I want to respond to my own blog... A few blogs ago I wrote about a phrase, "God has no expectation upon you." My initial reaction was that is impossible of course He does! God has a way of making a question come to light later on as we reflect. Recently, as I reflected on the prayer... "GOD has no expectation upon you." I remembered something. GOD knows everything about me. He can't expect upon me because HE already knows what I will do and be in this life. Likewise, GOD is love! When we truly love someone we do not have expectations upon them. We simply love them! Mind you we might have expectancy, but not expectations. When we have expectations we often are greatly disappointed because expectations place one in a position of meeting anothers standards. This can change from person to person. What one expects is different depending upon life circumstances. But expectancy is a hope for enjoyment, delight... presence. Two sources helped me with this struggle: a novel and a devotional. I read in a devotional by Charles Spurgeon that since GOD is love He cannot be in isolation. WHY? Because love must have two for it to be love. This is what spurred my realization that since GOD is love He does not have expecations upon me. He loves me as I am simply because I am His. That is incredibly special. What a sweetness we have in our Jesus! The novel-- The Shack provides a great dialogue with this exact concept. I really enjoyed how the author tackled this concept. Both of these challenged my thoughts... I love a good thought provoking moment in the LORD!

I love creativity. It truly is no wonder since our GOD is very creative! Just look around you! He truly has a sense of humor that shows up in His creation. Don't believe me just look at the variance of toes. I know this drew a smile on your face. But nothing more blesses me than to see the creativity born of GOD birthed in my children. My daughter came home with a poem that she wrote at school. Her thoughtfulness in considering praise for the Divine stopped me in my tracks. If her words can do this for me how much more so our Father's response to our creativity that honors Him. I know He is truly smiling as He ponders my daughter's poem titled: As Children Praise!

As Children Praise
By Mikayla Rye
October 2008

As children praise,
Hands lifted high,
All knees are bent,
Eyes toward the sky,
The rock sits silent,
Without a sound,
Lest praises stop,
A sound is found!
Said the Son
Of God Most High,
"For if you cease,
The rocks will cry!"

As children praise,
Hands lifted high,
All knees are bent,
Eyes toward the sky,
The rock sits silent,
Completely silent.
We praise Him always,
For every moment!

Consider how your praise can be lifted up with a creative response to the Father.
Amen & Hallelujah!