Sunday, August 28, 2011

the spoken and the written


note my girl passed to me in church today
her words tumbled
and
stirred
and our eyes weren't dry
in bible study today
her words
tumbled
and
stirred -
i had been praying for
god to change him
because i was right
and he was wrong
but one night i prayed
for god to change me
and i woke up the next
morning with
a
new
husband
oh, my dear friend
your words
your heart
the tender looks your husband
reserves only for you
melt.
stone.

and for these i am also thankful:

310. bible study on sunday mornings
311. my girl, the one i mentor
312. the last vestiges of summer
313. scrabble with the family
314. hanging out with teenagers
315. papers to grade
316. a new principal
317. the smell of sourwood branches littering the drive
318. middle schoolers who come to bible study
319. a husband who makes me things - a new stool!
320. cream cheese icing
321. 65 degrees

linking with:

michelle for hear it on sunday, use it on monday

27 comments:

  1. Wow, yes! It's so true, isn't it? We pray for the "other person" to be changed, when in fact, it's often ourselves that need the transformation. And that can make all the difference in the world.

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  2. God's sneaky like that, isn't He. Working on us the whole time we're asking him to work on him. We must make God chuckle sometimes. And even He's glad when there's peace again. Happy endings, they're great.

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  3. This is so good. It took me years to figure it out. He was just waiting for me to let go. I prayed for my husband for thirteen years and when I finally said, ok, God, he's all yours--it only took a few months for him to receive Christ. It was amazing. Wish I had figured it out sooner! I'm glad you are sharing this truth here.

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  4. Oh, yes, it is true. When we're changed first, somehow it changes them. Beautiful.

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  5. The poem touches me too. Change ME, Lord!

    Love your gifts...scrabble, hanging out with teens, a husband who makes things (and one who goes grocery shopping!), and 65 degrees - yes!

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  6. Amazing how when we alter our prayers so that they match the will of God, somehow our deepest desires are met.

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  7. My wise friend shared a quote with me: "God is more interested in my character than my comfort." Yep. He's always working on me.

    Cream cheese icing? Yes and amen!

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  8. Mmmm. Lovely. YOUR words have a melting effect, too!

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  9. Thanks for encouraging me today.

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  10. Your words tumble and turn...
    Beautifully written
    Painfully received.
    Thank you.

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  11. loved your words.. oh lord change me to! (not in the situation of a husband.. haha.. don't have one.. but in other situations) beautifully written. Have a blessed week
    Jenn Hand

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  12. This is great, Kendal. I have to admit, though, that that prayer is often times very hard for me to pray. I'd rather watch God change the other person than admit I need some changing, too.

    And cream cheese icing? My stomach just growled. :)

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  13. lov this...
    the tender looks your husband
    reserves only for you
    melt.
    stone.

    xo

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  14. An important thought -- Change me, Lord. Miracles are showered when we pray for change.

    I echo the 65 degrees!

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  15. Very true and beautiful poem. How I love to see white space on blogs and lovely words!

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  16. Kendal, love this post. I experience a miracle in my own marriage when I took my eyes and prayers off my marriage and focused them on me. God changed me. He transformed my marriage. He turns my ordinary life into something extraordinary.

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  17. Thank you for sharing your friend's moving testimony. A good word.

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  18. Beautiful. I needed to read that, thank you! Blessings

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  19. You are a dear, lovely friend. Thank you for the expressive way you share important truths like this. And though I'm not much for cream cheese frosting, I LOVE me some 65-degree weather!
    Jan (from Soli Deo Gloria)

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  20. It is so true. We have to concentrate on letting God change us and He will take care of them!

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  21. Love your note, love scrabble, DO NOT love to grade papers. Do you want mine?

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  22. You write so beautiful.God has given you a wonderful gift. Thank you for your friendship and prayers.

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  23. It is amazing how poetry allows one to say sooo much with so few words. Beautiful. Thinking of you as the school year begins.
    Dana

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  24. Mmm-hmmm. I've had that happen a time or twelve.

    Oh to pray this one daily: "Change my heart, O God."

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  25. As Father Tim (Mitford series) would say, "and there's the rub."

    Fondly,
    Glenda

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  26. Experienced something similar this week. Went to bed with the sun going down on my wrath like we're not encouraged to do. Anyways, woke up in the middle of the night with a direct urging from the Lord. Will you respond to Me the way you did to him? I was clearly convicted over both broken relationships. But praise God for the power of forgiveness, yes?
    What a sweet note from your girl.

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