Inspired by . . . anointing the dirt

Inspired by . . . anointing the dirt

We live so much of our lives with our hands tied around our backs.

~Christie Purifoy (Roots & Sky pg. 37)

Autumn has been a series of starts and stops and back-agains. We've been gone and back, and gone again. Now back. 

I'm longing for routine. Same old, same old sounds like heaven to me.

My blogging has suffered along with all the irregularities and I miss all of you.

Not writing has left me feeling dry and brittle. My mind is constantly stringing words together but with every break in routine, my thoughts scatter like windblown leaves.

I was beginning to identify with my front yard.

Barren. Nothingness. Dirt.

From our temporary dwelling, that is all we see.

When I wrote that last line I was referring to where we are currently living, my Dreamer and I. But there is a deeper, more profound meaning.

Trapped in these earthly bodies our perspective can often become focused on the dirt. The barren parts of our lives that seem to produce nothingness. 

It's easy, for me at least, to get caught up in the hamster wheel. To feel unproductive and out of focus. To feel guilty over everything I'm failing to accomplish. But our perspective is often not the reality. 

And sometimes it takes a special sign from God to show us what is real. To remind us of how He works.

Sometimes, He sends us butterflies.

For several days the butterflies came. 

Flitting from here to there on the dirt. Not a flower or bloom in sight.

Beauty attracted to ugliness.

Tiny feet anointing barren ground.

The butterflies are gone now. In their place is a bounty of winter rye.

It is often in the periods of in-between when we're waiting on God that the Holy Spirit comes. 

He anoints the barren, dusty places. The hard places that we've stopped trying to navigate. He gives feet to our faith and voice to our deepest prayer.

And when we respond with obedience and joy He produces in us a bountiful harvest.

We all have dry and barren places in our lives. Some may be tucked away and nearly forgotten. I encourage you to bring them before the Lord in prayer today.

A tiny seed of faith, when anointed by the Holy Spirit is a beautiful thing.

Shalom,

Sharing inspiration here:
Small Wonders, Testimony Tuesday, #TellHisStory,
Thought Provoking Thursday, Grace & Truth,
Inspire Me Monday, RaRa Link Up, Intentional Tuesday,
#WordswithWinter, Titus 2 Tuesday, Thoughtful Thursdays,
Encourage Me Monday, Wholehearted Wednesday,
Women with Intention Wednesdays, Word Filled Wednesday,
#GiveMeGrace, Sitting Among Friends, #Glimpsesofhisbeauty
Nature Notes, Through My Lens, Saturday’s Critters, Life thru the Lens,
Our World Tuesday, Community Global, Photo Friday, Little Things Thursday