"Longer Then Forever" Friends

"We'll be friends forever, won't we, Pooh?' asked Piglet
'Even longer,' Pooh answered"     --  A. A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh

There are few things as sweet as a true friend.

I can only think of a couple of things more precious

My salvation - and my Saviour

My family - especially my husband and my grandkids

Friends are right up there in the top AWESOME blessings from Abba.  I can say that because I am truly blessed with amazing friends.  These are people who go through the battles with us and are there to watch our backs at every turn.  These are people who love us (and trust our friendship) enough to tell us the truth.  They encourage us, weep with us, laugh out loud with us, dream with us...

This is not just some "Oh Hi How Are You" kind of relationship.  When a true friend asks you how you are...they really want to know!! Go figure! And when you ask them...they will tell you exactly how they are without varnish or embarassment.  A trusted love for sure.

Often we stand amazed at our friends and wonder if we are worthy of such love and devotion.  The answer (well MY answer anyway) is always, NO.

BUT they don't seem to care!!  They just keep loving us anyway! How can we not return that love in kind??

And I'm impressed that Abba deals with us the same way.....our dearest and most intimate friend.

Do we deserve HIS love and devotion?  No way.  BUT...He doesn't seem to care!! He just loves us perfectly anyway!

How can we not return THAT love in kind?? 

To love HIM....

When life is just down right horrible from what we can see

When we have lost what we hold dear and love deeply

When we mean well but it all turns out pear-shaped

When we are betrayed by someone we have trusted

When we are powerless to change things we KNOW are wrong

We see these sad and distressing situations and feel a-whirl in a sea of confusion and questions.  But...when we look just a smidge past these things...

There He is........calm.......caring......ready to comfort, although not always ready to explain.....

And often we see a tear in His eye....because He knows we hurt, He knows our confusion, He hears our questions...

And HE knows that He will see it all righted....in His time....in His way.

In the meantime, He just wants us to trust, believe, enjoy and be thankful.......

For HE IS......

He is ALL things.......He is Longer Than Forever....and besides being God of the entire universe.....He has chosen to call us, YES US!! that wonderful word....

FRIEND.

Our BEST Longer Than Forever Friend

Perception

I'm a busy person.  Most likely you are as well.  Places to go...People to see...Things to Do.....

But I have to say I was called up short this morning when I received the following message in my e-mail inbox.
________________________________________________________________________________

PERCEPTION

 THE SITUATION 

  

In Washington , DC , at a Metro Station, on a cold January morning in 2007, this man with a violin played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes.  During that time, approximately 2,000 people went through the station, most of them on their way to work.  After about 3 minutes, a middle-aged man noticed that there was a musician playing.  He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds, and then he hurried on to meet his schedule. 

4 minutes later: 

The violinist received his first dollar.  A woman threw money in the hat and, without stopping, continued to walk. 

At 6 minutes: 

A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again. 

At 10 minutes:

A 3-year old boy stopped, but his mother tugged him along hurriedly.  The kid stopped to look at the violinist again, but the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head the whole time.  This action was repeated by several other children, but every parent - without exception - forced their children to move on quickly.

At 45 minutes:

The musician played continuously.  Only 6 people stopped and listened for a short while.  About 20 gave money but continued to walk at their normal pace.  The man collected a total of $32.

After 1 hour: 

He finished playing and silence took over.  No one noticed and no one applauded.  There was no recognition at all. 

No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the greatest musicians in the world.  He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars.  Two days before, Joshua Bell sold-out a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100 each to sit and listen to him play the same music.

This is a true story.  Joshua Bell, playing incognito in the D.C Metro Station, was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people's priorities. 

 This experiment raised several questions: 

       *In a common-place environment, at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty? 

        *If so, do we stop to appreciate it? 

        *Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context?

One possible conclusion reached from this experiment could be this: 

If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world, playing some of the finest music ever written, with one of the most beautiful instruments ever made, how many other things are we missing as we rush through life? 

_____________________________________________________________________________________

As an artist, these final questions intrigued me. As a skeptic, I went right away to find out if this is indeed a true story.  It is.

I won't be writing much on this post because I so want you to read the Washington Post story in its entirety.  It is lengthy but such a powerful story....with powerful questions and observations.  It brought me to tears more than once as I read it.  Please spend the time to read it all.  I doubt you will regret it. 

(link:  http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/04/AR2007040401721.html )

As a daughter of Abba, the deeper meaning and questions of this whole thing rocked my world this morning. 

How often do I not have time for His beauty....in His creation....in His people....in His Word...in His love?

