tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22587769279896331742024-02-20T18:33:41.594-09:00AMBUSHED BY GODHave you ever seen something so beautiful that it made you want to cry? Heard music that spoke to your bones and shouted “DANCE!”? You just walked into a God Ambush. When the evening light slants just-so and you feel a strange homesick feeling, it’s Him. The God who made it all. He is after you. Wants to talk with you, sometimes even just sit silently with you in a love-ambush of Grace.Ambushed by Godhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11275607987298060080noreply@blogger.comBlogger36125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2258776927989633174.post-4656517459520986892015-02-28T19:04:00.000-09:002015-02-28T19:04:07.228-09:00Who God Trusts<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-no-proof: yes;">We've acquired a puppy in the past year - a Great Pyrenees. They were bred to guard sheep - from wolves, in particular. I've been thinking about sheep and wolves lately...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-no-proof: yes;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-no-proof: yes;">Paul (named
"Saul" at the time) was hunting down Jesus' followers and dragging
them off to prison. (You can read this story in the book of Acts.) He was high on the Christians' list of people you don't
want to show up for church, because you might wind up dead if he knows who you
are. But one day, in the middle of a road trip, Paul ran into Jesus Himself,
was completely transformed and was sent to live among the very people he had been
persecuting. In their experience, this was "Saul the Persecutor," not "the Apostle Paul". I wonder if they all slept with one eye open while he was there.</span><br />
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-no-proof: yes;">What a crazy
story.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-no-proof: yes;">God took a wolf
(Saul) who was tearing the sheep limb from limb, stopped him in the middle of
the road and said, "Why? Don't do this. You aren't a wolf any more. Now
you're a sheepdog." <i>And God asked him to take care of the very sheep he'd
been killing.</i></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-no-proof: yes;">Who does that?</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-no-proof: yes;">God does.
Because God trusts <i>HIMSELF</i>. God trusts His own ability to transform any heart.
Isn't that amazing? And wonderful?</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-no-proof: yes;"><b>God trusts
Himself.</b></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-no-proof: yes;">No feeling sorry
for ourselves because we found out we were wrong and we failed.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-no-proof: yes;">No feeling sorry
for ourselves because we don't have what it takes to do what He asked.</span><br />
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-no-proof: yes;">If God calls you
a sheepdog, you're a sheepdog. Believe it. Because God believes it.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-no-proof: yes;"><i>Ambushed by the
God Who Trusts Himself,</i></span></div>
<i>
</i><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-no-proof: yes;"><i>Kimberly</i></span><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i><br /></i>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-no-proof: yes;"><i><span id="goog_1182322072"></span><span id="goog_1182322073"><br /></span></i></span></div>
Ambushed by Godhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11275607987298060080noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2258776927989633174.post-80657093269092867782014-04-19T00:00:00.004-08:002014-04-19T00:00:54.009-08:00Forgiven
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">These are the last few moments of Good Friday (they'll be gone by the time I post this). I have no photograph to share and few words. But I've been thinking for weeks about blood. Blood that cried out for vengeance, blood that cried out for mercy...</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">"Indeed, who would ever believe it? Who would possibly accept
what we’ve been told? Who has witnessed the awesome power <i>and plan</i> of
the Eternal in action? <i>Out of emptiness</i> he came, like a tender shoot
from rock-hard ground. He didn’t look like anything or anyone of consequence—he
had no physical beauty to attract our attention. So he was despised and
forsaken by men, this man of suffering, grief’s <i>patient</i> friend. As if he
was a person to avoid, we looked the other way; he was despised, <i>forsaken,</i>
and we took no notice of him. Yet it was our suffering he carried, <i>our pain</i>
<i>and distress, our sick-to-the-soul-ness. We just figured that</i> God had
rejected him, that God was the reason he hurt so badly. But he was hurt because
of us; <i>he suffered so. </i>Our wrongdoing <i>wounded and</i> crushed him. He
endured the breaking that made us whole. The injuries he suffered became our
healing. We all have wandered off, like <i>shepherdless</i> sheep, scattered by
our aimless striving and endless pursuits; The Eternal One laid on him, <i>this
silent sufferer, </i>the sins of us all." (Isaiah 53:1-6)<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Silent sufferer…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">But His blood was not silent.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It was louder than war.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Louder than a battle-cry or the wails of anguish.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It was louder than that other blood – the first of oceans
and generations of spilled blood – Abel’s blood that cried to God from the
ground. Yes, this blood that found its voice on Good Friday was louder than all
of that. So loud that it found it’s way to the very throne of God, and declared
us to be FORGIVEN.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></i><br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">You are forgiven.<o:p></o:p></span></i><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">That is the good news of the Gospel.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
Ambushed by Godhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11275607987298060080noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2258776927989633174.post-84364552061440976242013-11-28T07:03:00.000-09:002013-11-28T07:09:07.903-09:00The Table<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Winter was late this year, but somehow it still caught me by surprise. I woke up one morning to see the little table and chairs on our deck covered in snow. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I went to sleep that
night thinking about all the different kinds of tables and all the stories they
tell: <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The tables where new love was
discovered, seasoned love celebrated, and old love was rekindled. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tables where families
gathered and tables where divorce papers were signed. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Hands held across tables in
love, excitement, encouragement, comfort. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tables set for parties,
tables set for Bible studies, tables set for business meetings. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Wooden tables, glass tables,
polished tables, chipped tables. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Thanksgiving tables,
Christmas tables, Sunday dinner tables. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tables set by moms, by
grandmothers, by new brides, by children doing chores, by waiters. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>Tables set by God.<o:p></o:p></em></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">God’s table is the full one,
the good one. It’s the one with more than enough. It’s the one where families
unite and reunite. It’s the one where fathers teach their sons wisdom. It’s the
one set for birthday parties and wedding feasts. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">And <em>you</em> get to sit there…if
you want to.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Jesus made an open invitation
and you don’t have to have the right clothes, the right address or the right
last name to get a seat here. It’s all about the invitation, and you’ve already
got that. No one is homeless, hungry, or left out at God’s table. No one is
rejected, outcast or oppressed here. There is a place for anyone who will come.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">In a matter of hours I will
set a Thanksgiving table for my family. We’ll sit down and fill up – on food
and on gratitude. <em>I’m so thankful for a place at the table.<o:p></o:p></em></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">From Psalm 22 (The
Message):<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="line" style="margin: 1em 0in;">
<span class="text"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Here’s the
story I’ll tell my friends when they come to worship,</span></span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br />
<span class="text">and punctuate it with Hallelujahs:</span><br />
<span class="text">Shout Hallelujah, you God-worshipers;</span><br />
<span class="text">give glory, you sons of Jacob;</span><br />
<span class="text">adore him, you daughters of Israel.</span><br />
<span class="text">He has never let you down,</span><br />
<span class="text">never looked the other way</span><br />
<span class="text">when you were being kicked around.</span><br />
<span class="text">He has never wandered off to do his own thing;</span><br />
<span class="text">he has been right there, listening.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="line" style="margin: 1em 0in;">
<span class="text"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Here in this
great gathering for worship</span></span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br />
<span class="text">I have discovered this praise-life.</span><br />
<span class="text">And I’ll do what I promised right here</span><br />
<span class="text">in front of the God-worshipers.</span><br />
<u><span class="text">Down-and-outers sit at </span><span class="small-caps"><span style="font-variant: small-caps;">God</span></span><span class="text">’s table</span><br />
<span class="text">and eat their fill.</span><br />
<span class="text">Everyone on the hunt for God</span><br />
<span class="text">is here, praising him.</span></u>
<span class="text">“Live it up, from head to toe.</span><br />
<span class="text">Don’t ever quit!”</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="line" style="margin: 1em 0in;">
<span id="en-MSG-6104"><span class="text"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">From the four corners of the earth</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br />
<span class="text">people are coming to their senses,</span><br />
<span class="text">are running back to </span><span class="small-caps"><span style="font-variant: small-caps;">God</span></span><span class="text">.</span><br />
<span class="text">Long-lost families</span><br />
<span class="text">are falling on their faces before him.</span><br />
<span class="small-caps"><span style="font-variant: small-caps;">God</span></span><span class="text"> has taken charge;</span><br />
<span class="text">from now on he has the last word.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="line" style="margin: 1em 0in;">
<span id="en-MSG-6105"><span class="text"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">All the power-mongers are before him</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br />
<span class="text">—worshiping!</span><br />
<span class="text">All the poor and powerless, too</span><br />
<span class="text">—worshiping!</span><br />
<span class="text">Along with those who never got it together</span><br />
<span class="text">—worshiping!</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="line" style="margin: 1em 0in;">
<span id="en-MSG-6106"><span class="text"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Our children and their children</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br />
<span class="text">will get in on this</span><br />
<span class="text">As the word is passed along</span><br />
<span class="text">from parent to child.</span><br />
<span class="text">Babies not yet conceived</span><br />
<span class="text">will hear the good news—</span><br />
<span class="text">that God does what he says.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Ambushed by God with an invitation to sit at the table,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Kimberly<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
Ambushed by Godhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11275607987298060080noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2258776927989633174.post-78877031494218950232013-09-02T00:30:00.000-08:002013-09-02T00:30:19.506-08:00bread and Bread
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The Grain Offering</span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">In those awesome, ancient days<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">when You named stars out of nothing<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">summoned the waters and kissed us to
life,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">at the birth of time and the first
sunrise<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">when you word-planted tawny
wheat-stalks,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">did You look with a kind eye to
“someday”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">and see this warm, brown loaf pulled
from the oven<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">for these little ones who are dancing
because of the bread?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">There is butter on their chins and they
are filled.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Take it, Lord.</span></em></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span></i> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(written tonight in the kitchen, in gratitude)</span></span></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span></i> </div>
<br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span> </div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">My seven year old likes to categorize
things by "Stuff that God Made" and "Stuff that People Made from
Stuff that God Made".<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tonight, I made bread. From stuff God made.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">My boys are all
carb-junkies who would just love to live on bread, so when it comes out of
the oven, they are in the kitchen within seconds. Tonight, there was even a
happy dance in the middle of the kitchen floor (the three year old). I was
cutting into that bread, trying not to burn my fingers (because they never will
let it cool) and suddenly, I thought of the first wheat, at the other end of time. God spoke, “Wheat,
BE!” and now I can bake bread for my boys.</span></span></div>
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</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4sW5ZbBhHKSmkFwQHV3Hn8qFMB0XgCr9-S128iyXCKkh5jKXt-EXF9n5RYu4srVA5AkSHm_NDGCVoeLL4t1lrEs2R5slmzA1oPDFHI3hgToWsdCWoLWAPe5Jpdp-uOVnFyQ5BVRqy-ys/s1600/IMG_3881.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4sW5ZbBhHKSmkFwQHV3Hn8qFMB0XgCr9-S128iyXCKkh5jKXt-EXF9n5RYu4srVA5AkSHm_NDGCVoeLL4t1lrEs2R5slmzA1oPDFHI3hgToWsdCWoLWAPe5Jpdp-uOVnFyQ5BVRqy-ys/s320/IMG_3881.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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</div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span> </div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">That wasn’t the only Bread He
provided my family…<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><em>Jesus said to them, “I am the
<b>Bread</b> <b>of</b> <b>Life</b>. He who comes to Me will never be hungry. He
who puts his trust in Me will never be thirsty. (John 6:35, NLT)</em></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><em></em></span></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><em></em></span></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">For the bread and for The Bread, I am grateful.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span></span> </div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Ambushed by The Bread of Life and made alive,</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Kimberly</span></span></span></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<em><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(for more on "the Grain Offering," see Leviticus 2)</span></em></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><em></em></span></span> </div>
Ambushed by Godhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11275607987298060080noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2258776927989633174.post-14527600633653761312013-08-26T12:53:00.000-08:002013-08-26T12:53:12.503-08:00Take What You Need<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Years ago, I spent some time in Romania. I was part of a
small group of people who wanted to touch the lives of children there – both on
the streets and in a large regional children’s hospital. There were many
moments during those years that have stuck with me, but one I often think of
took place in the children’s hospital. We spent time whenever we could on a
floor where children were basically residents. Perhaps their parents had been
given no hope for their child’s recovery. Some were abandoned. The ratio of
children to workers was impossible, so we went just to hold little ones, talk
to them, look them in the eye, play with the ones who could interact. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7xYuOGfK0o2SwdaJtrAVwLIpQG4WT23ZTV8V9bIDVMTxwfQGIY3ir4f6yKq4CLjwlu_yP6uBvXA2iLIMZvSsFAJp6BtDsJy91pzvMsmQgtNaa-jGbLIl9MUFfbjSvrUNZpspDiNYOmhM/s1600/care.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7xYuOGfK0o2SwdaJtrAVwLIpQG4WT23ZTV8V9bIDVMTxwfQGIY3ir4f6yKq4CLjwlu_yP6uBvXA2iLIMZvSsFAJp6BtDsJy91pzvMsmQgtNaa-jGbLIl9MUFfbjSvrUNZpspDiNYOmhM/s320/care.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">During
one visit, a young woman from our group was holding a child in her arms. I don’t
know how old the child was. It was often hard to tell because of “failure-to-thrive”
or other factors. I don’t even remember if it was a boy or a girl. But I
remember the child in Deborah’s arms, head on her shoulder, and Deborah saying
quietly, “Take what you need.”</span><br />
