Monday, January 14, 2013

Jesus My Rock




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digital images (c) 2013 by Marilee Miller  all rights reserved

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     A wonderful Savior is Jesus my Lord,
    A wonderful Savior to me;
    He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock,
    Where rivers of pleasure I see.
        Refrain:
        He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock,
        That shadows a dry, thirsty land;
        He hideth my life in the depths of His love,
        And covers me there with His hand,
        And covers me there with His hand.
    A wonderful Savior is Jesus my Lord,
    He taketh my burden away,
    He holdeth me up and I shall not be moved,
    He giveth me strength as my day.
    With numberless blessings each moment He crowns,
    And filled with His fullness divine,
    I sing in my rapture, oh, glory to God!
    For such a Redeemer as mine.
    When clothed with His brightness transported I rise
    To meet Him in clouds of the sky,
    His perfect salvation, His wonderful love,
    I’ll shout with the millions on high.

                      --  Fannie Crosby



                                       (public domain)



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Sharing with Laura Boggess "Pladates with God"



Tuesday, January 8, 2013

God's Mysterious Ways


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GOD'S MYSTERIOUS WAYS


I’ve been seriously ill, which does remind me, once again, of our human fragility.  We’re all only a breath away from physical extinction at any time.  But some of us receive reminders to RECOGNIZE this fact – which is good, since we don’t take our bodies and life-courses for granted.

I’m struggling at the moment with the apparent (or at least possible) death of some of my fondest dreams.  My ideas and imaginations for ways of glorifying God and serving him – which I had perceived as being in line with his will for my life -- now seem mildewed and far-removed. 

How does one who has identified herself chiefly as a prayer warrior, function when her mind is often too foggy to pray?  If  I’m not going to be able to be an artist-creator-producer, who AM I going to be?  How do I juggle the paradox of wanting (sometimes) to do something with other times not caring if I just stare at the ceiling and declare that most of the so-called real ambitions of most people’s lives, simply do not matter to me?  How do I get back to the point of not crying out to the Lord – “Am I really still God’s child?”

God’s ways are not our ways.  His plans aren’t our plans.  He is the Sovereign God of all the universe.  Shall the clay say to the master-potter, “Why would you mark out this path for me?”  “What are you teaching me that I don’t understand yet?”

Right now, I don’t really have it in me to “trust in God,” if that means feelings, or mental assent on my part.  However, I can choose to say I will look forward to what he’s doing in me, even though I’m baffled by God’s mysterious ways.


Images and text  (c) by Marilee Miller 2013



Here are some links I’ve found thought-provoking, and, well – hopeful.

www.christianity.com/christian-life/spiritual-growth/ten-questions-to-ask-at-the-start-of-a-new-year-11643580.html

http://seeprestonblog.com/2013/01/tilted-world-today-with-tanya-marlow/


And here’s one just for fun!
http://blog.oregonlive.com/terryrichard/2013/01/borrego_springs_decorates_cali.html#incart_river



Also sharing today with Laura Boggess, “Playdates with God”