From a bike's point of view...

Lucy is finally here. She is home and we are going out together everyday to visit the sweet kiddos I spend half my days with. What a different view of my world I've experienced since she's arrived! I've suddenly been faced with the fact that I speed around in my car and never pay much attention to the little common, beautiful things I pass, as I'm rushing to wherever I need to go. I'm quickly (in the three days I've had her) learning to appreciate the time it takes to get somewhere and the fact that I may have to leave just a little earlier and enjoy a slower ride than I do in my car. Yet, going slower, actually seeing the sunflowers and their petals on the side of the road and not just little golden streaks from my car window, noticing that there are bees gently landing on each flower, hearing the wind russell through the corn fields, feeling the tiny drops of rain that sometimes fall sporadically from one tiny cloud on an otherwise sunny day, these are the things that I've learned to live without...not learned, just never known, because I go speeding around helter scelter with only the place I'm going in mind.

I went on a night ride a couple nights ago and found that there are definite patches of cold and warm air on our little country highways. I noticed that the stars actually do have enough light to just barely light the road in front of me. Noticing those stars then led to me thinking of how He has named them all and loved me enough to even make them twinkle and wink at me. He didn't have to do that, you know. They could just be steady little pin pricks of light in our vast sky, but no, He wanted them to sparkle and dance for our pleasure alone. Amazing thought! I noticed that the crickets are louder in some places than others and that there is a tiny little pond (which I've never noticed before) that is so loud with a frog choir, it was almost deafening. I appreciated that there are some places on this dark road at night that are totally silent. Silence is just as beautiful as crickets and frogs singing together, especially when the stars are lighting the silence with their own song.

The lyrics from Michael Card's song "Joy in the Journey" suddenly have meaning like I've never known before...and I'm learning it from a bike! As I sit and type out that last sentence I can't help but smile, because it just goes to prove that once again, my God cares about EVERY aspect of my little life and He will use the tiniest things, like a new bike, to teach me more of who He is and how He wants me to live my life. I truly believe He is a God that savors the smallest things and loves when we savor them with Him. For Jesus lived in a slower time and at a slower pace and I know that He loved the petals on the flowers He passed, He loved the winking stars and the singing crickets and frogs.

Lately, the Lord has been burdening my heart to know Jesus as the man who walked this earth, to remember that He was human, just as much as He is and was God, and that He had a personality and loved life to the fullest! He was a man of sorrows, but He was anointed by God with the greatest joy! He enjoyed the journey, for that was as much a part of His great victory on this earth, as hanging on that cross and rising again. He showed us what living looks like in perfection. He was completely and totally 100% poured out for the least of these, His heart broke over Jerusalem and the people He loved so much, and yet He loved life for the pure joy of being poured out for His Father! Oh, that we would know such a life, that we would know the victorious Christian life that is broken and poured out and so full of joy that it spills forth in a flood and soaks all those around us! No, this does not mean that we don't struggle, that we don't hurt, but it does mean that underneath all the pain and no matter what we face, there is always His joy.

So, today I would love for you to go away from reading this and want to slow down. Enjoy the journey, for it is in the journey with Him that we are truly fulfilled. This was my lesson from a little red townie bike that is in the hands of my God:-)

"You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy."

-Hebrews 1:9

Joy In the Journey

There is a joy in the journey
There's a light we can love on the way
There is a wonder and wildness to life
And freedom for those who obey

And all those who seek it shall find it
A pardon for all who believe
Hope for the hopeless and sight for the blind

To all who've been born in the Spirit
And who share incarnation with Him
Who belong to eternity stranded in time
And weary of struggling with sin

Forget not the hope that's before you
And never stop counting the cost
Remember the hopelessness when you were lost

There is a joy in the journey
There's a light we can love on the way
There is a wonder and wildness to life
And freedom for those who obey

And freedom for those who obey...

A Tomato Grower

What would you be, if you could be anything? If you knew you could not fail, what would you do? What if nothing was impossible? What if you just did whatever it is you're dreaming of, instead of just dreaming about it? Maybe, if I knew I could not fail, I would be a champion tomato grower:-) I know it's weird, but I truly adore home grown tomatoes! There's nothing better than a tomato sandwich with mayo, salt, and pepper. Probably has something to do with growing up in South Carolina.

