Whispered Treasures

Trusting

Amy Harvison — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 08:06:41 GMT

Psalm 37:3-7a Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun. Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him.

Proverbs 21:1-3 The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD; he directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases. All a man's ways seem right to him, but the LORD weighs the heart. To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.

Psalm 138:4-8 May all the kings of the earth praise you, O LORD, when they hear the words of your mouth. May they sing of the ways of the LORD, for the glory of the LORD is great. Though the LORD is on high, he looks upon the lowly, but the proud he knows from afar. Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the anger of my foes, with your right hand you save me. The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your love, O LORD, endures forever—do not abandon the works of your hands.

Psalm 33:20-22 We wait in hope for the LORD; he is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. May your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD, even as we put our hope in YOU.

trusting,
amy

The Vote

Amy Harvison — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 20:41:57 GMT

I'm not a very political person but I am a regular voter who views this country's right to vote as a responsibility that every American should take seriously. I have a hard time grasping why people choose not to vote but can understand to some extent that they see it as a right, such as the right to bear arms, or the right to free speech, and they choose not to exercise their right to vote just as they choose not to carry a gun (or own one) or choose not to speak out in expression of their views and opinions in a forum that might not be acceptable to others. I really struggle with people who don't vote because they just don't see the point or just don't care. This country was founded on principles and basics that are important and which were valued by our founding fathers who were given insight and divine revelation in the formation of the laws that govern us. Therefore, voting for those in authority who will make decisions for us as a nation is an intricate and important part of how our country continues to operate in some semblance of those founding principles and basics, and is more than just a right. It really is our responsibility as Americans - and more importantly - as followers of Jesus. Our decision to vote directly reflects our heart toward God.

Romans 13:1-2 (The Message) says: Be a good citizen. All governments are under God. Insofar as there is peace and order, it's God's order. So live responsibly as a citizen. If you're irresponsible to the state, then you're irresponsible with God, and God will hold you responsible. This passage is typically (and rightfully) taught to express the need to obey the government (which is what most translations say) because in obeying the government we are obeying God. But it has always stuck in my heart and mind as a passage that reveals an aspect of God's sovereignty that most people miss or don't consider - He has established the governments of our world and He is the one who has established peace and order - if it exists. There are many times in the Bible where we see God put His people under the power of specific rulers to accomplish His specific purposes. Sometimes the purpose was so that when He delivered His people from these rulers He would receive much glory and honor. Other times it was because His people had turned away from Him and the oppression they would receive under those who ruled them would turn their hearts back to Him. There were times when they were led by fair, just and godly rulers and were blessed greatly, with much glory and honor being given to God. But no matter what earthly authority was over them, what God desired and commanded was obedience to Him. II Chronicles 20:6 (NIV) says: O LORD, God of our fathers, are you not the God who is in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in your hand, and no one can withstand you. And Proverbs 21:1 (The Message) says: Good leadership is a channel of water controlled by God; he directs it to whatever ends he chooses.

So, if God is the one who establishes authority over us and He rules, and He controls the hearts of leadership, what does our vote matter in America on November 4, 2008? Our vote matters not necessarily because it may determine the outcome of the election - but it matters because it will reflect our heart toward God and He will determine the outcome of the election based upon the hearts of the people in our nation and His plans for this nation. I know that even if more people vote His heart, we may not end up with an election outcome that appears to be what we think it should be since He may have a plan to use the elected government to accomplish things we can't even imagine in ways we can't even imagine. But voting is being responsible to the government placed over us by God, demonstrating that we value the system He has placed us under, and demonstrating that we care about what matters to Him.

I have to stop and catch my breath when I think of what I perceive as the hearts of Americans toward God. Even the hearts of many believers toward God will lead them to vote in ways that are completely contrary to His own heart toward mankind and His kingdom. I've been engaged in many political conversations this election year - more than ever before. And I can think of only a couple of times that the heart of God was the driving force behind the opinions and voting choice of the people involved in the conversation. Sometimes the conversation was about the economy and how the vote would effect our jobs and pocketbooks and businesses and taxes and ability to buy homes or put our kids through college. Sometimes the conversation was about social issues and the rights that all people should have to live and express themselves in their individuality without being judged by others. Sometimes the conversation was about a particular candidate's wardrobe, personal fashion advisor, hairstyle, race, gender, age, spouse or supporters. Sometimes the conversation was about abortion, health care, welfare, social security and retirement. Sometimes the conversation was about the war in Iraq, the oil crisis, foreign policy and national security. Every person seems to have one or two issues that are most important to them and that will determine which side they vote with on election day. And then there are those who choose to vote as if they were choosing menu items for a party - they vote in a particular way just to bring some 'variety' and 'shake things up a bit' because they are ready for something and someone new to be in the news. Not many expressed that their vote would be cast based upon the candidates and political parties who most closely align with the heart of God.

