dust-to-dust

Is Dairy Queen Calling My Name?

Standard

I don’t know – but I think Dairy Queen is STILL calling my name – I had it (a simple but classic vanilla with chocolate dip) a year ago now in Las Vegas visiting a friend and it hit the spot then right? – and the mouth feel of the chocolate melting was the draw… But I can’t remember now whether it satisfied me at that point last year – mentally sure probably on a hot day with kids in the care so we went to the drive thru – but the taste I don’t remember – too long ago to remember. I still have the photo – and I know that I was wanting that ice cream before I got it – those things I remember – but what about the result? Hmmm… I don’t remember…

I thought that then yesterday (separate occasion for getting ice cream) that I would enjoy the ice cream from a local place (not Dairy Queen) and I did enjoy it – but then it became too much to finish – it was too much that I couldn’t get the other half into the freezer because I was driving and well I continued to keep eating it – I thought hmmm, maybe my eyes were too big for my taste… And maybe I was craving salty not sweet… Oh well, it is all melted away now in my memory and stomach… (but maybe not my hips, lol)…

So, isn’t that like us – our tastes change – the seasons change – the flowers change…  And these giant mums I saw yesterday are so beautiful right now and the colors are perfect for THIS season – and in spring we would prefer different colors… Our tastes change – by training or by introspection. And the flowers I had all summer will be gone in a freeze snap so quickly – they were beautiful – but temporary but gone after growing so strong for months (I am holding on to them with a cover at night protecting against the frost and freeze for now). Surely these flowers show us how life is so temporary here on earth – how the colors and flowers and tastes change so fast – and how we are not always fulfilled in each season of life… Doesn’t mean we don’t live our best – but we are to remember that there is more to life than each season we are in.

Honestly NOTHING, NOTHING could be the same soul satisfying ‘thing’ or ‘thought’ than like how the Lord fulfils us. What could be? NOTHING…  There is nothing like THE LORD to fulfil every nook and cranny of our souls, of our minds, of our hearts, and of our tastes in the life forever that He gifts… There is no one like THE LORD to call us – call us by name and by a new name in Heaven…

“All flesh is as grass, And all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, And its flower falls away, But the word of the Lord endures forever.” 1st Peter 1:24-25a from Isaiah 40:8, NKJV

Meanwhile we travel in this temporary state – doing what we can – living best we can – loving as much as we can. And even in stress, remembering the hard pressed nature of the clay that the Lord has made us – we are to be STRONG because of Him – and FILLABLE like an earthen vessel – fillable with the Holy Spirit to keep moving us.  And as the “Jesus Always” devotion stated for the day (yesterday) – things in life – good and bad – are temporary – and nothing here – good or bad – will ever ‘out do’ the forever life – the ETERNAL WEIGHT OF GLORY.

For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. 2nd Corinthians 4

Maybe I will try again for a different ice cream like me switching flower seasons – but honestly I am NOW sensing switching into apple cider season – not ice cream but warm spiced cider for sipping… We long for that satisfaction that we THINK we want – that chocolate-covered shell that Dairy Queen gives maybe I will wait on it until spring and wait for it as a fraction of the thought of waiting upon the Lord.

And I WILL have that warm cider – and the warm soup and cup of tea as good system satisfiers for the moment. Temporary satisfiers WHILE we think of the Lord Who Was and IS and Will Be our BEST Satisfaction of all…

AMEN

You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Psalm 16:11 NKJV

2nd Corinthians 4:13-18

And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, “I believed and therefore I spoke,” we also believe and therefore speak, knowing that He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus, and will present us with you. For all things are for your sakes, that grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God.

Seeing the Invisible
Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

—

Psalm 16 NKJV
The Hope of the Faithful, and the Messiah’s Victory
A Michtam of David.

Preserve me, O God, for in You I put my trust.

O my soul, you have said to the Lord, “You are my Lord, My goodness is nothing apart from You.” As for the saints who are on the earth, “They are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight.”

Their sorrows shall be multiplied who hasten after another god; Their drink offerings of blood I will not offer, Nor take up their names on my lips.

O Lord, You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup; You maintain my lot. The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; Yes, I have a good inheritance.

I will bless the Lord who has given me counsel; My heart also instructs me in the night seasons. I have set the Lord always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.

Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will rest in hope. For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Mere Mortals, March Lions, and Dust Trails, Ashes in Lent

Standard

Ash Wednesday is a day to remember there is no escapism from our mere mortal status, from dust to dust, us AND our oppressors, the Lord is the One who will fight for us. The battle belongs to the Lord. Mere Mortals are Made More with God shepherding.

For after lent comes Easter – we are to remember that we ARE saved – Jesus rescued and rescues and will come again.

And so escapism scenarios, and just plain hiding from life won’t work. Escapism is not the same as surviving best. Yes, we all do wobble, but Psalm 23 says to WALK through the valleys of shadows, don’t stay and linger. 

In another “March in like a Lion” themed instance, Isaiah warns about the escapism of the ancient Israelites and Judah-ites thinking Egypt is their friend or at least a less evil compared to being carried away to Babylon for an exile said to be for 70 years. The Lord is purposeful in His ways, and Isaiah also told of the eventual downfall of Babylon. Isaiah later also speaks of a Messiah to save. We know Jesus came and finished the prophecies, and Jesus will come again and defeat evil one and for all. Even evil is exiled from existence eventually. Wait upon the Lord. 

Salvation Secured Saving – it is the Lord who Saves. Be available for transport and be working for the Lord despite danger and disillusionment with the world. Make moments meaningful despite monumental challenges. 

With coming from ashes and returning to ashes, we are to be reminded about God’s creation in us and God’s win over sin and death. Our ashes could be from burning through life, fiery and giving it your all until there’s nothing left in the tank. God’s ashes are His handiwork to move us more freely, and God-efficiently, thru life and into forever.

Don’t fear the ashes of death. Won’t in our travels we be lighter then? Dust trails behind us and in front. We will be rescued and restored, we will be with our Lord.

March Lions roar, but WITH the Lord, our souls will surely soar!

Amen 

—

Isaiah 31-32:4 NIV

Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses, who trust in the multitude of their chariots and in the great strength of their horsemen, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel, or seek help from the Lord. Yet he too is wise and can bring disaster; he does not take back his words. He will rise up against that wicked nation, against those who help evildoers.

But the Egyptians are mere mortals and not God; their horses are flesh and not spirit. When the Lord stretches out his hand, those who help will stumble, those who are helped will fall; all will perish together.

This is what the Lord says to me: “As a lion growls, a great lion over its prey – and though a whole band of shepherds is called together against it, it is not frightened by their shouts or disturbed by their clamor – so the Lord Almighty will come down to do battle on Mount Zion and on its heights. Like birds hovering overhead, the Lord Almighty will shield Jerusalem; he will shield it and deliver it, he will ‘pass over’ it and will rescue it.”

Return, you Israelites, to the One you have so greatly revolted against. For in that day every one of you will reject the idols of silver and gold your sinful hands have made. “Assyria will fall by no human sword; a sword, not of mortals, will devour them. They will flee before the sword and their young men will be put to forced labor. Their stronghold will fall because of terror; at the sight of the battle standard their commanders will panic,” declares the Lord. whose fire is in Zion, whose furnace is in Jerusalem.

See, a king will reign in righteousness and rulers will rule with justice. Each one will be like a shelter from the wind and a refuge from the storm, like streams of water in the desert and the shadow of a great rock in a thirsty land.

Then the eyes of those who see will no longer be closed, and the ears of those who hear will listen. The fearful heart will know and understand, and the stammering tongue will be fluent and clear.