Like a Glass, Here is My Heart

My thanks to Danna (and Shane) for the title of the Dennis Jernigan song. The lyrics are just too good not to share...Thank you Dennis for listening to God!

Though I see right now through a glass rather dimly,
I can see enough to know I need You desperately.
Shine the light of Your true Living Word deep within me;
I know I need Your grace - I just want to see Your face.

And like a glass, here is my heart, and I see You rather dimly;

But You see clear within me cleansing every trace

of the dust I've let build up that's kept me from what I love dearly:

to see Your face more clearly.

I just need Your love and grace 'til I see You face to face.

There are times when I think I can see Your face more clearly,
Like the lifting of a mist as the sun reveals the day.
In this life I want to know You so well that when death's near me
I will notice no big change when I finally see Your face.

And like a glass, here is my heart, and I see You rather dimly;
But You see clear within me cleansing every trace
of the dust I've let build up that's kept me from what I love dearly:
to see Your face more clearly.
I just need Your love and grace 'til I see You face to face.

Home

We have a new house! Actually we moved in 7 weeks ago but it will be quite awhile before my grandkids stop calling it "Mema's New House". They are still working through the trauma of having other people living in our old house. And our "compartment", as our apartment came to be called, was never really Mema's house...I even told them I was camping there. (One told me it wasn't really camping because I didn't have a tent!)

But back to my new house. We have actually downsized about 700 square feet so I am having problems fitting all my stuff into the available space here. But in the process of weeding out 'stuff' I am finding the simplification process very refreshing. The apartment caused me to realize that I could live with much less and be quite content. I could clean the whole apartment in 30 minutes! My previous house would take a full day of hard work and I would be totally exhausted doing it. The new house...just perfect! I can clean it all in about 3 hours (including killing all the spiders, Thers) and really enjoy the rest of the day! And what a blessing to have people come in and feel comfortable, included and loved. That is what the openness of the house has created. I just can't wait for another get-together! We have averaged almost 2 per week so far...between church small groups and family dinners...and I love it! (Feeling left out? so sorry, just leave me a note and you will be next in line for tacos!)

Dennis Jernigan has a song that I cannot remember the title of...help me Shane...but it has a line in it that the sentiment is: I want to live so close to Jesus that when I die I won't notice much of a change. With all this new house stuff going on I suddenly realize that I really AM living in a tent, a "compartment", and that one day this body I have will take on a new look...it will become brand new and look like Jesus...I just wish that I could somehow live so close to Jesus that when I DO get my new mansion to live in, that I will already be familiar with the rooms, furnishings, look, feel, openness and love that is in that house that I will move in with joy and knowing that I am truly home. So I think I will start focusing more on furnishing my home on high...by doing good here on earth I could be building on my mansion: just imagine an accent wall made with rubies highlighting diamonds and opals...how cool would that be? And a banquet of tacos in my totally awesome dining room with built in remote to access anything I forgot in the fridge? And, of course, surround sound stereo system with constant access to nothing but praise and worship to our God! And the list of guests? Limitless! Priceless! and All Royalty! So just remember...you are invited to my house for a dinner of tacos...now and whenever we all get to go home.

Streetfighters and Warts

I took a chance last night...I said "something" to "someone" that was risky. It was preceeded by loads of prayer and much shaking of the knees, but I really needed to keep lines of communication open even if it meant hurt feelings. You've got to understand...I hurt, deeply, when I have said or done anything to hurt someone else. Doesn't matter if I didn't mean to hurt them...I still agonize over it. And to actually confront an issue, well, lets just say I get physically sick sometimes. It turned out very blessed (thank you, Lord) and communication lines are flowing again with love to boot! Then I read Terry's blog about Charles Swindoll and the quote he gave really opened my eyes to why I feel the way I do...and how important words really are:

So how do you deal with the tension of "shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves?" Let me give you a picture: you are standing with others, and all of you have sharp instruments in your hands. The first question is: "Are these scalpels or switchblades?" Both inflict injury to others, just in different ways and for different purposes. Be honest with yourself and others and commit to dealing with legalism and legalists as caring and compassionate surgeons rather than hostile street fighters. The temptation to do street fighting is very strong, and is the preferred method of the legalist. As a surgeon, you will be called upon to patch up those hurt by the street fighters.As a team of surgeons, ask yourselves a second question: "What are we here to remove--a cancerous tumor or a wart?" Pick your battles: forget the warts since they do not kill.

How many times I have done major surgery on warts! Thank you, God, for opening the eyes of the wise to express your love in such a way that we who are dim of sight can see clearly.

Playing Tag in Blogworld

I was tagged by Danna! Now I really feel a part of blogworld. Thanks, Danna, I love you!

Here are the rules copied exactly from her blog:
1. I have to post these rules before I give you the facts.2. Each player starts with eight random facts/habits about themselves.3. People who are tagged need to write their own blog about their eight things and post these rules.4. At the end of your blog, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names.5. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.

1. Done.
2. Random fact #1...I love lists. Random fact #2...I am now the mother/grandmother of 15 kids. Random fact #3...My hair color is Mocha Splash chosen because of the name. Random fact #4...I used to be on a synchronized swim team. Random fact #5...I have 5 books I am currently reading and they are all awesome. Random fact #6...My cat, Luke, is helping me type this. Random fact #7...I have watched Star Trek Insurrection 3 times and never remembered that I had seen it before. Random fact #8...I have a terrible memory. Random fact #8...I have a terrible memory.
3. Done.
4. I will tag Derek and Michelle....all the others have already been tagged :0) so...technically done.
5. Done.