Influence

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It has been a long while since I have posted anything here. I have been busy completing three years toward my B.A. in English and my senior year is underway. My current class (Creative Writing) has finally given me the space to take off the tight harness of academic writing rules, and it feels SO GOOD!! After reading my first assignment, Mom and Daddy gave it their thumbs up and suggested I make it a blog post, so here it is. It is my story and their story. It's a little longer than my usual posts, but as with everything I have ever posted here, I pray it encourages you to run "up the sunbeam to the sun" (C. S. Lewis). "Follow my example,  as I follow the example of Christ." 1 Corinthians 11:1 NIV I sat above them on the stairs. Looking down through the window-like openings in the partition between the living room and the stairway, I listened to the basketball players, football players, baseball players, wrestlers, track athletes, both the lettermen

What To Do With a Whirlwind

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"Your thunder was heard in the whirlwind,
   your lightning lit up the world;
   the earth trembled and quaked."  
Psalm 77:18 NIV

That sounds terrifying!!  With a storm like that I think I would want to run for cover and find a place to get out of the wild winds!  Run!  Escape!  Get away!!!

The very next words are these:

"Your path led through the sea,
   your way through the mighty waters,
   though your footprints were not seen."
 Psalm 77:19 NIV


The storm the psalmist was describing in verse 18 was the storm God stirred up to open the Red Sea to deliver His people to freedom!  In spite of all that blustering going on, when the people of God saw His storm blowing up a rescue for them, they must have jumped for joy and leaped into action, flags flying, banners raised, excited to walk through on dry ground, following those unseen footprints!!  

What about the pursuing Egyptians?  What was in that storm for them?  When proud Pharaoh ordered his troops to pursue the escaping Israelites, God stopped holding the water back and the flood poured over the Egyptian army, swallowing them completely.  For them the storm was destruction.

The same storm.
Different outcomes!
Awe and joy and deliverance for the faith walkers.
Fear and woe and destruction for the pride walkers.

Could it be that the current worldwide storm we're witnessing is such a storm?  The financial and political upheaval that has the entire world on pins and needles of uncertainty, feels an awful lot like a whirling wind of tumult, replete with lightning bolts of cosmic "shock and awe," and a landscape that is buckling and lurching with fundamental change.

Who are we in this storm?

Are we like the pride walkers who try to power through, keep fighting, going for what they want, taking their marching orders from a hell-bent tyrant, and ignoring the One who controls the storm?

Or are we faith walkers, awed by the indescribably great God who leads our way through deep waters on dry ground, confidently following His every step, filled with joy at the freedom He is ever-winning for us who belong to Him?

While the winds are blowing over earth all a-bluster, let's go fly like a kite!!  Stand with me in the truth that the Holy Spirit comes like the wind and blows wherever He wishes.  I want to see what greatness He can produce in us if we let His wind unfurl us, put all our colors on display. Let's allow Him to brighten up this stormy grey world with our skydancing.


" . . . His banner over me was love [for love waved as a protecting and comforting banner over my head when I was near him]."


How are you learning to be a faith walker?
Is the storm terrifying or thrilling to you?
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I'm joining Ann Voskamp's Gratitude Community for her Multitude Monday.
I hope you will join in if you haven't already!

holy experience

Since this is my first time sharing my 1000 Gifts List, here are some of my favorites from the last few months:

16. Cool morning breezes
28. Patriots who stand for my country
40. Crossing paths on the freeway unexpectedly with Hero Husband--a chance to have coffee together!
47. The song she played, just for me, opening her heart-window so I could peek inside and see hope
50. Ancient Promises with no expiration date
52. Extra tight hugs from Hero Husband
54. Having to tell Drummer Boy three times that it's too late for the loud music that spills out of him--it just keeps spilling :)
57. Catching up with Mom & Daddy, sharing coffee a country apart
63. 50 years of the most beautiful marriage I've ever seen & for Mom & Daddy who did it with You in the middle
87. Mom's stories of "their" wild horses, jumping fences and galloping across the hills of home

And here are my new ones, #91-100:

91. Tackling a mountain and finding it was only a molehill
92. Homemade pizza that She So Sweet and I made together
93. Hero Husband's thoughtfulness in surprising me with a Peet's Gingerbread Latte-Mmm!
94. Drummer Boy's fist raised with a triumphant shout as insight came clear
95. She So Sweet, promise-keeping and playing her violin
96. Brother-sister jam sessions
97. A house filled with the music they make
98. Bloggers who inspire me
99. The swell of joyful pride I feel over Hero Husband writing two blogs at once! 
100. A place to share gratitude

To check out Hero Husband's TWO blogs, go to
 (also under Blogs I Love on the left)!

Comments

  1. I choose to be a faith walker! Beautiful! Love, Traci @ Ordinary Inspirations http://ordinaryinspirations.blogspot.com/2010/11/your-blood-kissed-sweetly-against-pages.html

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  2. Me too Traci!! So glad you stopped by!!
    Shaunie

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  3. Oh how I long to be a faith walker in these storms! Beautiful gratitude, thank you for sharing.

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  4. Thanks for stopping by my place today--great to meet you! Um...I think I'm supposed to be thinking about what God did for His people at the Red Sea, cause He keeps putting that account in front of me. Today, it came through your words.

    I too have a drummer/piano/guitar boy who sometimes plays too loudly! I think I'll wander over and read some from your hero husband. Blessings.

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  5. We'll faith-walk together, okay Anna! Thank you!

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  6. I know what you mean--God kind of is beating that story like a drum for me too, so I'll listen with you for all God wants us to hear in it!

    Hehe--the musician children are filled with joyful noise, aren't they?!!

    Thanks for wandering here to visit me and on over to Hero Husband's blogs--I appreciate it and your comments!! You have been a blessing to me!!

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  7. "Let's allow Him to brighten up this stormy grey world with our skydancing." amen

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  8. Another skydancing faith walker!! Yay!! Blessings Connie!

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  9. Wow! Your photos are fabulous! Reminds me of another truth about storms, and the wind, in particular. Like the wind, God cannot be seen. But we see evidence of His work when His Spirit blows!

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  10. Thank you sweet Jennifer!! You're so right--I'm learning to be more sensitive to Him in the wind.

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