Woodlands and White Caps and Winds

Why the woodlands and the whitecaps and winds turn something on inside me I'll never quite know; all I know is how I feel when I meet them and spend time with them.
The deep mystery of the forest...the earth smells, the moss, the trees, the ferns. The sense that you're never really sure what flora, fauna you will come across...always something different. Little surprises around every corner; why one could simply walk slowly in a very small radious and see such a world as to be drawn in for hours...watching and drinking in the lovelyness of that place, that tiny minuscule place in the the vast universe we live in. Perhaps its solidarity of mind that knowing I can take this in, into my own person and experience it with depth of feeling, emotion and purpose; it may be a mere fact but there is no star in any of the millions of galaxies in the mighty universe that can claim such a fact. So woodlands envelope me and wrap your green haze about, creeping up around, choking out the dead, old of the past and rebirthing into something so amazing and delicious.
And then there are the whitecaps. The churning, pushing, billowing whitecaps. Mesmerizing. Draw me into you ocean waves! The salty water calling me in like the Sirens. A bright clear day and there they are wildly tossing and rolling into the shore. The tiny pebbles on the beach are not scared, no they are happy to be flushed and rushed over, they know they are getting polished and shined into something new and wonderful. They love the whitecaps too.
Wash me too whitecaps! Take me down and spray me with your bitter cold brine. The healing starts as I step into you and the shock of your love shoots through my veins!
Well wind here you come then. Softly lifting my hair and playing with my lips, kissing my cheeks with your tenderness and making my lashes flutter. Oh the wind is a tease because you can never see it or capture it. I can't stand and observe it...but it observes me and surrounds me! I am just a little tool of the wind to makes shapes with. So do it wind, create with me. Show me and teach me your talents, your swirling, wild ways. One day you go this way and the next you turn another, then up, then down. You may be running always running but I can see deeper than that, you are createing a masterpiece and I get to be a part of it. So sweet and so lovely the wind as it caresses my soul and takes me so high.
All these from you my God; such is your glory I cannot fathom.

Once upon a time...

in a little town called Bellingham...no not Bethlehem, that's a whole different story...there was a girl, a princess to be exact. She was very loved and cherished by her Father. He had loved her and rescued her many times from her childish ways. She was a very curious girl full of wonder and a deep fascination with life, music and love, which her Father took great pride in for it was He who had placed those treasures in her. Alas she had not had the best experiences in the latter area, for her heart had a very bad habit of running away at the first in-cling of "love" and affection, always forgetting the everlasting, real love her Father had for her.

          Although this had not happened in a very long time and she had kept very tight control over her little heart so as not to be caught off guard, it just so happened that one day a handsome prince wandered across her path.

    What a way he had with words, a gift to be sure. It seemed as though when he spoke he was turning something inside her, like a key in a lock. Had she finally met her match, a kindred spirit to share in the adventures of life? A friend, a brother, a true love?

        In spite of the deep warning in her spirit to flee and not pursue this another step she took a closer look down the path after the prince, and then throwing caution to the wind she followed him, her heart full of energy and emotion, as if she could conquer anything! Who was this prince? Where would the path take him? How exciting this all was and how happy she felt to have crossed paths with him!

     But oddly, as time went by her heart began to feel faint and weary. Although the prince was always sweet, endearing and kind there was something missing and her heart hunger grew great within her. So she gave more out of her heart thinking it would bring fulfillment and make the nagging feeling of pain go away. In fact, she gave it all away, her heart, her thoughts, her dreams, her intimacy all laid out for the prince to see and take.

    And although the prince took what was pleasant to him and gave of himself in return, the princess was left puzzled at the deep sense of loss she felt. She was not floating on the clouds anymore feeling full of love...no now it was becoming clear what a sad choice she had made, indeed that her little heart had again run away with her. The prince, no matter how loving or sweet or kind he was, could never fill her heart hunger; in fact she realized perhaps the prince has this same affliction and his heart cannot be filled by her either!

        What a sad reality for the two. The princess withdrew into her thoughts and pondered and searched her heart for the answer. With deep remorse she turned back down the path and with a heavy heart she walked.

        At this time it happened that the girls Father with great compassion and tenderness came looking for her, knowing she had stepped off the path and was lost deep in confusion and brokenness. There she sat by the side of the path, sad and perplexed and full of shame. She knew better, her spirit had warned her and yet she again was cast the fool. And the world was laughing at her, how could she ever go back home now?

        Just then a gentle and familiar hand rested upon her shoulder. He had come for her, after all she had done, after all her foolish choices, her Father's love cut deep down through all the lies and muck and proved it was His path alone that would prove faithful. She was so ashamed and saddened by her waywardness, she was afraid even to look at Him.

    His great arms reached down and encircled her and then she began to cry and weep. For at that very moment, knowing the depth of her own betrayal to His perfect plan, she saw that He also had a perfect plan for her failure.

    What love is this? This is true love, true steadfast love. The love of Heavenly Father for his daughters and sons, princesses and princes alike. The prince in the story has a story of his own, much like the princess. One day he too will sit down on the side of the path, stop running away and allow his Father to comfort him and heal him. And what a wonderful day that will be for he too has many treasures to be released which the Father placed in him and many gifts to share in the fullness of Heavenly Fathers love! 

    May the joy of salvation prove an irresistible fragrance to all who receive it with all their hearts and minds and souls and spirits!

    The story of the princess continues...albeit hand-in-hand with her loving Father, walking upon His perfect path, pursuing His protection and direction and finally, finally putting her whole heart into His very trustworthy hands. 

Dignity & Energy & Joy

Guess just like many out there I've balked at actually having a blog. Am I behind the times? Maybe, but that's ok with me. I've been known to follow the beat of my own drum; sometimes to my benefit and sometimes to my chagrin. So...hmmm...what to write in my very first blog?? (brain pencil tapping)...
My 32nd birthday has recently come and gone and with it I think I've come to some conclusions...maybe even some profound ones.

1. Jesus must be the primary focus and I must find out what that means for me.
2. Men will never fulfill my deepest needs for intimacy, romance, compassion and friendship.
3. Jesus will never get tired of me or hang up on me or fall asleep on me or be insincere or unkind in any way. He will always find me fascinating and precious.
4. I feel like I'm finally growing up..a little:)
5. Dreaming and living out those dreams no matter how great or small, is a real act of honor and worship unto God when done with a heart of love and submission to Him.
6. May my heart be quick to run to His arms and fast to cry out for help when I'm faced with temptation and the strong sway of the "old-man". His grace alone is sufficient.
7. Dignity & Energy & Joy are viable products of walking out the above statements.