Lent.

"A furnace of renewal." - Buddy Odom

"Repentance is not behavior modification it is being thrown on the mercy of God." - Mike Kuhn

"Be different because I am different" - Sybil speaking of Jesus' words

"Abounding in Steadfast Love." - Nehemiah 9:17

"I trade these ashes in for beauty, and wear forgiveness like a crown." - Kathryn Scott

These are just a few of the ponderings since Ash Wednesday.

And the death of the Red Lion Amarylis.

Repentance and death and lament and crying out are hard. But they are meant to be a part of living that leads me to freedom and LIFE.

The question is posed to me, "Is my heart remote and detached from the movement of God in me?" by Buddy odom in his Lenten devotional.

I don't want my heart to be dead and detached. I want it to be ALIVE and VIBRANT and COLORFUL like I remember the Red Lion Amarylis was not so long ago.

I do not know what God has planned for this Lenten season.
I do not understand His ways that include both joy and destruction - spring and tsunamis.

But I know that I need Him. I know that He is my only HOPE. I know that his words can be trusted, "The Father who put them under my care is so much greater than the Destroyer and Thief." John 10 msg.

Today, His banner over me is LOVE.

fragrant oil, my costly perfume, my jar of nard

Believe

I want to believe God and Ruthlessly Trust Him in the "bulb" moments of my life. When it looks like nothing can possibly grow out of "this" - whatever that "this" is in that moment.

Look and See

I want to keep my eyes wide open. I want unhurried time with my Creator so He can show me what He is up to. I do not want to clutch and hoard and fret. "Be open wide and watch for my plans for multiplication and growth." I notice that even in the winter the Spirit says these truths. Thank you God for helping me to SEE!

Cross shaped

I want my life to noticably be cross shaped. This may mean that I look really, really odd. I might not look the same way others look. I want to have evidence of being transformed. I notice the shape of the cross here in my friend.

the unfolding

These are not crystal clear. I am reminding myself that is ok.
I LOVE THE LIGHT filtering through the RED - PAINT ME RED, JESUS. Filter all my life through the story of your unfailing sacrifice! I need you!

I love the veins that you can see where LIFE is at work in this CREATION.

RED LION YOU ARE LOVELY.

Blooming in a Different Season

The week after Christmas as I was looking briefly in the "Christmas is over Clearance" section of Super Target, I found the Red Lion Amarylis. It was just a bulb in a nice pot - looking dead. It had originally been $19.99 - but was now only $2.34. I am not sure all the dynamics that made me so JOY FULL about redeeming this flower. But I bought the bulb and brought it home.

Over the last 1 1/2 years I have been learning as a Botanist. God has used this in many ways in my life. This is good. I desperately need to learn more about what He is "silently shouting" through Creation.

Watching my "Red Lion" through the 12 days of Christmas, Epiphany and now Ordinary time has been really strong for me. When I brought it in and placed it in the soil of the pot and looked for a spot of winter sunlight - I felt hopeful about watching. The Kelly men have been kind to make observations and "wow" over the growth of this friend of mine. God even gave me the connection between Paul's words to the church of Galatia in chapter 6 of Galatians to remind me about seasons and reaping and sowing and waiting and growing. I have pondered much about blooming in a different season.

I did not capture images all along the way but I do have some to share. I notice how glad I am about being able to see things in this flower. I notice God whispering many things to my heart. I also notice the warfare and lies that the enemy tells me. "You are wasting time." and "You take duddy photos." and "This doesn't matter." I am fighting for TRUTH and BEAUTY as I even type out these words today.

I know that this Red Lion Amarylis would have been discarded. I know that its value went down drastically from a retail standpoint because it was not chosen to "bloom at the expected time". I know that blooming for Valentine's day instead of Christmas is a different plan. I see that it was hindered from growth in the box with the clearance tag.

I want to keep seeing true beauty and true value and true growth potential. I want to be unhindered and see others live in freedom and WALK after Jesus step by step. I want to lean with my full weight toward the LIGHT. I want to say continually, "Great is the Lord." (Psalm 40) I want to know that God is in charge of my blooming season. I want to be multiplied. I want to live cruciform.

I see these things today in the face of my friend.
I see the color of the blood of my Savior - it set me FREE!
I see the shape of a cross.
I see the LIGHT.
I see the intimate care of a CREATOR.
I see GROWTH.
I see waiting.
I see stamen and carpel and petal.
I see HOPE.

So I am choosing to share here. These images are not all "award winners" but they are a part of the Red Lion story for me. They are an extravagant reminder of things the Spirit is teaching me today.

"My love for God is sustained, not primarily by enjoying His blessings or keeping his rules, but rather by Spirit-nourished CONFIDENCE in God's HEART and Spirit-empowered RELEASE of our Passion for Him." - Larry Crabb