Pre-school 1998…HS Graduation 2012
Yes, it’s that time again…graduation!
Some of you may have read my post last year when my Dream Team graduated. 
If not, you may want to take a look at that PK story. It tells how a teacher like me, who emphatically doesn’t DO preschool…ended up DOING preschool...and LOVING IT!
But now Graduation 2012 is a new year and a new group of graduates. This is the year that my last PK group graduates from high school.
You may wonder how I think of this group, if the other was my Dream Team (after all, how many Dream Teams can one have?). Let me just say, I remember these five precious four-year old’s as my Free Spirits.
wiggle worm workout
At times, these little ones seemed to bounce off of every wall…not in a bad way, mind you…but in a four-year old way! My Free Spirits kept me on my spiritual toes. And that was good!
In fact, as the year went on, I came to think of this little group as my Kingdom Academy. Why, you might ask? Because God in His grace did some very special things…amazing to this “non-preschool DO-ing” teacher!
But I’ll leave that for my next post. In the meantime, let me introduce you to this year’s graduates from Mrs. Loyd’s preschool:
First there’s the princess and only girl in the midst of four boys…Amy.
Amy was always smiling, caring, helping. In fact, when the boys started telling her, “Amy, get me this…put away that,” I had to jump in to rescue her from the chauvanistic 
males of the group. Seriously though, Amy is an only sister in a family of boys, so enough said!
Then there is Carson.
Carson would read my bulletin boards as I put them up. When I asked him who taught him to read, he said , “No one!” And I believe it! Carson had a sensitive conscience and often struggled with what was right and wrong
…a smart little guy.
Brian was our budding artist. He loved to draw and color. He didn’t love when there was too much “upheaval” in the classroom…a man after my own heart!
David was the pray-er of our group. Often when I would say, “Let’s pray,” David would burst into prayer. He often didn’t give me a chance to lead out as I had intended. David was very spiritually sensitive and repented easily when he did the wrong thing.
Last but not least is Andrew. 
Andrew joined us in the middle of the school year. I remember his grateful spirit. Shortly after he joined us, Andrew said to me, “Teacher, thank you for letting me be in this class!” He also thanked the Lord in prayer one day for “Mr Potato Head, my cat peeing and pooing in the litter box, and even for my teacher!”
In the next blog, I’ll tell some more about these dear ones…
But right now, I want to thank you, dear Amy, Carson, Brian, David, and Andrew, for enriching my life with your free spirited innocence and love and life!
Your names and little faces are forever etched in my heart!
See, I have written your names in the palms of My hands… Is 49:16a
Truly AWE-some!
Read this magnificent psalm.
Then click on the picture below…you will be glad you did
Psalm 8
The Message
1 God, brilliant Lord, yours is a household name.
2 Nursing infants gurgle choruses about you;
toddlers shout the songs
That drown out enemy talk,
and silence atheist babble.
3-4 I look up at your macro-skies, dark and enormous,
your handmade sky-jewelry,
Moon and stars mounted in their settings.
Then I look at my micro-self and wonder,
Why do you bother with us?
Why take a second look our way?
5-8 Yet we’ve so narrowly missed being gods,
bright with Eden’s dawn light.
You put us in charge of your handcrafted world,
repeated to us your Genesis-charge,
Made us lords of sheep and cattle,
even animals out in the wild,
Birds flying and fish swimming,
whales singing in the ocean deeps.
9 God, brilliant Lord,
your name echoes around the world.
Click on the picture!
The animation in this is very cool…
Be sure to slide the bar left and right…
Go both ways to see the dimensions of God’s greatness…
and notice how man is right in the middle of it all!
Alone? on Mothers’ Day?
There are lots of emptyings in life. There are deaths and losses of every kind. There are ends of relationships…ends of jobs…ends of school-years…ends of eras…ends of phases of life. Some of these are expected. Some catch us by surprise!
This Mother’s Day, I think of an emptying that affects all mothers sooner or later…the emptying of the nest!
