Reflections from Drywood Creek

Saturday, January 3, 2015

Commonplace Book...Nathaniel Hawthorne

"Love, whether newly-born or aroused from a death-like slumber, must always create a sunshine, filling the hearts so full of radiance, that it overflows upon the outward world." - Nathaniel Hawthorne, The Scarlet Letter

Thursday, January 1, 2015

It's 2015!...A Time for Rest...

Happy New Year! Can you believe it's already 2015?! I remember when "Prince" was popular, singing "...tonight we're gonna party like its 1999." It seemed so far off and now we're beyond. Wowza!...where did it go! ...I think I just dated myself...

Either way, I look forward to starting fresh, like the new blanket of snow that fell outside my window this January morn. To have a new beginning, pure, clean, and white.

You see, 2014 was a difficult year for me. Betrayal sat on my doorstep for the first several months. Though I couldn't put my finger on it until it entered my house with a vengeance in August. Hopes and dreams were shattered. The bottom fell out. When that kind of devastation sets in, you can't breathe. Everything hurts. You don't know up from down, nor day from night.

I remember late one of many sleepless nights searching for a verse, just the right words to ease my pain. It was then, I came upon Romans 5: 1-5....

Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Also through Him, we have obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also rejoice in our afflictions, because we know that affliction produces endurance, endurance produces proven character, and proven character produces hope. This hope does not disappoint, because God's love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

affliction - a state of pain, distress, or grief; misery
endurance - the ability or strength to continue or last, especially despite fatigue, stress, or other adverse conditions; stamina while bearing pain, hardship
character - qualities of honesty, courage, or the like; integrity

These were the words that spoke to me. Now as I limp into the new year on God's Word like balm to my wounds, I have a prayerful hope. The word which I hold dear for this year is REST.

Therefore, while the promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear so that none of you should miss it. For we also have received the good news just as they did; but the message they heard did not benefit them, since they were not united with those who heard it in faith. For we who have believed enter that rest, in keeping with what he said,

So I swore in my anger

they will not enter My rest.

And yet his works have been finished since the foundation of the world, for somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in this way:

And on the seventh day

God rested from all his works.

Again, in that passage He said, They will never enter My rest. - Hebrews 4: 1-5

His REST. Not a state of idleness, but a condition in which one is free to live in peace, joy, security, and freedom. A REST that comes from repentance and submission. His REST. Grace from God sending His son to die on the cross for our sins. His REST. Spiritual REST. A refreshment that I wish to drink upon.

Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. All of you, take up My yoke and learn from Me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for yourselves. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light. - Matthew 11: 28-30

The sun is shining through the clouds here on Drywood Creek. The snow flurries sparkle like ice crystals as I sit this first day of January 2015 making my list of attainments for the year....

This is what the Lord says:

Stand by the roadways and look.

Ask about the ancient paths:

Which is the way to what is good?

Then take it

and find rest for yourselves...

- Jeremiah 6:16

May this be the year of rest....

Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Reflecting Back on 2014

This is one of my favorite posts because I make time to go back and look at photos from the year. I reflect on our accomplishments and struggles as time puts them in new light. I'm always amazed at the growth and change in the kids. In the daily grind, the lists don't seem to get done. Yet, somehow in the big picture, we keep putting one foot in front of the other and it all works out. For this last post of the year, I've put together a little month by month of life here on Drywood Creek. Enjoy....

January - blog posts
Cakes baked, reading, writing
Studying Colonial America...exciting!