Yesterday my baby turned 23. Where did all those years go?

Like a stream of trickling water - dancing over the rocks - facing moments of near extinction during dry seasons - rushing like a river in spring's thaw - picking up trash along the way from careless companions - fording new territory when obstacles appeared - feeding the occasional hungry beast - providing a home for the zealous who nearly stopped its flow with their building - crying for rain to fill it at times - joyfully singing while silent deer drew near to drink - moving - flowing - always progressing. The salmon who swim in it go back to remember - to recall - the journey in their quest for procreation but the water keeps moving until it empties into the sea.

But does it really empty? Never. The stream flows from beginning to end carrying the water over and over like a girl of ancient times carrying water from the well several times each day. 23 years - 48 years - of carrying the water that empties out.

But the water gets lifted high on evaporation's wings of flight as the sun warms the earth only to send it back down in mountain snows, purified by heaven to melt into springs that replenish the water trickling in the stream.

Life depends on the forward movement of water and the eternal cycle of replenishment. Life does not depend on the stream's ability to flow or its ability to rest but instead it depends on the stream's determination to empty itself out in great faith, believing that the God of all creation will fill it up again - over and over and over - at its source as it continues to do what it was created to do - be filled - flow out - and empty itself - bringing the Water of Life to everything along its path.

Replenish is not rest or quiet or retreat or relaxing but it is refilling and restocking of what is required by the Designer for the fulfillment of His greatest purpose for the Kingdom. My body and mind, in a soulful cry, beg for rest and moments of retreat but my spirit cries "NO" for my time here is short. I must keep flowing toward the place of emptying out, carrying the water to the sea, for that is where I pour out all that is within me for a greater filling - one that waters the earth only to fill me again and again. From the Source of Life to where the water becomes a huge ocean with depths yet to be charted by man, I run - singing, dancing, feeding, watering, providing, sheltering, transporting, encouraging - with love and life to all along the way.

Flow on - enjoy the carrying - long for the pouring out - give of your life along the way - choose to run to a place where your water becomes part of a greater thing. He is faithful. He will receive your pouring out and replenish you from the stores of heaven with new water to carry on to the sea. Replenishment comes when you focus on the Source of the water that makes you a stream.

I choose to pour it out.

Being replenished,
amy

Philippians 2:5-7: Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.

Philippians 2:17 But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all.