When the Blossom is Over

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For before the harvest, when the blossom is over, and the flower becomes a ripening grape, he cuts off the shoots with pruning hooks, and the spreading branches he lops off and clears away. 

Isaiah 18:5

At the beginning of October, I did some major pruning and weeding in my garden to get everything ready for wintering over.

It's therapeutic, getting down in the dirt among my flowers, cutting away what is dead, pulling the weeds out, and cleaning up -- preparing. 

Because when spring returns, so will the flowers blossoming and the green things blooming out -- and I have to make ready now so they will have a fertile place to thrive when the time is right.

Life is exactly like that sometimes -- a place of pruning and more pruning, of cutting back and tearing out, of preparing with the hope that someday there will be a spring.

And there are times that this season can seem everlasting, full of more painful pruning and weeding than you ever thought you would need, and the grief of it can take hold and threaten to overwhelm everything else in your life.

But that is the time to remember ... that the place of pruning and weeding and tearing out is always a place of preparation.

Preparation that submitted to will bring forth a beautiful spring in God's perfect time. A time when we too will be able to THRIVE.

So in the place of waiting for spring ...

in the place of pruning where the pain has taken hold, the joy is hard to grasp and it feels like the ache inside is all there is to life anymore --

remember God's gracious promise of a spring. If not here, than surely an eternal and everlastingly joyful one in His presence if we hold on to the promise to the end.

Where He will be the light -- and the pain will be gone forever -- and the pruning will have a joyful end.

Come, Lord Jesus.

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The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

John 10:10

Hope for the Righteous | Psalm 14

 "For God is with the righteous generation. You would put to death the counsel of the afflicted, but the Lord is His refuge."

Psalm 14:5-6 

 David begins Psalm 14 with an apparently hopeless statement, "There is no one who does good." In verse 1, all the world has seemingly turned aside ... they are corrupt, committing abominable deeds ... there is not even ONE who does good. What a desolate thought. Reminds me of Elijah's heartache in 1 Kings 19:10 ... "The sons of Israel have forsaken your covenant, torn down Your altars and killed your prophets with the sword. And I alone am left ..."

But hang on, David! As the Lord "looks down from heaven to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God," (v.2) David has an epiphany, declaring, "God is with the righteous generation," (v.5) and "the Lord is his refuge"! (v.6) There is a remnant, just as God reminded Elijah later on in that great man's despair. He was - and we are - part of a righteous generation that God has left alive and it is well and truly living. It might be tiny. It might be hard to find amid this generation of sons of men (just as it was then) who say "there is no God." (v.1) But it is there - hallelujah!

David goes on in v.7 to express his longing for the salvation of Israel. Well - it has come. It has come with a new Kingdom, one that cannot be shaken or crushed. And the spiritual Israel can be glad, for Jesus has already overcome its enemy and WE are living in that age of redemption. What an incredible time to live. The age David hoped for - the age the prophets desired to see - we are the ones privileged to live in it, within the blessings of the life, death, and resurrection of the Son of God, the One who ultimately delivered Israel and reigns now until the end of time. What a truly awesome reality.

And because it is reality, I am encouraged today. I do get fainthearted like David and Elijah. I am tempted often to feel incredibly alone and hopeless. But just as David realized when writing this psalm, that is never completely the case. And because of the power of the Son of God, my life will never be hopeless even in my deepest pain: "for God is with the righteous generation ... the Lord is his refuge." Praise the Lord.

♥

Signs of Spring | 2020

Despite the fact that life seems to have stopped in so many routine aspects - God keeps moving the seasons along, reminding me that EVERYTHING has a season. Nothing lasts forever. And there is SO MUCH beauty in that!! ❤

Ya know what they say about April showers ...

Loving the symbolism in this ... all the new green growth coming from the middle of spent, dead stems and flowers. 

Lots of green!

Keeping me company ♥

Yellow.

Roads go ever ever on,

Over rock and under tree,

By caves where never sun has shone,

By streams that never find the sea ...

♥

Going Right

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Sorrowing I shall be in spirit,

Till released from flesh and sin,
Yet from what I do inherit,
Here Thy praises I'll begin;
Here I raise my Ebenezer;
Here by Thy great help I’ve come;
And I hope, by Thy good pleasure,
Safely to arrive at home.

Suffering is part of life in Christ. Jesus didn't come to bring peace on earth, but a sword -- He said it! And this walk isn't for the fainthearted. But it also isn't for the ones who proudly boast they can surely do it all. The former will find themselves eaten up at the first difficult conflict. The latter will try to fight in their own strength and will end up prey to their own pride. The ones who will come Home, in the end, are those who lean not on their own strength, either in fear of their weakness or overconfidence in themselves, but rather have poured all confidence into Christ's provision for them whatever comes along.

