Category: music

Crafty Creekmont

On By mygodroomIn gratitudeLeave a comment

Saturday morning came very early, but the Lord met me before the sun did. I had prayed the night before that I would wake up before my alarm so I wouldn’t disturb my husband, and He did exactly that. Even though we were worn out from moving the shop on Friday — the kind of tired that sinks into your bones — I woke with enough strength, enough peace, and enough joy to step into the day He had prepared.

I slipped out quietly, left the house at 7:15, and arrived early to the women’s conference at our new church. My first one — ever. There was something tender about that, walking into a space I’d never occupied before, with a group of women I’m only beginning to know, yet already sensing God’s gentle stitching at the seams of new community.

Breakfast was sweet fellowship. I sat with Anatha, Hester, Tina, and Becky — each one warm, kind, and gracious in her own way. We talked, we laughed, and there was that familiar peace that only the Spirit can knit between hearts.

Then Anatha shared her testimony and led us in praise. It was raw and beautiful — the kind of sharing that reminds you God is always working, always redeeming, always inviting us deeper.

We did a little craft together — simple, hands-on worship — and it felt good to slow down long enough to create something with my hands. Miss Pam and Randy laser cut all the pieces for us to do this craft.

Father God, thank you for clearing the rubble. I don’t think it’s any coincidence Hurricane Melissa was creating worldly conflict in Jamaica and elsewhere—-reminding me of how I wrestled with Torah teachings which fail to include your spirit this time last year.

#ISWYDT

Afterward, we shared lunch, and the sweetness of that table lingered long after the dishes were cleared.

I even brought leftovers home for my husband — a small thing, but it felt like carrying home a piece of the day, a little offering from the fellowship I’d been welcomed into.

Creekmont Women’s Conference

It was a truly lovely day — quiet, nourishing, gentle in all the ways I needed. I especially appreciated the deeper Godversation with Tina and Anatha. Both now have my phone number.

Arriving home, I succumbed to a wonderful nap “by my stream”. When I woke, we agreed to go spend the last two hours of Jenn’s Twelve Year Tenure with her at the one shop we still own.

Of all the things we could have given Jenn, we gave her our hearts. My husband will be driving the truck with all her belongings to Wisconsin for Jenn in two weeks. I was nudged to give her the craft I made and she was beyond thrilled.

The day was beautiful and blessed. Thank you, Jesus.

Leviticus

On By mygodroomIn blessings, gratitude, marriageLeave a comment

Rarely feels like a warm embrace to me. This morning, it felt like a lingering embrace worthy of writing about.

I woke hours before dawn and enjoyed my solitude with Him. When I returned to bed, I could not sleep. In recent months, this has not been a big issue. In fact, He meets me by “our stream” and I sleep like a baby.

Not today. Today, the unmistakable nudge came with a resounding message to “put it in order.” While I emptied out cabinets yesterday, there were two which were prepped in trays for easy removal.

Here’s the deal. The folks who bought our cabinets were scheduled to pick them up today. We both expected they would attempt to come before noon. If they came early, my husband would have been pressed to make a place for the trays.

The nudge was to demonstrate sacrificial love for my husband. When He says “Go”, I go. It’s really that simple.

So I drove to the shop—my second home the past seven years- and began to see it differently.  What felt like chaos yesterday started to feel like a kind of sacred re-arranging.

Maybe I saw myself in the cabinets. Poured in. Poured out. Ready to be filled again.

Funny enough, my son texted quickly after I left the house and Mark called me at the shop when I failed to hear my phone. It was rather sweet on both counts.

I returned home and took my coffee upstairs. Mark flipped my Bible open to Leviticus 26 and 27.  It was confirmation upon confirmation.

Those chapters speak about what happens when life falls out of rhythm and how the Lord patiently draws His people back into alignment.  The disorder we feel right now isn’t failure; it’s invitation.  He is giving us the chance to bring our work, our possessions, and our hearts back under His covering.

It’s important to recognize what’s ending (26:27–45) — no fear with the closure; it’s covenant renewal. It is about redeeming what’s worth carrying forward (27:9–25) — set apart what’s still holy. Release what belongs to Him (27:26–34) — and to let go with open hands and willing hearts.

