The Lenten Journey

Day 30:  Enjoy the Gifts Today

I am having a lovely week.  I needed a “family fix” so I am zooming from my son and daughter in love’s house (grandbabies:  Caelyn and Urijah) and to my daughter and son in love’s house (grandbabies:  Jackson and Miller) and I have my mom with me as I visit my daughter.  I got a beautiful surprise in that mom has not been able to travel with me for several years and “lo and behold” this time she is able to!!  We have three generations in the same house and are enjoying such a sweet mother, daughter, granddaughter time together.  No, I’m not getting much quiet time.  Yes, it is a little tiring going from the Seashore, to the Piedmont, to the Mountains white with “dogwoods”!    As I focused to ask Abba how I could please his heart today, again I was told “ENJOY”.  Oh how He is thrilling my heart.  The vision that some have of my Abba as a God who delights in taking things away from us is blowing my mind.  This whole Lenten adventure has thrilled my heart in that He is revealing what a wonderful Abba He is.  Oh there are “little foxes” trying to steal the joy but I don’t think I’ll let them.  I’ll stay focused on my Abba and what a wonderful adventure I am having.  Thank you  my Abba

The Lenten Journey

Day 29: No Dieting – Spiritual That Is!

Are you ready to pay attention today?  Will you slow down and allow Me, your Abba, to point out all the special things I have for you today?  OK, confession, through the last couple of weeks I have put on some pounds and the blue jeans let me know it today.  I am focused on salads because I don’t have a problem until I reach a certain weight and then it is out of control.  This winter has been a very special time, not much conflict, working through old junk – thanks to the steps in Al Anon (which is a great program for whatever  issue need fixing).   I think I have gotten “fat and happy.”  I’m one of those weird persons who loses weight when things are out of kilter so I generally don’t have weight issues, because when is there something in life not out of kilter.  But thanks to “working my steps”, the “out of kilter” things haven’t bothered me.   All that is to say as I woke up today I was focused on only eating healthy stuff.  I woke up singing Break Thou The Bread of Life – see I’m focused spiritually, mentally and physically!  But then I heard:  “Pattigail, no spiritual dieting today.  Feed on every lovely thing I place before you.  Springtime flowers and trees, family, grandbabies, mom and dad, think about what a special man you have (he’s home taking care of things while I have a “family fix”. )  Look for me in everything.  Use all your senses and be keenly aware of all I shower on you.   Oh, I think I’m going to have a wonderful “chocolate day”.  Thank you Abba

The Lenten Journey

Day 28:  No Judging

This morning I woke up singing:  O Worship The King; there were tremendous storms through the night; the wind had the trees dancing; the rain was washing off everything and my best bud had told me that God wants her to dance with Him on the mountain.  (A quick view into the brain and the soup pot that it is).  As I began focusing on today, I went to my piano and started playing O Worship The King - I turned my thoughts loose and let them go whereever they flowed.  It was then that I head my Beloved's quiet voice:  Baby doll, today I would like for you not to  judge one person, not make one comment about what they do, did, or will do.  Do not give an opinion on it!  Yikes, that is my favorite sport Abba!  What game will I play if I don't give my opinion on what everyone else is "not doing right" in their life?  Oh my, Abba has me rewriting scripture to make it personal  - His love letter straight to my heart.  He brought up Romans 6.  My entry for what He wants me to understand from this chapter of the Bible: 
Baptism portrays leaving my old home and taking up residence in the new home he has provided.  My home has a banner over the front door that says:  GRACELAND!  I live in a light filled world where I can see where I am going.  Through Jesus I have experienced death and resurrection.  Sin has been brought down (nailed to the cross and buried) and God has taken up residence in me through the Holy Spirit!  I am now living in the Freedom of God.  As I listen to my new Master, the freedom gets bigger and SURPRISE - I have a whole, healed, put together LIFE! 
Even as I write that I hear his sweet voice saying:  Pattigail, when anyone enters your life today remember there is a sign over you that says:  Entering Graceland!
Oh sweet Abba, Forgive that my favorite past time is playing "Here comes the Judge".   
Close my eyes:  He is placing a picture in my mind of Graceland; of what people should get when they are in my presence.   God, I yield to You to allow Your Holy Spirit to extend Grace - not Judgment to everyone You place in my life today.    Oohhh -  I can smell the fragrance of "Graceland"?

