Be Bigger than the Bear…

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Black bears can be found in the Smoky Mountains. They are basically shy animals but do come around looking for food when it is scarce. Many years ago I remember reading advice to hikers when encountering a bear. They are words that struck me then and are a constant reminder in this journey of the heart.

So  what does one do when a bear crosses the path?

BE BIGGER THAN THE BEAR!

Yes, BE BIGGER THAN THE BEAR…

When life hands you the unexpected….BE BIGGER THAN THE BEAR!

Conflicted relationships, financial downfall….BE BIGGER THAN THE BEAR!

Depression, aloneness, hopelessness, boredom…..BE BIGGER THAN THE BEAR!

Pain of the heart, the body, the mind…BE BIGGER THAN THE BEAR!

Begin this day…BIGGER THAN THE BEAR!

Live this day….BIGGER THAN THE BEAR

End this day and rest in the Truth….

You walk in communion with the Resurrected One!

“Blesssed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who in His great mercy gave us a new birth to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead…In this you rejoice, although now for a little while you may have to suffer through various trials.” I Peter 1: 3-6

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Be Who You Are…

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Wildflowers spring up in the most unexpected places.

In neglected places of forgotten tracks, popping forth from untrodden leaves, growing vividly beside abandoned structures. Often a mystery how they came to be. Flourishing without assistance. They shout their beauty in places unnoticed.

Picked from their spot…how quickly they wither and die. As if made to occupy places desolate. Making a difference just where they grow. Bringing a smile to the childlike heart. Causing a pause to the hurried traveler.

How often we pass by the wildflowers in our lives. Robbed by busy-ness, eyes glazed over.

Heavenly Father, may we aspire to shout the beauty and color of who we are…

Just by being who we are, in the fields You have placed us.

“so that we may exist for the praise of His glory, we who first hoped in Christ.” Eph 1:12

Hope is a little girl…

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With the box kicked open,

It’s time to unpack.

Slowly, sometimes painfully, discarding the old

to bring forth the new.

The gift in the growing?

“What surprises me, says God, is hope.  And I can’t get over it.  This little hope who seems like nothing at all. This little girl hope Immortal.  … Faith is a loyal Wife. Charity is a Mother.  An ardent mother, noble-hearted.  Or an older sister who is like a mother.”

“HOPE is a little girl, nothing at all.”

image by chicks57 via Flickr

“This little hope moves forward in between her two older sisters and one scarcely notices her.  On the path to salvation, on the earthly path, on the rocky path of salvation, on the interminable road, on the road in between her two older sisters the little hope pushes on….The one on the right and and one on the left.   And they hardly ever see the one in the middle.  The little one, the one who’s still going to school.  And who walks.”

“It’s she, the little one, who carries them all.  Because Faith sees only what is.  But she, she sees what will be.  Charity loves only what is.  But she, she loves what will be.  …Hope sees what will be.  In time and for eternity. ..The little hope pushes on.  And in between her two older sisters she seems to let herself be carried.  Like a child who lacks energy to walk. and is dragged along the road in spite of herself.  But in reality it is she who moves the other two.  And who carries them, and who  moves the whole world. “

“The Portal of the Mystery of Hope”, Charles Peguy

Do the victory dance of HOPE! Can you see that you are something beautiful?

H. (hold)   O. (on to a)   P. (perspective)    E. (eternal)

linked with Walk With Him Wednesday

KICK the box open…

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What’s in the box?

Comfortable faith.  Careful confidence.  Shy hope.  Dry prayers.  Restrained charity.  Dusty dreams. Cut out image of God neatly packed in bottom of box.

KICK THE BOX OPEN!!!

Let God be God.  Live bigger than the box.

Daring faith. Bold confidence.  Extroverted hope.  Passionate prayers.  Free flowing charity. Colorful dreams. Image of God bigger than the box saturating every moment of your day.

Live bigger than the box.

RECEIVE His love and be transformed.

BELIEVE in His love and be set free.

KICK the box open. Live bigger than the box.

“I have the strength for everything through Him who empowers me. ” Phil 4:13

Hands holding hands…

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Why is it so hard to give thanks in times of trial?

