Dancing With God

(I wish I had written this... I had to share!)

When I meditated on the word Guidance,
I kept seeing "dance" at the end of the word.
I remember reading that doing God's will is a lot like dancing.
When two people try to lead, nothing feels right.
The movement doesn't flow with the music,
and everything is quite uncomfortable and jerky.
When one person realizes that, and lets the other lead,
both bodies begin to flow with the music.
One gives gentle cues, perhaps with a nudge to the back
or by pressing Lightly in one direction or another.
It's as if two become one body, moving beautifully.
The dance takes surrender, willingness,
and attentiveness from one person
and gentle guidance and skill from the other.
My eyes drew back to the word Guidance.
When I saw "G: I thought of God, followed by "u" and "i".
"God, "u" and "i" dance."
God, you, and I dance.
As I lowered my head, I became willing to trust
that I would get guidance about my life.
Once again, I became willing to let God lead.
My prayer for you today is that God's blessings
and mercies be upon you on this day and everyday.
May you abide in God as God
abides in you.
Dance together with God, trusting God to lead
and to guide you through each season of your life.

Favorite Quotes

Recently I have read a few things that I just wanted to write down so I don't forget them... Here is one:

“Do you want to be mighty for the Almighty?” Then you savor his words. They are the bread you live by (Deut 8:3), the rock upon which you build your house (Matt 7:24-27), and the fir in your bones (Luke 24:32)”

Heaven's Got "Trouble"...

My Chains are gone,
I've been set free
My God My Savior
Has ransomed me
and like a flood
His mercy reigns
Unending Love
Amazing Grace...


I sang Amazing Grace Thursday to Corrinne. I didn't sound TOO bad.
Friday God played it for me.
My favorite version by Chris Tomlin... the one with the extra verse in it. That one, printed right there, next to Trouble... (That's what she affectionately called herself - you know - Trouble.)

I love that song... but I really love the part when he sings this verse.

That song played on the radio around about the same time she took her last breath here on earth. She died about 10 minutes after I left her... That song was on the radio about 10 minutes after I left her. Did he play it for me? Was it His way of saying its OK? I won't know the real answer I guess until I breathe mine, not for sure. But today, this side of heaven, it gives me peace.

How BEYOND convenient. How BEYOND coincidence. Beyond it. I sang THAT song yesterday to her. Trying to put words to all the things on my heart, all the things I wanted to tell her... all that I hoped for her on the other side. THAT song.

I sang.

She and I alone in that room and I sang Amazing Grace to comfort her. And today, I sat with her for a few hours, watched her struggle. She looked much worse today than yesterday. Before I left I whispered in her ear that I loved her. I asked her to hug Jesus for me when she saw Him and I asked her to look for Denise. I told her they could have a good time together those two! Denise was a prankster and I really could see her and Corrinne having a ball, getting into trouble. (If you can get into trouble in heaven...)

Then THAT song plays for me on the way home. I sang along. I thought it would be a great song for her memorial service. Appropriate. Then I thought- just briefly-what if God called her home right now... wouldn't that be a neat story? It was a fleeting thought. I brushed it away just as quickly as it flitted in. But that is what He did. He was either calling her home at that moment or He had just finished. Either way, the timing had Him written all over it. The song was ours. The timing was His. The words are Truth.

My chains are gone, I've been set free
My God My Savior, Has ransomed me
Like a flood His mercy reigns...Unending Love... Amazing Grace.

I think He let Corrinne sing goodbye to me.

Oh Praise His Holy, Precious, Amazing Name! Thank you Abba Father, in Jesus Holy Name. His grace is not the only thing that is Amazing about Him.

Names: Wonderful Counselor

Isaiah 9:6
...for unto us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
AND HE WILL BE CALLED:
Wonderful Counselor,
Mighty God,
Everlasting Father,
Prince of Peace...

There is a lot to be said about a name. I have a few. Nora, Nord, Nory, Mom, Honey... But those names don't really have much of an impact on those who call it.

... But HIS names?

Wonderful Counselor... wonderful ~ The American Heritage Dictionary describes wonderful as: capable of eliciting wonder or excitement. I can think of a few things that elicit wonder and/or excitement: The birth of my children... that filled me with wonder... how a child could grow inside of my belly as all its fingers and toes form, as its heart beats, how the brain works to teach them to walk and talk and eat and... yeah, that elicits wonder. and though I've never seen it... I understand the Grand Canyon elicits wonder. The platypus elicits wonder... the ocean, a sunrise, breathing...

...but HIM?
yeah. He elicits wonder in me. David said in the psalms..."what is man that you are mindful of him?" As I read that psalm I realize God elicited wonder in David too. He says: (in Nora's paraphrased version)
"O Lord, OUR Lord- how full of majesty your name is... in ALL of the earth! Your glory can be seen above the heavens-its HUGE! - yet from the smallest of mouths... infants and children... you have established praise... ... when I look up at the heavens and think about the work of your hands, the moon and the stars which you set in place... (painting pictures with them in the sky... using them to establish time and seasons) who in the world is MAN, who in the world am I... that you even think of me... consider me... have your thoughts on me... care about me...

... but seriously? - a counselor that elicits wonder...
Like you could walk away from a 1 hr session with any earthly counselor and be filled with excitement and wonder. I don't think so. Yet Isaiah prophesied that the coming Messiah would be a Wonderful Counselor. A counselor who elicits wonder, amazement, awe and excitement... Oh the HOPE that is in a name! To think that time with Him could leave you - mouth ajar, drool hanging, dumbfounded.

Yeah, I think Isaiah knew what he was talking about! In fact, I know so. Because I have come away from some one hour sessions with this Wonderful Counselor thinking - How can anyone know me, really know me, and still love me like that? How can anyone know the deepest depths of my heart, the ugly parts of me... and still care about me like He does?

Who am I - that I am even on His mind at all... and on top of it all, that He could care about me....? It leaves me mouth ajar, drool hanging, dumbfounded. Grateful for a name. Not just any name... but His name. More than words they are character, truth... they are WHO He is and WHO He is to me. He is my Wonderful Counselor- try Him and see if He is not YOURS too!