I know! This is what we have been preparing our children for, right?…the launch, the flight out of the safety, security, and nurturing of their childhood home… out into the excitement of what God has for them up ahead. But who ever prepares us moms?
I’ve always been an independent person. So releasing my children into adulthood…to make their own way…has caught me by surprise. It has been harder than I ever thought! In fact, it’s been one of the swords that have pierced this mom’s heart.
My mind goes back to a Mothers’ Day at the very start of the emptying. The Lord in a unique way comforted this grieving mother’s heart. It was at a time when my children, who were young adults, had just gone through some serious health crises. So I was drained emotionally.
At that time, there were significant others in the picture. So the issue of celebrating Mothers’ Day became somewhat of a dilemma. John & I decided to defer to the other mothers and postpone our celebration to the following Sunday.
That should have taken care of it, right? But to my surprise, being alone on the real Mothers’ Day was a grief to me! I was doing my best not to wallow in my sadness, when the Lord surprised me with three gifts…three delights for a hurting mama’s heart! Three God-winks that most likely would have gone unnoticed had we been celebrating that day.
The first gift was finding old cassette tapes of my babies’ voices. (Keep in mind that in the 1970′s early 80′s, that was the best you could do to record audio.) There were tapes of Jeremy and Beth when each of them was just starting to talk. Others, when they were very young. One was even labeled “doing school and being obnoxious!” I listened…I laughed…I cried…as the bitter-sweetness of those precious voices washed over me!
The second sacred wink was catching sight of a mama house finch launching her babies. Talk about the perfect metaphor at the perfect time! Here the mama of the little family of house-finches, 
that had nested in a bush next to our porch, was giving this sorrowing mama a lesson in the circle of life. I imagined mama finch saying her good-bye’s as each left the safety of her nest. Was she grieving the way I was, or was she more courageous than I?
And last but not least, I just happened to come across a monthly letter from Telling the Truth, a ministry I had begun to follow. I had tossed it aside to join my stack of others to be read someday. By God’s grace, in that alone time, I picked it up and started reading. It all came together…
Stuart Briscoe, describing how motherhood changed his wife Jill, wrote:
When the baby was born, I stood by helplessly and watched the transformation that took place in my wife. Motherhood changed her irrevocably. As she nursed her child I detected a mysterious gleam in her eyes–a certain glow, a knowing, a secret insight that she shared with the new arrival. She and he knew something that I didn’t know.
I could do nothing more than observe and wonder at the mystery of motherhood.
He went on to say…
It occurs to me that the unique bond between mother and child makes possible an intimate nurturing relationship that men never know for they, by definition, are removed–they stand at a distance from the mother-child phenomenon. But hard as it can be for the father to make the adjustment to the beloved intruder, there is divine genius in the arrangement.
For the day comes—all too soon–when the child must spread his wings and take flight from the nest. Guess who struggles at this point? The mother, of course! Releasing and relinquishing are not mother gifts.
Guess who knows how to handle distance? The father, naturally. So as the wise mother has steered the puzzled father through the mysteries of nurturing, so the wise father now steps forward to guide the fearful mother through the anxieties of relinquishment.
And the child receives what he needs — a healthy balance of mother nurture and father freedom…
(Stuart Briscoe, Telling the Truth newsletter, May 1999)
What a comfort these words were. Having never gone through this phase of life before, I was struggling. And as hard as it was and would continue to be for some time, I had to realize in my experience that it is God’s way to move my children into responsible adulthood. It’s their turn to step up to the plate of life and fulfill the will of God in their generation.
Emptyings are never easy…
But God’s intent in the emptyings is never to leave us void. He wants to fill us with a greater capacity for Himself…to fill us with a greater experience of WHO HE IS in every phase of life.
So dear mama-sister, if you are going through THE emptying of all emptyings (or so it seems at the time), open your eyes…there may be God-winks all around you, visitations from your Abba-Father to comfort a relinquishing mama‘s heart.
My Mother…My Hero
Mothers are awesome creatures. They are the lovely reflections of our Father God’s unconditional, sacrificial, faithful LOVE! Moms are the true HEROS of life, or should I say, HEROINES!
