~~~~~ Blueness ~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Drove till I found a winding trail,
crushing leaves, I ponder as I
twist and turn--
Pulse quickening, heart thumping,
thoughts take a more leisurely pace.
Warm rock beneath
my resting head
Rays of brightness
a remedy to my spirit.
As eyes are washed with
impressions of blue,
breezes that renew,
I hear melodies that massage
my soul and peace is birthed
from a quiet womb I discover
beside the blueness and the ripples
washing against the shore
of me.

November 12, 2005
© Copyright Marie Nease

~ The Geography of God ~

~~~~~~~

There are rivers within the canyon of God
that we’ve not yet stripped off our clothes
and run butt naked into…
Oh, let’s dive in and experience the most incredible
rush of His love
flowing in and through us…

There are stars within the galaxy of God
that we’ve not yet reached in our exploration
of Him to find ourselves merged with the heat and the light
that is beaming from His deepest heart
of love shining in and through us.

There are fragrances within the flower of God
that we’ve not yet fully breathed in--
of life and scent filling our nostrils
with invigorating drunkenness of
sweetness His Spirit wafts in our direction
on the breeze.

There are depths in the ocean of God
that we’ve not fathomed nor have we plunged
bravely to the places where mysteries
of the deep are revealed
to those whose eyes have adjusted
to dark places to be explored in the ocean
of His love.

There are caresses from the hands of God
That we’ve not yet allowed to wrap around our frame--
to nestle into the hiding place
that is God—let us welcome His intimate
touch that heal wounds in our deepest heart.

There are bridges that cross the chasms of what we know
of God and who He truly is. There are gulfs between what is true and what we’ve understood up until this moment--
In the progress and the movement and the building of the
bridges that take us across the gaps in our hearts…

There are harmonies within the music of God
That we’ve not yet heard with the ear
of our spirit—melodies that will cause our hearts
to dance with wild abandon
await us, in the depths of the symphony He orchestrates…

...Touched...

I was touched by the playful interaction between a daddy and his little girl at the park. As I walked and took pictures, they rode bikes and laughed. I stopped to sit on a bench and enjoy the sunset; they got off their bikes and the daughter said, "Daddy...try to catch me!" and off she ran. I watched, my eyes misting, as they chased each other and giggled and eventually, the daddy let himself be caught. They fell to the grass, happy... and they laid there watching the sky. The daddy got up and spun his little girl around and around and carried her on his shoulders for some time. I began to feel tears rolling down my cheeks...it really affected me. Thenin the midst of that moment, I heard a voice, and I knew it was the voice of my Abba, my daddy God whispering...come chase me! I want you to want ME! Wow... The God who created this place we live in and all that is beyond and who created us, wants to be wanted, He loves to interact with us, to love us and to receive our love in return! Sweet... I'm off to chase Him... :-)

Oh God, You are the fountain

From which I long to drink my fill.
Immerse me deeply, oh do not restrain!
Spirit to spirit, Your love to instill.

Oh God, You are the spring
Of life’s happiness I thirst after.
Source so deep, joy you bring;
just Your touch sparks laughter.

Oh God, You are the well
Of infinite delight
No earthly words can tell
of the passion you ignite!

Oh God, You’re a precious mine
filled with jewels and gold.
Beyond all worth, You’re divine
The price you paid, untold.

Oh God, You are brilliant light
Your radiance erases all shade & shadow.
Basking in Your love, I find my night
is gone and the sun again finds my window.

~~~~~~~~~~

Marie Nease

Inspired after reading "Desiring God" by John Piper

~ ~ Christ, be Formed in Me ~ ~

Christ, be formed in me
until Your reflection you see.
Purify my heart until
it is perfect and so still.

Christ, be formed in me today,
May Your words be in all I say;
Your touch is what they need to feel
so then they’ll know Your love is real.

Christ, be formed in my seeing
until You fill my being
and my vision becomes clear
then selfish desires disappear.

Christ, be formed in all my ways;
Walking Your path all my days.
Christ be formed in my heart,
in Your image, set apart.

~~~~~

© Copyright 2005 Marie Nease

Breathe ~ ~


With every breath I’m thankful for a God who knows every breath we breathe and when we’re having difficulty even breathing….

