Picture-Perfect Pause

Happy Word-Filled Wednesday!

If you could paint a picture-perfect place to take a "selah," what would it look like? By "selah" I mean a place to stop and reflect on your faith walk.

For me, it would look much like this picture my friend Peter let me borrow, which serves as the background for this week's WFW.  


Truth be told, when I ponder a picture-perfect pause, it almost always has this sort of scene associated with it. To lay reclined against that grassy hill, looking out over the blue waters reading my Bible, praying with my eyes open wide would be the ultimate Selah experience for this visual worshipper.

But oh, what I truly desire--is picture-perfect fellowship with my Savior. Nothing compares to that scene. To lay reclined in His strong arms, looking out over whatever situation I need to face, having Him speak His Word to me as I seek Him with my heart's eyes open wide...THAT is the daily Selah experience for this visual worshipper. And it is a glorious one when I choose it.

I'm going to dive more into what "Selah" means in the days to come. I used to think it meant "to pause," but it is sooooo much more than that. I'm wondering if I were to "Selah" each and every one of the Scriptures I read today, what a difference it would make in my life. Something to ponder...

For more Truth-filled Scripture pictures, hike on over to:

"All Wired Up," for Women, Part 1

I remember as little girls, my cousin and I used to go through my aunt's closet and get dressed up. With thick, heavy clogs we clomped and clanked on the wooden floors of her upstairs apartment (to which I greatly apologize to those who lived downstairs).

With daughters and nieces of my own now, I find great delight in watching them do the same. It's a precious and innocent thing.

Sometimes I wonder, being the analytical thinker I am: Why did we play dress-up when we were little?

1. Is it that we wanted to feel like a beautiful princess?
2. Did we want to be like our mommies or aunties?
3. Did we hope to be rich and famous one day?
4. Is it that we were ready to be a grown-up and tired of being a kid?
5. Was it an effective way to get attention?


The deeper questions loom in our adulthood:

1. Do we realize we are beautiful to the King?
2. Do we try to be someone we're not?
3. Are we content with the purposes God has given us to live out?
4. Do we forget we're the grown-up and continually work to feel young again?
5. Do we strive to get extra attention from others?

Contrasting questions, but ones we need to regularly ask ourselves as women.

So today, the answers to questions 1 from both points of view. YES, we want to feel like a beautiful princes, and YES, we are beautiful to the King.

Psalm 45:11 says,
"The king is enthralled by your beauty;
honor him, for he is your lord."

Before you think I'm taking this verse out of context, please know that I've done a great deal of research on it. According to many smart people who study these matters (i.e. Wycliffe, C.S. Lewis, etc), the whole chapter of Psalm 45 has a double meaning. One meaning for those before Jesus came to earth and another meaning for those after He came. I agree with them that for us now, verses 2-9 describe Jesus, the King of kings, and verses 10-15 describe the Church, believing Christians.

Because of our righteousness in Christ, we are beautiful princesses to the King. Let's honor HIm with it. Don't believe the lies that come from within you or from others that you are less than what you are. Truly--the Creator is not capable of making a mistake. So pull your best stuff out of your heart's closet, clothe yourself with Christ in you and worship your King today.



Dressin' up Cousins

"...to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of His splendor."
Isaiah 61:3

***One interesting reference for Psalm 45 can be found by clicking here: http://www.easyenglish.info/psalms/psalm045-taw.htm It's great stuff!

Drawin' A Blank

Most who know me know I love to send notes of encouragement. It's one of my favorite things to do when I have the spare time. So when I found some new blank cards at the store yesterday, I was ecstatic. What's even better is that I got the kind with foil gleaming throughout.

The great thing about blank cards is that I get to put my original thoughts inside of them--something I want to say especially for the person I'm sending it to. Just seems more personal than the blanket statements I see on the standard "thinking of you" cards. And when they have a sparkle or a glitter on the cover, it just says "You're special," you know?

God must like blank cards too.  Because I've noticed that when I go before Him with an empty heart, He etches a personal message on it, a unique one just for me. While He is powerful and full of splendor and majesty, He is also personal. He longs to give me His special encouragement and leading for my life.  And when I receive it, my life is wrapped in His foiled light, which glimmers for everyone around me to see. It's such a beautiful way for Him to say "You're special," you know?

"When Your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart's delight, for I bear Your name, O LORD God Almighty."

Jeremiah 15:16

Lord, write your words on my heart, those I need to hear, those I need to absorb, and those I need to put into practice. And then Lord, may I come before You with my own special and personal lyrics of praise and worship--from my heart straight to Yours.