My mother, Jeanette Galuszka Renner, is MY hero!
A few years ago, I wrote a letter to honor my “Mommy” as she turned 85. We published mine, along with others from her children, grandchildren, and other relatives, in a book to honor this amazing lady.
I’m posting my letter to thank God again for the gracious gift of my MOM, my HERO …and to encourage YOU to give thanks to the Maker of Mothers…for YOUR mother!
Also, don’t wait to eulogize your mom. If you are blessed to still have her in your life, tell her!
Better yet, prayerfully and thoughtfully write her a letter. Don’t assume she knows how wonderful and important she is…put it in print!
(I think there’s something sacred about the written word!)
Summer 2009
Dearest Mom,
Someone once asked me, “Who was the person who influenced you the most?” Without hesitation I answered, “My mother!” You, dear Mommy, more than any other human being, have profoundly impacted who I am and how I live my life. I will be forever grateful to God and to you for your sacrificial love, your teaching, and your example.
There was never a question in my mind that you loved me unconditionally and with great sacrifice. You were always on my side and helped me with school work, projects, etc. even though you had the others to take care of too. I remember how skinny and tired you always were, forgetting to even to eat lunch (amazing to me as a child!) because of your constant care for all of us. You would always make sure we had what we needed and often even stayed up late sewing to make clothes and costumes for us. I remember wondering how you could be happy never getting anything new for yourself. Now I know that your happiness was in giving to your family.
I also remember your teaching. You taught me to write my name in cursive before I went to school – something I took pride in! You taught me to crochet, which gives me great pleasure even today. 
I know you drilled school work with me and really wanted me to do well.
But most of all, I remember you taught me about God. I have memories of us sitting together on the couch in our living room in Tucson, looking at the big family Bible together. There were some pictures in it, so you told me about those Bible stories. I remember that you often quoted a verse from the Bible that I have never forgotten: “Eye has not seen, nor has ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love Him.” (1Corinthians 2:9)
You gave me a view of God and His ways that has remained at the center of my life to this day. You instilled in me that the most important thing in life is to do the will of God. I heartily agree!
But you not only taught me about God and His ways and about life in general. 
You showed me and my brothers and sisters what it is to live out faithfulness to God and your family by your example. You didn’t have an easy life…there were heartaches, difficulties, and struggles. You have often doubted yourself, but you have never doubted God and your love for your family. You have always set us a good example of devotion to God through prayer, giving, and attendance at church. And you have always been loyal, loving, and generous to all of us, your children, grandchildren, and now great-grandchildren.
It is a great pleasure to honor you today at this celebration of your 85th birthday! The Bible says that a woman like you is a treasure to find. I consider you among the greatest treasures of my life, and I do truly “rise up and call you blessed!” (Proverbs 31:28) You are my hero!
My love always
Janet Gale
Mother of 7
great-grandmother of 4+
grandmother of 12+
To never have sunlight on your face
You were content to let me shine, that’s your way
You always walked a step behind
While you were the one with all the strength
A beautiful face without a name for so long
A beautiful smile to hide the pain
And everything I would like to be?
I can fly higher than an eagle
For you are the wind beneath my wings
But I’ve got it all here in my heart
I want you to know, I know the truth, of course I know it
I would be nothing without you
Did you ever know that you’re my hero?
You’re everything I wish I could be
I could fly higher than an eagle
For you are the wind beneath my wings
Did I ever tell you you’re my hero?
You’re everything, everything I wish I could be
Oh, and I, I could fly higher than an eagle
For you are the wind beneath my wings
‘Cause you are the wind beneath my wings
Oh, the wind beneath my wings
You, you, you, you are the wind beneath my wings
Fly, fly, fly away, you let me fly so high
Oh, you, you, you, the wind beneath my wings
Oh, you, you, you, the wind beneath my wings
Fly, fly, so high against the sky
So high I almost touch the sky
Thank you, thank you
Thank God for you, the wind beneath my wings
Abba’s Little Girls
Motherhood is a Sisterhood…unrivaled by any other (except perhaps, Grandmother-hood).
