Thursday, April 19, 2012

Be Still And Know That I AM GOD

Three times this week this phrase has come up on my radar.  It makes me notice it and realize that perhaps the Lord is trying to tell me something.  In class we learn that if a speaker/writer says/writes something three times it is important to remember.  Likewise if you want your listeners/readers to remember something you need to repeat it at least three times so that they get it.

First our conference pastor's wife referred to that phrase as an encouragement to me in my busy life as we celebrated five years of ministry in this church.  I read it during my quiet time as I try to catch up on my Bible reading plan and there it is, just be still and know.  Then today I read it again in Ann's post at Holy Experience.  I must take notice or I will miss the message that is just for me this week.

So three times this has come and it is the thing I struggle with more than anything...being still.  I am not a sit still kind of person.  I am very task oriented, wanting to get things done, cross things off the list, accomplish much.  I feel lazy and unproductive if I don't.

And yet I waste time on the internet, being still but not knowing Him, rather knowing other things that are not nearly so important as knowing that ONE.

This quote from Ann's blog and book have tripped me up more than once.  This is a thought that pierced my soul.  I don't want to be an amateur...

           "I think of this often, words of another woman seeking: “On every level of life, from housework to heights of prayer, in all judgment and efforts to get things done, hurry and impatience are sure marks of the amateur.”"


you can read the whole post here.


I used to have this painted on my kitchen cupboard...I may need to put it somewhere again, to remind me of what is important.  To remind that I need that kind of intimacy more than I need to mark something off my to-do list.


Be still and know that I am God.
Be still and know that I AM.
Be still and know that I...
Be still and know that.
Be still and know
Be still and,
Be still.
Be.

Linking UP with UBP12

Today's post is for the 5minutes for mom blog party!!  I'm supposed to tell you a little about me...
this is me!


1.  I'm married to the most wonderful man in the world, don't know how he puts up with me!
2.  I love Jesus with all my heart and hopefully that comes out in what I say, do and write here at fresh flowers.
3.  I'm the mom to 6 amazing kids, one of whom has R.A.D.  which makes our life more than a little interesting
4.  We are youth pastors to a group of amazing kids who we are trying to point to Jesus.
5.  We are grain farmers living in Canada in the grain belt!
6.  I am one of those annoying artsy people who sing, play, dance, and create whenever I possibly can squeeze it in.  My personal faves are anything to do with fabric and paper - fabric still wins!!
7.  I love to write and wish I could be disciplined enough to do more of it.
8.  I'm tall, blonde and slightly overweight.
9.  My house is never completely clean...NEVER!!
10.  I'm almost always doing laundry.
11.  I love dogs, it used to be cats but I converted.
12.  I am blessed with lots of family and friends near and far and some whom I've never met other than through this screen.
13.  I've been able to travel quite a bit - which I love to do.

Ultimate Blog Party 2012

Saturday, April 14, 2012

Confessions of an Undisciplined Ninny

That would be me...the undisciplined ninny.  I have a terrible time with routines, schedules, budgets and programs of any kind that involve, well, just doing them day after day.  I don't particularly like that aspect of my character.  Part of it comes from being rather right-brained (AKA - creative, artsy type) and part of it comes from sheer laziness!

I love making lists and checking them off.  I love buying organizational tools and such lovely things as boxes and bins and things.  However, I get somewhat squeamish when I actually have to commit to using them in a particular way.

I really do want to be organized and clutter-free...and I'd like to make the 1001 ideas that are floating in my head at any given time!  I know, I know all you left-brained people are saying, "If you made a routine and stuck to it you'd have more time to do the things you love!"  I am well aware of the theory, I've read it all, I just have a hard time doing it more than a couple of weeks.

So I'm thinking I should commit myself to a public challenge, something here on my blog...I'm just not sure what.  Any good ideas?

Thursday, April 05, 2012

What to Say

I haven't written much lately but it isn't because I have nothing to say, it's more like there is so much to say I don't know where to begin.

I am so thankful that you read this blog.  If you've only recently found it I encourage you to go back through the archives and be inspired by some of the things that the Lord has taught me along the way.  If you've been around awhile you know that the flowers haven't been blooming so much lately.  I'm learning things, they just aren't very pleasant lessons.  I read this quote in a bathroom stall recently..

"Life is the cruelest of teachers, first it gives you the test 
and then teaches you the lesson."

This seems so true unless you realize that God is in the picture and He's teaching and coaching right through the test and keeps giving us re-writes until our slow minds can comprehend what it is He's trying to do.  And every lesson is the same:
I am enough.
Lean on me.
Don't try so hard.
I am the answer to your question.

And still I need to be taught and so I sit in these hard, dry days and wonder if I'll ever learn.  Wondering if I'll ever figure out that I don't need to do it right in order to be right loved.

So I do what I know I shouldn't, I back away trying to protect myself rather than move forward into embrace.  I fight against what's happening rather than allowing the waves to carry me up and into shore.

So rather than write and get out all that is in my soul I sit silent and hope that someone hears.

And He does.

And He comes with a word wrapped in a song and reminds me that He delights in me and it's okay if I can't do it all and He certainly isn't expecting me to.