When I’m feeling hurried and stressed by the demands that I think the world is projecting onto me and I think I will explode if I’m slowed down by one more obstacle…
…He opens up the heavens and reminds me that He knows and He cares…
this is not my home…and red lights aren’t always a bad thing.
I stumbled upon this passage by Channing and I love the excerpt below.
I think it quite fitting for a Monday as I begin a new day and a new week.
I hope you find this encouraging and motivating.
It’s so easy to get caught up in what the world values. Just remember that it’s fleeting.
I long to focus on what matters…what is lasting…that which is eternal.
“To live content with small means; to seek elegance rather than luxury,
and refinement rather than fashion; to be worthy, not respectable, and wealthy, not rich; to study hard, think quietly, talk gently, act frankly; to listen to stars and birds, to babes and sages, with open heart; to bear all cheerfully, do all bravely, await occasions, hurry never. In a word, to let the spiritual, unbidden, and unconscious grow up through the common.
This is to be my symphony.”
(William Henry Channing, 1810-1884, US clergyman and philosopher.)
How about you? What is your symphony?
When I read the word “Expectation” as the subject for our 5 minutes together today,
I immediately thought of Matthew 6. Only I couldn’t remember that it was Matthew 6 so I had to google the key words and verses. (Just keepin’ it honest with my imperfections.)
I have been thinking a great deal about nature and the way that it surrenders to the Master’s plan.
The intricate detail displayed in a spider’s web is fascinating to me. Today’s post is illustrated with examples of creation and the lack of expectation as it knows the Father is taking care of every need.
25-26“If you decide for God, living a life of God-worship, it follows that you don’t fuss about what’s on the table at mealtimes or whether the clothes in your closet are in fashion. 
There is far more to your life than the food you put in your stomach, more to your outer appearance than the clothes you hang on your body. Look at the birds, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, 
careless in the care of God. And you count far more to him than birds.
27-29“Has anyone by fussing in front of the mirror ever gotten taller by so much as an inch? All this time and money wasted on fashion—do you think it makes that much difference? Instead of looking at the fashions, walk out into the fields and look at the wildflowers. They never primp or shop, but have you ever seen color and design quite like it? The ten best-dressed men and women in the country look shabby alongside them.
30-33“If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don’t you think he’ll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I’m trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God’s giving. People
who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.
34“Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow.
God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.” ~Matthew 6:25-34
OK, are you ready? What does Expectation mean to you?
2. Link back here and invite others to join in.
3. Please visit the person who linked up before you & encourage them in their comments.
I want to take this opportunity to say, “Thank you.”
Sincerely, from the depths of my heart.
I am so grateful for each of you reading this.
The fact that you would take a break from your busy life to read what I have written is not only humbling, but motivating and encouraging.
Thank you for allowing me to process the shock, pain, anger, regret and all of the other emotions that I have written through over the last 10 months.
As you know this journey with Elliot has changed me. In a good way.
She has changed me and will continue to.
I know the posts have been deep and sometimes dark, but I could not have experienced the peace that I have had were it not for those of you who are reading, sharing, commenting and praying.
I will continue to write about my beautiful friend. How can I not?
However, I will also get back to posting on life in general.
I will try to center most everything around experience, strength and hope.
Thank you…for embarking on this pilgrimage with me.
It is often bumpy and at times I cannot see much further than my own face, but it is worth it. You are worth it…I am worth it.
If only we could see more than a fraction of our worth.
Our fear would dissolve in the truth of our potential.
We were born with a great purpose in mind. Each one of us.
We are being groomed for greatness.
On the days when you feel anything but great (and those days will come), if you remember nothing else, remember, you have been given this gift of life. With this gift comes the freedom of choice, the blessing of opportunities, the realness of humanity. I don’t care what you’ve done, what you’re doing or what you will do, nothing on this earth has the power to strip you of your potential.
Eleanor Roosevelt said it best, “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” Friend, You were born to be blessed. Don’t allow anyone or anything to tell you different.
Love and Light,
In the peacefulness of early morning
before even the sun has dispelled the darkness of night
there is praise on my lips.
It is You who wakes me from sleep
beckoning me
to embrace the stillness and quiet
while listening for Your voice.
God,
make me acutely aware of Your presence
in my coming in and going out
in each conversation in which I engage.
May You always be at the forefront of my mind
first in my heart
anchoring my soul and stirring my spirit.
Calm my anxious thoughts
dissolve my fear
with the gentle reminders of Your faithfulness.
Expose my lack of faith
so that the light may extinguish its power
search me, know me
completely and fully.
Your will is not my will
compared to You
I am but a vapor.
How can I not trust
how can I not believe
how can I not call on You in the early hours of morning
throughout the day and
into the evening.
When this world is everything but
You are grace
You are hope
You are light
You are life
Your magnificence is all around me
and yet, at times, it is as if I am blind
open my eyes to Your splendor.
Open my ears to the sounds of creation
Your creation
filling the earth with songs to You.
When I seek solace in things of this world
draw me back to You
my Provider, Protector, Comforter
my Resting Place.
Let me not seek out grandiose events
but rather delight in each moment
may everything I do
everything I am
be pleasing to You.
Take captive every thought
and before it becomes a word
may it be gratifying to You
before it becomes an action
may it honor and glorify You.
Lord, in whom I put my trust
You do not leave me here in the silence
You are everywhere I look
If only I had faith like a child.
Look at the work of Your hands
You are in every detail
nature screams of Your divine providence
evidence of You cannot be ignored
Even in my grieving
I find comfort
in the undeniable truth that
You are in all things.
Before time began
as centuries have passed
now and in the future
You remain unchanged.
Less of me
more of You
this life is fragile
I don’t want to waste a moment.
Even so, I know that this earth is not my home
help me make eternal investments
in the time that I have
until I am made complete
when in Your presence
And by Your power
all is made well.
___________________________________________________________________________________
“Beauty”
“Praise”
“Childlike wonder”
“Splendor”
“Grace”
“Faithfulness”
“Master Creator”
“And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud
was more painful than the risk it took
to blossom.” ~Anais Nin
The first thing that came to mind when seeing today’s topic…
“I once was lost but now I’m found
was blind but now I see…
my chains are gone I’ve been set free
my God, my Savior has ransomed me
and like a flood His mercy reigns
unending love… amazing grace“
This is a picture of an original work by an incredibly talented artist named
Barclay B Gresham
click here for her website
Be sure to “like” her page on facebook
Quote is from Chris Tomlin’s version of “Amazing Grace”
This post inspired by;
the gypsy mama
1. Write for 5 minutes flat – no editing, no over thinking, no backtracking
2. Link back here and invite others to join in.
3. And then visit the person who linked up before you & encourage them in their comments. Seriously. That is, like, the rule. And the fun. And the heart of this community.
Even A Girl Like Me 