The Lenten Journey

Day 27:  Treat Him Like Me!

First, for any of you that are following this, I will be away from the computer for a week – but I will continue my Lenten Journey and catch up next week.

Today Abba made a simple request.  I woke up sing Oh The Wonderful Cross:   http://search.yahoo.com/search;_ylt=AuaxIptMN61e.1imqBqrcjmbvZx4?p=Viedo+The+Wonderful+Cross&toggle=1&cop=mss&ei=UTF-8&fr=yfp-t-701

As I was singing  my little head off – inside of course – as my man K Larry might not be able to handle it this early, I sensed Abba directing my thoughts.  What would it look like if I treated K Larry the way I treat my Abba?  The next step – what would it look like if my daughter in love treated my son the way she treats Abba?   How would my daughter’s mom in love feel if my daughter treated her son the same way she treats Abba . . .What if people took their marriage vows seriously and quit waiting for their partner to treat them better before they carried out their God assignment of showing the world the love of Jesus through our marriages?  (Bad writing but that’s the jumble going on in this blond brain!)  I must also mention that the world “Tough Love” popped up also in that God doesn’t ask us to Love any differently than He loves so it means no “crap” going on in our marriages:  speaking the truth in love, producing only good results for each other as long as we live, looking at Proverbs 31 and Ephesians 5 and “lining up”.   He calmly let me know that I am not responsible for how anyone else, including my man, responds to His requests (I’m reminded of Peter asking Jesus:  excuse me what about John?  Jesus told him to mind his own business).  Today, can I mind my own business, focus on Jesus’ request for me  as a gift to Him and LOVE   MY   MAN   THE   WAY    I   LOVE JESUS?  OK,  I’m taking a deep breath and heading out to give Him the gift He requested today – Oh please Pray for Me.

The Lenten Journey

Day 26:  Falling Upward -Letting Go

I woke up mellow this morning – sensing a “different peace,” quietness in my spirit and an absolute yearning for my Abba.  Oh He has been changing me, from the inside out.  He is removing the drive to always be right, perfect, know it all and to exhibit quietness and a gentle spirit – THAT’S  BIG.  Little Southern Baptist that I have been, He is teaching me through ways I would never seek out on my own.  Growing up in the South, there was a suspiciousness of any thoughts that didn’t “sound” Baptist.  However, He has been gently, sweetly opening my narrow little mind.  He has placed me beside a boisterous Brethren, a focused Methodist, a converted Mormon, sweet Presbyterian friends, liturgical Episcopalians, an eighty two year old Moravian who has become a mentor, and a devout Catholic.  We are all sheep in the same pasture and we all have one Shepherd – Jesus Christ.  I am being impacted most profoundly by what He is showing me through my Catholic friends.  They have introduced me to Henri Nouwen,  Mother Teresa and now, Richard Rohr. He has a new book – Falling Upward – His reading for today is excellent and if you want to check out the website it is:  cac@cacradicalgrace.org

Oh, I am growing - there are little buds of grace, quietness, mercy, trust, and a peace that is starting to pass understanding. And thanks to Richard Rohr, I am learning to Fall Upward "in that the second half of life feels like going down after we have spent so much sound and fury  into going up [the first half of life]". 

  

What is my gift to my Abba today?  - Staying  Quiet so He can teach me and I can be strong in Him.   

In Quietness and Trust is Your Strength – Isaiah 30:15

The Lenten Journey

Day 25:  Be Lead-able

Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us

Text: Attr. to Dorothy A. Thrupp, 1779-1847 Music: William B. Bradbury, 1816-186

    Savior, like a shepherd lead us, much we need thy tender care; in thy pleasant pastures feed us, for our use thy folds prepare. Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus! Thou hast bought us, thine we are. Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus! Thou hast bought us, thine we are.

