Thoughts on the final day of this marvelous month…
Like a plump, lush peach
is August to me …
fully-ripened sweet summer at peak,
to smell and hold and taste,
and savor,
before she becomes soft
past-priming, into a different color …
and new memory.
Wanderlust calls.
And my childlike heart
responds instantly to the invitation.
Off into the field of wonderment
I go …
pulled into the magnificent space
of the fireflies,
as they escort me
into their dimension,
bobbing, weaving, darting, blinking in unison
through the nuances of the woodlands
bordering my backyard
in enchantment.
Wanderlust calls.
Off into the field of wonderment
I go ,
imbibing summer’s perfume
in this moment
I wish never to forget
as I stand, halted …
taking it in,
in midst of her supernatural light display
of glory.
A Chance Encounter on a Snowy February Afternoon…
The blatant cackling had been persistent for about ten minutes now. I had heard it before and knew it to be obnoxious crows. This is what they do from time to time. They pick a tree and gather in a seeming crow convention. You kind of learn to ignore it. This however was different. Accelerating in volume, intensity and maximum urgency, it drew me to the sliding glass door to peer outside. it was clear an alarm was being sounded that could not be ignored. But what was it?
I stepped out onto the deck, looked to my left and could not ignore the dramatic activity of multiple crows encircling a barren winter tree, at ever accelerating velocity. They were of one purpose with their mission, but what was it?
Suddenly I saw it! How could I have missed it? A single, majestic red-tailed hawk perched high up on a singular winter branch had snared a lone black crow. The captured one made no movement as it lay in the efficient, all-encircling talons of the hawk. Surely this was no contest between the two fowl families. All seemed lost for this unfortunate crow. Too little, too late, as they say.
And then an unexpected, marvelous thing happened, right before my eyes. Additional forces of crows appeared on the scene assisting their comrades. Their mission’s pace increased to a yet higher intensity. Around and around the crow army flew and called out. It was as if all the world was being invited to stop what it was doing and witness what was about to take place.
The dignified hawk abruptly dropped the seemingly lifeless crow from its great talons. Simultaneously, the crow stirred, “came to itself” and mounted up into the air while the hawk spread its massive wings and took efficient flight in the same direction towards the forest that adjoins our property.
Not to be outdone, the cackling group of crows mounted their flight like a well-oiled machine in pursuit of their clan’s new mortal enemy. The aerial display of the hawk swooping up and down in mid-air to dislodge his pursuers was impressive and inspiring to say the least. The volume of the pursuit, like the previous rescue, increased seemingly for all the world to hear and be impressed by. It did however take itself to an unseen realm in the woods where I could no longer observe and be amazed by this chance encounter.
So what lessons could I take away from this serendipitously observed event on a February winter’s afternoon? Power in numbers? Never give up? United purpose, agreeing “as one” never fails?
I found that I could not settle on a single inspirational message from what I had just been privileged to witness. Rather, I would simply savor in gratitude the wonder of creation and its Creator in those rare moments when I have been seemingly invited to behold what for many, is unseen…beyond the veil of dailiness. That day I was given the eyes to see and hears to hear. It was urgent alarm and more… in the calling of the crows.
Witnessing a Season’s Glory
Autumn, her subtle arrival unannounced,
is passing through.
With copper radiance adorning her face,
crowned and fully seasoned,
she approaches midlife.
A V-sentinel of wild geese, moving in their sky ranks,
wordlessly herald her procession.
Something has told them it is time to begin,
as currents of mounting leaves bid them farewell
amidst a flourish of swirling winds.
Ageless, yet ancient,
the gracious bounty of ripening blessing tumbles,
disheveled from Autumn’s overflowing apron,
thanksgiving trailing in her train,
While reigning over the equinox splendor,
He who is the stability of our times,
witnesses and enjoys,
with a slow smile creasing His face
in “well done” approval.
What do you do when time has passed and a dream has died? What if something else, something unprecedented… is about to happen?
She had never been this desperate. Life meant nothing anymore without this dream fulfilled. She wept in anguish, bowed down to the earth with a raw soul that reached singularly toward Heaven.
