Recently, I have had this recurring thought, “Sara, listen to your heart. And, carve out happiness in the midst of ugliness.”Whoa, I would awaken with a mind carving tool ready to flow. Words ready to flow in color and style. I would begin my word pictures for healing, peace, joy, and ‘Heaven Comforts’ only to be united with artisans, artist, resources and spirit of unity to create heavenly heart pockets filling up earth spots with beauty that had seemed destined for ugly.
After, hearing my inner voice calling and singing, a few times; “Sara, listen to your heart. And, carve out happiness in the midst of ugliness.” I did a few small beauty spots and God gave the increase. I was totally amazed beyond amazement. Then, I paused and wondered why things were being created in such wonderment after years of struggle. I heard the Word from scripture showing me when I stopped asking and trying in came the rain, raiment and the holy. I hope you ponder these words given by the Apostle Paul around 2,000 years ago that are still mind and spirit ready tools in the hands of an earth artist.
“Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” Ephesians 3:20-21, NRSV
thedailylily.com 
Wow, you have discovered a magnificent “landscaping” tool in the Word of God!! How wonderful! Eden before the fall. Heaven after the resurrection. Your discovery reminds me of the Scripture I discovered just a while back [probably just put there recently, do you think?] that brings to bear, similarly….”created unto Christ, unto good works which God had prepared beforehand for us [me] to do.” Eph. 3:10. It’s like they have been ready from the beginning of time, waiting for me to fulfill my destiny in doing those particular works and I am over here in another arena, goofing around, trying to do works He did not prepare for me to do. They were someone else’s works. I am usurping their call, ministry, obligations and duties and mine are left languishing. What a wake up call!!
I love your Scripture discovery, Sara, and its implications of an exciting and adventurous journey now and all that He has prepared for you [us] to do you will do in the power and authority that is in you [us] by the Holy Spirit. Amen & Amen!!!
I believe we to often drift in mind, body and spirit and miss our connections. We drift looking for fame and a feel good about our gifting. Or, perhaps think we can do things our way or as an individual. In times like this our beautiful gem/gift has no star to give our spark to. Hopefully, the tide will turn and wash us back to shore.
This makes me think of a song, Sis Furlough, taught us…we are drifting to far from the shore…
“…carve out happiness in the midst of ugliness.” …what beautiful instructions! And the scripture you heard coupled with these words,”showing me when I stopped asking and trying in came the rain, raiment and the holy.”…are so very encouraging. Many thanks for listening…and then sharing such beauty.
If we take time and give meaning to happiness we find the word, blessed are you as in the Beautitudes of Matthew 5:1-12….therefore we could translate “blessed am I when I carve out a blessing in a life of ugliness.”
Blessed/happy are…
….the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven. (5:3)
….those who mourn: for they will be comforted. (5:4)
….the meek: for they will inherit the earth. (5:5)
….those who hunger and thirst for righteousness: for they will be filled. (5:6)
….the merciful: for they will be shown mercy. (5:7)
….the pure in heart: for they will see God. (5:8)
….the peacemakers: for they will be called children of God. (5:9)
….those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (5:10)
I think this song has a tool for this blog. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=b-24kkrKp1Y&feature=youtu.be
Yes, thank you for sharing this song and tool.
Song…very moving…. Thank you.
A friend just sent me this quote and I thought most interesting in the light of this blog.
As Dumbledore once said, “happiness can always be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light”
Sara,
I’m not sure if this has anything to do with this blog, but yesterday, as I was pondering things, this scripture came to my mind. “Don’t grow weary in doing good”. Do you know where this scripture is, in the Bible? You are certainly doing good in my mind, if you are “craving out happiness in the midst of ugliness.”
I think I found the above scripture: “Galatians 6:9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” (NIV)
Tammy, I think The Apostle Paul, and you, are spot on…..the word become or grow, makes me think of a tire with a slow leak. Often, we find ourselves with a flat tire and no go when an hour before we were on high speed. I believe this warning is warning against attitude as well as just physically being worn out at times. Either, or, seems like we may be allowing the insects, bugs, hail and floods to destroy our harvest/rewards.
