Ashes

Ashes

Breathing deep the scent of the rain in the grass,
And the whisper of wind through the skies,
I sit cross-legged on the sandy, white beach.
I lay down, close my world-wearied eyes.

All my burdens are heavy within me,
Their weight like thick stones on my back,
But the one thing that keeps me from fading away,
Is the One Thing that I'll never lack.

I see Your footprints across the damp, sticky sand,
Hear Your breath in the sweet, gentle breeze,
Feel Your hands on each slope, on each crevice of land,
Know Your presence is all around me.

So the stones fall from my shoulders like ashes.
I am new, I am healed and restored.
I will rest for eternity in the palms of Your hands,
And lift up my heart to You, Lord.

March 20, 2010

Reaching the Moon

In hopes of reaching the moon, men fail to see the flowers that blossom at their feet. -Albert Schweitzer

How true is this?

How often are we so busy with our everyday lives that we cannot simply sit back and see the beauty all around us?  Today's American culture is focused on moving forward.  Our minds are fixated on the thoughts of bigger and better things: CDs to iPods, VHS to DVDs, bikes to cars to airplanes... the more luxuries that our world can create, the further ahead we strive to become.

Sixty years ago, the thought of reaching the moon seemed like an impossibility.  Now we look past the moon to bigger and better things... we wonder how to explore new planets, new galaxies.

And look at our hectic schedules!  How often do we stop for tea time like some of our ancestors did?  Since when do we actually sit down and enjoy a peaceful sabbath day?  We have to make it to school on time, take the kids to soccer practice and violin lessons, study for the huge exam on Friday, meet a friend for lunch...

A common saying in Kenya is, "Americans have watches, but Africans have time."  I found that this was unsettlingly true.  I arrived in Kenya feeling used to the normalcy of rushing about everywhere I went, but peace and calmness ruled the lives of these Kenyans.  They had tea times every day.  They didn't sit an exact time for the start or end of a meeting.   They stopped to talk to one another, to experience things that I never experienced when I was flying out the door, speeding in my car, arriving at my destination in a stressed frenzy.

I have to admit, I have a busy life.  I'm gone all day, even on days when I don't have school.  I'm constantly driving my car along the busy highway, glancing at my watch to see how late I am this time.  Believe it or not, I don't like to be late.  I never seem to have enough time.

Have you ever wondered that same thing?  Why don't I ever have enough time?

I strongly believe that this is not what God wants for us.  He set aside a day of rest for a purpose.  I don't think that the "sabbath" was meant for strict rule-following and legalism.  However, I do think that a day of rest was meant for our benefit.  Humans were not created to rush, rush, rush, without ever stopping to take a break.  That is not how our bodies and minds were made to function.

When you hurry through your life, always looking ahead, how much of your time are you spending on things that actually matter?  How often are you able to truly spend time with your loved ones?  Can you actually enjoy your day without feeling constant stress?  Can you look outside and breathe in the scent of the air and admire the trees and the sky and the flowers all around you?  Are you taking the time to read this?  Do you ever stop to enjoy the little things in life?

For Christmas, I bought one of my friends a day-by-day calendar.  Each day features about ten or fifteen things to be happy about.  My friends and I enjoy reading the things on each page.  Some of them are silly, but some you would never think about, like a rare warm day during the winter months or a smile from a neighbor.

If you want to truly appreciate God's creation, then take a day and spend it outside, simply admiring the earth around you.  For one day out of each week, stop looking forward.  Stop striving to reach the "moon" in your life.  Take some time to relax in prayer and focus on what God wants you to see.  Ask Him to give you peace despite your hectic life.

I, out of all people, realize that it is extremely difficult to take time out of a busy schedule to simply relax, but it is what everyone needs.  God meant for us to have rest.  He didn't have to give us a sabbath day, a twenty-four hour period without work.  Rest is a gift from the Lord, something that we should not take for granted.

Have you taken for granted the gift of rest?  Do you fail to see the flowers that bloom at your feet?  Don't spend your life in a pointless rush.  Take the time to view the world around you with Christ's eyes.

Feel free to comment with your opinion.  Do you have a solution that helps you to keep from taking rest for granted?  Do you have no trouble with this issue at all?  What are some of the little things that you have missed when you've been striving forward too hard?  Do you have any verses that help you when you struggle with being too busy?