How could it be? Had God really closed the womb of Hannah, creating this desperation? For years, Hannah had longed for a son. In her deep places she declared “I have poured out my soul before the Lord,” (I Sam 1:15) and she promised to “lend him to the Lord” for all of his life. What if a deeper plan was being released?
And so the poignant cry again went up to Heaven, “I long for a son…!” But on this day, something new happened. A cry also came down from Heaven, ” I long for a prophet!” Like labor contractions in the unseen realm, Hannah’s cries continued to meet with God’s cries, “I want a prophet!” in increasing frequency and intensity. in the spirit realm they met. A space was created, sown by holy desperation, where the dream of God converged with the dream of Hannah. A supernatural conception was taking place. Soon, a physical one would. Even the temple priest realized something had happened. “Go in peace and the God of Israel grant your petition…” (I Sam 1:17.)
“So it came to pass in the process of time that Hannah conceived and bore a son and called his name Samuel “because I have asked for him from the Lord.” (v 20.) Samuel was the prophet God’s heart had longed for. His life released God’s trajectory for Israel as he heard God’s voice and intuited His heart in the spirit.
What if your greatest, desperate longing is an intentional setup to meet supernaturally with God’s deep longing and desire for the now? What if a seeming disappointment or unfulfillment is deliberately waiting for the catalytic activation of your heart cry mixing with God’s? What if Holy Spirit has been drawing your heart to meet with God’s in a spirit space where your and his dreams meet?
Be it a personal, family, corporate or world dream, I challenge you to let your desperation launch your heart to meet with His. He says He no longer calls us servants but friends, because He wants to reveal to us what He dreams of, what He longs for, what He is doing. (John 15:15-16.)
On behalf of Heaven, I break off weariness from you. Courage is being put back into you for this specific, intentional time in which you live. Be released to let your heart respond and cry out its dream to Him anew.
Christine O’Riley
(Deep Summer Cries Out)
My swimming pool can be a place of supernatural encounter where the water surrounds me and holds me like God does. With that can come a sense of uniting with nature in awe and pure adoration. Such serendipitous times are spontaneous, life-changing treasures that my heart wants to capture and remember…
July,…July,…July, … July
July is praising you, Lord.
July,…July,…July, …July
July is praising you, Lord.
I lie in the water, look up at Your face.
All of creation lauds You in this place.
I long to join in the unending song
All nature calls to me, so I sing along.
July,…July,…July,…July,
July is praising you, Lord.
July,…July,…July,…July
July is praising you, Lord.
Sun on the water shines light in the trees
My heart leaps and dances, praising like these.
Wonder breaks out in spontaneous song,
And all of creation is singing along.
July,…July,…July,…July,
July is praising You, Lord.
July,…July,…July,…July,
July is praising you, Lord.
All that has breath adores You,
Nature sings out before you.
July praises you, God…
And so do I.
If my Dad were here on earth today, he would be turning 93 years old. Fact is, he is now one of two fathers I have in Heaven. Because of him, my heart has been fully persuaded that both he and my heavenly father absolutely adore me. It is not because he never made a mistake or lost his temper with me. He trusted a perfect father to cover him in his parenting of me and to fill in the gaps. That amazing love has covered a multitude of shortfalls and continues to ground my life. I miss you Dad. I love you forever. Your fathering lives on through my mothering of many. Happy Birthday.
So today is my Daddy’s birthday. It comes two days after my own. He told me more than once that throughout his life he had always wanted a daughter. During my mother’s pregnancy with me he told everyone he knew that he was sure the baby was a girl. When I arrived in the early morning hours two days before his own celebration, he felt he had received the best gift ever. Now that will make a daughter feel special indeed. It will also do wonders for her in approaching her heavenly Papa.
Maybe that is why this year I heard something extraordinary as I lay in bed in late evening, falling asleep on my birthday’s eve. Tender thoughts and impressions were being spoken and reaching out to me on the inside. “You know how expectant parents have hopes and dreams for their children? I always had dreams and hopes for you before I ever created you. The dreams were about you and for you, a very wide array of them. While I was creating you, the dreams were there with you. My joy is in watching you, living in/with you and seeing my dreams for you fulfilled.”
