To What Shall I Cling?

I spent the morning watching the squirrels.  I sat at the table, looking out at the dark, grey sky.  Out the window, trees are many and bare.  Winter has taken over.  I watch four squirrels prance from branch to branch, tree to tree.  They jump and the tree bends crazy down and springs back and forth a diving board released.  And they cling hard with those small claws.  They never fall.  They cling hard and they know it will hold them.

This morning as I sat, I thought the lesson was about jumping, risk-taking.  It still may be.  But after this afternoon of heartbreak story after heartbreak story, it seems the lesson is more about the branch these little guys cling to.  Few are the branches that are firm, sturdy and unmovable.  Many are the branches that are small, thin and swaying.  Yet no branch has failed them.  Their little life hangs upside down clinging hard to the branch that they know will hold them.  It springs hard, up, down.  They cling hard.  It holds them.

He who is greater will hold us and not fail if we cling desperate to Him.

The earth quakes, the mountains crumble.  Pieces of our lives, they crumble, they break, they hurt.

As I sit now, the squirrels are gone and sad news, it seems it's invaded so many beloved's lives.  I play piano because somehow there my heart can fully express.  I play and after minutes an old hymn comes out.  His gift and reminder to me.  "My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness.  I dare not trust the sweetest frame but wholly lean on Jesus' name.  On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.  All other ground is sinking sand.  When darkness seems to veil His face I rest on His unchanging grace.  In every high and stormy gale my anchor holds within the veil.  His oath, His covenant and blood support me in the 'whelming flood.  When all around my soul gives way, He then is all my hope and stay.  On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.  All other ground is sinking sand."

He then pours this song in my heart.  A reminder of His deep, His unfailing love.  "He is jealous for me.  Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree bending beneath the weight of His wind and mercy.  When all of a sudden I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory.  I realize just how beautiful You are and how great Your affections are for me.  Oh, how He loves us, oh.  Oh, how He loves us, how He loves us all."

Not confident declarations now.  More humble realizations of where my hope rests, where my small claws shall cling to.  Soft revelations of His deep, undying love for me that will catch me and hold me every single time I cling to Him and the world rocks around me.

True Nourishment

8:57am, November 8th

8:57 am, November 7th

"Blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence.  They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water.  Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought.  Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit."  Jeremiah 17:7, 8

Where are your roots reaching for nourishment?

"Jesus replied, 'If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water... Anyone who drinks this (well) water will soon become thirsty again.  But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again.  It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.'"

He turned to me and heard my cry...

A couple days ago I had a random urge to read Psalm 40.  You all know what that means...  Not random at all.  :)  So as I'm about to fall asleep Mark reads this to me:

"I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire.
He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along.
He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see what He has done and be amazed.
They will put their trust in the Lord.

Oh, the joys of those who trust the Lord, who have no confidence in the proud or in those who
worship idols.
O Lord my God, you have performed many wonders for us.
Your plans for us are too numerous to list.
You have no equal.
If I tried to recite all your wonderful deeds, I would never come the end of them."

Yes, yes and yes.  Talk about my heart cry.  How long it seemed we waited.  Not really so patiently, but we tried, and we waited.  And not as long as say, the Israelites.  But still, tough trials, they seem endless, and we waited.  My journal entries, my prayers from the last two years... they so reflect that "pit of despair," that "mud and mire."  They were rarely pleasant and sweet, to say the least.  Oh and how He has surely set our feet on solid ground!  He has steadied us and grounded us in Truth.  He has indeed given us a new song to sing (as you can see from the last post)!  We rejoice not because of the things He has given, but because of who He has (again and again) shown Himself to be.  These "things" they are second, but we are grateful for them.

We are so thankful that HIS plans for us are too numerous to list.  And that HIS plans are far higher than we could ever imagine.  And that He shows us such grace in responding to our true hearts cry, and not the irrational, wouldn't-be-good-for-us-in-the-long-run prayers.  Absolutely a song wells within us.  What a gorgeous psalm-gift for such a time as this.

ANNOUNCEMENT TIME!!!

We've been in Kelowna 2 years and 4 days now (can't believe it!).  We are ecstatic about the things we have learned and the opportunities presented.

We are excited to say I have accepted a (temporary) position at our church as the Admin. Assistant working with some accounting/finance stuff, the Children's Pastor, our Senior Pastor and whoever else comes along!  We are stoked about this position and opportunity!

Mark has accepted a position with a renovation business where he will learn more about the business and such.  He is stoked.
This weekend he heads off with his buddy for their first official song recording.... 2 years in the making... but they are stoked!
Come the new year Mark will be co-leading a group for high school students at our church.  We are busy dreaming and praying!  We are stoked about this!

Needless to say, we are stoked. :)  We love where He's brought us and where He has us now.  We have seen prayer and concern answered over and over again.  And it is so clear that for this season, this is where we are to be, and we are absolutely ecstatic.

We are so grateful for your prayers and support and your investing in us over the years.  We are convinced there is no way we would be where we are today, telling you what we are, if it were not for you and not for the Lord's crazy grace leading us, equipping us along the way.

"For from him and through him and to him are all things.  To Him be the glory forever!  Amen."