Gateways to Joy

Before drifting away in sleep last night, my mind scanned a flurry of topics I wanted to write about: home school.  mothering.  marriage, life, God ... I couldn't decide so I quickly prayed, "Lord, what am I really thankful for right now?" "Writing."  The forming of letters.  phrases.  sentences. Ah, this is true.  My soul is soothed by words.  The words that proceed forth ... that are created from within.  The process of thoughts right before the writing takes place.   In this I find great peace, a soulful rest. I am "a bearer of speech."  I bring speech forward through the penning of words.  Writing is the way that I process.  think.  heal.  It is the way that I express love.  grieve.  live.  It is in this very basic act of forming letters, phrases and sentences . . . curves, that I give of myself.  I give away my thoughts, my emotions, my heart.   It is how I share my soul... th...

T he practice of habit. Today we're participating with Ann over at A Holy Experience , where our spiritual journey leads us to 'The practice of habit .'  We're looking at spiritual practices that cause us to Walk With Him: Things that cause us to draw closer to His throne. Habit is define according to Dictionary.com as: "An acquired behavior pattern regularly followed until it has become almost involuntary.  It's customary practice or use; a particular practice", etc. The logical question, for me, becomes: How do we go about Walking With Him using the practice of hait? I would like to echo the words from Elisabeth Elliot that ring truth over and over again in my heart and mind  "Anything if given to God can become our gateway to joy." Those words are worth repeating to yourself over and over again.  Why?  Anything that we give to Him can be a holy work.  Our holy experience.  The "thing" regardless of how treacherous it may ...