That Thing I Do Now - Volume 70

Hey there!  Happy Weekend!  I hope you are all staying warm and cozy (and maybe free of snow?) - at least that is the prayer I am praying for myself here out West!

Featured today are posts by Ann Voskamp, Kelli Woodford, Shauna Niequist, Lisa-Jo Baker, (Lisa-Jo Baker), Mike Donehey... and - of course - a video!

Happy Reading! 
(Ya'll know to click on the authors' names to read their whole posts, yes?)

* This one by Ann Voskamp over at A Holy Experience with Why Thanksgiving is Radically Subversive...
"Mama walks like that through the woods. Like she knows it’s going to be over someday… all over. That your face will come tight right up to it and there’s no stick you can fine anywhere to fight time off.

And then there’ll be that stark moment when you turn and see what you were married to. You can live your life as the bride married to Hurry, having affairs with Not Enough, Always Stress, and Easy Cynicism. Yeah, I guess we all get to choose our own bedfellows.

Mama always said it and she didn’t care what anyone thought of it: God was her husband. And that ain’t just some metaphor to get the Pharisees all in a prudish knot – it’s brazen Scripture. Take it or go ahead and leave it. We all get to choose our own bedfellows – and who we’ll give our soul to, who or what will get our life.

Mama’s standing there, already decided.

When it’s over, I want to say: all my life I was a bride married to amazement, vowed to Awe Himself, covenanted to Christ –and I took the whole of everything He gave in this gloried world into my open arms with thanks."


* This post by Kelli Woodford over at Chronicles of Grace with On Death. (And Life.)...

"I looked around me at the waving branches, near naked, and the blue dream of a sky and I whispered goodbyes into the taunting breeze. The plants have withered and the last of the flowers drop their petals slowly. With reticence. Fields of green are undressed for the season and now stretch out in every direction, open to whatever is next.

But the sadness did not overtake. 

Oh, I felt it - and I think we must feel it when farewells hedge in the days, yes? - but that's not all I felt. I also felt life. Because, friends, let me remind you as the shift reminds me, death is not the end. These leaves and lush carpeted lawns - they have served their purpose and now is their time. It is their curtain call. They must go.

They have done their work, built their glory, breathed their sunshine. They have lifted our spirits and raised our awareness and rekindled our wonder. All important, essential things. And they stay with us in all the deepest ways. But they also have a time to exit." 

* This post by Shauna Niequist with Glimpse...
"But I am inching, and I’m learning so much, and the awkwardness is worth it and the fumbling is worth it and the growing pains are worth it, because every once in a while I feel something inside myself that I haven’t felt for a long time, and it feels like peace. And every once in a while I experience a moment of connection with Aaron or the boys that feels so much deeper than my old way of living used to allow.

I’m not doing it well or neatly, but on days like today I can see a glimpse of where we’re going, and it makes me swoon."


* This post by Lisa-Jo Baker with The Tired Mother's Holiday Creed...
"As the twinkle lights start to go up. As recipe planning heats up. As we begin the juggling and scheduling for family trips, dinners, gifts.

And BEFORE you’re overwhelmed and over it all – stop and read this.

For the days we just don’t think we have it in us to pick up one more load of groceries, read one more story, play one more game of Monopoly, wash one more round of sheets. For the days when we think everyone else has it altogether.
For the days we’re sure anyone else would do this job better. Host this family more calmly. Have a house more presentable.

For those days. For those holidays. You know the ones."

* Also, this OTHER one by Lisa-Jo Baker because - oh my goodness, ya'll - this is so important! In A Culture of Fast Food Sex Let’s Give Our Children Healthier Choices...
"There is a tidal wave of pornopoly bearing down on our kids that makes it hard to breathe beneath the propaganda of what is “normal” these days. But just because something is becoming achingly common in our culture does not make it normal.

Beautiful sons and daughters, you were made for more than the common."

* This one by Mike Donehey from Tenth Avenue North, over at A Holy Experience with The 1 Secret to Beating Frustrations: The Art of Successful Days...
"It was also unseasonably warm in Nashville last Sunday. 80 degrees in early November, and the trees were on fire.

Fresh greens gave way to the autumnal hour, as one last burst of color blared before winter’s rest.

Sitting there, sipping coffee in my rocking chair, while the breeze whispered soft on my face, I was struck by the mystery. Nature was declaring the promise.

“Even in death, there is life.”

It was as if the trees were reciting I Corinthians 15 to me.
“O death, where is your sting?”

You may have your rule for a time, but even in the twilight of summer, our God will find a way to let beauty break forth.

It is, of course, the backward way of the kingdom:

In the bleak ruin, redemption begins.
In the bleak ruin, redemption begins.

In death, life rises.

We lay down our dreams, we let agendas die —
and room is made for Christ to weave His wonder through."


* This one right HERE with When God Says Your Name...
"I am always reminded of the story in the Gospel of Luke about Zacchaeus. You are familiar with it, yes? How Zacchaeus was a tax collector and pretty much despised. He was also being drawn and was curious about Jesus... he climbed the tree to see Him in the crowd, and as Jesus passed by, He spoke Zacchaeus' name.  Jesus invited himself over and it says that Zacchaeus received him joyfully! (Luke 19:1-10)  

I'm not sure exactly, but I can guess that when Zacchaeus' name was spoken before, it was never spoken with such Love and Grace and Adoration.  I'm not sure who is saying your name or how it sounds to your ears, to your spirit... but I know that when God says your name it melts your heart and pierces straight through, in all the best ways!"

Lastly, we like to wrap This Thing up with  a video... because that's just how we roll...

                 

Happy Weekend, my friends!