Run Through the Door

After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. Revelation 4:1

When I was growing up, still in school, this weekend was always the best one in the year. It was the water shed of all weekends, it was off with the old on with the new. It was the end of the year for me, the start of summer. I am not a good enough writer to explain the absolute joy this weekend brought to me, the anticipation of great things to come. I knew there would be swimming every day, golf, picnics every Monday night, baseball games, being outside morning till night, running up to the neighbors, going to the lake, just days and days of freedom.
When I woke up this morning I actually had a glimmer of that same old feeling inside me. Not quite as strong as when I was 9 or 10 years old, but I could feel it. An excited feeling in my belly of things to come...swimming, visits and travel to family already scheduled, a bunch of golf tournaments, dinners with friends. This morning it was like a door was standing open and I was excited about getting up and running through it. Just like the old days...just get up and run through it, enter the summer full tilt.
In Revelations, John saw a door standing open in Heaven. That must have been an exciting feeling of anticipation. As above so below, I love that thought. The door to the Kingdom is here and open, we just have to go through. Run through with hope and joy at what we will find. Here in our lives on earth we get glimmers of what it is like in the Kingdom that is so near.
The door to summer is open, so is the door to the Kingdom.

Prayer Time

Again he prayed,... James 5:18

Fridays are not a day in my date book that are marked for golf. Those days are Tuesday and Thursday, with others thrown in when I can. Friday is prayer group day. We meet at the church to pray for our church, country, friends, families, and any specific requests we have received. So maybe on Fridays we will take some time here to talk more specifically about prayer.
Over there on the right side I put a link to a site that will help you if you are new to prayer, www.Contemplativeoutreach.org. It is a place to go even if you have been a prayer all your life. When you get to the home page there will be a spot where you can click onto an explaination for centering and contemplative prayer. When I began my path into contemplative prayer, I found Father Keating and his writings. If you would like to or feel you are being led into a deeper prayer life this is a place to start.
My life has changed 360 degrees since I began to spend time open to God. Changed, as I am still and wait for the Love to come in.
Please remember if you need prayer or have a request, I am here. I will join mine with yours and if you want, I'll take it with me on Fridays.

Water In The Desert

They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. Isaiah 11:9.

Upon waking some mornings we find that the farm down in the valley has been irrigated. Today I tried to capture it for you. It is such a beautiful site, my pictures could never do it justice. The water comes from the Rio Grande river that flows about a mile from our house. The dry desert soaks up the water and the green plants thrive, later to be harvested. You can almost feel the land take in the moisture as it covers acre after acre.

This passage from Isaiah is the one about the branch from Jesse. The Spirit of the Lord rests on this branch. One day the knowledge of the Lord will cover the whole earth. If you need peace today, get your Bible and read Isaiah 11. I love to look at this view off our little hill and feel God's love and care soaking into me just as the desert soaks up the irrigation water. I pray I am as open to the "knowledge", to the closeness of my Creator, as the land here is to the water.

Someday the whole earth will know God. You don't have to wait until "someday", soak God up now, today.

Who Is LikeYou ?

Who is like you--majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders? Exodus 15:11

5:27 am, this morning, he/she came back. Loud, insistent...the mocking bird. I didn't have to get up until 6:30, she didn't care. This bird saw the majestic, glorious, wonder of the morning and broke into song. Sang until 5:41. Twenty one minutes. Do I keep my praise going as loud and as long as 21 minutes. Do I go out on my patio for twenty one minutes and shout and sing to my Creator when I am overcome with the beauty of my surroundings, the majesty of the mornings here in southern New Mexico?
Nope. But then God didn't give me the abilities of the mocking bird. God gave me a smile and a voice to cheerfully say "Good morning" to say "Thank you" to say "I love you". The mocking bird has captured in his brain the songs he has copied from many other birds. I work on capturing in my heart the love God gives us at each breath, so I can pour it out like a song to wake people up to God's kingdom.

