ugly

slander.

such an ugly word,
defined both
by malice
and deceit.

oh, heart and mind,
do not toy
with such dangerous
and deformed thoughts.

be honest.
be kind.

the struggle to be both
truthful and gracious,
completely
and simultaneously,
is a victory
well worth the cost
in mental and emotional effort.

"The good person
out of the good treasure of his heart
produces good,
and the evil person
out of his evil treasure
produces evil,
for out of the abundance of the heart
his mouth speaks," Jesus said.

and i find it to be true.

reverent

i look at the sky.

and i have been told
that tons of water
float lightly-looking
above my head
on top of a sea of atmosphere.
and i walk at the bottom
of the sky,
feet on solid ground.

and i have been told
the dizzying speed at which
the earth rotates
on its axis,
and hurtles through space
revolving around the sun.
and i want to lay down
flat
on something solid
and hold on.

and i see the violet
blossoming all delightful,
beautiful,
fragile,
resilient.

i sense the wonders
in wind,
earth,
fire,
and water.

i have witnessed the miracle
of human birth,
delicate wholeness,
marvelous helplessness.

and i am in awe
of One
whose wisdom
invented it all.

mentor

so the Father says,
"the older women. . .
may encourage the younger women."

so as an older one,
i try to encourage those younger
to be all that the Father
has made them to be--
loving their husbands,
loving their children,
being sensible,
being pure,
being diligent,
being kind,
being respectful to their husbands.

as a younger one,
i seek older ones who are
reverent,
not malicious gossips,
not alcoholic,
teachers of good.

and for myself?
i want to have
all
these
lovely
qualities.

(reflections on titus 2.3-4)

mankind

i didn't realize
it was outdated--
the word "mankind"
and the use
of the word "man"
to refer to the whole human race.

archaic.

and i feel melancholy
over such a thing.

has our race become so segmented
that male and female
no longer sense
their unity?
their oneness?

woman comes from man,
and man from woman.

we are one
in source
and destiny.

equal.
different.

and so
when reflecting
on God's communication
to man (in the archaic sense)
he is speaking to me.

and there is the communication
specifically addressed to men
(adult males)
that doesn't really mean me,
but i am never the exception.

and there is the loving instruction
to women
(female adults of the human race).

the Creator of the universe,
the King of kings,
my Father,
has written loving messages
to me--
his daughter.

and, oh,
how i treasure them all!

thoughts

i want
to be stable
emotionally,
psychologically,
spiritually.

i want be
firmly established,
securely founded
so that
when the storms of life,
the waves of affliction,
the winds of adversity
beat on me,
i will be like a house
founded on a rock.

unmoved,
unbreakable.

he is my rock.
his thoughts--
so far above mine--
are accessible to me
in his word.

oh, Lord,
please help me
to think your thoughts,
to love with your love,
understand by the faith you give.

please,
help me to obey
willingly
and gladly.

thank you.

fruitful

i want to be
like a date palm
planted by a water spring,
fruitful
even in drought.

so i will love God's law
and meditate
on it
day and night.

i will avoid
following ungodly counsel
and going sinful ways
and resting in scornful thoughts.

oh, Lord,
please grant me
this desire.

thank you.

joy

Holidays are a time of joy--joy expressed through thanksgiving and hospitality.

And yet sometimes over our holidays, mingled with our joy and gratitude, is the shadow of grief.

Our focus can turn from God's goodness to our suffering, or the afflictions of those dear to our hearts.

That is how I was looking ahead to the holiday season. On the one hand planning the guest list and menu, on the other bearing some heavy burdens.

I received a package from Dayspring with a home decor item to review on my blog. When i opened the package, it was a large pedestal with the words around the top rim "TO LIVE WITH JOY IS TO SEE GOD'S GOODNESS."

The mango wood is beautiful, the pedestal shapely, and the message timely. The pedestal was a bit larger than I had imagined it would be, and I didn't want to put it on top of the table or any other high surface, so I finally settled on putting it on the floor next to the couch and using it for another table surface. I found a clear plate to put inside the top, and put a coaster on it. So while it looked large on the table, it looks delicate on the floor. :)

However, the message on it is the biggest encouragement. It reminds me of the goodness of God in the middle of difficulties. And when I start thinking of his goodness, then I start realizing how immense and numerous his blessings are.

Then I am full of joy.