Trekking with Me

Good Morning! It's a lovely quiet morning, and I am soaking in every little second of being home, on a Tuesday, with no real demands, agenda, project, job or responsibilities screaming down my neck.  For now, that is... and I love it. I even slept well last night.  Which is a gift, since REST is from the Lord.  Yes, I must admit anxious nightmares have been flickering through my nights, stirring me to action, as school is about to start up again.  It's my minds way of dealing with fear of "oh no, it's just around the corner" and I will have to face the end of these lovely do-what-I-want-to-do days in a week. What a gift this summer has been! It has been a full, very productive, eventful, surprising summer!  From summer house projects, family time, reconnecting with old friends, trips all over, meeting and making new friends, to leisure mornings like today: Thank YOU Jesus for refreshing my soul! "Refreshing" is the word that my soul has repeated...

It's Thursday and I am kind of excited today is here. It's my last day of internship class: I have finally finished! I will write more about that later. Right now my head is spinning a little.  I have not slept in my bed since June!  My sitting continues.  I feel a little dis-cabobulated.  I have stayed in two separate homes the whole month of July.  I have taken care of five doggies including Sasha, three kitties (one Sasha chased through the neighborhood and I have not seen in a week), and slept in four different beds. God so blesses me through these venues of income.  For one, I get to stay in someone else's home which is by far a lot bigger, a lot nicer and a lot more fun than my own home.  Now, I do like my little home at 108 Waterford: it's cute, cozy, it has hot water and a nice yard.  But, how so very nice to enjoy HGTV, Hulu shows and Netflix streaming movies on big flat screen tv's, good food I did not buy, large tubs for luxurious...

Wednesday I woke up very cranky: well that's probably an understatement to be honest.  I was not happy. I had to rise early, be on someone else's schedule, to do what I normally do just fine on my own.  I fought my attitude as I took a shower, praying against the foulness swelling up in me over what should be a pleasant, delightful experience. After opening my Bible to get my "normal" quiet time reading in, I read about David dancing before the LORD, and his wife, Micah, despising him in her heart.  Not thinking much of it, I dressed and shoved my belongings into my backpack. Still unable to push the complaints from fogging up my mind, I headed for the assigned area where we were to meet at 7:00AM.   I was a few minutes late.  I felt like Yo-Sammity-Sam grumbling and cursing as I walked to the meeting area where we were to have "Time with Abba" together.  I felt like I was in kindergarten or something.  I did not need to be taught how to ...

What Made This Weekend So Blessed? 1.  The beauty of the ocean, the sound of the wind and the waves refreshed and heals the soul. 2.  Spending quality time with other women who love Jesus, share deep, and laugh hardily refreshes and heals the soul. These are a few of the main reasons this weekend was so very blessed!  These ladies are precious gems; I am SO VERY thankful God has put them in my life!  Love Each One Of You! 3. Waking with the sweet sense of warm, loving company is one of my favorites!   I was very, very aware of this facet this weekend.  My heart has been hungry for safe, warm, embracing relationships: it was poured over me in abundance --- This Is Very Refreshing and Healing to the soul. 4.  A hearty power walk on the beach exfoliated my barefeet and burned up excess calories - This was very... good for my thighs and buns... and feet! :-) 5.  Driving someone else's car! Thank You Belinda :-) I like to ...

About to take off again to our Ladies retreat this weekend.  Last year, I was  drenched in goodness  from the LORD.  I anticipate another blessed weekend this year. Much has transpired in a year.  Overflowing joy, blessings, unexpected experiences, heart ache, disappointment, growth, transformation... and it's only been a year!  Interesting the way the journey has unfolded. I remember last spring my soul was overflowing with fresh insight, deep joy and excitement.  Through the pain in the later half of the year, God brought about deeper understanding, greater freedom and clearer focus upon my identity in Christ.  James 1:2-4 could have been the banner over my head late Fall '11 and Winter '11-'12. It's a good place to be, I value the lessons experienced.  I truly "...lack nothing!" in Christ. Lately I have been preparing to attend a conference  about pastoral care and ministry.   The material I have been reading has both cha...

Remember that line in "The Sound of Music?" Well, God did this for me this weekend, LITERALLY! It doesn't seem like such a big deal but I can't get over the tremendous sense that God was with me and took care of me.... I was housesitting in NC and had gone out for dinner with a dear friend. I returned home just as it was getting dark. It had been raining a lot, and I had left the poor puppies (Sasha and Logos) out in the yard while I was gone. They were happy to see me return and glad to come inside to a dry house - Logos is not use to Sasha' energy, plus he is an early to bed dog! I usually find him settling down for the night by 8pm. Sasha settles down too... but we were in a strange place and there are too many new things for her to miss... so she stays on the alert most of the time we are there. Anyhow... Logos was more than happy to come inside but Sasha was begging for some play so I went outback to play with her and closed the door behind me. I realiz...

It's a lovely rainy NC morning... yes, I love NC. I am housesitting for some of my favorite peeps... and though it may be a service to them, it is a blessing to me! Their little house is so cute - I have to confess I just about covet over it... seriously, I would so like to have it as my own! The yard and view and set up of the place suits me perfectly... but more than the aesthetics of the place... God's Spirit is here... the relationship and love my friends share with the Lord bring such a spillage of HIS PRESENCE here.... and I get to rest in it for 48 hours. Not that HE doesn't bless me and where I live... sometimes it is simply a re-locating for a few days that helps you hear from Him and pull closer to Him and forget the usual things that distract. So, I am enjoying a personal retreat this weekend... and God has greeted me with raindrops this morning... i love it. Thank You Lord.

Psalm 84 speaks of the lovely dwelling place of our Lord and the psalmist speaks of his longing to be there!  Through Christ, the mystery of God in us is revealed.  We are the Temple of the Holy Spirit - what a profound truth to meditate upon!  Yet I personally find a need in me to pull away from the stresses of life, to a quiet, lovely place, to meet with God and to be encouraged by His truth and to be with people who long for Him as well, who have been in places of this journey that I am crawling through now, who have wisdom to help me walk through with greater confidence and joy, to strengthen me to press on and up.  We were not meant to walk this life alone.  So, though i meet with My Lord each day, i love it when i can literally pull away and escape with sisters in Christ and be covered with love, encouragement, good food, laughter, and shared tears.  It is one of the most precious treasures of this life! So, tomorrow, my sister in love and i head t...