"ARISE MY DARLING, MY BEAUTIFUL ONE, AND COME TO ME. SEE WINTER IS PAST THE RAINS ARE OVER AND GONE. FLOWERS APPEAR ON THE EARTH, THE SEASON OF SINGING HAS COME. SONG OF SONGS 2:12&113
I woke up to birds singing this morning. It has been a long time since I have heard that majestic sound. The snow has gone for now. (living in Michigan we can expect snow into April). The windows are open and the sun is shining. I love this time of year. I sent the kids to school today in sweatshirts (no snowpants, mittens etc...) It is a wonderful reminder that winter doenst last forever...
I took a walk today in the woods behind my house with my dogs. The woods with my animals have always been a place of refuge for me. When I was growing up I had horses and we lived on a lot of land. I would go bare back on my horse and be gone for hours in the woods and pastures. My dogs would follow along too, trying to keep up. There was/is nothing like feeling the wind blowing on your face and the feeling of freedom in the wide open.
Today i went walking desperate to connect with my Jesus. Being in the woods and seeing little hints that spring is just around the corner, watching my dogs having the time of their lives chasing down scents with their tails wagging. I love to have my ipod on with worship music on and just walk, sit, and marvel that all creation are under the control of our Creator. The squirrells were running around, the snow disolves, the sun was shining bright, the breeze was springlike, the trees will start budding soon and flowers will awake from under the earth and bloom. In a few short weeks there will be new full vibrant life everywhere.
I had a conversation with a friend yesterday and she said something profound to me that she learned through Esther Bible Study (Beth Moore).
Why does God's Word say - those that wait on the LORD will renew their strength.
I feel like I have been waiting in the LORD for a while now and I dont feel strong, infact quite the opposite.
Maybe its because I'm waiting on the "thing" and not on the LORD. I feel like God has been teaching me to just enjoy him for being Him, and not only for what he can do. I have so many questions, so many unknowns, so many people that I am praying for, so many requests for myself, kevin, and the kids. So many things that I want God to accomplish and I know God still wants to hear the cry of my heart and my petitions and he loves it when i take all my cares to him but He also delights when I totally delight in him as my God, my saviour, my father.
SO today when I went on my walk with Jesus, I just praised him for who he is, I took delight in his goodness, I was awed by his marks on all creation, and I was humbled to my knees of the presence of his undeserving and unfailing love he has for me.
It felt so good to just enjoy the presence of Jesus today. To really sit and "Be still and Know". To know that winter is fading and spring is coming.
I also felt like God used one of my dogs to teach me. (God speaks through all things right?!) no really - my golden has a hurt paw, he is always licking it and nursing it. When I said "lets go for a walk" both dogs get so excited and they prance and run way ahead of me then come back, they are gitty. My golden was limping the whole time and by the end of the walk he was limping quite bad, but he didnt want the walk to end. He didnt stay back licking his wound, but he went on an adventure with his master and was loving every minute of it. And I loved watching him.
I know sometimes I lag behind because I would rather sit in my fear and doubt - and I miss some pretty great adventures that Jesus has for me. I felt like Jesus spoke over me - "Marcy you dont need to be perfect for me take you along, in fact you wont be, and there may be times you are skipping and jumping, there may be times when you are walking or limping and there will be times when you are crawling, but keep moving with me I got you in the palm of my hand securely."
And so as it is said in Song og Songs " Arise, my darling, my beautiful one" I will rise and walk, knowing that whatever season I am in, Jesus is there too.
Winter is over and the singing will again begin. Joining with all of creation exalting the name of JESUS.
