Waiting for the Ripe Time

 

 

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Too Good to wait?

I’d be lying if I said that I love to wait… But sometimes it’s necessary if you want what’s good. Have you ever tasted something prematurely, like a fruit that wasn’t quite ripe enough yet? Some fruit, we are very familiar with. Sometimes we are so familiar, we have an expectation for it to be good before it really is. It is appealing to the eye because we already know it is pleasing to the palate, and it’s there to be eaten right? To us, what is good is usually the thing we already know we like. However, what we like is not always good for us and likewise, what is good for us, is not always what we like.

Timing can make a world of difference.  God knows that often something that we assume could or should be good, we quickly discover is not so good because our timing is off. In the first verse of chapter three in the book of Ecclesiastes, Solomon, in all his wisdom said….

To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven”

The Uncommonly Good Fruit

long-suf·fer·ing
ˈlôNG ˈˌsəf(ə)riNG/
adjective
  1. having or showing patience in spite of troubles, especially those caused by other people.

In our society today… patience is almost considered a bad word and waiting is not our favorite option on life’s menu. As we become more and more acclimated to the ability to “click here” for instant gratification, our appetite for only what is available in the here and now is increasing by the minute. Basically, the opportunity to learn and teach how to be patient, along with the ability to recognize the benefit of suffering through waiting, is slim to none.

Patience, a.k.a. longsuffering, is not one of my all-time favorite attributes but it is one that I am grateful for. To reiterate what I have heard many say in regards to relationships; patience is key because nothing worth having comes quickly or easily. In other words, all things good should be good enough to wait for. The one who knows this best and also shows it best, is none other than God. He reminds us with our first hand account of how patient he is and always has been with us everyday.

2 Peter 3:9

The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.

How long? God only knows….

The question has rolled off my tongue on more than one occasion… “How long must I wait?”

What I often get in response from those much older and wiser than me is “God only knows….” He knows what I must endure and go through.  He knows how much time it will take for x, y and z to be accomplished and in the right order. He knows even how long it will be before I “get it”, meaning it has even taken quite some time for me to get to the point of coming to Him to ask the very question that only He has the answer to.

The point I am trying to make is He knows. So if you’re wondering what the next thought on love is… I will not make you suffer and longer….

Thought #4 of 101:

Love, true love and all the good fruit to come with it takes its time.

So while you wait, remember…. if you’re wondering how long you must continue to suffer… you should patiently seek the answer from the only one who knows when the ripe time will be.

 

A Super Love Secret

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Ok Batman…. are you ready? Do know what’s coming? Are your spidey senses tingling? Do you have the power to see beyond what you see? When it comes to my undercover search for love, I know I wish I did.

Some time ago, me and my teenage son were having, what I thought to be, a trivial DC vs. Marvel conversation when an interesting question came up. The question was: what makes a super hero “super”? In other words… what are the specific characteristics that stand out in one that goes above and beyond that makes them “SUPER”?

A hero, by definition is anyone that saved a life in the natural sense… but to be a superhero there has to be something about their ability to save a life that takes them to a higher level, to something supernatural.

Will the real “SUPER” stand up?

“Superman vs Batman” and the like, is a topic frequently discussed amongst brothers in my house and it can make anyone question the real existence of not so common sense. Realistically speaking though…we all long to catch a glimpse of a hero in action and some of us have a secret desire to be one, but we all have our own image of what one looks like and it doesn’t always line up with what we see out there on a day-to-day basis and especially not with what we see looking back at us in the mirror. Therefore any call to action leaves us searching for Clark Kent or Bruce Wayne at best… which is a waste of time, and with lives to be saved hanging in the balance…there is no time to waste!

My son clarified it for me. Per our discussion, the difference between Superman and Batman is that Superman is not of this world and Batman is. Therefore Superman is more “Super” because the characteristics that equip him to save lives are also not of this world. Batman’s life saving abilities stem from his gadgets, in other words he is a self-made “super”, which is not the same.

In my amazement, as I prepared to face my morning challenge of waking my son up for another super day of ninth grade… I got an epiphany about my daily quest to experience a love that is heavenly and relationships that go above and beyond… what I need to start my day off with, for my benefit and his, is no ordinary fruit. I need the fruit of the spirit!

Super fruit for super love!

 

Wondering what super fruit or fruit of the spirit will be the best for a love that is out of this world? I can guarantee it’s definitely not what you’re expecting or looking for. It’s kind of like a secret weapon.

Galatians 5: 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness and temperance…..

It’s no secret that a super hero will have qualities that are both disguised and uncommonly good. When I think of a superhero or a super love that will save my day, suffering is the last thing that I am hoping to find. However, a true love, just like a true “super” would have the ability to withstand the worst conditions and circumstances… even the conditions that put you in harm’s way or worse, in the face of eminent death.