So if you are a mom, you are my beloved sister…
And sometimes we mama-sisters just need to be daughters…Abba’s (Hebrew for Daddy) little girls.
So this Mothers’ Day, let us hear these restful words of promise from our Abba:
1. Open wide…and be filled…
I am the Lord your God…Open wide your mouth and I will fill it. Psalm 81:10
2. Dwell in Him…and find refuge…
Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty…
He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge… Psalm 91:4
3. Lift up your eyes…and receive help…
I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. Psalm 121:1-2
This Mother’s Day…
may you open your heart wide to be filled with Him and His provision! (Psalm 81)
may you dwell in Him and find refuge and protection from all dangers under Abba’s wings! (Psalm 91)
may you lift up the eyes of your heart to your sovereign Creator Abba God for the help you need — strength, safety, and stability! (Psalm 121)
Yes, even we mamas still need to be Abba’s Little Girls
Total Praise
Lord I will life my eyes to the hills
Knowing my help is coming from You
Your peace you give me
In time of the storm
You are the source of my strength
You are the strength of my life
I lift my hands in total praise to you
Lord, I will lift my eyes to the hills
Knowing my help is coming from You
Your peace you give me
In times of the storm
You are the source of my strength
You are the strength of my life
I lift my hands in total praise to you
Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen
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Psalm 121 is very memorize-able.
When my kids were very young we used to take car trips to New Jersey to visit my family. It was a l-o-n-g drive, so one year we memorized Psalm 121 together as we rode along.
To this day, I have fond memories and sweet emotions whenever I read or hear that comforting psalm.
Why not spend a little time this Mothers Day memorizing Psalm 121 together. Bask in the care and protection of your Abba Father!
Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.
These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts.
Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.
Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.
Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. Deut 6:4-8
You may also like to visit some other Mama stories
…especially Open Letter to a New Mom
You might also like to read Children Incognito
Jesus, I am working, working
Come to Me…and I will give you rest…
Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me…and you will find rest for your souls…
Matthew 11:28-29
I’m such a worker bee...how about you? I get great satisfaction out of accomplishing something. It can be a “driven” thing if I’m not careful. By the time I realize it, I’m really dragging! And rather than being satisfied, I’m disgruntled and out of sorts!
Being the worker bee is especially dangerous when it comes to the spiritual life. I lived for a long time under the yoke of what I call “to do list” Christianity. What a bondage! Self-effort doesn’t work when it comes to doing what only God can do…which is anything and and everything of any spiritual value.
That’s why I love the Lord’s invitation,
Take my yoke upon you…and you will find rest for your souls, for my yoke is easy and my burden is light.
Matthew 11:29-30
Rest is a gift. Anapausis, the inner tranquility of soul while engaged in our necessary labors, can only be mine when I respond to Jesus’ gracious words, Come…Take…
But how can rest be mine while I am working…doing what needs to be done?
It’s all wrapped up in the image of the yoke.
A yoke is a bar or frame of wood to attach two animals (such as oxen or other draft animals) together for work.
I love this image of being yoked to Christ. Notice who takes on Whose yoke — Jesus calls me to take on HIS yoke…I don’t try to get Him to take on MY yoke.
But isn’t that what we often do? We “invite” Him to take on OUR yoke…we take on a project and then ask the Lord to bless and prosper it! But the question always needs to be…is it HIS yoke? He is the source of the work and the power behind it all. He invites me to join Him in HIS work because of my union with Him.
The late Maj. W Ian Thomas describes this taking on Jesus’ yoke as the faith-rest life:
…Christ is in action, and you in your humanity are simply the clothes of His divine activity. This is the rest of faith…it is your hands with which He is at work, your lips with which He is speaking, your eyes with which He sees the need, your ears with which He hears the cry, and your heart with which He loves the lost.
