simple.daily.delight

enjoy the little things.  one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.  

robert brault

Today I am suppose to write for five minutes.  Yet, as my mum put it earlier, I'm feeling twirly.  And rather spontaneous.  And wouldn't it be just so much fun to go and live for six months in a yellow appartment with a cute and quirky window and neighbours who probably grow basil and oregano on their tiny balcony?  Besides, doesn't the picture look just so sunshiney and european?  Right now we are in the grey stage of winter, and while it has it's own beauty (and the sunrise this morning was so twinkling and gorgeous) sometimes one just craves a vibrant splash of colour.

today in quotes

“One loses many laughs by not laughing at oneself.”

Sara Jeanette Duncan

“If you hold a cat by the tail you learn things you cannot learn any other way.”

Mark Twain

.....

to know Him and make Him known

Over the weekend, I reread a biography on Amy Carmichael entitled "A Chance to Die"  Although it was truly more like reading it for the first time for so much has changed in my life and heart since that time years ago when I first picked it up.

Something that really stood out was the fact that today we talk about wanting to do something grand or big for the Lord, like Amy Carmichael and Hudson Taylor and Gladys Aylward and George Muller and Corrie ten Boom.  We desire to make a difference in this dark and dying world.

But reading through Amy Carmichael's biography it struck me that not only did those missionaries not think they were doing anything big but that most of the time they simply weren't doing anything grand.

"From prayer that asks that I may be

Sheltered from winds that beat on Thee,

From fearing when I should aspire,

From faltering when I should climb higher,

From silken self, O Captain, free

Thy soldier who would follow Thee"

amy carmichael

It may sound grand in a paragraph bio to read that "Amy Carmichael rescued and cared for girls who would otherwise have been forced into temple prostitution" but in reality, that was not how she lived.  She had days, just like we all do, 24 hours in which to serve the Lord.

"Give me the love that leads the way,

The faith that nothing can dismay

The hope no disappointments tire

The passion that will burn like fire,

Let me not sink to be a clod:

Make me Thy fuel, Flame of God"

amy carmichael

And most of that time she was doing menial work, 'nothing important' work.  Like changing babies diapers and caring for toddlers and praying for revival and waiting years before a doctor was able to come and live in their village. Like waiting, waiting, waiting on the Lord and His timing.  Like following Him when that meant choosing the road less travelled.

What about Corrie ten Boom?  For years she lived at home, day following day, as she worked in her father's shop.  She ministered to the young girls in her city and also with the handicapped.  It wasn't until she was around fifty years old that circumstances led to her family being involved in the Resistance, saving Jews from the Nazi regime.

"A person doesn't spring into existence at the age of fifty; 

there are years of preparation, years of experience, 

which God uses in ways we may never know 

until we meet Him face to face."  

corrie ten boom

I think often we can forget about the dailiness that is in everyone's lives. . .especially when we are reading their biographies.  That the Lord ordains times of waiting in each of our lives.  That Hudson Taylor, John and Betty Stam, George Muller were at one point living their lives, in the middle of their biographies so to speak.

They had to 'choose this day who they would serve'.  They had to die daily to self and to their own plans.  They had times in which all looked dark, when they felt the ache of loneliness.  They had to choose to trust, decide to wait, set their hearts to follow their God.

A little thing is a little thing, but faithfulness in little things is a great thing.hudson taylor

Yet something did set these people apart.  There is no doubt about that.  Out of weakness they were made strong.  They did not chose the easy road, the typical path.  Instead they sought to live a life absolutely given to the King of the Universe.  To know Him and to make Him known, through any way which He ordained, was their joy.  And may it be the passion of our lives as well, wherever and however the Lord desires.
......

a prayer

Teach us, good Lord, to serve Thee as Thou deserves; 

to give and not to count the cost; 

to fight and not to heed the wounds; 

to toil and not to seek for rest; 

to labour and not to ask for any reward 

save that of knowing that we do Thy will, O Lord our God.
amy carmichael

.....

vivid

. . .and the word is
{vivid}

go.

