Monday, February 16, 2009

The Luxurious Life

Time.Pure, free-flowing moments strung together in peaceful fragments, quilted together producing a day enveloped in bliss. Such has been my dance of late. Snowy days, windy nights, power-parched afternoons . . . all add up to holiday if I choose to celebrate the joy springing forth all around me.

And I do . . .

A walk in the gardens after a wintry flurry
Fascinates the senses with fleeting beauty.


The artists run and play,

leaving a trail of art that imitates life.

The good life.

Artistry follows inside as remnants and outgrown socks
Become creatures most dear

spawned in gentle moments of joyful creation.


I live richly with spates of power-free living (yes, we have a generator, but how I love the silence of a powerless break), candlelit dinners, and the playing of games around the trusty woodstove all wedged in between long lingering pauses with book in hand. These elements become my good . . . become my life.

My days have unrolled with a greater number of crannies for the sitting and thinking therein. A simple choice to live for a bit without recording device or literary convention, has blessed me with fresh perspective, quiet refreshment, and the unfurling of tender fronds of joy in the simple that peeks from the lowly places in my day.

I turned my back on blogging for a bit to evaluate, assess, and wonder. Can I find the time to do this without shaving from somewhere more valuable? Has this hobby become unwieldy for a woman dedicated to God-husband-family-hearth? Do needs pass unmet as I wander the day with camera in hand and prose flowing from heart to pen? In these past quiet days I have accounted and found that my family has received enough and then some, my home sparkles more than required. So where did I find lack? ‘Twas so simple . . . ‘twas in my thirsting for sweet time to be just me without audience or record.

The precious growth of my person and soul depends on quietness with my Lord. Not merely the devotional moments that I start each day upon, nor even the late afternoon tea-time given over to gentle thoughts and reading of something filled with delight. Rather, I must walk quietly through the ocean of my own thoughts in the presence of my Lord. I bring everything to His throne. I run with nothing but what His hands hath provided. At least I strive to do so. When I live in unceasing prayer and abiding love the joy of living catches me up on wings and I laugh, live, love as I have always dreamed of doing. But . . .

when I leave off the quiet, naming it selfish solitude, and harness myself as a vessel to carry mere requests to my Father I become weary: faltering, falling, failing. Of late I mistook the privilege of sharing in others’ hopes and dreams and pain and sorrow and disappointment as a work order. The “news” frothed over with fearful details and frightful outcomes. I spent hours reading, recording, and praying (nothing to be ashamed of), BUT then I began to worry and fret and gnash my teeth a bit. Recently I read this and found my reflection. I cringed.

How can you hope to make the imperfect things perfect, unless you keep before your eyes the vision of God, who is perfection? The prayer that is against only evil destroys itself. If you look at nothing but sorrow and sin, your heart may be at first full of love and pity, but presently anger – righteous perhaps, but still anger – will enter and begin to crowd out love; and then despair will come and deaden pity, and at last will even smother righteous anger. And then there will be silence for the heart that is filled with despair cannot pray.

It is not enough to know that the world is full of evil, we must know that God is good.

Christ is a part of all the poverty and misery because He was born into it and didn’t try to get away from it. If you put Him in the background, with the sin and sorrow all in front, how He shines and makes courage and hope! Yes! And if you put Him in the front with the darkness all around Him, how He shines again! Either way, He is the light in the picture.

~~ Florence Converse~~
The House of Prayer

How clearly I saw that my slogging to the Lord in prayer had nipped all buds of joy and overlooked any beauteous sprig that fell along the sodden pathway. My tears and sweat produced muck . . . and dancing became impossible.

And so I rested and dipped deep into the pools of refreshment I find lying around in abundance here at Wisteria Cottage.

No longer bearing burdens I was never meant to carry, I danced and pranced through snowy walks and toasty talks. It felt so good to rest in this safe and wonderful place we call home. My thoughts return again and again to family, friends, strangers in this world, but thoughts buoyed by hope and not despair which in turn engender faith hope and love . . . the greatest being love.

In a mere week’s respite I found my footing again. My dancing shoes stopped pinching. Showers of peace rained laughter and joy. The true luxuries of life returned. I daresay I will blog/read/comment less frequently, but with a richness that will fill this place with a fragrance pleasing to Him.

I choose to live in luxury . . . His luxury . . . every day. Won’t you join me?

Iced tea anyone?

; D



13 comments:

kylie said...

good to see you back!

sometimes it only takes a little break to change perspective but how we struggle to realise it

have a wonderful day

and btw, the pictures of the snow are gorgeous. and so utterly foreign to me :)

bless ya

Laura ~Peach~ said...

OH MY i LOVE LOVE LOVE the snow kitty!

Karey Swan said...

Debbie, you've found me and written. During my TX sojourn I read a lot of your blog enjoying the music - I've found peace and encouragement. Thank you.

Karen Deborah said...

There is a lot of deep thought here, I have to digest this for awhile. In the meantime, tell my darling Rachel that Nannie would very much love a sock dollie. They are just too cute.

Bab's Kitchen said...

I dont like to be in snow but I love to see the beauty of it in pictures! Love the message about christ being and living in poverty. You are correct! the simple people are the happiest!

Becky said...

Wow, Debbie, some deep thoughts to ponder. You always take my blog reading to a whole new level.

You got quite a bit of snow this time. Love the snowman and the cat is so whimsical... he even has a visitor. Who put that poor kitty out in the snow... was he summoned by the Lord of the cats, lol.

The sock creatures are wonderful. I love the button nose and the little arms.

I'm glad your dancing shoes are no longer pinching and you have found the sense to twirl again.

farmlady said...

We can honor the sadness in this world but we don't have to dwell in it.
We need to dance too.

Anonymous said...

Loved your post and the thought you put into it. I especially love how you ended it as just today I made up my first pitcher of ice tea. I was simply craving my tea!

Debbie in CA : ) said...

Becky,

You of all people should know that our kitties are a bit on the "unusual" side. ; D They act just like dogs: Come when called (galloping, even), must be where the people are, eat everything in sight (like innards from a pumpkin and my newly emerging calla lily leaves), and dig holes in my gardens.

So . . . nobody put out that kitty, he simply does what comes naturally (for a dog). "KIDS! Must go play, Play, PLAY!" : D

Sit-N-Chat said...

Debbie, I am very familiar with the weariness that can come with "activity". Even if the activity is beneficial. If it is isn't of faith, it is sin. I am afraid I spend so much time on good activities that aren't filled with the Lord and sometimes that includes blogging. And I also see the affect of the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life on myself, on people I love, on the society - and can become saddened by reality. But, the reality is that we serve the One who has already won and knows it. He IS working all things together for our good. He is FOR us. And He is touched by our infirmities.
I appreciate your sharing.

Love,
Jennifer

imbeingheldhostage said...

Again, nothing but a peaceful atmosphere over here in your world :-)
GORGEOUS garden-- I'd be off my computer too. I love the way snow changes how everything looks.

"Create Beauty" said...

Balance seems to be the key. Thanks for sharing your heart and beautiful thoughts!

Grandma Tillie's Bakery said...

Ahhh....my beautiful poetry fix for the day. Thank you.

Blogging in balance is wonderful; what a plethora of personalities you can reach that are otherwise too far removed to benefit from reading God's love.

I think you have a beautiful ministry with this blog and I do hope you will continue writing it for a long time.

Kris