<br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Take what you need.</span></i><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It’s what Jesus said when he said, “This is my body, which
is given for you…this is my blood, which is poured out for you…” (Luke 22)</span><br />
<br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Take what you need.</span></i><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It’s what Jesus said to the woman who had suffered sickness
and loss for 12 years and risked whatever she had left when she dared to touch
his hem with her hope. (Luke 8)</span><br />
<br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Take what you need.</span></i><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It’s what Jesus said when he declared, “It is finished,” and
died for you. (John 19)</span><br />
<br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Take what you need.</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Just take it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Get close to Him and soak it up.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">He already offered it all to you and it’s there for the
taking, everything you need.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Take what you need.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Ambushed by God in a memory,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Kimberly</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">For Deborah, who embraced a stranger’s child and whispered, “Take
what you need.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">For Cheryl, who sits with the dying and the family in loss
and says, “Take what you need.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">For John, who gives his days to the prisoner and the
homeless and says, “Take what you need.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">For so many others who rescue babies, embrace mothers,
attend to the sick, befriend the lonely, and day after day, reveal Jesus
saying, “Take what you need.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">And for someone who hasn't yet reached out to take it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>Take what you need.</em></span><br />
<br />
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
<br />
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
Ambushed by Godhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11275607987298060080noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2258776927989633174.post-85029335052035500322013-08-04T01:37:00.000-08:002013-08-04T15:59:06.079-08:00The Mess<span style="font-family: Calibri;">If you’ve ever browsed the greeting card aisle in a typical
American store, you’re familiar with the sentiment, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“It’s about the journey, not the destination.”</i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We like it on cardstock with a watercolor flower printed behind
it. But when it comes to life-actually-lived, I tend to go for, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Are we there yet?!” </i>I don’t think I’m
alone in that.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">My boys were painting the other day and the three-year-old
had his paints squirted out into little blobs on the paper-plate-palette, just the way he’d directed
me to do it. Fifteen seconds later, he’d made this <span style="color: magenta;">beautiful mess:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCwdWTPJG2GnmvekwiDLdH8ZNZgbhU8Ny9wDoM5gixReyEU-8MKK6ISlZg0iGmdfy0dgnepqa3STwZnUj_I3yeleYTpjakGlRJR2ep9vAV6iACsnlRdSXIPna_LrSHfiLDsp0q_TOsCnQ/s1600/process1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCwdWTPJG2GnmvekwiDLdH8ZNZgbhU8Ny9wDoM5gixReyEU-8MKK6ISlZg0iGmdfy0dgnepqa3STwZnUj_I3yeleYTpjakGlRJR2ep9vAV6iACsnlRdSXIPna_LrSHfiLDsp0q_TOsCnQ/s320/process1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I looked down at that and thought, “This time, it’s definitely
about the journey!” The process was so pretty, I had to take a picture. But by the
time that paint was on the canvas, it was all one shade of greenish-grey and
the lovely, swirly rainbow-wheel was gone.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">And half an hour later when I came around the corner from
having left them alone with paint<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> for
only a moment </i>and with explicit instructions to <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“not move from this spot!,”</i></b>
I found this <span style="color: #38761d;">not-so-lovely mess:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqbheLZjhqPsLfeFQyf6BqEoCmvvTbIyGs8bZSbaRaSbsRGsCHemxYn6QP0fxwHBVa7Uig937_zymgrsKc0Jjl1EBgq8LVLpRCWxZ-9vS1apXjwLOdjNQpdAfVBhSUhLiGl8W6H8OPgas/s1600/IMG_2788.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqbheLZjhqPsLfeFQyf6BqEoCmvvTbIyGs8bZSbaRaSbsRGsCHemxYn6QP0fxwHBVa7Uig937_zymgrsKc0Jjl1EBgq8LVLpRCWxZ-9vS1apXjwLOdjNQpdAfVBhSUhLiGl8W6H8OPgas/s320/IMG_2788.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">There was a trail of paint through the house, on walls,
floors, armchairs, doorjambs, and wall-to-wall in the bathroom. (It was my
acrylic paint, not the washable kid stuff.) The process was not so pretty now.
It was a <span style="color: #cc0000;">hot mess.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I was looking at a picture today of <a href="http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap110502.html" target="_blank">Jupiter’s storm</a>. It’s
violent. It’s a hurricane twice the size of Earth. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">It’s also gorgeous.</i> Well, from a distance, anyway. If I was in the
middle of it, I’m sure I’d see it as a scary mess. And it’s been going on for
as long as we’ve been able to see Jupiter through a telescope. A <span style="color: #a64d79;">perpetual,
scary mess.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">But set aside for a moment the conversations about where
storms (the kinds in our lives) come from, and what God’s purposes <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">are</i> or <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">aren’t</i> in those hard, messy seasons. The real <em>wonder</em> is that He is <em><strong>in the storm</strong></em>.
<em>Period.</em> He doesn’t have to be – no more than I have to be in the eye of <a href="http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap110502.html" target="_blank">Jupiter’s Great Red Spot</a>. But He enters into my messy journey and yours, step-for-step, and<span style="color: yellow;"> He
isn’t afraid of the messes. <em>At all.</em> <strong><em>Ever. </em></strong></span>He already did "whatever it takes" to<span style="color: yellow;"> clear up the mess</span> between us and Him. It doesn't get any messier than that.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The journey’s not always pretty, but it’s where life
happens. Somebody probably already wrote that on a greeting card somewhere.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span class="text Rom-10-4-Rom-10-10"><em>It’s the word of faith that
welcomes God to go to work and set things right for us. This is the core
of our preaching. Say the welcoming word to God—“Jesus is my
Master”—embracing, body and soul, God’s work of doing in us what he did
in raising Jesus from the dead. That’s it. You’re not “doing” anything;
<strong>you’re simply calling out to God, trusting him to do it for you. That’s
salvation. With your whole being you embrace God setting things right,
and then you say it, right out loud: “God has set everything right
between him and me!”</strong></em></span><br />
<span class="text Rom-10-4-Rom-10-10"><strong><em></em></strong></span><br />
<span class="text Rom-10-4-Rom-10-10"><em>(from the beginning of Romans 10, The Message; emphasis mine)</em></span><br />
<em></em><br />
<em></em><br />
<em>Ambushed by God, even in the messes,</em><br />
<em>Kimberly</em></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
Ambushed by Godhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11275607987298060080noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2258776927989633174.post-74792214355180279352013-04-19T17:12:00.001-08:002013-04-19T17:12:32.604-08:00Jesus and the Blue-Ribbon Cow
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, there was (and
still is) a very special place called Camp Agaiutim Nune (Camp A.N. for short).
“Agaiutim Nune” means “the place of God” in the Native Alaskan Yupik dialect. Every
summer, scores of Yupik children pile into boats and travel up and down the
tributaries of the Yukon River Delta to come to Camp A.N. and hear about a God
that loves them, and doesn’t want them to be afraid, and wants them to live
free lives and not be slaves to fear, abuse, alcoholism, depression or any
other slave-owner.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Now, these kids spend a week at a time at Camp A.N. and they
need to eat. They are meat-eaters. Their people have eaten what they can pull
from the river and hunt on the land at least since their ancestors crossed the
land-bridge from Asia. The source for the camp’s groceries for the past many
years recently became unavailable. So the camp director sat down and asked God –
that same God who loves these kids so much He wants to set them free – to give
them some meat. About an hour later, the phone rang. A man wanted to give the
camp several hundred pounds of beef from his prize-winning, grand champion cow.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I just heard this story recently and I love it. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">That camp director is my dad. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">That God who loves those village kids so much that He gave
them the blue-ribbon cow is my God. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Those kids are the children of the kids I grew up with in the
villages of Western Alaska. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I love this story for more reasons than you could shake a
stick at. But most and best, I love that mine is a God who draws us with His
goodness and His kindness. He isn’t trying to scare and control. The Bible
says, “O taste and see that the Lord is good; how blessed is the man who takes
refuge in Him! (Psalm 34:8)”.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">God isn’t one to skimp and He isn’t stingy. He always goes
above-and-beyond. There is another "taste-and-see" story, found in John’s Gospel (the beginning
of chapter two). It’s the famous story of the time Jesus turned the huge jug of
hand-washing water into the shockingly-fine wine and saved the happy couple and
their families from the embarrassment of running out of wine before the
celebration was over. It wasn’t a “make-do” miracle. Jesus was extravagant. His
gift to the bride and groom was the finest quality. That is just the kind of
God He is: generous, extravagant, outrageously good.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">He <em>is</em> the best, and He <em>gives</em> the best. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Wedding guests get the good grapes.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Village kids get the blue-ribbon beef. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Mankind gets a do-over and whoever embraces Jesus gets to
stand in the presence of the God-Who-Made-Everything forever and ever and
tremble at <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">His beauty, His goodness and
His holiness</i>, but never in guilt and terror.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>Taste, see, take refuge, be blessed.</em></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Ambushed by God and filling up on His goodness,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Kimberly</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
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<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Yes, they're tomatoes, and tomatoes really have nothing to do with this story, but they're such <em>pretty</em> tomatoes! And if you could taste them, <em>you would see that God is good! Haha!</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
Ambushed by Godhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11275607987298060080noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2258776927989633174.post-48664535949459172812013-03-30T14:57:00.002-08:002013-03-30T14:57:51.188-08:00The Best-Sweetest-Greatest-Most-Wonderful-Most-Amazing-Ever<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I fall in love every year at this time and it’s always the
best-sweetest-greatest-most-wonderful-most amazing day ever. It’s true and I am
not exaggerating.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This is Passion Week. Tomorrow is Resurrection Sunday – my most
favorite day of the year.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The best day in all of history…</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The sweetest expression of love mankind ever witnessed…</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The greatest thing anyone ever did or ever will do…</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">…that’s what Jesus, Yeshua, the Messiah, the Christ did. The
culmination of His Passion is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">us</i> –
the life He bought for us. It stirs my heart all over again every spring. He’s
the Most, the Greatest, the Sweetest, the Best. </span><br />
<br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">If this isn’t the
Jesus you know, then I’m guessing you haven’t met the real Jesus.</span></b><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">He has inspired love songs in maybe every language on the
planet.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Men and women around the world have faced torture because of
their love for Him.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Lives have been changed, dead live again. It is Jesus. What
He did inspires love. Who He is inspires passion, devotion<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">, hope.</i></span><br />
<em><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></em><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTegJG5DjJOSVNgpgd7zNUYWv7XEAVhiusczIIBfYSyZHj5bcVTgjE0Bs9v-trhIrEMsUYou35vD-9EUZpXiXUEYPMXDuvXpthAhMRzsRtNjO_TelXHJ9CuWUnv6h3Hc4-OFSV4GWaz90/s1600/Love.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTegJG5DjJOSVNgpgd7zNUYWv7XEAVhiusczIIBfYSyZHj5bcVTgjE0Bs9v-trhIrEMsUYou35vD-9EUZpXiXUEYPMXDuvXpthAhMRzsRtNjO_TelXHJ9CuWUnv6h3Hc4-OFSV4GWaz90/s320/Love.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">If you don’t know Him, you’ll want to meet Him. More than
anyone who ever walked the earth, you’ll want to meet this man. This weekend is
the perfect time to do just that.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“No Sweeter Name"</span></i><br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">by Kari Jobe</span></i><br />
<br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">No sweeter name than
the name of Jesus</span></i><br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">No sweeter name have I
ever known</span></i><br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">No sweeter name than
the name of Jesus</span></i><br />
<br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">You are the life to my
heart and my soul</span></i><br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">You are the light to
the darkness around me</span></i><br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">You are the hope to
the hopeless and broken</span></i><br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">You are the only truth
and the way</span></i><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Jesus, Jesus…</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Ambushed by God in a love song on Good Friday,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Kimberly</span>Ambushed by Godhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11275607987298060080noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2258776927989633174.post-82201853727938989142012-11-25T21:35:00.001-09:002012-11-25T21:35:47.219-09:00It's Just a Flesh Wound<span style="font-family: Calibri;">A couple years ago, we had two growing boys, a 100-pound
dog, and a 3,000 mile road trip ahead of us. My little Subaru just wasn’t going
to fit the bill – we needed a bigger vehicle. It turned out to be MUCH bigger, and one
day not long after we got it, I misjudged its size while backing out between two trees (around a curve and downhill...in my own defense...haha...) and caught the very seam-edge of the front end on a tree. It peeled like
a banana. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The whole front end.</i> I was
stunned. I’ll never forget my husband’s response when he saw the mess:</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Ahhhh, it’s just a flesh wound.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">(That man is a prize. I see Jesus in him.)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Why does that kind of slow-to-anger, slow-to-blame,
quick-to-forgive behavior surprise people? Because it’s not the
norm. For the most part, we don't really expect that kind of kindness. But somehow
everyone knows they’re <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">supposed</i> to be
able to expect it from the people who call themselves “Christian”
(which literally means “follower of Christ”). It was what people quickly came
to expect from Jesus (the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Christ</i>)
when he was walking the earth.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">In the opening of the eighth chapter of John’s Gospel, you'll find a short story of a woman shamed and blamed - but not by Jesus. The religious scholars and
leaders put her on public display at the temple and pointed out to Jesus that
according to the law, she should be stoned for adultery. They wanted to know what Jesus had
to say about it. I'm assuming they didn’t like to watch him heal the blind one
moment and eat dinner with prostitutes and cheats the next. If he was really the Messiah,
they wanted to see him punish somebody for making a mess of life. Instead, he
called for whoever was <em>perfect</em> to go ahead and throw the first stone. They all
walked out and left the rocks in the dust. Only Jesus, the Perfect One, was left. He turned to the woman and asked if any there was anyone left who accused her.</span><br />
<br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“No one, Master.”</span></i><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Neither do I,” said
Jesus. “Go on your way. From now on, don’t sin.” </i>(from John 8, quoted from
The Message)</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Mercy. Grace.
