the days of DAWN...: 2006

Saturday, December 30, 2006

Focus

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." -- Hebrews 12:1,2 (NIV)

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Cats have an amazing ability to focus on an object of interest. They may turn their ears towards other things around them to stay alert to what's going on, but they rarely avert their eyes if they're really interested. Sometimes, seemingly for no apparent reason to us humans, cats will suddenly sprint across the room towards whatever they were so fixated on until they "capture it".

Somewhere deep inside of my heart I have that kind of zeal for God. The problem is that my mind is more in control of me than my heart. I am very easily distracted by the things around me. Even though they are garbage compared to what God has for me, they seem so appealing in the moment and I allow my attention to be drawn away from God. None of the things I choose to focus on are bad or ungodly necessarily, but don't I owe it to God to keep my eyes fixed on Him? Jesus came and He died so that I could live without shame and I spend so much of my time ignoring Him!

Lord, forgive me! Give me the ability to focus on You with all of my heart and with all of my mind in the midst of my daily activities. Help me "run with perseverance the race marked out for" me. I pray that my heart, my mind and all of my senses would be open and alert to You.

photos (c) 2006 by DKF

Thursday, December 21, 2006

Sleep

"I will lie down and sleep in peace,
for you alone, O LORD,
make me dwell in safety. "

-- Psalm 4:8 (NIV)
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Thank you, Lord for the peace and rest that Your continued faithfulness gives me. Help me to be faithful to You in everything I do.

Wednesday, December 20, 2006

Light

"If I say, 'Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,' even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you."

-- Psalm 139:11,12 (NIV)

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I lift up my praises to you, Lord! Thank you that you indeed are Light, even in the darkest caves and caverns of life. Help me keep my eyes open so I can stop living in the darkness that I sometimes choose to dwell in!

Friday, December 15, 2006

My Meditation

"May the glory of the LORD endure forever;
may the LORD rejoice in his works-

he who looks at the earth, and it trembles,
who touches the mountains, and they smoke.

I will sing to the LORD all my life;
I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.

May my meditation be pleasing to him,
as I rejoice in the LORD."

-- Psalm 104:31-34 (NIV)

Sunday, December 10, 2006

From the Core

Volcanic lava rising
From the core
Is heating up this mountain
With new found
Passion and joy
Melting the
Statue-like ice caps
Mobilizing rivers of
Life and Love to flow
Down into dry
Desolate valleys
Birthing new
Succulent fruit and
Reviving withered souls

Monday, December 04, 2006

Blue Hues

Tuesday, November 28, 2006

Thy Word

"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path... Your testimonies I have taken as a heritage forever, for they are the rejoicing of my heart."
-- Psalm 119:105, 111 (NKJV)

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Thy word is a lamp unto my feet
And a light unto my path.
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet
And a light unto my path

When I feel afraid,
And think I've lost my way.
Still, You're there right beside me.
Nothing will I fear
As long as You are near;
Please be near me to the end.

I will not forget
Your love for me and yet,
My heart forever is wandering.
Jesus be my guide,
And hold me to Your side,
And I will love you to the end.

"Thy Word" (c) by Amy Grant & Michael W. Smith
photos (c) 2006 by DKF

Sunday, November 26, 2006

Unnecessary Fear

"Oh, I am so embarrassed...."

These pictures are from one of my favorite books from childhood. To this day, Grover is still one of my favorites. I can relate to him in this story a LOT. I get an idea in my head, I get myself all worked up into a panic, and it usually turns out to be nothing.

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The LORD is my light and my salvation—
whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of my life—
of whom shall I be afraid?
-- Psalm 27:1 (NIV)
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Lord, bring this verse to mind when I start getting scared of things I can't control and give me the strength to trust that you always have my back.

<---- my signature when I was in kindergarten...

images taken from
"the Monster at the end of this book"
written by Jon Stone
illustrated by Mike Smollin
(c) Children's Television Workshop 1971

Dot & Toby

shy kitty...

not so shy bunny...

Friday, November 24, 2006

Food for Thought

Akeelah: [quoting Marianne Williamson] Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
Dr. Larabee: Does that mean anything to you?
Akeelah: I don't know.
Dr. Larabee: It's written in plain English. What does it mean?
Akeelah: That I'm not supposed to be afraid?
Dr. Larabee: Afraid of what?
Akeelah: Afraid of... me?