I’d never seen inside of an ambulance until recently, which is a good thing! However, I am very thankful for the wonderful EMT’s who took care of me when I called 911 on Tuesday night when my breathing turned to wheezing & my eyes were swelling in the midst of an acute allergic reaction. My blood pressure dropped and apparently I wasn’t doing too well on the way to the ER. With God’s touch, a shot of Adrenaline and a lot of Benadryl, they released me from the ER 5 hours later. It sure felt good when my sister took me home to my own bed. I sensed such peace during the time at the ER as God moved through the nurses, doctors and also sent friends and family to be there with me.

Funny how an experience like this wakes you up! My eyes and my heart are wide open and I am more thankful than ever for life, for breath and for a big, loving God who takes care of us during scary moments! I’m thankful for my family and friends and how much they mean to my life!

As I pulled into a parking place at my apartment, the day before my trip to the ER, a dove landed on a large rock in front of my car and sat, gazing at me. Such a peace filled that sweet moment as the dove was a visible reminder of the Holy Spirit’s constant presence with us.

Most know the dove is a symbol of the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, because of Matt. 3:16 "And when Jesus had been baptized, just as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him.

John 14: 26-28 But the Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And He will cause you to recall (will remind you of, bring to your remembrance) everything I have told you.
27 Peace I leave with you; My [own] peace I now give and bequeath to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. [Stop allowing yourselves to be agitated and disturbed; and do not permit yourselves to be fearful and intimidated and cowardly and unsettled.]
28 You heard Me tell you, I am going away and I am coming [back] to you. If you [really] loved Me, you would have been glad, because I am going to the Father; for the Father is greater and mightier than I am

Amplified Version

The part we play in knowing God
is like a song, composed of notes,
measures, crescendos and rests
that form the melody
of us allowing Him
to grasp us…
To take hold of our hearts
and gently hold us
in a close embrace--
Our ears listening
to the beating of His heart.
slowly but surely
our heart begins to beat
in unison
with His.

We begin
to hear like His ears hear
speak like His voice speaks

see like His eyes see
touch like His hands touch
love like His heart loves and
to die to self like He died for us.

