You are not going to believe what I saw in town the other day! I was right smack in the middle of town by the hospital and a deer ran across the road. First of all deer are not usually alone. And this one seemed afraid, of course deer always seem afraid. Hence the deer-in-the-headlights saying. But this poor thing. She ran like a wild thing right up to a fence by the hospital, she stood there for a minute looking confused and than went left onto the hot asphalt of the parking lot. It was hot enough to fry an egg on, heat rising up from it. She sort of hobbled across it towards the hospital and another parking lot and toward a busy street a few blocks away. I suggested to Paul we help her. And he reminded me of a story we had read not long ago about how a man tried to catch a deer and how they are really wild and not docile animals and how the man got very hurt trying it. So I whispered a little prayer for the deer and wished her well.
But as I thought about her I wondered what happened to her. Did she make it back to the wild? Did she find her other deer friends? Did some hunter grab his gun? Surely not in the town. Than my mind took a turn.
That look of fear on her face. I've seen that look on my face. on my kids' faces. That was a familiar look. One I had seen many times. The look of fear. Fear of the unknown. Fear of the known. Stark, cold fear gripping your heart until you can't breathe. Do we sometimes take a wrong turn, get out of God's will and find ourselves in fear, in dread, in over our heads? Have you had a little fear inside grow until you are chilled till you shiver with it and it possesses you?
What is the remedy for fear. The Word! God's love letter to us. He will call you beloved when you are afraid. He will tell you through his word that he doesn't give you a spirit of fear but of love, power and a sound mind. Imagine that deer running wildly full of adrenaline, full of fear. Now imagine yourself running through life that way. God whispers, if you will listen, "Beloved" and peace comes. You have a sound mind not a run-a-way mind of fearful thoughts. You can go to the Psalms and read comforting words. He is our shepherd. A shepherd is always mindful of his sheep. He knows where they are or if they get away he comes and finds them. He provides for his sheep and cares for them. We are provided for we are cared for. He, the God who created the whole world is aware of you. Yes, you! And he loves you so much. He has good plans for you not evil thoughts. He has a purpose for your life, a plan. He is a Warrior God fighting battles for us or with us. He is strong and mighty. Go read the Book and think about him. Talk to him. A sweet friend of mine said that we can all pray from our heart. Talk to him like you would a best friend. He is waiting for you to talk to him. He accepts you, loves you, understands you. Don't run wildly through your days. Run into his arms. There is peace there.
Monday, June 8, 2009
Following your passion
A successful man said that a person should follow their passion. Okay he wasn't the first person I have heard say this. But I have always agreed that it made sense. So that led to me asking myself why I'm not blogging more. I have always wanted to be a writer. Given the opportunity why wasn't I doing it? I looked at the passion question. Is my passion writing or sharing thoughts, or telling a story? I think it is the sharing of thoughts the telling of a story, the meeting of minds. When I look at it that way. It makes me want to blog. I was looking at it as WRITING. It had an ominous sound to it. It was all bound up with duty and shoulds. You know like your mother or teacher used to say "You should do so and so". Nothing kills motivation for me like the "shoulds". But if it sounds fun or rewarding I want to do it. Sharing ideas or thoughts or stories sounds fun to me, rewarding.
So here I am sharing with you these thoughts. This line of thinking led me to the thought. How often do we make serving God a duty? A should? Of course we should serve him. But if we focus on the works are we much more than the pharisees? They were so bound with rules and shoulds. They had so little love and joy. Are we any different than someone following a religion that has a god that is dead? They go to extremes in serving. If we focus on loving God and on the pure joy and love of knowing him how much better off we will be. If we fall in love with him and spend time with him. We will naturally serve him and each other but it grows out of following our passion for him. Not out of duty but out of love. If you are feeling like you are only following the "shoulds" in your service return to your passion your first love. Return your focus on Jesus. He is so inspiring! Loving him is pure joy.
So here I am sharing with you these thoughts. This line of thinking led me to the thought. How often do we make serving God a duty? A should? Of course we should serve him. But if we focus on the works are we much more than the pharisees? They were so bound with rules and shoulds. They had so little love and joy. Are we any different than someone following a religion that has a god that is dead? They go to extremes in serving. If we focus on loving God and on the pure joy and love of knowing him how much better off we will be. If we fall in love with him and spend time with him. We will naturally serve him and each other but it grows out of following our passion for him. Not out of duty but out of love. If you are feeling like you are only following the "shoulds" in your service return to your passion your first love. Return your focus on Jesus. He is so inspiring! Loving him is pure joy.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Nightime Musings
I'm not real good at posting here. Sorry. But I found something I wrote a while back. Thought you might enjoy it.
