Upon the earth, a cracked bell rings
violently
and urgently
and men heed the call to arms.
Upon the earth,
thunder booms and
lightning crackles
and eyes look up in wrath and pain.
Upon the earth, a siren keens
shrilly
unceasingly
and men laud the call to war.
There is a girl
who shuts her eyes
in terror of the wrath of men unbridled.
There is a boy
who shudders fresh
in anticipation of monsters nearing.
There is a woman,
she soft moans
for abandoned hope and shredded innocence.
There is a man,
he cries and shakes
for eroded monuments and torn pretense.
Upon the earth, the gleeful dark
laughingly
and viciously
descends to seek and devour.
Upon the earth,
serpents writhe and
red rivers run
and eyes look up in pouring rain.
Upon the earth, last hope dwindles
mournfully
and with no song,
and all is dark,
not yet dawn.
There is a man,
he cries and prays
for the city wrought of pure love unbounded.
There is a woman,
she soft sighs
for precious hope and heaven’s hosts approaching.
There is a boy
who sings anew
in anticipation of the hope of nations.
There is a girl
who lifts her eyes
to the nearing song of the restoration.
Upon the earth, the trumpet sounds
soaringly
and gloriously
and all the skies shimmer in awe.
Upon the earth,
oceans kneel and
mountains spread their skirts
and eyes look up in hope again.
Upon the earth, Christ descends,
achingly
beautiful and
a rose petal gently flutters
to the earth.
Month: May 2014
Passion
Good evening, friends!
I only have a couple of minutes tonight, as my dinner is almost ready. A bit of a late dinner, but hopefully worth it. Mom’s homemade spaghetti sauce and meatballs! And a cucumber salad on the side, for good measure. It’s smelling delicious in here, gotta say. And I have ‘Rudy’ playing right now…one of my favorite movies. “He’s so little!” Love it! We might not all have the most natural talent(be it physical, intellectual or otherwise…), but that’s no barrier to us being used by God. Remember that. Playing football for Notre Dame may be pretty awesome(I wouldn’t know), but serving God is what we live for, my friends. Remember that.
Now, my dinner awaits – spaghetti and meatballs, delish. And a sweet night relaxing in the love of my Lord Jesus. Peace, friends.
Unveiled
So I usually don’t write on a Sunday morning, but my computer is on, and I felt a particular urge to write this passage down…been much enjoying it these past few days, so much so that I can’t progress to the next(admittedly awesome!) chapter in Hebrews. Hebrews 10, so beautiful. And so while I finish my coffee, let me just share some of the sweetness contained therein:
Every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the
same sacrifices, which can never take away sins; but He, having offered
one sacrifice for sins for all time, ‘sat down at the right hand of God’,
waiting from that time onward ‘until His enemies be made a footstool for His feet.’
For by one offering He has perfected those who are sanctified. And the Holy Spirit also
testifies for us; for after saying,
‘This is the covenant that I will
make with them after those days,
says the LORD:
I will put my laws upon their heart,
and on their mind I will write them,’
He then says,
‘And their sins and their lawless deeds
I will remember no more.’
Now where there is forgiveness of these things,
there is no longer any offering for sin.
Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by
the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us
through the veil, that is, His flesh, and since we have a great priest
over the house of God,
let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith,
having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience
and our bodies washed with pure water.
Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering,
for He who promised is faithful;
and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good
deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some,
but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.
Hebrews 10:11-25
A bit long(my apologies!), but I had to write it all. Really, you need to read all of Hebrews to get the full beauty of it. But that might be a bit much to write this morning. Now, with this resting in my mind and graven on my heart, I am off to church to worship God.
Peace, my dear friends.
Three to the Power of Three
Hello my friends!!! I shan’t write too much now, for the hour is late. But I thought I’m required to write a few words, for today I celebrate my twenty seventh birthday. Yes, truly!! And though now I am slightly sleepy, I wanted to chronicle the day. (Shall I chronicle the year? I shudder at the thought!)
