Impress Me.

I am thirty minutes into my "work day" and i've yet to crack my email. I've been doing battle today-- which takes precedence over my timecard. The enemy is a roaring like a lion seeking to steal, kill and destroy. And well, he's not welcome. Christ has victory over him, and in his strength i do battle.

Yesterday the Lord blessed me in his Word and the calling to be daily impressed with God. To be daily taken back by his greatness and wowed by the King of Kings. Yesterday was a such blessing and my heart was thankful. It was such a beautiful day!

I woke up this morning, yes, promptly at 7am, with a pep in my step. After opening the Word, with a warm cup of coffee in hand, I got inspiration to write something. It's been a while since i've dappled in poetry, but God uses creative things of the sort to speak powerful truths to me. So i got out my computer and went to work.

The enemy took note and welcomed his sorry ass into my head. In lies of who i was as Christ's bride-- don't go there fool. It's amazing how many lies, the ones you thought were dead, he brings up in a few short minutes. But, i pressed through-- His truth is more powerful.

And for all you girls reading this-- i'm having a "blah" day. You know those days when you don't feel right in anything you put on, when you're hair is funky and well, you should have saved the mascara for another day? So, i fought back. Pony tail. Jeans. T-shirt. Jesus can't take his eyes off me.

Then i learn of my Popi, who so lovingly did the hard work, that two blasted minions (or mice) have made their home in my belongings in the garage. Awesome. Battle in my mind. "It's ok Sarah. You said if you haven't used it in a year you were going to sell it anyway."

Daily battle. Right here folks. In the raw and real.

Today is monday- but that is no excuse for a crap shoot day. No excuse to let the enemy speak stress, or the feeling of being overwhelmed, or any of those lies. he is the father of lies, and he likes nothing more than to disrupt the work of God in our lives. Recognize it. Has he stolen your joy? Is he tinkering with it? FIGHT THAT FOOL. Is he stealing your peace? FIGHT THAT FOOL. Is he tampering with what God is trying to tell you... FIGHT THAT FREAKIN' FOOL and don't back down until he flees like a little girl. (no offence to the little girls reading this blog.) No room to mess. Jesus is good. He is the giver of life... and well, all else can peace the heck out.

So. There's the background story of my morning. Onto the piece i wrote.

___________________________________________

Impress Me.

I want to be amazed.
I want to be found awe stuck.
I want to be left moonstruck and bone struck, fancied and lone struck,
Can’t speak of my name in the face of my King stuck.
Impress me!
I want my breath snatched away.
I want to be left panting and wanting.
Unable to speak because i can’t feel my feet,
My mouth without words, stopped dead in my tracks-
Taken.

Show me your greatness!
Holding all that is beautiful, fashioned. Displayed.
Impress me!
Captivate my senses.
Lock my eyes in your gaze. Tune my ears to your voice.
That i might know you!
Let me taste of your goodness. Locked deep, shut down, bound tight in your Love.
Leave me longing and restless. Unable to sleep at the joy of your presence.
Taken.

Overwhelm me with safety.
In the palm of your hand, clothed royal and loved-
You impressed me.
You created, imprinted, etched, carved and you knitted
The word of your plan on my heart.
You have folded and grafted and waywardly snatched.
Taken for yours.
You have chosen. Predestined, foreknew ‘for all of creation,
I am taken.

Impress my heart.
Till i’m left pale in face.
Pound it into my heart, on my head, between my eyes. Because i’m forgetful.
Remind me.
Of your faithfulness to Israel. Though lusting and longing, defiled and untrue-
You provided. Bread rendered from heaven. Water flowed of a rock.
You brought victory.
By the hands of a weak man, squatting low on a rock. His hands held high- by his brothers.
You are faithful.

Impress me.
You are the author of time and fashion out beauty.
Continue to wow me.
That i might be found utterly wordless, perfectly doubtless,
And empowered.
Uncluttered, now clear, unbroken, made whole.
Captivated by beauty, Hungry for Truth.
Neck deep in your graces moved only by your Word.
Impress me!

