Comfortable Silence

Eternal "Secrets"

surround

stop and see

hear...

As you can see from the tabs on this blog, there are months I have much to say and months I appear idle.  Some of that I chalk up to my Bipolar--yes, I own it, it is mine, we coexist most often comfortably but, like any and all couples, we have our moments and disagreements. 

I digress...

Until fairly recently, I chalk this up to the Spiritual Director now in my life, see and hear need not always be shared makes sense.  I don't always need to say or share anything.  Some "secrets" are to be viewed, felt, contemplated, logged, blogged for just me and God.  All too often I found myself feeling I needed to get it out, needed to get something, anything, out. 

Sometimes God does not desire to speak through me, rather, to me

The #asheepsruleofthumb 'hint and twist of lime' here for me is; stop, see, hear; just live, live the transformation, share that:

Philippians 4 NIV

^"8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. ⁹ Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you."

Pictorials

My Earthly Heart

shall beautifully bleed

all the while

my soul
rooted in you...

___________________________________________________________________________________

Mysterious

Wisteria

rope-like braids

encase the common

cascading

as love and prayers

upon us fall...

246

I always arrive early for anything and everything, just to set and "get my bearings" so to speak.  Church is a place of respite; home away from home.  One of my favorite (meditative, soothing) practices I have whenever I am at Church is to randomly open the hymnal.  In this practice my most "go to" style of reading is Lectio Divina.

This particular hymn pops for me often, perhaps it is because we sing the last stanza almost weekly in church.  Regardless, I randomly opened to 246 the Brian Wren "Christ Is Alive!" yesterday morning.  As I sat solo in the Sanctuary with this for a good while and as the hand bell choir began to practice, the one line that I felt over and over--felt is:  "...Love, drowned in death, shall never die."

Psalm 136 New Living Translation (NLT)

Psalm 136

¹ Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good!
His faithful love endures forever.
² Give thanks to the God of gods.
His faithful love endures forever.
³ Give thanks to the Lord of lords.
His faithful love endures forever.

⁴ Give thanks to him who alone does mighty miracles.
His faithful love endures forever.
⁵ Give thanks to him who made the heavens so skillfully.
His faithful love endures forever.
⁶ Give thanks to him who placed the earth among the waters.
His faithful love endures forever.
⁷ Give thanks to him who made the heavenly lights—
His faithful love endures forever.
⁸ the sun to rule the day,
His faithful love endures forever.
⁹ and the moon and stars to rule the night.
His faithful love endures forever.

¹⁰ Give thanks to him who killed the firstborn of Egypt.
His faithful love endures forever.
¹¹ He brought Israel out of Egypt.
His faithful love endures forever.
¹² He acted with a strong hand and powerful arm.
His faithful love endures forever.
¹³ Give thanks to him who parted the Red Sea.^[a]
His faithful love endures forever.
¹⁴ He led Israel safely through,
His faithful love endures forever.
¹⁵ but he hurled Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea.
His faithful love endures forever.
¹⁶ Give thanks to him who led his people through the wilderness.
His faithful love endures forever.

¹⁷ Give thanks to him who struck down mighty kings.
His faithful love endures forever.
¹⁸ He killed powerful kings—
His faithful love endures forever.
¹⁹ Sihon king of the Amorites,
His faithful love endures forever.
²⁰ and Og king of Bashan.
His faithful love endures forever.
²¹ God gave the land of these kings as an inheritance—
His faithful love endures forever.
²² a special possession to his servant Israel.
His faithful love endures forever.

²³ He remembered us in our weakness.
His faithful love endures forever.
²⁴ He saved us from our enemies.
His faithful love endures forever.
²⁵ He gives food to every living thing.
His faithful love endures forever.
²⁶ Give thanks to the God of heaven.

"Love...shall never die"

Glory To God Hymnal

Bucket List

     A couple weeks back some friends were mentioning their bucket list, the done and to-do again and the still need to check off.  I piped in with my theory or belief:

"I don't have a bucket list.  I figure anything I would like to do here and don't get a chance will be made abundantly opportune in the ever lasting life.  ["interesting" the comment from the one friend] So yes, buckets abundant or abundant buckets…no list required."

      I feel, deeply, this life is to deepen my soul.  With self, with others and more than anything with God; because of Jesus and via the Living Spirit.  The deeper my relationship with Him, bubbling spring, bucket not required for refreshment...whatever is set aside or tabled or not available to me here would be parching.  It's to be of no worry for it shall all and more be waiting hereafter--where time shall never be pressed for!

     Perhaps this sounds I'm off my rocker but, I must confess, this earth has nothing I want to possess or anything that I really feel I am missing by not experiencing.  It does however invite me into the robust realm of its infinite wonder.  Leaving me wanting access to all of it.  Glimpses lived while here a mere appetizer.  In waiting--imagining the beauty of so much unknown and time periods of those lived who awe me - to watch the bold, creative, mind of Michelangelo in action.  I could go on and on! 

The Lord knows my heart, so, my "bucket list" consists of what is infinite…in a world without end.  Amen.

Heart's Consumption

Living as Those Made Alive in Christ

1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.

2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.

3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.

4 When Christ, who is your^a life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.

6 Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.^b

7 You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived.          

     I often have this scripture earwormed.  I actually love the whole chapter as it makes me feel included, whereas often in today's times I feel "weird" or "not normal" living happily disciplined and comfortably celibate.  I have many I know who do not understand my want and need of letting go of the "life you once lived."  Sometimes this earworm really ignites the flame of the Spirit in my heart! 

A beloved one once said, "sometimes God can break your heart."  I agree, but am seeing with those broken pieces--sometimes it has to be that shared heartbreak.  Heartbreak of earthy wedges shared between souls here on earth, where glimpses of the greater image are created:

"Christ is alive and comes to bring good news to this and every age, till earth and sky and oceans ring with joy, with justice, love and praise!"

(From the hymn; "Christ is Alive! Let Christians Sing"  Brian A. Wren (1968, 1978, alt.)

Hymn

So, this evening I felt moved enough by all of the above, welled-up within, to grab my heart coaster (as opposed to the spade, club or diamond coaster), as well as, the matches used in igniting my grill and photo until it captured the fire of the Holy Spirit felt within me...

           

Morning Scent

Morning scent

fragrantly perfect

body next to mine

that of Springtime

outside my window after a night of rain

birds fluttering about

in the background

sweetly waking me

from even the heaviest of slumber

could but one, such as I, even fathom

such wondrous love as this

without a word spoken

lyrics carried--breath after breath

such a natural state of being

closed lids

all that gaze back at me

nothing taken

nothing given

still

soul overflowing

God's own before me

without expectation

or limitation

smile permeates my face

eyes now open

curtains dancing

was it all but a dream

Or

did I just wake from reality…

side note:  3 years and 8 months today and not a drop to drink, thanks be to God