Hanging Down...

3 Gifts HANGING DOWN...

Tears hanging down...
Heart hanging down...
Dreams hanging down...

Pete Wilson said,
It's those unexpected shattered dreams that provide us with twists and turns in life where we meet God. Rarely do we surrender when we feel strong and in control. But when a dream is shattered, when life takes an unexpected turn and veers out of control, that's when we fall to our knees. That's when a new dream can grow. http://www.incourage.me/2012/07/i-will.html

Pride hanging down...
Control hanging down...

John 5:19 "Jesus gave them this answer: "I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does."
What does He mean when He says, "The Son can do nothing of Himself"? Is Christ helpless? Without the Father's help, can He do no more than any other man?

v30 : "By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgement is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me."
He seeks the will of the Father. He is saying, "I cannot act independently of the Father." He limits Himself to do only those things that the Father desires Him to do. He can do nothing that the Father does not want Him to do.    *"The Life of Christ" by Frank Hamrick

Will hanging down...

If we want something that is not the same as the Father, then we are CHOOSING our sinful nature with our will.

Choices hanging down...

Sometimes we have already chosen & don't realise it... wrong dreams...dreams that have become idols taking the adoration and focus that belongs to our Father.

Just as Christ's works witness to His deity, so mine witness to what I am...

Shame hanging down...

I bow my heart down...

My Saviour reaches down...


And lifts me up... I am forever grateful!


                                 ~~~~~

"1000 Gifts"...

#197  HIS heart of love

#198  Begonia hanging down

#199 PawPaw hanging down

#200  Clouds hanging down

 with grateful thanks Loma Photography©

3 gifts of Stone in the Earthquake

3 Gifts IN STONE...

It came from nowhere...suddenly my world was shaking.
I've had them before...know these tremors well...but this one was unexpected.

An earthquake in my heart.

The element of surprise adds to the shock...I thought I had done things so that this quake wouldn't hit me again...prepared myself. This one was deeper.

My attempts at repairing the damage from previous quakes fell in piles of rubble. I see it strewn all around me. Useless fumbling attempts at making it right...it's not.

Automatically I try to defend myself against the force that I perceive is threatening to engulf me... each time these tremors have come I've done it... defended myself... protected myself by pushing away. This time it was different.

I still feel it's force...raw...deep...strong
There is no defense to protect me this time.

Stunned, I survey the wreckage. Too dazed to comprehend it fully, yet trying to grasp the magnitude. So much waste...so many broken pieces.

I do the only thing I know... I call out to HIM, the cornerstone of my heart...

...the only thing left standing true
.

~~~~~

"1000 Gifts"...

#192  Jesus, the cornerstone of my heart

#193  Mortar & Pestle - a gift from my darling - making foccaccia bread tonight

#194  A friend's first rose-bud

#195  Motivation and energy to clean the bathroom of all the mould - Yuk!

 #196  A winsome statue reminding me to pray for gorgeous daughter

Dancing in HIS love

3 gifts YELLOW...

My favourite colour!
So HAPPY!!!
As a child, my favourite flower was the buttercup...growing wild
Later I would write a song... about buttercups dancing before our King



Sang it to my children.
Still one of creative daughter's favourites

A desire deep, to dance in the light of HIS mighty love

I'm learning to dance...
some days bold
other days fragile steps

HE leads with gifts
I follow with thanks
HE returns joy
I overflow yellow... happiness

A beautiful dance with the One who has my heart.

~~~~~

"1000 gifts"...

#182  Sunlight coming across floor

#183  Exciting night producing with creative daughter... she's clever!

#184  New yellow pegs

#185  Middle son made his famous pancakes for lunch...indulgence!

#186  The hard sweat of breaking new ground

#187  Love that carries us through

#188  Daughter cooking dinner and doing dishes as well

#189  Time with HIM and the guitar

#190  The weekends when my darling & I can talk more on the phone

#191  Creativity

When I am down I must...

3 Gifts Learned...

I've been here before...      
and what did I learn?

remind myself...

Do not ask myself "How I feel?" Feelings are not what I am.
 Feelings are just flags to things happening deeper down.
What is it really? Ask the deep questions... unlayer the onion...

Tears overwhelming me... I pick up the phone. Dialing his very familiar number... my darling.

I have learned I must talk it out. I need to voice those thoughts that roll around inside. Many of them will become visibly foolish when spoken...I need to see them disappear... bubbles bursting.

with grateful thanks LomaPhotograpy©

Needing to be patient as I help his male-mind connect the dots already formed in my rabbit warren female-mind. His once disdained, logical viewpoint is now highly valued and sought after. He shows me another viewpoint.
He reminds me I am loved and I am grateful.

The second thing I have learned is to look at surrounding situations.
Am I too tired? Yes, YES, and YES!!!
Am I feeling frazzled with too many things on? Are there issues sitting unresolved in my heart that are causing my emotional reservoir to leak?
I have a sleep.

with grateful thanks LomaPhotography©

Talked through and somewhat refreshed by a sleep, I have learned to get up and do, and in the doing...sing.

Sometimes I cannot sing- too many emotions still close to the surface...brimming over, so I play music and let the words and the music wash over me.

I soak in the positive words... the God-praise.


So, I am off to clean my room. Fold clothes and put them away, tidy up and dust a little.
Maybe change my earrings and run the comb through my hair... and sing!

with grateful thanks LomaPhotography©

Lift up my eyes to the hills which is where my help comes from. Psalm 121:1

~~~~~

"1000 Gifts"...

#173  Inclusion

#174  Saturday

#175  Water fights as boys clean the cars

#176  Listening to my kids laughing together

#177  A sleep

#178  Emergency emotional download calls to my darling

#179  His patient listening ear

#180  Messages reminding me that my story matter to HIM

#181  Light through afternoon sun showers

"Happy Birthday to You!"

A gift of Life, Growth, Decline...

Birthday thoughts swirling... again... 50 times over.

with grateful thanks Loma Photography©

I ponder where I am going in this life-gift He's given to me.

Youth thought it was forever...new depths of realization dawning as to the proximity of my 'use-by-date'. What might that be? Do I have 20...30...40 'good' years left?
If more than, or at least half, of my time is over, what have I accomplished? What do I count for?

with grateful thanks Loma Photography©

I talk to others older... further along.
I listen to experience and wisdom...

They tell me tales of oak trees that spend 50 yrs on only growth... growth slow and sure... roots deep, branches wide. Only after 50 yrs of preparation does the time of fruit come. What the oak tree was created for...

I hear of some with great lists of accomplishments, tell me it all means nothing...it's the lessons they have learned in showing love to someone close that they consider their greatest work.

with grateful thanks Loma Photography©

Drawing it around themselves like a heavy cloak, I watch people slowly put on old age. Bodies frail and failing... pace slowing, but with prayer becoming their constant companion. Warriors of heaven... champions of those still coming.


It would seem as if these human bodies we are gifted with, are the cocoon for the emerging butterfly of our spirit.


Becoming a friend of God... forged in this life... growth nurtured through years of relating to Him... Decline of the body heralding the greatest work of all... two becoming one.

~~~~~

"1000 Gifts"...

#155  Girl talks with our son

#156  Impromptu photo sessions

#157  Blue eyes twinkling

#158  Dog indulging in warmth of the sun

#159  Giggles with daughter

#160  Coffee date set

#161  Running tongue around clean teeth

#162  "Aha!" moments with new ideas

#163  Friends who send 'spot-on' youtube clips... thanks for listening to His nudge

#164  Strawberries & vanilla ice-cream