Monday, June 11, 2012

5 Minute Muses


It is raining today.
I am glad for that,
a soft, drumming reminder that I have been dry,
and the Lord satisfies the thirsty.

Some wandered in the desert wastelands,
finding no way to a city where
they could settle.
They were hungry and thirsty,
and their lives ebbed away.
Then they cried out to the LORD in 
their trouble,
and he delivered them from their
distress.
He led them by a straight way
to a city where they could settle.
Let them give thanks to the LORD 
for his unfailing love
and his wonderful deeds for men,
for he satisfies the thirsty
and fills the hungry with good things.  
Psalm 107:4-9

In two short weeks Ken will hand the squadron over to a new commander and we will say goodbye to this settled city of two years.  I am pondering the meaning of "settle" and just how long my vision is for a city we can settle in.  I don't think it's about buying a house or finding the right neighborhood.  I don't think I will be settled until I am finally home in the Lord.  I am grateful for this nomadic life, though I find myself whining about what I don't have at times.  Years-grown community.  Adults who have partnered with me to raise my children in God's ways.  Memories of food and celebration, baptisms and ballgames.

And I wonder if I would be any good at nurturing relationships?  I live with the freedom moving away every few years brings in leaving difficult relationships behind.  And I'm quite certain that is not freedom at all.

We have been filled with good things.
We have been hungry as well.
Isn't that a natural cycle?
Filling and emptying, 
filling and emptying.
I am grateful for enough days to have learned it is more about recognizing which I am speaking out of ~ fullness or emptiness, and the importance of words that will add to others instead of emptying them. 

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is 
good;
his love endures forever.
Let the redeemed of the LORD say
this -
those he redeemed from the hand of 
the foe,
those he gathered from the lands,
from east and west, from north and
south.  
Psalm 107:1-3

I thought you might get a chuckle out of my current desk.  It's either here, with the plastic patio chair, or at the coffee table seated on the sofa.  Either way I am bent over in posture.  
I think that's a good place to be these last two weeks,
as we look down the straight path with hunger,
towards the city of Washington DC and National Community Church, where we can settle for awhile.

I'll let you in on a little secret about me.
I'm somewhat of a nerd.  
Or whatever label you prefer for these attributes.
I am passionate about books.  Recently I have been teased that I frequently quote, not only the information, but source, title and author.  My friend who called me on it often says she thinks I'm making stuff up. 

And I love glasses.  Me, with 20/12 eyesight.  My husband just shakes his head.  I'm old enough now that reading my Bible without proper lighting makes my eyes tired.

I think they are a bit too strong, but I have my first pair of 1.0 reading glasses!  Yippee!  It's the little things in life, right?






























Give thanks to the LORD, for he is
good;
his love endures forever.


...counting grace...
1459.  raining falling straight down
1460.  birds singing through it
1461.  time with Ken, to plan these next weeks
1462.  the gift of influence these last two years have brought
1463.  the responsibilities we were given
1464.  the opportunities to create lasting things
1465.  God's presence in all things
1466.  God's protection in all things
1467.  I need a new filling of the Holy Spirit
1468.  all I have to do is ask
1469.  resources to take care of what we need to
1470.  go-karting with the 86 MUNS spouses
1471.  laughing and sharing with them
1472.  sending gratitude jars to my parents
1473.  my dad's delight, over the phone, in reading through them
1474.  the opportunity to stress the importance of our Key Spouses
1475.  the visibility of those Key Spouses, and the support that will garner
1476.  talking with little ones, and the delight they bring
1477.  only two weeks left before we come home
1478.  being able to speak frankly with the new commander about families in our squadron
1479.  his love endures forever.


5 comments:

  1. Love this, and love the scripture you connected. I never lived anywhere longer than 2 years growing up and it was difficult at best, but i look back on it and realize that it was difficult for an entirely different reason than I thought then. I love a good adventure now, and I love traveling and new places; still reticent about new people but that's part of the adventure. God is so Good and I look forward to reading about where He is sending you next!

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    1. And I never moved until I went to college! So funny, our God and His ways. I love adventure too, though I would not say I am very courageous. Maybe I will be a new person you can travel to a new place for, and you will know me well enough by then not to be reticent about God's goodness in the meeting! I can't remember - Allume this year, or not? God's favor on you, friend.

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  2. That was so nicely written :0). You can type a lot in five minutes! Your desk is "cozy" :0). The "settled' feeling you spoke of is something most struggle with and the way you tie it into scripture is so important. After all, we are strangers and aliens, right? Reading your post has prompted me to also write about being "settled" and I hope to do so today. I need the reminder of how unsettled we are, yet how much faith I need to be settled IN Him. Thanks for sharing.

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    Replies
    1. True confession, it took longer! I often have the title before I write the first words, and if I had stayed to my schedule I should have finished it in 5! It took 20 minutes, but my friend I met was kind and understanding. It is good to have a friend! I'm looking forward to growing that with you! I am heading to your blog to be "gifted" by your settling. God's favor on you, friend. Oh, and PA is not far! Are you heading to Allume this year?

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  3. Came over from Ann's today! I love #1464 - opportunities to create lasting things. Yes.

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