Month: July 2011

I was reading Exodus a while back and reading through the design of the temple.

I suddenly felt justified in my affinity for nice things.

God was quite specific with His colors and materials in His house.

I am simply made in His image that’s why I care about design.

As a teenager, my favorite tv shows where TLC’s “A Baby Story” and “Trading Spaces.”  I was able to live out both of these shows when I worked at a maternity for a couple years.  I got to be a birthing coach for 5 girls as well as re-do most of the girl’s rooms in the beautiful 10,000 square foot house!

Anyway, back on track…

The other night we were singing the song “Beautiful Things” by  Gungor and I just realized once again how our God loves restoration.  I’ve been searching all kinds of home blogs lately.  I love seeing the way people take trash and turn it into treasures.

I was thinking the other day how I wanted an old door for our living room.  I gave up on the thought not sure where you find one?

That same day I got a text from my roommate about a project she’d discovered.

Guess what I came home to?

this…

Yes, Jesus loves me so much.

I love when He answers thoughts, not even prayers, just passing thoughts.

Hmm, I love Him too, a lot.

The chorus of “Beautiful Things” says-

“You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of the dust
You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of us”

-Gungor

My thoughts feel a bit all over the place at the moment, bear with me, I have a little head cold.

My point is, God loves restoration.  He loves to make beautiful things, just like I do.  I love to find something that others might think is worthless and turn it into a creation I am proud of.

I’ve been reading through Jeremiah 33 lately, and just today connected my recent revelations.

It starts out like this, “While Jeremiah was still confined in the courtyard of the guard, the word of the LORD came to him a second time…”

Can you relate?

Do you feel confined?

Do you feel limited?

Dare I even ask, do you feel hopeless?

Well, hold on, cause I have some good news for you.

In verse 6 the Lord says, “Nevertheless, I will bring health and healing to it; I will heal my people and will let them enjoy abundant peace and security.”

Health, healing, abundant peace and security are coming your way.

He makes beautiful things.

Verse 9 goes on to say, “Then this city will bring me renown, joy, praise and honor before all nations on earth that hear of all the good things I do for it; and they will be in awe and will tremble at the abundant prosperity and peace I provide for it.”

I am tempted to copy a whole lot more of this scripture, but I will let you dig into it more yourself.

For now, I want to encourage you to take these promises of restorations for yourself, for your family, for your city, and for you health, prosperity, and peace.

Especially in the areas that seem quite the opposite.

He is good, really good.

There are promises of restoration just waiting to be claimed.

Go ahead, take them!

A little more room re-do today….

I fixed the yellow on my desk and painted an OLD bookshelf.

It is my only piece of furniture back home, and one with some history.  Dad told me that mom bought it from a friend in the 70’s.

It was mauve when I acquired it from a 90’s bedroom of my sister.  But when I sanded it a bit, a bright green from a “jungle room” my mom created for my brothers in the 70’s.

She’s so creative.

That room was gone by the time I rolled onto the scene in the mid-80’s.  But I always wished I’d seen that room.  Rumor has it there was a huge tree painted across one of the corners.  My mother, the artist, if only the walls of that “Leave it to Beaver” house we grew up in could talk.  It is a continuous debate between my mom and dad how long a room should go before being re-painted.  Haha.  I think I inherited my mother’s love of change.

So, my room is making me happy this monday.  It’s feeling crisp as the cool breeze blowing through my open window.

Now for a couple pics…

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After almost a week of VBS… I was ready for an afternoon at home.

Sudden inspiration hit me.

I’ve been wanting to paint my desk an antique white for a while.

So, this afternoon I did it…

It turned out a little yellower than I would like, but I still like it.

Something to think about…

Children are usually the freest people on the planet, and generally have the least amount of information.

Bill Johnson often says, “You have to give up the right to understand to get the peace that passes all understanding.”

Do we really need the information we THINK we do?

I have a wonderful dad, who took great care of me and my siblings.  I never doubted his care or provision.  He is fabulous at affirmation to this day, and probably the hardest working man on the planet.  Really, I don’t know how he does all that he does.  He has owned and run 2 business in his lifetime, and continues at 65 to run the “Flory Tree Farm.”

He is a hero, and I could rest in his arms.

As a kid, I didn’t worry much.  I didn’t ask many questions.  I was pretty kick-back all the way down to the way I dressed.  There may or may not have been a couple year stint where I wore a sweatsuit almost everyday.  I could have possibly forgotten this, except that my siblings remind me of it more often than they realize.  You’ll have to ask them what color it was, for I choose not to disclose this information.

I was free as a bird.

Silly as can be.

Eccentric at moments.

And if I was saying something funny, I was giving you something to laugh at.

I was quite unhindered by the opinions of others.

Most of my friends were boys down the street.

We played outside for hours a day, under the shade of big oak trees.

I wondered home around dinner smelling of the outdoors, and acquired the nickname “Stinky” from my big brother.

So, today I am on the quest to unearth this girl.

When did I decide to grow up?

That was a dumb decision.

I don’t wanna grow up.

I don’t think I will.

After all, here’s a few things my Savior had to say about the subject…

“At that time Jesus said, ‘I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.” -Matthew 11:25

I’ll take it.

“And he said: ‘Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” -Matthew 18:3

Welcome to my journey back into childlikeness, feel free to join me.  It could do you some good as well I’m sure of it.

After working 2 jobs and going to a full time ministry school, life has slowed down quit a bit this summer.  And sometimes when a slower pace presents itself, old mindset present themselves as if a warm blanket.  Slowly but surely, I start to feel choked by this blanket.

It lies to me and tells me that my value comes from what I do .  It tells me if I don’t do more, I’m not gonna make it.  It tells me it’s my job to take care of me, not my Heavenly Fathers.  It tells me that striving produces fruit.

Ever so subtly, it can smother the foundational truth about grace and love.

I was wrestling with this a yesterday, and asking the Holy Spirit to do a work in my heart.  His love is hard for our minds to grasp.  I gave Him permission to bypass my mind and go straight into my spirit.  I just wanted to be able to receive His unconditional love.

Then last night at a worship time he reminded me of something…

The night before I was babysitting.  The baby fell asleep in the living room, and I didn’t want to unsettle her big brother by walking by his room as he put himself to sleep.  So I was forced to hold her sleeping on my chest for about 30 minutes.  I thought to myself this has got to be the best feeling in the world.  A little one snuggled onto me and sleeping so peacefully.

She was doing nothing, and yet I received so much from her.  She wasn’t performing and making me laugh.  She wasn’t attempting to walk.  She wasn’t passing any milestone or showing me how smart she is.  She simply slept in my arms.

As I thought back through that memory, it helped me to grasp the love of our heavenly father.

“We love because He first loved us.”  -1 John 3:19

“But God demonstrated his own love for us in this: while we were still sinners Christ died for us.” -Romans 5:8

It is not what we do that draws us close.  It’s a trust that allows Him to hold us while we sleep.  It’s a trust that His promises are true, and that He really is “working all things together for our good” (Romans 8:28).  Our only responsibility in that verse is to love Him.

I came across this verse and thought to myself, wow, that’s something to be known for.

“for I have always been mindful of your unfailing love and have lived in reliance on your faithfulness.” -Psalm 26:3

Lest, I forget, please remind me, that is to which I aspire.

I pray that we will find rest in His loving arms today.  I pray that we will trust in His faithfulness.

“Like clay in the potter’s hands
Mold me, mold me
Like a child in her father’s arms
Hold me, hold me
Like a sparrow afraid to fly
Raise me, raise me
This is just between You and I
I love You, I love You”

Like Clay, Larue