Mother Nature Musing

Snow Vt yay edits

As I stroll over to the orchard bench, I notice sunlight setting on a hill nearby. It creates a shadow with a red rue. It’s a subtle beauty. It briefly reminds me to forget all my recent unfortunate occurrences. The cascading shadow is a promise taking shape — lights, and shadows are blending in harmony. As humans, we get stuck on the little things that no longer serve us. The times we get stuck in traffic, deadlines we have to make, being sick and receiving an unfortunate prognosis, we forgot to look inward instead of outward. The external beauty of nature reminds me to look internally. Nature is like medicine to let go of past regret and shame to see life as it truly is.

We may be late to work because of traffic but if we always try our best to be on time, does it really matter in the scheme of things? If our boss doesn’t understand that it was because of traffic, then don’t take it personally, but look at that hill in the orchard with that cascading shadow and life will make more sense. We are the neurotic ones living with Mother Nature, who sustains more balance and flexibility than we give it credit.

I can struggle with inflexibility to changes to my routine. I like change if it’s an exciting change that I have been through before. But unexpected and dubious change is the worst. One time, I flew and there was a two-hour layover to my connecting flight. After two hours we were told we had to change planes so there was another hour delay. Flying, waiting, and getting home late isn’t something I enjoy. Like anyone, I just want to get there. I am just more anxious about the delays than someone who is more chill with the unknown.

However, nature changes seasons without a second thought. From fall to winter to spring to summer. It doesn’t willfully decide to say fall is almost over; we aren’t going to change to winter and cover the ground with snow. No, the temperatures drop, and the rain turns to snow. It is a beautiful event to witness — nature at its best.

The ground encloses with sheets of snow, purifying and, however, dissonant to those who stand in its way. Mother Nature only plays one game, and that is the game of “keep up with me.” But if you play her game, you’ll be surely blessed. We have seen what happens when we don’t play along. I believe God and Mother Nature go hand in hand.

But Mother Nature and humanity will be restored to its original intention and beauty (even though it is still beautiful) when God creates a new Earth. For the Bible says in Romans 8:18-21, “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God” (NIV).

The Children Look Into Infinity

kids on a roof

The hands clasped

What haven’t you grasped?

Today, if you hear His voice

Do not hardened your hearts

With your cap in hand

Where does your mind stand?

 

Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence

So the Holy Spirit can take up residence

I jump rope with a small rope as adult

And I do the hurdle jump with sandals

It’s like riding a bike without handles

 

It’s time to put my fears behind me

But I am scared of the unknown that goes into infinity

I got still have my braces

And I won’t have room for dentures

Because the inner child left behind her adventures

 

As a child the more you try to be an adult

You’ll be one to a fault

Preschoolers play on those swings

And 2nd graders play the tether ball

Take your close curiosities to the distant mall

(C) Carly Wiggins 2018

P.S. This poem features two lines from Hebrews 4. Lines 3, 4, and 7.

Praise God in the Good, Bad, and Ugly

BB39CB6C-1E37-408D-AF9F-1440BB883C95

Praise and worship God in all things. The good, the bad, and the ugly. Praise can change a situation and this posture moves the heart of God. Not every situation has a perfect solution. That’s ok. God is teaching you to rely on Him more. Give your burdens to Him today.

Why does God allow praise to change a situation quicker? You may ask. I hear you say: I pleaded with God in the middle of the night, read the Bible and even prayed in tongues and I heard nothing and my situation stayed the same. While I believe God responds to those selfless acts to Him, there is more the answer. He changes a situation quicker when we are more alignment with His wishes for your life. And praise is the quickest way from my experience in telling God, “I don’t know how this situation is going to turn out but I trust You in the midst of it.” Prayer can be that expression unto God but true praise is often voiced without worry, fear or doubt but complete submission to the loving Father’s will. And this enables to Holy Spirit to do His best work as our requests come before the throne room for Him to answer. When the Holy Spirit and God answers He wants you to know that the solution is for your best. And sometimes you have to “wrestle” with God for the best outcome. Jacob wrestled with God for answers but God overcame. (Genesis 32:22-30). God even changed Jacob’s name after this encounter to Israel which means, “May God prevail.”

So how do you get into that head and heart space of praise? Worship and prayer can be vessels into allowing the Holy Spirit to move your heart into praise. But my first advice is to praise God in the good, bad and ugly. Some situations look hopeless and ugly. You may have a health or financial crisis. Or a broken relationship with a friend or family member. Those are the places where you continue to come to God. I know it’s hard though.

You don’t have to have, “joyous mountaintop-praise” singing “Worthy is the Lamb” at the top of your lungs. Those are wonderful experiences to be felt before God. But if it’s an ugly situation: an unfair lawsuit, verbal or sexual assault or the death of a loved one, maybe singing at the top of your lungs it’s on your mind. Feel no shame for your grief and/or lack of high energy. We all have days like this. The enemy of your soul wants you to feel false guilt so your praise will be reduced. Don’t let him win!

