Finding Still Waters in the Tub

This past week my mind has been racing. I've had lots of thoughts, questions and maybe even revelation, but I've had a hard time making sense of it. And my dreams have even been all out of sorts. It's like I've had so many that I can't remember anything because of overload. Yikes!


I know the cure to that is to get to the resting place with God. His presence takes care of everything. His love embracing me makes everything better, restores, refreshes and renews me. I know this as truth and yet I don't always do this.


I made a decision right then and there to stop texting, get of Facebook and put down my to-do-list. It was time for the tub - the only place where I know I won't get on the computer, answer my phone or clean something.


As I was sitting in the tub talking to God. I asked Him to take me to a peaceful place. In my imagination He took me to a place where I've been many times, though I haven't explored. This place is in a secluded cave. On the right side is typically where I sit in the dirt and ponder the universe with God. There's a huge library full of ancient books with lots of knowledge. On the right side is a grassy area with lots of flowers, full of life and sunshine. A stream separates the the two sides.


When I've been to this place before I always stay on the left side. Mainly because I don't want to cross the stream and get wet, and I'm not sure what's in this stream or how deep it is.


Today God said, "Do you want to go to the other side?"


I thought of two reasons why I didn't want to go to the other side: 1. I don't want to get wet, and 2. I don't know what's in the water. Then I realized I was already wet (I was in the tub.) and He was with me so it would be O.K.


But what I really wanted to do was read the books. He said, "Yeah, you can do that. There's lots of knowledge in there, but you still won't get all the answers you're pondering."


So I thought, O.K. let's get in this stream and get to the grassy patch on the other side. The Lord and I got in the water. I was nervous, but quickly realized that the water was only knee deep. When I made to the other side, the Lord told me to lie down.


I saw that their was a perfect indentation of my body on the grassy floor for me to lie in. He said, "This the place where you dream up ideas so you can write the books that you see on the other side of this stream."


I had a "Whoa" moment in the tub. "You mean I can do something significant out of rest? I don't have to strive and be super smart and work and work and work?" What a concept, I know this and, yet again, I still don't make rest a significant part of my life. I let distraction take over and call it productivity and success.


And right before I had the thought, "Yeah right, this isn't real," the whole scene suddenly reminded me of Psalm 23.


The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures (He has a special indentation in the grass just for me!)

He leads me beside quiet waters (The stream is quiet, my tub waters are still)

He restores my soul.


Suddenly I realized these five minutes with the Lord stopped my racing mind, changed my perspective, gave you revelation, brought me peace, restored me, encouraged me, strengthened me, showed me my destiny and so much more.


All I have to do is get to the still waters, lay down and rest.

Taking a Vacation From Dreaming

Recently I went on vacation - four cities in four states in seven days. Phew!

One day trip was to New Orleans. Ah ... nothing better than a cultural taste of jazz and shrimp creole. Plus shopping in the French Market! Check out my $10 mask below.

Another stop - Destin, Florida - the fisherman's paradise. Well, maybe before the oil spill. We had one day good day at the beach. I thank Hurricane Alex for that. :( Though I did manage to get burned, despite my slathering of SPF 15. Plus I almost got swept out to sea in an undertow. Not cool and not so smart on my part.

You're probably wondering what any of this has to do with dreaming? Actually it has a lot to do with dreaming. I had a lot less dreaming, so you may say that I had a vacation from my dreams. Not something that I strive to do.

Let me explain a few reasons why this probably happened to me. You may notice that some of these points have happened to you.

1. I was a little stressed out with all the things I had to do before the trip. Then during the trip we were doing things. After the trip I was playing catch up.

2. In order to accommodate my vacation and work load, I screwed up my scheduled sleep time, meaning less sleep.

3. Also during these periods, I was eating lots of junk food, sugar and caffeine which kept me up at night. This was all with the perception of: I'm getting ready for vacation so it's O.K.; I'm on vacation so it's O.K.; and I'm still on vacation so it's O.K.

4. I spent little time with God which left me basically on a vacation from him too. (Though I know he didn't vacation from me. Deuteronomy 31:8)

Now if you haven't noticed - these four points all have to do with being busy! I had to get work done; therefore I was too busy to eat properly, too busy to spend time with God and too busy to get to bed on time.

Honestly the busy badge is not an honor. No sirree!

We need to be at rest. When your mind and spirit are restless or too busy, it makes your receptors hard to hear from God at night. Your ability to rest is critical in your ability to receive!

For thus said the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel, "In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength." Isaiah 30:15

Additionally I'd like to say that if you have a dirty receptor it's hard to receive too. For instance worldly entertainment can clog you up. (Example - Gotta watch "The Bachelorette," "90210, " "Glee," "Sex and the City," and so on. T.V. can keep you busy these days.) So can anger, bitterness, lust, worry, etc.

But you can renew your mind to clean up. (Read Ephesians 4)

Put off your old nature which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and put on the new nature, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. Ephesians 4: 22-24

So along the lines of a vacation - I am back, getting rested, quieting myself and renewing my mind! Let the real vacation begin!

Anyone else relate to what I'm saying?