Song of Solomon...He's talking to me!

It's been a really astounding time. Lot's going on, up's and downs that come, but making progress in what He is teaching me. Sometimes things He teaches us are hard, even painful, sometimes they are just plain wondrous. Like how you can be down, and He comes along side you and woo's you, loves you, talks to you, guides you...and yes romances you. Would you believe all of those things in the past many weeks He has been to me. I'm getting some things that I never got before, seeing some things I never even thought of. As I have been listening to Captivating again on CD, I am learning more and more about myself, but just as much, and oddly I didn't expect this....I am learning more and more about my husband. Let me explain.

As I have been listening to Chapter after Chapter, I am rediscovering who God made me to be, and why He made me, as a woman to be this way. Rediscovering that the attributes He has placed in me are His attributes, I am His daughter; therefore, there is nothing for me to be ashamed of. He is Beauty, everything about Him is beautiful, and He has given me a beauty to unveil. He is affectionate and a Lover, so He has given me not only a need for affection, but to give affection and be a lover as well. What He has been showing me is quite amazing. As I rest in Him, as I grow towards my full potential in Him, as I walk into the Destiny He is calling me to, the more I am getting to know Him and who I am in Him.....the Lover of my soul.

I was pondering many things last night, and talking with Jesus. Troubled about some things, concerned about others, questioning even some additional things. When I woke up this morning, as I opened my bible, I just grabbed it and it opened to Song of Solomon 4. This is a new bible, a New Kings James Version, I haven't had it long, so it didn't fall open there from lots of use, and I have never read this book in this particular bible. Anyway, that's not important. But what is important, is that He began romancing me this morning and that matters. As I read the following chapter, I realized after what I had been talking to Him about last night, that He was answering me, He was romancing me, loving on me, but here is the newest revelation that I have gotten from this, for me anyway; He has been and is continuing to teach me about my husband. The example He is showing me, is giving me, the way He is being with me in every way, He is showing me what my husband is going to ultimately be like, how he will relate to me, how he already had those attributes of God in him (just like me, it is a process too). Now let me clarify, I'm not talking about a perfect man here, I'm talking about a man that will naturally walk in and project Jesus' attributes, because God created him to be that way. God already placed in him those attributes, and just like me, sometimes it takes longer to realize who we are, who he has made us to be, understand those attributes and walk in them, but He loves us enough to keep teaching us until we get it. So as you read the chapter below, remember this is the wedding day/night in Song of Solomon. Not only is this a picture of Jesus and His Bride, the church, but it is a true picture of a Husband and his Wife. See if you see the parallel between God and His attributes, and those same attributes he has placed in the man. In this book, he is the man that makes his intentions known; he doesn't keep her guessing, just like God does with us. He pursues her with the love and passion that takes her breath away, just like God does with us. He communicates with her, tells her how he feels, opens his heart to her and trusts her with his love, just like God does with us. He woo's her, compliments her, fights for her and her love, just like God does with us. He shows his strength to her just like God does with us. And what is the return? She willingly, passionately, completely and totally abandons herself to him, not holding anything back. Ready to love and honor and respect him because of all of these attributes God has placed in him....he is walking in and trying to walk in. Being the man that God created him to be and she being the woman God created her to be. It has been an amazing revelation, and I don't know that what I can write here will do it justice. I hope this blesses you all in so many ways.

Song of Solomon 4
THE Beloved
1 Behold, you are fair, my love!
Behold, you are fair!
You have dove’s eyes behind your veil.
Your hair is like a flock of goats,
Going down from Mount Gilead.
2 Your teeth are like a flock of shorn sheep
Which have come up from the washing,
Every one of which bears twins,
And none is barren among them.
3 Your lips are like a strand of scarlet,
And your mouth is lovely.
Your temples behind your veil
Are like a piece of pomegranate.
4 Your neck is like the tower of David,
Built for an armory,
On which hang a thousand bucklers,
All shields of mighty men.
5 Your two breasts are like two fawns,
Twins of a gazelle,
Which feed among the lilies.
6 Until the day breaks
And the shadows flee away,
I will go my way to the mountain of myrrh
And to the hill of frankincense.
7 You are all fair, my love,
And there is no spot in you.
8 Come with me from Lebanon, my spouse,
With me from Lebanon.
Look from the top of Amana,
From the top of Senir and Hermon,
From the lions’ dens,
From the mountains of the leopards.
9 You have ravished my heart,
My sister, my spouse;
You have ravished my heart
With one look of your eyes,
With one link of your necklace.
10 How fair is your love,
My sister, my spouse!
How much better than wine is your love,
And the scent of your perfumes
Than all spices!
11 Your lips, O my spouse,
Drip as the honeycomb;
Honey and milk are under your tongue;
And the fragrance of your garments
Is like the fragrance of Lebanon.
12 A garden enclosed
Is my sister, my spouse,
A spring shut up,
A fountain sealed.
13 Your plants are an orchard of pomegranates
With pleasant fruits,
Fragrant henna with spikenard,
14 Spikenard and saffron,
Calamus and cinnamon,
With all trees of frankincense,
Myrrh and aloes,
With all the chief spices—
15 A fountain of gardens,
A well of living waters,
And streams from Lebanon.
THE Shulamite
16 Awake, O north wind,
And come, O south!
Blow upon my garden,
That its spices may flow out.
Let my beloved come to his garden
And eat its pleasant fruits.

