my favourite things/the Holy of Holies

a quiet place
a peaceful place
this place where one meets God

a four AM awakening
after seeking Him through the night hours
His sweet cleansing Presence
healing
searching the depths
making all new
and strengthened in Him

My walk out along my "alone path"
milk bucket filled with hot water
to thaw the chicken's water
to top off the goat's
big bucket
layered in a thin ice
the air quite warm for the breaking of winter
my lungs hungry for the freshness

I stopped and put my bucket down, in, again, my God gift of a skiff of snow
enough to cover the ice and make my feet sure
this old goat lady
young in heart
but pleased with the gift

I lift my countenance
in thanksgiving
and am awed
again by this God
Who delights to bless

the cloud covering

somber and thick was split by a cross
It lay dark in the grey night sky
morning not yet come

a line jagged like lightnng
joining it to the earth
Its cross beam reaching up to the heavenlies
opening a way for all to enter

Jesus still making a way
all is revealed to Him
nothing hidden

cast your cares upon Him for He careth for you
lay your burdens at the foot of the cross
enter the Holy of Holies

He awaits
in the early morning hours
through the vigil of the night
He is always there
cheering you on
reminding
that the sting of death is really over

In Him the way is open
for You to come to the Father

He makes a way
into the Holy of Holies

my favourite place

my favourite things/ the path we take

the path we take
God leads us

where tender mercies lie
He sets his grace about us
and mercy is our guide

----------------------

I will greatly rejoice in the Lord,
My soul shall be joyful in my God;
For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation,
He has covered me with the robe of righteousness,
As a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments,
And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. 

For as the earth brings forth its bud,
As the garden causes the things that are sown in it to spring forth,
So the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.

~Isaiah 61:10,11

my favourite things/ the mug

the mug
a special mug
a tribute to each mom
a servant mom
a loving mom
a tired and worn out mom
a crying mom
a laughing mom
a simple
giving 
mom

on each Thursday
at ladies' tea
it finds
a new
dear mom
to bless

we call her
the world's
bestest mom
and fill it with
her favourite brew



and tell her...
yay for you
this is just
the mug
for you!



my favourite things

my favourite things/ even the darkness is light to Thee

no matter where I go Lord

You are always there
Your footprints go before me
beneath the shadow
of your Wings
I always find my rest
by Your Word
my guiding Light
by Your Love
my fears take flight
Your Grace
embraces me

You're the One who knows me
my thoughts
and all I do
there's nothing
You don't know Lord
of all that I call me

there's nowhere I would go Lord
away from You my King
You possess my reins
You hold my soul
You own my heart
In you I'm whole

and in the dark
You still can see
for even Night
is Light
to Thee

----------------------
Psalm 139 is a favourite Psalm of mine ...If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there shall Thy hand lead me, and Thy right hand shall hold me. If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me: even the darkness shall be light about me....thou hast covered me in my Mother's womb...

Even the darkness is Light to thee~

These words give such hope... such life
All is grace, as Ann says

my favourite things/ the quiet place

He calls me
Come away a little while
I wait for you
in the quiet place

no other voices here
just Him and me
and peace
all's still

confusion gone
just quiet rest

in Him are streams of gladness
a holy place
I come O Lord
I come to You

my Strength
my only Refuge

in You
I find
my
quiet place

my favourite things

my favourite things/ snownames

I looked for the many Inuit names for snow
and found man has made a game out of these six sided miracles
no two the same

games
with snowmen
snow forts
snow castles
snowball fights
kings of the castle
tunnels
mazes
snowmobiling
snowshoeing
downhill skiing
cross country skiing
slippery carpets
toboggans
skating
snow angels
icicles
snowcones
maple snow sticks
horse drawn sleighs
tubing

the Inuit names dance and fall with
a song and I am certain
their children know
all the games
from A~ Z
that snow can bring