     We are thine, thou dost befriend us, be the guardian of our way; keep thy flock, from sin defend us, seek us when we go astray.  Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus!  Hear, O hear us when we pray.  Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus! Hear, O hear us when we pray.

     Thou hast promised to receive us, poor and sinful though we be; thou hast mercy to relieve us, grace to cleanse and power to free. Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus! We will early turn to thee. Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus!  We will early turn to thee.

    Early let us seek thy favor, early let us do thy will; blessed Lord and only Savior, with thy love our bosoms fill. Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus! Thou hast loved us, love us still.  Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus! Thou hast loved us, love us still.

It’s quite simple today Baby doll.  Allow Me to Lead you and don’t try to second guess or figure it out, just follow!  OK?  Breathe Girl!

The Lenten Journey

Day 24:  No Rebellion

Being misunderstood, being accused – I hope falsely, produces an opportunity to examine my motives.  I woke up singing:

Words: John E. Bode, 1 Music: An­gel’s Sto­ry, Ar­thur H. Mann868 

O Jesus, I have promised to serve Thee to the end;
Be Thou forever near me, my Master and my Friend;
I shall not fear the battle if Thou art by my side,
Nor wander from the pathway if Thou wilt be my Guide.

O let me feel Thee near me! The world is ever near;
I see the sights that dazzle, the tempting sounds I hear;
My foes are ever near me, around me and within;
But Jesus, draw Thou nearer, and shield my soul from sin.

O let me hear Thee speaking in accents clear and still,
Above the storms of passion, the murmurs of self will.
O speak to reassure me, to hasten or control;
O speak, and make me listen, Thou Guardian of my soul.

O Jesus, Thou hast promised to all who follow Thee
That where Thou art in glory there shall Thy servant be.
And Jesus, I have promised to serve Thee to the end;
O give me grace to follow, my Master and my Friend.

O let me see Thy footprints, and in them plant mine own;
My hope to follow duly is in Thy strength alone.
O guide me, call me, draw me, uphold me to the end;
And then in Heaven receive me, my Savior and my Friend.

Abba asked me to not be “rebellious” today.  That means I don’t respond out of hurt, anger, misunderstanding but with a “gentle and quiet” spirit.  I sense that the second part of my Lenten Journey is to focus on the requests of the last twenty some days and really deal with them.  I can make anything in my life a “daily Bible reading exercise.”  By that I mean, seeing the words, checking off that I saw them and read them, and thinking that is the end of that.  But I hear Abba saying :  “Oh no, no,  no Baby doll!  We are going to go to work now and make the words part of your life.”  Well shoot, I like reading them better, checking off that I read them and putting everything nicely away until tomorrow. 

I am wanting to be “rebellious” and tell God what I will take part in and what I won’t take part in.  I am wanting to be a petulant child.  I am wanting to have my own way.  Oh, a “bunny trail” to go down.  I re-wrote Have Thine Own Way Lord:

Have Mine own way, Lord!  Have Mine own way!  I want to be the Potter, and not be the clay.  Just a little touch up will suit me just fine, Being still and waiting seems way out of line.

Have Mine own way, Lord!  Have Mine own way, Fix (him/her)  real quick Lord, just as I say.   Whiter than snow, Lord, Make me right now, Do something painless, and I’ll take the bow.

Have Mine own way, Lord!  Have Mine own way!  I get so weary, help me TODAY!  Power, all Power, I want to have!  Zap me and make me perfect right NOW.

Have Mine own way, Lord!  Have Mine own Way!  I’ll tell you how Lord, do it today!  Filled with my way Lord, So all can see.  If I’m in Control Lord, I can be soo happy!  

OK, off the bunny trail  and  on to  the God Trail.  I’m opening my hand Lord, placing  it in yours.  I think I’ll sing – “I Have Decided to Follow Jesus, I Have Decided to Follow Jesus . . . .No turning back, no turning back.