Do so abundantly.
Over-the- topped-flowingly.
Overwhelmingly, astoundingly, I know nothing else more awesomely,
Impress me!
That lookers would know, in the eye of your Bride, that i’m yours!
That i’m taken.
Unmistaken. So shaken, sent brilliantly awakened.
Help me to love them. Like you did. Humbled and pointed.
Impress me.

You can judge me. It's ok.

So, my body has sadly mistaken itself for a middle aged woman. (Which unless i plan on dying at the early age of 46, is hardly accurate). This is sadly evidenced in the fact that i wake up at 7am, every morning, regardless of all desires to sleep and with no consideration for the minimal hours of actual sleep in me. This is unacceptable.

But nature will have it's way, so after tossing and turning until 8, i got up with only one thing on my mind. Coffee. (Go ahead. Judge away.) With my heart set on a warm mug of awesomeness, i walked out to a sad, sad smell. You see, it's the all too familiar smell of a morning when we've run out of coffee. Of what, you ask?

Raspberries.

Yes. Raspberries.

We have the stash of coffee (if you can even call it that) of raspberry coffee that is resorted to when we've hit the bottom of the real stuff. It makes for a rather tragic morning. I fight a crappy attitude (i know, judge on)... and rummage for something that will provide a warm caffeine jolt. (Who even makes raspberry coffee? I have no desire to dip strawberries in my coffee, who would think raspberries would be any different? It's ludicrous disguised as luxury and i have no interest in it.)

Doubly painful was that i finished off my black tea selection earlier this week. With no coffee, no tea, and the sad attempt at the first wafting throughout the house, i managed to find the end of a jar of instant espresso and went to work. It was just enough for a bitter quarter cup of jolt to kickstart my morning, but was sadly lacking the tenderness to truly warm my heart. (I know. I told you, keep judging.)

A Facebook update, an egg and toast, and a warm shower later i was still struggling to wake up. Then, Madre walked in from the grocery store with the treasure. Around 1pm i fixed up a pot of gold (true, undefiled coffee.) and drank 2 blissful moose mugs (which is probably 5 actual cups) of it.

I really like the taste of coffee, which is why i like to drink it. I also like the routine of enjoying it in the morning as i read my Bible (Judge now sucka.). I'm just admittedly off kilter a bit without it-- i'm ok that that. And, plus, it provides really good material for a blog post like this. : )

: ) thanks mom!

lovely.

I have a thing for dresses right now, which is unfortunate because it's like 53 and raining.

But, lovelies remain so apart from the weather, so, here's to another beauty!

Thank you ShopRouche for finds i can find nowhere else!

awesome of the week- #275

I've followed an awesome blog for a a little over a year-- and it's well worth sharing! My friend Jugie (her given nickname) found it one day and showed it to me at work. I'm not exaggerating when i say we spent the rest of that working day reading it. It was awesome.

And well, when your title is "1000 Awesome Things"... it's best that you're awesome.

: )

So everyday there's a new, witty post on something the general public finds awesome. From your colon to when the DJ plays the song you requested... its on there folks. 1000+ strong. Add that to your "i already checked Facebook, no updates, and i'm bored" website list.

This entry was particularly awesome because it posted on the weekend, not typical, AND today's post is one of my favorite things too!!!

Awesome of the Week is given to 1000 Awesome Things and number #275, "Sundays".

(check out number #491 too. that was pretty awesome too!! )

"Stupid"

Sometimes i use "stupid" as a exclamatory preface in a phrase i'm trying to exaggerate. Like "stupid cute" from the post below. I believe some have mistaken it for a hit on kids- which is understandable, but far from me. I just mean their so stinkin' cute it's stupid. It probably should be hyphenated... forgive my error. I don't want folks thinking i some jerk face calling kids stupid. I like kids. I really do. And only some of them are stupid. (just kidding.)

