Showing posts with label healing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label healing. Show all posts

Tuesday, December 3, 2013

The Healing Power of An Upside Down Snowman

It is the afternoon and I am restless.
 I get this way sometimes. The enormity of the loss overpowering. I just don't want to think. I pray and remember the promises; God will never leave us nor forsake us. But the afternoon threatens to engulf. So I head to the barn to see (Ahem, supervise) those boys.
They have so much finished in one day. 
Probably because they don't stop.
 I asked if they were coming in for lunch and they were all like, 
as my son says, "I ain't got time for that." 
So, I send food up to them.
And then I head to check on them.


The water pipe is buried and they are getting ready for the electrical;
except, the lane for the cows is frozen solid. Ooops!


They try a jack hammer.
They try to dig under so the bucket can scoop and lift and break away the pieces.
(that's my official untrained lingo)
But it's too solid.
They try a few more things and then they set a heater out to try to thaw
through those layers of frozen earth. 


The cows are very curious. I sometimes wonder what they think. 
They tend to just stare. 
I hope they don't judge. 
Dobie and Gary in their more thoughtful moment on the project; two peas in a pod. 
And I marvel at these two men. So different; yet so alike. 
Neither spent money on a higher education, yet both run their own businesses. 
Between the 2 of them, they can fix or build anything. 
The support for Gary; a godsend. 
2 men who value work over most anything else.
Unless there is equipment or deer stories,
then you don't want to miss a single moment of the conversation.
It is a gift to be in their presence.
 I look forward to those times. There is richness in their talk. They are wise and funny. 
Yet there is a bit of awe.
I make extra coffee, hoping each morning we'll have a visit.

I too long to be in the presence of the most Holy. I long to sit at Jesus' feet. To be in the word.
 For my soul to be nourished by the ancient truth. 
My soul aches with loss and the outcome of the future. All I know here on this earth is in upheaval. 
Yet it is my soul that is nourished and fed.
There is peace in the journey. 


 There is humor in the day. 
God knew I would need these 2 little girls. 


So, in my world that is turned upside down; in my world where cancer and the first anniversary of mom's home going looms, I put my knees to the ground and lift my hands in praise, because this Advent, I want my heart to wait on the only thing that matters. 

O Come, O Come Emmanuel
O come, Thou Key of David, come,
And open wide our heavenly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.



Monday, November 25, 2013

I almost missed it. . .Day #25 of Thankfulness

 I almost missed it.
I almost walked away without seeing. 
 Something caught my eye; something made me look again.


Someone had written love with leaves. 
I would have missed it, because I was so focused on the grief.
Because sometimes it takes all I have to breathe in, and out.
I would have missed it if I had gone a day later.
The bitter wind and snow falling.
I would have missed it, if I hadn't have taken another look. 
 I am reminded of how much we are all in this together. 
Love. 
 The love of a son, brother, cousin, friend, nephew, grandchild, boy friend.
Silenced now.
Love.
Oh, how he is loved.
And oh, how he is missed.


I think we miss a lot of things if we're not careful. If we're so caught up in the doing and being.
If we're not quiet and still before the LORD, how can he speak to us?
How can he breathe life, deep into our hurting souls?
How can we be a forgiven people if we're not in His presence to confess?
To lay it all down at His feet.
And I ponder these things.
We will gather this week to give thanks, to share an elaborate meal together.
To celebrate the bounty of the season.


It feels strange to celebrate. 
But we are celebrating God's goodness.

Psalm 106:1
Praise the LORD. Give thanks to the LORD, 
for he is good; his love endures forever.

His provision in the hard times.
His support when those early Americans were nearly spent and worn.
He provided for their needs.
So, I will be still as he pours soothing balm on my hurting heart.

Philippians 4:19
And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches 
of his glory in Christ Jesus.

Day #25 of Thankfulness

I am Thankful for:
Messages at the Cemetery
Slow Sunday afternoons
a clean kitchen because I chatted with my cousin
quiet time with the kids
a warm house (really, its cold out there)
Worship
Warm blankets on cold nights
clean laundry
My farmer and his youngest, all snuggled, watching Bing Crosby's "White Christmas" -her choice and she can quote the movie and sing the songs, Nana would be so proud
a warm house (did I mention that? I still marvel at the concept of wood available)
our God who never leaves us or forsakes us-even when we don't feel like he's real close
the hope  we have no matter the journey

Psalm 46:10
He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
    I will be exalted among the nations,
    I will be exalted in the earth.”