My heart tells me that the heart of God is reflected in His word - and not on the front page of the daily newspaper, the home page for our favorite online news source, the rhetoric of political platforms, the debates on the various cable news channels and talk-radio stations, the outspoken celebrities, or in the public opinion polls. God's heart is revealed clearly in His word on ALL of the issues. Each issue is addressed by our walking in obedience to His commands and each issue has become an issue because, for the most part, we have not walked in obedience as a nation. How could we when our nation is no longer God-fearing, believing and honoring and when the vast majority of Americans do not know how to walk in obedience because they don't know Him or His word and don't want to know?

I keep thinking of the Seven Deadly Sins as I type this. The sins of greed and envy have created much of the economic crisis - wanting more and more and more because we see someone else has more and then cutting corners and compromising ethics and morals and family and community values to get it. The sin of lust has directly brought us to a place of sexual immorality being the prevalent topic of most of what is on television and in the movies and on the shelves at the library, leading to destruction of marriage and family, abortion, perversions of all kinds. Gluttony, laziness and anger have created a nation of people in poor health and poverty - physically, mentally and emotionally - which means more need for health care, rising health care costs, more dependency on medications, adding to the homeless problem and crimes of all kinds. And the sin of pride has caused us to foolishly believe we can stand alone and that others should do the same, leaving us exactly there - alone, without help and support when we need it, isolated from family and friends who can walk with us in our struggles, help us in our time of need, and care for us in our sickness and old age.

Billy Graham expressed it so beautifully when he recently prayed on a Paul Harvey radio broadcast: 'Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness and to seek your direction and guidance. We know Your Word says, 'Woe to those who call evil good,' but that is exactly what we have done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values. We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery. We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare. We have killed our unborn and called it choice. We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable. We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self esteem. We have abused power and called it politics. We have coveted our neighbor's possessions and called it ambition. We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression. We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment. Search us, Oh God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and set us free. Amen!'

All of us, including ME, have walked in these seven sins in some way, demonstrating disobedience and a cavalier attitude toward the heart of God - whether we know it or not, admit it or not, or care or not. I also know that many times we live under the direct effects of other people's disobedience and are facing consequences as a result of their sins. It is a vicious cycle and an obvious scheme of the enemy to destroy and defeat lives in every way possible. And at election time, it is the enemy's scheme to keep us looking at the problems and issues rather than at the root cause, because he knows that the more we try to fix things apart from walking in obedience to God, the more problems and issues we will create. But God is sovereign and He has a plan. And I am confident that His plans are best and that He will carry them out in His time, and that He can and will use our sinful disobedience and messy situations to accomplish His plans. I want to walk in obedience so that I can be a positive influence for His glory and a willing and active participant in His plans. I am praying like Rev. Graham and long for our nation to know the true and complete freedom that comes in relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

I have felt Spirit's urging in a great way this year with regard to voting Father's heart and walking in obedience as my blessed Lord Jesus did. That means that my political thoughts about the issues at hand for this nation always lead to the necessity for people to not only vote, but to seek out the heart of God and vote His way along with continued prayer for His will to be done and for our nation to return to Him. Only when our nation cares about what matters to God will we see the change we all long to see. I am praying that His heart will compel America to turn to Him. Will you pray with me in these days leading up to Election Day? Will you examine your stand on the issues and ask Him what really matters to Him? And will you choose to vote as a reflection of your heart toward Him? I think if you do - if I do - if we all do - we will see great things happen for His kingdom purposes and that's what really matters - His kingdom purposes - not America's needs, issues, and plans and certainly not my own personal needs, issues and plans.

Praying,

Amy

Psalm 2 (The Message) Why the big noise, nations? Why the mean plots, peoples?
Earth-leaders push for position,
Demagogues and delegates meet for summit talks,
The God-deniers, the Messiah-defiers:
"Let's get free of God!
Cast loose from Messiah!"
Heaven-throned God breaks out laughing.
At first he's amused at their presumption;
Then he gets good and angry.
Furiously, he shuts them up:
"Don't you know there's a King in Zion? A coronation banquet
Is spread for him on the holy summit."
Let me tell you what God said next.
He said, "You're my son,
And today is your birthday.
What do you want? Name it:
Nations as a present? continents as a prize?
You can command them all to dance for you,
Or throw them out with tomorrow's trash."
So, rebel-kings, use your heads;
Upstart-judges, learn your lesson:
Worship God in adoring embrace,
Celebrate in trembling awe. Kiss Messiah!
Your very lives are in danger, you know;
His anger is about to explode,
But if you make a run for God—you won't regret it!