Hands heavy, arms weak.

Laden with pain, discouragement, doubt, and lack of faith.

Tired in the trial.

But……..

 Moses on the mountain. Weary from the fight.

One friend on one side, one friend on the other.

Supporting his hands, steady till sunset.

Victory in the battle.

Hands holding hands, prayer united.

Hands holding hands, hearts as one.

Hands holding hands, burden is shared.

Hands holding hands, thanksgiving resounds.

THANKSGIVING precedes the miracle. Take a hand today and give thanks.

“Through Him (then) let us continually offer God a sacrifice of praise.” Heb 13;15

First Comes Thanksgiving…

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“The day before He suffered He took bread in His sacred hands and looking up to heaven to You, His almighty Father He gave you thanks and praise. “

Thanksgiving prepared the way.

Thanksgiving preceded the Miracle.

 We too take the daily bread of our lives and through Him, with Him, in Him, look up to heaven and give thanks and praise.

Thanksgiving opens our heart to RECEIVE the miracle.

This  day let us take all that we are, and all that we have been given….

With Jesus give thanks to Our Father…

and BELIEVE in the miracle of transformation.

“In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.”  1 Thes 5:18

Everything is Connected….

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The leaf lower epidermis of Tilia × europaea T...

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On a bright sunny day if you look at a simple leaf you will find within it not just a single green leaf but a blending of many different shades of green that flow perfectly together to make the one green leaf.  There are no stops or starts between variances of color. And yet if you mixed green paints in many different shades still you could not recreate the variances of color found in this one single leaf.

Similarly our lives — each moment, each experience, each thought and action is connected harmoniously minute by minute within the DIVINE, knit together with the threads of Divine Love.  Together our day, our thoughts, words, and actions are knit together not just as an individual work of art but connected with those around us in a vast impressionistic masterpiece painting each adding his and her unique dots and dashes of color.  No stroke, no color mars the beauty of the united effect. Only in eternity  will our eyes be able to contemplate the grandeur of this work of art.


Lord, I praise you for the connectedness with which your love permeates my life.  Let  me surrender in trust to this wondrous truth. May I boldly paint vibrant strokes of color this day up on the canvas before me, right where You have placed me. Give me eyes to see the extraordinary in the ordinary as I step forward in Your Name proclaiming Your extravagant love through the colors I leave behind.

WHAT COLOR DO YOU ASPIRE TO BE THIS DAY IN YOUR CORNER OF THE CANVAS?

He loves me…He loves me not….

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Petal of a pelargonium - taken in the evening ...

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 He loves me….pick a petal, let it fall

He loves me not (negative thoughts)…pick a petal, let it fall

He loves me…pick a petal, let it fall

He loves me not (reluctance to act, to give, to love)…pick a petal, let it fall

He loves me…pick a petal let it fall

He loves me not (sinful actions, tendencies, brokenness)…pick a petal, let it fall

 And so on and so on and so on

Now disconnected petals in a heap encircling the stripped stem. Absent of the beauty.

Lord, pierce the “love me, love me not” thoughts. Hold back the hand inclined to “pick and let fall”.

Deliever from this temptation.

RECEIVE His Love into the who you are this day ….and be transformed. BELIEVE in His Love that sees the beauty of who you are this day and be set free. Live in the peace of His eternal “He loves me” LOVE. And pass on the glory.

Let my YES wear combat boots…..

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Combat Boots

YES…three letters that can so quickly spring forth from our mouths. But what happens between the saying and the doing? Between the head and the heart? All kinds of distractions…and busy-ness…and second thoughts….and forgetfulness…and etc, etc etc. I want my YES to MOVE….yes MOVE, I want my YES  to wear combat boots, stomping through all the mush of my brokenness that shows forth through the dragging of feet. I’m not interested in going through life with stiletto heels that get stuck in the mud and slow down the pace. Today I say boldly, “Let me lace up the combat boots. May the YESes of my heart march forward!” Am I ready to truly walk this walk of RECEIVE, BELIEVE, ADORE?