come out.

"We can believe that God alone is our security and love is always worth the risk and there is no better investment than reaching out to someone and locking arms and unlocking your heart.
No better investment than finding the time for friendship and the courage to be real and the humility to say we’re sorry.
And distrust can cost us the very richest life of all and the price for being safe can be too expensive and friendship is the only thing that will show up at our funerals." Ann Voskamp

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.