Visiting my Parents

When I went home to visit my parents a couple of weekends ago, my sister sent with me this cool 10ft x 10ft Gazebo. Me and my sister-in-law put it together for Mom and Daddy. They live in the country, so their driveway is gravel and we set it next to the house to get it as level as possible. We put folding chairs in it, a small fridge my brother gave them, a fan, and yes a throw rug! Pretty redneck huh! But hey, I also put white lights along the inside, so it's a pretty cool place to come in out of the sun when Daddy's been working in the garden or just to get some fresh air. At night it's pretty with the lights, and you can sit out there and hear the crickets and feel a cool breeze. They were really enjoying it. We even broke it in by having a picnic in there. You will notice that we put the gas grill right outside...Ha, Ha! All the conveniences of home right outside your back door....literally!

Daddy has had a pretty good garden this year. His tomatoes and corn are starting to come in and his trusty helper "Sam" is right there with him. Daddy loves this dog. He is an Australian shephard I think. Sam actually belongs to the neighbors at the end of their road, but Sam thinks he belongs to my parents so they feed him and keep him and he stays there most of the time. This pic is too funny, he looks like "you talkin' to me!?" Just thought I'd share some from East TN.

Living in the Present

You know, life is full of surprises, twists and turns, but truly an amazing adventure. It's about connections, opportunities, moments, present moments, that will take us to the next step, the next moment the next level the next place, all bringing us to the point where, we don't arrive, but we move to the next chapter. God in all His infinite wisdom, placing pieces to the puzzle of our lives, one at a time, until we get to a point that we can actually begin to see the blueprint, the picture of our life begin to take shape and form, where we begin to walk truly in the middle of His will, His plan, and when it comes together, it's like the whole world stops. Like you have stepped into heaven on earth, and 'suddenly' all is right. All is coming together, and you know that you know that God is truly leading your every step. And your humbled, and your in awe, and you watch with great wonder, as He unviels His beauty, and a little more of His plan for your life, and you are ecstatic with the scope and possibilities it brings.

Such has life been this past little while. God has been teaching me about me. He has been revealing to me who I am, who I am in Him. He has been showing me how to live in the present, and not in the future where I have to admit I have lived most of my life. We miss out on so much of life by constantly looking to the future, and we miss the treasures of the moment that He has right here in front of us in the present. Maybe it took me longer to learn it than most, but it has been life changing for me. I have been learning about not going back into old ruts, but taking one day at a time, living in the moment, experiencing the present and touching the lives and the things He needs me to touch right here and right now. He has had me praying very specifically in some areas, ministering as He leads in others, and all the while showing me who I really am in Him. He has nudged me over and over again for several months to read/listen to Captivating again, and now that I am listening to it while in my car, He is giving me a whole new perspective. It's about becoming who I am supposed to be in Him and for Him. It's about walking in and appreciating and embracing His attributes that He has placed in me. Becoming everything He has created me to be.

The Lord has also through this been opening some very unusual doors for me. Meeting people for the first time with some amazing testimonies, things I have placed in my heart to chew on until He shows me more. Sisters of Ruwanda ministry that I am volunteering for. See the necklaces they have made, putting the tag on each one with the name of the dear sister that made it. Hearing the testimonies of how they have come out of their life of prostitution, and are blessed with this business opportunity to make money so they don't have to go back to the streets. Being rescued from a life that only God could reach down and rescue them from, and He does that, through all of us. It's an amazing time, it's a time of wonder and awe and "suddenly". I don't know what's next, but I know that I am taking one step at a time, one day at a time, living in this wonderful present, and being open to accept all of the opportunities He is bringing my way. He keeps showing me it is about realtionship and connections. Connections that He has put in place, we are all connected, and He is working it all for our good. It's not about me anyway....it's about Him...Jesus....and I love Him so much.