What Do You See Outside YOUR Open Window Today?

What Do You See Outside YOUR Open Window Today?
Remember: "When God closes a door, He always opens a window!" You never know what might be out there waiting for you!

Sunday, January 1, 2017

It's a New Year...and I'm Going to....


Rest!

Yes, my friends, it is a New Year...and I am going to REST!  That is my "One Word" for 2017!  I "labored" over what my new "One Word" should be...and my mind grew weary with trying so hard.  Then this morning I opened my "Jesus Today" devotional book by Sarah Young, and this is what I read:

"Find Rest in Me alone, dear one; 
Your hope comes from Me. 
You have a restless mind. 
It skips and scampers about continually, rarely taking time to be still.
Listen, and you will hear Me saying,
"Come to Me."
I am the only resting place for your mind that will truly satisfy and strengthen you.
Take time-make time-to direct your thoughts to Me.
Whisper My Name and wait in My sacred Presence.  
You are on holy ground.
This provides refreshment not only for your mind
but also for your soul."

(Jesus Today, #108)

And this message confirmed to me what I was already thinking...it is time for me to 
find REST in Christ alone.  

"Find rest, O my soul, in God alone;
my hope comes from Him."
Psalm 62:5

In keeping with this idea, my mind was already spinning (not resting!) with ways in which I could accomplish this idea of resting.  Doesn't sound like I've quite learned anything about it yet, does it?  But hear me out, please.  

You see, my son sort of started it when he gave me this wonderful surprise gift for Christmas:

Here we are on Christmas morning, as my son Scott explained to me that he found this bench, in pieces in a dumpster, and he knew he had to bring it home and rebuild it for his mom!  And so, after he'd get home at night after work he was secretly laboring over this project outside when I was totally unaware. I was warned to stay away from the lean-to in the yard, but not told why.  And so on Christmas morning he revealed this beautiful park bench to me, which is still not quite completed, but good enough to show me...and I immediately started thinking about where I was going to put it so I could enjoy it the most!

I've had a dream of establishing a little "secret garden" in our back yard...even wrote about it once before I think...(Click HERE for that story...three years ago!)  but I never really got that project off the ground.  I was still working and going through other difficult things in our lives, and the secret garden kind of just faded into the weeds...(ferns mostly)


and even the spiders found a home there:


But now that I am retired...I feel God nudging me to set aside this special place where I can go and find REST for my soul...my own little "Secret Garden" where I can meet the Lord in the morning or the shade of the afternoon...whenever I feel the need or prompting of the Holy Spirit to steal away into a quiet place and meditate on Him...

I found this quote on Pinterest today...and it expresses my sentiments exactly....


and so one of the first things I have set in place is a gate that opens wide into my secret garden:

It is actually an old iron headboard that I found in the old shed on our property...so I painted it and we set it in place...permanently in the OPEN position, so that nothing will hinder me from entering this secret garden...and you are welcome too!  The beautiful glass flower ornament is a Christmas gift from my sweet hubby! He didn't know this would become the first thing to decorate this special place...he just saw it at the flea market and knew I would like it!

He was so right!!!! He knows me better than I realized!

And so now that I have embarked on this new project...it is supposed to help me find "REST"...but first I have work to do so that I CAN rest!  (Something wrong with this picture? Perhaps...but I can't rest until I know everything is in place...) so stay tuned for future developments....(Now you may understand why God wants me to learn how to REST).   

By the way, last year my "One Word" was GRACE...(Click HERE for that story)...and I must admit that God has shown me His loving grace in so many ways this past year...as well as I have had to  learn how to be filled with grace as I have helped to care for my mother in law as she progresses in her physical and mental needs each week...that is still a work in progress for me.  

So perhaps the time of REST will help me to fully understand just how great is God's Grace.  
Psalm 46:10 says:

"Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth."

This won't be the first time the Lord has tried to teach me to be still and meditate on Him.  I pray that this year I will do exactly what He is teaching me to do...and just

Rest!

Post Update: Linking up with Deb and friends over at Breathing in Grace to share our One Word for 2017!  Check it out and see how the Lord is leading others in this adventure to draw closer to God in 2017...

39 comments:

  1. I had to chuckle that you chose 'rest' and then began to think about work. I was in the same boat about this time last year when I retired. It takes determination to change you mindset. For me, I had to stop thinking of resting as being lazy. Then I realized that true rest is from the spirit and things began to fall in place.
    Your idea of a special place is excellent and so sweet to have your son present you with the park branch restored by his own hands. The good news is that your spirit can rest even in the midst of creating your garden spot.
    I can't wait to hear about any special moments of rest you wish to share throughout your year of 'rest'.

