"Taste and See that the Lord is Good"

Pasalm 34:8a says, "Taste and see that the Lord is good."

I've been thinking a lot about this verse recently, turning it over in my mind, letting it unfold. It's really struck me that the Psalmist uses the word "taste." He doesn't say "hear and see that the Lord is good," or "feel and see that the Lord is good." No. He uses the word taste. As I pondered this specific choice, a few things came to me:

First off, think about how much time a day you honestly spend thinking about food. Right after breakfast, you're thinking about what to eat for lunch, or what snacks you might have in between. You walk down the street and a certain smell makes you start to daydream about a hot slice of pizza or a tasty fried doughnut. Moreover, when you've had a truly delicious meal, you may think about it and talk about it for weeks to come. Who doesn't recount an amazing dish they had at a top of the line restaurant -- the flavors that hung on every bite and lingered to tease your brain as you left? Flavors fill our thoughts.

Next I began to think about how many different flavors and flavor combinations there are. There are literally thousands upon thousands of cookbooks, with millions of recipes detailing billions of combinations for endless flavor experiences. And new and inventive combinations are still being created today.

And it is THIS that the Lord is talking about: this infinite territory we are meant to explore as we "taste and see." And what exactly is this "tasting" in reference to? The Lord's goodness. THIS is what I'm meant to experience, to know in this life: a boundless, thought-capturing familiarity with the goodness of God. This is my rightful inheritance. I don't want to miss out on that.

Journal Entry from 2/20/15 : A Dream about The Heart and Will

Here is a direct copy from my journal (FYI, Uncle Buddy is my deceased Armenian great Uncle) (Also, Tim is my husband):

First, the dream:

"I had this insane crazy dream last night... I was talking to Uncle Buddy and he told me that most people can go to heaven whenever they want to, but they don't because they're holding onto something on this earth.
So I decided I'd go... so I started to 'let go' and felt my body rising upwards, legs-first. All the blood rushed to my hands and head. It was a bit uncomfortable.
As I started to float higher, I heard a sound gradually getting louder. I thought it must be the singing everyone talks about hearing from heaven, but it was rejoicing: tons of clapping and people saying 'yay!!!!'
It got louder and it was shockingly loud (my ears weren't accustomed/ prepared for sounds of heaven). Then all of a sudden I remembered my husband and thought, 'I can't leave him. I can't break his heart.' And I (my body) went rushing back down to earth.

This dream was so real; I woke up and told Tim about it and told him that I had no doubt that I could have gone to heaven if I wanted to last night."


Next, I took this dream to the Lord and let him speak to me on the subject. This is what I heard (and also wrote down): I will copy it word for word:

"The only real thing that gives value to a human life is love.
You were dragged leg-first because your legs represent the strongest part of you: when I ask you to do something for me, you do: you take a stand in faith, without first loving the thing required of you. This is an amazing strength you have. It is from me. You do what's called of you because of who called you, despite the consequences. The enemy used this strength against you, to harm you, for so long, and now I use it to bless you.
Now I am showing you a new thing. The upper body is the seat of the heart.
When the heart and the will are in balance, you have a fearless, deadly warrior."

Introduction to this blog

Ever since I was a little girl, I wanted to be a published author. I wanted to write novels, and, over time, poetry. This blog is a first step in that direction, with one major central focus: I intend to write down what I see, hear, and experience in my relationship to God. When I go to the Lord to pray, most often I simply sit in His presence and listen, and he speaks to me. And I write down what I hear, as well as my thoughts and responses to what I hear.

For years, my spiritual walk has centered upon this conversation. I think it is the inheritance intended for all those who believe: to be in relationship and communication with our heavenly Father, though I'm sure for me it takes a special and unique form. It makes sense that God would "write" to me, His writer. I am a very verbal person, and a very visual person. Naturally, therefore, when I hear from or speak to God, it is riddled with pictures and words. And now I will begin to share these with you.