Maybe, if I knew I wouldn't fail, I would actually write that book, instead of always thinking about it. Isn't it interesting that in order to be a "real" writer you have to actually be published? Not so with a blog. Just type the words, press enter, and suddenly there they are, no publishing required, for everyone to read...whoever "everyone" is. I'm sure "everyone" is out there though...aren't you? Sometimes I wonder. Maybe I'm just typing, pressing enter, and out into a vast black space the words go for no one to find. See, I always said I'd never have a blog, I thought they were silly and I've always strictly been a paper and pen writer. Write what I'm thinking on the computer?! Why in the world would I want to do that? Then I found myself very intrigued by other blogs I read and wanting the person to update their blog more frequently. Now here I am, writing into the blogging community and really loving it...but, wondering exactly who I'm writing for? Me I think, though I'll be more than happy if you, whoever you are, enjoy reading what I'm writing as well. So, I'll keep on writing. Writing about my sweet Savior, my quirky family, the sunsets over my little lake, the sunrises that dawn in all their glory, about my wonderful friends, the foods I adore eating, the ocean, and all that goes on in my little life:-)

Huh, now how that all came out of being a tomato grower I'll never figure out...

What is Ellerslie?

Ellerslie is where I am blessed beyond measure to live and work. This video has some of the students from our current term testifying about what Ellerslie is to them. I pray that it moves your soul to seek your God!

Rain...

I love the rain. I love it more than any other kind of weather.

There is nothing more beautiful than a sky, hanging heavy with dark gray clouds and the promise of them spilling forth. I should definitely live in England...or Ireland.

And the ocean. Oh, the ocean with water below and above...indescribable.

Just standing in the water that falls from above, as if your soul is being washed clean and refreshed.

My soul soars to the thrown of my God when I pray in His healing rain.

"May he come down like rain upon the mowngrass, Like showers that water the earth." Psalm 72:6

May I never know a place that does not rain, for it would be unbearable. Unbearable to never feel the cool drops on my face and hands, to never have a reason to hold an umbrella, to never know that gray came in so many shades, to never hear the deep rumblings of my God's voice across the sky.

Yes, I love and adore the rain and the thunder and lightning that often come with it...

"When He utters His voice, there is a tumult of waters in the heavens, And He causes the clouds to ascend from the end of the earth; He makes lightning for the rain, And brings out the wind from His storehouses." -Jeremiah 10:13

Who are you feeding?

"Finally brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things."

-Philippians 4:8

True, honorable, right, pure, lovely, of good repute, excellence, worthy of praise, what do these things look like in our culture...in our lives? We are forever as a society bombarded by the exact opposite of the definitions of these words. Billboard signs, commercials, magazin

es, books, movies, T.V., music, internet, most of these are aimed not to promote the eight things listed above, but words far below them. False, debasing, deplorable, adulterated, mediocrity, criticize, ugly/hateful, are some, just to name a few. What are you dwelling on? For there is no middle ground. We either dwell on one set of words or the other. There is no gray area and nothing we put into our minds "doesn't really make a difference". Every image, every word we hear or speak is harming or helping us. I was told a story by a friend about a very wise father. The father had

a young son, who he was trying to teach to put only good things into his mind. The father explained it this way. "There is a wolf and a dog living inside of you my son and both are fight

ing for your soul." "Which will win, Father?!" asked the son with concern in his young voice. "The one you feed..." replied his father.

Every choice we make, every step we take, every turn we come to in our road, it all makes a difference. It all hinders or helps. For this is a war, a war for your soul and one side will win you. Which will it be? Ask yourself now, which voice are you lis

tening to? For one will shout at you from every direction, trying to draw your attention away from the still small voice of He who loves you so much, He died rather than to live with out you. So, who are you feeding, the dog or the wolf?

GO!! - Jackie Pullinger

Just Me...With Him...

I love being around people. I love to be one on one with someone, especially when they share the same passions I do (i.e. Jesus, orphans, prayer, being poured out for His kingdom, cottages, chai tea, life) however, I have discovered that I REQUIRE time alone. I've learned that I am definitely an introvert who will be an extrovert when needed. There is nothing sweeter than being alone with some wonderful music, a fascinating book, or just stillness. There is nothing I adore more than time with He who satisfies every desire of my heart and life. I am not interested in filling my days and weeks to the extent that there is no time left for Him. I have discovered that the sweetest refreshment I find is after spending hours alone just talking or walking with my God. It's as if this upside down world, all the doubts that creep in, the hurt and pain, the discombobulated, topsy-turvy existence that for a moment tries to become reality is all put in it's place. For none of it is real. This is not reality when I am in His presence. Reality with Him is peace, joy, happiness, and a clear vision of who I'm living with and for. Though there are times that are harder than others, I never loose His peace and joy when I'm making Him the priority of my day.

This is the secret to a life that is full to overflowing, though it should not be a secret to anyone. Try it and see. Make time with Him the priority of your day and watch your life miraculously change! It's amazing and beautiful and wonderful!! He is far more beautiful and amazing than you could ever dream and if you give Him the best hours of your day He will reveal plans for your life like you've never imagined. He is so faithful to fulfill every desire of our hearts if we are seeking His face first above all else. For, it is then that we are feeling the desires He has placed in our hearts and if He has placed them there, He is faithful to fulfill them.