Love-without-a-hook.</i> It’s not exactly what all of Jesus' followers are known for - at least, not in the part of the world where I currently live. But it’s what <em>Jesus</em> was known for. It’s exactly how
God wants to be known. At the end of 1 John, chapter 4, there is this
astounding explanation of who God is, and how we are expected to
represent it Him:</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>God is love. Whoever
lives in love lives in God, and God in them. This is how love is made complete
among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world
we are like Jesus. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear,
because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect
in love. We love because he first loved us.</em> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">(quoted from the NIV)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">And that’s all there is to it. We love because <em>he first
loved us.</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Unlovely us.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Messy, blame-able, skinned-up-and-worse us.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Filthy, blood-on-our-hands, rocks-for-hearts, vicious, just plain
ugly…we deserved to be punished.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Instead, Jesus took the punishment and we got the
capital-L-Love.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">When we blow it, it doesn’t have to be a mortal wound. <em>Jesus took the mortal wound </em>and we get a clean slate.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I had conversations with two different friends recently
about people who had been trapped by habits of the sort that destroy families
and lives. We talked about how people trip up on something that shouldn’t be fatal,
but because they are ashamed and afraid to let anyone know, that scratch becomes
a mortal wound. It’s not God’s fault that people are afraid to say they blew it
or need help. Jesus didn't do that to them. We did it to each other.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">In this world, I want to be like Jesus. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I want to say, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ahh, it’s just a flesh wound. </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Get up again. I’ll
help you brush off the dust. </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Here’s a band-aid. </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Let’s keep going. I’ll walk
with you.</i></span><br />
<em><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></em><br />
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<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Ambushed by the God-Who-Loved-First,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Kimberly<o:p></o:p></span>Ambushed by Godhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11275607987298060080noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2258776927989633174.post-90610749444026026602012-10-31T00:04:00.001-08:002012-10-31T00:04:58.896-08:00The Supernova That Is Calvary<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Once upon a time, there was an explosion. Instead of destruction,
it brought life. In fact, it gave birth to a whole new form of life…</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Calvary...the cross...Jesus – there is this <em>explosive moment</em> in time that
changed all of time, past, present and future – for all of eternity. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We were goners.
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Then there was Jesus, splitting open the grave and tearing open the curtain and blowing up the divide between us and God. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">And now we’re alive and more-than-alive: we’re “a new creation”.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>Could it be any
clearer? Our old way of life was nailed to the cross with Christ, a decisive
end to that sin-miserable life – no longer at sin’s every beck and call! What
we believe is this: If we get included in Christ’s sin-conquering death, we
also get included in his life-saving resurrection. We know that when Jesus was
raised from the dead it was a signal of the end of death-as-the-end. Never
again will death have the last word. When Jesus died, he took sin down with
him, but alive he brings God down to us. From now on, think of it this way: Sin
speaks a dead language that means nothing to you; God speaks your mother
tongue, and you hang on every word. You are dead to sin and alive to God. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">That’s what Jesus did.</span> -</b></em></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Romans 6:6-11 (MSG) </span></i><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">About a year ago, I came across this video online. I thought
immediately of <em><span style="color: #cc0000;">what-Jesus-did</span></em> when I watched it (although that is not what the author
intended to call to my mind):</span><br />
<br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><a href="http://wimp.com/comprehenduniverse/" target="_blank">This Is Our Universe, Can You Comprehend It?<o:p></o:p></a></span></i></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I listened and thought, <em>He has it almost right…</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">
Not </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">“ <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">...I thought I could
never touch it, and yet something of it crosses the void and touches me..."</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">but</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">...we knew we could never touch Him, and yet something of Him - His Son
- crosses the void and touches us...</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">and not </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">“ <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">...stars have died
so that I can live...”</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">but</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">...the <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Root of David and
bright Morning Star</span> died so that I can live...</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"><b><i>I step out of the supernova that is Calvary ... and so do you…</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><em><u><span style="font-size: large;">That’s what Jesus did.<o:p></o:p></span></u></em></span></b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Ambushed by God on the cross, in the skies, and on the internet,</span></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Kimberly</span></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></o:p> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></o:p> </div>
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<o:p></o:p> </div>
Ambushed by Godhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11275607987298060080noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2258776927989633174.post-85778083510080205002012-10-29T01:36:00.000-08:002012-10-31T00:37:52.362-08:00My God Is a Storm<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">My
husband was reading to our oldest son last week, and I was doing this-and-that
nearby, eavesdropping. </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The
book was about a young boy and the ewe he hand-raised from its birth. The
chapter I listened in on the other day tells the story of the day the ewe (“Biddy”) walked into the house while the family was at the table. She
came in bleeding and bitten, to let them know that wolves were after the flock:</span></span><br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><i><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">They
never found how Biddy got through or over or around the miles of fencing that
were meant to keep the pastures safe, but they found why. In a ravine, a
clustered frightened group of sheep were gathered, still trembling as they had
when they had raced for their lives across the open land. Their wild eyes could
not see the three [shepherds] approaching them as friends but as something more
to fear. At sight of Benj and Andrew and Peter an anguished sound came from the
flock - high and plaintive from the mothers, sharp and questioning from the <span class="il">lambs...</span></span></span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span class="il"></span><br /><em>
With long strides Benj moved in among the flock, talking to them, reaching out
his hands on either side to comfort and allay. Biddy had joined the flock, her
dark brown fleece instantly discernible among the tawny coats. Somewhere she
had found her <span class="il">lamb</span> and was whickering over it, proud and
happy. Her quietness and Benj's slow tones spread assurance to the flock and
gradually they became calm.</em><br />
<em> </em><br />
<em>Peter stayed with the sheep while Andrew and Benj went off across the
pastureland and over the rounded nobs of hills searching for traces of the invader…</em><br />
<em> </em><br />
<em>
When dusk began to settle down, Andrew and Peter started home. Benj was left
sitting on a stone, the gun across his knees, Biddy and her <span class="il">lamb</span>
beside him so the flock would not stray. Peter remembered him sitting there -
as silent as a tree, as grim as a storm-laden east wind. </em>(excerpted from <em>Mountain Born</em>, by Elizabeth Yates)<br />
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I listened to my husband reading and I could see God.<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span> <span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span> <span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I could see God's heart that caused Him to leap to our rescue.</span></span><br />
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I could hear God’s voice that calms the frightened mothers and babies (and everyone else).</span></span><br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I could look back in my life and see God’s form moving in our midst, bringing us comfort and peace. </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">And I saw that <strong><em>God sits, a storm-front of strength and protection</em></strong> over His loved ones.</span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span> <span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span> <span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><br />
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span> </span><br />
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">God is a storm to our enemy - a <em>grim, storm-laden east wind</em> to the enemy that would devour our lives. </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Do you feel surrounded, chased down or backed into a corner?</span></span><br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">There is a God who will - and already has - moved heaven and earth* to come to your rescue.</span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span> <span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">My <span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">God is a storm to my enemy and a peace to me. I love Him for it.</span></span></span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></span></span> <span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span> <span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br />
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Ambushed at story time with gratitude to the God-Who-Storms-On-My-Behalf,</span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em></em></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>Kimberly</em></span></span><br />
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><em></em></span> <span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><em></em></span> <span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><em></em></span> <span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><em></em></span><br />
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span> <span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span> <span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span> <span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></span> <span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></span> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span></i> </div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span></i><br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span></i><br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span></i><br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I love You fervently <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">and</span>devotedly, O Lord, my Strength.</span></span></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Lord is my Rock, my Fortress, and my Deliverer; my God, my keen <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">and</span> firm Strength in Whom I will trust <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">and</span> take refuge, my Shield, and the Horn of my salvation, my High Tower.</span></span></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I will call upon the Lord, Who is to be praised; so shall I be saved from my enemies.</span></span></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The cords <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">or</span> bands of death surrounded me, and the streams of ungodliness <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">and</span> the torrents of ruin terrified me.</span></span></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The cords of Sheol (the place of the dead) surrounded me; the snares of death confronted <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">and</span> came upon me.</span></span></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></i><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">In my distress [when seemingly closed in] I called upon the Lord and cried to my God; He heard my voice out of His temple (heavenly dwelling place), and my cry came before Him, into His [very] ears.</span></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Then the earth quaked and rocked, the foundations also of the mountains trembled; they moved <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">and</span> were shaken because He was indignant <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">and</span> angry.</span></span></i></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">There went up smoke from His nostrils; and lightning out of His mouth devoured; coals were kindled by it.</span></span></i></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">*He bowed the heavens also and came down; and thick darkness was under His feet.</span></span></i></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">And He rode upon a cherub [a storm] and flew [swiftly]; yes, He sped on with the wings of the wind.</span></span></i></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">He made darkness His secret hiding place; as His pavilion (His canopy) round about Him were dark waters <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">and</span> thick clouds of the skies.</span></span></i></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></i></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Out of the brightness before Him there broke forth through His thick clouds hailstones and coals of fire.</span></span></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Lord also thundered from the heavens, and the Most High uttered His voice, amid hailstones and coals of fire.</span></span></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">And He sent out His arrows and scattered them; and He flashed forth lightnings and put them to rout.</span></span></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Then the beds of the sea appeared and the foundations of the world were laid bare at Your rebuke, O Lord, at the blast of the breath of Your nostrils.</span></span></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></i><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">He reached from on high, He took me; He drew me out of many waters.</span></span></i></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">He delivered me from my strong enemy and from those who hated <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">and</span>abhorred me, for they were too strong for me.</span></span></i></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></i></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">They confronted <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">and</span> came upon me in the day of my calamity, but the Lord was my stay <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">and</span> support.</span></span></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">He brought me forth also into a large place; He was delivering me because He was pleased with me <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">and</span> delighted in me.</span></span></i></div>
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Ambushed by Godhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11275607987298060080noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2258776927989633174.post-52782800306442144362012-09-22T23:42:00.001-08:002012-09-22T23:42:05.916-08:00Between Storms<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We’ve been in an onslaught of weather lately.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I drove along the ocean a few days ago in what I suspect were
hurricane-force winds. The river was already beginning to overflow its banks
here and there along the highway. I have friends who just got the trees off
their roof from two storms ago.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">One storm after another has blown through this part of Alaska and high
winds, flooding and power outages have taken over the evening news. The weather
forecasters say there’s another storm headed our way. I’ve lost count…I think
this might be number four-in-a-row?</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaEncEhUD3ywk2DjcuDZl1eChupNwzHf8ZasvNwF-6-d_qXXDxG-lnYqDbKmtpz03bIUnDz3fOm4NnZkKUXQ_Fmx1Z5YX-HqZViwuj-BwjBBqxrx2Ryt-XCdtfs803s1Vq44OjUA5REPM/s1600/IMG_4893.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaEncEhUD3ywk2DjcuDZl1eChupNwzHf8ZasvNwF-6-d_qXXDxG-lnYqDbKmtpz03bIUnDz3fOm4NnZkKUXQ_Fmx1Z5YX-HqZViwuj-BwjBBqxrx2Ryt-XCdtfs803s1Vq44OjUA5REPM/s320/IMG_4893.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">As I write, there are bright holes in the clouds, but the winds are
picking up. The power lines outside the post office were whistling frantically
this afternoon. Rainbow ends glow against purple mountains in the distance.