Your Manna is Served

Amy Harvison — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 07:15:15 GMT

When I find myself in a place of discontent, I can do several different things. I can whine and moan and complain to whoever will listen, including Father, and usually, mostly Him. Or I can explore options to get myself out of whatever state I'm in, hoping to solve the problem of discontent through transfer, replacement or displacement of myself. Or I can blame someone else for my problems and express to them their need to transfer, replace or displace themselves. Or I can surrender to Spirit, watch Jesus to see what He is doing and wanting to do, and I can learn, like Paul, to be content whatever my situation or circumstance. Learning to be content through the Life that lives in me is all a matter of trust and obedience.

Trust and obedience have always been a recurring theme in my life as new places in life bring new levels of trust and obedience. I've learned that every step taken in this life in Christ is either one of trust in Him which leads to obedience or lack of trust in Him which leads to disobedience. So how does my trust and obedience lead me to contentment? Paul said it was a secret. Philippians 4:12: I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I've been in need and I've had plenty. I've been fed and I've been hungry. But I haven't always been content.

What's the secret? Job 36:11 says: If they obey and serve him, they will spend the rest of their days in prosperity and their years in contentment. Proverbs 19:23 says: The fear of the LORD leads to life: Then one rests content, untouched by trouble. I Timothy 6:6 says: But godliness with contentment is great gain. Where is the secret revealed? It is in the trust and obedience of Job who never turned away from his God even though he had been struck in the worst ways known to man. He didn't appear to be prosperous or content while he sat around scraping away at his boils but his secret content was that his soul was secure in the hands of a faithful and loving God. And contentment is not found in a life of no trouble that comes because we fear God, but instead it is found in that fear - which translates to trust and obedience in reverent submission to Him even in the midst of trouble. And it is truly great gain to seek Him and His ways, which leads us to godliness, as we trust in One whose life in us is the true resting place of Hebrews 3 - the place of true contentment.

I think His 'rest' as discussed in Hebrews 3 might be the secret Paul had learned. It is the secret of contentment that I am learning. The Israelites had been abused slaves in Egypt for 400 years. They had cried out to God for all those years for deliverance. He delivered them from Egypt and promised them a place of rest - no more slavery - no more trouble - no more discontent, right? But the ones who left Egypt as adults never made it to the Promised Land because they failed to trust and obey. Hebrews 3:16-19 says: Who were they who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt? And with whom was he angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the desert? And to whom did God swear that they would never enter his rest if not to those who disobeyed? So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief.

These delivered Israelites were disobedient because they did not trust. They 'heard' and saw the majesty and power and provision and presence of God in the ten plagues, in the parting of the Red Sea, in daily manna dropped from heaven, in water gushing from a rock, in the fire and cloud that accompanied them on their journey, and more. But they whined and moaned and complained in their discontent. They explored their options, considering returning to Egypt where at least they had regular meals with some variety instead of faithfully forging ahead in their journey with their God. And they even tried to transfer, replace and displace Moses and God with their own golden calf in an effort to satisfy their discontent. All along their journey in the wilderness they were shown how much God cared for them and were given opportunity after opportunity to simply surrender to Him and His plans, trusting and obeying. If they had done so, they would have rested - even in the desert - even before they ever got to the Jordan and walked across into the land flowing with milk and honey. All God wanted was for them to trust Him. He had them safe and secure and blessed by His provision and presence with plans that far exceeded anything they'd ever experienced or imagined.

All God wants from me is trust. He wants me to believe He is who He says He is. And He wants me to believe that He will do what He has said He will do. If I believe those things, then I will walk in obedience to Spirit within me and Christ living through me and I will rest in perfect contentment no matter the circumstance or condition of my life. I will pick up my manna each morning as He serves it to me and it will be sweet to my mouth and nourishing to my soul as I taste of His blessed provision for my eternity, His presence in my every moment, and His plans that are bigger and more wonderful than anything I can ever dream.

Your manna is served, too. Have you tasted it's sweetness today?

amy

Psalm 25:14 (Amplified) The secret [of the sweet, satisfying companionship] of the Lord have they who fear (revere and worship) Him, and He will show them His covenant and reveal to them its [deep, inner] meaning.

