When Counting Comes Naturally Again (#22 - 28)

The opportunity to count my blessings (Ann VosKamp-style) never disappeared, just my desire to do so.  I asked for it really.  Literally.  I asked for a hiatus, a time off, a hushing of the still small voice so I could just whirl and twirl and attempt to settle from this windstorm called a move across the Pacific Ocean.  I didn't want any deep spiritual insights.    I didn't want to be given anything I couldn't rightly handle. I didn't have time to ponder, much less write.  So I asked God for a spiritual sabbatical.  He granted it.  For almost an entire year all was quiet...until yesterday.

I needed "me time."  My red hot iPod and pink ear buds seemed like the perfect escape.  I spun  my thumb around the little silver disk, highlighted my favorite tune, and pressed that cute sideways triangle... 

 "In this brawl between the empires
of our good Lord and the liar, will you stand?
Please stand with me."

Wait.  This isn't the song I chose...

"'Cause right now my faith can take it
 But when they come to take it
Will you pray?
Please pray with me."


"And we'll stand
And pray 'till the dark gives way
And we'll sing, sing, sing, sing, sing."

Just how does God do this?  In the spin of a dial, and a press of a triangle button, He takes my selfish pursuits to hide away from "real life" through iPods and ear buds and sings a love song to my soul?

This wasn't the song at the top of my list. This wasn't the song I chose with that silver disk, but it was His choice for me. Some how, some way, He orchestrated this song to shatter the long-held spiritual silence.

"And if doubt and fear conspire
To steal away your fire and leave you cold
I'll stand with you."

He knew.  Despite the long silence, He still knew I doubted myself.  He knew I feared the future.  He knew I felt alone.  And He wanted me to know that He knew.


"And we'll stand and pray
'Till the dark gives way
And we will sing, sing, sing, sing sing."

While I ran, He pursued.  I hid and He sought.  Through the beautiful lyrics of singer/songwriter Shawn Groves, He beckoned me to stand once more and pray...till this I'm-in-a-new-home-and-nothing-is-familiar dark gives way.  And He will sing with me.  Sing. Sing. Sing. Sing!

Counting comes naturally again. And the dark gives way to thanks for these seven, good and perfect words:

1. He
2. will
3. rejoice
4. over
5. you (over me!!)
6. with
7. singing! (Zephaniah 3:17)

Counting from #15 - #21

Sow a thought and you reap an act
Sow an act and you reap a habit
Sow a habit and you reap a character
Sow a character and you reap a destiny

- Charles Reade

A thought spilled out of my ever-wandering mind the other day:   Ideas are gifts.  The very thoughts of my head are gifts!  Especially if I act upon the thought.  And act again.  And again. And again.  A new thought produces a new act.  And a new act produces a new habit.  Over time, this little gift of an idea produces character.

So today I share seven good and perfect ideas (i.e. gifts) from Judi Rossi's book Enhancing Your Marriage.  The fifth chapter focuses on Covenant Love - love as an extension of the Cross.  Love as an extension of Christ's covenant love for us.  Love as an extension of Christ's love in us.  May these ideas root in the soil of our hearts, reap an act, grow a habit, shape a character, destine our marriages, for...

1. "As Christian marrieds, we have a high calling - forgive, reconcile, restore - the very message of the cross.
2. "If my life is based on proclaiming God's message to the world [and to my husband], I don't want to do anything that would challenge that message."
3. "Following God requires our commitment to build a marriage God's way.  H way takes time, wisdom, patience, courage, and perseverance, all of which God possesses.  And by His grace, so do we."
4. "What you believe about love right now - true or false - is presently doing three things.  1. affecting your marriage;  2.  shaping your behavior and responses to your mate; 3. helping determine your future happiness and emotional well-being.  What you believe is that important.  How much better to believe the truth!"
5. "God has chosen to love us, not with an irrational emotion but with deliberate kindness, genuine compassion, and righteous concern for our well-being.  Therefore, He doesn't love us because of who we are, but because of who His is."
6.  Moses permitted divorce because the hearts of men were hard toward their wives.  Thank you, God, that Jeff's heart towards me is tender and mercy-full.
7. In covenant love we don't love our husbands because of who they are but because of whose we are.  We are God's. And God's love is in us.  Love as an extension of Christ's love in us.  Love as an extenion of Christ's love for us.  Love as an extension of the cross.

Counting from #8 - #14

Continuing the count for the week of Dec 25th - Jan1st:

8.  2 surprise CDs for Christmas: Matt Maher, the love in between and Casting Crowns, Come to the Well.  Can't wait to download them to my iPod and just sit...and know...that He is God.

9.  A FREE, perfect toddler table to outfit our school room.  Perfect!  Did I mention it was perfect?
10.  Success!  Re-organized school room receives flurry of activity from four spunky students.  Mommy got the kid-eye perspective right this time.
11.  The prayer of faithful husband answers long-held hope of faithful wife.  Lead on my dear husband.  Lead on!
12.  A heavenly reminder to just 'BE' in the moment shifts my eyes to the back seat of the car - and sees beautiful 5 yr-old daughter glowing in sun's rays.  BE-autiful!
13.  Pure Grace - my husband's patient, caring attention during a hormone hayride. 
14.  Encouragement from friends known and unknown.  I will keep stepping.  I will keep counting. I will keep going further up and further in.