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    1. Thank you Gayle. You sound like a kindred spirit. Yes, I like what you said about "I had to stop thinking of resting as being lazy." That is me for sure! But I KNOW the Lord wants me to rest in Him...and set aside that special time just for Him, without a million distractions. So that will be my "task" for the New Year...to learn to totally REST in Him. Thank you for your encouraging words. Perhaps we can encourage each other in this direction! I'll keep you posted on further developments!

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  2. I love your word "rest" and may choose it for my word for 2017 too. After my heartbreaking November I need rest. How delightful that your son and hubby all got you ideal gifts for your secret garden where you can rest. God put that all together for you.

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    1. Yes, I suspect the Lord knows what I need and therefore He enlisted aid from my family to get the message across. Oh Terra, I know this will be a difficult year for you in many ways, and if you can learn to turn things over to the Lord and REST in Him right from the start, it will help make your pathway clearer right away. My heart goes out to you. I will continue to pray for you as you seek the Lord's direction for your life in this New Year of changes.

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  3. Your new bench will be perfect for your Garden of Rest. God knew that when He put in the path of your son...knowing exactly what your son would do!! He was preparing a place for you to REST. As our friend Deb says....ain't God good? Yep, He sure is.

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    1. Isn't He amazing? He puts things together even before we know what it is we need...He's already got things in motion to accomplish His plan for us. Now I just need to relax and enjoy the journey into my secret garden of rest. IT will be a new adventure in retraining my mind to REST...as God enables me to do so. Thank you for your words of encouragement...and prayers. I don't go down easily! :)

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  4. What a thoughtful son and husband you have. I love the idea of that kind of rest and would love to have a secret garden to slip away to. Blessings to you this year as you take your rest. Those ferns are beautiful.

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    1. Thank you Nonnie. God grew the ferns...and they keep multiplying. I will actually have to clean some out to create a safe place (snakeless) to sit and "rest" and meditate on God's Word. So...if God wants me to rest there...He's going to have to help in that regard first! But yes, I am so thankful for my family. They didn't even realize they were being used by God to prepare this special place for me! Yes, God is good!

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  5. How absolutely wonderful that your son's amazing gift has led you to the perfect word for 2017!! REST....I may borrow it for my word next year!! Happy new year!

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    1. I have a feeling you will NEED that word for certain! You've got a busy year ahead...but stay focused on the Lord and He will see you through! Happy New Year to you as well!

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  6. Oh Pamela,I so enjoyed reading about your word for the year. REST sounds like a perfect word for you after hearing some of what has been in your life. Just being a care giver to your MIL is worthy of rest.
    Your son has graced you with the perfect gift so as to help you along in finding a place of rest in your secret garden. You are going to so enjoy that special time along with the Lord.
    We live right beside a creek nestled between two mountains and I own two of those benches that are placed in a special place. During a certain time of the day I will make my rounds and sit when the sun is resting on those benches. One gets the morning sun and the other gets the late afternoon sun. I find great peace as I sit beside the creek and talk with my Savior.

    Thank you for visiting and leaving such a delightful comment. You are just precious!

    God bless you~

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    1. Oh Debbie! Your homesite sounds so beautiful...near a creek between two mountains...I may have to come sit on YOUR bench sometime! I will think of you when I sit on mine. We can pray for one another. Funny...you want to sit in the sun, and I have chosen my site because of the shade! Living in Florida we have to take advantage of any shady spot we can find! Happy New Year...and may the Lord grant you peace as you also find REST!

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    2. You my dear, are welcome to sit on my bench anytime! I'll take you up on praying for one another. ♡
      Bless you~

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  9. Your posts are so encouraging to me. I think you would like the song "Still" by Reuben Morgan, if you haven't heard it before (on YouTube). My son sings it at his church.
    The bench your son restored is perfect for your garden spot! Happy New Year.

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    1. Thank you Karen. I will have to look up that song. Not sure that I have heard it. I am looking forward to being STILL as I rest in the Lord. Also, I appreciate your posts as well...always very much to the point and right on! Happy New Year to you as well.

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  10. We live in such a busy world it is hard to just rest isn't it? Our bodies are busy and even when they're not our minds don't seem to slow down; always something to be thinking about!
    Looking forward to seeing you develop your secret garden and following as you learn to rest in Him (on your lovely new bench).
    My word for this year is 'simplify'.
    Happy New Year.

    Diana

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    1. Oh, I love your word, "simplify"! I may have to borrow that one as an additional word for this year! IT is something that I long to do...and as I REST in the Lord, I am sure He will be helping me to learn how to do just that. May your New Year be filled with joy and sweet simplicity!