The Indwelling Life of Christ, p 99
Fellow worker bees, join me in responding in a new way today to Jesus gracious invitation:
Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me,
for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Matthew 11:29-30
RESTING
Once my hands were always trying,
Trying hard to do my best,
Now my heart is sweetly trusting,
And my soul is all at rest.
Once my brain was always planning,
And my heart, with cares oppressed,
Now I trust the Lord to lead me,
And my life is all at rest.
Once my life was full of effort,
Now ‘tis full of joy and zest;
Since I took His yoke upon me
Jesus gives to me His rest.
A.B.Simpson
Jesus, I am coming, coming…
Come to Me…and I will give you rest…
Matthew 11:28
Rest is a fragile thing!
The thoughtless slight, the smallest disappointment, the embarrassing mistake, the insecure thought…as well as the big stuff of life, like health, marriage, family, financial crises…
All can dispel our peace and rest. And anapausis, that inner tranquility of soul, can be gone in a flash!
Over the years, as I’ve “struggled” at times to be at rest, I have come back to several readings in O. Chambers’ uplifing devotional, My Utmost for His Highest. All of the entries are based on Jesus’ invitation and promise in Matthew 11:28.
As you read, may you be encouraged, as I always am, to respond to our Lord’s COME and receive His anapausis (inner rest) for your soul.
[Note: these are excerpts; to read the devotionals in their entirety, click on the title of each]:
…Self-consciousness is the first thing that will upset the completeness of the life in God, and self-consciousness continually produces wrestling. Self-consciousness is not sin; it may be produced by a nervous temperament or by a sudden dumping down into new circumstances. It is never God’s will that we should be anything less than absolutely complete in Him.
Anything that disturbs rest in Him must be cured at once, and it is not cured by being ignored, but by coming to Jesus Christ.
…Never allow the dividing up of your life in Christ to remain without facing it. Beware of leakage, of the dividing up of your life by the influence of friends or of circumstances; beware of anything that is going to split up your oneness with Him and make you see yourself separately.
Nothing is so important as to keep right spiritually. The great solution is the simple one – Come unto Me….
Whenever anything begins to disintegrate your life with Jesus Christ, turn to Him at once and ask Him to establish rest. Never allow anything to remain which is making the dis-peace. Take every element of disintegration as something to wrestle against, and not to suffer. Say – Lord, prove Thy consciousness in me, and self-consciousness will go and He will be all in all.
Beware of allowing self-consciousness to continue because by slow degrees it will awaken self-pity, and self-pity is Satanic. Well, I am not understood; this is a thing they ought to apologize for; that is a point I really must have cleared up. Leave others alone and ask the Lord to give you Christ-consciousness, and He will poise you until the completeness is absolute….
If we try to overcome self-consciousness by any common-sense method, we will develop it tremendously. Jesus says, “Come unto Me and I will give you rest,” i.e., Christ-consciousness will take the place of self-consciousness. Wherever Jesus comes He establishes rest, the rest of the perfection of activity that is never conscious of itself.
True surrender is not simply surrender of our external life but surrender of our will— and once that is done, surrender is complete. The greatest crisis we ever face is the surrender of our will….
Come to Me . . . and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28). It is only after we have begun to experience what salvation really means that we surrender our will to Jesus for rest. Whatever is causing us a sense of uncertainty is actually a call to our will— Come to Me. And it is a voluntary coming….
Jesus, I am resting, resting…
Ah! REST...what a glorious word! I inhale and exhale deeply at just the sound of it! And oh, how we humans need deep, glorious rest…
Moms especially need it…as do dads. Single folk need it; workers need it; retirees do too…even kids need it (although they would protest most loudly…especially after no-sleep sleepovers!)
This is the time of the year that I begin to really drag, needing my rest! I’m a teacher…among other things like wife, mother, grandmother, friend, sister, etc. A year or so ago, I also became a blogger/amateur writer. Right now, I’m hitting Blogger’s Block/ Writer’s Block — that brain-draining fatigue that hits everyone (including students) who has put pen to paper regularly.
