Rest for the weary

I have been thinking about the difference between being tired and being weary.

Tired is based on a lack of sleep.  It can many times be fixed by a trip (or 3) to the local coffee shop.  Latte, please :-)

But weary ... oh weary is a vicious animal.  It is physical, emotional, and spiritual.  It is fatigue deep into your innermost being.  Weary begs you to give up.  It tells you that you just can't go any further.  20 lattes won't fix weary.

There is only one answer for weary:

Matthew 11:28-30 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

A yoke is a beam that would be placed on the neck of two oxen, so that they could work together to carry a heavy load.

Source

Jesus tells us to take His yoke upon us.  Picture it if you will:  Jesus walking right alongside you - linked to you - right in step with you - carrying the burden WITH you.  

The burdens that we carry are just that - burdensome.  But they are also precious cargo.  We don't see them that way when we are going through it, but they are being used to mold and shape us for greatness which is a great gift (if we will accept it).  

Seeing burdens in this light, helps me to keep a positive attitude.  There is a helper, Who always has my very best interest at heart.  There is peace in His presence, no matter what else is going on.

A little ditty I wrote

Can I just be honest?  2012 has not been very good to be so far.  Without going into detail, let's just say that last week was rough - really really rough - like "where in the world is my life going" rough.  The following song by All Sons and Daughters pretty much encapsulates how I was feeling:

I came across the song at the blog Julia's Poppies.  The author Jamie, has great taste in music :-)

There are times in life when it can feel like the world is crashing in on us, when we feel like the carpet is pulled out from under us and we can be left wondering where in the world we went wrong.  It may seem like God is absent as we search for where He is in the midst of our circumstances.  But He is never absent.  He can see everything at all times and there is nothing in the world that could ever change that.

In the midst of working through some of the stuff going on, I picked the guitar up and the other day I wrote a song.  It all came together really quickly and I began to see that writing a song can be a bit like musical journaling.  It has been good for me.  I have never enjoyed playing the guitar as much as I have the last few days and it has never come as easily to me as it has the last few days.  I think it's a God thing as playing has really been bringing some rest and peace to my soul.

I felt like sharing the words of the song that I wrote:


Cast Your Cares


At a point of great surrender
In a lost and weary place
He cries out amongst the darkness
Saying, "I will light the way"


Oh, you can put your trust in Me
Oh, I see things you do not see


When I cannot bear the heartache
When the world is closing in
He whispers with deep affection
Saying, "Here's my peace.  Now enter in."


Oh, you can put your trust in Me
Oh, I see things you do not see


Cast your cares on me
Cast your cares on me 
And I will carry you through the storm
Cast your cares on me
Cast your cares on me
My child, I'll keep you safe from harm 


Oh, you can put your trust in me
Oh, I see things you do not see
I see you ... and I am right by your side

Perhaps one day I will even be bold enough to record this song and share it ... and on that day we can also marvel at the pigs flying around in the sky :-)

This stuff is good

Source: allrecipes.com via Melany on Pinterest

Lemon Orzo Soup - it's what's for my dinner (click on the picture to get to the recipe).

I love this stuff.

I have not had it in years.

Feeling a little bit under the weather and loving how wonderful this soup feels on my throat and tastes on my tongue :-)

Soup ... gooooood :-)