Showing posts with label father's love. Show all posts
Showing posts with label father's love. Show all posts

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Nothing

Just so you know…

There is nothing—

Nothing

You ever need to do for the Father to be proud of you

Nothing

~You could flunk geometry twice

~Graduate with a 2.0 GPA

~Date dumb people

~Pledge to love the wrong ones

~Quit jobs without notice

~Get numerous speeding tickets

~Run out of gas perpetually

~Always arrive late

~Burn the dinner

~Forget to make dinner

~Miss your child’s class party

~Hold a grudge

~Wall up your heart

~Stay in your comfort zone

~Self-medicate

~Allow dishes to pile up

~And laundry to go undone

~Spend more money than you make

~Never finish any of the books you start

~Never make time for the in-laws

~Forget birthdays

~Make “To Do” lists during church

~And hate the very people who love you the most


You could do all this—

And the Father would still be proud of you—

Not for what you did or didn’t do…

But for WHO you are.

And you are His Beloved.


On the journey with you,
lk

Are you striving to earn God’s favor?
What expectations of yourself do you need to let go?

Here or somewhere…be real.
Share your journey.

Relevant Worship
Amazing Grace by the Celtic Woman  {Beautiful}

My Dear by Bethel Music/The Loft Sessions (Hunter Thompson)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nf7fOnsHW74&feature=fvsr

Your Grace is Enough by Chris Tomlin

 Reflective Scripture
God’s grace is enough.
2 Corinthians 12:9

Thursday, February 16, 2012

In His Gaze

Just a girl in pigtails—I longed to be loved.

His eyes locked on mine—my heart pounding in my chest. I wanted to look away—but I couldn’t. I wouldn’t. There was something I needed to see—something I needed to feel.

Hold My gaze

I looked deeply and saw the lenses of His eyes change. I could see His heart looking back at me. I looked away unable to bare the intensity any longer. His love was too deep too, too powerful for a girl in pigtails.

The next morning He came near again. The music of His heart swirled in the air between us. Standing before me I heard Him whisper.

Hold My gaze

Tears came in floods. I was just a girl in pigtails. How dare I look into His eyes—let alone hold His gaze?

He said nothing. Placed His hands on my scrawny shoulders and waited. His touch brought a surge of warmth within me. There was something He needed me to see—something He wanted me to feel.

Courage met deep longing and I looked up and held His gaze. Within a moment the intensity of His gaze became like laser beams into my soul. His eyes said one thing—

I love you

The truth of His love penetrated me instantly as deep powerful waves rushed through every part of me.

His laser beam eyes wrote Beloved Daughter across my identity.
I was secure. I was loved.

It was something I needed to see—something I needed to feel.
I saw it in His eyes, and felt it in my soul.

His arms opened wide and I fell into Him. Clinging to Him as a girl in pigtails would do. Love embraced me. Love consumed me.

Wrapped in my Father’s embrace I knew who I was. I knew where I belonged—

In my Father’s gaze.

Every moment of every day we have a choice--whose gaze will you hold today?

On the journey with you,
lk

Here or somewhere…be real.
Share your journey.

Relevant Worship
Beloved by Kari Jobe
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3c9oi5xNIpo

How He Loves by Kim Walker-Smith
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JoC1ec-lYps

Reflective Scripture
The Lord God will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with his love, He will rejoice over you with singing. Zephaniah 3:17 NIV

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Hopeful Again

This week’s post is straight from my practice journal. This time my oldest son would accompany me. The timer set for 15 minutes and we began our separate assignments. He was to write sixteen spelling words into sentences for homework and I was to craft those same spelling words into a blog. Writing without lifting my pen these third grade words took on a life of their own. When the buzzer sounded I only added the last line and have left it as is--unpolished. By the way, my son was done with his sentences in only five minutes. J (spelling words are bolded) The unexpected surprise was not only was this fiction—but I think I know that little girl…

Hopeful Again

How do I begin?

How does one retell a story of an unhappy girl who found life through the friendly Farmer?

Her life was desolate, desperate, and despairing. But what He said…caused her to feel hopeful.