What You See

Amy Harvison — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 05:58:53 GMT

"I want to be the person you see when you look at me."

I heard this said recently by a character on a television show. This character was not being truthful about his career as an artist because he thought his friend would not look at him in the same way if she knew he'd only sold one painting in the past two years and had been earning his income in another way. The line really stuck in my head.

I thought about what people see when they look at me and how much of what I do and say is based on what I think they see or what I think they want to see. I have pondered this dilemma of trying to be the person others see when they look at me and I know there is really no way I can fully know what others see when they look at me and so I can never really be what they see. Trying only leaves me weary from performing for them, disappointed when they don't enjoy my performance, and even feeling like a pretender because I try to be something I'm not in my attempts to be what I think they see.

And then I thought of how many things I do that are based on what I see when I look at me. I am usually scrutinizing myself under a magnifying glass and that results in self-criticism. Both situations leave me defeated and sometimes bitter because I feel I don't measure up or that I have disappointed someone. I get angry at others for expecting things of me that I think they are expecting and I get angry at myself for being so critical of myself and expecting too much of me. This defeat and bitterness and anger always take me to a place of withdrawal from others so that I can't be seen at all. I feel safe when no one is looking…

As I have thought about this character's line along with my own issues with what I think others see as well as what I see when I look at me, Father has sweetly reminded me of what He sees when He looks at me. He sees holy, blameless, delightful, chosen, loved, forgiven, righteous, gifted, called, accepted, validated, friend, desired, whole, worthy, child, significant, and more. And He is always looking at me like this. Always. He makes me pause in all my thinking and say, "I want to be the person You see when You look at me." And He says, "You are."

Now I see,
amy

Psalm 17:8 - Keep me as the apple of Your eye; hide me in the shadow of Your wings.

Heart Health

Amy Harvison — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 05:49:07 GMT

Recently I got a very cute little pink heart rate monitoring sports watch. The first few days I had it I would obsessively check my heart rate every few minutes and was quite alarmed at the various beats per minute readings. Why would my heart be so low one minute and then be so high after simply turning in my chair to the left? And was it really supposed to beat that fast when all I was doing was moving laundry from the washer to the dryer? And why was it that I could not keep it within the recommended range when walking boringly slow?

After being convinced I was very old and out of shape and like my heart was going to beat itself into a non-recoverable frenzy at any moment, I did some research. And then I performed various heart rate tests and functions to determine my heart healthiness based on my research. Was it too much to want to make sure I was working out at the proper heart rate level for the desired fitness goals and to want to know that my heart is healthy - or if it isn't, how to get it healthy?

Oddly, after doing research and then performing appropriate tests with the appropriate equipment and information, I felt better even though my heart rates remained the same. I felt better because of the truth I learned! Based on my very scientific methods and my very cute little pink heart rate monitoring sports watch I have determined that my heart functions at the level of average fitness for a much younger woman. My heart acts like it is decades younger than it really is. Until doing some research and calculations - even with the very cute little pink heart rate monitoring watch - I feared that there was something wrong with me because my beats per minute weren't matching up to the general theoretical recommended percentages. But now I feel more like… hmmmmm… perhaps Wonder Woman?

Its amazing how learning truth and gathering correct information can transform the attitude. Many times I find that I have the right equipment and I know the general theoretical recommendations, but those things alone don't give me the real and complete truth and so I don't feel confident. Living based on truth and correct information is extremely liberating, not to mention encouraging, as well as empowering although nothing has really changed! My heart is the same heart today as it was last week - but today I feel like Wonder Woman and last week I felt old and tired and defeated. What would have happened if my fears and feelings had been the last of my quest for heart health truth? I probably would not have continued to walk and bike and eat healthy or to think I've got another several good decades ahead of me. And my heart would have eventually succumbed to hardness - literally - and decay would have set in due to inactivity and poor behavior. Then I would have felt bad in both my mind and my body. My feelings would have won and the truth would never have been discovered, believed, or given a chance to liberate, encourage and empower me. And eventually my feelings would have lead to my death.

In my spiritual heart there are times when I know the truth and don't feel free, courageous or powerful. It is those times that I have to remember that my feelings don't change my circumstance, situation, or position - except to make them worse by my own inactive faith and poor choices. It is those times that my mind has to act without regard to my feelings. I have to make a conscious choice to discover and believe the truth. And I have to choose to continue believing even when I don't feel like it. And if I continue to choose to believe, eventually my feelings will follow and I will not only believe it, and feel better because of it, but I will live in the truth and share in the amazingly abundant life of Christ that has already overcome death! If I wallow in my feelings, my spiritual heart hardens against the truth of God's promises, the truth of who he is, and the truth of who I am in Him. And the desire to move toward what He has planned for me dies. Life? Or death? Seems like an easy choice, doesn't it?