"Akeelah and the Bee" is definitely a movie to see!

Wednesday, November 22, 2006

Peppermint Lovers BEWARE?!

I love peppermint candy. To me, real candy canes are peppermint flavored. All of the fruity flavors seem like some weird freak of nature to me. So... I was expecting this candy to be minty, but instead it was mostly cherry flavored with little bits of peppermint thrown in. I still wish that the candy was all pepperminty, but the combo is actually quite tasty.

Tuesday, November 21, 2006

Praising God

"I thank my God every time I remember you."
-- Philippians 1:3 (NIV)

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With the holiday season comes many memories and I've been reminded of the abundant blessings that God has given me in the gift of family and friends. I treasure each and every person that God has used to touch my heart and make Himself more real to me.

Lord, thank you for my family and friends! I pray that you would bless them today in a new way. Give them new revelations of who You are and a fresh image of how much You love them!

photo (c) 2006 by DKF

My Pal

OOOOoooh pretty lights...

Monday, November 20, 2006

MEOOooooooooooooow!!!

Messy Accident?

It's not a messy spill... it's ART!!

The Perfect Gift

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights..."
--James 1:17 (NIV)

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Thank You, Lord that you are a faithful gift giver and that Your gifts are amazing. My attempts to "fill my own stocking" just leave me feeling more and more empty. Please give me the courage to ask for and seek out the things that You have for me. You've given me so much already and it's all been good, but I'm longing for more... more revelation of Your love, more understanding of the Word, more of Your presence...

Saturday, November 18, 2006

Fruit

"Then God said, 'Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.' And it was so. " -- Genesis 1:11 (NIV)

Wednesday, November 15, 2006

My Prayer

Jesus take the wheel
Take it from my hands
Cause I can't do this
On my own
I'm letting go
So give me
One more chance
To save me
From this road I'm on
Jesus take the wheel

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-- lyrics from "Jesus Take the Wheel" -- written by Brett James, Hillary Lindsey & Gordie Sampson -- sung by Carrie Underwood -- album: Some Hearts

Construction Zone

" Many are the plans
in a man's heart,
but it is the LORD's purpose
that prevails."
-- Proverbs 19:21 (NIV)

"'...the joy of the LORD
is your strength.'"
-- Nehemiah 8:10b (NIV)

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Do you ever feel like everything in your life is upside down? Like no matter what you do, it'll be bad? From relationships to career and everything in between, it just seems like every step you take is wrong? I've been feeling a bit like that lately. In the midst of it, I've had some revelations. Through the openness and honesty of some good friends and with some insights from the Lord I've gained some perspective. I haven't really learned anything new, but some things that had been milling around in my brain finally clicked. Sometimes I'm slow to take a hint...

I'm realizing that I'm a selfish, greedy control freak. These traits are exhibited in my world through self-centeredness, jealousy, ungratefulness and manipulation, just to name a few. I've been desperately searching for a fix, something that will make my life seem fulfilling. I've been trying to control the world around me to make it more like the utopia that lives in my imagination. Whether it be trying to rely too much on people I love, to the point of hurting them, or drowning myself in movies and TV shows or overindulging in food, and not the healthy stuff, I've been trying so hard to fill the empty places in my life. I know I just wrote about this a little over a week ago, but I like I said, sometimes I'm a slow learner... "... [God is] truly the only option. He's the missing puzzle piece. The only one that really fits in that place." That concept finally hit home this week. It's nothing that I haven't heard before, many times, but it finally worked it's way into my heart.

Lord, thank you for all of the blessings you've placed in my life. Forgive my selfishness, greed and my attempts to control the world around me. Thank you for friends who are willing to stick by me when I'm acting so foolishly. Lord, I surrender my life wholly into your hands. Help me to keep focused on You and give me the courage to trust that You have all of the details of my life in Your hands. May "...the joy of the LORD [be my] strength."