Do and Wait

Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And he will strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord. Psalm 27:14

Everything I do today let me do it through you, for you. That thought prayer just automatically came to me as I rolled over while waking up this morning. It followed me into the kitchen, making the bed, checking my e-mail. Always at the center of my mind. "Everything I do today let me do it through you, for you". Then during my devotional reading time the above passage from Psalms was presented. I'm on the second year of working through The Daily Reader for Contemplative Living, based on Father Thomas Keating's works. So I am to do and wait.
Seems backwards to me, what about you? First I pray do, then I'm guided to wait. Shouldn't I wait for God to show me what to do and then go do it? Am I being too reflective, too thoughtful about what this means? I don't think so. I think I had to see these two thoughts side by side and then pray about them.
What do they mean for me today? I think, after prayer, they mean I am not supposed to sit around today for some big revelation from God before I enter the day's living. I am to step out and live, aware that all I do and say should be done through and for my Creator, at the same time waiting for God to open the path as I go. Do, live; wait, listen.
Times such as this are what make this course I am playing so interesting and challenging. My attention needs to be on the little details, like do and wait. Because tomorrow it might be wait and do.

Peace at all times

Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. 2Thessalonians 3:16

Peace has not abounded in our house since Lucky the lost dog came home yesterday afternoon!! The other two dogs have welcomed him back with open paws and he has chased them round and round. He has found all his left behind toys and remembered how to sneak onto the bed when none of the rest of us are watching. The three of them have barked so much that I am about ready to put them all outside in the pen so I can think. So what is this about "peace at all times"? How can that happen? Surely this is one of those Bible quotes that sounds good, but is impossible to understand or have. Nope.
To me there are two levels at work here, one is superficial and the other is deep inside. It may look and sound chaotic around here on the surface, however there is a peace and calm deep down that was brought on by Lucky's homecoming. There is a deep well of gratitude and love that from which love flows up to the surface.
Sometimes peace fills both levels. This morning was my weekly prayer group gathering. It is peaceful on the surface and deep down at the same time. Peace, calm, love,all there to surround us as we talk and pray.
So, the next time it seems as if life and the noise and confusion that goes with it have you surrounded, just remember God gives you peace at all times. It is deeper than the surface. Take a breath and feel that peace that is available, always, flow through you.

Lucky Dog

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Jesus Christ. 1Thessalonians 5:16

What a day for thanks!! First the little one. Playing golf today I chipped one in for a birdy and parred the last hole, Yippee.
Now for the big ones...daughter got a new job in her company that she was hoping for. Next...one of our three dogs that had been missing for over a month was found at the dog shelter two hours ago. And as I write...it is raining. Daughter, dog and rain had been objects of prayer. The golf was added joy. I'm telling you, pray for the big and small. Nothing is beyond the care of our Creator. I am giving thanks for these blessings because I know God sees every little hair on our heads, every dog hair and every rain drop.
I am joyful, I pray continually and I give thanks in all circumstances. We are blessed with a Creator that loves us through and through. Good times and bad, Little and big, silly and serious. Praise the Lord.

Obscure Mountains, Obscure Awareness

"...that by his power he may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith." 2Thessalonians 1:11

The wind is still with us this spring. Yesterday our ladies group hosted a city exchange golf tournament. The various ladies groups play at each others' courses about once a month. Lots of fun. The wind started to blow gently when we teed off on number 8, by the 11th hole we were being blown around pretty good. By the 16th we could hardly stand still to putt. It is fun to stand over your ball and watch it wiggle while you wonder if your putter will be able to make contact with it. You really have to concentrate, pay close attention to what you are doing, when you play in high wind. Widen your stance, swing easy.
The wind also obscures the view we have of the beautiful mountains that surround our valley. We usually have many amazing views from tee boxes and greens, but not yesterday. The blowing dust took care of those.
Do you ever feel as if your awareness of God is obscured, as if you are having trouble feeling God's presence around you? You just cannot see the work being carried out in your life. We all have times like that. Sometimes it only lasts a few hours, sometimes it is months. It has been called "the dark night of the soul". Well, I think the above Bible passage is very helpful at times such as these. Whether you are aware of it or not God is always there, working in every one of your acts and good purposes. If each act you do is done with love and attention to doing it right, God is right there. Daily tasks around the house or on the job, taking a walk or praying, God will be there. If your awareness is obscured, act as if it isn't.
The mountains are there whether I can see them or not. If I fly a plane I had better realize they didn't go away just because I cannot see them!