As children of God, our hearts still experience hurt. We are affected by the decisions of fellow brethren, friends, and family members -- by decisions of our Lord about things our souls long for but that He knows otherwise about -- by Satan's deadly and oh-so-effective missiles of bitterness, heartache, betrayal, isolation, loneliness, and fear.

 

Sometimes in the midst of those feelings there seems to be nothing much going right to provide a balm (although as an aside - there always is :). But when I look at the above list of earth-struggles - when I really think about that list - those things are exactly what Jesus either experienced or was tempted by while He was here, all of them, except in a magnitude that we will never even come close to. What right have we to feel sorry for ourselves when Christ went through just this and infinitely MORE, merely to save us, human beings who had no right to eternal life at all?

And what does "going right" really mean, anyway?? Did the apostles think things were "going right" when the King of Israel was hung on a cross (despite His repeated attempts to help them understand this would happen)? Did James's brethren not grieve when he was one of the first apostles to be martyred for his faith? And yet ... in God's eyes, in the full measure of His wisdom and foresight, these things were ... Right. Not right in the sense that they were pure and sinless things and God was pleased with those who did them -- but they were consistent with the Plan and the consequences of following it. There would be suffering and death and horrific torture for the brethren who chose to follow Jesus Christ -- but they accepted it and kept right on going because their perspective was powerfully different from the rest of humanity's. They had a true understanding of what "going right" really meant, what God's understanding of it always was and still is. That "Going Right" in this life is Discipline. It is Instruction. It is Preparation. It is things that keep us longing for Home and reminding us this world isn't what we should be living for. It is sometimes pain and loneliness and heartache. It is also deep and fulfilling joy in Christ, confidence in this life knowing that this is all going to end one day and we'll be at peace. It is HOPE.

I guess my point is, our concept of Going Right needs to be consistent with God's Going Right. We'll never find peace here unless that happens and that ONLY happens when our faith is in God's ability to see what we don't and know what we can't. Only then will WE be able to see beyond the moment.

One of the verses of the hymn "In His Time" says, "Though the answer [to your prayers] may not be what you think that it should be, He will answer every need in His time." That's hard. When our hopes for our lives have turned out quite the opposite -- when they've been broken and discombobulated and turned upside down -- it's tough being reconciled to that and to accepting and living in the lives we have now. But you know what? Even then -- life's Going Right! Because God knows what we don't. He cares for us and He will always do what is right for us as long as we follow Him. He can see beyond the moment, and therefore so should we. To heaven. To the time when we and our brothers and sisters who have all experienced similar earth-struggles will be at peace, and we will no longer have to struggle. That is beautiful to think about.

So. Here's to refining my idea of Going Right in 2017. May God give you and me the strength to take every new day just one at a time, trusting fully in His PERFECT will for our lives, when He takes us through the hard places, and when He sees fit to give us times of joy.

Happy New Year!

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Behold, I go forward but He is not there,
And backward, but I cannot perceive Him;
When He acts on the left, I cannot behold Him;
He turns on the right, I cannot see Him.
But He knows the way I take;
When He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold.
My foot has held fast to His path;
I have kept His way and not turned aside.
I have not departed from the command of His lips;
I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food.
 Job 23:8-12

Happy New Year ...

My view from the "wrapping room" on Christmas Eve ... beautiful.

... from the Gather Ye Rosebuds Blog! :)

I am beginning this January with a thankful heart. I find the excitement with which I used to greet the new year has been tempered by the last few, and I think that's natural as we grow and experience some life and learn from it (hopefully) the lessons God wants us to. But at the same time, I have to be careful not to let it become too tempered. ;) To give God the glory and remain hopeful and joyful when His amazing and all-wise plans graciously continue to say "no" to my wishes, one year after another. To thank Him for His care when my heart hurts to the extent that I don't even know how to pray. I remember Jesus in the garden, how He cried out (with suffering that I will never comprehend and would never pretend to equate anything in my life with) -- and how His crying was for God's will to be done over His. And I really want to focus on that idea this year -- on subjection. On what John the Baptizer described as "my decrease for His increase." Man, that's hard. And does Satan ever throw absolutely everything he can into our paths to turn our attention back onto ourselves.