Everything we have belongs to God. Praise God, my husband and I both know this truth to the depths of our souls.

Our employee is leaving, and soon it will just be the two of us again—leaner, quieter, maybe simpler.  But as Leviticus ends, it isn’t about loss; it’s about dedication.  God calls His people to take stock, to redeem what is still holy, and to return everything to Him in order.  That’s what these days feel like: not dismantling, but consecrating.

It was easy to choose to obey that gentle command: put it in order.

To bless what has been, to release what’s complete, and to prepare the ground for what’s next.

After sharing this Godversation with Mark, I offered him breakfast, as we haven’t gotten fully back to our intermittent fasting. His eyes told me yes before his mouth spoke a word.

I went downstairs and made grilled breakfast sandwiches and fried potatoes for my husband and son. When Mark left to open the store, I was quite joyful baking dog biscuits, prepping Mexican street corn for our Bible Study dinner and preserving a plethora of tomatoes in a bruschetta mixture.

How blessed am I ? Immeasurably more than any person deserves.

Thank you, Jesus.

Noah’s Ark

On By mygodroomIn gratitude, obedience, UncategorizedLeave a comment

It has been raining all day. I have been unable to sleep, despite perfect conditions.

I think I just needed some Quality Jesus Time.

The Bible gives such specific instructions for how to build the Ark — 300 cubits long, 50 wide, and 30 high. Those same proportions are used in modern shipbuilding today, a perfect ratio for stability in rough waters. I recall learning that factoid from my husband before our first cruise more than a decade ago.

Noah was not a shipbuilder or a naval engineer. The only way he could have known is if God told him — and He did.

That realization still gives me chills. It’s a reminder that the Word of God is not symbolic guesswork or ancient myth — it’s precision. It’s revelation. God whispered into human hands the wisdom to build something that could withstand the storm.

Sometimes I wrestle with whether certain kinds of knowledge are “good” or “godly.” But then I remember — godly knowledge always points me back to awe, back to Him. It humbles me. It makes me look at the world and say, “Only God.”

I see what You did there! #ISWYDT

When I see that the same ratio used for Noah’s Ark is still guiding shipbuilders today, I can’t help but worship. The God who gave Noah blueprints for salvation is the same God who steadies me when waters rise.

“It is the glory of God to conceal a matter;
to search out a matter is the glory of kings.” — Proverbs 25:2

Thank you, Jesus!

My Ezer

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I woke up this morning thinking about Ezer—that beautiful Hebrew word often translated as “helper.” Most people think of Ezer as “wife,” but that’s only how it’s used twice in Genesis.

Every other time, Ezer refers to the Lord Himself—coming in for battle, coming to rescue, coming to stand beside.

And right now, it feels like I’ve been in a battle. Closing this door, moving on—it’s a lot of work.

The art we commissioned seven years ago came off the walls and more furniture was moved. Plus, the cabinets are emptied or ready to be emptied tomorrow. God blessed me with a husband who understands how to get things done and he made two trips today.

Today, some human emotion took its toll, and I cried. God has done so very much in our Smyrna store. The tears were from gratitude more than anything else. Through the tears, I kept praising God. I kept singing, “I love You, Lord, for all You’ve done, for what You’re doing, and for what’s to come.”

I’ve been singing that through tears for a long time now, and it still breaks something open in me every time. I know this is part of the grieving process. I know we’re doing the right thing by closing this chapter, and I don’t have any bad feelings—just the deep ache of letting go.

But each time the tears came, I took them straight to Jesus. And every single time, that’s what stopped them. Praise the Lord.

Thank you, Jesus.

Open Guard: Distance Management

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For several years, anytime a word pops in my head, I just Google “XYZ word in The Bible”. It’s been a fun way for the Holy Spirit to teach me.

It’s been super interesting to search His Word for jiu-jitsu terminology.

There’s a quiet wisdom in learning how far to stand from the world and how close to stand with God.

The Bible may never use the phrase “distance management,” but its pages are filled with lessons on when to draw near and when to step back.

