Hey, here I AM. I love you.

The calendar reads "spring" but somehow I'm not convinced it's here, yet. I yearn for warmer temperatures, soaking up sunshine and yard work. Yes, call me crazy, but I love yard work.  It serves as my playtime, really. Digging in the dirt, creating designs on my lawn, watching nature's changes from every corner of my yard, neatening unruly bushes, and enjoying visits from the birds and butterflies thrills me. It's like playing at God's house. He lays things out there and says, "Hey, here I AM. I love you."

(I'm playing over at {re}fresh today. Grab your gardening tools and let's dig in! Just click here)

Distracted at the Drive-In

"When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?" Psalm 8:3-4 

Packed with cars lined sided-by-side for endless rows, we backed our truck between two cars, just right of center of the drive-in movie screen. The first warm summer weekend draws the crowds early giving everyone ample time to settle-in.

Like a mini campground people  hoist themselves up into their truck beds, onto their car roof tops, or near their open hatchbacks and create their own outdoor oasis. They come fully equipped with beach chairs, blankets, bug repellent, sweatshirts, coolers of munchies, mugs of coffee or soda, and  a variety of preshow entertainment - anything from card games and board games to frisbies and footballs, newspapers and books. The Red Sox game softly echoes through the lot as we all anticipate nightfall and the start of JAWS. (We live in New England, what would you expect?).

As darkness crouches all around the crescent moon rises front and center above the screen, silhouetting the trees against the midnight-blue sky. The countdown begins and the images flicker against the screen luring our attention away from still life and into the action.

But that beautiful moon distracted me - captured my attention - until it disappeared behind the horizon. And I thought, is that what it's like for God when He watches us? Do we captivate His attention even when there's so much action all around us?

"The Lord looks down from heaven on the sons of men to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God." Psalm 14:2

Scripture says God searches the whole earth, looking for those who seek His face. Isn't that like us with our children or our grandchildren? We could be in a huge crowd with lots going on, but somehow we just can't keep our eyes off them. We love recognizing our likeness in them and how it plays out in their personalities, their physical characteristics and interests. Why would it be any different with God? We are his creation, his children, after all.  

Abba,
When the world gets loud and distracting and we feel lost in the crowd, remind us how mindful you are of us; how captivated you are by our beauty - your creation. Draw our attention to you that we might seek your face and find you. Amen.

Quieted With Love

"The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great pleasure in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing." Zephaniah 3:17

A medley of hymns from my childhood rings clearly in my heart when I close my eyes and listen, even today. Completely separate tunes until my mother gathered me in her arms and strung them together as one. It's impossible to count how often she sung over me but this I know: every time, it comforted me.

Countless times I've gathered my own children in my arms and rocked away the nights in darkened rooms gently whispering that same strung-together-medley: "Jesus loves me this I know...Oh how he loves you and me...Jesus, Jesus, Jesus. There's just something about that name...On a hill far away, stood and old rugged cross...Draw me nearer, nearer blessed Lord." Every time I sung over them in love. Every time, it comforted them.

Two decades have passed since I comforted my children this way. I miss those lingering moments of new sleep when I sat studing their little faces, smelled their clean baby hair and rejoiced that they were part of me.

But now, I gather their children into my arms when they need the comfort of that old familiar stringed medley. Mostly I just gather them up in sheer delight and love on 'em, take pleasure in them and rejoice over them with the songs in my heart.


It awes me to know God looks at us the same way. I wonder how many lingering moments-when our hearts are quieted by His love-He rejoices over us with singing?