in the fury of the moment

allured ...

This morning marked the premier prayer gathering at my house. I am excited about this new beginning, this opportunity to meet with others (even if it was just one other today) and approach God together. When my alarm went off this morning, I really didn't have these same feelings of appreciation. But then I peeked out the bedroom window and saw the first hints of TODAY in the sky, and I smiled. There's something sacred and almost intimate about being up when so many other people are still sleeping, and of enjoying that time alone with the Creator of my soul. It's like I have discovered this secret corner of the world where no person or care can touch me ... and I am free to indulge in each glorious moment of the pinks and purples and oranges as the sun beckons me into a new day.

Today we read from Hosea and listened to the song below and closed our eyes and got goosebumps as we really, seriously, deeply considered the unexplainable love that God has for us.

Therefore I am now going to allure her; I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her.
There I will give her back her vineyards, and will make the Valley of Achor a door of hope.
There she will sing as in the days of her youth, as in the day she came up out of Egypt.
"In that day," declares the Lord, "you will me 'my husband'; you will no longer call me 'my master.'"
-- Hosea 2:14-16

He will allure her
He will pursue her
And call her out
To wilderness with flowers in His hand
She is responding
Beat up and hurting
Deserving death
But offerings of life are found instead

She will sing
She will sing
Oh, to You
She will sing as in the days of youth
As You lead her away
To valleys low
To acres of hope
Acres of hope

Here in the valley
Walk close beside me
Don’t look back
For love is growing vineyards up ahead
You have called me master
And though you’re in the dark here
Call me friend
And call me lover and marry me for good

She will sing
She will sing
Oh, to You
She will sing as in the days of youth
As You lead her away
To valleys low
To acres of hope
Acres of hope

How the story ends is
Love and tenderness in Him
Not safe, but worth it
So in the valleys up ahead
Or in the ones we live
We’ll sing together
We’ll sing together

We will sing
We will sing
Oh, to You
We will sing as in the days of youth
As You lead us away
To valleys low
To acres of hope
Acres of hope

posted by Krista @ 9:02 AM 0 comments

dogs in the bed

Yesterday I was stuck in traffic behind an old pick-up truck with two dogs in the bed. It was a beautiful fall day, and I found myself growing wistful as I looked at the truck and looked at the dogs and transposed a bit until I was the driver and the dogs in the back were mine. In my version of reality, we were not driving on a paved road lined with shopping plazas and fast-food restaurants, but we were bumping along a dirt road surrounded by trees and mountains and a whole lot of nothing.

It seems like lately there are more and more moments like these for me. I have always known that some part of me needs more air than cities (or even small towns) provide, and that something within me is awakened even at the sight of mountains or horizons lined by nothing but clouds and trees.

Instead of grumbling and complaining about the fact that my car is not a truck and that my house is less than 20 feet away from my neighbors, I will enjoy this time in my life. I embrace those wistful feelings, knowing that they are glimpses of the longings of my heart, and knowing also that they are the destination to which I am headed.

My mind is cloudy lately, and words are tumbling and jumbling together ... but for some reason I can't stop thinking about those dogs in that truck. And the thought makes me smile.

posted by Krista @ 9:52 AM 0 comments