Hebrews 3:12-14: See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first.

John 8:32 - and you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.

Swinging my Lasso of Truth,
amy (a/k/a Diana Prince)

The Zone

Amy Harvison — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 06:41:58 GMT

Sometimes the zones of life get too focused and I don't have time for things I really enjoy - like blogging. Lately my blog zone has been filled with remodelling projects, writing projects, friends, family, Texas heat, and work, leaving no time for blogging. So sad about the lack of blogging but so glad about all the other great things Father is placing in my life. But here I am in the blog zone, driving free and fast without much to say except my God is huge and amazing and so worthy of praise and devotion. Nuff said.

John 4:23-24 "It's who you are and the way you live that count before God. Your worship must engage your spirit in the pursuit of truth. That's the kind of people the Father is out looking for: those who are simply and honestly themselves before him in their worship. God is sheer being itself—Spirit. Those who worship him must do it out of their very being, their spirits, their true selves, in adoration." (The Message)

amy

So What's The Story?

Amy Harvison — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 07:11:51 GMT

A couple of weeks ago I journaled about how God's Word is His story written for us to know Him in every way. I reflected on a recent conversation with my son about how the Bible is full of stories of people that God used but who were people that were totally messed up. And I pondered how sometimes when I'm reading the Bible it seems there are stories about people that seem insignificant, bizarre, out of place, even random. But I know God purposed each story to be written in a precise way and placed in that position for a reason that reveals Him and His character and His plans. No part of His story is insignificant, too bizarre for His explanation, out of place, or random.

I had a phone call on the same day from a friend that began with "I know this call may seem a bit out of the blue, but I feel God is telling me to call you." Once the purpose of the call was explained and after I participated in the meeting that the call scheduled, I understood a little more of why God had included me. This call and meeting made me think more about His great story and how each 'out of the blue' part becomes an important revelation of His heart for us. In His story no word is ever wasted. No significant moment is overlooked. No crucial piece is ever left untold.

As I sat thinking on these things I heard Him say "What story am I writing today?" And I said, "Huh?" I shook my head, rubbed my sleepy eyes, unplugged my ears and heard Him say it again. "What story am I writing today?" My tentative answer was "Mine???" He smiled. I tilted my head to one side in wonder and smiled back. The day played out in a normal fashion and I kept thinking to myself that the Bible is a finished manuscript. But Father said He was writing a story about me - now - that day - today! Or was He saying that He was writing a story about Himself through me and my life?

Hmmm… He didn't finish revealing Himself when John wrote the last "Amen" at the end of The Revelation, did He? Just like my friend, Janice, said the other night - the Bible is not His only book - He's still writing! Although the Bible is The Greatest Story Ever Told, it is not ALL of His story. The story of Him, His character and His plans, continues every day, every moment, every where, in every person. If we know Him then His story is the story of love and redemption and grace and mercy being lived out in our every moment as we walk as Christ in this world. For those who don't know Him, His story is the story of love and redemption and grace and mercy being told to their hearts and minds in relentless pursuit of their souls until the end of this world. And He is writing out these stories in journals, letters, magazines, books, newspapers, billboards, movies, television and more. And no part of His story is insignificant, too bizarre for His explanation, out of place, or random.

When I think of my own story, some days I would say it is B-O-R-I-N-G and on other days I would say 'who cares?' And other days I would hope that it isn't being recorded any where because I wouldn't want anyone else to know about it! But it is still all His story isn't it? And no word is wasted, no significant moment overlooked, no crucial piece left untold. I would prefer that it all be a story of a life surrendered to the rule of Jesus and the move of Spirit. Even when it isn't, it is a beautiful story of His heart of love and life and blessing poured all over me in the good, the bad, and the totally messed up, just like the stories of all those people in the Bible - even the bizarre and random ones.

So today I asked Him "What story are You wanting to write in my life?" And He says "Mine." And I say "Cool." And we both smile.

Father, I surrender my life to Your story. I want Jesus to live out my life and Spirit to control so that the story the world sees is ALL Yours - the story of Your love and redemption and grace and mercy. Here is my favorite pen. Write on.

Smiling,
Amy

Psalm 89:1-3 Your love, God, is my song, and I'll sing it! I'm forever telling everyone how faithful you are. I'll never quit telling the story of your love—how you built the cosmos and guaranteed everything in it. Your love has always been our lives' foundation, your fidelity has been the roof over our world.