Hope was a foreign thought and feeling. She, the scrawny girl with the scraggly pig tails. The one always shamed and treated unfair by the cross Mrs. Rally and deemed unimportant to most of the townspeople. Unlike the others, this same girl was accepted by the Farmer.

She remembers that day vividly.

The sky darkened by heavy clouds pouring out buckets of rain to the town. The dirt roads were wet, and soon her boots, the ones worn through at the toe, were splattered with mud. Even the hem of her dress was covered with mud.

The rain and mud would not stop her. She promised the town seamstress to deliver a package. Mrs. Rally said if she was a good helper she would give her one quarter—a shiny one. One whole quarter would give her milk and oats for a week. She must be careful as to not slip in the mud and drop the package. She walked slowly. The rain pounded down on her. Clothes soaked through. She was almost at her destination—the Farmer’s house. Just a few steps from His porch lightening flashed and peals of thunder shook the sky.

It frightened the poor girl and she jumped at the noise. Sadly, she lost her footing and landed in a pot-hole—filled with mud.

Unhurt, she stood up. Tears mixed in with the raindrops as she reached to pick up the package from the mud. Silently she wept. The package wet, soggy—completely ruined. She stood there for what seemed like hours as the rain pelted her skin.

“How will I ever remake this package and make it new again for the Farmer?”

She thought of the shiny quarter. The milk. The oats. She wouldn’t have any of it. Only be shamed once again by Mrs. Rally.

The porch light suddenly lit up the porch and the door creaked open.

She looked down. Pretending to be invisible. Pretending it was just a dream.

The Farmer spoke. “What have we here, Little One?”

His voice was kind. He gently took the package from her grip.

She dared to look up.

And when she did…

She saw Him looking at her...

with kind eyes and a smile.

And she knew.

Everything was going to be okay.

I need to know everything is going to be okay…how about you?

Lord, let us see Your eyes and hear Your gentle voice and know…You are near to pick up the mess and make everything new again. 

On the journey with you...  lk

Relevant Worship

Embrace (It’s All Gonna Be Okay) by Jake Hamilton
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VphBebphKLY

Reflective Scripture

The LORD watches over all who love him. Psalm 145:20

The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
Psalm 34:18

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

A Father's Love

Do you want me to come with you?”

I was hoping he would ask.

He gets up from what would have been his time to rest and grabs his keys. We drive to the grocery store. It’s just he and I. Our time together. He picks out his birthday pie. I remind him to get the ice cream. He pays the bill. We drive back. I feel richer for simply being with him.

He is 69.

I am 39.

Thirty years apart, but our hearts are ever close.


I once believed disappointment would take precedence over love.

He was 48.

I was 18.

I feared to look into his eyes. What would he think? What would he say? My heart raced in the moments between words.

I could never be disappointed in you.”

Tears poured out as acceptance flooded me.

A father’s love accepts.


I once believed my world would never be right again.

He was 44.

I was 14. 

Crying in a dark corner he reached for me. Held me and cried with me. My heart hurt deeply, and so did his. And he didn’t have to, but he said…

I’m sorry

I knew then I would never be alone.

A father’s love comforts.


I once believed the night would always bring fear.

He was 35.

I was 5. 

Dark nights and scary dreams led me to seek him for refuge.


As I answered I crawled in next to him where the frightening feelings went away and even the darkest nights became safe.

A father’s love is security.


I once thought I would always be his little girl.

But I grew up.

And I thought for a moment age would bring distance. 

He at 68.

I at 38.

My phone beeps from a text message. It’s Dad.
It reads:

Hey LA…are you free any time this week for a father daughter lunch or something.

I come out with my blonde boy. We have lunch at the usual spot. He shares photos and stories of his trip. I share life and seek advice. I leave full of wisdom, joy, but most of all—love. 

A father’s love is forever.

And a daughter’s love is ever rising with hopes to match the depth and height of what she has been given…

And yet…

A father’s love is  m a t c h l e s s.

I love you Dad.



Reflective Music

The Gift by David Nevue
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IAgw-yQCtE