An early Valentine's thought

This morning, God stopped me from my usual bleary-eyed preparations and highlighted a few thoughts in Psalm 95.

I typically read through the Psalms when life hurts and for the last half of 2007, that's where I camped out. The passion and devotion expressed in this book helped me through January too.

But today I was awakened again to the reality that I have so very much to be thankful for and a God who loves me more than I can even comprehend.

So move over Hallmark... God just sent the perfect early Valentine greeting.

Here are the snippets from Psalm 95 I wrote in my journal this morning...

Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. For the LORD is the great God... Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker; for he is our God and we are the flock under his care.

Realizing how little I've taken time to physically and emotionally kneel before God, I started with confession and continued on into tearful words of thanks and amazement at how awesome God's gifts are in my life.

But even more how awesome and incredible and breathtaking He is.

This God who loves us when we praise Him, and when we forget to open our Bible. When we sing for joy or weep without words. He receives us, no matter what.

Here are some things I sniffled and smiled to God about...

My husband~ we've begun to enjoy the fruits from all the heart work God has been doing in our lives recently, and it's been incredible. Not only that, but my hubby is an AMAZING web genius who's working hard to make the super fun ideas we created as a family for my new website into reality.

My daughters~ homeschool and life aren't always rose-colored, but my kiddos remind me daily that forgiveness is a word away and love is never in short supply here.

My church~ even with all the loss and sorrow we've experienced already this year, our church is the home we've longed for and the community we'd hoped existed. Now we know and love belonging in such a God-present place.

My friends~ both the writers and "normals" (non-writers) who love me are gifts so precious they brought tears to my eyes this morning. Recalling heart chocolate emails and phone calls, visits and cards, I can't but praise the Lord for getting to share this journey with such wonderful people.

Writing~ there was a time I wrote out of sheer obedience and it felt like shedding blood to do this work. But recently God has renewed a passion in me and I'm experiencing once again His smile as I write, dream, and look ahead at "what's next" and what is right now.

Knowing that God is the Author and Word made flesh sent me down another path of praise too. How good God is all the time. And all the time, He is good.

Whether weeping without words or in a season or praise, I hope you'll ponder today how near God is and how much He loves you...

He calls you by name.

He holds you in the palm of His hand.

He addresses you as His beloved child.

He loves you with an everlasting love that nothing on this earth can alter.

He smiles with every thought of you~ thoughts that outnumber the sand on the shore.

He adores you on Valentine's Day and every other day of the year, and (as we like to say in the Wallace home) TO INFINITY AND BEYOND! ;-)

I pray you'll enjoy a little knee-time today as you look up and see God smiling right beside you or weeping with you. He is there. Always.