If you have any extra questions, comments, or critiques, feel free to send me an email.        

Stuck in the Desert

Recently, for those of you who have not noticed, I seem to have come to a dry spell with my writing.  My stories, my songs, and even my blog entries have unfortunately become few and far between.  I've lost my inspiration over the past several weeks.  I need a new muse to reawaken that writer's fire that I'm used to feel burning deep within me.  Despite this frustration, I am confident that I will soon find that part of me that will give me the inspiration to pick up a pencil and write away into the night once again.

I think that we as Christians sometimes go through these "dry spells" as well in our walks with the Lord.  Sometimes it may seem unusually difficult to force yourself to sit down and open your Bible or pray for more than a few minutes at a.  It can be easy to become so focused on our own busy lives and our own struggles and our own sorrows that we lose focus on our almighty, all-powerful, all-loving God.

If you are going through a dry spell in your walk with God, I want to encourage you with the verse I have provided below.

Psalm 63:1
O God, You are my God,
earnestly I seek You;
my soul thirsts for You,
my body longs for You,
in a dry and weary land
where there is no water. 

In this passage, King David was feeling lost and alone.  He was searching for God in a place that seemed to be void of strength and hope that comes with the Lord.  And when he was actually in a dry place- hiding in the desert from his enemies- he probably felt spiritually dry at that moment.

The world in which we live is sinful and filled with people who do not understand what we are going through as children of God.  We live in a dry and weary land.  As Christians, it can be incredibly difficult to get through a single day without feeling like our hope is fading away.  We search for God, we long for Him, but the anxiety and pain of the world continues to pull us further and further away from that goal.  And that makes it so much more difficult to stay strong in Him.

The next three verses in Psalm 63 are impacting and thought-provoking.

I have seen You in the sanctuary
and beheld Your power and Your glory.
Because Your love is better than life,
my lips will glorify You.
I will praise You as long as I live,
and in Your Name I will lift up my hands.

I think this is beautiful.  Despite the fact that David was alone in the desert, both spiritually and physically, despite the fact that his enemies surrounded him, and I'm sure that he felt void of hope, he still trusted God.  He was struggling so hard to find the Lord in this difficult, difficult situation.  Despite all of that, he trusted God.  He had seen God's work before, and He knew that God wasn't going to leave him.  David said confidently, "I will praise You as long as I live."

How amazing.

As Christians, we should strive to be like David.  No matter what trial we are going through in our own lives, let us strive to praise Christ for as long as we live, because truthfully, His love is better than life, and His security will overcome every struggle we have.

Psalm 63:7 says, "Because You are my help, I sing in the shadow of Your wings."

You may be going through the hardest time in your life right now- the driest spell you have ever had in your walk with the Lord.  You may be going through a smaller dry spell, and you just feel like you're growing weary and tired of struggling with each step.  No matter what you're going through, God is going to be there for you.  He treasures you.  You are the apple of His eye.  Stay strong.  You are in the shadow of His wings, and you are not in this dry spell alone.  God is near.  

What God Promises

This poem was on an old newspaper clipping that I found amongst some of my preserved notes and cards.  The words are so beautiful and encouraging. 

God didn't promise days without pain,
Laughter without sorrow, or sun without rain.
But He did promise strength for the day,
Comfort for the tears, and light for the way.
If God brings you to it,
He will bring you through it.
-Unknown

Big

The universe is very big.
It's filled with many things.
I cannot help but feel amazed
At the sight of everything.

When I see a newborn child,
When I touch a flower...
This can't have happened on its own.
Is there a Higher Power?

The sky is like a giant bowl.
The mountains are so tall.
I see the stars, the galaxies.
A child, I am so small.

I am weaker than a lion.
I am shorter than a tree.
I am a frail and sinful being,
So why did He make me?

There is a God who made it all,
The earth and sky above.
Despite the fact that I am small,
He fills me with His love.

9-8-10

Fall, Rain, Fall

Fall, Rain, Fall

Fall, rain, fall... fall from the sky,
In delicate sheets of pale gray.
Bring out the green in the flowers and trees,
And streak across my window pane.

