Saturday, January 26, 2013

The Shepherdess Speaks...

The Shipwreck...


The Watcher and the Weeper

How often have I stood along the shore and watched helpless as someone makes shipwreck of their life. I am powerless to do anything but watch as the ship crashes against the rocks. Finally, it breaks apart and goes down beneath the relentless waves.

The warnings have come to all, to those who live along the coast; beware, beware, yet…some would go out despite the counsel, regardless of the pleadings of friend and family, heedless of the dark and ominous clouds gathering along the shoreline. They leave the safety of the calmer harbor, unaware or the danger lurking in the deepening shadows.

After the storm, I walk the shore looking out to sea where once the noble ship anchored beside the other vessels, its colors blowing proudly in the wind. With the morning tide, the wreckage washes upon shore. Pieces; broken parts of what was whole; a sliver of glass, a plank of wood, pages from the book of days, torn and ragged, unreadable, forever erased.

Some escaped alive and come to stand beside me while I gaze at the destruction rolling in with the tide. Their eyes are red and swollen from much weeping. A weeper stoops to loosen an ornately carved framework half buried in the wet sand. The glass is shattered and the wooden frame that once held a familiar likeness is broken.

Looking at me, the weeper says, “Can you fix this?”   


©2013ruthcarmichaelellinger
~~~

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

The Shepherdess Speaks

THE GREATEST PERSONAL JOURNAL



THE GREATEST PERSONAL JOURNAL

David was a common shepherd boy, anointed by Samuel and appointed by God to become one of Israel’s greatest kings—a Warrior-King. As Israel’s anointed leader, David ruled God’s chosen people, led their armies, and was Commander-in-Chief of their generals. Although he possessed a wise and noble character, he was not immune to the attack of Satan. David…slayer of giants, of lions and bears, was deceived by sin through the temptation of the flesh. He contrived to cover his sin but the faithful prophet exposed his condition. David repented and triumphed again because of one governing principle—he loved God more than he loved anything else. Love for God brought David back to repentance after this miserable failure. 

This fierce Warrior-King possessed an awe-inspiring attachment to all things pertaining to his God. His love for God following his transgression and God’s compassionate love for David, worked in him tenderness and gentleness that defined the character of this celebrated king. 

David loved God’s people and fought for God's honor with tenacity and determination. So great was his respect for God that he could not harm Saul, the man God had once chosen as a leader. If God had ever touched a man with his anointing, who was he to contradict God’s judgment, even though the man had failed? Instead, David showed mercy to a deceitful enemy and a loved but rebellious son. Deeply sensitive in his attitude toward God, David was always a man of humility, a faithful and trustworthy friend, a loyal patriot, a tender father with a gentle heart. 

Deserted and driven into exile, David remained valiant in spirit, encouraging himself in the Lord when there was no one left to comfort him. He endured hardship and deprivation and survived war and personal tragedy, family estrangements and the torments of betrayal. Throughout his life; the battles won and lost, through triumph and tragedy, success and failure, David’s love for God never wavered and has earned him a place in Biblical history as Israel’s greatest king; a man who would not let go of God. Written within the pages of David’s psalms is his life story, his own journal, a legacy to us, the reader. 

In his youth, the natural beauty of the heavens and all of God’s creation inspired this shepherd boy to write poetry and descriptive verse that expressed his passion for God and all creation. To his verse, he added music and song. In this personal writing, he wrote of his battles and the treachery of his enemies, of his perplexities, and even his wrath and envy. But more often, David wrote of the overcoming power of his God, of the Lord’s mercy and personal love to him, David. His praise of God is the prevalent theme of his poetry. Today we hold in our hands the poetry and songs of David, his musings, his reflections, his hopes and dreams, in effect, his personal journal, inspired of God and miraculously preserved down through the ages. It is an awesome and moving collection of writing. A five star read.

©2013RuthCarmichaelEllinger

~~~

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Winter Break & Happy New Year


We began the new year with a “winter break” road trip to North Carolina staying in a lovely log house near the quaint little town of Hendersonville near the Blue Ridge


                               Audry and Alicia


We spent time hiking to the beautiful waterfalls and to Chimney Rock where scenes from the historic film, “Last of the Mohicans” was produced



 This area of the country is truly picturesque and again we are continually reminded of God’s handiwork in creation.  A photo of the 684 steps up to Chimney Rock



 Alexandria

 Audry with giant icicle

 The weather was cold, however, and we stopped along the road to “pick” icicles from places where water had frozen where it fell over the rocks. Best we could do for winter ambiance. Despite the lack of snow, our time together was precious, renewing, a time to make memories and eat at Mike’s on Main Street and Mama Christina’s Café at Flat Rock. What fun!

 Why do they call this the "blue ridge? When you see the breathtaking blue of this mountain range, you understand why



Alicia, Andria, and Audry In front of the first waterfall


Sisters and best friends in front of the falls

Since I have lived in areas of the country where winter snowfall was common and the first snow was always an exciting event, (maybe school would be canceled) I take for granted the wonder and beauty of seeing snow falling from the heavens to cover the ground, trees and shrubs in winter white

Mike's on Main Street in Hendersonville. A great place for lunch


Somehow, the American flag and the blue ridge at chimney rock just seem to go together. This picturesque point was the perfect ending to our winter break 
 
To see more photos, look on "Around the House" page