His Delight...

Isaiah 62:3 As a bridegroom rejoices over His bride, so will your God rejoice over you.

Friend Ann, writes of names to which we answer ... some called by others... some we call ourselves... and most notably, one Abba calls ... Hephzibah ... His Delight...

Although adopted into His family near 20 years ago, I required a full decade of preparation... Father leading me deeply into His Word... Son feeding me the Bread of Life... Spirit watering my thirsty soul with Living Water... until I could perceive His Delight in me...

So blessed to hear another listen to the Whisper of Papa... here

2 Samuel 22:20 and Psalm 18:19 He brought me out into a spacious place. He rescued me because He delighted in me

Psalm 147:11 His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor his delight in the legs of a man; the LORD delights in those who fear Him, who put their hope in His Unfailing Love.

Isaiah 42:1 Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight...

Isaiah 43:1 "Fear not, for I have redeemed you. I have summoned you by name; you are Mine... Since you are precious and honored in My Sight, and because I love you.

Zephaniah 3:17 The LORD your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His Love, He will rejoice over you with singing.

I am precious in His Sight, not because of what is done or undone, but because my hope is in Him... because i am His chosen one... because He has called me so.

Do you hear His Voice today, calling your name?

Nature Tables...

Assignment for PopPop's birthday:

Take a walk...

And let your poet run free in verse...

Be on the lookout for seeds:

Pods and spurs, Grasses and burrs,



"Hey, I've got seeds on my pants! All I had to do was wade through the grass" (Worldviews often "caught" unintentionally ... simply from wading amongst worldly seed?)

"Momma, *this* is a seed!" as her breath propels thousands of little Tinkerbell fluffs to unknown destinations... (Word-seed of our tongue,cast abroad with nothing more than a breath breathed out?)

Coming home, our "Nature Table" awaits the inspection of our "finds"... grass seed, seedpods, dandelion puffs, burrs ("Watch out, Mom! Sandspurs! Seeds too?")

Pine cones broken apart and peered into, trying to identify what part exactly is the seed? Acorns with lobelia... milkweed with lovegrass... coreopsis and pink scale gayfeather (liatris elegans!)... pinecones with stiff aster. We look... we learn... we teach one another.

Deep truths, hidden in and amongst the seed, come forth...

Whether pod, puff, or pinecone, the seed-bearer must give itself up in order for New Life to come forth...


Abba ... may Truths captured on bright autumn days, enlighten our understanding and lead us in the Way Everlasting!

Refrain echoing in the recesses all yesterday:

"Soon, very soon, Ruby's going to see the King"...

and then... mid-afternoon, Grandma met Jesus...

face to Face.

Today's waking impression: Earth is less one very-good-soul this day.

I am grieved... yet strangely rejoice?
Am subdued... yet unexpectedly hope-filled.
Am doubt-ridden... yet undoubtably assured!

And Grace-birthed Gratitude rises within:

Thank You, God:

For Ruby's kitchen... the sweet aroma of which will always linger in us

for Ruby's voice... echoes of which yet resound for us

for Ruby's love... the depths of which were never plumbed by us

for Ruby's mothering, grand- and great-grand- ... the sight of which ever lives before us

for the heritage that is ours, by virtue of Ruby.

amen.

CONCENTRATION

Ahhhhhhhhhhh, the study of concentration... defined as the amount of a solute in a given volume...

OR as evidenced in the photo, the amount of attention focused on an image or event!

Where but in our kitchen with a few simple ingredients (Tums, Vinegar, Water) can such CONCENTRATION be observed?

Be still my heart. On a day when serious thoughts of throwing in the homeschooling towel have bubbled up all morning, the simple wonder of acid-antacid reactions effervesce a clear return to our vision of home education!

Gratitudes...

.... writing assignment in which son asks for ONE thing... to be able to hear what God is saying to him...

... increased awareness of hollow spaces daddy/husband's absence creates...

... watching boys playing football with all they have...

All Grace?
Ann Voscamp in her blog this week, dares to proclaim what she terms "scandalous faith in a Good God" and to pose the question, "Is it still Grace when He gives that which we may not perceive as good?"

Oh and again, Spirit Breathes deeply into the Body ... and fresh understanding, insight, wisdom come forth...

This year I have received three Words, one every few months, that have changed me from the inside out:

Be-Loved--- how many times does He call me His beloved? and if I be not abiding in His Love, I am nothing but dead-branch-wood, shriveled and fruitless...

Be-lieve--- I *do* believe... but oh how i need Jesus to HELP MY UNBELIEF... and He shows me that without BELIEVING HIS GOODNESS, I live in the shadowlands of fearing that render daily living paltry, disappointing, insufficient, and stained with the demandingness of self.

Be-Love--- But He has promised that as i abide in Him and have my thirst quenched in Him, He will cause wells of Living Water to spring forth from me, spilling out over all.

So yes, it IS all Grace... endless eternal rivers and springs and oceans of Grace

Psalm in my Heart Pocket

This morning, while in prayer for a friend, God reminded me of these truths... and i share them today as the Psalm (song) in my pocket today...

Father God, thank You for Your Gifts of Love, Grace, Mercy, Kindness, Compassion, Forgiveness, Holiness, Peace, Joy, Faith...

Papa, You Alone know us... our circumstances... our anxieties... our hopes... our fears... and You Alone are Sovereign over them. I am believing that You, Holy Spirit, Who Alone knows the Mind of God, supernaturally enable us to present our prayers and petitions with thanksgiving so that we may receive Peace that surpasses all understanding... Jesus, our Prince of Peace, guard our hearts and minds... and Father, for we who desire to love much and well, I am asking and believing that You bring tangible, palpable evidence of Your Love into our sensory realm today...

