I will get lost into your eyes
I know everything will be alright
I know everything is alright

I know you didn't bring me out here to drown
So why am I ten feet under and upside down
Barely surviving has become my purpose
Because I'm so used to living underneath the surface

If I could just see you
Everything would be all right
If I'd see you
This darkness would turn to light

And I will walk on water
And you will catch me if I fall
And I know everything will be alright
I know everything will be alright

There are a lot of wordless thoughts rolling around in my heart. It feels like it's not necessarily my business to tame them into words. I will just say that I trust God that everything will all be made right one day. What feels like an ocean we are drowning under might turn out to be the sky, because after all, things are not always...

AS IT SEEMS.

Working From The Right Premise

Well... by these pictures one might assume that we made it to the ocean on our recent trip.

You would be correct.

You would be "working from the right premise".

premise: a basis, stated or assumed, on which reasoning proceeds

:to set forth beforehand, as by way of introduction or explanation

The other day I was listening to a song by Rich Mullins. It is one I have always liked. It was interesting to me to note the way I felt differently about it, than I remember I used to...

The song goes:

"You who live in heaven, hear the prayers of those of us who live on earth,

Who are afraid of being left by those we love and who get hardened by the hurt.

Do you remember when You lived down here where we all scrape

To find the faith to ask for daily bread?

Did You forget about us after You had flown away?

Well, I memorized every word You said, still I'm so scared I'm holdin' my breath

While You're up there just playin' hard to get.

You who live in radiance, hear the prayers of those of us who live in skin.

We have a love that's not as patient as Yours was, still we do love now and then.

Did You ever know loneliness? Did You ever know need?

Do You remember just how long a night can get?

When You are barely holdin' on and Your friends fall asleep, and don't see the blood that's runnin' in Your sweat...

Will those who mourn be left uncomforted?...while You're up there just playin' hard to get.

I know You bore our sorrows, and I know You feel our pain.

And I know it would not hurt any less even if it could be explained.

And I know that I am only lashing out at the One who loves me most

And after I have figured this, somehow, all I really need to know...

Is if You who live in eternity hear the prayers of those of us who live in time?

We can't see what's ahead and we cannot get free of what we've left behind.

I'm reelin' from the voices that keep screaming in my ears.

All the words of shame and doubt, blame and regret.

I can't see how You're leading me unless You've led me here

To be lost enough to let myself be led.

And so You've been here all along, I guess...

It's just Your ways and You, are just plain hard to get."

Hearing this song again took me back to whenever I last listened to it. I remember feeling so familiar with the feelings it expresses...

But not so much anymore... He doesn't feel so hard to get... which set me to thinking and wondering... what's changed?

That's when the phrase "working from the wrong (or) right premise" crept into my mind.

Which stirred the question... "What is the "right" premise?

I mulled it over a bit... love? God is love. The 2 greatest commandments... Everything works together for the good... His thoughts towards us are good...

Lots of thoughts flickered in and out.

Suddenly, clearly, I had my answer...

"I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it MORE ABUNDANTLY!"

This is the premise, from which all our wonderings and reasonings should proceed. This is the end He is working toward. If we can believe this, His ways are no longer so hard to get.

This premise is His promise to us.

Choose life!

Blessed Be Your Name

For a while now I have been listening to and singing this song, over and over. I've been wanting to post it, and suddenly realized I should post it today...

Blessed Be Your Name
In the land that is plentiful
Where the streams of abundance flow
Blessed be Your Name.

Blessed be Your Name
When I'm found in the desert place
Tho' I walk through the wilderness
Blessed be Your Name

Every blessing You pour out I'll
Turn back to praise.
When the darkness closes in, Lord,
Still I will say...
Blessed be the name of the Lord.
Blessed be Your name.
Blessed be the name of the Lord.
Blessed be Your glorious name.