My second advice is, “let it rip.” Don’t think too much. One time I struggled through a broken relationship early on in my walk with Christ. I was on the floor, crying, listening to “Beautiful Lord” by Leeland. The lyrics go, “I’m captured by this love I see/Beautiful Lord/Tender and holy/Your mercy brings me to my knees/It’s Your mercy that has made me free/Beautiful Lord.” I stayed in the moment and thought about how others have let me down but God never will. “His mercy has made me free.” I went to that dark place and gave it to God. That is praise, my friend. The good, bad, and ugly.

Let’s allow our pain to create joy and praise unto God. Here is some encouragement:
y and the sin that so easily holds us back.

“Let us look only to Jesus, the One who began our faith and who makes it perfect. He suffered death on the cross. But he accepted the shame as if it were nothing because of the joy that God put before him. And now he is sitting at the right side of God’s throne.” (Hebrews 12:2. NCV).

He finish the good work in us! Amen and “praise” God! 😀

How do you praise God? Any take away from this piece?

God is a Ghost

god is a ghost

The cobwebs, the crooked doors, and the darkened hallways
I forget to acknowledge myself in all my ways
I forget there is one constant in all of the universe
It still has to run its course
When I feel all alone
I forget there is a soul of mine I can call my own
Aliens, ghosts, and skeletons
But don’t you forget God is a ghost
He has come to give you what you need most
You should fear this ghost
He can mysteriously pop up in front of you during the day
Sometimes it appears he is unseen
But he knows what you need
He has come to reap and comfort
For he alone can heal our hurt
Don’t forget God’s a ghost
And he loves you very much
Don’t forget his mysterious power

(C) Carly Wiggins 2007

The Ugly Side of Prophecy

prophecy

One time I received a prophecy that didn’t resonate with me. The Bible says in 1 Thessalonians 5:20-21, “Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good.” While I believe in God’s word and true prophets speaking to God’s people at the same time, I also believe that prophecies should be tested and you should test whether there is truth in it. If it has qualities that “are true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable, then think on these things” (My paraphrase, Philippians 4:8. NLT).

Prophecy is to build up the church. While I believe prophets that give you words that aren’t from God they don’t always do it maliciously. As a person myself who tries to hear prophetically, everything I hear isn’t always from the Lord. It can be your own wisdom or sometimes, I believe, from the evil one himself. That is why you should test the spirits (1 John 4:1. ESV).

I have been hurt by the spirit of prophecy by the church as well as comforted. I have received concrete direction that was hard to hear but spoke to situations in my life. One time when I was told to spend more time with Papa God. I was shocked because I thought I was spending a lot of time with Him. But at the same, honored that He wanted to spend more time with me. I mattered that much to Him. And I must have been distracted at that time, looking back that I didn’t spend more time with God. This prophetic word allowed me to really shape a more real and deeper relationship with God.

But one time I received a prophetic word that struck my heart like an arrow. It felt like they twisted Scripture for their own advantage and it felt like it came from a judgmental place. It came from 1 Samuel 15:22 and it reads, “Obedience is better than sacrifice” (NLT). The pastors who gave me this word said it applies to obeying God prophetically. For instance, if God told me to go talk to this person and I didn’t, I wouldn’t be obeying God. Prophecy is a muscle that you develop. You live and learn if you are hearing from God or not. I don’t believe I am being disobedient if I think I am not hearing from God and decide not to talk to that person. Life is complex. I can’t be squeezed into a prophetic exercise.

Also prophecy is such a personal thing. It’s not an order or ritual. I should participate in it with a joyful heart unto God. I have always done that and now if I do what this prophecy words and “obey” all the time; it wouldn’t be smart and I would be like a Pharisee, under the law and not under grace.

I believe God works hand in hand with my growing ability to discern if I hear from Him or not. And He showed off His patience like He never had before. This experience with these misguided pastors taught me God has an elastic tolerance and unconditional love for me. And He is proud of me and appreciative of me faithfully serving Him for almost 25 years! 🙂

I hear the Lord whisper to me (and this can apply to you as well), “It’s not like 3 strikes and you are out. I am more patient than people give more credit for. I am love. While there are things I do not tolerant, I respect people’s free will. Sweet Carly, I am with you and I am not judging you for thinking for yourself.”

This confirmation brings a lot of warmth to me as I continue to write. Also I remind myself that “Obedience is better than sacrifice” is from the Old Testament. We still follow many things from the Old Testament like the Ten Commandments. But do we still do animal sacrifices (which was the Bible verse background my prophetic word) and have to be circumcised? We aren’t being disobedient if we don’t do animal sacrifices and have to be circumcised in order to follow God’s law now. This was pre-Jesus. We still shouldn’t have any gods before us and not covet another’s possessions but seriously, would we have put the blood of animals on our doors? They will not be consequences if we don’t do these things. So in a nutshell, when you hear things from the Old Testament, we should use discernment and the context clues to see how it applies to you today. Not everything will be applicable in the Old Testament for you today. So, “Obedience doesn’t replace sacrifice,” seems to be Old-Testament-not-under-grace-thinking, in my honest opinion. While there may be nuggets of wisdom one can receive from this Scripture the way it was presented to me by the pastors in reference to prophecy didn’t resonate with me. I my school of philosophy is if it doesn’t stick, let it go. 🙂