We’ll take a closer look at this Superfruit but for now the food for this morning thought on love is.

Thought #3 of 101:

A super true love is uncommonly good

Are You Finished?

Completely in Love

Morning tea

Maybe you’re not quite finished, but according to Jesus, It is finished.

Thought #2 of 101: True love is complete

“Love covers a multitude of sins”… is what I had on my mind for the longest time.

“Are you sure?” I asked.” You must not have seen it all yet God.” As if He didn’t know who or what He was working with.  It took a while for me to absorb the truth. I just couldn’t see it or grasp it. The idea that all that I did or was in the past being completely finished seemed like it should require so much more. Especially since I still felt quite undone.

Well, if this sounds familiar to you and one of the main thoughts that will often travel across your mind is… “a love that is complete…is something I will probably never see for myself,” then I’d like to clarify something for you, just in case you’re feeling undone about finding love or you are done and lost in your search for it…

God’s love is unlike anything you have seen before and like nothing you’ll ever experience anywhere else. If you are searching for something familiar then you’ll be searching forever. It is unique because it existed without and before you, but was and is always there for you. To further explain: God wanted you and me, before we ever wanted him or anything really. He gave his life so we could be set free, while we continued to reject him. There is nothing more final than His death or more astounding than His resurrection.

God did both so that we could move on and continue on. He died to rid us of what He never wanted us to have, our sin and He rose from the dead, so that we could receive everything He always had for us. Through these two acts, I have been presented with gift of love that withstands all of the hurt and rejection and a hope for love that goes beyond the grave.

His love is so complete that he thought enough of you and me to know we would question just how much he completely wants us… even after He paid the ultimate price.

Have you gained the understanding yet that His love goes above and beyond any and everything. So… even in times when I have doubt in His love because I am uncertain of myself, my ability, my strength, my wisdom, my future….. My hope and faith rests in His word. It says, I can look forward to the end of every day and every tomorrow….

“being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” 

Philippians 1:6 (NIV)

The point I am getting to at the end of this night is …. He leaves nothing He loves undone. He finishes everything He starts. He has enough love for His work and creation to keep working until all the “heart” work is done.

So… I am complete in love, with Him.

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Thoughtful Love – 101

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Questionable thoughts on love anyone?

I have 101… on my single one-track mind… go figure. To that you may jokingly say “Well, I guess it’s true that those who can’t do teach.” To which I have to snidely reply…

“Can you define ‘doing’ love for me please?”

Of the all the  questionable thoughts I have about love, this is the most prominent one. So, if you know, fess up! Many may stake claim on knowing all the ins and outs of making love but yet… all around the world, the multitudes are clueless about how it’s really supposed to be done. All joking aside though, my last few posts on this subject revealed that undercover is where I will go to uncover the truth on love.

At the heart of the issue, what we do in anything is linked directly to what we think on. That which we actively love is connected to what we mentally invest in. Which leads me to the real motivation behind my many questions about love. YOU!

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There is a time and reason for every season and you are it. What I mean to say is; of all that I love and savor on my whole plate… what consumes me the most, is that which I long to serve…  to you.

You may humbly ask…”Why do you think so much of me?” Well you do have a lot going for you! However, it’s actually His greatness that fuels my love for you, not yours.

God said… “above all have love for one another” but more than just saying it, He shows by example how love is done.

He is the mastermind behind this undercover search and He wants us to discover exactly what’s covered! The obvious, is the second half of the aforementioned verse, but we are searching for the not so obvious.

For God so loved the world… He did what I could have never done. He thought so much of you and I, that He gave the life of His son. When it hit me that Jesus really died to fulfill His father’s will, for the love of my soul, the three words “It is finished” were all I could think of. What was finished were my thoughts of me, myself and I alone.

Thought #1 out of 101:

Love is actively being thoughtful of others.

In thought of you, I reflected on what was originally written and humbly bowed down. I needed to make a change. This post has been edited. In my sinful nature, I selfishly want to uncover the truth about love for me, but His love is for you too. With that in mind, I am longing to hear what you want to discover in this undercover search for love.

I hope you’ll find the next thought on love I share to cover more than a multitude of sins.

 

Love Under Cover

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I’m sorry, I know there’s been a lull in the conversation but I haven’t been lying down on the job. I just had to put a few things to rest. After some reflection of my past confessions over morning fruit; alongside tabletop topics about all that’s on my plate while in sup with the king; with present company, I think it only natural to progress to pillow talk over tea.

“You made your bed, now lie in it.”

