I thirst

"As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God." (Psalm 42:1 NIV)

Thirst.  It is the body's way of signaling a basic need for fluid.  Without water, the body's salt content becomes too high which can cause problems such as renal failure, seizures, neurological problems (thank you, Google)... Everything has a craving.

Water.  It is the life force.  We are conceived and grown in water.  We are largely made of water.  We crave water.  We build cities on rivers.  We have died by large plagues resulting from contaminated water.  We have drowned in water.  There was a flood...

Yet my body pants for water.  I cannot live without it.  I cannot live without God.  WE cannot live without God.  We need pure God.  We try to siphon water from foods we eat, fruit, coke products, coffee.. We try to siphon God from the love of others, nature, highs... We need a tall glass of pure God.  To build our city on the river.  To pant for Him.  To be the tree that grows our roots down deep into the water reserve (a lot of metaphors but you get the picture).  

Are you dehydrated?  Run an I.V.  Attach yourself into our loving parent.  Or an umbilical cord, if you will.  Pant and crave and seek out His pure water.  Thirst.

until soon, 

b.

Abel still speaks

"By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead."  (Hebrews 11:4 NIV)

If you don't know the story, Abel and Cain were the children of Adam and Eve.. the naked people in the garden of Eden.  Abel and Cain were bringing sacrifices to God one day.  Abel brought a lamb and Cain brought some fruit.  Cain's fruit was probably bruised and half rotten, Abel's lamb was perfect.. The pick of the litter.  

The story is one of the heart.  God was pleased with Abel's offering because he had grout God his very best.  Cain brought his leftovers because he was saving the best for himself.  Well, Cain was mad at Abel for pleasing God and he killed him.. the Bible's first murder.

How is it that Abel still speaks to us?  

What does it mean to be righteous?

until soon, 

b.

Being an introvert

I am an introvert.  One of the small percentage of the quietly strange.  I am an observer of life, a watcher at gatherings, a listener to life's small whispers.

I notice the ignored.  The crickets in the prairie.  The crooked feather in the hawk's tail.  The squirrel in the underbrush.  

I lie in bed after waking to process my dreams.  I think about my thoughts.  Too much noise exhausts me.  Too much movement exhausts me.  I sleep long nights.  I nap in the day.  I drive with the radio off and the windows rolled down.

I am an introvert.  Part of a small, blessed percentage.  We are the introspective.  We are tuned into life's sacred rhythms.  We are the contemplative poets.  We are the tree blossoms that float down to the river and are rocked gently downstream.  

A small, blessed percentage in prayer for the rest of the world.

Until soon,

b.