"And she works in kid's ministry. pshhhh... "

: )

awesome.

Kids truths for a grown up heart.

So, i work with kids at my church. And to say i love it is hardly sufficient. It's a little strange to think about how much i really do enjoy it, so let me explain.

A few years ago, i would have hung out with kiddos for a few reason, none of them out of pure love for kids. Most people just expected me to, 1. Because i wanted to be a teacher (the good Lord spared me from that as a job early in my major decisions). and 2. i was a girl. A natural combination for folks to work with kids, right? "She'll be a mom eventually... she should probably work with kids." And while i did it, and i think did it alright, i never really LOVED it.

So i plugged into ministry for young women, mostly jr. high and college aged women and that, i loved! I loved walking with ladies with whom i was a few steps ahead and with those who were in similar seasons. It was rich- and yea, i loved it!

So, fast forward a few years, and i move to Korea. Awesome. My days are filled with stupid cute kids who work hard to understand English and can stare me down with the cutest, most confused eyes i've ever seen. So while my ESL lessons proved less than awesome at times... i succeeded in the universal art of love and laughter (and in that taught them some English that really mattered! And only a few bad words, they were in top demand.) And, you know what, they won me over. Kids like when you make a fool of yourself. When you struggle to draw (and they likewise struggle to decipher) a figure on the board you drew intending to clarify the spoken concept you couldn't communicate verbally. Yea... they like adults who love them and want the best for them. High fives and funny voices, cookies and kimbap, love and laughter translate well.

All that to say, i grew rather fond of kids this past year. Not in a pet your head, your so stinkin' cute i wanna eat your face, kind of way... but rather in a you're pretty awesome, you need some love and i'm gonna talk to you like an adult kind of way. And we're both gonna laugh like kids when you so something awesomely appropriate because you're "a kid!" and because i'm an adult who has no authority or desire to punish you. shhh.... : )

Now im stationed in California and i find myself rockin' kid's ministries. I was a little hesitant at first, but it's awesome. Aside from getting to hang out with kids and talk to them about their "mastery of animals trivia" or "cool new dance moves", I have a new found settledness that the Gospel is sufficient. It doesn't need to be watered down. They get it! They ask the good questions. And will truthfully answer the hard ones. I'm learning that the grace of God and the simplicity of his Gospel is simple... and kids get it in the most pure kind of ways. They don't need frills, they've got life to keep on living.

So i'm reading through this weeks lesson on humility, that being treating others as if they were better than you, and i get a kick in the pants. ("Not I, the adult." Spoken with one hand pointed chest-ward as if i were British) The message is simple. But dang, SO needed. What would look differently if i actually put to practice humility in my own life? Let's get real straight for a minute-- i'm far from humble. And well, i wear pride like stunner shades at night-- to my shame.

A humble, simple life values others greater and esteems Jesus higher. Jesus-- the Creator of the FREAKIN' UNIVERSE, the Redeemer of the world, the BEGINNING and the END, the one who rendered heaven to save my sorry self. Yea, that one. He humbled himself to death on a cross. And before that, he washed people's grimy feet-- even those who would betray him. He gave and loved. He served and then he offered himself to die. He got spit on and his friend's fell asleep on him. True humility.

A schoush (a made up word i use for "a little") of that, an ounce of that, in my own life would clear up the image i bear of Jesus-- the one the i love-- to the folks watching me. And dang, He would shine magnitudes brighter!! And that is what i want! I want people to see Jesus and to love him-- i just have a hard time getting over myself.

A lesson for a kid and a much needed shake for a grown up. Repentance, likewise, is also simple- stand up. Turn around. Walk. So here i go... figuratively. There's a mirror behind me. While probably humbling for my face, bad for the mirror.

: ) Jesus is good... i'm thankful!

awesome.

if only i had some place to wear her!

Sometimes i wish i could rock a new dress everyday... especially ones as lovely as this!

Thank you ModCloth for keeping it awesome. (And more expensive than i can ever afford.)