This is a very timely, thoughtful observation and warning especially for me at this very moment as I rest with hopes to “carve” again. It seems like ugly voices yell, leave us alone we like ugly. Don’t turn on a light in dark, we like dark. Don’t, provide salt for flavor of heaven we like salt free diets providing nights and days of self indulgence to placate our freshly desires.
Yes, it’s a battle of light vs. dark. Thanks for being an encourager and holding a light so the “growing weary” mind and body can refresh and focus knowing vision of rewards are for another time.
Great study!
Tammy, thanks for finding Mr Wayne to help with beauty and comfort as he joins hands with us to further The Vision.
You are very welcome, and so glad he can help. 🙂
Is there anything too difficult for our God? Not a chance!!! If we, God’s people, would just get out of our own way and into His way….His purposes, His eternal plan then we will see the glory of the Lord rise upon us. He promised in Isaiah ….that when it’s grossly dark out there [like now, Lord ???] …..then the glory of the Lord will arise upon us and people will come to the light of our shining…and marvelous things will ensue. We pray ”Thy Will be done in us, on earth as it is in Heaven.”
As I continue to read our scripture over and over from Ephesians 3…I start to imagine all the many things growing inside of us. How about God’s graces. Wonder what we see from a life that has growing graces?
Well, as I think about your query, I believe God has granted His graces for enablement, for ability and for favor. As you wrote above about the things growing within by the graces of God bestowed on/in us…..Perhaps courage? Patience? Fortitude? These are wonderful buds growing within but if we do nothing with these…if we don’t put into practice what these graces are to be used for, then we grieve the Holy Spirit Who desires to act with us and through us and these buds never blossom and bloom [as you write in your book, Sara.]
If I am constantly a hearer of the Word and NOT a doer….as our Sunday School lesson is reiterating again….and what Gary has preached over & over….and we sit on the graces instead of working them our faith is dead…James says so! The professor who is teaching that particular lesson on James says….you may not even be born again…for without faith, it is impossible to please God.
We must have the faith to believe the Bible…every word, as it says in your Scripture theme above…” “Now to him…being the Holy Spirit, Who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” Ephesians 3:20-21 If we believe it we will trust Him [Holy Spirit] to work that power within us and we will be able to do it through the auspices of Holy Spirit
We receive the help we need through the graces assigned to us by the Lord God and the Holy Spirit.
“How about God’s graces. Wonder what we see from a life that has growing graces?”
Reading this over and over, it seems to me that this is not a simple question but a very deep and complex one. I have thought on God’s grace as a singular thing He gives but never really on ‘graces’, for that implies to me many forms/types or degrees of grace. So when I searched my bible index I saw that we are to ‘receive grace for grace’ (John 1:16); be strong in the grace God gives us in Jesus (2 Tim 2:1); that God gives lots of grace so we can have it for good works (2 Cor 9:8); that we are commanded to grow in this grace (2 Peter 3:18); and that Peter asked that grace would be multiplied to us (2 Peter 1:2). Reading on I saw that Peter talked about growth and I remembered that Sara had done a teaching series on ‘Developing the Divine Life’ and I believe said that 2 Peter 1:5-8 was a growth chart and we could measure our growth by it…”giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue, knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.”
So, maybe, we will see these things developing in a life that has growing graces?
Lot of good thoughts on graces, growth and Holy Spirit all of you have offered.
Our two newest puppies, Rocket 🚀&Bonnie 👒,Scotties, have been teaching me many things. They are so quick to learn as they grow. I think, oh, to learn obedience and love to practice obedience to please their master. They even receive treats which gives joy to the giver as well as the little ankle high brilliant BESTIES that receive.
Maybe that’s why God called me a bully headed sheep and not a perfect Scottie!
Oh how charming! Sometimes, our God puts the kindest and sweetest examples before us to draw us into obedience to His wishes, desires and commands. Yes, as another author David Teems put it [paraphrasing]….. everything he learned about true worship he gleaned from his pups……I guess you could say that you are learning much about obedience from your Teaching Terriers!! And that IS charming.