Soaring on His Pinions

Amy Harvison — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 07:50:07 GMT

Several weeks ago I noticed some hawks soaring around outside my office window and I stopped working to watch them for a while. I noticed that some small birds were up there soaring with them and that every now and then the small birds would literally dive down and bounce off of the larger hawks. After watching for a while I realized the small birds were fledgling hawks learning to soar. I'm not sure of the real reason why they were bouncing off the adults but I think it was probably part of their learning process. They might do it because they are getting tired and need some lift without having to land and start over. Or maybe it is part of how they learn to dive and grab prey and fly high without missing a beat. It was an amazing and interesting thing to watch for sure.

The red-tailed hawks that live somewhere on this 40 story building have become regular visitors on the concrete ledges outside of the windows around my office. I have seen them perched there preening themselves, gazing at their own reflections, in pairs, alone. And others in my office have seen the females with their young tucked beneath their wings on the ledges in early spring and that they have watched in amazement as the young birds climbed on the female's back and dug in with their talons as she flew away carrying them through the sky much like the space shuttles are transported on the backs of large airplanes. I would assume this is another way that she teaches them to fly and catch prey.

Now that summer is in full bloom and it is hot and sunny and the fledglings have completed their course in soaring, I suppose they have moved on to create lives for themselves, find mates, build nests, and create lesson plans for the teaching of their own fledgling flying courses next spring. And their parents are busy hunting and building and planning for their next stage in life.

This is much like human parents and children, isn't it? We have our young and in their early days we shelter them in our nests and care for them and then when they are older we take them places to experience life along with us. Like the hawks carried on their mother's back, we let our children see and feel and experience life as we see and feel and experience and it teaches them how to live, doesn't it? And then one day they are ready to learn to live life on their own - but not quite ready to do it without supervision or a safety net. So they cut loose in the sky and we are flying nearby so they can bounce off of us when they get tired and need lift or so they can safely practice making it on their own. Then comes the day when they soar off into the sky without us. I wonder if the hawks miss their little ones when they go or if they are glad to get the nest all to themselves. I wonder if they recognize their children as adults when they return with a mate and build a nest nearby. I wonder.

My fledglings are off soaring. And I recognize them even though they really don't look like my little babies. And I still offer to spread my wings and catch them when they need it. Or to carry them if required. Although they are really too big to be carried. My catching and carrying these days is prayer and then just being a friend - a sounding board and not a mid-air launching pad - who listens and gives counsel when they ask (and sometimes when they don't!). Sometimes it is to listen and cry with them in their pain and struggles. Sometimes it is to laugh at their jokes or listen to their dreams. Sometimes it is helping them understand things about decorating or dressing or cooking or job hunting. Occasionally I'll share some prey with them so they won't go hungry. Or edit their term papers at the last possible moment or provide them with traffic information and alternate routes while they are out driving around and run into a jam. Probably like the hawks with their young who grow up and live nearby - we are contemporaries now, not parent and children too much. Interesting. My heart still tells me I am their parent and they are my child. But I can't make their decisions for them or live their lives or expect them to obey me any more. I'm really kind of glad about that because that's a lot of responsibility to put on an old hawk's back. But I can stay involved, be their friend, pray for them, lend the occasional helping hand, bless them, welcome them, enjoy them, and love them. I'm glad I'm a human parent. Although soaring like a hawk would be a blast.

This blogthought made me wonder what the Bible had to say about hawks. The answer is not too much. Eagles are a more prominent bird in scripture. I came across a passage about eagles in Deuteronomy 32 and as I read it I felt a warm rush of Father's love for me as I pondered and remembered the hawks with their fledglings.

Deuteronomy 32:10-11 (The Message) He found him out in the wilderness, in an empty, windswept wasteland. He threw his arms around him, lavished attention on him, guarding him as the apple of his eye. He was like an eagle hovering over its nest, overshadowing its young, then spreading its wings, lifting them into the air, teaching them to fly.

Soaring on His pinions,
amy

Psalm 103:1 Praise the LORD, O my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
2 Praise the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits-
3 who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,
5 who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

Mosaic Mud Pie Warrior

Amy Harvison — Sun, 04 May 2008 13:13:23 GMT

Surrender requires humility and repentance and submission. It is an acknowledgement of power and authority with a conscious choice to turn from one thing and submit to another. In faith, it is choosing God and His ways over our own and the world's. Surrender is not waving a white flag and giving up to submit to capture and torture and separation from all we love. Instead it is looking around at the sickly, dying stuff of the flesh in the foxhole where we hide and choosing to stand strong and whole in battle next to the King of all kings who rules and reigns forever. And it is trusting that He is loving and faithful in all His ways as we become His warrior children in the Kingdom battle.