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  11. Pam: You might enjoy reading blog entries for January. My topic this month is rest. I will post information about my word for the year next week, by the way, my word is peace. A few years ago, we bought a yard bench at the grocery store; it was half price. We can't sit out there in the summer time until at least 6:30 or 7:00 in the evening. I like to go out there and pray. I forget that our yard is so quiet, although we live on a fairly busy street. This past summer, we fixed our enclosed front porch into a sitting area. I truly love both areas. The bugs bother me in the back yard. We have to work on that problem.

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    1. You will enjoy your bench. You have a wonderful son.

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    2. Oh Cecilia, thank you for letting me know about your January blogs...I will be watching for them. Something to ponder as I "rest" in my secret garden. I love that you also have a bench and an enclosed porch. I also have to choose when to sit outside because of bugs and sunshine. Here in Florida that is a big issue. We don't have a screened porch, so I have to prepare accordingly. Praying that your new year will be filled with peace and times of rest and reflection. Happy New Year!

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    3. Pam, I forgot to tell you we also have a yard swing. It has a canopy over the top. It's black metal with green cushions and the canopy matches. Our house has green aluminum siding trimmed in white. Hubby chose to have out yard barn painted to match the house. It all looks so nice. We have the swing stored in the yard barn until the weather breaks, along with the bench.

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    4. I would love a yard swing. I know you will enjoy that in the summer! It all sounds so lovely. You should post some pictures sometime!!

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    5. I intend to. Thank you for your excitement for me. There again, we have to time when we go out due to the sun's position and the presence of various bugs.

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  12. A beautiful word and not so easy to put into practice but that is often when God can speak to us. I love the bench and your secret garden space.

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    1. Thank you Melanie. I am already realizing how difficult REST will be this year, but I know God wants me to learn to rest in Him and not try to do so much in my own strength. I am weary from trying...and I need to be tuned in to God's Divine plan for rest. I know you can understand this. Maybe you can come visit sometime when things get a little more settled for you. I would love that.

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  13. I'm so enjoying reading the words that God has chosen for each of us to focus on in 2017. I'd love for you to link up this post today on my "ONE WORD" post! HOPE you find lots of rest in 2017 in whatever way the Lord provides!

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    1. Thank you Debbie! I just linked up...and I am encouraged that so many are doing this! We can learn from each other's experiences! It's going to be a great year...I can tell!!

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  14. What a special gift your son has made for you! And I love what you have done with the headboard, turned Garden Gate. I have a thing about gates...I LOVE them!! It will be a blessing to walk through the year with you and see the working of REST in you by our precious Father.

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    1. Thank you Dianna! I am so blessed by my family...and by the Lord! It is going to be a wonderful year for all of us as we encourage one another to REST in the Lord and draw closer to Him in whatever ways He leads us. I am glad you like my garden gate...now we are trying to come up with an appropriate sign for it. My other son makes signs...so we shall see what develops. I know...I need to rest. LOL. This is going to be a challenge!

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  15. Rest seems to fit you perfectly at this time in your life, Pamela. Loved the bench and the Secret Garden, too. Great place to retreat to and just breathe in God's presence.
    Blessings!

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  16. "In keeping with this idea, my mind was already spinning (not resting!) with ways in which I could accomplish this idea of resting.  Doesn't sound like I've quite learned anything about it yet, does it?"

    Well, now - that's sort of the point, isn't it? God wouldn't give you a Word to focus on if you already had it figured out! Where's the room for growth in that? I look forward to seeing how He works in your life this year as you learn to Rest in Him

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    1. Oh, thank you for having that insight, Beckey! Exactly right...God KNOWS I need to learn to just calm down and relax and rest in HIM...and focus on Him as I do so. It will be a challenge for GOD...and for me...but He's in charge, and I know He will accomplish HIS goals for me...I just have to be obedient to His leading and instructions! Thank you for encouraging me along the way! I will look forward to that!

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  17. Visiting from Deb's blog this morning with her link up. REST...a great word choice and what a great way to rest in the Lord with a pretty park bench! Hugs and blessings, Cindy

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    1. Thank you Cindy...I just have to make the time to do exactly what I am intending to do, and what God is instructing me to do. It will be a challenge...but God knows what HE is doing even when I don't! Blessings to you too!

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  18. Pam, I love the word God gave you for the year. From your post, it sounds like learning how to rest would be good for you. Let us know how it goes! I'm still waiting for God to reveal my word for this year.

    Blessings!

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    1. I will pray for you as you seek God's WORD for your life this year. I know He has special plans for you, and sometimes this "One word" idea helps define what God is preparing for us. I know that the word REST for me is a big one...in more ways than one. Right now I'm having a wonderful time getting ready to learn how to "rest" in the Lord! Not sure that is what He had in mind, but perhaps it is. May God bless you and guide you and keep you always.

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