Seeing

My heart is grieving. My sweet niece took her life last Friday. I arrived home yesterday afternoon from her memorial service. A wonderful friend of hers spoke of her. She said she had a beautiful heart, but her mind was troubled. Oh yes, she had a beautiful heart!!!! She spoke of the last time she saw her, all the encouraging things they spoke of.

As I woke up this morning an old journal entry came to my mind. I had done some reading about Vincent van Gogh. His last words were "The sadness will never go away". I thought that is what my sweet precious niece thought too. Our comfort is that her sadness has now ended. Her pain has now ended. And, we know where she is and with whom she is with. We know with complete assurance that she is with the Lord. We know she placed her trust, her heart in him.

The thing that still haunts me though, is the thought that she felt so very hopeless, so very alone, that there was no option for her. How I wish she would have turned to someone for the help she so desperately needed. How I wish that those of us that new she was in trouble, me included, had reached out more.

There is another quote by Vincent in my journal. "There maybe a great fire in our soul, yet no one ever comes to warm himself at it, and the passers by see only a wisp of smoke coming through the chimney, and go along their way". My words below say, Lord help me to have eyes to see the hurt, ears to hear below the surface chatter and a discerning heart. To not just pass by the wisps of smoke. I need to learn to really see that there is more. There is always more..................

It Takes Time

I came across a great quote in my morning readings.

"As the world must be redeemed in a few men to begin with, so the soul is redeemed in a few of its thoughts, and works, and ways to begin with: it takes a long time to finish the new creation of this redemption."

~ George MacDonald

Not that it gets me off the hook of "working out my salvation", but it helps me to know it is a process, my heart - your heart does not become whole all at once.

Blessings to you all.

My forgotten heart

I have been troubled. I can't put words to it, sometimes it just happens. The journey of our hearts is sometimes wrought with valleys, arrows, and all kind of things that seek to discourage us. I read a devotional I receive from Ransomed Heart, put out by John Eldredge a few days ago. I was drawn back to it a few minutes ago. I would encourage you to sign up for them, they are very insightful and if you have not read any of his books I would urge you to do. I think in our busy world it is too easy to neglect our hearts.

"The heart is central. That I would even need to remind you of this only shows how far we have fallen from the life we were meant to live - or how powerful the spell has been. The subject of the heart is addressed in the Bible more than any other topic - more than "works" or "serve," more than "believe" or "obey," more than money and even more than worship. Maybe God knows something we've forgotten. But of course - all those other things are matter of the heart. Consider but a few passages:"

Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. (Deut.6:5) [Jesus called this the greatest of all command-ments - and notice that the heart comes first.]

Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart. (Sam. 16:7)

Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Luke 12:34)

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. (Prov. 3:5)

Your word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against You. (Ps. 119:11 NASB)

These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. (Matt 15:8)

For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him (2 Chron. 16:9)

Taken from Waking the Dead, 39-40 by John Eldredge
www.ransomedheart.com

Blessings to you all.

Journal Page Featured

Check out this great site, lots of good journaling information and tips.
Also, my first journal page of the new year is featured.
http://blog.journalcraft.co.uk/

Moving Forward

Good morning all, I have posted my first journal page of the new year. I want to try to do a page a day, but won't get to anal about it. I will allow myself the freedom of not thinking I am a failure if I don't accomplish my goal. But, I want to be moving towards completing it.

I was reading Margaret Becker's blog. (she is a wonderful singer/songwriter) She wrote, "Losing paper coverings are part of getting a whole new wardrobe of deep treasures. Endings are beginnings, if your hands are open, if you heart is open." (www.maggieb.com) I want a new wardrobe of deep treasures. The ones that last, not superficial ones that do not. I want to live a rich - meaning full, meaningful - life. One that is authentic, with my hands and heart open. Moving forward towards what God has planned for me. If you have not heard any of Margarets songs, you really must. Her most recent CD is really wonderful. She has a book titled "Coming Up For Air"
that is worth taking time to read as well.

Wishing you many blessings in moving forward!