© Copyright 2005 ~ Marie Nease

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Inspired by Rainier Maria Rilke's words...

~~~~~~~~~

"When I saw others straining toward God,
I did not understand it, for though I may have had
Him less than they did, there was no one blocking
the way between Him and me, and I could reach
His heart easily. It is up to Him, after all, to have us, our part
consists of almost solely in letting Him grasp us."

Peace

settles on my life like a spring snow,
softly covering everything, making it glisten.

Joy

falls into my life like a gentle rain shower,
soaking and refreshing all it touches.

Love

wraps itself around me like a warm hug,
embracing and accepting every part of me.

Jesus is my peace, my joy & my love...

All that You Are

Listening to rain falling
Awakens my spirit to Your calling...
Gently washing my world again
of every sin and stain.

Lifting my face into your refreshing
our hearts are fully meshing.
Into You I am running,
for Your light is so stunning.

Raindrops quietly drenching the ground
as Your presence falls, peace abounds.
Welcome drops of Your glory rain down.
Your fullness circles all around.

Fresh is the breeze that blows tonight
as I look to you and invite
Your spirit to totally infuse my heart
and deep within me to impart,
all that You are.

© Copyright 2005 Marie Nease

Me in my favorite pink jacket! 

Painting ~ ~

The other day, afternoon clouds built into towering thunderheads, fluffy white towers with silver linings. Before I could get to my camera, the clouds changed, but were still quite beautiful. Thunder began to drum its music and lightening streaked across the sky. Enormous raindrops pelted the earth often blowing sideways. Eventually, a light steady rain fell. The air was cleansed and fresh. Ahh...a cool breeze brought refreshing after the heaviness of the long, humid day. With a paintbrush full of sunshine and rain, God decorated the sky with faint colors of a rainbow, a reminder of His promises. The rainbow lingered for more than 30 minutes before its colors began to fade. God was showing off, I do believe. The master painter again dipped his brush into His color filled palette and in vibrant shades of pinks, oranges and purples, an incredible sunset began to emerge on God’s favorite canvas. Doesn’t our divinely creative God know how to perfectly blend the colors and hues so they harmonize? The blazing sunset, his finished product, took my breath away...











A July Sunset


I believe if we allow the Master Painter to work with us, carefully blending the colors of our life, the finished product, His awaited bride, dressed in pure white linen, will take HIS breath away...

I end with something I wrote a couple of years ago.

After the Rain

The earth is rinsed and clean,
The sky is blue, the grass so green;
after the storm and blowing rain.
drops still cling to my window pane.

The air is fresh and clear,
and easier to breathe in.
Clouds begin to disappear;
I see where my heart has been.

Steam rises from the street
making everything look surreal.
Summer rain cools the heat
And I’m continuing to heal.

Reminds me of clothes just laundered
drying in the afternoon breeze.
Allowing days to be squandered,
doing as I please.

Longing and yearning,
strong as summer storms,
stir heart and soul burning
only Your spirit transforms...

like quiet after thunder
like refreshing after rain.
Like a child I wonder,
how you restore me again.

My spirit is lifted
as sunshine after rain.
Like a cloud I’ve drifted
so far away from pain.

Rainbow fills the sky
with colors beyond this world.
and though I wonder why,
Your power is unfurled...

after the rain.

Now coolness fills the atmosphere
With such refreshing it can be felt
Deep within your voice I hear
and my defenses begin to melt...

...after the rain.

After the rain is gone
at times, it still is heard
and darkness always leads to dawn
in God my soul’s been stirred,

by nature’s show of lightning
and sound of thunderstorms
my senses he is heightening
heart attitude he transforms...
after the rain...

Marie Nease
© Copyright August 30, 2003

Midsummer Night

As I relax on my porch, learning back into my favorite Adirondack chair, the tree frogs’ chirping fills the night air. Wishing for a companion to share this moment with, I whisper, “Lord, help me deal with this strong longing for a mate to love.” I listen again to the frog chorus, back and forth they echo. I assume it must be some form of communication. The sound begins to lull me to sleep, but then there is a resonance about their cheeping song that intrigues me. It echoes in sync, and reminds me that this world was made by such an incredible creative God.

Getting up from my comfy chair, I research on the Internet and discover why the frogs are chirping! The tree frogs are driven by a powerful, inborn urge. With choruses of resonant chirping, they are taking every opportunity to find a mate…well, so the male frogs are calling for a companion! I learned that a successful male spends a considerable amount of time perfecting his vocalizations to attract his mate. In turn, the female exercises choice and chooses an attractive male.

Peeyp . . . peeyp . . . peeyp . . . So, now I understand why the frog orchestra was really tuning up on this warm but breezy summer night…I smile. My answer fit the mood I’m in… and so it seems that nature is vocalizing and echoing my heart’s natural longings on this midsummer night. Or...is it just the opposite?


© Copyright 2005 Marie Nease

Photo by Marie Nease

Basking ~ ~

One thing butterflies must do from time to time is bask. Butterfiles can't fly if their body temperature is less than 85 degrees. If their body temperature falls below 85, they have to bask. Most butterflies bask by spreading their wings to the side to expose the greatest amount of wing surface to the sun and then they absorb the radiant heat.

So, after several days of overcast skies and rain...I desperately need to bask. Well, I haven't introduced myself have I? I'm Wing Dreamer and well, I know and admit I'm quite the butterfly. I'm born to fly. To fly high and see the dreams and passions, that God planted in my heart, come to fruition!

So, butterflies need to bask when their body temp is less than ideal. I need to bask because the temptations of this world try to make my love for my Creator God, grow cold. My temp is certainly less than ideal today. (I've been tempted by a handsome man in my life, but who isn't on the same page that I am, spiritually...we just don't love and want the same things, though the attraction is certainly there... :) )

I soooo need to spread my wings and expose the greatest amount of my "wing surface" to the Son, Jesus, and absorb His radiant heat! To absorb His sweet presence, to sense His love surrounding me...so that when I do fly into the next day and the next temptation, that I will be full of His warmth, His direction and peace and I'll know what to do.

Then, the love coming from my heart, shown in my actions and in my words will please my Creator! So, I will bask in His presence through worship and praise, through quieting my mind to hear His love, and eating His words. (Oh taste and see that the Lord is good! Psalm 34:8 and Your words were found, and I ate them and they became joy for me... Jeremiah 15:16 ) I will bask in the Sonshine & let Him take the chill away.