Singing in the fire...

I was stoking the wood stove today. There were only coals left. As I stirred them up and pulled them to the front they were burning so hot that they began to sing. A beautiful sound like rain drops on bamboo wind chimes!

That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see Him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:

Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

1Peter 1:7-9


I want the fire to make me sing!

Lifted...

These lyrics pose a picture of what I feel I have been experiencing since GYC. He is amazing! I have experienced the whole song, but in the last few weeks this part has become especially true. 

Today my soul is soaring

Way over mountains high

Though I can see the valleys

They are all just passing by

Its not that I am stronger

Look at my feeble wings

But I've been lifted higher

Yahweh's lifted me in His own strength

Oh, how I love You Lord

I love your perfect word

With tearful eyes I see

The God who always will endure

Now I will celebrate

For all the thousand ways

That you have shown me grace

-"I Need You" by Swift 

The victories are even more precious when you know He has lifted you in His own strength! It makes my heart over flow with tears of joy to see how weak I was and yet what He accomplished in me! It is all Him!

"Rescue"

Oh dear God, please rescue me,

From my sin and misery.

I am wretched, poor and blind. (Rev 3:17)

Righteousness, there's none of mine. (Is 64:6)

Come and take this stony heart, (Ez 36:26)

Remove it, God, break every part. (Mat 21:42, 44)

Please break down the high stone walls.

Please don't stop until they fall.

Pride and anger, lazy bones.

Please remove them from their thrones.

Make a change, oh God, within,

Till I'm free from every sin.(Is 1:18)

So tired, ready to give up.

But I must hold on, I cannot stop. (Gal 6:9)

My only hope, God, rests in Thee. (Ps 62:5)

You promised You'd come rescue me. (Ps 119:170)

Worn out, battered, week and bruised,

Behind me, the devil still pursues.

The world is cold, no place to hide,

No one in whom I can confide.

But then I see you run towards me (Ps 38:22)

I crumble helpless to my knees.

And just as he with hellish breath,

Closes in to bring me death, (1 Pet 5:8)

You step between and take the blow.

A standard raised o’re me does flow. (Is 59:19)

“Touch her not, for she is Mine.

Her name engraved on my hands you’ll find. (Is 49:16)

She may have many  faults of character,

A failure be in her endeavors.

But she with sorrow has repented,

I have forgiven and her accepted.” (John 6:37) {PK 589.1}

I run to You and there I'm safe.

A strong defense, a resting place. (Ps 59:16, 17)

A Rock where safely I can hide. (Ps 61:3)

A place no enemy can find. (Ps 31:2)

Your voice I hear, I know it's true.

"I love you, child, I've rescued you."

Oh what love! How wide, how deep?

With tears, a flood of praise I weep.

Safe within your arms, I’m free.

You are my Prince, You’ve rescued me.

{commenced 12/18/08 | completed 1/26/10} 

Rain...

Ireland, Ballyhoura Country, green. Photo: Eamonn Fitzgerald

He covers the heavens with clouds, provides rain for the earth, and makes the green grass grow in mountain pastures. Psalm 147:8 

Bring me joy, bring me peace
Bring the chance to be free
Bring me anything that brings You glory 

And I know there'll be days 

When this life brings me pain
But if that's what it takes to praise You

Jesus, bring the rain

-Mercy Me

(No, I don't listen to this kind of music, but saw the lyrics somewhere)

Then he prayed for rain, and down it poured. The grass turned green, and the crops began to grow again. James 5:18

Lord Jesus, bring whatever makes my green green! Help me to pray for rain!

"Fly on My wings"

God Whose hand a galaxy sways,

Bend Your ear now as I pray.

Though in me no good is found,

I touch my face to holy ground.

Within this universe so big,

How did You hear the tiny twig,

That cracked beneath my plodding feet,

As my way I made to this retreat?

Now to my knees I trembling fall.

The sky engulfs my silent call.

Why Your attention's drawn to me,

I'll never know, I cannot conceive.

Though a host of demons try

With doubts and fears to mute my cry,

Somehow my heart believes You're there,

Though why, I see not, You want to care.

Oh God, why me, this wretched child?

For I Your plan now have defiled.

For one so wretched as I am,

You should have struck out of Your plan.

 Though You knew no one would care,

And they, Your justice, think was fair.

Yet still with love and gentle hand,

As though n'one else in line doth stand,

You shape and mold the broken heart

Into a yet more wondrous work of art.

As though the authentic score this is,

The song plays on, no beat is missed.

My selfish strokes, my discordant notes,

With unrivaled skill into chords You wrote.

