beauty for ashes

... to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes,

the oil of gladness instead of mourning,

and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,

a planting of the Lord
for the display of his splendor. Isaiah 61:3

I am awake too late tonight because of the visions this verse creates in my mind. If I were a painter, I'd have a lot to paint. What does it look like to be given beauty instead of ashes? What does the garment of praise look like as it is wrapped around you in place of a spirit of despair? And an oak of righteousness. If only I could fill a canvas to capture an oak of righteousness. It would be... big.

We have about two weeks left of summer camp. It is always amazing to me how the summer flies by. It is always amazing to me that we are left standing at the end of it all. And as always, I am amazed by the things God has done this summer. I am in awe of how he has shown us to wait on his timing. Just as soon as you have planned everything just so, he shows up with his perfect plan- looking a bit different from what you had thought. And that we are to be a planting of the Lord- to display his glory. Not ours, but his. His planting, (and planning) not my own. This joy in place of sorrow, this praise in place of despair-- what a promise, what a gift... what a reason to never let worry or fear rule me.

I should tattoo this beautiful picture on me somewhere. A huge oak tree, wearing a crown of beauty and a ridiculously good looking cloak of praise, and of course oil of gladness dripping from its leaves... what a piece of amazing. Or not. Either way, something about this picture Isaiah paints softens my heart tonight and I just wanted you to know. Let's allow ourselves to be a part of his planting for his splendor. I'm just saying...