I look at the lives and the daily burdens carried patiently by so many brethren around me and I'm humbled. I'm so thankful for what I do have and for the fact that I'm starting this year off with good health, a good job, a warm home, a family, and God, and the assurance that God will never leave me though all those earthly things might. To HIM be glory! Brrrrrrrring it on, 2016, you next chapter in this exciting, yes, exciting adventure called life! :0)

 Wishing all of you the blessings that belong to those IN CHRIST this year. Have courage, dear friends! Christ has overcome, and all we need do is follow Him down to the last little jot and tittle. :) After all ... that is what we are here for in the first place! :o)

With Love,

Gather Ye Rosebuds 

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My Times are In His Hands!

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Today I lifted the page on the Psalm calendar and laughed when I saw what was written there:

My times are in Your hand.

I was fighting a positivity battle this morning about going back to work tomorrow after a week off -- back to the ongoing workplace drama and and frustration within the office, partly resulting from some poor staffing choices. I know that compared with the work issues of many people, my problems are SO minimal and I know I'm blessed to have my job! But I was still dreading the return to work, and hating the fact that I was dreading it. Enter Psalm 31:14-18: 

But as for me, I trust in You, O Lord,

I say, “You are my God.”

My times are in Your hand;

Deliver me from the hand of my enemies and from those who persecute me.

Make Your face to shine upon Your servant;

Save me in Your lovingkindness.

Let me not be put to shame, O Lord, for I call upon You;

Let the wicked be put to shame, let them be silent in Sheol.

Let the lying lips be mute,

Which speak arrogantly against the righteous

With pride and contempt.

What a gracious God -- to give us words of encouragement and solace for Every Single Situation in life, even if it's the comparatively tiny problems of silly old me. I am so, so grateful that my times truly are in His hands. That gentle reminder allowed me to rejoice and be encouraged, and if you are having a tough day, I hope it encourages you, too!

So. I shall head off to the office tomorrow morning and conquer the world -- one appointment, one patient, and one bit of drama at a time. ;o) Have a marvelous week!

Note: There is also a time to take bacon out of the pan, that is if you don’t want it burnt. Only I neglected to remember that while typing this. O_o

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 (Tulips are always a cheerful influence!)

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I frankly wasn't feeling the usual excitement last night as I sat with my journal, reflecting as tradition dictates on last year's goals, and making new ones for a new 12 months. In my journaled words, I was feeling "a little tired, a little discouraged, a little 'out of hope' ..." and so, my goals were simpler than they generally are ... quieter. Less "bang for the buck." :) The Lord helped me to gain a brighter spirit this afternoon, for which I am thankful -- but my simple goals for the year ahead are staying as they are, I think. :) Sometimes, it's good to just go simple. Sometimes, motivation just isn't there waiting for us ... it needs to be worked up to. Which leads me to mentioning the following by John Baillie, A Prayer for Daily Meditation. He understood that sometimes, we just won't feel refreshed. Sometimes we will be jaded and uninspired. But when we're feeling this way, it is vital that we remember to keep perspective. To remember that this too shall pass ... and one step at a time is all that is required to keep going heavenward.

Grant, O heavenly Father, that the spiritual

refreshment I have this day enjoyed may not be

left behind and forgotten as tomorrow I return

to the cycle of common tasks.

Here is a fountain of inward strength.

Here is a purifying wind that must blow

through all my business and all my pleasures.

Here is a light to enlighten all my road.

Therefore, O God, do Thou enable me so to

discipline my will that in hours of stress I may

honestly seek after those things for which I have

prayed in hours of peace.

John Baillie

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May God give you strength to stand in this new year! Happy 2015!

::Thoughts from the files::

 

 Clouds and countryside on the drive home from worship today ...

Good evening, readers! I took a rather unintentional blogging hiatus, but am back now, hoping that you have had a most enjoyable holiday season so far. 

I was looking through my doc files today and came across something I wrote about a year and a half ago -- I was writing about the struggle I've faced in the past when meeting new people, with fearing that I wouldn't live up to expectations. Although God has given me so much more freedom in this area the past couple years, still I know this can be such a difficult mentality to overcome ... so I'm sharing a portion of this tonight, in the hope that it might encourage someone else! I am cutting in a few sentences into the writing:

......

... it’s a pressure that God never desired for us to have. Because He tells us in His word, that we are made in His image. That we are fearfully and wonderfully made, in fact. That we were valuable enough in His eyes for Him to actually let His own Son be brutally murdered in order that we could spend forever with Him, in His presence. Why is it that I lose sight of these facts so, so easily? Why is it that I forget that God has given me a spirit of power and love and discipline, and not of fear? And why is it that I can think so little of God’s power and might as to lose all confidence, when He treasures me so much as His child?

