Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Further Up and Further In

Somewhere about the final chapter of C.S. Lewis' The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe series, main characters Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy proclaim, "Further up and further in!"  After all they had seen, all they had done, all the places they had already visited and conquered and declared the victory, their final words cry out for even more.  "Further up, and further in!"  In Narnia and this world alike, where God directs the adventure, there is always more.

A few months ago I pressed, "pause" on writing.  Life got busy. We moved a family of six 5000 (!) miles around the globe, set up a new school house, embraced the Christmas season with even more boxes to open and yet, there is more.

More experiences to share.  More words to untangle from my spaghetti brain.  More prompts from the Lord to travel, "further up and further in" this writing adventure.

So I step.  Inspired by an amazingly grace-filled woman aptly named Ann, I travel further up by looking up.  And His abundance flows right down to my feet.  One thousand times one thousand I receive from the author of my own adventure - Grace, Peace, breath, life, even the very bread I eat - and do I even say, "thank you"? Can I even remember to give thanks? 

I step again, traveling further in.  "Pray always, rejoice continually, and give thanks to the Lord in all circumstances" (1 Thes 5:16-18). I travel further in by submitting to God's will, enter in to His very presence in prayer, pause long enough to re-experience the joy He offers - for joy is a gift, and stop to merely say, "Thank you" for what I see and for what I can only imagine.


I don't really know how to travel this road further up and further in, but I am starting today by responding to Ann's challenge tojust say "Thank you,"  Thank you for the gifts the Lord has brought.  Thank you for the gifts He continues to bring.  And thank you for the gifts He promises to bring - for there is always more.

Won't you join me as we count them out together?  Won't you start your own list?  Just to see how much more is in store for you...and me?

My One Thousand Gifts (#s 1-7):

1. A Savior, my Savior, who rescued me from the death of sin
2. My man - who has loved me when I was unlovable and has pursued my heart for over 20 years
3. Samuel - my firstborn and constant surprise
4. Emilie - the mirror of my own heart, if not my own face
5. Sarah - the personification of childlike faith
6. Jack - the joy of the Lord captured in a 4 yr-old
7. A family...my family...the place I call home.  My heart longed for 'more' through years of higher education and professional pursuit.  Praise God that He always offers 'more.'

3 comments:

  1. Just visiting from Ann's...you won't regret for a second taking the step to join in thanking God for His wonderful, everyday gifts. Welcome!

    ReplyDelete
  2. This is a wonderful post. So happy I found your beautiful blog I have enjoyed looking around lovely to meet you. I have just found your lovely blog through the blog on Wednesday walk wonderful to join in. I'm now following you hope you visit me and follow back so nice to find new friends to catch up with. God bless have a great day.
    Always Wendy

    ReplyDelete
  3. Tracey glad you are doing this for us to rejoice with you! Amazing book that was perfect for me in my grief and a match for you in your transitions and really a great reminder for all walks of life.

    ReplyDelete

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...