Shaking Like A Leaf

The heavy early Colorado snow storms always damage our trees. The leaves are not quite off when the storm hits and the weight is just too much. The streets are lined with broken branches as drivers dodge through the obstacle courses and city workers try feverishly to clear the way. 

 I looked out the window and noticed even still, the day after Thanksgiving, there are a few stubborn leaves desperately hanging on for dear life. When the wind comes up, they shake before finally letting go and fluttering to the ground. But in doing so, they relieve the trees for the next storm.

 I sometimes I hold on to things with a fear of letting go, even though I know that if I would just take the risk of falling, it would relieve others of heavy burden. I may be shaking like a leaf - but God, give me the courage to let go of things that are better off without me.

 "So hold me, Jesus, cuz I'm shaking like a leaf.
You have been King of my glory, won't You be my Prince of Peace?"   - Rich Mullins

Comments

  1. Turion61October 5, 2012 at 7:18 AM

    Robin:

    This is the one you suggested I read, as we discussed having insecurities. One of which I let you know about. My fear of the dark.

    I look at my military experiences and some of the things that I did, was ordered to do, during that time. I recall, when my daughter was younger, she asked, "Daddy, were you ever afraid?" I would tell her, "every time."

    It is baffling to me how we can be afraid and be brave at the same time. I heard of a comment that a military hero made when it was said of he and others he served with that they were braver than most. He responded, "we aren't braver than anyone else, we were just brave a few seconds longer."

    I have many fears, many insecurities. As a man, due to sinful pride, this is so difficult to admit. Yet in doing so, I release them just enough to open the door for the one who is knocking, to come in.

    Our Messiah not only took our sins to the Cross, he took our infirmaties, our fears, our insecurities. When the Holy Spirit falls upon us, these things are covered. We can let go. We will be caught and held so tenderly.

    John M. Padilla

    ReplyDelete
  2. The Bright SideOctober 5, 2012 at 7:34 AM

    ah, I love that John "caught up and held". Thank you!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Your comments are welcomed and appreciated.

Popular posts from this blog

Stressing the Vine

Image
Visiting my friend's home is always a refreshing treat. Especially when it comes to her backyard. The best description is an oasis of gorgeous flowers enjoying their specially selected locations under the mature trees throughout the entire perimeter. She and her husband have put in countless hours of back-breaking cultivation, and it shows. They have been rewarded with tranquility encountered by simply stepping out their back door. The furthest right hand corner of the property displays an amazing vegetable garden with more varieties of lettuce imaginable. Working the ground has become a therapeutic fix for my dear friend and they regularly reap its harvest. A couple of weeks ago, we sat side by side, enjoying the birds and musing over their beautiful songs. As we talked, she pointed at the grapevine and said sadly, "No grapes this year. Nothing! And I've done everything possible, catering to their every need - from just the right amounts of water, sunlight and food. It
Read more

Never Forget

Image
Have you ever been so grateful for someone that you can't find enough words in our language to express it? I've often thought with tears about the things I would say to my mother now. Things I never made the effort to say. The more I reminisce, the more I'm reminded of her goodness - and the more I regret not telling her so. Nehemiah had been Cupbearer to the Persian King Artaxerxes, and now had been Governor of Judah for twelve years. Overwhelmed with gratitude to God for bringing His people back from captivity, he poured his heart out in prayer.  God allowed them to rebuild their beloved city of Jerusalem, which had been utterly destroyed by the Babylonians seventy years prior. In an amazing 52 days, they had completely rebuilt the city wall. Nehemiah gathered all of the people and for three hours they read about the sins of their fathers and for three more hours, confessed that they had partaken of similar deeds "crying with a loud voice to the Lord their God"
Read more

Without a Doubt

Image
Most of us are probably familiar with the infamous story of God's miraculous intervention of freeing Israel from the tyranny of Egypt. Moses appeared before the Pharaoh of Egypt on multiple occasions, demanding each time that he let the Jewish slaves go. We know about Pharaoh's stubborn refusals followed by God's judgements. Fast forward to the mass exodus through the Red Sea. God's promise wasn't just to free the slaves from their bondage, but to lead them into the "Land of Milk and Honey", an area that God had intended to give to them where they could dwell forever under His protection and provision. A select few (twelve, to be exact - one representative from each tribe) went in to scout out the land and bring back a report. Ten of them returned shaking in their sandals saying, "no way can we take over that land - the inhabitants are giants and we are like grasshoppers in their eyes!" But the other two, Joshua and Caleb, trusted in God's pr
Read more