Jesus Himself modeled this perfectly.

He loved the crowds—but often withdrew from them. He walked with twelve—but shared His deepest moments with three.

And when He needed to hear the Father clearly, He went alone to the mountains to pray. (Luke 5:16)

Distance, in His hands, was not disconnection. It was discernment.

Proverbs offers practical balance applications.

All relationships have a rhythm, even friendship. Love tends to breathe best when there is space for oxygen between hearts.

Abraham was called to leave his homeland so that he could find his promise. (Genesis 12:1)

Paul wrote of being “separate” not to reject others, but to protect holiness. (2 Corinthians 6:17)

Proverbs 4:23 tells us,

Maybe distance management is simply what heaven calls balance—the rhythm of approach and retreat,

The gift of meekness is separate from the holy art of knowing when to speak and when to stay silent,

Conversely, there are times to be in crowds and opportunities to slip away to pray.

Seems in jiu-jitsu, you learn that distance determines control.

Too close and you’re vulnerable. Too far and you lose connection.

But the right space—disciplined, measured, and aware—creates strength, peace, and posture.

So maybe “distance management” is not about walls at all.

It’s about alignment.

Keeping God close, keeping peace within reach, and keeping chaos far enough away that it cannot pull you off balance.

Maybe there were several reasons Jesus had me doing cartwheels at 57 all summer. I always felt it was to encourage others and make them smile. They made many people smile in many different places.

In this moment, it feels like they also served to remind me when I am in balance with Him, anything is possible. That’s how it feels today.

Thank you, Jesus. I sure do love you. Today has been a big moving day for the store and Your moving my perspective is everything in this moment.

Holy Patterns and Presence

On By mygodroomIn gratitude, obedience, WooLeave a comment

I just posted “I See What You Did There #ISWYDT and brought lunch to my husband. Sitting in the shop, I am being completely dazzled by the realization we are approaching three years since the Holy Spirit visited me in Blue Ridge Georgia on 2/3/23.

I just googled and confirmed it was the first Friday of February. The first Friday in February is also National Wear Red Day (heart disease in women) and National Bubblegum Day.

I have survived 57 years of not knowing about either of those First Friday remembrances. I am far more drawn to study First Fruits like Easy Torah explains in this link .

Heaven help me, I can’t locate the story in My God Room. Okay, breathe in “Yah”. Hold. Exhale on “Weh”, slowly. Repeat.

The shortest version possible is that I was on a mission to complete the Boss Mull Family Book, The Holy Spirit planted a powerful seed when I took my husband to Blue Ridge in December 2022. I was nudged hard to correct errors on Ancestry.com and similar sites and provide every family member an accurate digital book of our extended family.

Uncle Dan never celebrated his 57th Birthday.

My assignment was to trace all twelve branches and get approval from the eldest in each branch before sharing the project results. This particular trip was for final edits. I made arrangements to stay at my cousin Marcia &Doug’s home, followed by two nights at Don & Jode’s.

Their dad, Dan Mull, was shot and killed August 20, 1975. I had my dad with me another 34 years before he also went to heaven on August 20, 2009.

I just realized ten days later, my cousins are reminded they lost their brother, Roger, August 30,2001.

Grateful in this moment for Facebook. Something about re-reading the post took me right back to Don & Jode’s guest room. I remember questioning the compulsion to go to my car and grab my Bible. It was late and my cousin has roughly 17 years on me. In my flesh, I would NEVER risk setting off an alarm or waking up such gracious hosts.

Yet, when the Holy Spirit told me to “put on your boots” and trek out to my car in the freezing cold, I was obedient.

What transpired for the next few hours was beyond other-worldly.

That morning’s words—Revival, Redemption, Reconciliation—became a thread that pulls through every “23:23” verse in Scripture.

This is like PTSD in reverse. I am back in their guest room, completely undone in the best of ways. I pray that makes sense to even one person reading this post.

Across the pages of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Matthew, a hidden rhythm emerges:

He goes before.
He speaks.
He protects.
He holds us accountable.
He honors courage.
He values truth.
He draws near.
He exposes betrayal.
He fulfills.