Oh precious Abba, please open my eyes, my ears, my heart to Your beauty all around me. I don't want to miss even one little note, or flower petal, or child's smile.  Because in each beautiful piece, You are there.  I want to see and hear and feel YOU in my everyday world.

Eye of the Beholder

"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder"

My husband sees me in the morning

Groggy, definitely having a bad hair moment

No makeup

And according to him....I'm beautiful!!!

OK...so he needs glasses I think.  But all kidding aside....he really means it and it blows me away.

If he sees the wrinkles, he knows how each one of them was creased into my aging face. Many matching wrinkles he has earned himself in the same battles. 

Battle scars....all warriors have them.

And my Abba has the best vision of all......and He sees me as beautiful.  How can that be?

I read the Song of Solomon and recognize His love for us expressed there.  Beauty often only He can see. In spite of all my scars of fear and worry....He sees me as beautiful.

 Perhaps the true test of real love.....deep, passionate, lasting love.

Seeing the beauty.

In Opposition

This has been morphing in my mind for days now.

How often His ways are opposite....so we are opposite.

A few years back, I did a textile piece entitled "Life Upside Down - and Slightly Off-Kilter"  At the time, it was an expression of just how life's current situation had turned my life upside down and thrown me off-kilter. I had a vision of what my life would be like at that stage of my existence.  And it wasn't THAT!  Days and hours that were my own were then spoken for by many others. My space was no longer just mine. Adjustments were definitely called for...and made. Creating this art was my way of coming to terms with life being the opposite of what I had dreamed

And I remember that so much of His calling is in opposition.

Opposition to what "makes sense"

Who loses his life for My sake will gain it.

Give and you will receive.

The meek will inherit the earth, not the forceful.

Beauty for ashes

How many times His path has lead His children in opposition to the "sense making" path.  I think of the Israelites facing the Red Sea. To them....well....that just didn't make sense at all. Until God showed up.



I want to see God, to face in the opposite direction from the "sense" makers and the fearful.

The prophet Isaiah was told to go and preach to this people. And God told him ahead of time that no one would listen.  THAT didn't make "sense", not an effecient use of time and talents for sure!  But he went...he obeyed. And THAT was his success.

And there are many other examples.

Opposite and upside down....not the "norm"

Don't be conformed but be transformed.  Being opposite with Him is a great thing.  Following Him is often upside down. And we can leave upside down in our wake.

His disciples were known for it.

But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some brethren to the rulers of the city, crying out, “These who have turned the world upside down have come here too." (Acts 17:6)



When we follow Him even when it doesn't make "sense"....we are in for the ride of our lives!

Given and Taken Away

The Lord gave

The Lord has taken away

The Lord gave back

The Lord took away again

Now the Lord has given again.

The same gift...like some crazy yo-yo or something.

Job 1:21 - the Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised!

The giving part...it is so easy to praise the name of the Lord. I can rejoice and give Him all glory and honor and praise.
In my own heart and in the congregation, my community of believers, my chosen family around the world.

Then he takes away that very gift I so praised Him for.  I gave Him all the honor and glory.  I did it all "right"!! But the gift is still gone. Did I miss something? Did I not do enough? Oh I'm more than willing to admit that I have no idea a lot of the time. But I gave it my best...that I know. So what went so terribly wrong?  I struggle so hard to understand!

Then the gift returns!  OH HAPPY DAY!! All praises all round. Everyone who was praying for just this gift are informed..."God answered our prayers!!!" Rejoicing all over the place...around the world!

Then...the gift is gone....again. Surely not....not again..... How can this happen....again?! Why did the darkness and pain return? I can only answer...I have no idea whatsoever. Praising Him now....with the gift gone....not all that easy.  I thought I had cried all my tears before. I'm so very aware that the supply of tears seems endless.

Praise Him??? Oh I understand the concept but in those first days, I'm surprised I can even get up in the morning to face another day.  I cry out to Abba to ease the pain, to change the situation. And in meeting Him I eventually find that I CAN praise Him. Not FOR the situation but IN the situation.  I slip often...He catches me and sets my feet on the path each time...lovingly....with compassion. No reprimand in sight.  He knows our frame that we are but dust. And at times like this I feel dustier than most others. But HE remains solid and steadfast.

And He gives again.  Not EXACTLY the same gift but a gift to remind me that He loves me and can use even me....slipping, broken, inadequate me. This gift I see as a loving "place holder" while the original gift is still missing.  Not a replacement. That original gift could never be replaced. But a chance to see Him still at work. I have only to open my eyes...and my heart.

