Joseph

 Joseph

"Love is something different from a delirium; but it's hard to tell the difference." 

-anonymous

My friends a few years back can testify that being in love with Joseph then was delirious, not because I was extremely, madly in love. But because my friends was actually thinking that I was in complete hallucination in finding him attractive, handsome and just nearly perfect.

I love the way my husband makes me laugh. I laugh at his corny jokes, and most especially when he sings. It tickles me.  Joseph is uniquely thoughtful; he would make paper roses, write a love letter in a tissue paper and many more of those kind of things.  He likes surprising me which I really hate. And yet, I love him for doing it.  We laugh a lot, talk a lot, we cry, we argue. I thank God that He has given me the privilege to love and be in love with Joseph. Looking back, there was no way in my dreams of marrying him, but God brought us together.

I love him for just the way God created him. And I love him more everyday. I'm so excited for the days ahead of us. As God leads we follow. There's a lot of things to look forward to.  A lot of work to do for Him.  A lot of blessings to receive.  A lot of happier days!

Hold Thou Thy cross between us, blessed Lord.

Let us love Thee.  To us Thy power afford

To remain prostrate at Thy pierce'd feet -

There is no other place where we may meet.

Set Thou our faces as a flint of stone

To do Thy will.  Our goal be this alone.

O God, our hearts are fixed. Let us not turn.

Consume all our affections, let Thy love burn.

poem from Elisabeth Elliot's Passion and Purity

Living and Risking

All who FLY risk CRASHING.

All who DRIVE risk COLLIDING.

All who RUN risk FALLING.

All who WALK risk STUMBLING.

All who LIVE risk SOMETHING.

To LAUGH is to risk appearing the FOOL.

To WEEP is to risk appearing SENTIMENTAL.

To REACH OUT for another is to risk INVOLVEMENT.

To EXPOSE FEELINGS is to risk EXPOSING YOUR TRUE SELF.

To LOVE is to risk NOT being LOVED in return.

To HOPE is to risk DESPAIR.

To TRY is to risk FAILURE.

We can all add to the list above. I can. What will life be without risking? As we wholly, continually, and completely depend on God and trust Him for our lives, what is there to fear? 

"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."

II Timothy 1:7

September 13, 2005 (my journal) poem excerpted from Charles  Swindoll, Quest for Character

Slow down. Sit Still. Be quiet. Rethink.

Sometimes God wants us to slow down, sit still, be quiet and rethink. HE wants us to take time to discover what really matters to HIM.  HE wants us to grow roots deep into the soil of things that truly last.


In my life, it was during the time I had my  Radioactive Iodine Treatment for my Hyperthyroidism.  It was the deepest and lowest time of my life.  It was then that I felt all alone. The treatment calls for isolation.  I was in the hospital alone, no visitors allowed. It was also then that I prayed more, I sang, I cried, I sat thinking about and reevaluating my life. And then God through HIS grace allowed me to experience life's greatest victory.  It was victory to feel God's presence, to see God's provision and to have His peace.  God allowed me to experience Him, who He is and what a mighty God He is to me. 

"Be STILL, and know that I AM GOD: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.  The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge." Psalm 46:10-11

BE (verb) - to exist or live; to continue as before.

STILL (adj.) - stationary; motionless; quiet; calm; silence.

KNOW (verb) - to perceive or understand as fact or truth

                        - to be aware of.

                        - to be acquainted or familiar with.

                        - to understand from experience or practice.

Personally God is telling me to "live quietly, in silence for you, Lizley Joy is aware and you understand from experience that Christ Jesus our LORD, He is GOD....therefore, do not fear."


I rest in Thee oh my Lord...

It's my Privilege

I got into this poem when I was newly married. You know, those times when things are just all perfect.  It's happily ever after. I didn't realize it would be a real blessing to me after some time.

It's my Privilege

Give me the privilege 

of doing all I can

To be a loving help meet,

To stand behind God's man.

Give me the privilege

of praying for him daily,

of doing all I can for him-

cheerfully and gaily.

Give me the privilege

of giving him to THEE,

and watching as YOU mold him

Into the man You want him to be.

Give me the privilege

To sit beneath his teaching, 

And to realize for the very first time-

"That's my husband preaching!"

My mind goes back to the time when we we're still having our counseling sessions months before the wedding. I was in cloud 9 and I felt like everything about being a wife is just about love, love, love. Of course it still is, but you know what I mean...until I have to do the dishes 3 times a day, clean the house, cook, do his laundry, until I realize he's not perfect, and that I'm not perfect too. There were miserable days when I was thinking, "what did I get into?"

I was so focused with the burden of household chores and the imperfections of my husband rather than to God and His faithfulness to us. And really, the privilege of serving God daily. I thought, serving God is doing "important" things at church only. God's Word reminded me of I Corinthians 10:31. I realize, I can give glory to my Heavenly Father with all the laundry, the dishes, with my cooking, and all the other stuff mother's do. It changed me. God brought me closer to Him. And yes, God actually gave me the privilege to say "that's my husband preaching!" (how did it happen is another looooong story! hahahahahaha...)