Another Beginning

Posted on September 4, 2012 by Jill English Johnston

So here I go.  I have eagerly anticipated this time and I am in awe and am overwhelmed that the time is now.
So what to do.

I have time
I have a place
I have the desire
I have books on the subject
I have the older stuff I have written
I have the commitment to finish
I fear
I fear failure
I fear it won’t be any good
I fear I won’t finish
I fear I won’t start
I don’t have a plan
I don’t have direction
I don’t have ideas
I don’t have the end in sight
I don’t even have the beginning in sight

But I have sat down, I have showed up to the task.  I am sitting here with the blank document opened.  To gain some inspiration, I also opened a book I read/worked through years ago (maybe even BK – before Hurricane Katrina).  As I reviewed the things I highlighted and my answers to the questions in The Creative Call  by Janice Elsheimer, the following things come to mind:

Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
1 Corinthians 15:58

Is my writing the work of the Lord?

And God is able to make every grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.
2 Corinthians 9:8

Is my writing a good work?

You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the Living God, not on tablets of stone, but on tablets of human hearts.
2 Corinthians 3:2-4

How might I take part in being a letter from Christ?  How might I work with the Spirit to write on tablets of human hearts?

To whom much is given, from him much will be required.
Luke 12:48

In what God has given me, am I using it responsibly?  In what way does He want me to use it?

Our vocation is not simply to be, but to work together with God in the creation of our own life, our own identity, our own destiny.
Thomas Merton

Am I allowing God to work in me?  Am I allowing Him to create through me?

When I’m operating at my best, my work is my prayer.  It comes out of the same place that prayer comes out of – the center, the heart.
Matthew Fox, PHD

Do I approach writing as I do prayer, allowing the Holy Spirit to intercede?

For out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks
Matthew 12:34

What is the overflow of my heart?  Am I allowing the Spirit to mold my heart into the likeness of Christ.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was with God in the beginning.
John 1:1

Amazing that before anything, there was the Word, the Story, the Wisdom, with God.

God said, let there be…
Genesis 1:3

Creation began with a Word and God enables us to carry on in His creation with His creative spark.

The important thng is that creation is God’s, and that we are part of it, and being part of creation is for us to be co-creators with Him in the continuing joy of new creation.
Madeleine L’Engle

I want to co-create.  I have co-created.  I want it to be more…

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.
Psalm 19:14

May the overflow of my heart, may the words that pour out on the page, be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Author and Creator.

All who are skilled among you are to come and make everything the Lord has commanded.
Exodus 35:10

Am I using the gift God has given me to do as He has commanded me?

I have journaled.   I have blogged.  I want to use both, but I don’t want both to limit me.  But where to go from here?

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The Wilderness will Rejoice and Blossom

Posted on March 24, 2012 by Jill English Johnston

A seed will lie dormant for seasons, waiting for the right conditions for it to germinate and send it’s tender shoots heavenward.

It may seem dead.  It may have been forgotten.  Heat and drought may scorch the land.  Brown may cover the landscape.  But it lies, waiting.

The winter rains will return.

He promises to one day make rivers flow on barren heights, and springs within the valleys.  He promises to turn the desert into pools of water, and the parched ground into springs. (see Isaiah 41:18)

Refreshing, earth-drenching, life-giving rain.  Like wells of living water, springing forth, bringing forth, calling forth.

And, as if by some mysterious magic deep within the earth itself, the seed, hearing the call from heaven, begins it’s life.

Brown will no longer cover the landscape.
Instead, the world will explode in splendor and color.
Ah Solomon. You were never dressed in this kind of glory.

The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom.
Like the crocus, it will burst into bloom; it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy.
(See Isaiah 35:1-2)

It is amazing what a little rain will do for the land.
It is amazing what the Living Water will do for the soul.

For whoever drinks the water that He gives, will never thirst.  Indeed, the water He gives will become a spring of water welling up to eternal life.  (See John 4:13)

Has your soul received rain lately?  Is it parched and dry, brown and lifeless?
Or is it receiving a steady supply of Living Water, bringing life and joy and color?

It is amazing what a little rain will do.

Bloom

Parched

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Heaven’s Bread… and what my puppy teaches me

Posted on March 22, 2012 by Jill English Johnston

I adore my little Griffonshire puppy (part Yorkie, part Brussels Griffon). Full of energy, he is always excited to see me, wanting my attention, wanting to play, or sometimes just wanting to curl up on my lap. Of course, as a responsible puppy owner, I am teaching him pertinent lessons. Such as “sit,” “wait,” “give,” and so on. Lately, however, I have been noticing that my adorable little puppy may have a lesson or two for me.

When my husband or I prepare food in the kitchen, the puppy positions himself strategically at our feet, between us and the counter – the most advantageous location for receiving any food that happens to fall from the counter. He doesn’t hang around the kitchen unless we’re in there. Because he knows we are the key to the falling treats.

As he looks up at me, standing at my feet, I can’t help but laugh. He waits expectantly. It makes me think of the Israelites in the desert, crying out for food, and God providing for them every day with “manna,” bread from heaven. My puppy looks up at me, waiting patiently for “manna from heaven.” And since I adore him, I tend to spoil him, dropping a morsel here, a tidbit there, rewarding his position and his patience.

