What it means to dive deeper into God’s word

August 30, 2013 / Jaimie / 3 Comments

Blinded

Sight on loan from the maker of reality and I glimpse only a fraction of the picture

The parade of time marching before me and I am subject to the constraints of the sidelines

Thirsty

Deep calls to deep, leaving me wanting more

Spirit river laps gently

Calls me in, downward to the deep well

Subaqueous beauty pouring forth from printed page

the spoken word of the infinite Godhead

I’m allowed to fall into the spring

until I become fully submerged

I am pulled under until I’m drinking the cool liquid deep

into my lungs and I drown in the glory

Under the surface of earth I find life

Streams making glad the river of God

I am undone

Fully consumed in His presence where I can rest tonight

My Own Private Jungle

August 26, 2013 / Jaimie / 1 Comment

It’s been a whirlwind of a week. School’s back in session. The big kids started last Monday while the littlest guy comes to work everyday with me. I’ve been back at work for several weeks now since having the baby. Honestly, I didn’t really take a maternity leave at all. I stayed away from the office for about a week and a half, all the while answering calls and questions from home, then packed baby man up and headed in. I’m so thankful that having the baby with me at work is an option. I realize that I am blessed abundantly!

Still, I’d cut back on my hours of actual office time. I’ve been working from home a little more and also reminding myself that the world will not end if I don’t accomplish everything in one day. For some reason when school started on Monday, it felt like my (imagined) maternity leave was over. My hectic schedule is back in full swing. I’m busy with backpacks and lunch boxes and drop off and pick up. Now I’ve got diaper bags and feeding schedules and an infant screaming in car-rider line added to the mix. I know many of you can relate to this.

Let’s face it, life can get a bit chaotic from time to time. Yet, somehow in the midst of this, we are expected to dig deep and pull out the gifts within us and do something great with them. For years, I shelved most of my writing. I didn’t bother sharing many of my original songs because I knew I wouldn’t have time to invest in finishing them and performing them. I allowed the chaos to overtake me.

Thankfully I’ve learned that the only way I can truly live is to dig deep. All those things I shelved for later are the very things that bring me peace today. A life of order and balance includes our passions. If we don’t allow our passions the fuel and air they need, we will suffocate beneath the weight of the mundane.

This week, in the midst of the hectic, I took a few seconds to breathe, to write, to pray, to snap a picture or two in the yard. I am alive and free. Don’t let the jungle swallow your soul. Let your soul be the soil for beauty to flourish.

James

August 26, 2013 / Jaimie / Leave a comment

I’m in love with you

the light in your eyes when you look at me

the smile that graces your lips when I am near

the sound of your laughter

the sound of your voice

the faithfulness in your hands

the strength of your spirit

the prayers

the joy

the peace

the persistence

you are a rock that steadies my anxious heart

you are a pillar I lean in to when the ground seems shaky

your skin

your eyes

your mouth

your form

all elixir, I can drink in and enjoy

it’s an honor to be your wife

did I mention that I’m in love with you?

Singularity

August 20, 2013 / Jaimie / 1 Comment

Singular, I stand, speaking to the air

Lost, all things escaping my lungs, gobbled up in earthen noise

Singular and driven as my arms flail like ribbons at the mercy of the wind

Together we accomplish more

As one we cry

One voice lifted above the madness

One army united before the fray

Joined to free the captives

Joined to free ourselves

True singularity

I Want a Psalm 20 Heart

August 20, 2013 / Jaimie / 2 Comments

I can be cynical and critical by nature. I blame the gift of discernment. I once heard someone say that our greatest weaknesses are our greatest strengths overextended. My intuition and wisdom can lead to an attitude fast if I don’t temper it. That aspect of love from 1 Corinthians 13:5-7 where love thinks the best of people and not evil does not come naturally to me. It’s something I have to be diligent about. I’m constantly crucifying my wary self to allow someone a bit more like Christ to come out.

This morning, I may have found the key to this in Psalm 20,

“May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble;
May the name of the God of Jacob defend you;
May He send you help from the sanctuary,
And strengthen you out of Zion;
May He remember all your offerings,
And accept your burnt sacrifice. Selah

May He grant you according to your heart’s desire,
And fulfill all your purpose.
We will rejoice in your salvation,
And in the name of our God we will set up our banners!
May the Lord fulfill all your petitions.

Now I know that the Lord saves His anointed;
He will answer him from His holy heaven
With the saving strength of His right hand.

Some trust in chariots, and some in horses;
But we will remember the name of the Lord our God.
They have bowed down and fallen;
But we have risen and stand upright.

Save, Lord!
May the King answer us when we call.”

I’m determined today to have a Psalm 20 heart toward every one I meet. I will cast my cynicism aside and choose to think the best about others. I will pray that they be strengthened and encouraged and that their prayers would be answered. I’m thinking if it will be a lot easier to truly love others when I’m busy thinking good things and praying blessings upon them. Let’s all find practical ways to honor those around us today.