I have said it before. It’s a phrase I kind of used to live by (if you could call it living). The phrase emphasizes that you and I are stuck with having to deal with our own poor choices. When speaking to myself, crying over spilled milk as I ate my humble pie… I would say “You’ve been served exactly what you’ve been cooking” meaning whatever I got was a result of exactly what I put into it. Which, unfortunately for me, didn’t turn out to be very much or very good, on more than one occasion. This left me somewhat bitter, mostly at myself. The end result was a sour outlook on past, present and future love for myself. As for the love I had for others… let’s just say it was nothing more than uhhh…tense. (Pun intended)

As I think about tomorrow… gratefully looking forward to a restful night of sleep,  I can’t help but recall how I used to spend night after night rest-less because the only thing I could think of was everything I didn’t have. I was stressed to the max over lack. What I was missing was the covering of God, but instead of seeking cover… like the song by Johnny Lee says, I was  “Looking for Love in all the Wrong Places”  thinking I could find what I needed elsewhere. It’s expected and some might say it’s even wise for us to search for what’s missing. I mean how else would we expect to get it. But where love is concerned, focusing on what you don’t have can prevent you from receiving what’s already there.

God reminded me that being in relationship with Him means I can be rest assured about one thing when my head hits the pillow: as long as I am with Him… I can count on being covered. This differs from what I have been accustomed to. What I am talking about is more than what is happening between my sheets… of paper… because what is already written about the subject opens up a new chapter.

The Covering Concept

1 Peter 4:8 Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins.

His love covers everything? In my immature understanding, my first thought is of all the unsightly areas that I would be relieved to have covered and kept from the rest of the world. However, God sees it all, whether or not we are trying to be revealing and what’s there is not as much good as bad and ugly, which made me think (and perhaps you too), how can He still love us. It is His covering that makes the muck and mire, already seen, still worth dying for.

So I’m going under cover in this search for love for myself, in hopes to get a closer look at what’s been there all along.  If you don’t get where I am coming from you may need to go back to where I’ve been and where you got your first glance of me or revisit the fruit of my first love, where I got nothing but nuts. Being completely covered is a new concept of love for me… so under cover is where my investigation must start.

Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins.

 

 

A More “Uh-peeling” ME

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The Unveiling Nature of Love

It’s no secret, without regret… I’ve decided since we’ve met, it’s time to peel back some skin.

He purges the urges… to search any further without going deeper within.

Skimming the surface, He sees that I’m nervous… but let the exfoliation begin!

The thoughts have been daunting because I know what I’m wanting requires much more digging in.

It’s both truth and dare that I start this, I was alone in the darkness… no time for games, now it’s just me and Him.

His light pierces through the layers of all the nay-sayers, for what no longer exists… is separation

Love reveals and changes everything…

 

Heavenly Love

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Stargazing

Note to self…. I am on a journey into the deep, distant galaxy of my heart’s desires. It may be lightyears from now before I see everything I want to come to fruition. My aim… to fulfill more than my belly while I am here on this earth. My thought is, with everything I have been served I know there is more to my life to come, as a whole. While I wait, I am learning to find myself still and at rest with the one I have for searched for forever.

With my sole-mate…

At the soul of the matter, I’m told if I abide I will dwell in His house… where goodness and mercy flows… all the days of my life Psalm 23:6. So I am following His lead, navigating through a sea of stars, wading a bit outside of my comfort zone, as He has taken my hand and made His promise to never let go.

So… as I sit and watch for what’s coming next,  another day and one more taste of what life and love has in store; I am starstruck with every spoken word He speaks and I am sustained to remain at the table He has prepared.  With present company in attendance I want to be getting the message across. I hope to share more than what you see at first glance. Go ahead and grab a bite, the bread of life is broken and placed at the center for us to partake of it.

Once again… it’s time to sup with the king! Being fed is what makes my heart sing!!!

Abridged or Unabridged?

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How we get where we’re going…

Which version would you like? The truth or the lie? How many factors are required to make the decision? Does it depend on the book, the subject interest or lack there of… the author?

What if it was the book of love?

Or Life…???

In a fiction world, I’m an unabridged type of girl. I want to soak in all the sordid details. But when reality sets in… I admit that there are days, seasons, spans of time and definitely subjects where I just want to cut to the chase and skip to the final chapter already. However, the true story about finding love in life that lasts is… there are no short cuts.

Bridging the Gap… crossing state lines!

As I sit and get consumed in my mid-day lunch hour, I begin to digest the issue on my plate. Staying engaged in my love story is always hardest when I feel like I am on a bridge over troubled water to nowhere. Going from point A to B is not hard, (map please)… it’s connecting each D-O-T and making sense of where I am, in relation to where God says I will be in the end, that I struggle with. The inner child of God in me is whining from the back seat, in agony with stomping feet… crying out “Are we there yet?!” Then suddenly…

 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 

1 Corinthians 13:4

Turning the page, I’m on the other side “you’re not in the same place you used to be…” says He. I suddenly see… there was more than just water under that bridge. I used to get myself in deep trouble being in such a hurry. Let’s just say… lesson learned… gates exist for a reason. Me being eager to get somewhere… avoiding the gate and crossing the bridge at the unappointed time caused me to wind up on board whatever vessel happened to be passing through. Can you say detour to the deep end of the emotional ocean? Now… patience is a virtue that this “virtuous woman” hopeful is definitely working on.

