Beautiful Mystery

Beautiful Mystery
Caedmon's Call - Back Home Album

I tried to know
Every mystery
Soon realized, no
It was too much for me
'Cause most things true
Are simple and complex
So it is with You
What else should I expect

You suffer the seeker
In You they abide

You are to me
A beautiful mystery
You are to me
A Servant and a King
You're a beautiful mystery

You're like the water
I can feel but not grasp
Still You say all I've gotta do
Is seek and knock and ask

You are to the river
What hems it in and sets it free

The truth is a river
Where the strong can swim down deep
The weak and the broken
Can walk across so easily

Yesterday I opened my Bible to Ecclesiastes after reading a thought provoking post over here & as I did, phrases/verses jumped out from all over the pages. When I read my Bible I try to journal things that "struck & stuck" but yesterday it was hard to keep up! One thing, among others, tho' that did stick w/me was this:

When I applied my mind to know wisdom and to observe man’s labor on earth– his eyes not seeing sleep day or night – then I saw all that God has done. No one can comprehend what goes on under the sun. Despite all his efforts to search it out, man cannot discover it’s meaning. Even if a wise man claims he knows, he cannot really comprehend it.
Ecclesiastes 8:16 & 17

I found this to be encouraging - which might seem strange - but a few years ago I dove deep(!) in a desperate attempt to know God better & to find the answers to the really big questions of life. I was at my lowest point ever & reeling from the most difficult life circumstances I'd ever been dealt. A friend encouraged me w/ this verse:

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. - James 4:8

... & I attempted to do just that.

I opened God's Word & I prayed that He would open the eyes of my heart & make Himself real to me.

Indeed I did experience something so real that allowed so much to make more sense to me - & I journaled fast & furiously at times thru' it - yet I certainly could not comprehend it … nor could I ever seem to wrap words around it to adequately explain to anyone else what I was beginning to better understand (tho' this blog has been a good place to attempt to do that at times).

...Evenso - the more I think I understand…the more questions I have! So – this passage just seemed to confirm that – that’s normal (Hence why I found it to be encouraging) - And I'd go so far as to say that I believe that's exactly the way God intended it be.

It's ironic - that after all I've studied, learned & pondered, that verse my friend shared w/ me back at the "beginning" ...

Draw near to God and He will draw draw to you. - James 4:8

...summarizes concisely all that I've learned since then! Everything God has ever said ...or made... or done - seems to whisper (& shout!)...

"relationship!"

Note: The "poem" above is actually lyrics to one of my very favorite songs - one I sense God gave to me back then to help me understand, right from the start, that "in the end" I would not have all the answers I was looking for - but that "simply" by pursuing the answers to the really big questions of life....... I'd end up knowing Him - much better.

The lyrics are beautiful in & of themselves but they're even moreso when accompanied by their music. Click on the album & then on the play button that appears at the upper right hand of the screen if your interested.

BeautiFULL Moon

Strike captured these photos from our back yard tonight
- they're not cropped or doctored up at all.

How DOES she do it?!

If you look close at this one...

...does it not look like the moon has a belly button?!
(towards the lower right "corner" of the moon)

There's got to be a children's poem or story in there somewhere :)

³ When I consider your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you have set in place,

⁴ what is man that you are mindful of him,
the son of man that you care for him?

Psalm 8:3-4

On a scale of 1 - 10, What's your #?

Perhaps the world was made round
so that no one could see too far ahead

Watched this movie over the weekend. What a grand illustration of two very different philosophies of life that - if I had to summarize them in my own words - I suppose I'd use these...

His

Nothing is worth owning because whatever you own - ends up owning you.


&

Hers

There are some things in life worth owning .... & they come with a price.

It all has had me thinking....if, on a scale of 1 - 10, his philosophy is a 1 & hers is a 10 - what about me? What's my number?

Hmm ... I guess I'd have to say, I'm a "5" ... forever attempting to achieve that oh so difficult to achieve "perfect balance".

