Caged Words

Birdcages aren’t just for birds...

They make a nice spot to house the words of favored writers...

But what if our own words are kept in cages?

words caged

thoughts hindered

revelations untold

praises unspoken

Are your words caged?

or free

to suggest ponderings

to declare encouragement

to worship the One most worthy?

Words caged mean blessings lost…

Are your words caged?

or are they free to soar 

from 

head to heart to lips or perhaps to fingertips?

Then off they fly to spread the Good News...

Are your words caged?

and do the stories you live die with the moon and never rise again to spread joy, hope, and love?

Even words of humor bring healing to

souls scarred and spirits scared...

Are your words caged?

Open the door and release them...

Let the homing instinct of your words fly to the place they long to be, that they need to be, where roosting carriers rest until more words come and complete the testimony only YOU can share...

Don’t let your words remain caged.

Someone, somewhere needs them...

Thanksgiving is our dialect.

Ephesians 5:4 MSG

Prison Walls

It’s late

My mind is racing and the curves are getting sharper at every turn

The murmuring begins…

Your situation will never get better...

Nothing good can come of this...

It’s always been done that way and it’s not going to change now...

It‘s hopeless so you might as well just give up…

Where is your God right now anyway?!

Please continue reading over here...

When It’s Not Real...

“Hardly anything else reveals so well the fear and uncertainty among men as the length to which they will go to hide their true selves from each other and even from their own eyes.”
― A.W. Tozer

It’s Sunday morning...

Time to put on her church face...

Phony smile...fake responses

“I’m good...doing fine”...

Instead of

“I’m broken...please pray for me”...

 

He’s driving home from work in rush hour traffic

Time to hide behind the mask of indifference...

Nonchalant attitude...spine of steel

Thirsting for one drop of grace...

While surrounded by a sea of mercy he can’t see...

 

 

She picks up her Bible and moves the chair back in place as the small group comes to an end...

Quick hugs and well wishes are passed around as feet travel to the door...

A choked sob is muffled behind hands tired and trembling...

Heart fragments fall to the floor as faces turn and  

hands of grace gently gather the shattered pieces...

A circle of prayer, unbroken...

 

except for the fearful one...

the anxious one...

The one with the duct-taped halo, who believes she has nothing to offer...who fears she is too broken herself...who knows that the second she enters into that ring of mercy and grace...

Self-made walls will crumble as tears spill

and she will become

REAL...

So many fears...

 
So much worry     

What if...

What if they know?

What if they see...

the real me?

What if they find out...

I don’t have it all together...

Who in the world are we trying to impress?

and

Why in the world are we trying to do that?

Perfect people are pretend people

And who wants artificial...

 

 

when you need the real deal?
 

God loves me

The struggling me

The hesitant me

The mistake-making me

The REAL ME...

 

Jesus loves me

enough to stretch out His hands on the cross 

and then

to stretch out His hands daily

to carry my heavy burdens...

ALL of them...

Even the unnecessary burdens of

pride and pretense...

So I can be free

to be

the real me...

Grace covered

Mercy washed

Peace filled

Glory bound

Are you tired of pretending?

Are you ready to get real?

Jesus is the real deal

He is offering you His rest

Take it

and find

perfect peace...

If you are tired from carrying heavy burdens,

come to me and I will give you rest.

Take the yoke I give you.

Put it on your shoulders and learn from me.

I am gentle and humble,

and you will find rest.

This yoke is easy to bear,

and this burden is light.

Matthew 11:28-30 CEV

The Last Request

He sauntered through our offices...down in the basement bureau... the dungeon...

The exact date is not recalled, but his usual jokes and cracks amused each of us. Wit and humor...twins of mirth born in this man’s spirit...

My small corner is laden with papers galore...surrounded by filing cabinets...even the floor space is blocked off by the Maltese mascot’s lounging pillow...

He peeps around the door...

“Karen...how ya doin?”

We exchange a few pleasantries and then he turns to leave.

“By the way, you know how you write about folks on your blog and make them sound so good? Well, do you think that you could write something about me?”

I assured him I could and would...

“My birthday is coming up and I’d appreciate it if you would write something good about me”...

I promised I would, as he left the office...

For the final time...

Six weeks short of his 50th birthday,

my brother-in-law stepped over into eternity...

and found the freedom he had foreseen...

and desired...

Words then seemed...empty...and inadequate...

But God...

supplied...

Words and memories to comfort and bring hope...

The Word was there...

And Greg’s final request?

It was already written...

in the Book of Life.

In memory of Charles Gregory Thompson...

November 21, 1960 – October 8, 2010

click here or here

WFW – You’ve Stayed Long Enough

@ The Internet Cafe

Back at Horeb,

God, our God,

spoke to us:

"You've stayed long enough at this mountain.

On your way now.

Get moving.

Head for the Amorite hills, wherever people are living in the Arabah, the mountains, the foothills, the Negev, the seashore—the Canaanite country and the Lebanon all the way to the big river, the Euphrates.

Look, I've given you this land.

Now go in and take it.

It's the land God promised to give your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and their children after them."

Deuteronomy 1:6 MSG

Sweet P’s – The Storyteller’s Praise

with Tiffany @ Tea with Tiffany

Can we talk tonight , Lord?

Oh, no...I haven't forgotten...

You are always here...always listening...

It’s just...

I need to hear that story again...

You know the one I like...

The story You tell me late at night...when I crawl up in your lap...and You hold me in Your arms...and gently move the burdens that are piled on my shoulders.

What, Lord?

Oh, yes...I can’t wait to met them! Paul...Silas...I want to ask them what they sang that night...but,

You are the One I long to see most of all...face to face...

not just heart to heart.

Please tell me again how You loosened their chains...so they could share freedom with that prison guard...

Praise Your name....You are my deliverer...

Oh, El-Shaddai...

Lord...You never had me bear the weight of physical chains...but those other chains...

Fear...doubt...pride...regrets...

Without those fetters...freedom would not be so cherished.

One touch of Your hand...and...link by link...my self forged shackles...

Fall at Your feet...

I praise You for who You are...

My Lord and my Saviour

My Hope

My Peace

My soon coming King

and

The Best Storyteller....

WFW – Rescue Me

@ The Internet Cafe

Is anyone crying for help?

God is listening,

ready to rescue you.

Psalm 34:17 The Message

picture by Joseph Lorren

Word Filled Wednesday – Freedom!

@ The Cafe

And you will know the Truth,

and the Truth will set you free.

John 8:32 AMP

Picture by Joseph Lorren

Overcome - TSMSS

Is there any victory cry greater than “We shall overcome”?

This seems to be my theme this week...VICTORY

We can overcome anything...

because He already overcame everything...

Hold on children...

Don’t give up...

Just a little while longer...

Seated above, enthroned in the Father's love
Destined to die, poured out for all mankind
God's only son perfect and spotless one
He never sinned, but suffered as if he did

All authority, every victo-ry is Yours
All authority, every victory is Yours

Savior, worthy of honor and glory, worthy of all our praise, You overcame
Jesus, awesome in power forever, awesome and great is Your name, You overcame

Power in hand speaking the Father's plan
You're sending us out, light in this broken land

We will overcome by the blood of the Lamb
And the word of our testimony, everyone overcome

I am sharing the picture I used for Word Filled Wednesday as it goes right along with this song...

And they overcame him by the

blood of the Lamb,

and by the word of their testimony...

Revelation 12:11 KJV