But as the measures die away,

I hear the melody I played.

My faults are not without reward,

For He is pierced with my discord.

And when the justice blow is fallen, 

The universe is silent, solemn.

For it was Love You chose to give.

Sent Him to die and let me live.

So now upon the Rock I'm broken.

Naught of my love is left a token.

I long to rise above the flesh,

To breathe in deeply Love's air a fresh.

With my tears the ground is moist.

Your way now I want to be my choice.

But I have no strength, I'm scared to try.

You whisper, "On My wings you'll fly."


-Jenae Elizabeth 1/2010

YADAH...

I was researching Hebrew words for praise recently and came across this one...Yadah. It means to worship with the extended hand. The giving of oneself in worship and adoration. To lift your hands unto the Lord. It carries the meaning of absolute surrender as a young child does to a parent - "pick me up, I'm all yours".

That picture struck me. I have three little nieces, and I spent the last 4 months nannying the younger two (Rome 3.5yrs, and Eve 1.5yr). Eve came up to me many times with her hands stretched up asking me to hold her. I love holding her! most of the time. :) Sometimes I am busy and would rather they go play somewhere else other than under my feet. I am glad my God doesn't think this way. He always has time to hold me...to hear my praise. He desires that I become as a little child, reaching up my hands and saying, "Take me. I'm all yours." Often I have said this, but then, like little Eve, when the arms begin to feel restrictive, when I see something I'd rather be doing and I'm ready to go do my own thing, I wiggle and squirm and ask to be let go. God never keeps me where I choose not to be, but I am slow to learn that I am only safe when I am in His arms. Oh may I learn to rest quietly in His arms. May my praise be Yadah!

Havilah...

is the place of my dreams....


"And Jehovah Elohim planted a garden in Eden eastward, and there put Man whom he had formed. And a river went out of Eden, to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became four main streams. The name of the one is Pison: that is it which surrounds the whole land of Havilah, where the gold is. And the gold of that land is good; bdellium and the onyx stone are there." Genesis 2:8, 10-12 DBY


It takes me back to the time when sin had not yet marred Yahweh's glorious creation. When I picture Havilah, I envision my home in heaven....


Entering from the east side, a circular valley is surrounded by towering green mountains. A mansion sits atop the far crest, called Mount Shalom(1). My view is toward the east where I can see in the distance the streams of dazzling Shekinah glory emanating from Yahweh's throne. In the cool of the day He comes and leads me up the heights of Mount Hermon(2) where we share sweet communion. There is an awe and reverence in this place, hidden from view in the valley, a place known only to the King and His treasure. Through the midst of the luscious valley flows the prodigious river, Pishon(3), birthed from the waterfall cascading down Shalom mountain, its banks bathing with emerald blades. Beneath its crystal clear waters lay a multitude of precious stones...red carnelian, pale-green peridot, white moonstone, blue-green beryl, onyx, jasper, blue lapis lazuli, turquoise, sapphire, topaz, diamond, sardius...their colors making the surface of the water appear iridescent. Each morning at sunrise the mist, rising from the river, creates a rainbow of a million hues. Between the banks of the river and the foothills of the mountains spreads a blushing meadow bursting with blooms. Graceful willows rise above its flowing carpet, the hart and hind resting in their shade. The air is filled with the song of birds, blended with angel voices, and accompanied by a harpist nestled in the crags of Mount Tehillah(4). In the meadow white lambs scamper and play while their tender shepherd joins in the jubilant song with his flute. A gentle breeze wafts the perfume of myrrh* trees down from the mountains. All is peace, rest, and quietness of heart.


Welcome to my valley...the land of Havilah.






(1) peace, completeness, and welfare(reference: Wikipedia)
(2) a sanctuary(reference: Bible concordance)
(3) water poured forth, overflowing, increase (reference: Bible concordance)
(4) to sing, to laud; a spontaneous new song. Singing from a melody in your heart by adding words to it. This refers to a special kind of singing-it is singing unprepared, unrehearsed songs. Singing straight to God. Can move into tehilah anytime. Singing it the second time would be ZAMAR . It is the praise that God inhabits (sits enthroned on)(Psalm 22:3) God manifests Himself in the midst of exuberant singing. (reference:http://www.watchmanministries.org/worship/HebrewforPraise.htm)


*In April 2009, through a rather humorous event, I discovered my love of myrrh. It was unlike anything I had ever smelled. Interestingly, in Genesis 2 the bdellium mentioned is a resin similar to myrrh and is produced by a related plant.