Skipping to the final chapter…

Perhaps the problem has always been that I’m still a prepper at heart. Sometimes I can think so far ahead that I completely miss the fact that in traveling the distance over the bridge, I cross over into a different state.

Don’t burn that bridge!

Occasionally, I have to look back at the road I’ve traveled to remind myself how far I have come. That’s why the bridge is there. It’s not there for you to go back… it’s meant to give evidence that you’re in a new place and there is something that separates where you are now from where you once were.

In the end… we all want to know what’s coming but focusing only on the destination means you can miss out on all the details. Sometimes, the very chapter we are stuck in, is where the plot thickens and the truth and beauty of all there is to love is revealed.

My revelation… in the story of my life, I know… the truth about love is not written by me. 

If I stop and plan to jump in the middle of the bridge, the chance of surviving the fall are slim to none. I must wait and trust the author, for He has the final word.

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This is just a taste of the love that makes up… His-story.

 

 

 

 

 

 

While I Wait…

Ready, Set, Rise

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When the sun is set… and the day melts away… COME WHAT MAY!

With the setting sun comes a single thought… of anything left that has not been bought. My mind draws a blank, for there’s nothing there, no worry, fear or unaddressed care. It’s all been purchased and carried away… to be handled by another, so come what may.

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With the rising sun…  the day has just begun… SEE THE LIGHT!

As I look forward to the morning’s new cup of tea, I also look forward to the company. Time to rise to the challenge of a brand new day, what’s in store is more than I can say.  He knows and sees all, from the very first light… to the darkest hours that fill the night

His cup, it overflows with all the need but He listens and answers as if He’s just with me. There is comfort in trusting He knows all that I need and every thing that He started…

He will surely complete

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On the edge of the shore… ask once more… DO YOU LOVE ME? He says… I DO! 

 HIS LOVE is enough to WAIT

As I think and ponder on every written word and deliberate on all the things I’ve heard, what He has whispered I can not forget, He’s been telling me since the day we met. Before you knew me… I have always known you and I’m here to stay… forever with you!

“Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.” PSALM 27: 14

On Second Thought…Dessert!

Habitat for Happiness

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You have arrived! Just in time for dessert!

Time to shed a little light about what’s really on the menu.

Someone near and dear to my heart once helped me to learn the way you can tell the difference between desert and dessert. I will spell it out for you. The key is to remember that the desert, with a lonesome “s”, is meant for only one, but dessert is a treat with two, so it’s even sweeter to enjoy when shared. One thing’s for certain that’s changed in this season is…. I am never alone… and God has made certain to remind me of it.

So… this one takes the cake.  “A sweet friendship refreshes the soul.” Proverbs 27:9

Do you wanna hear WHO I got with me or do you wanna HEAR who I got with me? 

Since you’re asking; I think I hear knocking. If you’re open to listening. Jesus says “Ask and you shall receive; Seek and ye shall find,; Knock and it shall be opened unto you” Matthew 7:7

Ingredients for a sweet life, when everything is sour…

“When life hands you lemons….make lemonade”  I am sure you have heard the term used a time or two. This used to be hard for me to appreciate because everyone knows the best lemonade is made with more than just lemons. “I got the lemons alright… now where do I get the other necessary ingredients? Can you tell me God?” is what I used to retort. Asking such a question, is not taken lightly, especially if you’re asking the one that can answer.

God makes us able and he meets the need. He puts these missing ingredients in others with a planted seed. One of the greatest gifts of all is a resourceful friend that puts what’s in hand to good use. When times change, relationships often do too.  What was once sweet, in a moment of time, can turn sour. As you go through the ups and downs in life, everything and every season is for a purposed reason. Those experiences are added to your proverbial toolbox so you can use them for someone else in need.

Fresh lemonade and a nice slice of life…

Pulling up a seat, putting up my feet and enjoying the after party. Time to celebrate all that God has done and savoring this pizza-full moment. I’m not trying to be cheesy (lol) I just am. I have recognized that there are always those that are willing to be there when life is sweet, but when life hands you lemons… what you need is someone who has tasted the sour side of life because they have experience to help you succeed and not just sit and become bitter. I couldn’t have asked for more than what God had in store for me. In my not so favorable moments, God sent someone with a habit to walk on the lighter side of the path. She is a true character, with a sweet and sour sense of humor that helps brighten up my perspective on life both in and for the moment.

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MARLO….

Where I come from… no matter where I’m at, pure happiness is when someone joins me at the table! Thank you for joining me my sweet friends!