Each time I’m in the kitchen and he’s at my feet, I can’t help but consider my relationship with my Heavenly Father and how I position myself with Him. “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father…” (James 1:7) If I know this to be true, I have to ask myself, do I position myself at His feet, knowing that there I am in the most advantageous place to receive His good gifts, His “manna from heaven?” Do I look expectantly to Him, waiting, knowing that He is the Key to these gifts? Do I trust that He loves me, His child, and will surely bless my position and patience?

“But God did listen and answered my prayer. Let’s praise God! He listened when I prayed, and he is always kind.”
Psalm 66:19-20

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Waiting

Posted on March 14, 2012 by Jill English Johnston

We all know what it means to wait. In our busy, hectic lives, we often find ourselves waiting. Waiting in line at the grocery store. Waiting in traffic at the red light. Waiting for the end of a work day or school day. Waiting for the weekend. Waiting for vacation to start. It can be quite frustrating.

During different times in our lives we find ourselves waiting for big events. Waiting to graduate. Waiting for Mr. (or Ms.) Right to come along. Waiting for the big day when we say “I do.” Waiting for the baby to arrive. Waiting for the kids to get big enough to (fill in the blank). Waiting to retire.

For those of us who have served in the military, we are quite familiar with the saying “Hurry up and wait.” We hurried up and did everything we needed to enlist. Then we waited to go to Recruit Training. We hurried to stand in hundreds of lines to get uniforms, shots, food. We waited to graduate. We hurried up and reported to our technical school. We waited in more lines to check in. Then we waited to finish and graduate. We waited to transfer to new duty stations. We waited to get qualified. We waited to return from deployment. We waited to get orders to our next duty station. Soon, we found ourselves waiting for retirement.

Life is filled with waiting.

I’m currently reading Max Lucado’s book God’s Story, Your Story. In the chapter “Power Moves In,” Max addresses waiting. Specifically, waiting on the Spirit, as the Apostles did. Jesus left. He told them to wait. They didn’t start planning. They didn’t rush out on their own and start doing what they thought they should be doing . Instead, the waited. And prayed. When the Spirit came, He came while they prayed. Then they saw what God had planned. Paul waited, too. After his conversion, although he started preaching right away, he didn’t suddenly become the great missionary we know him to have been. Instead, he waited, spending a period of years preparing for what God had planned for him.

Max goes on to discuss opportunities that God brings about in “The Right Doors Open.” Again, waiting. Waiting on the right doors to open and not running ahead into every good thing that comes along. Waiting for the Spirit to guide us and direct us. Even when he started his missionary journeys, Paul had more times of waiting. Finding doors that were closed rather than open. Waiting for the right doors to open. Finding himself arrested. Waiting in prison. Finding places that the Spirit hindered him from going. Waiting on direction. Again, the waiting prepared him for what God had planned.

I’m not very good at waiting.
But the Psalmist tells me

“Wait for the Lord, be strong and take heart…” Psalm 27:14
“I wait for the Lord.. and in His word I put my hope.” Psalm 130:5
“We wait in hope for the Lord, He is our help and our shield.” Psalm 33:20
“I wait for you, Lord, you will answer…” Psalm 38:15
And of course, “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him…” Psalm 37:7

Waiting prepares me for what God has planned.

John Waller has a song, “While I’m Waiting.” He sings:
“I’m waiting on You, Lord
And I am peaceful
I’m waiting on You, Lord
Though it’s not easy
But faithfully, I will wait
Yes, I will wait
I will serve You while I’m waiting
I will worship while I’m waiting”

I will learn to wait. And while I wait, I will pray. I will be strong and take heart. I will put my hope in His word. I will wait for Him to answer. I will be still. I will serve. And I will worship.
Because I trust God in what He has planned.

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Sunny-side Herb Garden

Posted on March 1, 2012 by Jill English Johnston

In my gardening adventures, I apparently have an incredible talent for growing weeds.  I can’t grow grass (last year I blamed the drought, this year it looks like I’ll be blaming the weeds), but I can grow a great variety of weeds.  I am trying to be conscientious about the environment and not use chemicals, however, I’m getting desperate.  It seems that for every weed I pull, a half-dozen pop up in its place.  I know there are some organic sprays that can be made, but I’m afraid I’ve waited too long in the season.  I may still try, though, if time permits.  The rain has been wonderful this winter – for the weeds.  I suspect that if I were to enjoy a leisurely afternoon sitting in my backyard, I would be able to watch them grow.

Not to be dissuaded, I have been working on my herb garden.  My sage, lavender, rosemary and curry have survived the winter, as have the esperanza and pride of barbados I planted alongside them.  I did a thorough weeding, but I’m sure I’ll be back out there in a couple of days pulling out more of the persistent fiends.   Today, I planted cilantro (although I’ve never had much luck with it), flat leaf and curly leaf parsley (never tried before), my basil seedlings (children of the basil plant that moved with us last year, but finally reached its end), tarragon, lemon thyme and marjoram.  I also planted some dill and chive seeds.  I still have two types of oregano to plant and my herb garden will be complete.   I have been successful with basil and oregano, but only in pots.  Now, time will be the judge as to whether I will be successful with them, and the other herbs, in my sunny-side herb garden.

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