flavor

Wednesday, October 21, 2009 (7:27 a.m.)

Mm Lord,

Smile. Yes. Mm, Lord. Contentment. Joy. Peace. Flavor. Flavor? What? Where did that come from? Really Lord? Flavor?

Okay! I asked You in the car just now that You would speak to me that I might know and that I would listen. This is me. Listening!

And here You are. Guiding. Directing. Orchestrating. Planning. Promising. Fulfilling. And bringing to fruition! Thank You Lord.

Thank You that again You drew me near to You. I confess Lord. While I didn’t come to You kicking and screaming this morning, there was a reluctance involved. I hesitated. Took my time. Didn’t run straight into Your strong open arms. Ah, but You are so much bigger and better than my wavering moods. Thank You for that as well.

Thank You that I get to bring You my heart. Exactly as it is - being stretched and challenged (actually poked and prodded seem evermore accurate). You know what You’re doing with it - with me. I trust that. I trust You. And through this process, I firmly believe You are going to - make that, You ARE teaching me to trust myself! Continue Your work in my life oh Lord. Keep challenging my beliefs and understandings.

What am I saying? I know how You operate! I give You an inch (or a mustard seed of faith :) and You’ll just take over…

And that is exactly what I am saying Lord! Take over my life. Please Lord ~ take over my life!

Mark 9:50 (The Living Bible) says, “Good salt is worthless if it loses its saltiness; it can’t season anything. So don’t lose your flavor! Live in peace with each other.”

Yes, Lord. Flavor!

(3:43 p.m.)

Through random events of the day there is still an often-felt sense of peace. An occasional feeling of disconnect brought back to a smile at the slightest hint of flavor. The smell of ‘get better caldo’ for Connor…

Thursday, October 22, 2009 (5:36 a.m.)

Lord, the excellent flavor of the meat and various vegetables having stewed together all day yesterday resulted in a completely empty crockpot last night. That’s the kind of flavor I want You to produce in me!

In The Message, Eugene Peterson presented Mark 9:50 thusly, “Everyone’s going through a refining fire sooner or later, but you’ll be well-preserved, protected from the eternal flames. Be preservatives yourself. Preserve the peace.” Oh that I would Dear Lord. Flavor and preserve me that I may share Your flavor with others.

Oh my goodness God! As I have been singing parts of “Knees to the Earth” to You since Tuesday, I fully expected to go deeper with the lyrics here than ♫Be blessed, Be loved, Be lifted high Be treasured here Be glorified♫ but then as we’re talking together another song began.

♫Tanto tiempo difrutamos de este amor, nuestras almas se acercaron tanto asi♫ which has been previously translated for me as ♫We have enjoyed this love for so long Our souls have become so close that I keep a taste of You ~ but You also carry in You the taste of me♫

All these years Lord, more than thirty-five of them, that has been Terry and my song (which is not to be confused with “It’s Impossible” which was mistakenly played as ‘ours’ at our wedding! :). Not once that I can remember have I brought You into the mix of it. It IS Your taste that I want to keep and to carry with me. Your taste I want to carry on my mouth into eternity.

Having just returned from dropping Connor at school Lord and I am again aware of Your flavoring on the area around me. Beautifully clear sky. Just the right amount of sunlight reflecting off Your gloriously distinct mountaintops. Rapturous sights and sounds surrounding me. Lord, thank You for Your perfect flavor. Keep working in me that I would do all I can to “preserve the peace” and share Your flavor. I love You Lord. ♫Sabor a TI♫ The taste of YOU! Thank You, Lord. Amen.

(684 words ~ 7:52 a.m.)