Aquilloqqaaq ~ fresh and soggy snow
Dinliltla ~ little balls of snow that cling to husky fur
Akitla ~ snow falling on water
Qali ~ snow collected on trees
Qannialaaq ~ light falling snow
Qanuk ~ snowflake
Pukak ~ dry snow crystals like sugar powder
Qanniq ~ falling snow
Siquoq ~ drifting snow
Katiyana ~ night snow
Akkilokipok ~soft snow
Alluiqqaniq ~ snowdrift on a steep hill, overhanging on top

finding
snow names
could be like
Adam naming all the animals
it could go on a long time

just like there are no two flakes alike
each winter day changes
with light and dark
the wind
the stillness
I have found each winter day new
and each one a miracle
from the Creator's hand
on first glimpse... just snow
but to see it
feel it
touch it
hear it
taste it

snow has a thousand names
a million
no... even more than one can count
each flake new
just as He knows each star by name
and all of ours
He knows these flakes
and how they fall
He sets them one upon the other
builds highwalls
deep blankets
soft coverings

like Inukshuks
stone men leading the way
the piling up of them given as a gift
depending on each other for strength

together in Him we are strong
remove the Solid Rock we stand on
and we fall

like snowflakes
stacked in His beauty
reflecting His light

this morning
on top of last night's
icy ground
God brought a covering
gave just enough warmth
then just enough cold
to stick it fast
so I would not slip

my man's prayer this morning
that I would be safe
as I do my chores

this covering
in prayer
and in a snow gift
has a name

for me
miracle gift...
'His' and 'his', covering for me...
is a good name

before we ask He already sends
we awake to see His goodness

snow names
my favourite things

my favourite things/ beauty for ashes

ashes
the things we lay down
we offer up
we give up
we reconcile
were never ours to begin with

sackcloth
how we are clothed
when we lay all this down
emptied
of pride
of arrogance
of self will
all that is left
is
humility

and here it is
that we can enter
the Holy of Holies
feet bare
and on holy ground
we find all that is beautiful
all that is worthwhile
all that is truly life


He promises
beauty for ashes

It was another of those glory days
when the sky is dark with gloom
forboding
with promises
of storm
and all around enough brightness
to crack any storm
to break through any forboding
any fear
any little piece
of little faith



as my eyes beheld this glory
my heart beheld the glory
of His working in my life...
a big thing for man to unravel
all the intricacies of a soul
to find the festering
and put balm of healing to it
but God in His glory
need only reveal a piece of Himself
and it is enough
If I can only touch the hem of His garment
I will be healed
If He will only speak the Word
I will be made whole

beauty for ashes


------------------------
my friend Dawn Blanchard over at http://dschondog.wordpress.com/2012/01/30/out-of-the-cloud/
has posted a letter from her husband's grandmother's mother, her lifetime spanning from July 8, 1848 to June 30, 1915. I share that here and ask you to enjoy her entire post and see an actual photo of this precious letter... a true blessing.
 
Dear precious Christ I gladly give you my heart and my life in the best way I know how. I want you to own all there is of me. I want to love you with all my heart — I do not — want to share it with any one else. I want you to take my love and to take all there is of me no matter what you must bring into my life or what you must do in order to possess it. Take me any where… do with me anything if thus I may be brought to know you and to love you with my whole being. I want to be with you continually. I want to spend each moment of my life in loving companionship with you. I want to leave with you all the planning and doing. I want you to have your way in all things. I know you love me and that you wish to do the very best for me.

S.R. Clapsaddle  [Susanna Rebecca Fry Clapsaddle]

----------------------------
so on this glory day
my heart was again laid bare
before the One who is able
the One who makes whole
and if He should so desire
the One who heals

me laid bare before
this One
who owns me

In this I am content
whatever He must do in order to possess me 


I know He loves me and that He wishes to do the very best for me

beauty for ashes

my favourite things

To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for  mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.”

~Isaiah 61:3