Map of Melodies

Our days are filled with mapping and preparation. We map out our journeys. We take great effort in preparing for that vacation or trip. We decide what steps we will take, what paths we will clear, what roads we will travel. A month ago I thought I had a pretty good plan and mapped out a pretty good journey for myself. My plan was to come to Texas and help my mother move to a new town and a new home. Two weeks into it my mother became very ill. So now I sit beside her hospital bed. Eleven days so far is enough to wear anyone out. "What is going on God?" I often ask. My plan was to pack - to sort - to move. God had another plan for my coming.

I am so thankful to be sitting beside her bed. On good days we reminisce about her childhood, laugh about the crazy things that have happened in her life thus far, and sometimes sing. In some of her weakest moments when asked, "How are you doing?" She almost shouts, "Wonderful!" (even though we all know how sick she has been; she knows it too) but what amazes me is when after shouting "Wonderful!" she breaks out into song - "Wonderful! Wonderful! Isn't He wonderful!" - A song she learned many years ago about her Lord and Savior.

The nurses and therapist smile and my heart turns with emotion. What a testimony as I am reminded of how I often complain about every little pain in my life and yet during her sickest moments  she finds a way to sing.

"But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress,
my refuge in times of trouble. You are my strength, I sing praise to you; you, God, are my fortress,
my God on whom I can rely."  Psalm 59: 16-17

King David sang quite a bit in the midst of his trials and tribulations as well. Psalm 59 is just one of those many moments where he declared he would sing to the Lord. God is the one who maps our journeys. God is the one who sees our future and declares our steps. Is there a way to sing through each turn, road block, and bump? Can we map our journeys with song leaving behind sweet melodies? As I travel behind where my mother has journeyed I grab hold of those melodies she has so gracefully left behind.

I have no idea where this journey will lead but my prayer is that I will rise up to sing like a king and declare my praises to the world like a queen . . . my sweet mother.

May your Journey be filled with Singing

Angry Daddy Protecting His Young

"Arise, LORD! Lift up your hand, O God.
Do not forget the helpless.
Why does the wicked man revile God?
Why does he say to himself,
“He won’t call me to account”?
But you, God, see the trouble of the afflicted;
you consider their grief and take it in hand.
The victims commit themselves to you;
you are the helper of the fatherless."

Psalm 10: 12-14

Can you see the Lord rising up in our defense?

Can you see the Lord lifting His hand?

As I read this scripture I could just see God rising up and lifting his massive hand. Like a mother hen who ruffles her feathers to protect her young, like a mother bear protecting her cubs, like a rhino, or large mother elephant that have killed other animals and people to protect their babies – all of these have risen up in their own ways. But in truth I cannot even fathom the sight of such a powerful God rising up to protect His children. The Psalmist paints an amazing picture of what it might look like . . .

"In my distress I called to the LORD; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears.

The earth trembled and quaked, and the foundations of the mountains shook; they trembled because he was angry.

Smoke rose from his nostrils; consuming fire came from his mouth, burning coals blazed out of it.
He parted the heavens and came down; dark clouds were under his feet. He mounted the cherubim and flew; he soared on the wings of the wind.
He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him— the dark rain clouds of the sky.  Out of the brightness of his presence clouds advanced, with hailstones and bolts of lightning.
The LORD thundered from heaven; the voice of the Most High resounded.
He shot his arrows and scattered the enemy, with great bolts of lightning he routed them.
The valleys of the sea were exposed and the foundations of the earth laid bare
at your rebuke, LORD, at the blast of breath from your nostrils.

He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters.
He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me.
They confronted me in the day of my disaster, but the LORD was my support. He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me."

Psalm 18

May Your Journey Be Filled with God's Protection