Monday, November 13, 2006

Stained Glass

i'm dreaming
through colorful shards
and i'm SCREAMING,
"who dealt these cards?"

then there's the shattering, the crashing
and i'm shrinking back
as millions of teeny tiny pieces
PIERCE ME.

and then the fierce pain comes
pounding like pouring rain
and floods me.

and i'm drowning
in a sea of swirling
grey matter.

Sunday, November 12, 2006

Sad-Mad-Glad...???

"There is a time for everything,

and a season for every activity under heaven..."
-- Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NIV)

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I have no idea what the text in this picture means, but I love the graphics! When I was a peer counselor in high school, I learned that there are 6 basic emotions: sad, mad, glad, hurt, ashamed and afraid. I've definitely cycled through each one multiple times in the last couple of weeks. I have gained minor insights about some aspects of my life through the process and hopefully there is some more revelation to come!

Lord, thank you for Your faithfulness! I pray for more strength and courage to keep pressing on, no matter what my circumstances, and for continued insights into the person you've made me to be. Help me to trust in You in the dark desolate valleys and praise you on the bright sunny mountain tops!

Saturday, November 11, 2006

Winter

"As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease."
-- Genesis 8:21-22 (NIV)
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I'm not sure how happy I am that winter is here, but it is beautiful...

Sing!

"Sing the glory of his name; make his praise glorious!"
--Psalm 66:2 (NIV)

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I've had a cold for a couple of weeks and haven't been able to sing. I was finally able to get some songs out earlier this week and it felt really good! When I can't sing, it's like part of me is missing. I always forget how much joy I get from singing, especially worshipping, until I have to go without it for a while. Praise God that colds don't last forever!

Lord, thank you for the gift of song! I love you and want to lift You up everyday! Help me find new ways to praise you, both in song and otherwise.

photo (c) 2006 by DKF

Monday, November 06, 2006

Free Access

"'Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.'"
-- Matthew 7:7-8 (NIV)

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Lord, I'm here seeking You out and asking for more of You. I need you to live. You are my life. "You are my breath! You are my heartbeat! You're all I need!" I'm standing here knocking at the door, and I'll keep knocking even if my knuckles get raw... I just want more of You!

Missing Puzzle Piece

"And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
-- Matthew 28:20b (NIV)

"Jesus looked at them and said, 'With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.'"
--Matthew 19:26 (NIV)

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So here I am again, feeling empty and alone. I feel like there is an enormous hole in the center of my heart. Experience tells me that I need to fill that place with God, but I tend to shy away from that in these moments of seclusion. I try to fill the space with food and/or television and I conjure up ideas about being unloved... surely my friends must have just been pretending to like me all this time and they're just too kind to tell me otherwise and their busy schedules are just an excuse to exclude me from their lives... why would they want to be around this mess of a human being?... etc., etc., etc. Those images, while all lies, somehow fill the void but with intense pain instead of the joy I know I could get from God. He's truly the only option. He's the missing puzzle piece. The only one that really fits in that place.

Lord, I lay all of my burdens at Your feet. I can't do it on my own, but I know "all things are possible" with You. I ask for your forgiveness for avoiding You and doubting that You could fill in all the empty places within me. I stand on the Word that says You are "with [me] always". Come, Lord... please come...

photo (c) 2006 by DKF

Thursday, November 02, 2006

Dot & the Down Comforter

Dot seems to enjoy the new down
comforter almost as much as I do.

Wednesday, November 01, 2006

Stars

"O LORD, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well."

-- Psalm 139:1-3, 13-14

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Just like an apple has a star at it's core, God has placed something special inside of each one of us. No matter what we look like on the outside (bruised and marred, flawless or something in between) He sees the beauty of what He's made us to be. He's planted a seed in our hearts that will grow into something spectacular if we can bring ourselves to allow it without letting fear or pride get in the way and if we can let patience reign instead of greed and urgency.

Lord, help me to trust that you do indeed have an amazing plan for my life. "...your works are wonderful, I know that full well." I lay my fears and my selfishness at the foot of Your cross in order that I may be transformed into the person you've made me to be. Please give me the patience and courage that I need to walk the path You place before me and wisdom to recognize when I'm veering away from Your will. Let Your love shine through me like the stars in the sky, for Your glory.

photo (c) 2006 by DKF