Brave Little Wildflower

Like the wildflower... I want to be unafraid, unashamed, and uninhibited by others around me

As I turned the corner this morning, to start my walk, there it was. Our first little brave wildflower. It was a very unexpected surprise for many reasons, but a pleasant one nevertheless. It made me smile.

It was my husbands idea to plant wildflowers in our little precisely, manicured flower bed. I told him I had never heard of doing that and to be honest, I didn't really think they would grow there. Wildflowers are called "wild" for a reason. They are meant to grow free in a place where they have plenty of room to spread out and express themselves, "kinda like us kids of the late sixties," not in a restrained flower bed.  But, we decided to go ahead anyway. We planted them away from the porch because we knew they would grow tall and we also planted them on the back row for the same reason. We planted them alongside the other flowers and watered them everyday since the first of March. While all the other flowers had already bloomed, there was no sign of life from the wildflower seeds. Apparently, they grow very, very slow. It seemed to take forever before we saw the first tiny sign of green, pop up. But, we finally did. Here it is the last of April, And this morning...a  beautiful, pink and yellow wildflower boldly showed its face...it decided to just bloom anyway.

I was thinking this morning on my walk about how in our country so many of us grow up in the church. We grow up learning how to act in church, what to say in church, and just how to be "churchy." Many of us don't even really remember when we got saved because we have always been in church. You can almost understand how the Sadducees and Pharisees became who they were. They were always those good little church goers, knowing a lot of scripture and quick to judge others that didn't interpret it like they did.

 I remember the point in my life saying, "Lord, there is just something not right about this church thing." I  mean... go to church on Sunday morning, Sunday night, and Wednesday and some time in between, but I just don't see your fruit in my life...joy, peace, love, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

I definitely want to be more than just a church attender...

Lord Jesus, I don't want to just go to church. I don't want to just talk the talk. I want to passionately pursue you, being your hands and feet in this world.  I don't want only head knowledge. I want to speak and act with a heart following Holy Spirits lead.

Like the wildflower...I want to be unafraid, unashamed, and uninhibited to "stand out" differently than those around me, if I need to be and no matter where I'm planted...I want to "bloom" for you.

I give you my whole heart...

Sammie Jean

WHAT WEIGHS US DOWN?

 We were born to fly...

Pour little fellow.  Felt so sorry for him this morning when I went out to wash a load of clothes. He was stuck in the trash can. Beautiful, perfectly formed moth, yet unable to fly. I started to investigate. Taking pictures all along the way because I figured when I started messing with him he would fly off...but he didn't. So I dumped him out of the garbage can to get a closer look. He fluttered a little but didn't fly off. As I looked closer he still had part of his cocoon attached to his underside. He was unable to fly because he still had too much holding him down.

Holy Spirit had already brought to my mind this morning the scripture about storing treasures in heaven rather than on earth. I continued to ponder on this all morning while I was walking. Just coming off a fabulous trip I thought about how this might coincide.  How can we enjoy this life and not get entangled or weighed down by it?

This is not our home. It never was and never will be. This is the training ground for eternity. We were born to fly. Of course I don't mean literally, I mean we were never suppose to be weighted down with the heaviness of the things of this life. So, if I am not free I have to consider, "What is weighing me down?" I think it is usually my own doing...sometimes maybe not. I know so often I take on weight that I was never meant to carry. One of the biggest things I have trouble with is my expectations for myself and those that I love. Many times they are just not real they are a facade. I can't control anybody or anything...just myself. And why would I want to anyway? I'm learning that losing all that extra baggage has enabled me to invest in what really matters. My relationships. My relationship with my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and the people He has placed in my life. These treasures will last forever. Peace, joy, love (all the precious fruits of the Spirit) that He gives me, enables me to soar to heights I never could otherwise. Things will never do that for me...they will only weigh me down.

I kept encouraging my morning furry friend to fly but it took some time. He fluttered and fluttered around and around and then finally, he flew off. It was a beautiful sight.

Matthew 6:19 Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth...vs 20 but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven...vs 21 for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Grace....costly, yet freely given

GRACE

the very sound,
  so sweet,
 melodiously,
undeniable

So open,
and honest,
 flawlessly,
unpretentious

didn't earn it,
unexpected, 
   lavishly,
unexplainable

deserving not,
but it happened,
overwhelmingly,
unworthy

life-giving,
changing me,
   costly,
yet freely given

Sammie Jean Owens

GRACE...made perfect in weakness (I get it)

We were walking the other day on our newly purchased property. It was a beautiful morning for a walk. Hand in hand we strolled through the woods, enjoying simple chatter between the two of us. However, we stopped dead in our tracks, because the property owner next to us had tied a brightly colored orange tape from one tree to another tree, blocking off the path that we were walking on. It made a pretty bold statement. It seemed to have screamed, "You are not allowed on this property." Well, so much for our tranquil morning walk. Peace was quickly replaced by anger and strife. Of course this didn't set very well with our flesh. We wanted to retaliate and  tell them just what we really thought...neighbors just don't do this to each other.

Well instead of listening to flesh, we chose to listen to Holy Spirit. And what did He speak?  Grace. 

 It's easy if we're not careful to get caught up with the thinking that we are "so special." We "sorta" thought that this land that God had allowed us to buy was all about us and for us and was special favor from Him. "How dare someone get in the way of our blessing from God," flesh began to speak. The grace of God spoke something differently. It doesn't matter how greedy, hateful, vengeful, self-seeking, prideful, (and the list goes on) that we or anybody else is, God loved us so much that He gave us His ultimate gift, Jesus, and He will continue do whatever it takes to draw us closer to Him. That is grace. Apparently, the blessing that God gave us was not just for us...He always had someone else in mind...He wanted us to turn our hearts toward our neighbor and give them the same grace that He so lovingly gives us every day of our lives. Oh my, what a loving Father that is.

The scripture says, this is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us-and we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. I John 3:16 NIV

Father, forgive my selfishness. I pray today,that I will be a willing vessel, not my will but your will be done; that heaven and earth come together for your glory.
       
Thank you Father God that you do favor me (you favor us all).  Your loving kindnesses, your over-flowing grace and mercy is for me (also)... for always.

 Help me remember though, it's never for my own selfish ambitions.

Sammie Jean

  

JUST WHEN...

Just when my hallelujah was tired you gave me a new song
Steffany Gretzinger