A Light Shines

the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned. Matthew 5:16

Here we are in southern California, safe and sound. However, no sunny California skies for us until about five minutes ago. The clouds and mist have hung low over my daughter's house since Monday. When the sun broke through it made everything so bright and shiny. The backyard took on a whole nother look. The dogs knew something had happened and started chasing each other around the big tree (as if they needed an excuse !). It always amazes me how the light breaking through can instantly cheer you up. Just like that...cheerful!

Do you remember when you first felt the light dawn in you? Did your understanding of being filled with God's light come upon you slowly or did it hit you in a flash? Mine was like a warm flood running through my blood and an instant feeling of wonder and happiness. But, it didn't happen overnight. It was after a journey of reading and prayer; building faith and hope. It sure was worth looking for.

If you have the light, spread it. If you have not yet been filled, it's there, just keep the window open and look for it.

Grandchildrens' Children

But if a widow has children or grandchildren, these should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents. 1Timothy 5:4

No golf this week, but that is OK. Spouse and I are going to take care of the youngest of our three grandsons in California. My children have repayed me a thousand times over by caring for their families. I have three of the best natured, loving grandsons God every placed in this world. They are ages 15, 13 and twelve. Even though they are separated by one half of the continent they care about each other, texting all the time to keep up with things. You can see what is important to my children by watching the way they care for their families. We are also blessed with two step granddaughters. They were welcomed into the family with love and open arms.

About five years ago I made a prayer journal for my family. I gave each person a page. On that page I wrote a Bible passage I had specifically chosen for them, my prayer request and any they had for themselves. When I would pray for them I would add notes, updates and results. It was an awesome experience. I am going to do another one this month.

Remember in your prayers to pray for your grandchildrens' children and those grands in the far far future. Also pray for those relatives of yours that prayed for you in the distant past. I love to think that a 6x grandparent prayed for me to know God years and years ago.

Forgot to say that this year I will add my daughter's best friend Leslie and her family to my book.

I'll keep in touch from California. Bless you.

You Have To Follow Through

But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Galatians 5:22

One of the important parts of your golf swing is the follow through. You can choose the correct club, line up your shot, take the perfect back swing, left arm straight, apply the appropriate speed, pull the club downward, make solid contact with the ball and still have a really bad shot. Why? Because you forgot to follow through completely. You stopped short of the full swing. You need to follow through so that you are aimed at the target. Some times we think we are finished and we want to see how far the shot went or how close to the hole we ended up. Big mistake. Got to follow through. Finish the job you started when you sized up the shot and selected the club.
The Holy Spirit will fill you up with all the fruit mentioned in Galatians, but you have to follow through. You can pray and it will be given. You have to recognize the gift of fruit and then put it to use. Your finish is to pass it on to someone who needs it.
If you find it hard to love someone, you pray and ask the Holy Spirit to let you love that person with God's love as yours is not enough. The Holy Spirit will see you get a full measure of that love. Then you have to follow through, you have to give that love to your unlovable. You are filled with the Creator's unconditional love, but you have to apply it. How do I know? Been there done that. I can tell you if you follow though with your fruits of the spirit they work. Then you will be filled again and again.

Let the Joy Shine Out

But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy...Galatians 5:25



Only three out of our usual seven gals were here to play this morning. We only played nine holes because of the wind. We had some crazy shots into, through, around, under and over the gusts. There was a lot of laughter.

We have some good chances to talk about religion and spirituality while we play. Not too often, but now and then. Our group has some believers, some strong, some thin and some non believers. Our discussions can be interesting.

Other people should be able to recognize that we are believers by our general happiness and love for each other. So, when in your groups, remember to let your joy shine out. That way others will want what you have and usually ask "How do you stay so happy?" The Holy spirit will continue to fill you up as you pass on the laughter, joy and love. Open up and let the Spirit fill you, then pour it out.

Lacking Wisdom??

