Prayers like Incense

Beloved, do you know how precious your prayers are to our Loving Father? He longs for time spent with his children, just as you long for time spend with your earthly loved ones, only his love is greater and deeper and longer and wider than any love you have ever known.

In Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire, Cymbala writes, "Just imagine... you and I kneel or stand or sit down to pray, really opening our hearts to God -- and what we say is so precious to him that he keeps it like a treasure." Cymbala

Then I saw a Lamb that looked as if it had been slaughtered, but it was now standing between the throne and the four living beings and among the twenty-four elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which represent the sevenfold Spiritof God that is sent out into every part of the earth. He stepped forward and took the scroll from the right hand of the one sitting on the throne. And when he took the scroll, the four living beings and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp, and they held gold bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of God’s people. Revelation 5:6-8

Prayers like Incense

Beloved, do you know how precious your prayers are to our Loving Father? He longs for time spent with his children, just as you long for time spend with your earthly loved ones, only his love is greater and deeper and longer and wider than any love you have ever known.

In Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire, Cymbala writes, "Just imagine... you and I kneel or stand or sit down to pray, really opening our hearts to God -- and what we say is so precious to him that he keeps it like a treasure."

I saw a Lamb that looked as if it had been slaughtered, but it was now standing between the throne and the four living beings and among the twenty-four elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which represent the sevenfold Spiritof God that is sent out into every part of the earth. He stepped forward and took the scroll from the right hand of the one sitting on the throne. And when he took the scroll, the four living beings and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp, and they held gold bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of God’s people. Revelation 5:6-8

New Year's Prayer

What more can I add to the others who have so eloquently written New Year's posts about fresh starts and new beginnings?

I'm the one who thinks lofty thoughts, resolves, procrastinates, and then doesn't follow through. What hope do I have? Every year I make my lists - whether with actual pen and paper or just in my private throughts. Lists of habits to begin or break. Lists of goals to accomplish and relationships to work on. Losing weight, eating healthy, exercise, living well. Aspirations in my art. Where do I want to be a year from now in the areas of finance and family and work? I plan and plot the baby steps it will take to achieve my goals. How can I better love, encourage and inspire?

I read my notes. And then read again. A heavy sigh.

Then I lay my list aside and bow my head to pray.

Dear God,
All these goals and resolutions are useless. The plans I make can be interrupted with a single breath from you. You see my beginnings and my ends. You are already there, this place I will be a year from now. I have no hope of making any lasting change in my life without you. You are my hope. You fulfill all the aspirations I have. You breathe life into dying relationships and dying dreams. I give this year to you. This is the only resolve I can make.

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Inspire Me Thursday: Moon

Thy beauty haunts me heart and soul,

Oh, thou fair Moon, so close and bright;

Thy beauty makes me like the child

That cries aloud to own thy light:

The little child that lifts each arm

To press thee to her bosom warm.

Though there are birds that sing this night

With thy white beams across their throats,

Let my deep silence speak for me

More than for them their sweetest notes:

Who worships thee till music fails,

Is greater than thy nightingales.

William Henry Davies

Sunday Scribblings: Lost

I have a recurring dream or at least a recurring theme in my dreams. My parents have both been gone for some time but I dream that I've "lost" contact with my mom or dad. Suddenly they are here again and I'm always extremely upset because I don't know why haven't seen them in so long, it's as if I lost my memory of them for a while and then it suddenly returns.

I've also dreamed that I have "lost" or forgotten one of my grandchildren. They are here with me and I leave them, forgetting they are here.

It's really a very disturbing dream to have and I always wonder why this theme of something lost is so prevalent in my dreams. And why is it always loved ones I seem to lose? Thankfully in the end, they are always found again. I don't know much about dream interpretation but I'm sure someone somewhere could tell me what it all means.

Video: Painting Angels

Beautiful video for you to watch:

You can find more of Renea L's work here.

My Latest Inspiration

A site I've been enjoying the past few days is Amanda Blake Soule's, SouleMama. The photography with all the colors and textures are a treat for your eyes. Her writings inspire you to live a simpler, repurposed, handmade life.