So let me say it again — we humans ALL need deep, glorious rest…no matter what our role in life. And we need rest, not just for our bodies, but for our souls most of all!
I don’t know about you, but I am going to the only Place I know to go for the rest I need…and that place is my Lord Jesus Christ! HE is Rest! I’m responding to His gracious invitation,
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart,
and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.
Matthew 11:28-30
We who are burdened and work to exhaustion can find anapausis (REST in Greek). But this is not just the “take a nap” kind of rest…it goes much deeper:
In Matthew 11:28-29, the Lord promises “anapausis” (inner tranquility) to the weary and heavy laden who come to HIM while they are engaged in necessary labor.
Spiro Zodiates, The Complete Word Study Dictionary, New Testament, p. 156
Isn’t that good news, dear friend? Even when we cannot take a break from our duties, we can have inner tranquility because of our relationship with our Lord Christ.
And there’s an interesting emphasis in that short phrase, Come to Me, in the original Greek. Literally, Jesus says,
HERE (Hither, KJV)…to ME!
That’s right, the word COME isn’t found in the original! It’s just implied…and I think, for a reason.
I picture Jesus Himself beckoning to the battered and beleaguered crowd of ordinary people following Him. He points to HIMSELF as the source of spiritual rest: HERE…to ME…for rest!
The religious rulers, who hounded them, burdened them with duties above and beyond what God required. Jesus, on the other hand, joins (yokes) Himself to His people to give them rest on every level. So in a sense, He says,
Don’t go to THEM!
HERE…to ME!
And the same is true for you and me, dear friend. What is hounding and harassing you?
Is it the pressures of mothering?
…the stress of financial needs?
…the guilt of not being spiritual enough: reading the Bible, praying enough?
…the confusion and grief of relational rifts?
…the concern for struggling/straying loved ones?
…the fatigue/uncertainties of your job?
…struggles with ill health?
______[fill in the blank]______?
In every situation and in every stage of life on this earth, He Himself is our Rest.
Join me in responding to His invitation: HERE…to ME!
Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly. Matthew 11:28-30 MSG
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Suggestions for your COMING…from the mundane to the sublime
[and I am practicing what I preach ]
Play instrumental hymns/praise/classical music softly in the background all day. It’s amazing how the music sets a peaceful atmosphere. This is one of my favorite things to do when I’m home…keeping my music softly playing all day!
Memorize and recite often Psalm 23. This is especially good when falling asleep or waking in the middle of the night!
Visualize the scene, and let the peace of your Shepherd wash over you!
Take a break from social media for a period of time…however the Lord leads. Call it a fast if you like and slow down the inner craziness to focus on the Lord. Maybe just fast from it each day until after you meet with the Lord
And if you are a blogger and hit bloggers block, let it be for awhile until the Lord breaks through with something fresh
Moms…get up earlier than your children, even if that means putting the coffee pot in the garage to brew (my son as a toddler/preschooler would wake up within 15 minutes of brewing my morning Joe). Have your Bible, journal, devotional, &/or hymnbook in a handy spot. And commune with your God…COME to HIM for your anapausis (rest while you go about your needful work) for your day!
If little people do interrupt your time, let them join you…with their own Bible and journal
Home-school moms…when I was homeschooling and hit exhaustion, I would “take to my bed” for a whole day… homeschooling my son and daughter from the place of rest (my bed!). They were a bit older and worked well on their own. So I’d give them assignments, read with them, checked work (or have them check their own) etc. with them sitting next to me on the bed. Then they would go off to complete assignments on their own. Trust me, it really worked. Then I’d be refreshed to continue on normally the next school-day!
Sing this wonderful hymn…focusing on the words to help in focusing on the Lord:
Jesus! I am resting, resting
In the joy of what Thou art;
I am finding out the greatness
Of Thy loving heart.
Thou hast bid me gaze upon Thee,
And Thy beauty fills my soul,
For, by Thy transforming power,
Thou hast made me whole.
Jesus! I am resting, resting
In the joy of what Thou art;
I am finding out the greatness
Of Thy loving heart.
