A few days ago I was battling with my quiet time. God's tender presence is always close but I was just not able get in to this sitting down, quiet time as usual stance. So in my frustration I headed down to the pool. I am a water baby, I love the cool water of the pool, the cool womb - like comfort and closeness of the water. When you sink beneath the surface, you hear silence, there is no sound, its just beautiful to me. So when I got to the pool area I was abit bummed to find someone else there. But she was reading her book and ignoring me, so that was pretty good in my opinion. I plopped down in to the water with my back towards her and just sat. Why am I struggling today Father? I questioned in my mind.
As I allowed the question to roll over in to the water, I looked up at an overhanging tree stump and suddenly noticed a very bushy squirrel staring at me. I was startled and then I started staring back at him. He was (I kid you not) staring me straight in the eyes in the very catatonic way that squirrels often stare. He was so close to me and I marvelled at him and then he turned to his side and I got a better look at his posed side profile. He then turned with his back towards me and shook his tail. I really started laughing (the woman behind me must have thought I was mad) and then he turned back towards me and jumped down the tree and he was gone. Just as he jumped down, a struggling butterfly bristled in front of me and landed on a bush next to me. It seemed as though it had just emerged from a chrysalis as it was resting and stretching out its wings and it was so beautiful. I watched her ( it must have been a girl in my opinion) for some time and I was just caught up in the wonder of it all. Next to her I suddenly spotted my old familiar friend - this bumble bee who works daily on the lavender brush next to our pool. He is a daily visitor there and he is too cool. God has really taught me many lessons through Mr (I assume he was a boy) BumbleBee. I love him, he seems like a tame pet. And then I watched him and suddenly felt like I had been transported in to a world I never knew existed. Like I was suddenly in Narnia and watching Cabby the Cab - horse speak!
The presence of God rolled in to that place where I was, I felt it like a cloud and I just began to cry. Me on that top step in the waters of the pool, with the beautiful world around me just beaming in beauty. As God's tangible presence settled in my heart and all around me, I noticed another squirrel on the grass just in front of me. He was standing up on two legs and he looked crazy, just standing there like a MeerKat. And then a beautiful white and green bird started flitting around on a branch at the far end of the pool. I swam slowly up to where it was and just admired this whole new world.
This was what God wanted to share with me and if I has continued to struggle with myself in the four walls of my house, I may have missed it. In a sense my frustration served a purpose and I am learning a lot through these experiences, as God is really on the move teaching me something new, about wandering in His wonders. God has seasons on His Mind and I will say that He has used Laura's book to reach out to me. Yeah her experiences are different - but it's not so much about the words as it is about discovering yourself. I am journeying to myself, and she has been a helpful vessel in God's Hand during this season. I am now a dandelion drifting on the wind - flung out in to the wonders of God. Prayer I am learning, is for me in this season, a wandering in to the Wonders of God. Like walking in to a big house as a little child and hearing "Pssst! Come over here I wanna show you something!" And when you follow the Big Guy in to the room He wants to show, there's magic you ain't never seen before and it's Real! Thank You Father for this New Season, I'm a kid lost in wonder all over again and it's Heavenly!
*On a side note, I have a friend who I send whimsical messages and vice versa. This morning I sent her some crazy emoticons and said I am throwing sparkles of heaven over you today! (That was really on my heart for her). I can really be a kid around her and she is really a big kid herself and she replied with "I am catching them Yippeee, you make me smile!" She also told me that months back in a prayer meeting, she saw herself playing as a little girl with sparkles that were coming down from Heaven. It was amazing for her for me to say that. So you see, there is a reason for everything and everything is there for a reason!*
Linking up with Beloved Brews tooo!!!!
I love the descriptions that you share in this post. I really need to be more awake to the beauty around me, and the Creator who longs for me to really notice it. This post kind of reminds me of watching my child open the Christmas present they really wanted this year. We knew what was about to happen and were excited for her, even before she realized what was happening. I think God may also feel anticipation in knowing that He is about to show us something wonderful. I hope you have a lovely day!
ReplyDeleteHi Jo, thank you for such beautiful words. I love the imagery you painted for me, reagrding your child. I think it is so true there is beauty and awe, wonder and amazement in everything aroudn us. I even walked in to a local fruit shop and was in "awe" literally of all the gingerbread men stacked high, it was like being a child again, it was amazing! I wish you all the best in yout journey and I do pray for a year of contentment in Yeshua. Many blessings!
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