Dark clouds like bruises are rolling across the sky, purple and gray and a
strange yellow.</span><br />
<br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>We’re between storms.</strong></span></i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo6UN8H0pkTx2-iFbLmi2_MuMrXqckfxs-NcvS_84FcOVoF8WpNgadn7UPCiRlHOTxsFJVVlZE2vqvg7HJ7wAgFkJ4Pi4su9rprgKiHOr1k6M7Z9skyriOlxV19-zXGzLHYihOyql7j6I/s1600/IMG_4935.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo6UN8H0pkTx2-iFbLmi2_MuMrXqckfxs-NcvS_84FcOVoF8WpNgadn7UPCiRlHOTxsFJVVlZE2vqvg7HJ7wAgFkJ4Pi4su9rprgKiHOr1k6M7Z9skyriOlxV19-zXGzLHYihOyql7j6I/s320/IMG_4935.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I’ve felt that way before (and I’m not talking about the weather now) –
just barely catching my breath from one storm, and here’s another one rolling
in. One of the reasons it means so much that God squeezed Himself into a human
body and walked around subject to the law of gravity like the rest of us is
that when He talks to us about <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">peace-in-the-midst</i>,
we know He knows what He’s talking about.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">When Jesus said He was giving us His peace, He knew exactly what a
priceless treasure it would be in life on this earth.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span class="text"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Peace I leave
with you; My [own] peace I now give <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">and</span>
bequeath to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your
hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. [Stop allowing yourselves to be
agitated and disturbed; and do not permit yourselves to be fearful and
intimidated and cowardly and unsettled.]</i></span> <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span class="text"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(John 14:27, The
Amplified Bible)</span></span></div>
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<span class="text"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span> </div>
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<span class="text"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></span> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja23uvJitOUI5xGZUIrpZThv8qjxta1mk9IdgCwMay2cZwS8vRQ8o80biIa1SwnbJpxcaeIfDgiFpGJ7IV3QEUjNY-ODlC-9eyumsofWItI1B7ALyFTPkbIe-jAhR6un2gbzWw9dz4rdk/s1600/IMG_4904.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja23uvJitOUI5xGZUIrpZThv8qjxta1mk9IdgCwMay2cZwS8vRQ8o80biIa1SwnbJpxcaeIfDgiFpGJ7IV3QEUjNY-ODlC-9eyumsofWItI1B7ALyFTPkbIe-jAhR6un2gbzWw9dz4rdk/s320/IMG_4904.JPG" width="213" /></a><span class="text"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<span class="text"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Jesus said this in the middle of telling His closest
friends that He was about to be betrayed, denied (by Peter), and that He would
be leaving them. Jesus <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">and</i> His
disciples were between storms and Jesus talks to them about…peace<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">. And He could do that because He was at
peace.</i></span></span><br />
<span class="text"></span><br />
<span class="text"></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Calibri;"><strong>Peace isn’t necessarily the absence of the storm around me – it’s more
about the absence of the storm <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">within</i>
me.</strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">When the Amplified Bible explains that Jesus is saying, “Stop allowing
yourselves to be agitated and disturbed; and do not permit yourselves to be
fearful and intimidated and cowardly and unsettled,” I can feel the arrow hit
its mark. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">And when the bad news is still ringing in your ears and lightning
strikes again, there is Jesus, right in the middle, in and between the storms with
you, saying, “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">My own peace</i> I now give
and bequeath to you…” It doesn’t get any better than <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">God’s own peace</i> – the peace that took Jesus to the cross and the
grave and beyond. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg_zeDb79ipZqDn6U0ziqCh438jVSQROIJCR7i0LiGEa7TbUxKKlK6mMfszl1MSb1FDvZIFPhzxlqpa9vkCK-lhegTX3r_rFT9iZBoAdKpbID7TrETbHhI5WMz-CQs6Ltg84qwXN3noc4/s1600/IMG_4881.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg_zeDb79ipZqDn6U0ziqCh438jVSQROIJCR7i0LiGEa7TbUxKKlK6mMfszl1MSb1FDvZIFPhzxlqpa9vkCK-lhegTX3r_rFT9iZBoAdKpbID7TrETbHhI5WMz-CQs6Ltg84qwXN3noc4/s1600/IMG_4881.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg_zeDb79ipZqDn6U0ziqCh438jVSQROIJCR7i0LiGEa7TbUxKKlK6mMfszl1MSb1FDvZIFPhzxlqpa9vkCK-lhegTX3r_rFT9iZBoAdKpbID7TrETbHhI5WMz-CQs6Ltg84qwXN3noc4/s320/IMG_4881.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I like the <em>“Peace, be still”</em> stories (see Mark 4:39), when the circumstances
change in an instant. But I thank God with everything in me for the <em>“Peace I
leave with you”</em> stories, and I know that Jesus is with me, in and between the
storms.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Ambushed by the God of Peace between storms,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>Kimberly</em></span></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></em> </div>
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<em><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></em> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJIFAHy7hcdamCvAW_9Xd-ekGJwPCLOXQJ1is9ZMNQMFhspXqZLgUrz2fFn5cG0l6-4b-qlOuB7ZRyiOBtzfkKjjfeFKHoZaVdOT9s7UiAP32t6N-V_jmuTYY57wmY2SL_F5e1JdzjScc/s1600/IMG_4936.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJIFAHy7hcdamCvAW_9Xd-ekGJwPCLOXQJ1is9ZMNQMFhspXqZLgUrz2fFn5cG0l6-4b-qlOuB7ZRyiOBtzfkKjjfeFKHoZaVdOT9s7UiAP32t6N-V_jmuTYY57wmY2SL_F5e1JdzjScc/s320/IMG_4936.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
Ambushed by Godhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11275607987298060080noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2258776927989633174.post-60819561845230400412012-08-06T16:49:00.003-08:002012-08-06T16:49:52.749-08:00Honeymooners<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I know a family who is in the middle of a honeymoon with God
right now. God just walked up to them one day and introduced Himself and has
been dazzling them ever since. It takes my breath away
to watch them!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Honeymoon with God? That’s right. He’s the ultimate
romantic. He thought up romance. Throughout the Bible, God describes Himself as
a husband, a lover, a pursuer. The whole idea of being “ambushed by God” is
really just noticing and celebrating the surprise-love-gifts He gives. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I had a text-message from one of these honeymooners recently.
It went like this:</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Awesome, awesome and more awesome…God just stole my heart!
I just saw a whale 25 feet from the ferry. How does He know that I love whales?
Oh, right – ‘cause He is GOD!”</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Right. He’s God. He made you and He knows exactly what will
make you catch your breath in wonder and fill you with joy. When He made this
Honeymooner (the one on the ferry), He must have said to Himself, “This one
will love My whales! They will make her happy, like they make Me happy. When
she sees them, she and I will be happy together!”</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This is the Love worth living - or dying - for. This is what that strange, homesick feeling that you can't put your finger on is all about. Love is what you were made for, it's the purpose in life, and Love has a name: Jesus.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>"Someone or something has romanced us from the beginning with creek-side singers and pastel sunsets, with the austere majesty of snow-capped mountains and the poignant flames of autumn colors telling us of something - or someone - leaving, with a promise to return. These things can, in an unguarded moment, bring us to our knees with longing for this something or someone who is lost; someone or something only our heart recognizes."</em> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">(from "The Sacred Romance" by Brent Curtis and John Eldredge)</span><br />
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<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">As for me, He knows He can ambush me with just about anything.
Currently, it’s little wisps of baby hair, missing front teeth on a growing boy and a shelf full
of just-canned salmon…</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ9FGx2LmRh0zNwQuxiJ42jPyTw4aBfWgfPqvsAhIlFz_PT3VU4XIGaauebWf0rbOQLpFCoJPdHEDG6glv23RFVXyWijoz4GFxxnGXsCKskb_MrdVYXU5RQCGgKYMV4jYBoJmrB6JFQas/s1600/Beauty+is+in+the+Eye+of+the+Beholder.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ9FGx2LmRh0zNwQuxiJ42jPyTw4aBfWgfPqvsAhIlFz_PT3VU4XIGaauebWf0rbOQLpFCoJPdHEDG6glv23RFVXyWijoz4GFxxnGXsCKskb_MrdVYXU5RQCGgKYMV4jYBoJmrB6JFQas/s200/Beauty+is+in+the+Eye+of+the+Beholder.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">...oh, and watching others being love-ambushed!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Many waters cannot quench love,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">nor can rivers drown it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">If a man tried to buy love</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">with all his wealth,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">his offer would be utterly scorned.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Song of Solomon 8:7 (NLT)</span></div>
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Ambushed by God and loving it </div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">(and back from a long blog-absence because I have a new Love in my world - my newest son!),<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Kimberly</span></div>Ambushed by Godhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11275607987298060080noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2258776927989633174.post-41428729104426618622012-05-22T12:39:00.000-08:002012-05-22T12:39:20.434-08:00How to Spot a Gold Digger<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I know some gold diggers. They’re always
poking around, looking to see what they can get out of someone. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">And I love them for it!</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Ok, so I'm not referring to what most people think of when they hear the term "gold digger".
