I will never tire of this view of my kitchen and with the sunshine drenching this space, I could sit here for hours.
Oh wait, no I can't.
I have way too much to do!
In my mind I'll sit for hours.
Here in the PNW it has been an unusually wet Spring, but now, it's Summer and the weather has finally decided to act it's appropriate season!
I love having the french doors open wide for the fresh air to skip in and wake things up.
Simple, pretty details for a natural feel. Nothing beats fresh!
We just listed a few new items.
The link to our Shopify is below!
Follow the link to visit the shop!
https://dwell-with-me-studios.myshopify.com
I must admit, I love the beach..... my soul is content and relaxed on the warm sand soaking up the sights, sounds and smells.
And, I love vacation...everyone running around, laughing, playing and genuinely having fun.
And this crew....what can I say, they have my whole heart.
And, I love the boat....relaxing though, it is not.
Relaxed is not the right word for me on the boat. I am a bit neurotic on that floating vessel, sure we are going to flip over and sink, it takes great mental preparation for a full day of "fun".
I unwillingly give plenty of fodder for my family to tease me about. Here we all are trying to make the face I apparently make in sheer terror as we are going around a corner on two wheels, of course if a boat had wheels that is.
My poor husband has the face most accurate I assume, since he is on the receiving end of my shrill screams. Happy to provide never ending material at the expense of my sanity.
Twelve weeks is entirely too short of a time to enjoy summer. I propose we take up a petition to extend summer a few more weeks!
I bet you are humming the theme song to that movie aren't you?
Makes for a nice background melody. Unless you just fast forwarded to the part where the dinosaurs break free and start eating everyone. Eeek! Come back to the serene beginning with me!
Ok, the ending though, I love the ending scene where they all make it safe and sound back in the helicopter, expect maybe not the accountant in the outhouse. He was plucked off the potty and eaten. But the others, they are beat up, bruised, scared to death and grateful to be alive heading home. They seem much more calm then I think I would be but maybe that's Hollywood's happily ever after ending.
What I've come to know is that in the tender years of life it often starts out like that walk in the park and at some point, sometimes without even knowing exactly when, the park morphs into a Jurassic Park type setting.
Feelings get hurt.
Expectations go unmet.
Security may have been breached.
Sometimes we are left questioning, this is not the same guy/gal I know or am married to, is he/she even my same species?
I've read that in the darkness of adversity, we are able to see more clearly the radiance of the face of Jesus.
I love that.
I love that when we are struggling to take the next logical step that if we draw close to him he will draw close to us. That he provides a refuge and fortress in whom we can trust.
What the if?
Did you see that little tiny two letter word there? If you go too fast, it can be missed.
If.
The way I understand it is that we are invited to take that first step to draw close, he commands his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. That they will lift us up in their hands. That the angel of the Lord encamps around us.
If.
I'm learning to follow the instruction that each blessing has in it.
To first be still, commit, trust, delight, wait, and refrain.
Then, it says, then we will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
Sometimes spiritual blessings come wrapped with a bow, but more often than not, through difficult trials.
Often we meet God on our way up but really get to know him on our way down.
What does the if require of me?
To be confident about releasing my fears and embracing healing.
To feed my faith.
To feed it like a gluten free person desires gluten.
Like a Diabetic desires sugar.
Like an addicted texter who looses her phone desires to have it back.
Oh, the thought of that!
For real now, one thing I do know is this; you don't know what you don't know.
Brilliant right?
But it's true. We can't know something we've never learned.
But, when we do learn, we are responsible to let our doing flow from our being.
I'm learning to lasso my thoughts and seek first to find the blessings hidden in difficulties.
To give up perfect in favor of good.
That sometimes it is good to allow tears to wash away the sorrow deep in our souls.
That the disquieting times perhaps might be Jesus saying; I want to keep blessing you so you've got to keep trusting me.
Welcome home.
Stay Awhile.
Journey with me. Let me bless you more than you could ever possibly ask or imagine.
I have extraordinary love for you, do you trust me?
Jesus broke the bread, then gave thanks.
If we are broken, maybe we should give thanks first too.
Seek restoration. Trust he knows our needs and is the master planner.
Invite him to be your DD.
Do you know what that is?
The DD?
The designated driver. That was a new term to me. Who knew!
The DD ensures that you make it home safe.
The DD is the responsible one to be counted on and trusted.
With your life.
You know that phrase; a man's man.
The Alpha Male type.
The James Bond type.
The Chuck Norris type.
The Clint Eastwood type.
I used to be married to him, a man's man that is.
The super strong, can do anything kind of man.
The strong silent type.
The hard shell that deflects fiery darts.
The protector, the pleaser and the pumpkin eater.
Ok, not the pumpkin eater, it just rhymed!
But, guess what.
My man's man has changed over the years.
He still is my super strong can do anything kind of man, but is much better after a season of redemptive rest.
Being ever dependent on prayer the strong silent type becomes vocal about what God is doing through him and in him, not just for him.
He removes easily the hard shell to expose wrinkles that are still being ironed out, having the wisdom to not go it alone.
Dwelling in the shelter of the most high provides the rest, refuge and protection for daily living.
Learning years ago how to be a promise keeper, not just a promise maker has transformed my man's man, into God's man.
I'm still married to that man's man, almost 30 years now.
We've been given an extraordinary love story that I can never get enough of.
Man's man, God's man, my man.