Random Beauty – Grace

August 17, 2013 / Jaimie / 11 Comments

We’ve had a lot of rain over the past month here in Southwest Florida. The ground is saturated and consequently when more rain comes, we flood. The odd thing is that most of our street is high and dry, but our yard is a swamp. It’s inconvenient in a lot of ways. We can’t mow certain areas so the wild is overtaking the manicured. Bugs are invading the house more than normal.

If you’ve never visited South Florida, I can tell you that it is an education in strange bugs and arachnids. We have some mega spiders and odd-looking creepy crawlers. Most of these don’t bother us a bit, but I have to admit that spiders the size of my hand appearing in the bedroom (as a general rule) do not inspire happy thoughts in me.

I warn my son daily to be on the lookout for snakes and gators when he’s playing in the yard. Living by a canal, we usually look out for these anyway, but with the extra water, comes extra cottonmouths and you never know when and where a snake will pop up as we learned earlier this year (The Snake in the House).

Despite all of this, I’ve been intrigued by the water. It’s random beauty standing out from the otherwise consistent. The fact that it’s just our yard strikes me as well. It’s like God sending a little beauty just for us, washing us with the water, changing the landscape. Sure, problems sometimes come with the beauty. God never promised us a life of roses and relaxation. The greatest character is built through the storms and the chaos. In the midst of these, we learn to trust him and find the wonder. In that, he is glorified and we are changed a little more into his image.

I pray I always find the wonder in the midst of the flood, that I find the beauty in the chaos, that I look for the ways he’s romancing me and reminding me of his love. Nothing he does is haphazard. He paints the skies with us in mind. He plants flowers to amaze us. He smiles at us in the midst of the brokenness, wraps us up in his love and inspires us to be completely his. There is truly nothing better than that.

http://dailypost.wordpress.com/2013/08/17/daily-prompt-haphazard/

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall

August 14, 2013 / Jaimie / 2 Comments

Re-posting this for the Daily Prompt. http://dailypost.wordpress.com/2013/08/14/daily-prompt-reflections/

INSPIRED BY THE COMFORTER

Deep within the mirror, reflected back the image of who I once thought I was. Something beyond the obvious stares back at me through eyes windowing the soul of the seeker.

More than sharp features, high cheekbones and brown eyes, I am won; wholly purchased by the author of beauty who sees me lovely.

Beyond the broken glass there is a story. Love overcoming the dullest ache and the deepest uncertainty. Surrendered now to its power, I rest in the arms of one who sees more than an image on a glass screen; more than the portrayal of plastic offered by the populace; more than wrappings and trappings adorning the fearful. My lover sees me.

Creator who marked the heavens with unending glory, you who painted the sunset and placed each peak in its wonder to jut from the earth in majesty, reveal to us the wonder you see in each masterpiece…

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Stretched

August 12, 2013August 12, 2013 / Jaimie / 2 Comments

Bound

Stretched thin am I as faith and fear collide

Cascading plans, as towers, tumble to the waiting ground

Opens up to absorb them

Covers them with dust

All other ground is sinking sand

And I hover, helpless to save

In breath, I reach

Stretched upward like flame pulled higher

I become vapor

Seated on the air

Growing wings that carry me to the heavens

Prayer whispered, measured in golden bowls before Him

Worthy of all my praise

Worthy of all my trust

I gaze at the empty place my plans once stood

Knowing His are better

Knowing tomorrow He’ll open the heavens and restore all that was swallowed by the hungry ground.

Faithful

Stretched am I as my fear and faith collide

Stronger I am on the other side.

A Note to my Future Self on Thankfulness

August 5, 2013 / Jaimie / 8 Comments

Morning view from my back porch

This morning I wasn’t myself. Don’t ask me who I was…just someone different.

All the things on my mind were hazy under the fog still attached to me from lack of sleep. Ambitions for coming endeavors sat numb on my tongue. Words came out but didn’t really connect with my brain. I told the Lord I really had nothing to say. No inspiration was moving my spirit to action.

In that soft and loving way He sometimes speaks, I heard him say, “How about saying thank you?” Then baby man smiled at me and I remembered stopping to watch the way the light slowly illuminated the backyard with the dawn as I walked by the window. I remembered the rise and blend of colors in the sunrise as it peeked over the trees. I thanked Him. I am so blessed!

Days come when I struggle to muster up words, divine things to move big mountains, revelations to bend will into submission to spirit. I try to inspire and encourage others and myself with grandeur, love and perspective. Maybe everything would fall into place if I woke up tomorrow and remembered to thank Him.

I write this now when things are good to remind myself on days when life seems ‘not so good’. His faithfulness is never dictated by my circumstances. Future self, remember to give thanks in everything!