Chasing sunsets!

I love to chase sunsets.  I realize it's not possible to chase sunsets really!!  But I have this desire to capture and enjoy sunsets especially with my camera.   I never tire of experiencing another sunset.

The sunsets that I most love are the ones that reflect over a lake. It's something about the sun light that casts a magnificent reflection on the water that sets my heart in motion.  My heart enlarges and i find a place in my spirit to worship God.  I want to lift my hands in praise!  Sometimes it's just a gaze.  But I'm always in awe!  Always in awe!

I often chase against the clock to get to a lake to capture the sun as it sets.  You can't be late.  You can't procrastinate.  You just have to be there and be ready if you want to experience a lake sunset.  

I love that when I get up in the morning, I know the sun will set that day.  It is a promise that he's been faithful again today.   And I know that when I go to bed the sun will again rise the next morning.  That's a promise.  

I sense His presence in the sunsets. The Lord of Lords reached out his mighty hand and directed the sky to light up the evening for our enjoyment.  

He calls my name in those moments and reminds me that he is holding my world in his hands. 

I see his creativity as a gift.  He proves his majestiy every morning and every night. He reminds me that this display is for our viewing pleasure.   

I learn to trust again as my spirit says he must really love me.  He must really love us.

 He established a work of art with just the touch of his hand.  He paints a canvas of love and grace and then invites us to a front row seat. The best seat in the house. 

 So when I'm challenged to ask God where he is.  And when my doubts take over and my thoughts play havoc with my mind.  I gaze into his workmanship.  I chase another sunset!  He promises and sends his comforter to minister to the brokenness in me. 

From our glorious God to his blessed children, thank you for a beautiful and creative reminder that you are worthy of our praise.  And you allowed me to be worthy of another sunset. 

His word expresses it better than I. 

Psalm 19:1 

 The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship.

Psalm 50:1

The Lord, the Mighty One, is God, and he has spoken; he has summoned all humanity from where the sun rises to where it sets.




Psalm 65:8

Those who live at the ends of the earth stand in awe of your wonders. From where the sunrises to where it sets, you inspire shouts of joy. 

Psalm 84:11

For the Lord God is our sun and our shield. He gives us grace and glory. The Lord will withhold no good thing from those who do what is right.

Psalm 104:19

You made the moon to mark the seasons, and the sun knows when to set. 

Amen!!

My sweets!!!

Some of my summer pics !

Choose the blessing !!

When I was just a little girl, I wanted to have a big family.  Kind of like the one I grew up in.   I adored babies.  I would follow around anyone who had a baby.   I babysat often in my early teens.   I had several moms on a regular basis ask me to watch their children.  I rarely said no.

Even as a young child I knew I would probably have a large family.  I couldn't get enough of babies and all their perfection of sweetness.

For me motherhood came naturally.  I remember when I held my firstborn for the first time, I was in awe of this gift I was just given.  I couldn't wait to watch her learn and grow. 

As it turns out I did have a fairly large family. 4 children spread out over 13 years.  Some would say that's big.  I'm not sure that it is, but nonetheless we decided to join the 4 and no more club!  That would become our new mantra! 

 I look back now and I can say. I'm so glad that I had 4.  Was it easy?  No, not for one minute. Raising children is not a picnic. They require every ounce of every minute of every hour of every day of your time, energy, strength, brain power, reasoning skills.  It will take sacrifice, wisdom and selflessness and lots of love. 

There will never be enough of you to go around.   You will feel spread thin and overwhelmed many times.  You will be challenged and broken and spend lots of moments in worry and fear. You will cry, feel stretched and discouraged many days.  You will wonder at your own strength and abilities to do what's needed.  You will probably second guess your decisions.  

But as I think back to those early days of raising my family. I can say I'm glad I chose to make the sacrifice.  I'm glad too that I chose to stay home with them.  A choice I was blessed to have.  Sadly, not everyone has the luxury of that choice.   Again not an easy job and not always a popular decision.

 We chose to be a little less rich and a little more poor.  But the blessings still were evident more than I even knew. God always showed himself faithful when I least deserved it.  I would often miss the blessings.  But He in his patient ways would remind me that He stood in the gap when i was not my best.  I would learn eventually not to measure my own abilities or lack thereof by others standards.  It was so easy to do. 

 My perspective would often get lost in my struggle to keep everything tidy and in order.   I would find it easy to hide behind the wall of discouragement and focus on what I didn't have instead of on what I had.  

 Again Gods gentle reminders would come in a variety of ways.  I would hear his whisper "be grateful."  "Don't miss the blessing!"   God would continually nudge my heart and pour His spirit into my parched soul.   His gentle guidance would instill in me a greater desire to grow in my faith.  