Blessed be Your name
When the sun's shining down on me,
When the world's all as it should be,
Blessed be Your name.
Blessed be Your name
On the road marked with suffering
When there's pain in the offering
Blessed be Your name.

Every blessing You pour out I'll
Turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord,
Still I will say...
Blessed be the name of the Lord.
Blessed be Your name.
Blessed be the name of the Lord.
Blessed be Your glorious name.
You give and take away.
You give and take away.
My heart will choose to say,
Lord, blessed be Your name.

Carolie, you are not forgotten. You are missed. You are loved and longed for. Blessed be the name of the Lord, who daily loads us with benefits. You enrich our lives, from a distance. The only way to be near you, is to be near our Father's heart. One day, we will share His lap.

Whatever You're Doing (Something Heavenly)

Now that I have caught up on posting pictures and everyday happenings, I have yet to address all the goings on in my mind and heart the last couple weeks. There are key thoughts that I have gleaned here and there that are going round and round... There are a number of songs that I have been listening to over and over. I'll start with one of them. I'd like to dedicate this to all of you who seek for something more, some thing or some one to make all of your life worth while, your trials worth enduring...
"Whatever You're Doing" by Sanctus Real
"It's time for healing - time to move on
It's time to fix what's been broken too long
Time to make right what has been wrong
It's time to find my way to where I belong
There's a wave that's crashing over me
All I can do is surrender
(Chorus)
Whatever You're doing inside of me
It feels like chaos, somehow there's peace
It's hard to surrender to what I can't see
But I'm giving in to something heavenly

Time for a milestone - Time to begin again
Re-evaluate who I really am
Am I doing everything to follow Your will
Or just climbing aimlessly over these hills
So show me what it is You want from me
I give everything - I surrender...to
(Chorus)
Whatever You're doing inside of me
It feels like chaos, somehow there's peace
It's hard to surrender to what I can't see
But I'm giving in to something heavenly

Time to face up - Clean this old house
Time to breathe in and let everything out
That I've wanted to say for so many years
Time to release all my held back tears
Whatever You're doing inside of me
It feels like chaos but I believe
You're up to something bigger than me
Larger than life - something heavenly

Whatever You're doing inside of me
It feels like chaos, but now I can see
This something, bigger than me
Larger than life - something heavenly"

I read something about freedom and independence that got me thinking about how they are not the same thing.
Gleaned from "The Crown of Eden" by Thomas Williams...
"Freedom is precious indeed, and every person is right to desire it. We desire independence because our pride resists authority."
In a nutshell, what I am learning to be true in my experience is that there is great freedom in dependence! Think of this baby here... totally dependent, by taking thought she cannot add one ounce or inch to her size! She is free of care... just like we can be if and when we choose utter dependence in our Father who created us, who clothes the daisies (lilies) and feeds the birds. He will "ripen" each of our lives into what He created us to be, as we surrender...
...to whatever He's doing inside of us!

Believe It or Not!

This afternoon I was remembering bits from a song I learned years ago from my friend Faith (who is now my sister-in-law!). It had a huge impact on me then, as a single girl with a very unknown future ahead. I was told the author of the song went blind, and this was written out of that experience.
We are pretty much blind when it comes to knowing the future. Our only hope and security lies in knowing God, His love toward us, and choosing to believe in and rest in, Him. The truth in this song has never failed me.

Believe it for yourself and see what happens!

Oh, Rejoice In The Lord

God never moves without purpose or plan

When trying His servant or molding a man

Give thanks to the Lord, though your testing seems long

In darkness, He giveth a song.

Chorus:

Oh, rejoice in the Lord, He makes no mistake

He knoweth the end of each path that I take

For when I am tried and purified

I shall come forth as gold.

I could not see through the shadows ahead

So I looked to the face of my Saviour instead

I bowed to the will of the Master that day

Then peace came and tears fled away.

Now I can see testing comes from above

God strengthens His children and purges in love

My Father knows best, so I'll trust in His care

Through purging more fruit I will bear.