When we surrender to live in His Spirit, He searches our hearts. He reveals the depths of our souls. He speaks to our minds. He shows us the way to live. He heals. He restores. He renews. He rebuilds and refreshes and replenishes. So why do we keep running back to that stinky foxhole? We are human and we live in flesh in the world and are not yet perfected in Christ in this body and we take our eyes off of Him. And yet He stands there waiting for us to choose to stand strong and whole. He doesn't hold our cowardess against us. He keeps His gaze on us waiting for us to look to Him, seeking Him and seeing all He is and does and desires. And the truth is that we don't even have to exert effort to crawl out of the foxhole. When we look to Him and surrender our spirit to His, He lifts us out of that hole.

Gazing on Him for me is an automatic surrender. If my eyes are connected to His I can't help but see and feel and experience His love, fall into His arms in surrender, trust His ways are perfect, and rest in His power to overcome any and every enemy. Each moment of surrender gives opportunity for Him to take my every fleshly bent toward the foxhole and turn it into a God glorifying kingdom impacting fruit of the Spirit and character of Christ transforming moment. That is His plan for each of us. He created us with the patterns and personalities and passions we possess and planned from before time how He would take those things and use them for His glory as He transforms us in the likeness of His Son. And knowing that truth, we can stand firm in Him instead of wallowing in the foxhole.

This morning I commented to Him that a lot of my life has been spent in broken fragments but He has been faithful to pick up the pieces and create a mosaic of love and life and beauty. His response was "I know." And I said "Thank You." And He said "It was my pleasure and my plan. A mosaic is interesting and beautiful and a much better representation of the Artist's ability than a single pane of clear glass. Your broken fragments were for my glory."

He never moved away or turned His face from me when I was out there in the foxhole breaking the fragile things of this life like glass breaks in carelessness and defiance and despair. He stood there waiting for me to fix my eyes on Him and surrender. And I'm so glad because as I keep my eyes on Him I stand strong and whole at His side with His sword in my hand. I am His warrior wearing the mosaic armor of many colors while still a child dearly loved and cherished by her King.

Recently I wrote in my journal: "Papa - I have gotten my hands dirty like a child making mud pies out in the yard. I'd rather have chocolate on my face from licking the bowl of cake batter full of the ingredients of the character of Christ..." As I looked up at Him, the mud disappeared and He handed me a spoon. And He called me His special Mosaic Mud Pie Warrior. Sweet.

Luke 1:45-47 And Mary said, I'm bursting with God-news; I'm dancing the song of my Savior God. God took one good look at me, and look what happened— I'm the most fortunate woman on earth! What God has done for me will never be forgotten, the God whose very name is holy, set apart from all others. His mercy flows in wave after wave on those who are in awe before him. He bared his arm and showed his strength, scattered the bluffing braggarts. He knocked tyrants off their high horses, pulled victims out of the mud. The starving poor sat down to a banquet; the callous rich were left out in the cold. He embraced his chosen child, Israel; he remembered and piled on the mercies, piled them high. It's exactly what he promised, beginning with Abraham and right up to now. (The Message)

Psalm 40:2-3 He lifted me out of the ditch, pulled me from deep mud. He stood me up on a solid rock to make sure I wouldn't slip. He taught me how to sing the latest God-song, a praise-song to our God. More and more people are seeing this: they enter the mystery, abandoning themselves to God. (The Message)

Grasping the spoon,
amy

The Birds

Amy Harvison — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 15:58:44 GMT

My grandmother gave me a pet parakeet when I was young. He was very pretty and lived in a great cage with all the amenities a pet parakeet might need - food, water, a perch, something to peck on, and cover for sleeping.   He was domesticated but he still had wings to fly and knew he was a bird and that birds were made to fly. Whenever his cage door was opened there was a chance he would try to get out. Sometimes he escaped and mayhem broke loose! He would fly into walls and get tangled in curtains and we would run around trying to catch him and get him back to his cage where he would be safe. He was a captive wanting only to be free to do what he was made to do even if he didn't really know much about flying. He didn't understand that his cage provided safety and comfort and he didn't care that I loved him and provided for his every need. His moments of sudden freedom mixed with his lack of knowledge about flying and inability to navigate inside a house put him in extreme danger. I can't even let myself think of the mess he would have been in had he managed to escape the house.