 

Sincerely,

~ Carly (My Ink Smears) ~

© Carly Wiggins 2018

Peachy Keen

3B332CB0-12CF-438C-9BBC-7CD16A2F580D

I wish everything was peachy keen
I want my testimony to be juicy
The sweetest of hope even seen

It’s more than the finish work of the cross
It’s the struggles, twists and turns
It’s give You all my love and concerns

I wish everything was peachy keen
I want my love to be ripened
Your Spirit is making me sparkling clean

You are making streams in the wasteland
I long to see my joy and crown
In the Lord, I must firmly stand

“Take the kingdom prepared for you before the world was created”
Oh, Lord prepare my heart, I am elated
I rejoice with all of the creation and the angels

(C) Carly Wiggins 2018

I am Soaring in the Air (Am I Going to Fly or Fall?)

9BFEDB52-E626-4CB2-8F9F-8CC23B6B346D.jpeg

 

I am soaring in the air
Am I gonna fly or fall?
This heart of mine is an overhaul

I just want to fly
I don’t want to think about why I’m alive
I just want to be with I

Because when I fly the wide skies
I don’t want to think about it
When I feel the world’s lies
And fall into its disguise

I know that life is short
And I don’t want to think about death
Life is precious with its grime and dirt
And if I die now it will hurt

Growth is a porcelain vased plant
Slowly spreading its greenery
Adapting while others say I can’t

I just want to fly
I don’t want to think about why I’m alive
I just want to be with I

(C) Carly Wiggins 2018

 

Revival Meeting

revival-hands

I am in this room filled with a zealous spirit

To need to yield is apparent

The awakening time has drawn near

While the refreshing love is oh so clear

 

I check my heart to make sure I am ready

The music from the band is trickling in the air

The djembe marches on steady

The singers speak, “We are with the Lion Tribe of Judah, release your care”

 

The room is filled with paintings and signs like “revival” and “stronghold”

I feel restless, this is now the time to be bold

I bring my heart and knees to the ground

Immediate into this musical cerebral sound

“I am here, rest my child,” I hear

“Don’t give up on Me, for I created You”

I shed a tear

“I make beginnings anew”

 

Then after the music, a pastor starts to speak

About the only One you shall seek

“The Kingdom life is at hand

For it is in our hearts and where we stand”

 

After that the pastor comes up and lays hands on folks

I feel need to come up

While people are saying, “Glory” and “Our God of Hope”

I am come up and feel the spirit erupt

It comes like a tornado

Through a tornado alley in Laredo

I revitalize my motives and internal being

I let go; the heat wave is so freeing

 

I feel my head get heavy and knees lock

I fall to the floor

I go into a Holy Spirit shock

I am left with a chilling sensation and the One I adore

 

I will come again if I can stand

For another time oh so grand

To experience the full enthralling vibe

Of the Lion Judah’s charismatic tribe

 

(C) Carly Wiggins 2010

God, the Alpha and Omega

god alpha and omega

Poem:

The universe created itself from nothing

Then consciousness moving in and transcending all barriers and lines

Where is God in this midst?

He is the Alpha and the Omega, blocking the shadows of darkness with the light that shines

 

Prayer:

Dear Lord,

We praise you for being the Alpha and Omega. The beginning and end. Remind us that all goodness in us comes from You. Help us to be more lovingly and patient with each other. We live in a very fast-paced world and we forget sometimes how to love. Teach us what’s important and let go of what doesn’t matter. You have the whole world in Your hands and we can learn divine order if we give control up to You. Bless us and shower us with your presence today, Lord.

Amen.

Please share your thoughts with me. Isn’t amazing how God is the beginning and the end of all that is?

 

Destiny’s Knockin’ On Your Door (Let Go)

BDA25DEC-9C04-49E9-ACC6-F040B5DB98C8

 

Life’s ups and downs

Can make you feel sick

Like a roller coaster ride

You question where does your love confide?

 

You travel some many places in your brain

Your heart has been through a blender

Do I hold on to what’s already gone?

Or let go and surrender?

 

See, in this life the choice is yours

Everything is a choice

From dusk to dawn

Is your light within turned on?

 

Does your light within really shine?

Shine like a welcoming revelation?

Beckoning with perspective

Leaving you with clear hope, no hesitation

 

For if all these things really ring true

Destiny’s knockin’ on your door

It’s time to let go

Sometimes when I am in prayer

 

I feel like no one’s there

I am talking to the ceiling

Sometimes I am lost in a deep spiritual feeling

 

I sense a powerful presence of some sort

I stop focusing on my personal hurt

I start to pray for others

And nations filled with sisters and brothers

 

I am not saying I am always selfless

I can be pretty selfish at times, I confess

But I believe it’s important to take time away from self

 

To pray for others who need help

Because destiny’s knockin’ on your door

It’s time to let go

© Carly Wiggins 2016