Sing In The Light

Times They Are A Changing

Sorry to say that this blog will soon go away as I will begin directing all my blog content to my newer blog at www.ourwonderroom.com. New site to match the new title of the book I am working on.
Yodel (mp3 link)

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Ribbons

Yesterday I got news that a friend had passed away. Not a close friend, but more than an acquaintance. It is interesting because this morning I am still trying to figure out my reactions. For certain I am happy for him, for I know he was suffering in his battle against cancer. After that suffering is no more. But I am sad because I have no idea of his spiritual well-being. Had he accepted Christ? What opportunities did I miss to share Christ with him, to step out in boldness and ask?

This morning I read this quote -

“Each day comes bearing its gifts. Untie the ribbons.”
– Ruth Ann Schabacher

God, please grant me the eyes to see Your gifts, and the courage to untie the ribbons. Every person that I encounter today is a gift.

And I am reminded of these words from Stephen Grellet -

“I shall pass through this world but once.
Any good, therefore, that I can show to any human being,
let me do it now.
Let me not defer nor neglect it,
for I shall not pass this way again.”
–Stephen Grellet

Wonder

Over the weekend I started really working in earnest at putting pieces together for a book. And what I really focused on was the sense of wonder that God has created in us. It is this sense that gives me hope. And I have no doubt it is placed there by our Creator. Not only in times of darkness, but in times of praise and jubilation as well.

“A little girl taking an evening walk with her father looked up at the stars and exclaimed,
‘Oh, Daddy, if the wrong side of heaven is so beautiful what must the right side be!’”
– Unknown

Hope is a little girl, wondering how beautiful the other side of heaven is.
Hope is me sitting in church last night, listening to ‘Shelter’ by Jars of Clay, wondering who God has placed me near and why.
Hope is waking up each morning with the excitement of a child, wondering how God will choose to reveal Himself to me today.

May God bless you today with hope, and with wonder.

“Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the LORD.”
– Psalm 31:24

ps… you can listen to the song and read the lyrics here – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DoDmFQWOL4Y

The Lord Is Great

When I wake up in the morning it is usually my intent to spend some time with God by reading His Word. And to share it with you all more days than not. And at the end of the day I try to reflect on the day and my experiences with God. I do MUCH better in the morning than in the evening, but what of the time in the middle? That really is the bigger challenge for me. I do not seek Him with the same intentionality and purpose. He forces His way in and I am in awe at His timely revelations. I want more but do little about it.

“Many are willing that Christ should be something, but few will consent that Christ should be everything.”
–Alexander Moody Stuart

This is that infamous time of year when I think about the coming year and what I would like to see happen. How will I weave Christ into those things? Into “everything” as Stuart says? It is not that I can do some things because of God. It is that I can NOTHING without God. If I really believe that, then He should be the very framework around which I plan all things. And that I should start with one day, and master that on a consistent basis, then one week, and build from there. A discipline before a habit. Walk before I run.

“I know that the LORD is great, that our Lord is greater than all gods. The LORD does whatever pleases him, in the heavens and on the earth, in the seas and all their depths. He makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth; he sends lightning with the rain and brings out the wind from his storehouses.”
– Psalm 135:5-7, The New International Version

Filler

Jesus did not come to explain away suffering or remove it. He came to fill it with His Presence.
–Paul Claudel

I have a friend who is in the hospital for three days as they try a new experimental medication for his chronic A-Fib. I won’t pretend to understand even part the ramifications of A-fib and how it affects the body, other than it affects the heart and that ain’t good.

When I think of the pain my friend is in, and the pain of others through injury, disease or loss of a loved one, it will be different now because of Claudel’s words. They are great. For me it can be hard to know what exactly to do in situations of suffering or loss. That uncertainty creates an empty space, a buffer, a barrier as I waffle on what to do. But, now I will hopefully remember to see them as opportunity to be His presence in that vacuum of emptiness. Will I know what that looks like exactly? Probably not. I must rely on Him to guide me.

May you prayerfully know when you are part of God’s “filler”.

I Can Share

This morning I was a bit behind in my work and didn’t get the recycling bins out at my usual time. As I’m working away I hear the clinking of glass and make a frantic bee-line for our recycle bins and rush out the door to see the recycling truck at our walkway. Now, I don’t know about you, but my experience is that the people doing the recycling and the garbage pickup aren’t typically the most social people. It’s early. It’s raining. It’s cold. And, well, it’s garbage. At any rate this gentleman was nice. I asked him if it was going to be a busy day and we talked for a couple minutes about his route. He smiled the whole time and I think he enjoyed the conversation.

Reflecting on that, it reminds me of the words from Tim Hansel in his book ‘You Gotta Keep Dancin’. I know I’ve shared these words before, but I can never read them enough. I need to make more time to share and not always be in a rush here and there. I’m sure the recycling guy that I talked to can’t dilly-dally and talk with everyone on his route, but you know, he made my morning. Maybe I made his.

There isn’t much that I can do,
but I can share my bread with you,
and sometimes share a sorrow, too—
as on our way we go.

There isn’t much that I can do,
but I can sit an hour with you,
and I can share a joke with you,
and sometimes share reverses, too—
as on our way we go.

There isn’t much that I can do,
but I can share my flowers with you,
and I can share my books with you
and sometimes share your burdens, too—
as on our way we go.

There isn’t much that I can do,
but I can share my songs with you,
and I can share my mirth with you,
and sometimes come and laugh with you—
as on our way we go.

There isn’t much that I can do,
but I can share my hopes with you,
and I can share my fears with you,
and sometimes shed tears with you—
as on our way we go.

There isn’t much that I can do,
but I can share my friends with you,
and I can share my life with you,
and oftentimes share a prayer with you—
as on our way we go.

AUTHOR UNKNOWN
from Tim Hansel, You Gotta Keep Dancin‘