Nightime Musings
Once upon a time there was a woman who couldn’t sleep. She tossed and turned and finally got out of bed. The world is a strange place in the middle of the night. All the weariness and worries of the daytime seem magnified in the wee hours of the morning. But there is also a deep silence, a sense that the world is resting, preparing for tomorrow’s sorrows and joys. Somewhere she could also feel God’s presence, for unlike many might quip, he doesn’t really sleep. He really is always awake, aware of where his children are and what they are doing. He sees what they think is done in secret and darkness. He is aware of all their life. He loves them and seeks their companionship always. He is saddened by their choices in the night time hours, mostly. There are a few who are up praying, beseeching him for those wayward ones who are in dire need. If most would just stop and listen they could feel his breath, his love for them.
But back to our sleepless one. She didn’t know what to do with herself. Her body wasn’t awake just her mind. What to do… mindless television? A book? Prayer? Write a letter? A poem? Nothing particularly appealed to her. So she decided to go back to bed and read a lame book she had beside her bed. Awe the numbing boredom of it all. How had she lost the joy in living? How had she lost the happiness she had sometimes known? She remembered when she could just watch her wee ones breathe with an angelic look on their face and she would know life would be okay. That if there was something that perfect there must be a God above who loved her so much that he blessed her with a miracle all her own. And now she wondered why God who she knew loved her because she had walked with him for many years and he had brought wonder to her over and over. But why did he allow sorrow and pain to come to her through that same sweet child who had grown into a young adult capable of making wrong choices that tore at her heart and at her peace. Did he still love her? Than why this ongoing torture? Was this somehow growing pains for her child? Was it a way for that child to find her own relationship with this wondrous God that her mom knew? If that were the reasons behind it all than she could bear the pain because their was nothing in all this wide world more precious, more true than the sweet knowledge of the love and presence of her heavenly father. And this was what she wanted for her children more than any other thing. That they know the amazing love and acceptance of their creator. That they connect with the one who made the universe. One on one. Because if they could do that than it would be well with them. Yes, she thought maybe she could sleep better knowing that perhaps this was why all the current turmoil. If this were the reason than she could just put all those wearisome worries and frets in the hands of the one who is all knowing, is all powerful and all seeing. Yes, she could trust him and cast it all on him and finally get some sweet sleep and rest.
Nightime Musings
Once upon a time there was a woman who couldn’t sleep. She tossed and turned and finally got out of bed. The world is a strange place in the middle of the night. All the weariness and worries of the daytime seem magnified in the wee hours of the morning. But there is also a deep silence, a sense that the world is resting, preparing for tomorrow’s sorrows and joys. Somewhere she could also feel God’s presence, for unlike many might quip, he doesn’t really sleep. He really is always awake, aware of where his children are and what they are doing. He sees what they think is done in secret and darkness. He is aware of all their life. He loves them and seeks their companionship always. He is saddened by their choices in the night time hours, mostly. There are a few who are up praying, beseeching him for those wayward ones who are in dire need. If most would just stop and listen they could feel his breath, his love for them.
But back to our sleepless one. She didn’t know what to do with herself. Her body wasn’t awake just her mind. What to do… mindless television? A book? Prayer? Write a letter? A poem? Nothing particularly appealed to her. So she decided to go back to bed and read a lame book she had beside her bed. Awe the numbing boredom of it all. How had she lost the joy in living? How had she lost the happiness she had sometimes known? She remembered when she could just watch her wee ones breathe with an angelic look on their face and she would know life would be okay. That if there was something that perfect there must be a God above who loved her so much that he blessed her with a miracle all her own. And now she wondered why God who she knew loved her because she had walked with him for many years and he had brought wonder to her over and over. But why did he allow sorrow and pain to come to her through that same sweet child who had grown into a young adult capable of making wrong choices that tore at her heart and at her peace. Did he still love her? Than why this ongoing torture? Was this somehow growing pains for her child? Was it a way for that child to find her own relationship with this wondrous God that her mom knew? If that were the reasons behind it all than she could bear the pain because their was nothing in all this wide world more precious, more true than the sweet knowledge of the love and presence of her heavenly father. And this was what she wanted for her children more than any other thing. That they know the amazing love and acceptance of their creator. That they connect with the one who made the universe. One on one. Because if they could do that than it would be well with them. Yes, she thought maybe she could sleep better knowing that perhaps this was why all the current turmoil. If this were the reason than she could just put all those wearisome worries and frets in the hands of the one who is all knowing, is all powerful and all seeing. Yes, she could trust him and cast it all on him and finally get some sweet sleep and rest.
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