....tho' honestly - I've suppressed a sense of adventure in exchange for - safety, satisfaction & security - & I kinda think I'd like to be a 2 - but that would require exercising some courage to willfully give up some of those things we own that cost us dearly, yet make me feel so safe, satisfied & secure ...

How about you?

Does "your number" reflect both who you are AND who you want to be? - - or are they different?

Just curious.

Trick or Treat ... & Pumpkin "Pi"

Strike was a tiger
(I found the 102nd thing you can do w/ duct tape! :)
& her friend was a zebra

a spooky house

Even Mak dressed as a hockey player & got in on the fun :)

the loot :)

Pumpkin Pi ... get it?! Took us a while but we finally did :)

It's a date!

All the kids have plans for tonight....SOoo - my husband seized the opportunity by asking me out!...on a dinner date! ... Tonight!

Hmm ...

What to wear?

What to order from the menu that I won't end up wearing?!

What will we talk about? The past? The present? The future?...The kids! :)

I'm SO excited! Can you tell?

I wonder if he'll pop the question ....

"Would you marry me - again ... if you could?"

There's no doubt in my mind what my (three letter) answer would be...but it could be fun to string him along a bit ... ya know --- make him sweat. But after all the time we've spent together, he can see right thru' me. It wouldn't work - I know it it wouldn't work. I can barely keep his birthday presents & Christmas gifts a secret long enough to allow them to be the surprise they were intended to be - let alone keep a secret this big.

It's only just after 8AM.... I still have all day yet to wait -- for my date.

After 23+ years, you'd think I'd be over this adolescent phase!...but honestly --- I hope it never goes away.

i love this feeling


²⁴ A man of many companions may come to ruin,
but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
Proverbs 18:24

Butterflies

I noticed the verse on my sidebar today & it reminded me of a "For the Kids" lesson I shared at church one night. How fun(!) it was to share w/ them what God was teaching me - in hopes that it would give them a big headstart!

Meeting Madame Butterfly
http://users.skynet.be/J.Beever/

Butterflies & Worship

Romans 12:1 & 2 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

The Greek word for “transformed” is Metamorphoō - to change into another form, to transform, to transfigure. From it we get metamorphosis & we tend to think of caterpillars & butterflies!

W/ the understanding that God has revealed Himself to us both in His Word & creation, I’ve learned to try to figure out what God might have been wanting us to better understand when he created certain things – & I really believe we can better understand God – what He’s like & what He wants us to be like – by studying butterflies (or anything/everything else He made)

You may have heard the story about a man who found a chrysalis. One day a small opening appeared. He watched the butterfly for hours as it struggled to force its body thru' it until it seemed it could go no further. Finally the man decided to help – so - he cut the chrysalis to allow the butterfly to emerge easily, which it did. The man continued to watch. He expected the wings to enlarge & expand to support the body, which would contract in time, but neither happened - & in fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body & shriveled wings - & never was able to fly. The man didn’t understand that the restricting chrysalis & the struggle required for the butterfly to get through the opening were God's way of forcing fluid from the butterfly's body into its wings so it would be ready & able to fly (freedom!) when the time was right.

The transformation caterpillars undergo while in the chrysalis is amazing. When they come out they’re so very different from how they used to be.

Christians kinda metamorph too. When we confess & repent of our sin & accept Jesus as our Savior, we’re instantly changed from eternally dying to eternally living & that’s no doubt an amazing transformation! And from that point on, we should then become more like Christ - which can be a long - & at times, difficult(!) process.

When the man tried to help by cutting the chrysallis, he did free the butterfly - technically - but it was crippled for the rest of its likely shortened life - & most, if not all, the butterfly’s time from then on was likely spent focused on itself - out of necessity - as it struggled just to survive - b/c God’s way had not been followed. According to God’s perfect plan, the butterfly had to go through that struggle - to the end - in order to become & do all that God intended - & to beautifully display His splendor as it enjoyed true freedom, the way God intended.