It is the same voice that said, “Go to your room.!!!”

Each “23:23” verse held confirmations of that night’s message. They are proof of divine repetition: God doesn’t just speak; He echoes through time.

Super powerful is the only 23:23 in the New Testament. In awe, I remain.

Together, they form a circle of Presence — the living message of 2/3/23—echoing to the recesses of my heart.

Thank you, Jesus! You put the pen in my shaky hand that night. Woe to the scribes and Pharisees, indeed. I see what you did there. #ISWYDT Or, more accurately, my vision continues to improve, thanks to you. I love you.

Melody and Harmony

On By mygodroomIn gratitude, Isaiah, marriageLeave a comment

I love, love, LOVE when God shows off , especially in our store.

A gentleman walked in with a kind face and a sweet spirit about him, just looking for a particular flavor. That’s all it takes sometime—a spark — and before long I was captivated into hearing tons of cool stories.

I thought I was a music buff. I am, but Kevin is a musical maestro.

I heard stories about how he moved here from Louisiana 42 years ago, though he was adamant in telling me he kept his house in Louisiana, too. He lived in John Prine’s guest house for a year and a half after moving up to Nashville. It makes sense to me those two were as tight as he described.

It was easy to imagine the John at his prime, helping Kevin with his dog at the vet. The way Kevin shared it, he couldn’t read English or sheet music when he moved here. Ronnie Milsap hired him because he read “music by number” and was incredibly forthright in his opinions. He also worked with Sister Hazel and Martina McBride.

Kevin told Ronnie a song wasn’t very good in how it laid out the guitar! He didn’t even realize Ronnie Milsap was blind when they first met.

He told me he’s Cajun through and through, laughing as he described his dog’s name — “Fido,” spelled P-H-I-D-E-A-U-X — because in his words, “I speak 1800s French English”, or something to that effect.

I shared my a bit about my “Loosy-Anna” soul sister, Cassie and my pronouncing “Metairie” incorrectly in Louisiana. He got a chuckle out of it. We talked about marriage, kids, and the funny ways life circles us back to the people and the places we’re meant to meet.

At exactly the moment he was getting ready to leave and I welcomed Miss Patty with my usual smile.
Without missing a beat she returned the smile and said, “You’ll let anybody in here!”

That’s when it hit — she and Kevin were family. Her brother-in-law. They hadn’t seen each other in nearly a year, even though they live just ten minutes apart.

God had other plans today — plans that included a little vape shop, a Blonde Polish Chick and Cajun Kevin and Patty sharing a copious amount of laughter. His ways are higher than ours, always

Because that’s how He moves — through the smallest moments that somehow feel orchestrated, the way only He could.

Thank you, Jesus, for orchestrating this day so beautifully. I sure do love you!

River of Love

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Quickly after sharing my thoughts on EZE 47:12 and REV 22:2, I got a nudge to ask Chat GPT to create an image of the tree. It was quite a strange nudge. When the image returned, I felt a surge and a reminder of what was written on my own “tree island”.

“Carol, you’re a river of love—-calm, deep and always moving forward.”

When Anna gave me my felt island in early July, I was nudged to use a chalk marker and write PSA 1:3. It made a sense that day but now evolves into a much deeper meaning. My elevated tree and streams from July now makes perfect sense.

This morning, Brother Gary stopped by the shop, and somehow the conversation circled back to the river again — that same one Ezekiel saw, that same one flowing from the throne in Revelation.

He told me about their family vacation on Alabama Shores. He and his wife still pray the rosary together every morning. Last week was different because they prayed it together, out loud on the beach, while facing the rising sun. 

There’s something sacred about a husband and wife speaking faith into the same wind — the marital covenant magnifying every word.  And while they prayed, Gary whispered a simple request: “Lord, if it’s Your will, let us see a dolphin.”

Within ten minutes, the water broke and there it was — a shimmering answer to a small, holy wish. Seeing Gary’s eyes light up like a kid at Christmas was precious.

Later that evening, as the sun slipped behind the horizon, their youngest, little Miss Sadie, looked at the sky and said something to the effect of , “God is an amazing artist.”

