while i sing.

I finished the book last night at 1:28am. A book that I am certain God wanted me to read because He reminded me through seemingly unconnected circumstances again and again. I couldn't put it down. Words written straight from a frontline warrior for orphans and widows in Darfur, who dares to continuously give up everything to live dangerously for Jesus.  Her pen scribbled my thoughts again and again. Tears sprinkled the pages and I wept for my casual approach to being a witness for Him who created me to be His witness in all things despite my wishes and desires. 

He beckons me to boldly tell of His love, His power, His might. He calls me to forget what is past and strive toward the plan and purpose He dreamt for me on the day He knitted me. A no holds bar way of thinking and living for Him.  Why do I often smash my chubby cheeks to the window and just wish that I could do something great for the glory of God? 

A ton of weight is lifted from my soul when I realize a  bird sings simply because it can.  

A bird bears witness to it's Creator simply by do what birds do. 

Build their house, and sing while doing it. 

All His Royalty bends low to refresh me. 

A simple mom, who needed to know on this day...that God wants me to do what I am created to do.

 Be a true witness to His power, His glory, His never ending love.  

To tell of His story through creating all things beautiful in my home... while singing.  

loved freely to love freely.

I think God sits back sometimes and just watches the earth dance for His glory.  

Do the angels get to see His excitement springing forth? Do they get all giddy and smile even more seeing the Father delight in the visual display of love? I bet they have a party. A big one, and wear their very best.  I think that best would be called Love. 

 Clothed in love, that is the fragrance of Him displayed, the angels dance around and sing praises in a chorus that is alive. I bet the party last a long time. A very long time. Is there an end to the love season? The honest answers I seek burst forth from the Word.

"For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. "  Romans 8:38. 

Nothing. Not even the seasons can separate us from the display of love.  He gives love and receives love. Freely. I clothe myself in this thought and head out the door into the fragrance of love.

I bet He loves watching.

considering your cornerstone.

Cornerstones have been around for centuries. It's the ceremonious first stone that is laid straight and firm, so that the rest of the structure is not built wonky and the building comes tumbling down in the first storm. In the more recent years this cornerstone has morphed into something not quite as important to the foundation.  It has become, especially in churches,  a place to stash memories for future generations. 

Every few years my father would grab a crow bar and open the time capsule that was located above the foundation in the church I attended from baptism through marriage.   Officially it was called the cornerstone, but when you are a young girl.. all you cared about was what was the treasures in it. As my father would open it the papers and pictures inside would come to the light. The ladies would then fix up some fancy display as no doubt people would be coming to celebrate the legacy of faith this building had had a part in. This particular cornerstone told the story of the people in the church, and how God had bonded them together through one thing.. a building. Several years ago this church closed and the cornerstone was emptied and packed away. This particular building's cornerstone stands empty. 

In building, many hours are set aside for focused attention on the foundation. So how come when it comes to our lives we often first focus on the structure itself, instead of the foundation? Isn't the point of building firm, secure, usable structures dependent on the foundation?

Pride. The thing God hates. The thing inside all of us that can alienate us from all that God desires. The pride that says.. I don't trust you enough God to do this so I will do it myself. Pride that says, I'm scared of living another way, so I'll sit here in this chaos instead. Pride that says, if anyone knew this about me, they wouldn't like me.  Pride that builds life structures on appearances that the world can look at and say "Wow.. look what you did." Pride that says, look what God did on the outside, but on the inside screams "Wow, i'm amazing." Subtle pride that infiltrates your thoughts is still pride. If pride is in your cornerstone.. your cornerstone is empty and your life structure may topple at any time.

I am not ashamed of the Gospel. It lives and breathes life into the empty day after day. It rebuilds foundations and concretes the hope you can't see or feel into the very foundation of your life, but often times, it takes a monumental effort on our part to tear down and then rely on God to replace the cornerstone where it belongs. Deep into the foundation. The Cornerstone that isn't for pridefully filling with mementos for people to ohh and ahhh over, but for the only Cornerstone that can stand through anything. Jesus.

“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone,a cornerstone chosen and precious,and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.” 

 1 Peter 2:6