I was made aware that sixty-eight years ago when I was birthed, purposes, plans and dreams were set into motion in me and for me and on my behalf. I could sense their movement and continuing power in my life. It made me want to continue my life’s journey with new vigor, inspiration and renewed purpose. I felt like I was carrying a kind of torch or baton for my generation’s leg of the life relay. My earthly Dad handed it to me at his heavenly homegoing so that I could run into my heavenly Papa’s arms at the end of my own earthly trek.I was very aware those thoughts and feelings did not originate from me and I am forever changed by them.
So, dear Dad, I love you forever. I miss you every day but your birthday is a significant day of inspiration for me. You make me want to finish strong. You make me want to be fearless and excellent in every way. Most of all, you paved the way for me to know the adoration of my heavenly Daddy, my Abba. I may have been your birthday gift, but that is the greatest gift you ever gave me.
Thank-you, Dad. Happy Birthday.
Tonight I was drawn and had to go outside as the sounds started, increasing and building upon one another into the night. Fireworks from everywhere, all at once. A great sense of unity and singularity of purpose washed over me in the atmosphere as I stood in the darkness and raised my hands with my heart toward Heaven imagining and seeing something extraordinary…
Near and far away I hear them exploding into the night.
Great ones, lesser ones, all works of fire launching up into the sky,
Spangled against the stars.
And I imagine a unity among them all, a common work
As if they were fiery prayers finding their explosive paths
Up into the heavens …
A great rushing together with singularity of purpose,
And simultaneous perseverance
With the passion of hearts afire.
Prayer missiles enroute to the keeper and sender of consuming flames,
Crying out for this country, on their mission to break through…
That Heaven’s fire be sent to hit its mark
in the corporate heart of this nation, igniting the truth of her identity.
Let true freedom burn in the darkness
Never…to be extinguished from within, a dimly smoking reed.
Near and far away I hear them. I am joined to them
As a great purposeful singularity of intensity is raised…
Prayer bombs exploding into the night,
Exploding into the night.
The month of July is like a gift to me. Being my birth month, it always brings poignant remembrances, gratitude and revisiting an evaluation of life. In midst of that, we journey every year to The Adirondack mountains where life becomes simpler and closer to the earth. We live under the stars, celebrate streaking meteorites and breathe in the regenerating pine scent after the rain. Morning sun streaming through the green woods overhead can bring simple, inspiring moments like word snapshots in time. This is about one of them.
July has put on her greenery and the luminescence of the Northern woods is brilliant upon her petals and peeking through her radiant boughs.
Adirondack sun has sought me out as he intentionally focuses on me, streaming down through cathedral pines that encircle my encampment.
I lean back, with my face turned upward, my senses taking in all the nuances of the moment when the favor of surreal beauty is meeting with me in a supernatural exchange of deep unto deep.
July has put on her Edenic greenery and I rest in her shadow, as together we behold true glory.
About a year ago at this time I was faced with some significant medical questions. Pain in my chest had become an intermittent, random companion. Concerns about my health had always been one of those landing strips where I was particularly vulnerable to worry and fear in the face of the unknown. This specific journey had led me to the brink of some cardiac testing. On this particular day I was to take an exercise-induced stress treadmill test combined with echocardiogram studies. I wondered if my knees could endure the test also. In the morning before this event, I found myself laying it all out before God and really needing to hear from Him. As I waited in the quiet moments that followed, I encountered a voice inside of me that was not my own. It was a kind, confident voice that made me feel safe. I began to write in my journal the words I was hearing that were to change my life. I share those words with you now:
To My Daughter:
I am The Maker of your heart and the Very Spirit of Life Who lives inside you. I am the synchronized beat of your blood and the energy of your being. I am before you and behind you, below you and above you. I surround you with favor like a shield.
I walk with you, I dream with you. In your most vulnerable space, I am there.
Today, when you step onto the treadmill, I will be there. I will be the gait in your step, the breath in your lungs, the endurance in your want-to, the power in your walk.
Know Me there. See Me there. Feel Me there. In Me you live and move and have your being. I am, and always will be … your heart.
Papa.
Postscript: The report of this testing said ” Normal ECG. No evidence of ischemia, tolerated well, above average exercise capacity.”
Thank-you, Papa.
( Incidentally, it turned out to be heartburn as the cause of chest pain. After changing some things, it disappeared.)
Thanks for listening.