Fall, rain fall... fly through the wind,
And patter against the concrete.
Leave puddles and mud upon the wet ground,
Inviting to dogs and bare feet.

Fall, rain fall... pour from the clouds.
Bring that earthy, clean scent as you come,
And light up the sky with the Promise of God,
That will fade with the coming of sun. 

3-8-10

My Prayer

Father,

You are an amazing God.  You created me.  I was made in Your image.  The realization that the One who made me is the same God that put each star and each galaxy into its place... the same God that crafted the mountains and valleys... the same God that halted the waters and brought forth the rain... all of this amazes me.  I am in total awe of Your love.  I cannot stand under the power of You.  The slighting trace of You in my life is overwhelming.  You fill me to the brim with Your love, and it's almost too much to bear, Lord.  I am so small.  I am nothing compared to You.  I can only pray that my life will shine for You.

I know that I am not worthy of the love that You give me.  I am filthy.  I am caked with the grime and the muck that my sin has left on my life.  Without Your presence, my heart would be shriveled and smudged, a record of each wrong thing that I have done.  My life has not always been a light for You.  There have been times that the way I acted and the words I have said have been a distraction that may have led others away from You, Lord.  I am so sorry. 

I am the Prodigal Daughter... but each time I turn away from You, You always take me back again and restore me with Your very presence.  You breathe life back into my lungs, and I am able to feel new again, despite everything that I have done.  I cannot believe that You still love me.  Even when I feel worthless, You see my value.  You restore every part of me until I am a small replica of You.

I thank You for giving me life, Lord.  Without You, I am nothing... I would not even exist if You had not spoken me into being.  I am so grateful for the comforts that You have provided for me.  Because of Your mercy and Your grace, I have food to eat each day- enough food that I am full and there is still some left over.  I have a family and friends that love me for who I am.  I can be myself around them, and they will look past my flaws and see the beauty in me.  You have put these people into my life.  You have provided me with shelter, an education, and good health.  You have given me more than I could ever possibly want, but beyond that, You have given me the ability to go to heaven and live with You for eternity.  Thank You, Lord. 

I ask You to fill me with Your Spirit.  Give me the longing to spread Your love with the world, and take away my selfishness.  I have so much, Lord.  Help me to understand that there are people who are in need of my excess... people who need someone like me to help them.  Please give me wisdom in every situation, even in the hard times that are difficult to overcome. 

I believe that You are my Father, and I want to be a reflection of You.  Shine in my life, Lord.

In Your precious Name,

Amen.

What's Yet to Come

What I am about to show you is a poem I wrote about two days ago.  A close friend of mine was having some fears about ever finding the perfect guy for her... the future husband that God wants her to choose.  She said that her worst fear was looking back at the age of fifty or sixty and thinking to herself, "What have I done?  I didn't choose the right guy, and I made a huge mistake."  I think all (or most) young people have this fear, and we often need a reminder that even when we are unsure of our futures, God is sure... He can see ahead, and He's watching out for us along the way. 

So Ali, this is for you.  :)

What's Yet to Come

I am thinking hard tonight,
As I look out at the stars.
I cannot help but think of you,
And wonder where you are.
It feels so strange that I am here,
And you may not be far. 

I often think about my future.
What if you aren't even there?
So many things are yet to come,
And I truthfully feel scared.
I'm afraid that you will walk on by,
And I will let you, unaware.

Every girl longs to be loved,
And cherished by someone-
The one that's meant for her alone.
My search has just begun.
I am afraid, but 'till you come,
Jesus is my only One. 

March 1, 2010

The One I Admire Most

The One Who I Admire Most

Since I have been an infant cradled gently in your arms,
You've always taken care of me and kept me from all harm.
No matter who has come and gone in this life of mine,
You're the one who has been strong, a fortress by my side.
And eventually, I'll find that guy who captivates my heart,
But until then, you were made to play that vital part.
It's hard sometimes- I realize that- but you have been the best,
To help me through my hardest trials. I am just so blessed.
Of all of those that I admire, there are so very few,
But the one who I admire most is my only father: you.
March 2, 2010


I wrote this poem in honor of my dad, whose birthday is today.  I love him so much, and have been blessed by having him in my life.  He is a great example for me in so many ways, and I'm thankful that I have a father who is a part of my life and wants to spend time with me.