If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. James 1:5

No golf planned today, so I thought I would tell you about some of my favorite reads. Well, I guess I can stick in some golf. Before you putt (see yesterday's blog) you have to gather some knowledge. You look for rises or ridges between your ball and the hole, which way does the grain of the grass lay, any divots in your line. Then you take this knowledge and decide which way your ball is going to roll, how hard to hit it. Then you act. After years of doing this you should become wise in the way to putt. Notice the word "should"! My friend Judy would point out to you that all my knowledge, accumulated over many years of golfing, has not put me anywhere near wise.
I love to read, to gather knowledge. I especially love books and publications about spirituality. I noticed this morning an ad for GuidepostMag.com in that Google thingy over there on the right side. Well, that reminded me of a great publication I read, Weavings. I just received my May/June copy. I haven't read it yet, however, I can tell you I won't be disappointed. This one is about "Many Gifts". Each journal has 8 to 10 contributors and they are always thought provoking. You can find the subscription site at http://www.weavings.org/.
Kathleen Norris has written three books that are excellent. Dakota:A Spiritual Geography, The Cloister Walk, and Amazing Grace. I especially love the last two. Amazing Grace is about the vocabulary of religion that can be a roadblock to some of us.
As Peter says in 2Peter 1:5-6 add knowledge to your faith and goodness. As you gather knowledge and contemplate it, meditate over it, pray about it, God will lead you into wisdom. Our Creator will give it generously.
It may take some of us longer to become wise, but we ought not to give up. Ask God to lead you to the right source for your walk. It's out there. Every time I go into my favorite used bookstore a book usually shouts out to me "here I am, buy me!". You'd be amazed how often a book cover will draw your eye, while you miss the ones meant for someone else.
Feed your spirit, there are plenty of resources out there. Go to it.

Putting perseverance

Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking in anything. James 1:4

Putting is the finishing action you take to get the job done on each hole. It is the last stroke you take on the course. It might be a twenty footer or a tap in; doesn't matter, the ball has to go in the hole. Sometimes you can do it so smoothly, other times it seems as if you cannot do anything right. But to have a completed scorecard the little round ball has to go into the little round hole. Sometimes you have to persevere through some bad putting to get the job done.
I love James because he is so direct. He does not mess around with you, he is straight to the hole every time! When it comes to Bible study, prayer, improving ourselves, getting a task done we have to persevere. Work through the bumps on the course. Our Creator will give us all that we need, we will not lack any support from God. We will eventually become the mature and complete person God created us to be if we don't give up.
Open yourself up to God's support. It is always there, always close by. Sometimes we don't see the line clearly, as on the putting green, but it is there. Look and follow.

Praise

"...so that in all things God maybe praised through Jesus Christ." 1Peter 4:11



Praise, who doesn't love it! I played in a golf tournament this weekend. Gents verses the Ladies. We had a great time. So much laughter and teasing went on it was hard to catch it all. And praise. As I passed different foursomes it was gratifying to hear the compliments and praises being offered. Some of them hidden in a joke or tease, many of them out right admiration for a great shot or putt. Partners building up partners, opponents appreciating another's skill. You could see the joy praise gives by the look on the receiver's face. It seems to take us to a higher level. Some players just glowed to hear something nice said about them. When you give praise it makes you feel so good to see it's effect in the body language of the other person. Good for both. And it spreads. It is so much more fun to build up than to tear down.

As we praise God's creation we please and praise the Creator. How do I know? If you praise me about a scarf I knitted for you, I am so happy to know that you are happy and that you appreciate the time and work that went into my gift. And in whose image are we made ?? When we compliment or praise a fellow creation of God, God is praised. So, praise God through your prayers, songs, and thoughts. But also, don't forget to praise God by lifting up his people with compliments and praise.

I guess I have to tell you about the outcome of the tournament. The fellows won. Just wait until next year guys, us ladies have plans !!

Strengthen me

"encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word." 2Thessalonians 3:17