You might also call these people “treasure hunters”. They’re the type who look
for the gold in people, even if it’s hidden deep (really deep!) in there under a veneer of rock, a pile of
rubble, or worse. They’ll search it out like a beachcomber with a metal
detector and the minute they find something of any value whatsoever, they celebrate the find.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">These are the people who look for potential
and promise, not polish and perfection. They look past the obvious, past the
difficult to spot the diamond in the rough – sometimes <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">way</i> in the rough. These people coax the unseen treasures in others
to the surface. They see the artist deep inside the office worker, the teacher no one suspected in the shy one, and the poet
who lives unknown in the accountant. They summon those in hiding to come out into the
sunlight and reveal truth and beauty and God to us all.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Jesus is the ultimate gold digger. He looked
at a rough fisherman with a loose-cannon-of-a-tongue and saw a disciple. He
looked at a corrupt tax-collector and saw a righteous man waiting to see the light of day. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">In the Gospel of Luke, chapter 7, we read
about another diamond-in-the-rough recognized by Jesus when
everyone else saw a dirty rock. Jesus was a dinner guest at someone’s house
when a shunned woman – “an especially wicked sinner" (Luke 7:37, Amplified
Bible) – crashed the party. She washed Jesus' feet with her tears and hair and
poured expensive, rare perfume on them. The host of the dinner party thought to
himself, “If this man were really a prophet, he’d know what sort of woman this
is…” <em>Oh, but Jesus did know.</em> He was the <em>only</em> one there who knew. He immediately
saw past the reputation to the gold in her heart and announced to everyone there that she was one who “loved
much” and declared her forgiven and at peace.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I
want to do that.</span></span></i><br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I want to recognize the treasure that is easily overlooked and call
it to the surface.</span></span></i><br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">After all, God saw the treasure in me.</span></span></i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzdB5zxob74iFzrFur-g-UnU0HVSJHvHq_pOadnI-W6meF6Npnk8Gse77PBTt8vWzYWr772zm-stMpOBT9a6j4UNvHHTzBG8t1jDbsAe24nXD1em0M6JP4B9rlBEzDCQHjNw2wHMmIWNU/s1600/IMG_0735.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzdB5zxob74iFzrFur-g-UnU0HVSJHvHq_pOadnI-W6meF6Npnk8Gse77PBTt8vWzYWr772zm-stMpOBT9a6j4UNvHHTzBG8t1jDbsAe24nXD1em0M6JP4B9rlBEzDCQHjNw2wHMmIWNU/s320/IMG_0735.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><em>The "treasures" my six-year-old recently found because he so patiently sifted through piles of gravel and sand the others left behind at a sluice box.</em></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">My six-year-old son is a gold digger, and a treasure hunter in
every sense. He loves to draw “treasure maps”, hunt for rocks, and find the
gold in those “irregular people” many of us just struggle with.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">He and I like to hunt for rocks together – we
have done this since he took his first steps. One day a couple years ago, he
excitedly handed me a rock as we walked the beach. I took the rock, surprised
he’d even noticed it. It looked very plain to me – uninteresting. There was no
special color or shape to it that I could discern, but he insisted we keep it,
so into the bucket it went. When we got home, we began to line up our finds on
the porch railing. When I picked up his rock
that had so failed to impress me, I turned it over. On the other side, it was a
perfect heart. I hadn’t noticed earlier because I hadn’t bothered to turn it
over, hadn’t bothered to <em>really look</em>.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">How often have I failed to look deeper, past the plain side, past the unattractive parts, to see the treasure in someone? It is there in every single human being - they were each one made in God's image, after all. If I can't see the value there, I'm just not looking hard enough.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I want to be a gold digger. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I want to see what God sees.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>For the Lord sees not as a man sees; for man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.</em> (from Samuel 16:7, Amplified Bible)</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Ambushed by the God-who-saw-me-for-real,</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Kimberly</span></div>
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<br /></div>Ambushed by Godhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11275607987298060080noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2258776927989633174.post-86255690869867051882012-05-12T17:18:00.000-08:002012-05-12T23:07:59.895-08:00Mother's Day Flowers<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">One afternoon last fall, my sons and I sat
watching the wind blow some of the last of the seeds off a spent fireweed plant – a
flower that was no longer what most of us would consider pretty. It had lost
the vibrant pink color of its earlier summer days. The petals had dried up and
fallen off. Its tall, upright fireweed shape was long gone. Instead, here was a
slightly wilting, frizzy plant, about to launch the next generation on the wind.</span></span><br />
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span></i><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwWEGRWxHk5qORCxoVSXC4kzUw6NfAuXuXDN7MU3TbVAtKJXT9sBx0Klw1M4sbyHQt5S3kPvMfi3e6wugZchB5mMKUo6ooTTPMLgSlYDzgKSUpUkmxjazovPLbfis10SMyeyCAtFWB1Wo/s1600/fireweed2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwWEGRWxHk5qORCxoVSXC4kzUw6NfAuXuXDN7MU3TbVAtKJXT9sBx0Klw1M4sbyHQt5S3kPvMfi3e6wugZchB5mMKUo6ooTTPMLgSlYDzgKSUpUkmxjazovPLbfis10SMyeyCAtFWB1Wo/s320/fireweed2.JPG" width="320" /></a><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span></i><br />
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Kind of like a mother.</span></span></i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfYFeVd37he7oLMEQDkG34qpYRjb1FEZCKIfOtaKKxgtn_CFT475nXd9gdz4M2QEao0AjTe4scsLL_tNg96EeQB5YraOIKF7OV9O-yYhKYHYPGuTepidz_Z7Eslo57ddSnfakbL3ePwTk/s1600/fireweed3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfYFeVd37he7oLMEQDkG34qpYRjb1FEZCKIfOtaKKxgtn_CFT475nXd9gdz4M2QEao0AjTe4scsLL_tNg96EeQB5YraOIKF7OV9O-yYhKYHYPGuTepidz_Z7Eslo57ddSnfakbL3ePwTk/s320/fireweed3.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">She spends her years getting the next generation ready to launch into the destiny that God has written. He whispers it to her and she holds it in her heart and in her hands.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMvBesR1rIl0KmvSEjdZz2iwM4_bjSX2JwI_TUdCsHhH9ANtv8VMgSYeYWZBSUI4YvhKak2QjhsV_losPMIAeMAbIBMkACCBMfE3ejHfjhK6E-pQ5eIGGfgfJ5zm2sxZQg7qjvrT2wxKg/s1600/fireweed4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMvBesR1rIl0KmvSEjdZz2iwM4_bjSX2JwI_TUdCsHhH9ANtv8VMgSYeYWZBSUI4YvhKak2QjhsV_losPMIAeMAbIBMkACCBMfE3ejHfjhK6E-pQ5eIGGfgfJ5zm2sxZQg7qjvrT2wxKg/s320/fireweed4.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Along the way, she eventually loses some petals, colors fade. She might not stand so straight anymore. But there is unsurpassed beauty in her on the days when the winds pick up and she celebrates the flight of her child.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCuvFZounZR_W3wiA0qLBg08o3ayUXoshm0zVGqtASXcCDUcd5PnVMqze72Zq_fhStl6-MHzgoN3wnBTumRryDhOGpB2D21yrtTbzgjq6AFiEOIm-gif8A1CP15c4AOoNfMjZ-STpgIoE/s1600/fireweed5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCuvFZounZR_W3wiA0qLBg08o3ayUXoshm0zVGqtASXcCDUcd5PnVMqze72Zq_fhStl6-MHzgoN3wnBTumRryDhOGpB2D21yrtTbzgjq6AFiEOIm-gif8A1CP15c4AOoNfMjZ-STpgIoE/s320/fireweed5.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Here comes the wind! </span></span></i><br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">There go the seeds!</span></span></i><br />
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p>"...her children stand and bless her..." (from Proverbs 31)</o:p></span></span><br />
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p>Happy Mother's Day to the mothers - those who are raising children, those who've launched their children, those whose children live in Heaven, and those who've loved the children of others. May you be Ambushed by God on a windy day and see the seedlings take flight!</o:p></span></span></i>Ambushed by Godhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11275607987298060080noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2258776927989633174.post-63206097080783704402012-04-09T22:52:00.002-08:002012-04-09T22:52:38.501-08:00What – really – is the big deal about Jesus?<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Yesterday was Resurrection
Day and the culmination of Passion Week. Last night, I was writing back and
forth with a friend who commented that the day just kept getting bigger as it
unfolded. It was just after midnight when I read that, and my first
thought was “Yeah, it’s already stretched into tomorrow!” And then it hit me:
<em><strong>What Jesus did, it stretches into <u>all</u> the tomorrows!</strong></em></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">During all the
conversation about the day yesterday, my friend sent me a copy of an old email I’d written. I’d like to repost just some of it:<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Calibri;">I am reading Roland Buck's "Angels on Assignment" right now, and have been re-reading the same part for a week or more now because I cannot seem to move on yet. We have no idea the magnitude of what Jesus did for us! We have no idea - none of us - how much God loves us, wants us, has done (and still does!) to clear the way for us to be near Him! Even in the moments of revelation when we, with our faces overcome with emotion, think that we grasp His love and what it cost Him, we don't. Not really. How could we? We've never seen anything like what He did! And those people who were witnesses to the event still didn't see fully. If they did, the story would have been so different. And I suspect it had to be that way for the story to even be accomplished.<br /><br />Can I share some excerpts from this book?</span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">God not only wants believers to come closer to him; he wants those who are far away from him to come, too. He said that if you would call to him from wherever you are, from the very farthest point in all creation, he would remove all the distance between you and him. God WANTS you. He is not looking for reasons to disown you, but he is looking for reasons to help you and to bring you closer to himself...<br /><br />God says, "You can come to me now! The barriers are down! You have been reconciled by the death of my Son!"...<br /><br />All of our needs are covered in the atonement. With his covering over us, God can see us and accept us...Because people are in bondage to fear, it is important to God that people know that before he made the earth, he planned that they would be covered by his atonement. This is why he had Paul write in Ephesians 1:4, "Long ago, even before he made the world, God chose us to be his very own, through what Christ would do for us; he decided then to make us holy in his eyes, without a single fault - we who stand before him covered with his love....<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></span></div>
<br /><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Calibri;">The reason this is of such high priority with God is that people cannot really serve him without genuine assurance that their position in him is safe. Knowing this is REAL security! God is letting people know that he will not let them go without a struggle...<br /><br />Wherever Christ and his message have been carried, there has been light. Where he has not gone or where the message has failed to penetrate, there is darkness. He is the center of life! He is the heart! Without Jesus, the very life, the very heartbeat would be gone from everything. Oh, God, may we never be the same because we will see, we will know, we will feel, we will have, we will live, because of what the death of Christ has brought to us. May this be the time in our lives when we take out the contract you made with us, written in the blood of Jesus, look at it, and recognize that something very special took place. It was not merely the snuffing out of this life, and the putting to death of his human mortality!... It was more!...<br /><br />The second death which faces mankind brings fear, dread and torment to him all of his lifetime. This was the death Jesus took for us...Jesus suffered pains that even the ungodly, those totally separated from God, had never felt, for the ungodly have never felt the pangs that come when the last little flicker of hope is extinguished...While living on this earth, they have never felt the weight, the hopelessness and the horror of feeling the cold side of God as he turned his back on them. Jesus suffered the torment of a damned soul! From his heart he cried out , "Oh, God, why have you forsaken me?" and the cold pangs of eternal damnation, those icy fingers gripped his life, and Jesus suffered the judgment of God. He was totally separated from God at that moment!<br /><br />Oh, God! Oh, God! Oh, God! Oh, God! I want to bring this truth to people. Build a picture before us right now. Let us see what you have done. Let us see your love for us that was so great that your only begotten Son became our substitute! ... Every lie, every sin against ourselves and others, every murder, all adultery, all immorality, all dishonesty, all cheating, all rebellion, all idolatry, all enmity through witchcraft and satanism; yes, everything we could be charged with is laid on him. <br /><br />He has become the sin bearer. He has become sin, bearing all the concentrated dregs of the rottenness of billions of people. Visualize him as the bulwark against Satan's attacks. God says, “See him, discern him, because if you don't, you are often weak, you are sickly, and you are subject to the attacks, the let-down and the draining of your spiritual strength. See him, not as something of beauty, but as that sacrifice, with that rottenness upon him, with every murder, every lie, every bit of immorality, every bit of wickedness that could possibly exist, all the stench of homosexuality that caused Sodom to be burned; everything laid upon him there!”<br /><br />Then as you see him, God wants you to see on that body, YOUR sin, YOUR weakness, YOUR failings, EVERYTHING that you have been worried about! They are there, but they don't have any strength! They are only the ashes of sins that used to be. Just the burned-out cinders! When you see this, sin loses its grip and its power to hurt you. You sins are nothing but ashes, because the blazing stroke of God's wrath and judgment fell on that body. With all the sins laid on him, and all of God's goodness poured into us, we can stand before God, knowing that sin has lost its power over us. ... He has turned sin into cinders. He has blotted out the records...he WANTS us! He is not looking for reasons to destroy us, but to save us.</span></span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><br /><span style="color: #3d85c6;">I know that was a lot to quote. I could quote more, but I'll stop there. I'm beside myself! It's more than we can comprehend! How is it that God is so good? He is so good! He is the standard of all that is good and none of what we call good compares to Him!</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">As I re-read this now, a year
later, I’m still amazed by a Savior who would go
to such great lengths to rescue me - <em>and more</em>. He got rid of anything that stood between God and me. And
all of it – every barrier – was my own fault! Every selfish choice, every hurtful word,
every shred of hatred and deceit and wickedness and every fear in me, Jesus overcame <em>for </em>me.