Oh yes, the pain of the missing gift is still very real and very deep. He knows that. So I also praise Him that only HE can keep that gift in HIS care just now. He hasn't forgotten or given up.  The gift is not thrown on the trash heap.  That gift is in His loving, caring....and powerful hands. 

And I praise Him for He is still the giver (and the taker) of gifts. But even in the taking, He is still my everything.  In fact, even more so. That is always worthy of praise!!

31 Days to Crazy Joy

Always up for a challenge!!

Here is what I was challenged to do....Each of the 31 days of October, acknowledge at least three gifts! AND there is a challenge calendar which lists various catagories. Areas to search and find these gifts.  Some are not areas where I would normally look for gifts.  Hence the challenge.

The goal of the challenge - well....it is in the title!

The goal is CRAZY JOY!!

I created a separate page (see the right side bar for other pages of this blog)

Want to join me on the challenge?  Here's the link to the challenge calendar...

http://www.aholyexperience.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/OctoberJoyDare.pdf

If you do join me and a whole lot of other joy seekers, please send me your page in the comment section below this post so I can enjoy your discovery of CRAZY JOY along with you!!

Come on....you KNOW you want to!  Who wouldn't love to have Crazy Joy!

I need - I Am

I love it when I can hear a message on Sunday and it hangs with me....prodding me....challenging me to think deeper. This Sunday it was a part of the whole message that intrigued me.  His name....Yaweh (our spelling)... I Am.

My first level was in recognizing that HE is the answer to everything I need (and sometimes even things I just want! - How gracious is THAT!)

I need - COMFORT.

My family is torn and hurting. The lonliness of that separation is physically painful....and emotionally painful beyond words. My heart longs to talk to them, to hold them, to remind them of how much I love them - desperately. And to remind them of how much You love them, Abba. Do they remember? Do they hear that voice that reminds them...."I love you forever and ever, no matter what, all the way up to God"

His response..... I AM

I need - HOPE.

The future seems bleak at times...insurmountable at others. Humanly speaking...hopeless. So many variables and unknowns that it boggles the mind and often the spirit. I need the ray of light at the end of this dark tunnel - hope.

His response.... I AM

I need - SECURITY

This world is a very scary place these days in many ways. I need to know that no matter what, I am safe.  And I need an understanding of just what "safe" looks like.  I need the security of the awareness that HE is in control.

His response.... I AM

I need - JOY

The day I realized that I hadn't laughed..really deeply laughed...in such a long time. That somewhere along the line sadness had become the state of being. What an awakening that was! When did THAT  happen??? Smiles and laughs had dropped...one by one...along this road of shadow and uncertainty and loss.  Until one day... they were just...gone. This is not the life I want....the life I'm meant to live. Let's face it....this is not life at all!

His response..... I AM

I need - PROVISION

I mean seriously...can ANYTHING else go wrong that requires dollars that are just not available? We don't even have a Peter to rob to pay Paul! It has been a financial two steps forward, four steps back. Situations totally out of our control, nothing to "do" to solve it. All that can be "done" is done. Along with that is the frustration of not being able to GIVE! We love to do that....to provide for others. We still find ways but it is greatly curtailed. I understand that it is more blessed to give than to receive. That is not a difficult concept for me at all! I KNOW that to be true. I just never understood the opposite side.... It is more difficult to receive than it is to give. Perhaps a chance to understand the other side?? Very probable.

His response..... I AM

And the list goes on and on.....and on.  All these needs I have and His response in answer to them all is....

I AM

Then to the next level - I realize that this Yaweh is so very much more than just His name, His identity. It is His being, His character.  HE JUST IS!!  "Before Abraham was...I AM" (Jn 8:58)  That's not just a name!!!  It is His state of eternal "be-ness"  It is the communication of all that He....well....IS!

In the garden....the betrayer and the guards come to find Him, to take Him away.... Whom do you seek?

His response..... I AM

Then....POWER....they fell down backwards.  The awesome power of that statement of who He is.  He could have evaporated them all with just those words. But He had a bigger plan in mind and heart.

On the hilltop.... whom shall I say sent me? Moses asks.....

His response..... I AM

Then....LOVE, COMPASSION, ASSURANCE, KNOWLEDGE.  He wanted them to know that the God who loves them and had called them was still in control and still watching out for them.

I AM......both strength and power but at the same time....peace, gentleness, love.

He IS.....all I ever need.....more than all I could ever want.......

ALL and EVERYTHING.