Sunday, February 27, 2011

Waiting, hoping, expecting, counting…

015

It was only last week when the air was warm with the promise of spring in it.

Buds and blooms of hope and promise were all around.

A few days ago cold arctic air came south and decided to hang around for a few days

bringing record low temperatures, snow, ice.

The news, it blows cold and icy too,

unrest here, earthquakes there…

a text tells me a friend’s mother just died,

on facebook I read of a beloved pastor’s death,

a blog asks for prayer for the family of a YWAM missionary whose husband/father was senselessly killed,

another blog asks for prayer for a 10 year old girl diagnosed with stage four cancer…

I feel the heaviness of the chill,

I hear creation’s groaning,

I hear my own spirit groaning,

waiting for, hoping for, expecting the Lord.

While I wait, I continue the counting, the gathering, the eucharisteo

“What would have become of me had I not believed that I would see

the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living!

Wait and hope for and expect the Lord;

be brave and of good courage and let your heart be stout and enduring.

Yes, wait for and hope for and expect the Lord.” 

Psalm 27:13-14 Amplified Bible

 

My continuing gratitude list

#953-#968

-painting

-talking to my sister on the phone

-homemade soup

-the Living Word

-a dear friend’s good report-no new cancer spots on bone scan

-late winter snow

005

-crackling warm fire in the fireplace

-morning sun shining golden on the wood floor

018

-cooking a special pre-birthday dinner for Hubs and friends

001

011

-sunrise through the window on the stair landing

-a random memory about my daughters when they were small that brings a smile to my face

-blue eyes and pig tails

011

-a late February hike with a friend

021

027

032

-God working in us/through us

-my nephew and his family, the Hub’s nephew, and a group of young adults going out to lunch after church with us to celebrate the Hub’s birthday

-phone message from oldest granddaughter and only grandson singing Happy Birthday to Papa

Gratefully yours,

Elizabeth

 

join the gratitude community here~

7 comments:

  1. doing a bit of that groaning myself this morning...finding the new normal under the heaviness...He will come, but we can not let the heaviness rob us of the joy, like you see in those pictures...

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  2. Happy Birthday to your husband. The photos are beautiful.

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  3. The more I read you, the more I heart your words.

    And yes – we forget sometimes that it’s not just us waiting for God to fix what we broke. All creation does groan – just like the universe sings praise – it also waits. How? I don’t know – but I know it’s true.

    And so after reading them I chose this one for my favorite today: God working in us/through us (because we aren’t always – well seldom are – the best of raw material to work with – and he does admirable work. No? :)

    Thank you for these words today.

    God bless and keep you and all of yours.

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  4. The bitter and sweet reside together this side of Heaven. Be blessed, my friend.

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  5. Waiting and hoping... and trusting. Your photos are beautiful. Happy birthday to your husband! Blue eyes and pig tails... SO cute! :)

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  6. Oh, how my spirit, too, groans and hopes as we wait for our Lord!
    And, isn't it amazingly beautiful how the Lord works in us and through us?! What a blessing to ponder how He can use our lives for His glory!

    Thank you for your kind comment. Francis Scheaeffer is an amazing author, and I find his words timely though written many years ago. I have not heard of his wife's books. Thank you so much for the suggestions. I will look into those titles.

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  7. So moving today! I am just so glad I stopped by. I was most moved by the verse you posted. I love Psalm 27, but had not read it in the Amplified. It just came alive for me today. Thank you for that!!!!

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