When I was a girl I had dreams of flying
Gliding really, there was no effort, no arms flailing
The dreams were vivid
The scenery, the sensation
Me soaring over my familiar neighborhood on Dartmouth Street
I never told anyone
Until now
That God made me to fly
Because even I forgot
Mama, she had a way to keep me grounded
She kept Daddy grounded too
‘Til he just flew away with someone else
I think he flailed his arms and beat his way out of the cage
but I don’t think he soared
Me, I got some of Mama’s sense of responsibility
Practicality
So in the getting married, having babies, ministry
Like I said, I forgot that I was made to fly
Except, when I sang or danced or played with those babies
When I made our home a cozy nest with more imagination then money
When God helped me help someone or I taught God’s Word with heart aflame
In times like those, I felt my feet leave the ground a bit
But hard times came, and with them, shoes made of cement
Then a year or so ago my heart did what my mind didn’t understand
I quit the job that filled up my days
My mind thought it was that I needed that time for ministry
That was an important part of the reason
But my heart knew it was more than just that
My heart knew that at my age, if I didn’t start to fly
I never would
One day, I sat at a computer and started typing
At first the words came from my head
But then they started to flow from my heart
My spirit
One day, I picked up a camera
And the world around me became beauty for me to capture
It nourished my heart
My spirit
One day I bought canvas and brushes and paint
and I didn’t know what I was doing, but I did it anyway
A painting came out straight from my heart
My spirit
And when I do these things
or sing or dance or play with my grandbabies
or make our home a cozy nest with more imagination than money
or God helps me to help someone or I teach God’s Word with heart aflame
In times like these, I feel my feet leave the ground a bit
I may not be soaring yet
But I’m getting higher and higher
Because now I remember that I was made to fly
Still following,
Elizabeth
Happily linking here today~
Today’s Simple Pleasure…
Trying something new…
my very first attempt at painting.
Fly high, my friend! Soar above the mountains and the valleys of life!
ReplyDelete~Adrienne~
Hi Elizabeth, I'm visiting from Dayle's blog. This is beautiful...free to fly...to soar on wings like eagles...
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Joan
This is beautiful! The idea of soaring has special meaning for me and I share your dream of flying higher. God bless you for this post and for sharing your daring and inspiring adventure with us all.
ReplyDeletefly high..sounds like you have made some amazing steps...you will be soaring soon enough...
ReplyDeleteGood for YOU! I believe God is smiling on your JOY-full spirit.
ReplyDeleteDaring to try something new, to fly, is an amazing gift. Can't wait to hear how high you soar effortlessly.
ReplyDeleteElizabeth,
ReplyDeleteYou have given me goosebumps with your amazing story/journey. I can't wait to see you fly higher and higher - the sky's the limit!
~Jean
What an amazing gift, Elizabeth, and a glorious way to fly.
ReplyDeleteoh elizabeth, how beautifully you soar... i love how you take me through your life in this effortless prose... and the paintings! i love them. the colors, the lines... and how you dared give up your job so you could fly. you have chosen the upside-down kingdom, friend. mind if i join you? xo
ReplyDeleteI love your paintings...I love your words. I want to fly too....your writing this....filled places inside me...thank you. Keep flying...I think we were meant to fly!
ReplyDeleteThe paintings are beautiful and so are the words...thank you for sharing! :-)
ReplyDeleteThis one made me smile, laugh, cheer, and cry. I went from one response to another. I LOVED it! I so understand what you mean by wanting to fly, too. I also understand that feeling that if I don't fly soon, I may never soar.
ReplyDeleteAgain, I love this. Love the way it's written and what it says. A great simple pleasures post!
Beautiful, Elizabeth. And I LOVE your art -- keep painting, please!
ReplyDeleteYour art and words are beautiful. Keep soaring. I'm new to this community, and stopping here has blessed me today.
ReplyDeleteCome on over! We have room...
ReplyDeleteYou've really got me thinking about what it means to fly and what it takes...Thanks
ReplyDeleteThat is beautiful, Elizabeth. Too often I forget that I was made to fly. Thanks for the reminder.
ReplyDeleteSimply gorgeous, my faraway friend. I look forward to flying with you when we meet in Heaven, if not before!
ReplyDeleteWONDERFUL!
ReplyDeleteWhat an exquisite post. You and I are at a similar time in our lives and I wish I had the courage to fly...Life has me in those cement shoes right now. Not that I am not extremely blessed but definitely weighed down. But God and I are working on it...It took time to become chained to the world, it will take time to loose those chains...but I have no doubt, I will, with His courage. Thanks for confirming God's heart message to me. Many blessings, Patty
ReplyDeletehttp://sewingseedscraftylife.typepad.com/sewingseedsthoughts-an/
Oh my, Elizabeth! I must disagree with you on one point...I believe you do soar! How beautifully you express that God-given desire to fly...to thrive into who He created us to be. You remind me that because God provides endless opportunities to serve and love, He provides endless opportunities to "test our wings" and nourish our hearts. BEAUTIFUL!
ReplyDeleteOh, wow.
ReplyDelete"My heart knew that at my age, if I didn't start to fly
I never would."
I think we all yearn to fly--I know I do. I'm glad you went for it. :)
Stopping by from Gypsy Mama's link up! Thanks for sharing your heart! Your blog is beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI found you on Gypsy mama. I love this.
ReplyDeleteI had those dreams too. Floating without effort.
“When God helped me help someone or I taught God’s Word with heart aflame” – ah, this hits my heart, its familiar.
...and this, this was too familiar … “My heart knew that at my age, if I didn’t start to fly
I never would”
I heart your words. Thank you. Merry Christmas.
Love these words! Found you through Gypsy Mama and am glad I did!
ReplyDeleteHe has indeed given you wings.. and you fly in exactly the way He created for you!
ReplyDeleteI'm trying hard not to cry before I leave with my husband for his Christmas Party for work.
ReplyDeleteSo beautiful! I need to fly. Or at least get my feet a little bit off the ground. Lately, I've felt like I'm just doing and doing and it isn't making a difference. I'm so tired of the to-do lists. My youngest just wants me to play Barbies. I just WANT to play Barbies. And play with my grandson. Gosh, I'm getting awfully melodramatic.
Okay, shaking it off. I'm going to remember these words and try and fly, maybe even soar, in everything I do.
And by the way, I absolutely LOVE the picture in your head of the Christmas display!
"I forgot that I was made to fly" - oh man, I think we all struggle to hold onto that truth. And words like these, art like this, they remind us. They give us the little push we need to stretch out our wings and remember how good it feels. Thank you thank you for sharing your story and your courage!
ReplyDelete~Lisa-Jo
Oh, how this made me smile! I am about to leave my job as well (for the second time! Ha!) and I am so thankful for the chance to live life to the fullest and minister first and foremost to my God, my husband, and my family.
ReplyDeletePlus, I REALLY want to learn how to dance :-)
Many blessings,
Lindsey
I found you through the Gypsy Mama, and I'm so glad that I did. You soar in this post! :)
ReplyDelete