He became the scapegoat for everything that was horrible in me in order to do what I couldn't. </span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">He really is better than anything we call good.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So...what – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">really</i> – is the big deal about Jesus?</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">He did the greatest thing anyone could ever or will ever do, and what He did will last forever and ever, into your tomorrow and mine and all the tomorrows for always.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-large;">He is why we even HAVE tomorrows.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Ambushed by the God-Who-Overcame,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>Kimberly</em></span></div>
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<br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>(Thank you, <a href="http://iamcallingshotgun.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Kathy</a>, for sending me that email to re-read!)</em></span><br />
<br /><em><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Excerpts from "Angels on Assignment" by Roland Buck, copyright 1979 Roland H. Buck, published by Whitaker House.</span></em><br />
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<em></em></div>Ambushed by Godhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11275607987298060080noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2258776927989633174.post-63311041903673448192012-04-06T17:09:00.000-08:002012-04-06T17:09:09.766-08:00A Good, New Life<span style="font-family: Calibri;">When I was a little girl, I was always bothered that we call
today “Good Friday”. It seemed wrong to call it “good” – what Jesus suffered on
that day.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">But “Good Friday” is the right name. We had nothing good to
offer, and our lack of goodness was killing us. Goodness Himself came and did
the greatest thing anyone had ever, could ever, would ever do in all of history
and throughout all of eternity. He did it for us.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">That’s the standard of “good” – Jesus. His perfect
sacrifice.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">And now we can have goodness, a new life. A good, new life.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6_mVQvh0CuxLqLpZ3sYj9lyEbWl1uGazHPaF9t140Ry8DWKsW18vpQ-0Y2PWNqvqkZOeV3qV3m1I_p6dulc30gcdcuxg9Zt5BMvlO4dmcnxCppzgNST0im7WXmZIRK7n91GA9pE3tA90/s1600/IMG_0200.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6_mVQvh0CuxLqLpZ3sYj9lyEbWl1uGazHPaF9t140Ry8DWKsW18vpQ-0Y2PWNqvqkZOeV3qV3m1I_p6dulc30gcdcuxg9Zt5BMvlO4dmcnxCppzgNST0im7WXmZIRK7n91GA9pE3tA90/s320/IMG_0200.JPG" width="231" /></a><em></em><br />
<em>One man died for everyone. That puts everyone in the same boat. He included everyone in his death so that everyone could also be included in his life, a resurrection life, a far better life than people ever lived on their own. </em><br />
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<em>Because of this decision we don't evaluate people by what they have or how they look. We looked at the Messiah that way once and got it all wrong, as you know. We certainly don't look at him that way anymore. Now we look inside, and what we see is that anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new. The old life is gone; a new life burgeons! </em></div>
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<em>Look at it!</em></div>
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<em>(excerpted from 2 Corinthians 5, The Message)</em><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ambushed by God and given a good, new life,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Kimberly</span></div>Ambushed by Godhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11275607987298060080noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2258776927989633174.post-91269428304444557332012-03-31T21:41:00.000-08:002012-03-31T21:41:02.659-08:00Not Just Any Port in a Storm<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">An afternoon storm caught me
out with my camera today. Wind, then rain, thunder and finally hail chased me
toward shelter.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">And I found it in the prayer
house.</span></span><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAm7JXwejoi2eo17MUYSnCucW0mii1mZFVUVUUMnABUgoC1wfl3Gi5lKA1x4jOFW97H6VIsfR_-Qdw4Yx3mV-hcM-BLX4Szk86XYtU-vbFV4CTu9Ur_Zl4b9H58uuimjtxd1ZGdAVrRhg/s1600/Darkening+Skies.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAm7JXwejoi2eo17MUYSnCucW0mii1mZFVUVUUMnABUgoC1wfl3Gi5lKA1x4jOFW97H6VIsfR_-Qdw4Yx3mV-hcM-BLX4Szk86XYtU-vbFV4CTu9Ur_Zl4b9H58uuimjtxd1ZGdAVrRhg/s320/Darkening+Skies.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div align="left">
Darkening skies</div>
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</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">A church where we're visiting right now has built a small, beautiful prayer
house. It’s mostly glass and it’s up on a hill. That’s where I ran when the
hail started. I could still hear the storm out there. I could see it all around
me. But in there…it was…<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">still</i>. The
storm made itself known, but it couldn’t touch me in there.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">“But let all those who take refuge and put their trust
in You rejoice; let them ever sing and shout for joy, because You make a
covering over them and defend them; let those also who love Your name be joyful
in You and be in high spirits.”</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">
</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">(Psalm 5:11, Amplified Bible)</span></span><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFjtw98fKl4gZHoVPXZaIh1mr1KtpoCmGj23Pk0J8Ac0l0dGZDj_ap-sB8a-Sn66L_CFDVKoGzMujXmw4llAe8-mDUxdp1nWjVr1XKygbVHGvLITEO1LRF4Ov6Kj163bH7Fp_5VQd5glQ/s1600/First+Raindrops.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFjtw98fKl4gZHoVPXZaIh1mr1KtpoCmGj23Pk0J8Ac0l0dGZDj_ap-sB8a-Sn66L_CFDVKoGzMujXmw4llAe8-mDUxdp1nWjVr1XKygbVHGvLITEO1LRF4Ov6Kj163bH7Fp_5VQd5glQ/s320/First+Raindrops.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div align="left">
First raindrops</div>
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</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Outside the glass walls I
could see hawks soaring in the distance, riding the currents on the edge of the
storm. Trees waved wildly. Rain fell in sheets. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Inside, there was a fountain quietly
murmuring. Storm-sounds drowned it out from time to time, but it was still
there, bubbling up and over. I could see it. I could feel the occasional stray
drop splash on my skin. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">It was closer
than the storm that was all around me.</i></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">That’s what it’s like to find
your shelter in God. You most likely can still see the storm, and it may rage
so loudly that it is all you can hear for a moment. But if you find your
shelter in Him, no storm can really touch you. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">“You are a strong tower, where I am safe from my
enemies. Let me live with you forever and find protection under your wings, my
God.”</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">(Psalm 61:3-4, Contemporary
English Version)</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">There were others in the
prayer house today, too. They found their way there before or during the same
storm. We smiled silently at each other, <em>This
is a great place to be during a storm. </em></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It's not just any port in a storm - it matters which one you run to.</span></span><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ5LOzwZI_JGuVuMseV0h3KWGUeXuikRxDY8T8D8A5To7T-ZUv7ojU6LFEuuih-58BNxY2tzCmZjP1v8hf_6Kg-OKu_Yfg02lW2PQuLPBexlyzYLUJA-BO0zD2PceyhQsI4G8CPmmHBOk/s1600/Rain+on+Window.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ5LOzwZI_JGuVuMseV0h3KWGUeXuikRxDY8T8D8A5To7T-ZUv7ojU6LFEuuih-58BNxY2tzCmZjP1v8hf_6Kg-OKu_Yfg02lW2PQuLPBexlyzYLUJA-BO0zD2PceyhQsI4G8CPmmHBOk/s320/Rain+on+Window.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div align="left">
Rain on window</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><versenum span="13"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">You who
sit down in the High God's presence, spend the night in Shaddai's shadow, <br />
Say this: "<span style="font-variant: small-caps;">God</span>,
you're my refuge.
I trust in you and I'm safe!"…<o:p></o:p></span></versenum></span></i><br />
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">…"If you'll hold on to me for dear life,"
says <span style="font-variant: small-caps;">God</span>, <br />
"I'll get you out of any trouble. <br />
I'll give you the best of care
if you'll only get to know and trust me.<br />
Call me and I'll answer, be at your side in bad times; <br />
I'll rescue you, then throw you a party.<br />
I'll give you a long life,
give you a long drink of salvation!"<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(The opening and closing
verses excerpted from Psalm 91, The Message)</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Ambushed by God and given refuge in any storm,</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Kimberly</span></span><br />
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<br /></div>Ambushed by Godhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11275607987298060080noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2258776927989633174.post-40857254153266269032012-03-28T09:49:00.000-08:002012-03-29T00:27:31.426-08:00Slaying Dragons<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Oh, the things a mama can learn from a six-year-old boy!</span><br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My son asked his dad to draw him a picture the other day. The
conversation went like this:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Boy:</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> Dad,
would you draw a picture and send it to me? (Dad was away for work.)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Dad:</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> I’ll draw
one <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">of you</i>. How about that?<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Boy:</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> (Getting
excited now) Draw a picture of me and make me <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">a knight!</i> And put a castle behind me and a dragon in front of me.
AND GIVE ME A SWORD! And give me some <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">armor!<o:p></o:p></i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It reminds me of another Father…<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">From the sixth chapter of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians (quoted
from The Message, emphasis mine):</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“God is strong, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">and he wants you strong</i>. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">So take everything the Master has set out
for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. And put them to use so you
will be able to stand up to everything the Devil throws your way.</i> This is
no afternoon athletic contest that we'll walk away from and forget about in a
couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against
the Devil and all his angels. <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Be prepared. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">You're up against far more than you can
handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued,
so that when it's all over but the shouting you'll still be on your feet.</i>
Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn
how to apply them. You'll need them throughout your life. God's Word is an
indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing
warfare…”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you grew up in
church, you’re more likely to recognize it in this form:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“Finally, be
strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of
God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For
our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against
the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual <i>forces</i>
of wickedness in the heavenly <i>places</i>. Therefore, take up the full armor
of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done
everything, to stand firm. Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH
TRUTH, and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, and having shod YOUR
FEET WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE; in addition to all, taking up
the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming
arrows of the evil <i>one</i>. And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword
of the Spirit, which is the word of God. </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With all prayer
and petition pray at all times in the Spirit…” (Ephesians 6:10-18a, NASB)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There is a reason
little boys pretend to be knights, soldiers and firefighters. (And it’s not
just little boys. As a little girl, I was enthralled with King Arthur’s Knights
of the Round Table.) We’re meant to battle evil…<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">and win</i>. It’s important that we don’t forget that last part. God
has never set us up for failure. We’re made in His image, after all, and He
wins.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Many years ago, I
visited Corrie ten Boom’s house in Haarlem, Holland, where the Ten Boom family
hid Jews from the Nazis during World War II. I remember there was a small
plaque there that said, “</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Jezus, de Overwinnaar</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">” . Translate the Dutch to English and
it says “Jesus, the Overwinner” or “Jesus, the Victor”.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Jesus wins.</span></i><br />
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jesus already won.<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">That same six-year-old has been singing one line from a song over and over lately: "Jesus won back all that Adam had lost..."*</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And because Jesus
won, we get to win. We have been given the armor, the sword, the shield, the
horse bred for battle, the castle. The dragon is as good as slain, but we still
get the honor of getting in on the battle.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My son has been
captivated lately by the idea of “good guys” and “bad guys”. I told him
recently to choose his side carefully – that God never loses, so if you don’t
want to be on the losing side…well…<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">just
sayin’…</i><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">He considered that and then went on to
line up his knights, their horses, some unmanned horses borrowed from a game,
his little brother’s sealife figurines, and a zebra (everyone gets a chance to be a hero!) – all to fight and slay the
big, red, fire-breathing dragon (who was already doomed to lose).</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9PF3s7Y9nQ4buH_vvv6bZi2mAXpJM0Y_hRPCuhF1Y-_Hy2RoT-5r-mvNxgHNdbbnRE0QpaJdCddlgpVcgzy8assBVM9HwmP5BmUAplNCvtucSv50Yi9DT1ePJB8_bPF-FDQ5RKUWnqnE/s1600/Slaying+the+Dragon.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9PF3s7Y9nQ4buH_vvv6bZi2mAXpJM0Y_hRPCuhF1Y-_Hy2RoT-5r-mvNxgHNdbbnRE0QpaJdCddlgpVcgzy8assBVM9HwmP5BmUAplNCvtucSv50Yi9DT1ePJB8_bPF-FDQ5RKUWnqnE/s320/Slaying+the+Dragon.JPG" width="320" /></span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Yes, my son</span></i><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">, I
thought<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">, you are getting ready to slay
some dragons.</i> </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">(And so is your mom. Now…where’s that sword of mine?)</span><br />
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ambushed by The Overwinner,<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Kimberly</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">*lyrics from a CD of children singing, titled "Greater Things", available on ibethel.org</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Addendum:</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>Oh, there it is! My sword!</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A friend read this post and sent me this (she drew it...I love it). Thank you, Rebecca!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>For the <strong>word of God</strong> is living and powerful, and <b>sharper</b> <b>than</b> <b>any</b> <b>two</b>-<b>edged</b> <b>sword</b>, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12, KJV)<br /><span class="keywordresultextras"></span></em></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>Ambushed by Godhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11275607987298060080noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2258776927989633174.post-88710346499817639142012-03-22T23:02:00.000-08:002012-03-22T23:07:21.181-08:00Shh…Listen (Spring has something to say.)<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">For more than just a few
reasons, I’ve been at a loss for words lately – and it’s been to my gain.<o:p></o:p></span></span>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We’ve been traveling, and there are new sounds. It has rained hard
where we are – not like the drizzle my kids are used to. My two-year-old said
to me the other night, “Shh…listen.” So I did. And so I am.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I am sitting silent and Creation all around me is going wild with
springtime joy. The crickets and frogs are doing their best to outshout each
other in praise of their Maker at this very moment (and of course, to entice that
mate…but since He’s the One who told them to do that, it’s still an act of
worship). My children are breathing sleep’s deep rhythms just a few feet away.