One time my brother and I gave my mother a canary. He was such a sweet little yellow song bird. But he had to be taught to sing. Being a domesticated canary who lived his life in a cage and apart from other songbirds he probably didn't even know what singing was supposed to sound like. So we bought him a record that had music with a choir of canaries singing along. After just a few minutes of listening and hearing the other birds he found his own voice. He was still alone in his cage but he sang from the heart in union with the others he could hear but not see. Each time we played the record he would sing like that. Otherwise he was quiet - except when the telephone rang - how could I forget that! The telephone was in the kitchen where we kept his cage and when it rang it woke up the songbird. He wouldn't stop singing until the call ended, almost as if he thought he was singing along with the people having the conversation.

Both of these birds were loved and blessed in their places of captivity. Both were protected from the dangers of going from domestication to the wild without adequate training or experience. Both had everything they needed but neither was complete in their life's full intention - the parakeet who wanted to fly and the canary who wanted to sing along with others. Neither of them really understood what life was like outside the cage but both knew there was more. And neither was satisfied with captivity.

Recently I was meditating on Psalm 31 and a light went off in regard to my own feeings about captivity as I read these verses:    Psalm 31:19-24 How great is Your goodness,   which You have stored up for those who fear You, which You have wrought for those who take refuge in You, before the sons of men! You hide them in the secret place of Your presence from the conspiracies of man;  You keep them secretly in a shelter from the strife of tongues. Blessed be the LORD,  for He has made marvelous His lovingkindness to me in a besieged city. As for me, I said in my alarm,  "I am cut off from before Your eyes";  Nevertheless You heard the voice of my supplications  when I cried to You. O love the LORD, all you His godly ones!  The LORD preserves the faithful  and fully recompenses the proud doer. Be strong and let your heart take courage, all you who hope in the LORD.

It dawned on me that I sometimes seek refuge in God - and cry out for Him to hide me in His secret place and shelter me from the storms of life but when I get to this place, I suddenly feel like I am captive - like the psalmist in a beseiged city! I am safe behind the wall where I have been taken in response to my cries to be hidden and sheltered - but I am also trapped behind the wall! And, like the psalmist I am alarmed and feel cut off and forgotten. And just as He always does, Father God revealed this warped thinking to me by pointing it out with this psalm and reminding me of the parakeet and the canary. Though in a beseiged city - a cage - we are all hidden, sheltered, and blessed with His marvelous lovingkindness. And we can trust that He will preserve us. We can be strong and take courage and know that when the time is right we will be set free to fly or to sing or to be king. All we need to do is place our hope in Him and rest in the cage of His perfect presence - because in His presence is where we really want to be, isn't it?

Along with birds, our family also had dogs and cats. Both the parakeet and the canary knew we had a cat because the cat made his presence known to them. The birds were safe in their cages even when the cat would sit with its face pressed against the wire of the cage staring and growling. The birds were safe even when the cat would lay next to the cage with its body wrapped around the perimeter for hours hoping the bird would somehow venture outside the cage. But did the birds feel secure and safe and sheltered? They didn't. They would sit still hoping the cat wouldn't see them. Or they would jump all around and squawk out fearful bird sounds until someone would notice and shoo the cat away. And sadly, one of them was so afraid one night when the cat wrapped his body around the cage that it died of fright - simply died and fell from its perch to the floor of the cage while the cat watched. Remembering this and still thinking of Psalm 31 leads me to Psalm 131.

Psalm 131:1-3 God, I'm not trying to rule the roost, I don't want to be king of the mountain. I haven't meddled where I have no business or fantasized grandiose plans. I've kept my feet on the ground,  I've cultivated a quiet heart.  Like a baby content in its mother's arms, my soul is a baby content. Wait, Israel, for God. Wait with hope.  Hope now; hope always!

This is the picture of the captive bird - or captive me - fully hoping in God, resting in His presence, trusting His shelter, and believing in the freedom that only He will bring. If I live like the psalmist describes in Psalm 131, even the enemy at the gate or the cat around the cage will not cause me to fear or lose hope in the One who makes me free. Though I am beseiged I am safe and blessed in His presence! And while I wait and hope my heart will fly around His throne and my heart will sing with choirs of angels in praise! Who could want more?

With sparrow-like trust,
amy

Psalm 84:1-4 How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD Almighty! My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the LORD; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young— a place near your altar, O LORD Almighty, my King and my God. Blessed are those who dwell in your house; they are ever praising you.