Brushing the Blue
Introduction While we are searching for a richer, fuller life, most of us blind ourselves to the wonder of the immediate, the now. The world is wound pretty tightly and so are most of us, reasoning our way into tomorrow or struggling to untie the knots of our yesterdays. We are faced with a variety of situations that elicit the spectrum from joy to pain. In our humanity, we attempt to avoid suffering. Rather than facing our fears, our pain, we move into a fight, flight, or freeze mode. In this place, we also miss the sound of the birds, the color and texture of the ever changing sky, and the touch of breeze on our cheek. The rampant addictions and attachments that have weakened our culture shout our attempt to avoid reality. In his book, The Sacrament of the Present Moment, Jean- Pierre de Caussade wrote that as humans, we share a flaw that creates so much misery we don't live too much in the present. The moments and hours of the day pass as we neglect to realize the significance of this truth: God is allowing our present circumstances and conditions through them, He is always speaking, teaching, revealing. This small book was written centuries ago by a French monk/clergyman, and it speaks clearly to us today. God wants an intimate, powerful, rich relationship with us. He desires to show us how to be the people that He created us to be as we walk through each day of our lives. He wants us to deal with the reality that He has allowed and to submit to His will. We make our own choices, wise and foolish, and God responds as only He knows best. He is gracious and compassionate, but He loves us too much to leave us in our self created misery. Thus He presents us with countless opportunities to grow. The obsession with control robs us of joy and weakens our ability to live creatively. We serve a creative God and we are made in His image. We are not wired to choreograph our own destiny; His plan is for us to seek Him first, above everything and everyone, and to creatively work with Him as we discover and implement our gifts and callings. We have all experienced great loss as a result of our natural, Godless, self determination. This is the human condition when God is not the author of the equation. As we seek Him first, find Him, and humbly commit our lives to Him, alone, admitting our brokenness and need, He begins to show us how to relate to Him in Spirit and in Truth. This results in a blessed gratitude, without which we cannot recover from our losses. Even when we have sincerely committed our lives to Him, it takes most of us years, or decades to begin to really live the abundant life that Christ died to give us. Our spirit awakens alive and regenerated at the point of conversion, commitment. However, our lower nature is easily triggered to jump, resulting in soul pain and chatter with all of its ramifications. We are a spirit with a soul, in a body. Our soul consists of our mind, emotions, and will. As Christians, our soul has countless opportunities each day to connect with our regenerated spirit, or with our unregenerate lower nature which the Apostle Paul calls the flesh. Most Christians live out of their lower nature a lot. Our attempt to control our self, our world, and others keeps us miserable and feeds our flesh. God has a much better plan but He doesn't force us. Although He completely honors our free will, He works in our lives, our circumstances, our consequences in order to shake us enough to see His light. According to the Word of God, we battle our unregenerate flesh, the world we live in, and the devil who roams like a fierce predator. In Ephesians chapter six the apostle Paul tells us to put on the full armor of God in order to win the battle that would destroy our soul. He exhorts us to put on the helmet of salvation with the mind of Christ, the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, and to utilize the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God. We must be prayerful, watchful, and persevering. Elsewhere in the New Testament we are encouraged to be wise as serpents and gentle as doves. This battle is fought in our mind. Our thoughts and resulting attitudes generate our emotions which drive our behavior. Paul tells us to take each thought captive to Christ. This is much easier said than done but with the Lord's help, it is doable. That's where we come into the years or decades of misery, even as Christians. If we have lived for years allowing our thoughts to go unchecked, we can't expect to change quickly. Watchful prayer, perseverance, and the armor of God bring change in due time. The Bible teaches that as a man thinks, so is he. This teaching is crucial. Once we say no to wrong thinking we must fill in the blank space with right thinking or we will lose the battle. In the book of Phillipians we are encouraged to think on these things whatever is true, noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report, praise worthy, or virtuous. Brushing the Blue speaks to touching all that is good and lovely, as well as brushing the blue skies that fade into grey and darken, where we are in danger of falling into what the blues artists call those mean old worried blues. When I was studying Psychology in the late 60's, early seventies, Albert Ellis wrote about and implemented Rational Emotive Therapy in his practice. It made sense but was eclipsed by other more non directive therapies at the time. In this century, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (similar to Rational Emotive) has proven to be a very effective way to help most people shed their self inflicted misery. It uses centuries old, Biblical principles to a large extent. I have found these principles to be true in my own life and in the lives of the women I work with in the discipleship/ recovery program that I lead. Since June of 2011 when I finished the writing of my previous book, Fall and Recovery, a plethora of dark days has blown through my life layers of challenge gathered and rattled my world, but as we fight the good fight of faith, the black blues will wash white and usher days of azure for rest and relief. I am often reminded that life moves with frequent battles, but God, and He alone, is purely good. My hope is that this truth will penetrate as you read Brushing the Blue, and that you will draw closer to the One who created you and knows what is best to strengthen and refine you to live and finish well. The poetry in Brushing the Blue is simply a reflection of what I know to be true as He works out His plan for my life and as I make every effort to seek Him first, above all. I often fail and that is evident in my poetry. Without mistakes learning cannot move forward, but His mercies are new each morning. Because of His love for all mankind expressed perfectly through His death and resurrection, we can enjoy the forgiveness, peace, joy, and abundant life He has planned for us. Once we commit to Him, He incorporates His plan as we submit willingly to Him as Lord of our life. He works diligently with us to eliminate guilt, shame, and fear, helping us to rise beyond every negative emotion that besets us praise God! I said I would think of you when the Irises broke through. All over the neighborhood they sublimely shatter the brash of post modern dominance, opening their jackets to a lush of lavender. Sometimes I wonder if we will fall, Will we ever again be able to create and evidence of our hope. I will expect favor; Pride melts like wax at the presence Copyright © 2012 Diane Prebula, All Rights Reserved! Settling In
When I came to rest at the placeYou had prepared for me, afternoon sun splashed in a wave of welcome as I opened the door. The back windows opened to the forest. Settling in to the praise of Your presence, into a depth of Your love. Wordless Copyright © 2012 Diane Prebula, All Rights Reserved! Under Branches of Snow
In my impatience, I watch the stillness of winterwith flashing eyes. The sky clenches its teeth and closes iron doors. I wince as they slam together; my eyes tighten with the snap of the latch. Nothing is moving. Weary with pacing, my mind releases its insistence. When You open the sky, snow will cover Copyright © 2012 Diane Prebula, All Rights Reserved! Like Snow
You talk at me and you don't listen much.You give me a lot of reasons why you can't carry your share of the load. You've learned well to articulate, to create an illusion of competence; The new season moves in, a slow tide. Copyright © 2012 Diane Prebula, All Rights Reserved! When the Red Doors Close
When the red doors close behind me,I step off the porch of the old church building and carry my bags down the sidewalk of trees. The ladies from the shelter The ladies and children from the program of breeze, trailing as I greet You again Today I am cloudy and reeling with slush creating a gully in my chest. I am sliding Tomorrow I will awaken with renewed strength Copyright © 2012 Diane Prebula, All Rights Reserved! Winter Resolve
Let me move on like the passing fall that scattersa heavy shaking of snow on the branches of the Maple in my front yard. Closing the gap between us, You scent my wake in evergreen. Let me leave more than I take. You have taught me well, but I have not always listened . Yet I press through the passing evening of these days Thank You for stars that perforate my vision Copyright © 2012 Diane Prebula, All Rights Reserved! |
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