Satan wants me to wallow in this fear and forget these facts, that’s why. He wants me to mess up, to become so disabled by fear that I will distance myself from making and maintaining friendships and will have no strengthening companionship with other Christians. But God wants me to live an open life, living His Word for His Glory, both in the presence of other Christians -- that I may encourage and be encouraged, that I may build up and be built up -- and also in the presence of the world, so that I may be a leavening influence. He wants me to use my personality and gifts, not to hide them for fear I cannot use them well enough, or will make a fool of myself through them. He gave me everything I am for a reason, and if I waste it in fear and hiding, I have become guilty of the same crime the servant with the one talent was guilty of. It’s time to live in the open. It’s time to live without fear. It’s time to let God take control.

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The mountains of home.

Beauty + a Bible Verse ...

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Beauty:

Home-grown roses a patient brought in to the office last week, out of the sweetness of her heart. (One of my favorite patients y'all. ;o) The pictures really DON'T do them justice - they're the most incredible roses I've ever seen! You don't have to put your nose up to these to get the fragrance - you can catch it from feet away!! It's at times like these I feel especially blessed to work at the front ... I may or may not have teased my co-workers in the back about the advantages of this. ;)

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Bible Verse:

I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness;

I saw your forefathers as the earliest fruit on the fig tree in its first season.

But they came to Baal-peor and devoted themselves to shame,

And they became as detestable as that which they loved.

Hosea 9:10

I'm reading through the minor prophets currently and this verse in Hosea 9 stood out for me particularly last week ... it's a simple lesson, but one that I think deserves attention early and often. The depraved hearts of the Israelite people in Hosea's day were a result of, bottom line, loving the things that they loved. Their hearts weren't always this way! See the beginning of the verse! But slowly, little-by-little, their single-mindedness was eroded and they began to love many things ... and those things were not their God. As Christians we are reminded on a regular basis that we need to guard against worldliness, to be in the world but not of the world, etc., etc ... but do we ever just bring it down to the simplest equation possible, that we are what we love? Because I think it is one of the most important steps we will ever take towards maintaining our place in the Kingdom of Jesus Christ -- taking the time to simply, intentionally think on and be aware of what we love. Our music lyrics, movie/TV show/book themes, clothes, the content of our daydreams and thoughts, you name it! Get to know what you love. Truly come to an understanding of the "themes," if you will, that control your heart and your mind. And make sure that, whatever they are, they are pleasing to your Creator and your Savior ... because you are what you love. 2 Corinthians 13:5!

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In Which I Realize I AM My Mother. Or, Herb Rubbed Roast of Beef.

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First, let me explain that there's a running joke in our family, which is that my mum could not keep to a recipe if her life depended on it. We have come to take it for granted that anything we eat of her making has been indelibly marked with her stamp. :o) Thus, when she begins her usual response to questions of content with "Weeeeell, it called for this, but I didn't think it sounded great, so I put that in instead, oh, and I left the other out, and I added ..." we smile and nod and say, "Yes, mother, that goes without saying!!"

Not so much me, however. I'm a bit less creative than my mama in the kitchen and usually stay within safe bounds of the instructions, which, after all, are there for the purpose of instructing. (At least, that was always my philosophy.) 

But last Monday I tried a new recipe for roast and after dinner was done, the kitchen cleaned, the evening begun and I had time for reflection, I found myself staring at the numerous notes and additions and scribbles on the page of the recipe ... and I realized, laughing, that it hardly resembled the one I had begun with. Mama, you've marked me for life and I don't know how it happened!! 

Not that that's a bad thing. :o)

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Incidentally, I think this is one of my favorite beef roast recipes now ... loooove the herb combination.

• 2 t. dried oregano
• 2 t. dried basil
• 2 t. crushed rosemary
• 1 t. dried thyme
• 2 t. pepper
• 1 t. salt
• 1 - 3.5 to 4 lb. beef roast
• 1 T. olive oil
• 4 carrots, cut up
• 3-4 potatoes, cut up
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 2/3 cup chicken or beef broth 
• 3 T. flour (for thickening, and this is optional)
• 4 cloves minced garlic

Mix oregano, basil, rosemary, thyme, pepper, and salt, and set aside. Coat roast with olive oil on all sides. Sprinkle herb mixture over meat and rub in.

In a crock pot, stir together carrots, potatoes, onions, broth, flour, and garlic. Place roast on top of vegetables. Add extra water if necessary. Cover and cook on low heat for 11-12 hrs or high heat for 5-6 hours, or until done.

Slice the roast thin for yummy sandwiches the day after!

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(Original recipe from "Better Homes and Gardens" Cook Once Eat Twice. Changes made by me.)