I am home. I arrived Wednesday about noon to a loving husband and two happy dogs. My time with my friends was beautiful. We talked until we were worn out and then we talked some more. So when I got home I was very grateful to have a husband who encouraged me to relax and slow down. He fixed lunch, listened to my tales and then let me sit and ponder for a while. That was nice.
Yesterday, after doing the wash and some straightening, I headed to the course to hit some practice balls. Did I tell you it was windy? The weather report used the word breezy, I think they were trying to be nice. When I got up on the practice tee the wind was blowing so hard my sunglasses blew off my visor. Since it had been over ten days since I had practiced I decided to hit some balls anyway. When you play in the wind you have to hold steady and get your balance from the strength in your legs. You have to have a firm foundation, yet you cannot fight the wind. It is like a flow coming out of a solid foundation. You gage where the wind is coming from and adjust your aim. You also get a lot of sand and dirt in your hair! The better your swing is, the closer to the ideal swing, the better you can hit in the wind. If your swing is in the groove, the right path, the strength of your foundation will sustain you.
Through the fellowship of our retreat we gathered to us God's grace and strength. We filled ourselves with knowledge, wisdom and love. We gathered the"eternal encouragement and good hope" also mentioned in verse 17. When we are faced with life, our words and deeds will be enhanced as we look for the good. As we look for the correct path (as in grooving my swing) we will be strengthened and encouraged by the ideas, conversations, wisdom and love we found God infilling us with.
Out of the strength of our foundation, we can face the wind of life. We can aim for the good and flow with our Creator's love and eternal encouragement.

Longing Fullfilled

Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life. Proverbs 12:12

We have longed for this time together for a year. It has been worth every minute of waiting. We have again stretched each other out of our comfort zone so that I can see seeds sprouting. The seeds we plant in each other will grow until next year.
I am turning the blog over to the Las Vegas sister for her take on this time of fellowship.
How to begin to understand such a blessing of fellowship... You couldn't plan to make such special friends. You couldn't dream of the different personalities, backgrounds, ages and tastes coming together to share the most intimate stories of our lives with full acceptance and love. Tonight we are thinking of eating ice cream with no judgment and guilt associated , just finger lickin pleasure as we had as little girls. Then the discussion turns to going home, our next year get-together and our hopes and plans in between. It has been like the most fun summer camp complete with arts and crafts, lovely treasures to take home to remind us of our time together.
I can only encourage other women to make a circle of 3 or 4 girlfriends and spend one or two or four days of uninterrupted time together. No matter how long you have been friends, even if it is a short time, the connection runs deep and propels you into a place of understanding that you could get no other way. We all owe it to each other.

Grace

We have done so not according to worldly wisdom but according to God's grace. 2Corinthians 1:12

We had about 5 to 6 hours of discussion today. It was beautiful. We discussed two of our books and got about half way through another. The deepest point for me was a time of prayer. As it is said, when three or more of you gather in my name...we gathered, we prayed and the Presence was with us. It was one of the most amazing gifts of grace I have been involved in. We truly were one. I hope tomorrow one of my soul sisters will tell you more.
When you look at yourself with no one else around, when you get into that quiet space of your soul you can find out so much. When you then take what you have learned and place it before your friends it can be scary. Not so today. I have very rarely felt so safe as I did today. God is so good to give us friends who make you feel safe. SO, the topics we discussed were meaningful, insightful, thought provoking. But the essence of our group had the sweet smell of love, the feel of trust, the touch of concern, the sight of beautiful faces, the hearing of the word.
Tomorrow.

Abundance

"...and you brought us to a place of abundance." Psalm 66:12

Oh, my!! We just walked in from the grocery store. You talk about abundance...we have enough food for an army for 6 days. We shopped for only the first day and a half. And my sister just added "only four people!" Our storehouse is overflowing. We are prepared. There will be an abundance of good food for all.
There will be an abundance of all sorts of food. Food for thought, food for discussion, food for meditation, food for prayer, food for the soul. We will be given the exact amount of manna that each one of us needs, in the form we need it.
There will be an abundance of love. Love will flow out of the abundance God has put in our hearts for each other. There will be no way to suppress it. Love will be pressed down and then overflowing.
Our creator will have us situated in the very heart of abundance tomorrow night as we sit down to share our first meal together. Situated in the heart of study Friday morning. Most joyously the Spirit will place us in the very center of an never ending pool of love.

Safe Trip

Howdy, I made it to Missouri. The sister and I are getting ready for the arrival of our friends. So far no sibling arguments! Kind of scary when you find us agreeing on every thing. I wonder why God made brothers and sisters as our closest biological ties and yet some some of the mightiest arguments occur between them. Bible stories are a case in point. Probably because we are two sides of the same coin. Fortunately my sister and I have had only little tiffs in our shared history. We are truly blessed.

We are so looking forward to the upcoming laughter, discussions, fellowship and meals. We know we will be stretched and lead to new levels of love and friendship.

Stay tuned. We will see you tomorrow.