Taking it a step further - Flowers need to be pollinated & God created butterflies in a special way to meet this need of certain flowers. He also gave those flowers jobs too – one is to feed those butterflies. I think this a beautiful illustration of what it means in Romans 12:1 to offer our bodies as living sacrifices, holy & pleasing to God – b/c I think it means we should use our bodies to care for other in Jesus’ name & use those times to share what He’s done for us & wants to do for them. We can do this in many different ways... by praying w/ or for someone, sharing the Gospel, giving money or food to the needy, helping someone help themselves, or doing work for one who is unable to do it. These all involve using our bodies & some sort of sacrifice - but - did you ever consider them to be worship?

It’s true - worship often involves sacrifice – but often it involves sacrificing abilities & things God has generously blessed us w/ to begin w/ for that very reason. When, in obedience, we use anything He’s given us - our talents, abilities, energy, money, time, etc., to serve others in His name & w/ a grateful heart, that’s worship! And often we’re blessed in return in ways that are so satisfying - much like when the butterfly, in time, becomes what it was meant to be & does what God created it to do for the flowers, & in turn the flowers feed the butterfly. They enjoy a special relationship & both elegantly display God’s splendor b/c this is their way of life .

And - just as the butterfly must struggle first - to be & do all that God intended - sometimes God allows us to endure certain things (struggle!) to help us become more like Him & so to prepare us to be & do what he has planned for us. Sometimes people want to put really difficult times (struggles) behind them & try to forget whatever happened, but - when they use what God taught them thru’ it all, they’re able to help certain people that many others might have no idea how to help. By doing that in Jesus’ name &/or for His sake, that’s worship! & with practice, it should become as it was intended to be... - a way of life

Around the World in 180 Days

Strike & I recently started an Around the World in 180 Days class in our home w/ other families. The course is designed to study each of the seven continents with a group of students of various ages. It covers History, Geography, Culture, Religion, Current Affairs, etc. In the end students will have compiled a fat/full(!) World Notebook (or a separate smaller notebook for each continent) packed w/ maps, info, art, reports, etc. & perhaps we'll have gone on a few field trips &/or watched some movies together as well.


Africa is first - which is timely since we're planning the "field trip of a lifetime" to Africa in the spring. Strike's done most, if not all, her bookwork (vocab/research questions/map) already & I give her the freedom to hone in on areas that particularly interest her & to choose what types of projects she wants to do...ie. posters, lapbooks, book reports, artwork, cooking, etc. Perhaps that's why she's enjoying it so much -- & why I am too!
So far we've watched:

click the pic above for more info
& the pic below for a larger/clearer image

...one of few "R" rated movies I encourage my kids to watch...
I figure that when the truth is "R" rated it should not be watered down.

the natural state of man is instead freedom - & the proof
is in the length which a man, woman or child
will go to regain it. Once taken, he will break loose his chains...
decimate his enemies....try & try & try against all odds
- against all prejudices - - - to get home.

- my paraphprase of John Quincy Adams Words -

We're awaiting these from Netflix:

EXPLORE THE WILDLIFE KINGDOM
The Hidden World of Africa

&


AFRICA - The Serengetti - IMAX

And we're getting ready to read this together:

The adventures of an ingenious Egyptian slave girl who undertakes a dangerous assignment as a spy in the royal palace of Thebes, in the days when Queen Hatshepsut ruled. via Amazon.com

And now I want to read this...

...after reading this over here:

"...any time art touches your life with tears, whether through a story, song, film, or painting, it was wise to pay attention to those tears because your tears could help you find your heart. And if you found your heart, you found what was dear to God. If you found what was dear to God, you found the answer to how you should live your life."

- excerpt From Ashes to Africa,
quote originally by Ken Gire, The Reflective Life

Hmm - While I'd much rather really travel around the world...I'm so very much looking forward to doing it from from the comfort of my own home along w/ the others who are joining us :) ... & to sharing some of that journey here.