Songs from the Fire



Songs from the Fire

          Have you ever sat around a crackling, snapping campfire or in front of a fireplace and found yourself listening to the fire hiss and sing? The wood used for a good long-lasting fire is a big chunk of wood we call “the back log.” The rest is kindling which will burn up hot and quickly disappear.

            When the back log catches fire it often begins to make a multitude of melodic sounds. When the snapping and crackling of the fire slows down, there is a whistling, squeaking, even a flute like sound coming from the back log.

            Often the room grows quiet and everyone seems drawn to listen to its music, the songs of the forest fill the room. The log sings from the memories of the song birds in spring, the hoot of the owl at night, the flute like sound of the tree frog chirping after the rain. The log sizzles a song of when the high winds blew strumming their music through its branches and recalling too of the hissing snow in a harsh winter storm.

 

“But the people of God will sing a song of joy, like the songs at the holy festivals.

You will be filled with joy, as when a flutist leads a group of pilgrims to Jerusalem,

the mountain of the Lord—to the Rock of Israel.”  Isaiah 30:29 NLT

 

            It’s a writer’s fancy to hear songs of the forest singing from a sizzling log in the fire. But it is a bit of a parable of our lives. Each of us has collected many songs from our own lives over the years.

            Some of the best songs remembered and sung are the ones resulting from the times we were “in the fire”, of life’s trials. Some people may never learn to sing until the flames kindle a sweet memory deep within of how God’s love never failed them.

            It’s the songs from the fire that are most effective, most remembered, and most beautifully sung.

 

“Songs from the Fire” by Dee Kamp from Strength for Today, Hope for Tomorrow -by Dee Kamp

Joy is Like a Magnet

Anna's Joy by Dee Kamp

 

Joy is Like a Magnet

When I was very young and my family had all gathered together to celebrate a birthday for a relative, my cousin and I crawled under the table and when we thought no one was looking we popped out from under it to sneak candied roses from off of the cake.

We were certain no one could see us, that is until our grandmother put her head under the table laughing at us saying, “You silly kids, we wondered what was happening to those roses!”
When our grandmother shared what we had been doing, the whole room burst out in laughter. Oh the pleasure we had being around our grandmother who would show her love for us in many ways and always share her joy was in loving Jesus.

“…in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.”

Psalm 16:11 KJ V

 What a promise! Nothing on earth compares to joy that comes from God’s heavenly love. Joy is like a magnet to others, and this joy is not limited to exuberant children, or special grandmothers, but for all who believe in Him.

 People may spurn us, misjudge us and even oppose us but they are helpless to our prayers and helpless against the joy we feel knowing how deeply we are loved by God.

 

“Joy is Like a Magnet” by Dee Kamp, Grace Every Morning Ministries© July 13, 2016

photo by Dee Kamp

Life Like Rain from Heaven

On one side of the narrow road I saw the natural scene of Eastern Washington’s semi-arid desert with its crusty dry earth and abundant sage brush. But on the other side of the road was a contrast so lavishly becoming it took my breath away.

The lush side of the road was under life changing miracle of waters by the workings of giant sprinklers spraying waters from the great Columbia River.

 “As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, an do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” Isaiah 55:10-11 NIV

 

It’s the obvious, of course, yet still amazing, how water is able to renew and refresh such an arid and dry land to thrive and bloom and produce crops for our nation.

Refreshment, vitality, nourishment and new life- that’s what Scripture’s promise carries forth to us. God’s Word gives us a spiritual strength we need every day to sustain and refresh us to thrive and grow in our faith, refresh our weary hearts and produce good fruit.

 Wherever we are in the world, what dry season we may be in, the Word of God will bring life like rain from heaven to our thirsty souls.

“The Bible is to the thirsty soul what water is to a barren land.” Our Daily Bread

“Life Like Rain from Heaven” by Dee Kamp, Grace Every Morning Ministries© July 7, 2016