4 WriteStuff

There are a lot of wild animals and things that go bump in the night around here. Some times we only see the eyes and then are left to guess what creature there is. This has been our life for many years – be ‘aware” of your surroundings, but living in fear is not “living.”

As I was unloading the car last night, it was pushing midnight, and I was tired. I stopped and looked at the amazing stars… I thought of how often we can be afraid of the “unseen” – and miss looking up – seeing the evidence of a God who loves us… It’s easy to take our eyes off God’s perfect provision and worry about the things we need to do, the “what ifs”… But God’ got this! He’s got us! And no matter the event, the results – the final outcome – is in His hands. The things, the fears, the events of this world pale in comparison to what is to come. Living in faith looks to me like knowing that when you face the moment of fear, God is already there and will provide. Amazing! I cannot look up at the beauty God created out of chaos and not grasp that He is more than able to transform my puny life into something of value.

We have 6 meditation stations that are written. God recently placed on my heart that the one on Legacy was not complete. As I was rewriting it, and wrote “think of a word, phrase or picture that describes the Legacy you want to pass on…” I tried to apply that to my life. There are so many great words that I would like to apply – Love, Hope, Peace, Joy, etc. I thought how often we unknowingly pass fears along to the next generation… fear of the night, fear of bugs, fear of failing, etc. Those are not the legacy I want to share.

Honestly, the legacy I want to pass along to family and friends is not of this world… money and physical things come and go… I want to pass along a legacy of faith – faith that no matter what happens, God is in control and He WILL BE VICTORIOUS!

I think of a tree… the tree of life, watered with living water. Is not its’ root, faith? Is not its’ fruit hope? peace? joy? encouragement? wisdom? Are not it’s branches large enough to provide shade, shelter, protection from the things of this world?

We had a tree at one house, branches extended high into the sky, pointing to heaven, while others touched the ground. Underneath was a shelter… it was majestic! I had people tell me I should trim the bottom branches. Why? Is it not both pointing to heaven and providing shelter? It was such a beautiful visual to me.

The Tree of life… I picture an upside down tree when viewed from this world… the roots are not grounded in the the dirt of this world, but in heaven. Branches reaching down to this world to provide comfort and sustenance to those who seek shelter, while others point back to heaven. The Tree of Life… the Tree of Faith…

The next part of that meditation is, “what fruit does my life need to produce to make this legacy a reality.” Ok, Ok, so maybe this tree has also produced a few nuts, and some of that has been a tough nut to crack… still moving forward to be faithful with the legacy God would have me leave. It’s obviously not done yet.

Deeper Still

The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life,
And he who wins souls is wise. Proverbs 11:30

17 Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. 19 We love Him because He first loved us. I John 4

You number my wanderings;
Put my tears into Your bottle;
Are they not in Your book?
9 When I cry out to You,
Then my enemies will turn back;
This I know, because God is for me.
10 In God (I will praise His word),
In the Lord (I will praise His word),
11 In God I have put my trust;
I will not be afraid.
What can man do to me?
12 Vows made to You are binding upon me, O God;
I will render praises to You,
13 For You have delivered my soul from death.
Have You not kept my feet from falling,
That I may walk before God
In the light of the living? Psalm 56:8-13

And he showed me a pure[a] river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. 2 In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 3 And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. Revelation 22

Her ways are ways of pleasantness,
And all her paths are peace.
18 She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her,
And happy are all who retain her. Proverbs 3

Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
But when the desire comes, it is a tree of life. Proverbs 13:12

The eyes of the Lord are in every place,
Keeping watch on the evil and the good.
4 A wholesome tongue is a tree of life,
But perverseness in it breaks the spirit. Proverbs 15:3-4