• as we inhale the Breath of Life, may we be surrounded by the Aroma of Christ... Your Love Endures Forever!
• as we partake of the Bread of Life, may we taste that You are Good... sweeter than honey from the comb! Your Love Endures Forever!
• as we drink deeply of the Living Water, may our thirst be satisfied completely... and springs of Living Water burst forth from us! Your Love Endures Forever!
• as we gaze upon the Beauty of the Lord, may we too be transformed into that same image from Glory to Glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. Your Love Endures Forever!
• as we incline our ears to the Voice of our Shepherd, may our hearts be filled with the Song of Delight You sing over us... and our voices proclaim Your new song. Your Love Endures Forever!

Thank You, Father, that You hear us... that You love us... that You empower us with a Resurrection Power beyond anything we can possibly conceive or imagine! by the Mighty Name of Son... Messiah... Y'shua... Lamb of God... Redeemer... Mighty God... Wonderful Counselor... Faithful Friend... Bridegroom... our Jesus. amen.

David sang to the LORD the words of this song when the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. He said: 'The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation. He is my stronghold, my refuge and my savior--from violent men you save me. I call to the LORD, who is worthy of praise, and I am saved from my enemies. 'The waves of death swirled about me; the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me. The cords of the grave coiled around me; the snares of death confronted me. In my distress I called to the LORD; I called out to my God. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came to his ears.
2 Samuel 22:1-7 NIV

my offering...

I sing, oh I sing, this song will I bring:
Stronghold of Refuge, of Delivery I sing
Rock of Salvation, Sheltered Protection You bring
I call to the Lord, my Savior and King!
I call on Your Name, to You only I sing!


He in His Majesty, worthy Alone of my praise.
When I call on the Valiant One, soul and spirit He saves!

When torrents of waters, destruction would ring...
Devices of death threaten ultimate sting...
From deepest darkness, threats of captivity take wing.
Oh King!
You are my Kinsman Redeemer, to You I would cling.

He in His Majesty, worthy Alone of my praise.
When I call on the Valiant One, soul and spirit He saves!

I sing, oh I sing, this song will I bring:
Stronghold of Refuge, of Delivery I sing
Rock of Salvation, Sheltered Protection He brings
I call to the Lord, my Savior and King!
I call on Your Name, to You only I sing!

Psalm 147
The Lord builds up Jerusalem; he gathers the outcasts of Israel.
He heals the brokenhearted,and binds up their wounds.
He determines the number of the stars; he gives to all of them their names.
Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure.
The Lord lifts up the downtrodden; he casts the wicked to the ground.
Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving; make melody to our God on the lyre.
He covers the heavens with clouds, prepares rain for the earth, makes grass grow on the hills.
He gives to the animals their food, and to the young ravens when they cry.
His delight is not in the strength of the horse, nor his pleasure in the speed of a runner;
but the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his steadfast love.

Abba, as i read of Your Bigness, Your Greatness, Your Awesome Power,
My heart quakes in holy fear
My eyes fill with tears... in fear.
I see You as a Stalwart Tower... Your Power
Clear... Entirely Clear!

Then i read of Your Provision, Your Care, Your Well Thought Plans
And my heart swells in holy trust
My soul responds as it must... with trust.
I see in You the Son of Man... Your Plans
are Just... So very Just!

Finally, Your Pleasure Sweet, and Pure Delight
My heart rings in Your Holy Love.
My mouth sings of Your Steadfast Love... from Above.
I see You shine with Treasure Bright
for You ARE Love... Above All, Love.

Psalm 119
My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to your word. Keep me from deceitful ways; be gracious to me through your law. I have chosen the way of truth; I have set my heart on your laws. I hold fast to your statutes, O LORD; do not let me be put to shame. I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free.

A limerick

There once was a soul filled with sorrow.
Who felt as there'd be no tomorrow.
To hear the LORD speak
She fell to knees with a creak
and prayed tunefully, with her guitarro!

The heart filled with sorrow set free!
No longer in shame abideth she!
Truth lives in her heart...
She has a fresh start...
Joyful living, abundantly hers, will be!

Psalm 145
The Lord is just in all his ways,
and kind in all his doings.

The Lord is near to all who call on him,
to all who call on him in truth.

He fulfills the desire of all who fear him;
he also hears their cry, and saves them.

The Lord watches over all who love him,


Just in all His Ways...

Near to me He Stays...

Loving-Kindness all my days.


Bending, Leaning, Inclining His Ear

To hear

My Truth-full calls, my desires, my cries...

His eyes

Watching, Surveying, Examining He's...

El Roi, the One Who Sees...

Psalm 43
Send forth Your Light and Your Truth. And let them lead me and guide me to Your Holy Mountain, to the Place where You dwell. Then i will go to the Mountain of God... to God, my Joy and my Delight!

Your Truth, Your Light...
Your Word, shines Bright...
Means by which i'm granted sight

Way by which i'm cleansed snow-white,
to safely walk through still, dark night...
and scale the peaks of highest height!

Joyous Strength that gives me might
to wield the Sword that wins the fight...
and grants the victory, quite right!

Your Truth, Your Light...
Your Word, shines Bright...
You are my Joy and my Delight!

As April is National Poetry month, I purpose to put a "psalm in *my* heart pocket" each day... some may be from scripture, some may be from the Word, some from elsewhere.

Come with me? Let us worship the LORD together with psalms of praise and thanksgiving.

Let us bow down before Him for---

He is the One Who knows our ways...

He is the One Who ordains our days...

He is the One Who ALONE, merits our praise!