I would often get caught up in being right and correct over all else.   But eventually my stubborn heart would see that it was about doing love and being love.  Love would win over every time.  My four would teach me and bless me again and again.  

 I'm still learning and struggling.   It's in the struggle where we grow muscle and strength and courage.  Maybe it's there where we learn to live and love differently. That's the beauty of family love. It's not in getting it right but in choosing to see the blessing.  

Romans 8:39

         

Neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

,
   

Romans 15:4

 Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled.

Proverbs 16:9

We can make our plans,

    but the Lord determines our steps.

A Harbor View!

Watching the waters ripple against the rocky shore, I breathe in hope. My soul reaches out and I feel my faith grow. Something about the effortless waters gleam that shines a light into my heart.

I watch the sea gulls swoop down the rocky shores looking for a new meal. I say thank you Jesus for the beauty around me. I feel blessed today that I didn't miss the simple or the profound moments. It takes a slowing down, moving from hurry to calm.  Life moves at such a fast pace.  It's in the learning to not hurry that helps me to reevaluate my days. 

  I quiet down and listen to the rhythms of the splashing blue waters.  I notice the peaceful harbor view and it steals my mind and directs me to the one who brings peace.  The peace that passeth all understanding will remain in your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.  Those words stir in my heart and mind.  He comes in gentle waves, like a safe harbor.  My hearts desire is a deeper intimacy with him.

Everyday brings new opportunities for God to move in new ways.   It's not an easy evaluation.  I long for my own way most of the time.  God speaks softly reminding me that He's leading the way.  His word gently reminds me that He's in control of all the starts and stops of our lives.  I need a daily reminder that He's my safe harbor!  

Today I read this scripture.

Psalm 16:11 - You make known to me the path of life; you fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

Nehemiah 9:19 - Because of your great compassion you did not abandon them in the wilderness.  By day the pillar of cloud did not fail to guide them on their path, nor the pillar of fire by night to shine on the way they were to take.

Jeremiah 6:16 - This is what the Lord says: Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths,  ask where the good way is and walk in it and you will find rest for your souls.


I see His hand today as I continue on this path.  The path is often through wilderness moments.   I can trust that it's in those places that He shines a steady light so I can see my way.   He is the peaceful harbor of our souls.  

Walk by the lake!

Pics from Kenosha Harbor!  

Reflections from a feathered nest!

We were sitting in a packed gymnasium waiting for the music to begin.  I realized I'd been here before but the names and faces were different.   It was an emotional moment as we anticipated the  procession of graduates.  My head turns to watch our son enter the room amongst streams of blue caps and gowns.  The tears I try to hold back begin to

stream down my cheek anyway.    My heart is filled with an emotion that revisits me.  

When did my youngest of 4 grow up?  Did I blink too many times?   My mind begins to reminisce as I peer into my feathered nest.   I realize the inevitable, my nest is now empty.

It seemed like yesterday that I began to feather my nest.   Over the years I would watch it grow and expand.  I would do my best to be a good mom, but failed more than I care to admit.  

I realized even on the best days my nest was imperfect.   It would often splinter and occasionally burst of struggle and conflict.   I often questioned my parenting skills and worried at times about my poor judgments.  

I found it easy to compare my nest to others.   I wrestled with doubt, fear and wonder at my abilities to raise 1 child let alone 4.   I made my share of parenting mistakes.   But our nest by God's grace withstood the strong winds that blew.

This day I am struck by the emotion, that my job is finished.   I am turning the page of yet another chapter in my life.    I am reminded that we raise our kids to fly, but my heart says otherwise.   

We watch them grow, change and begin to feather their own nests, it echoes what we began many years ago.   Though I still struggle to make sense of it all, I grasp that herein lies the blessing.

Somehow I would understand it wasn't about challenging success in our children or about the trophies, awards and rewards of a specific academic lesson or degree. 

 I would slowly learn it was much greater than any education could offer.  It was in my imperfect way, helping them to find the deep love and grace of God for themselves.   Searching for meaning and hope when it seemed far away.  It was in the struggle of their own brokenness and trials that they would learn to lean on His sufficiency.  

 Today as I watch my youngest reach for his diploma I see the reflection of my feathered nest in him.  I quietly take in the blessing of a holy moment.    

My youngest leaves the nest just like his  siblings with an enormous heart and love for Jesus.   It is nothing I can take credit for, but by God's grace.

As I peer back into my feathered nest, I realize that He was always there, for the difficult moments and painful places, standing in the gap.  Today I see that he had covered our imperfect with His perfection.  

 I know now, my nest is not empty, it just looks different.  It spills over with more than enough.  

More than enough to see 

the blessings of an imperfect nest ! 

 

Psalm 84:3Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow builds her nest and raises her young at a place near your altar, O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, my King and my God!

Psalm 104:12The birds nest beside the streams and sing among the branches of the trees.