Oh, how great Thy loving kindness,
Vaster, broader than the sea:
Oh, how marvelous Thy goodness,
Lavished all on me!
Yes, I rest in Thee, Beloved,
Know what wealth of grace is Thine,
Know Thy certainty of promise,
And have made it mine.
Simply trusting Thee, Lord Jesus,
I behold Thee as Thou art,
And Thy love, so pure, so changeless,
Satisfies my heart,
Satisfies its deepest longings,
Meets, supplies its every need,
Compasseth me round with blessings,
Thine is love indeed.
Ever lift Thy face upon me,
As I work and wait for Thee;
Resting ‘neath Thy smile, Lord Jesus,
Earth’s dark shadows flee.
Brightness of my Father’s glory,
Sunshine of my Father’s face,
Keep me ever trusting, resting,
Fill me with Thy grace.
Time to Vote!
Thank you, dear readers, for your input a few blogs ago. 
I want to tell you the reason for my request. I’m planning to enter some of my writing in the Writers’ Digest Annual Writing Contest (spiritual, inspirational category). I feel like this may be a door from the Lord…the info about it came to me. I didn’t seek it out.
However, because there is a fee for each entry, I thought I might ask for help narrowing down what I send in. So here are the few blogs that seem to have surfaced as contest potential .
If you have time and inclination, would you “vote” on the one(s) you like best? You could rate them 1, 2, 3, … (with 1 being the best). Or just pick one or two.
By the way, when they are submitted, they will have been revised slightly to sound more like an article than a blog. And I won’t be able to include pictures 
A Word of Salvation [This one will be revised as "Lost & Found"]
Choose Your Face…Change Your Day
Thanks so much, dear friends, for taking the time to read and evaluate! I treasure your input! Blessings!
Resurrection Walk…
When I was at the University of Arizona in the late 60′s & early 70″s, the “Jesus movement” was in full swing. A song that we always sang during praise time at our Christian student meetings in those days was “He Lives”.
This song grabbed me! The concept of a living Christ who intimately related to me on a daily basis was just beginning to dawn on me. Look at the words to this glorious song:
I serve a risen Saviour
He’s in the world today;
I know that He is living,
Whatever men may say;
I see His hand of mercy,
I hear His voice of cheer,
And just the time I need Him
He’s always near.
Chorus:
He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives
today!
He walks with me and He talks with me
Along life’s narrow way.
He lives, He live, salvation to impart!
You ask me how I know He lives:
He lives within my heart.
In all the world around me
I see His loving care,
And tho my heart grows weary
I never will despair;
I know that He is leading
Thro’ all the stormy blast,
The day of His appearing
Will come at last.
Rejoice, rejoice, O Christian,
Lift up your voice and sing
Eternal hallelujahs
To Jesus Christ the King!
The hope of all who seek Him,
The help of all who find,
None other is so loving,
So good and kind.
Brennan Manning has a phrase that I love…living in Present Risenness. In his precious book The Rabbi’s Heartbeat, he says:
We are not cowed into timidity by death and life. Were we forced to rely on our own shabby resources we would be pitiful people indeed. But the awareness of Christ’s present risenness persuades us that we are buoyed up and carried on by a life greater than our own.
The Christ within who is our hope of glory is not a matter of theological debate or philosophical speculation. He is not a hobby, a part-time project, a good theme for a book, or a last resort when all human effort fails. He is our life, the most real fact about us. He is the power and wisdom of God dwelling within us.
Even though the holiday we call Easter has passed, dear child of God, meditate on this glorious thought: The Resurrected Christ is alive in your world right now. The Living Christ lives in you today. And this same Lord Jesus Christ lives His resurrection life through you as you walk in Present Risenness…every day!
Christ in you, the hope of glory. Col 1:27
…you have died and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, we shall appear with Him in glory. Col 3:3-4
…to those who are the called,…Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 1Cor 124
Now enjoy this simple, sincere rendition of “HE LIVES”…
*This was posted last Easter as Walking in Present Risenness