Full of colour, full of life.  How do we live this one life that we have been given?  Do we go through life living in a world that is shades of grey?  Or do we embrace life, embrace the various challenges, the alternating hues?  Do we spend every day wishing for that elusive 'something different', 'something more'?  Have we put life on hold?  Or do we decide to do something different?  Oh, may we set our hearts to follow our God fully, to live every moment that He has given us.  And our God does beautiful things, does marvelous things as we allow Him to orchestrate our lives.  He can turn the most ordinary day into the most extraordinary adventure as we fix our eyes upon Him.  Inconveniences and grey dullness no more.  Let us embrace the full gamut of vivid, vibrant living this pilgrim way.  May we look with His eyes to see the beauty found in each day, each moment.

stop
....

by the way, if you happen to write something today, I'd love to check it out so leave a comment!  Or if this happens to have you think a thought you wouldn't otherwise have thought, twould be fun to hear it.

I think that was one of the strangest sentences I've ever written.

smile.

rejoice evermore

"rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, rejoice."  

Philippians 4:4

awake

Last week, I saw this on a friend's blog and was inspired.  And it seemed a lot more 'doable' than the 300 word thing at this point in time.  (question: is doable a real word? or is it one of those made-up words?)  

"For only five short, bold, beautiful minutes. Unscripted and unedited. We just write without worrying if it’s just right or not." from this site

It was hard, really hard, not to stop or push the backspace button.  But it has been so good this month to do things that are hard or new or challenging.  So for five minutes I wrote whatever came to mind based on one word.


and this week's word is {awake.}
go.

Every morning I awake, His mercies are new. As the sunshine fills my room, joy can enter my heart for I know that my Redeemer liveth. And He has called us, comissioned us to be His ambassadors. We are called to go out into all the world, proclaiming the glories of Him who called us out of darkness and into His glorious light. For the God that we serve is light and there is no darkness in Him. No fear, no evil, no guilt, no pride, no shadow. He is light; pure and shining far brighter than the sun. It is because of Him that we can face the challenges that each day brings. It is because of His life that we are equipped to go walk victoriously along this pilgrim way. Our souls have been awakened to the truth, the truth that sets the captives free. The truth that changed our lives and that still changes lives. He is glorious and mighty to save and it is this God that we wake up to each morning. And as the sun shines through my window, my King beckons me to spend another day walking by His side and learning from Him. Awake, my soul, and praise the Lord.

stop.

skating

today I went skating.

tis something that I've always wanted to know how to do

photo credit

and while holding onto my gallant younger brother with one hand

and the boards with the other

isn't quite the graceful figure skating I've always imagined

twas wonderful none the less.

and by the end, going around the rink alone

unaided and abetted by the boards

(or brothers)

gave me a wee taste

of the real thing.

mountains.

today

we went to the mountains.

twas lovely.

and I did something I don't do often.

I took pictures.

through the van window.

I love how the mountains

seem to bring life into perspective.

how amazing to think

that the God who created such mountains

is the same God

in whom we are called to trust.

how wonderful

to trust and know and love and obey

such a God

who created

such mountains.

a new year

The first post of a new year is almost like starting a new journal.  Or like the first paint stroke on an empty canvas (which I actually wouldn't know, because I never graduated from stick figures and you do not need a canvas to draw those) 

And beginnings are always exciting. . .like flipping through an empty journal and realizing that sooner or later that it will be filled with experiences, feelings and memories yet to happen.  Or looking at a calendar for 2012 and knowing that each day that shall pass shall be a unique and full. 

Turns in the road have always held this appeal to my soul.  What is around the unknown corner?  And true to form, the Lord has given me this new year an ambiguous 'turn in the road'.  When I'm to go back to my wee little campus home, I do not know.  What I do know is that each day where I am is a gift, and His desire for each of His children is to walk in daily obedience to Him and His will.  As for specifics, such as dates for my return, well, that is still up in the air :) 

I am reminded of a letter that Hudson Taylor wrote to his sister during his time of missionary preparation in London.  What joy to realize that we today can ground our lives on the exact same truths!  He wrote;

"No situation has turned up in London that will suit me; but I am not concerned about it, as HE is "the same yesterday, and today, and forever."  His love is unfailing, His Word unchangeable, His power ever the same; therefore the heart that trusts Him is kept in 'perfect peace.'  . . .I know He tries me only to increase my faith, and that it is all in love.  Well, if He is glorified, I am content."