The heater kicks on at intervals with a homey sound to drown out the happy clamour for a
few moments, and then the night songs return.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>It's good to listen.</em></span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">When I listen to Creation, I hear <em>joy</em> – the joy of being made,
born, hatched, sprouted, alive, existing, thought-up-by-the-Living-God.
Creation may be waiting and longing for all that Jesus did to be revealed in us
(Romans 8:22), but Creation is certainly not depressed. It’s not a muted, weak,
watered-down, sepia-toned, half-alive existence we’ve been given on this planet.
No, that’s not what Jesus died for. It’s the real deal He offers us and it
starts <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">now</i>. If you don’t already know
that, just listen:</span></span><br />
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The frogs will croak it. </span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The bees will buzz it to you.</span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The robins will dance it out on a
just-cut lawn. </span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The salmon will splash upstream with the knowledge of it. </span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The
whales will sing and breach, the leaves will rustle, the rivers will rush, the dew will drip-drip, the rain will drum, the
pebbles will clack, the ice will crack and those crickets will scratch it out
on their violin-legs all night long. </span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Wherever you are, there is something
speaking with joy of the expectation that life holds because of Jesus. That is
what the Christ offers to me. <em>To you.</em></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPQIP8uEeKAbffoSissEjjQRZaryhjalnul52pu4XFLmjfFbDAB-RLo0KE8mhK1vl067xOp76d-mn0Wm80jMYzXTOHPNTT48ugR7kYx3JToYS-RJRVq09K_sjiXc7858dhUn_Luti7f7k/s1600/Dripping+Manzanita.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPQIP8uEeKAbffoSissEjjQRZaryhjalnul52pu4XFLmjfFbDAB-RLo0KE8mhK1vl067xOp76d-mn0Wm80jMYzXTOHPNTT48ugR7kYx3JToYS-RJRVq09K_sjiXc7858dhUn_Luti7f7k/s320/Dripping+Manzanita.JPG" width="320" /></a><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></i><br />
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">This resurrection life you received from God is not a timid,
grave-tending life. It's adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike
"What's next, Papa?" God's Spirit touches our spirits and confirms
who we really are. We know who he is, and we know who we are: Father and
children. And we know we are going to get what's coming to us—an unbelievable
inheritance! We go through exactly what Christ goes through. If we go through
the hard times with him, then we're certainly going to go through the good
times with him! <o:p></o:p></span></i><br />
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">That's why I don't think there's any comparison between the
present hard times and the coming good times. The created world itself can
hardly wait for what's coming next. Everything in creation is being more or
less held back. God reins it in until both creation and all the creatures are
ready and can be released at the same moment into the glorious times ahead.
Meanwhile, the joyful anticipation deepens. <o:p></o:p></span></i><br />
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">All around us we observe a pregnant creation. The difficult times
of pain throughout the world are simply birth pangs. But it's not only around
us; it's within us. The Spirit of God is arousing us within. We're also feeling
the birth pangs. These sterile and barren bodies of ours are yearning for full
deliverance. That is why waiting does not diminish us, any more than waiting
diminishes a pregnant mother. We are enlarged in the waiting. We, of course,
don't see what is enlarging us. But the longer we wait, the larger we become,
and the more joyful our expectancy. <o:p></o:p></span></i><br />
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(Romans
8:15-25, The Message)</span></span></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxlVU53F3-FlJqyN_9C0O4EC9Grm5t_YBoKmggr5lax3Ytq7Xu8v5GMHBes5tPDzys8xg4WlZ_ijkM1IyDBSh0GMVDNShzfi77VMk6seuPBZtyDC3Dg7oqojV-VNu9xZEFefwaULb351U/s1600/Brave+Frog.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxlVU53F3-FlJqyN_9C0O4EC9Grm5t_YBoKmggr5lax3Ytq7Xu8v5GMHBes5tPDzys8xg4WlZ_ijkM1IyDBSh0GMVDNShzfi77VMk6seuPBZtyDC3Dg7oqojV-VNu9xZEFefwaULb351U/s320/Brave+Frog.JPG" width="213" /></a><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Ambushed by God in the Night Songs of Spring,</span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Kimberly</span></span></div>Ambushed by Godhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11275607987298060080noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2258776927989633174.post-4837803922539511822012-02-29T23:38:00.002-09:002012-02-29T23:44:08.940-09:00Stick Close to Me<span style="font-family: Calibri;">When my oldest child was just coming out of babyhood, he had an entire vocabulary
of his own invention – or so we assumed. One of the words that was most
memorable to me was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">"dabaq"</i>.
He used this word as a request, whenever he wanted one of us to sit down close
to him. It was usually reserved for some tight-fit, sweet and cozy little place
like a garden bench. It was a "cuddle-here-next-to-me-squish-in-close"
request. He'd pat the spot next to himself and say, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">"Dabaq!".</i> The word was so striking to me that I was
almost certain it was a real word in some other language. I almost felt like I
recognized it. I even got online and searched for the word in
every spelling I could imagine, starting with d-a-b-a-q. I didn’t find
anything, but I never forgot the word.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieB8QGwT5p8vTwjQntPV8-LAk_tCbJDoYjAxTkqftLH9iB6e_BLJEIlg1zeWBCPd3yRYnLNG6SegpMmVdOkuiuqht-C8lFNU3BukY6yrVVTk_gg66CFaYigT8w_HDynm76QphEj0XfkgE/s1600/DSC01576.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieB8QGwT5p8vTwjQntPV8-LAk_tCbJDoYjAxTkqftLH9iB6e_BLJEIlg1zeWBCPd3yRYnLNG6SegpMmVdOkuiuqht-C8lFNU3BukY6yrVVTk_gg66CFaYigT8w_HDynm76QphEj0XfkgE/s320/DSC01576.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Father and son in a "dabaq" kinda spot.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Well, not long ago, I read <a href="http://www.aholyexperience.com/2012/01/what-to-cling-to-on-the-days-youre-drowning/" target="_blank">this post</a> by author Ann Voskamp and was amazed (but
somehow not that surprised) to discover that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">dabaq</i> really is a word. I didn’t find it in my earlier searches
because it’s a transliteration of a Hebrew word. It’s the word we read in the
King James Bible translated as “cleave” – as in “…and to him shalt thou cleave…”
(Deuteronomy 10:20). It’s also the word we read in Genesis that describes
the mystery-miracle of marriage – a man who leaves his parents to cleave to his
wife, the two becoming one. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">That close.</i><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I knew it! I was sure it was a word, and it was a good one.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Cleave” means to cling to, hold tight to. It’s that “squish-in-here-tight”
part of “come near me, stay near me”. In the passage in Deuteronomy, Moses is telling the
Israelites that God wants them to come close, be near, “stick with Me”. Moses
knew about this first-hand – he was the one who stood in the Tent of Meeting
with The-One-and-Only-Ever-Living-God. Moses was the one who longed to be close
to God to the point that he dared to ask Him, “Show me Your glory”. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">David knew it, too. In the 31<span style="font-size: small;"><sup>st</sup> Psalm (quoted from The Message), he wrote, “Love
God, all you saints; God takes care of all who stay <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">close</span> to him...”, and in the 91st Psalm, he describes the benefits to all those who would live right up under God's arm, by His side.</span></span></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;">And those of us who live after the Messiah came to walk
among us – how much more should we see that He wants us close? He put on our
skin and walked our paths! He died to bring us near, very near, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">dabaq</i>-near. Two becoming one – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">that close</i>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Songwriter Jonathan David Hessler wrote, "<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">You're more real than the wind in my lungs,
You're closer than the ground I'm standing on...<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">You're closer than the skin on my bones,
You're closer than the song on my tongue..."<em> (Abba)</em> It's one of my new favorite songs...because it's true.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">God is not the far-off whitebeard on a cloud. He paid a very dear
price to have you very, very close.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Cling to the Christ. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">He’s on the garden bench. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">His hand is
on the space next to Him, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">and He’s holding that seat for you.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>“Dabaq.”</em></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Ambushed by God with an invitation to sit close,</span><br />
<em><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Kimberly</span></em></div>Ambushed by Godhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11275607987298060080noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2258776927989633174.post-58828095440704624532012-02-25T20:55:00.000-09:002012-02-25T20:55:27.996-09:00When Love Sets the Table, You Don't Get Paper Plates<span style="font-family: Calibri;">My husband is an extravagant-love man. When we were first
married, he would turn to me (and still does on occasion) whenever we’d find ourselves with nothing to do
and ask, “Want me to take you to Paris for lunch?” And the thing is, he meant
it. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We weren’t wealthy. In fact, there were some pretty lean
times those first few years – the kind of seasons when you go to the grocery store
to buy five things that are under a dollar and then try to figure out how to
make dinner with them. But if I’d have said, “Yes, please, take me to Paris for
lunch,” then he would have worked overtime and sold everything he had to get
me there. It might have taken awhile, but he would have made it
happen – and he’d have done it with a smile on his face.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">So when John writes in the Gospels that God is extravagant in
His love and in the handing out of love-gifts, I think I kinda get it.</span><br />
<br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">"The One that God
sent speaks God's words. And don't think he rations out the Spirit in bits and
pieces. The Father <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">love</span>s the Son
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">extravagant</span>ly. He turned
everything over to him so he could give it away—a lavish distribution of gifts.
That is why whoever accepts and trusts the Son gets in on everything, life
complete and forever! And that is also why the person who avoids and distrusts
the Son is in the dark and doesn't see life. All he experiences of God is darkness,
and an angry darkness at that." </span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(John 3:34-36, The
Message)</span></i><br />
<br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">A lavish distribution of gifts…whoever accepts the Son gets in on
everything…forever…!</span></i></b><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">If that’s not the God I can love and trust, then there isn’t
one. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I have a God who doesn’t force, doesn’t threaten, doesn’t
arm-twist and doesn’t manipulate. All He had to do was love and He does that
perfectly. He doesn’t skimp, doesn’t cheat and isn’t cheap. He's never stingy. He <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">is</i> Love, and when Love sets the table,
you don’t get paper plates – you get the wedding china and the crystal and the
linens. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">When Love sets the table, you find some delicacy you never
even heard of before, and never even knew to desire.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Love gives more than is needed. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Love always goes overboard, and I love Him for it.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I recently lived out one of the hardest weeks of my life.
The temptation was to be afraid – afraid because maybe it could be true, after
all, what the snake told Eve about God – that He wasn’t to be trusted.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">And I won’t say that lie didn’t sound shiny-new and kind of
believable in the face of very frightening news. Except…I live on the other
side of the history-marker: the cross of Jesus Christ. I know that there is an extravagant God
who spared no cost – not even death – to show me His love. How could I despair
in the face of that?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I know – terrible things happen sometimes. Some of them have happened to me, too, and to people I love. I don’t have explanations for that. When the bad news comes, He is there – He and all that
outrageous love of His. And when the good news comes, all the better – I have
Him to thank!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Apostle Paul wrote a letter to the Christians at Ephesus and he
wanted them to see that God’s love isn’t fragile. They weren’t going to outlive
it, find the end of it or use it up. It’s a strong love. It’s a generous love. Paul wanted them to know what you do with that kind of love.</span><br />
<br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">My response is to get
down on my knees before the Father, this magnificent Father who parcels out all
heaven and earth. I ask him to strengthen you by his Spirit—not a brute
strength but a glorious inner strength—that Christ will live in you as you open
the door and invite him in. And I ask him that with both feet planted firmly on
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">love</span>, you'll be able to take in
with all followers of Jesus the <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">extravagant</span>
dimensions of Christ's <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">love</span>.
Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise
to the heights! Live full lives, full in the fullness of God. </span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(Ephesians 3:14-19,
The Message)</span></i><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFppoJk558hElGj60Sv7OEKn46bRjSye1zvvs7egDFSFELz10JZxn8lxRGjx_iDRP3-Qzv91ZxYltUbcATIOEi135_ZgOYBk3JHK4imTlCvdHCH0tPqrpck22XLfdozudPZnlEkgvlQnw/s1600/Venus+and+Jupiter.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFppoJk558hElGj60Sv7OEKn46bRjSye1zvvs7egDFSFELz10JZxn8lxRGjx_iDRP3-Qzv91ZxYltUbcATIOEi135_ZgOYBk3JHK4imTlCvdHCH0tPqrpck22XLfdozudPZnlEkgvlQnw/s320/Venus+and+Jupiter.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Venus and Jupiter are converging</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvh03SSdr0EH7FlXguEBl_Eb_2GnRLQp5W9All5GR2ChGQT-ZrBup0pV1JJIHuR7hIG6x3v7I7ahPAMDzciAgbI4QK81ued6JZLrCrJ-2CphVML_mr33ajO7hPDtmL6faXbam_nDHy5FA/s1600/Starry+Sky+and+Aspen.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvh03SSdr0EH7FlXguEBl_Eb_2GnRLQp5W9All5GR2ChGQT-ZrBup0pV1JJIHuR7hIG6x3v7I7ahPAMDzciAgbI4QK81ued6JZLrCrJ-2CphVML_mr33ajO7hPDtmL6faXbam_nDHy5FA/s320/Starry+Sky+and+Aspen.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Starry sky seen through Aspen branches</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I’m basking in extravagant, overboard, outrageous, too-much,
over-the-top, uncontained and ostentatious, unapologetic love, and I’m so
grateful that I don’t even know what to say. I’ll take Paul’s challenge. I’ll
reach out and experience, test, dive, climb, live…the fullness of God’s love.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Ambushed by the Love-God at a well-set table,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Kimberly</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>Photos of a starry
night courtesy of my extravagant husband - the one who gives me the gift certificate that
was meant for him so I can have a new lens for my camera. </em></span><br />
<br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Oh, and also courtesy
of the extravagant God who made, arranged and named all those stars!<o:p></o:p></span></i><br />Ambushed by Godhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11275607987298060080noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2258776927989633174.post-59561890995293171442012-02-19T19:24:00.000-09:002012-02-19T19:26:38.749-09:00The Song That Everything Wants to Sing<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">My lips will shout for
joy, when I sing praises to you; my soul also, which you have redeemed.<o:p></o:p></span></i>
<br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(Psalm 71:23, ESV)</span></i><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Human-kind just does not want to be alone. We have searched
the heavens – since long before we had the technology to do the search any
justice – for some sign that we’re not the only ones living, thinking, talking. We’ve searched
the earth, too, and the depths of the seas – maybe we could decipher a language
among the creatures? Along the way, we found music. Along the way, we found <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">worship</i>. No, we’re not alone – all of
Creation is singing, singing, singing…so happy to have been created... so happy
to have such a God.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Watch: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zWKm-LZWm4" target="_blank">Louie Giglio Mashup of Stars and Whales Singing God's Praise</a></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Yes, the stars are singing (it’s not really a new discovery,
by the way – it’s in the Bible). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The whales are singing. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The north wind is singing (check out an album titled, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dis/dp/B000XVPVSM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1329709315&sr=8-1" target="_blank">“Dis”by Jan Garbarek</a>). <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The waves are keeping time. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Planets are keeping time. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I love this video clip and I love his question, “Do you
wanna sing along with stars and whales?” And while I understand what Giglio is
saying about there being no lack of God-worship in song throughout the
universe, I also believe the Song of the Redeemed – which can only be sung by a
redeemed mankind – stands alone among the worship in the universe. I believe it
could also be asked, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Do the stars and whales
wanna sing along with us?”</i> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">With all the care God takes to teach the birds to sing and
teach the bear to hibernate and tell all those migrators how to find the way home again –
He cares that much more for the ones He made with His own hands, kissed to life
with His own breath and redeemed with His own blood. I suspect all of creation
wants in on one song in particular, and that song is ours to sing. It’s the Song
of the Redeemed, and the rest of Creation very joyfully accompanies us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdiqA4nuWwH8V9W540pChnHVbQJRN74a6inu9iQhnPch7aws2gbjNZbQrZW46FOEHVWfT2UGRc4a52Lizxh-9phb9Mh3TQ5KTqbrrS6ilrAMbJsqwmJp1QDe3vA6GmRu5MHzfnZmgON38/s1600/Ice+Chimes.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdiqA4nuWwH8V9W540pChnHVbQJRN74a6inu9iQhnPch7aws2gbjNZbQrZW46FOEHVWfT2UGRc4a52Lizxh-9phb9Mh3TQ5KTqbrrS6ilrAMbJsqwmJp1QDe3vA6GmRu5MHzfnZmgON38/s320/Ice+Chimes.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div align="left">
Wind, water and ice at the edge of the river combine to play </div>
<div align="left">
sweet-sounding "ice chimes" at sunrise on a fall morning.</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<o:p></o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We’ve had the stars-and-whales music in the Louie Giglio video playing over and over in
our house today, and there is a lot of wild dancing going on in the kitchen. The stars and the whales
and my sons are singing about our Great God. I can't wait to hit "save" on this post and go join in!</span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">O Lord, our Lord, </span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">your greatness is seen
in all the world! <br />
Your praise reaches up to the heavens;</span></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">it is sung by children
and babies. <br />
You are safe and secure from all your enemies; </span></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">you stop anyone who
opposes you.<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">When I look at the
sky, which you have made, </span></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">at the moon and the
stars, which you set in their places—</span></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">what are human beings,
that you think of them; <br />
mere mortals, that you care for them?<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Yet you made them
inferior only to yourself;<br />
you crowned them with glory and honor.<br />
You appointed them rulers over everything you made; <br />
you placed them over all creation:<br />
sheep and cattle, and the wild animals too;<br />
the birds and the fish <br />
and the creatures in the seas.<br />
<br />
O Lord, our Lord, <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">your greatness is seen
in all the world!<o:p></o:p></span></i><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(Psalm 8, The Good
News Translation)<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Ambushed by the One-for-whom-everything-is-singing,<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Kimberly<o:p></o:p></span></i>Ambushed by Godhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11275607987298060080noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2258776927989633174.post-61909675731628783702012-02-07T13:51:00.001-09:002012-02-07T14:09:34.525-09:00Love Stories<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-no-proof: yes;">When you see true, genuine, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">better-than-fairytale-because-it’s-real</i> love, you know it. It
sticks out like a sore thumb in this world. It’s hard to miss. I know – I’ve
seen it. I know women who married princes. Those princes may not have come with
crowns and gold, but they are royalty and they treat their wives like royalty.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-no-proof: yes;">Many years ago, before I was married (back when I didn’t <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">want</i> to be married), I heard one of
those women tell a story that changed my life. She’d come home from work
exhausted and had fallen asleep. She slept right through the time she was
supposed to pick up her husband from work. That night, he trudged home in the
pouring rain. These were the days before cell phones and I’m sure he was
wondering what had happened. When he walked through the door and found her
asleep on the couch, his only words to his wife were heartfelt:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-no-proof: yes;">“Oh, I’m so glad you got some rest!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-no-proof: yes;">When I heard that, I quietly said to God, “If I am to be
married, it must be to a man like that.” And that is exactly what happened. Not
too long after I heard that story, I married a man whose head is princely, whose
heart is gold and whose soul smells of honey. I know a prince when I see one.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-no-proof: yes;">I have another friend whose marriage radiates such
overwhelming love that everywhere she and her husband go, people can’t take their
eyes off them. People stare at them. People eavesdrop on them. True love is
irresistable. When these two were newlyweds, strangers told them it would wear
off, but my friends rejected that unhappy ending and well over a decade later,
they’re still drawing eyes and ears because that’s what love does – it draws us
all in.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-no-proof: yes;">These are wonderful, amazing women, but they didn’t earn a
better love story than anybody else – <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #6fa8dc;">they
just put down their own pens and let God write their stories</span></b>. And nobody
can write one like He can. He’s written an eternity full of stories. He’s
written a whole universe full of stories. Some of them He hand-picked to put in
a Book you may recognize. And He’s still writing stories – true stories of victory
and acts of heroism and acts of selfless sacrifice, of generosity, of redemption and forgiveness and of
reconciliation… But they’re all part of the same big story, and at it’s heart,
it’s a love story. It's <em><u>The</u> Love Story</em>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You won’t find a
better author for your life and your love.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-no-proof: yes;">About a year ago, the couple with the walk-home-in-the-rain
story came to our house to stay for the weekend. We had a wonderful few days
filled with laughter and food and music, but for me, the pinnacle was the snowy
walk we took together down to the river. The men pulled the children on sleds. We
women wandered along with our cameras and no one was in a hurry. She took this
picture of our princes in the snow and the caption wrote itself in my heart. True Love was out for a stroll and even the sky had to do something to acknowledge its presence.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-no-proof: yes;"><o:p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><em>They were two good men without an ounce of guile
between them and on that happy winter day, their hearts were as light and as
white as the snowflakes.</em></span></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-no-proof: yes;"><o:p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><em><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ambushed by the Author of Life and Love,</span></em></span></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-no-proof: yes;"><o:p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><em><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Kimberly</span></em></span></o:p></span></div>Ambushed by Godhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11275607987298060080noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2258776927989633174.post-3842849909632941272012-01-17T01:04:00.000-09:002012-01-17T18:46:24.354-09:00Getting Un-lost<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The
Big Dipper (Ursa Major) is right outside my favorite star-gazing window
tonight. It’s standing on end. I’ve felt a little up-side-down myself, lately.<o:p></o:p></span>
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O<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">ne
of my childhood memories is of my father showing me the Big Dipper
and explaining how to use it to find the North Star (Polaris), in case I should
ever be lost. I remember feeling very comforted that there was a star to help
me figure out where I was – even though I don’t think I really understood the navigation
lesson at that age. And now I have a young son who takes great comfort in
carrying around a compass when we’re outdoors – for the same reason Polaris
comforted me.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Stars,
a compass, a map – these are the tools that give us security when we’re outside
four walls. But what about when our hearts are out there in the dark? What if
life throws you some unexpected curves or circumstances spin you around until
you’re disoriented? And what about the choices you make when you’re feeling
brave – choices to live outside the four-walled-safety zone of “life as usual”
and go off in an unknown direction? Where is your sky-map then?<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">It’s
God for me. He doesn’t change. Even the North Star isn’t completely reliable forever
– it is shifting. God is my fixed point for all eternity and if I know to look
for Him, I can’t ever be lost. He said He’d never change. Not that He’s at all
predictable, but He is always true to who He said He is.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">I
photographed the Big Dipper tonight. My shots are all a little blurry, mostly
from star movement. But it’s 25 below zero (Fahrenheit)
here tonight and I didn’t have it in me to shiver long enough to get a better photo. Back in the heated house, I’m looking at my pictures and I’m
still a little up-side-down, but God is right-side-up, and I can just look at
Him to get my bearings.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkRpsYJe-KQb68P7OMgvsgt4agEX8FAEnl4SNy0p9nhDATe12IF9ANUKtZDnevvXMQZiXYND6NQT4IHEp8DFXDJ-bUmrN7ls0CLlLfaDcA-ziH8fLiuma5a9V5YJ2Ja6hGKUN2qiBs6QM/s1600/Big+Dipper+on+End-1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkRpsYJe-KQb68P7OMgvsgt4agEX8FAEnl4SNy0p9nhDATe12IF9ANUKtZDnevvXMQZiXYND6NQT4IHEp8DFXDJ-bUmrN7ls0CLlLfaDcA-ziH8fLiuma5a9V5YJ2Ja6hGKUN2qiBs6QM/s320/Big+Dipper+on+End-1.JPG" width="213" /></a><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><em>By
your words I can see where I'm going; they throw a beam of light on my dark <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">path</span>. I've committed myself and I'll
never turn back from living by your righteous order. Everything's falling apart
on me, God; put me together again with your Word. Festoon me with your finest
sayings, God; teach me your holy rules. My life is as close as my own hands,
but I don't forget what you have revealed. The wicked do their best to throw me
off track, but I don't swerve an inch from your course. I inherited your book
on living; it's mine forever— what a gift! And how happy it makes me! I
concentrate on doing exactly what you say— I always have and always will.
(Psalm 119:105, The Message)<o:p></o:p></em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><em>Now you've got my feet on the life <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">path</span>, all radiant from the shining of
your face. Ever since you took my hand, I'm on the right way. (Psalm 16:11, The
Message)<o:p></o:p></em></span></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Take me by the hand; Lead me down
the <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">path</span> of truth. You are my
Savior, aren't you? (Psalm 25:5, The Message)</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></em></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><em>The revelation of God is whole and
pulls our lives together. The signposts of God are clear and point out the
right road. The life-<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">map</span>s of God
are right, showing the way to joy. The directions of God are plain and easy on
the eyes. God's reputation is twenty-four-carat gold, with a lifetime
guarantee. The decisions of God are accurate down to the nth degree. (Psalm
43:3)</em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ambushed by God and Un-lost,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Kimberly</span></div>Ambushed by Godhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11275607987298060080noreply@blogger.com2