But enough rambling. Today’s been beautiful, mostly because it hasn’t been about me. I had a perfectly awesome time at church this morning, worshiping God along with my dear church family. Some quality songs were sung in adoration and praise to God(“All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name”, “Be Thou My Vision”, “My Hope is Built on Nothing Less”…and “Bless the Lord, Oh my soul…”). A beautiful sermon was preached on the primacy and importance and clarity and power of God’s Word. And then got to eat lunch and talk with lots of people…I have been given many good friends. I am oh so grateful for the goodness of the Lord to me.
And afterwards, Chase was insistent that I come over to his house for Halo goodness! And I couldn’t really say no, so the afternoon was spent in epic Halo battling with Chase and others!! I must say, I think I almost hit my limit for Halo in one day! But it was awesome…I may have even placed second a few times. (No one touches Chase. No one) We ordered pizza for dinner and it was fantastic just being with people.
And then I drove home, talked to Mom and Dad for a bit on the phone(may have been third time of the day I got to talk to Dad!!) and just had lovely chat…again – I am blessed beyond measure for being given parents such as they. Truly.
And now I sit here and reflect(slightly sleepily, I confess!) on the day and the year and on all that God my Father has given me. I think of a year ago, in which I spent my birthday in Aberdeen with dear friends, friends who I treasure. Friends who I miss. I still think back on that brunch at Ruth and Zara’s with fondness, of the time I spent with John and Chris and Jo and Alec and Pip and Ruth and Zara…and we talked and we laughed and it was beautiful. How I was blessed.
And now, I’m living in Houston, and while I do indeed miss my friends, I am here now for a reason, and God has blessed me much here. He has given me friends and true brothers and sisters here, and I cannot doubt my God’s faithfulness to me. Never never. I spent today in the company of such dear people. I have been given much.
And I think of the most precious gift of all, that God has blessed me with salvation through His one and only Son. Who died and shed His blood for the forgiveness of my sins. And who was raised to life on the third day, triumphantly, eternally! I died with Christ. And I have been raised with Him. And so I have been given much. I have been given everything. How can I but love? How can I but offer my being – my very heart – to the One who is Lord of all, God of heaven and earth. I am known by Him. He is my Shepherd. And I follow Him. He knows me. And He loves me. And it is beautiful.
Now to Him who is able
to do exceeding abundantly
beyond all that we ask
or think, according
to the power that works
within us, to Him
be the glory in the
church and in Christ
Jesus to all generations
forever and ever. Amen.
Ephesians 3:20-21
Skies Held Up
Hello my friends!! It’s a lovely sleepy Sunday afternoon. I feel a bit tired, so don’t think I shall write much here today, but I thought I’d at least pop my head in and say hi. It’s been a wearying past week, but God has blessed me much and given me a delightful weekend!! This morning I got to go to church and worship God…and afterwards, went out with friends for yummy tex-mex lunch. Now, I’m about to enjoy my raspberries and coffee, maybe read a bit? Or maybe play a bit of Tomb Raider! We shall see. I’ve had some good conversations(either on facebook or whatsApp) with friends from Scotland lately(hello John, Ruth, Chris and Rose!!!). I really do miss you all…and I guess I’m just reminded of how much God blessed me in giving me such dear friends…we can still talk across the waters, and I feel just as close as if we were sitting side by side. Well, not quite – I do long for that face-to-face interaction. But still, I am just overwhelmed by the goodness of God in giving me such dear friends – brothers and sisters forever. My heart rejoices to know that there is a day coming when we will all be together forever. Forever.
And now, before I get too emotional! I just started a book by Sinclair Ferguson, Children of the Living God. Utterly fantastic. Really, it’s just so good to remember whose we are. To ponder and meditate on the fact that we are sons and daughters of the living God. ’tis wonderful.
See how great a love the Father
has bestowed on us,
that we would be called
children of God;
and such we are.
Peace and love, my friends. Delicious hot coffee and sweet raspberries time!
Something Weird 