Miss Sadie is 100% correct! The same Artist who colored that sky also paints His presence in our ordinary days.  I thought about my own little tree on the island — how it stands between the banks like the tree of life, roots deep in the current, leaves reaching toward the light.

I see God almost everywhere. I can’t lie and say I see Him in everyone. I just do my job and search for Jesus in everyone I meet.

I came back to settle into Psalm 1:3 for the day. Anna did not write Scripture under my island. However, her heart did write the spirit of the matter in different words.

That verse is the echo of everything God placed in my heart and mind today. The righteous tree, the river of life, the healing leaves — they’re all telling the same story: stay close to the Source.  The branch doesn’t force fruit; it just carries what the Vine supplies.

So I sit here with happy tears again, remembering Brother Gary’s dolphin, Miss Sadie’s sunset, and my little tree by the water.  Lord, bring the grandmother peace, as well as Anna and her husband.

The river still flows.

The branches still carry life.

And God — the Artist of sunrises, sunsets, dolphins, healing leaves and everything under the sun—-keeps painting His presence into every moment that stays still long enough to notice.

Thank you, Father God, for sending your son to die for humanity. We surely didn’t deserve such a beautiful gift. Thank you for reminding me who I am to you and in you. I love you.

Holy Harmony of 6:29

On By mygodroomIn blessings, gratitude, music, obedience, Woo, YHVHLeave a comment

Sometimes the Lord weaves a thread so delicate you almost miss it — until He pulls it tight enough to show the pattern. Chapter 6, verse 29. Over and over again, in book after book, He whispers the same truth about community, unity, peace, and love.

Here’s the kicker. This is because He put an old MySpace memory clearly in my dreams and I wrote about it yesterday. In that post, there was a photo of a USA Weekend article from 2006 which mentions 629 people signed on to be a part of our Make a Difference Day “We Are One” project.

Always, always, ALWAYS, I check out any word or idea as it appears in the Bible. As giddy as I was with Exodus 6:29 being where God tells Moses to speak to Pharaoh, my spirit danced with 2 Chronicles 6:29.

Still, after exploring other 6:29’s in Leviticus, 1 Kings, Job and Jeremiah, I found myself far giddier with the New Testament 6:29 themes working together in such a mighty way.

In Matthew 6:29, Jesus points to the lilies — silent teachers dressed in glory beyond Solomon’s. They neither strive nor spin, yet they’re fully cared for. That’s peace. That’s the calm that settles when we trust our Father to clothe every need.

In Mark 6:29, the disciples of John gather his body and lay it in a tomb. It’s a verse of grief, yet it glows with loyalty and love — a community standing together even when hope feels buried.

In Luke 6:29, we’re told to turn the other cheek and hand over the tunic. It feels impossible until you realize He’s inviting us into radical love — the kind that refuses to let hatred multiply.

In John 6:29, Jesus defines the only real “work” worth doing: believe in the One He sent. Faith becomes the heartbeat that unites us all — not what we earn, but Whom we trust.

So, yes, my spirit does a little jig (and sometimes a cartwheel) in the Old Testament, because 2 Chronicles 6:29 gathers it all together in prayer: “Whatever prayer, whatever supplication … each knowing his own affliction … stretching out his hands toward this house.” It’s the picture of a people reaching upward together, bound by mercy, not perfection.

Across centuries and covenants, God keeps painting the same picture — His people resting, mourning, forgiving, believing, and praying together.

So if your heart is anxious, bruised, or tired of the noise, find your footing in the 6:29 thread.
Breathe with the lilies.
Stand beside the grieving.
Turn the other cheek.
Believe again.
Lift your hands with others.

That’s how Heaven’s harmony sounds — one body, one faith, one love.

And, just like THAT, I need to accept the nudge to send my “one love” Musician Matt, a little note of encouragement.

May you let the S-O-N S-H-I-N-E in, too. Oh, sweet Jesus, how could I ever thank you or praise you enough? I’ll keep “singing with the angels, 24-7”, as you encouraged me with “Monday Morning Faith” by SEU Worship. Thank you for how you write the melody in my life….and teach me YOUR WAY, Yahweh. What a blessing to feel in harmony with you.

