Tag Archives: Inspiration

The Lessons of Psalm 1

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I was prompted this week to write a post on Psalm 1. I have no idea why. Perhaps somewhere out there someone needs to hear my rantings. This is not the usual way I begin musing about something. Often, an event happens here at the farm, or I hear or watch a video or talk about a verse or passage and it makes me think of something. Writers tend to have a plan… or at least a little inspiration. A creative venue for ideas to be born and flourish. A connection. Something to make you say…”Hmmnnn, I wonder”. For some reason, this week didn’t turn out that way… but I am going with it anyway.

In case you need a refresher, here is Psalm 1 in it’s entirety:

Psalm 1

1 Blessed is the one
    who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
    or sit in the company of mockers,
2 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
    and who meditates on his law day and night.
3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
    which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
    whatever they do prospers.

4 Not so the wicked!
    They are like chaff
    that the wind blows away.
5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
    nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

6 For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous,
    but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.

At first, I tried to find something within the verses to comment on. A thought, a “word from the Lord”, a deeper meaning. I’m stuck as to how to do this. Is it political? An election is happening in the USA… lots of controversy there. Do I make a comment on “sitting in the ways of the wicked?” Not my thing… nor my place. Do I take instruction from the “meditate day and night” part? True and encouraging statement. Still not where I am feeling it.

Obviously, out here in the rural Ontario rolling hills, there are a lot of trees. And at this time of year, the trees are withering. Fruit has been harvested, the season is over, and all the leaves have died and fallen to the ground. The hills are alive with the colour of not fruit, but death. Even the ones planted by the water! The chaff that the wind dries and blows away is all that’s left. I don’t get it either. The streams are getting ready to freeze over. My world right now is not the picturesque stream with weeping willows full of leaves and a sanctuary for all who find shelter underneath it’s full branches. All I see is dried up crunchy leaves and cold water surrounded by parched branches.

So, I’m sorry. Perhaps this was not one of my better posts. It’s not funny, or informative, or enlightening. It simply is. I have put it out there. Wrote it in black and white with every intention of being obedient to a prompting. And maybe that’s the point. Maybe we have been instructed to take a moment of “stillness”. There is plenty to unpack in these few verses. Many a preacher would spend an entire series of messages on council, meditation, being planted, fruit, prosperity, judgement, righteousness, and delighting in the Lord. And yet, I am not.

Maybe my role for this week is simply to post the words. Let the chips fall where they may. Remind you (and me) that the words are there. The leaves are there. They have piled up in wait for a new season of growth later. The streams of living water still has trees planted nearby. The wicked are still out there – in droves. We still need to meditate and understand that judgement is coming. And so, I have done my part. I posted it.

It’s your job to read it and muse in your own way this week, my friend. Gather your own thoughts and inspiration. Why not comment and let me know… what do you think?

How I Find Blogging Inspiration

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Welcome back to another week. I’m both totally unprepared for this post and totally inspired at the same time. Usually, I have some initial thought or inspiration or “word” that comes to me before a blog post — and then I just sit down and write all about how the muse plays out. Lately, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to come up with inspiration… not that there isn’t stuff happening all the time in this crazy house, in this crazy world around me, or in my convoluted brain for that matter… it’s just… is it worth sharing?

Photo by Suzy Hazelwood on Pexels.com

The family and I had a few days off last week to spend together and just “chill”. No posting last time, so surely I should have something to write about this week! The whole crew was together and we went away with no great plans but eat, sleep and hang out. A “rest” before the start of another school year and life moving into some sort of predictable rhythm again. I thought maybe I’d write about that… rest, being still before God, drawing peace from His presence. And yet, it’s not the direction I feel He wants me to go this week.

So I went looking for some “inspiration”. Maybe a poem on peace; a hymn. I’ve filled up some posts with such things before… did you know the internet has plenty of poems for peace? Mainly to fill the back of funeral bulletins. Again, not exactly the direction I wanted this week to go… I did find an interesting poem written by a fellow blogger. Unfortunately, her thoughts about “spirituality” vary slightly (okay vastly) from mine so I am choosing not to post the actual poem here, for fear of confusion. The world wide web can be a dangerous place to randomly “search”. Superficially, all may look well – wise even – but a little digging often reveals hidden woes. Social media is the same. Don’t believe everything you read, people! Do your homework!

Anyway, despite the shortcomings of said blogger, her poem gave me some food for thought. It was written from Jesus’ perspective in the time just before His death as He prayed and spent time alone with God in the garden of Gethsemane. Do you think Jesus really contemplated His death? Or was His mission so ingrained in His psyche that although He questions “not my will but Yours…” the plan was already set? Too deep to think about? Not worth thinking about? All we need to know is that Jesus died and that He died for us, right? But — What would be the outcome if He didn’t choose to go with the plan?

Richard Drew, the photographer behind “The Falling Man” credit: CBS news

This past weekend marked the 20th anniversary of 9/11 and the twin tower collapse that rocked the USA. I watched a haunting video of images and stories of people who chose to jump from the heights of the buildings to their deaths. A photographer who had his blurred image of “a falling man” cut from the papers. Too graphic. No one would choose a sure death when a chance at survival was possible, would they? Or would you choose a “peaceful” alternative to being trapped in a burning building with no escape? I have no words for the choices those individuals had to make on that day. I have no words for a Saviour who chose to die for none of His own wrongdoings. Who chose to die for the sins of mankind even with the ability to back out and escape. What would the papers print about Jesus of Nazareth on the day of His death? Would the images be too graphic to even think about? Or bring a haunting “peace” to the hearts of mankind?

I often pose questions here on mittonmusings; questions without answers. Often my thoughts (and emotions) fill up a page without ever reaching a sound conclusion. So, if you are looking for answers, you’ve come to the wrong blog. But if you’re willing to open up your thoughts now and again and ride the adventure with us, then we welcome you to our little piece of the internet. Please “like and subscribe” as they say — and share. If I’ve made you think, then make others think too. I welcome your feedback and look forward to sharing the journey with you. Until next week, my friends.