Divine Humor: Lois Hat Trick

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I would call it “Tricked by Tverberg”, if not for a world which would misread it.

My friend, Lois, keeps popping up, like she did October 2 and October 16. Come on, how many Christian rappers are out there dropping lyrics about Marty Solomon and Lois Tverberg, correctly pronouncing her name?

Only God weaves everything together for His Good Purposes.

I love, love, LOVE reading Lois’ newsletter for Jewish Jewels and utilizing her En-Gedi Resource Center in my studies. She is such a treasure trove of knowledge. Good knowledge. I wrote about Lois and the rapper on October 2 and the very next night, the newsletter was like a hug from Jesus in her words, and His.

The latest in the Lois Hat Trick is she shared a posted meme that purported to be from C.S. Lewis’s The Screwtape Letters. It read:

I was clearly happy to learn John Cleese did the audio book. 🤣. There was a precious evening nearly two years ago when I watched Monty Python’s The Life of Brian with my husband. I’d love to hear Cleese’ s delivery.

I digress. It happens.

The large percentage of those commenting telling Lois Tverberg, of all people, to delete a “false” post, struck me as odd. The truth police are interesting to me, especially those purporting to understand His Truth.

Good thing I have been trained to bless and not curse anyone on the internet! It is amazing how simply choosing to bless those who make questionable comments actually blesses me.

Praise God, through Lois’ actions, I learned a great lesson in how to correct oneself, and others. She posted a follow up for clarification with astounding grace and kindness.

The Screwtape Letters (1942) are well known. For those who don’t get the reference, The author, C.S. Lewis, imagines letters from “Uncle Screwtape” (a senior devil) to his younger nephew Wormwood, advising how to lead “the Patient” away from the Enemy (God).  He dedicated the book to JRR Tolkien for leading him to Jesus.

The irony is the reality that Tolkien thought the book too simple and Lewis should have matured in his faith before publishing. I’m fairly certain the Master of the Universe blessed the book beyond measure. The book was an instant hit in the middle of WWII.

One of the central themes is to keep “the patient” focused on external systems, on the faults of others. Distraction is the enemy’s game. The goal for the distraction is to prevent humans from turning inward and cultivating virtue, character, or any other good thing.

The meme may not quote Lewis word-for-word, but the insight is deeply Lewisian: the temptation is often to fixate on what’s outside us (the “broken system”) and ignore the inner life.

As I sit with Lois, Lewis and Tolkien on my brain with the Holy Spirit dancing a jig, I am giddy.

Just as every prior stitch connects to the next, l am blown away to to learn that in February 2025 Cleese jabbed at Joe Rogan online. Rogan’s response mere weeks later was to share an old 1987 clip of John Cleese waxing poetically about Extremism.

John Cleese publicly critiqued institutional religion, extremism and loss of humor in the full five minute clip. What Joe Rogan posted of John Cleese sounded much like our current “nastier , harsher atmosphere everywhere.”

Lewis published in 1941 and Cleese’s prophetic words were recorded in 1987. I just think it’s super cool for Joe Rogan to be amplifying those same words in 2025. It feels like Joe might have been nudged to point out the same pattern of distraction, division, and spiritual danger we encounter today. #ISWYDT

What are my take aways today?

Oh, so many! I just came to finish this post and learned Cleese never did the audio book! Of course, I felt called to correct my error. But, I still love, love LOVE how Lois, Cleese and Rogan each remain a part of His Lesson for me today.

Everything is still connected by His Hand.

Cleese reminds us that satire can wake us up. Rogan sharing something from roughly 38 years ago proves truth remains truth over time. I pray it woke millions up from their spiritual slumber.

I believe the ability to laugh at ourselves can become a spiritual discipline. It has certainly made me much more loving to the Blonde Polish Chick God created me to be. I struggled many decades with not truly being able to laugh at myself, much less love myself.

The primary takeaway today is fairly simple.

Thank you, Jesus, for teaching me: “Be mindful of fixation; focus on virtue and character, knowing God says laughter is good medicine.”