Through My Eyes

The sun is rising over the tops of the houses and it's absolutely inspiring.  I grab my trusty little camera, my iPhone 6S Plus, and try to capture the moment to post and brag about my beautiful world. The picture just doesn't do it justice.  

My lens is not picking up the true glorious pink of the sun as it rises over the mountains in the distance. As it diffuses from vibrant pinks to orange, yellow and dissipates, my lens picks up only the essence of color; a mere print and not the masterpiece painted across the horizon. I adjust the settings on my camera.  The distance, the lighting and even clean the lens a bit striving to improve the results. My efforts are not successful.

I lay my camera down. I wish they could see if from my eyes, I thought; this led me to ponder for a moment.

Is this what Jesus thinks when I cannot see the true beauty of the scene unfolding around me?  

Our world today has access to unbelievable amounts of information.  The internet has opened up a new medium for communication that is unparalleled in any other place or time.  Social media forums have created creative ways to share information and communicate.

Unfortunately, these new avenues of sharing have also created an environment that can lead to very unhealthy habits. Excessive amount of time spent surfing the internet and participating in social media groups to the exclusion of building and maintaining meaningful relationships with the people we live, work and meet in the community.  While I could talk about this point for a while, my true topic is what we are allowing into our minds and hearts and how it affects the lens through which we view our world and shape our values.

I have to remind myself all the time what I strove to teach my children, what you read and watch affect your thoughts.  What you think about builds your belief system; gets into your heart, your DNA.  Your responses, the lens through which you view life, is built out of this storage of information.  Feed it with negativity, you will get negativity.  Feed it with positive, you will become positive.  

How do we fight this breakdown in relationship building?  How do we combat the negativity that is so rampant in our society today?  How do we protect our hearts and minds?  How do we see through the lens more clearly?

It's a heart issue.  You've got to diligently protect and guard what you put in your heart.  There's got to be a balance.  I am not against surfing the internet and social media sites.  I love these mediums of communication and information.  However, this cannot be your constant food for thought and action.  You've got to read the word of God, be in church attendance to hear the preaching of the word of God, you'be got to pray and build that relationship with Jesus Christ.  Neglecting to discipline your time and activities will cause you to develop a sick heart.

Consider these two scriptures from the Bible today.

Proverbs 4:23 "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life."

Luke 6:45 "A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh."

Sitting Bull is known for this famous quote, and I think it fits very well here.  "Inside of me there are two dogs.  One is mean and evil and the other is good and they fight each other all the time.  When asked which one wins I answer, the one I feed the most."

Are you struggling with your lens today; struggling to see things through the eyes of Jesus?  Perhaps you need to balance things out a bit.  Seriously evaluate how you are spending your time.  What are the things you are allowing into your mind and heart?  

Lord, I surrender my heart and my mind to you today.  I pray that you will help me to sort truth from fiction.  Help me to see what you want me to see.  So many are bound to false assumptions and incorrect thoughts about life.  These thoughts limit ourselves and prevent us from growing and maturing into the person you have designed us to be.  Help me to seek your will above all others opinions.  Help me to truthfully examine my life today through your eyes.  Help me to change the things that I need to change.  Give me the strength to make these changes.  I truly want to be the person that you have designed me to be and impact my world for righteousness.  I long to see through your lens of faith.  To trust you in all areas of my life.  In Jesus name, let it be done.  Amen.

Learning to Lean from Tulips

I'm pondering on leaning this morning.....

As I stood brewing my coffee this morning the tulips on the dining room table caught my eye.  When we bought them and set them on the table they were straight and tall.  The flowers were bright buds of promise; their true beauty yet to be revealed.

As I walked towards them I realized they were leaning and that I could do nothing to straighten them.  They were blossoming while turning their beauty towards the sun that comes in the windows.  Seeking the sun was a natural instinct, whether attached to the bulb or cut and set to beautify their new environment.

Leaning, or shifting towards someone or something, is not always a sign of weakness. Just as these tulips lean towards the sunshine that develops them into a beautiful flower, we too should lean towards the Son.  Realizing that our strength, support and ultimate beauty are fed by our relationship with the Son of God is the first step in becoming the person we were meant to be.

Psalm 139 is one of the most famous passages regarding God's purpose for each of us from the moment of conception.  Within this chapter in verses 18-19 you will find this " How precious it is, Lord, to realize that you are thinking about me constantly!  I can't even count how many times a day your thoughts turn toward me.  And I waken in the morning you are still thinking of me!" (The Living Bible)

Do you have this awareness?  God is thinking of us constantly!  How He must love me and care for me to focus his thoughts on me.  I can't help but lean on Him.  He is my source of life, hope and joy.  

The refrain from an old hymn is my song today.  

Leaning, Leaning

Safe and secure

From all alarm

Leaning, Leaning

I'm leaning on the Everlasting Arms!

Leaning.........on the Son!

Should I Know You?

Have you ever met someone and knew that you had  been introduced to them before, maybe even chatted with them a few times, but you can't remember their name?  That can be a bit awkward; especially if they remember your name.  How do you gracefully handle this?  Do you ask "Do I know you?" (Not recommended 😊). Or how about this one, "I am sorry, but I forgot your name."

I am reading a passage in Genesis today, specifically chapters 18-20. In this reading there are two accounts of angels appearing as men.  I've always been intrigued that both Abraham and Lot recognized them as angels sent from God.

As I ponder on this a moment I am reminded again of the message my husband preached on Sunday.  We must have a relationship with Jesus.  Relationships are essential to growth.  Relationships generate the ability to identify someone by their behavior, voice or presence.

When I was a child we lived in a two-story house.  The bedroom I shared with my sisters was right by the stairs.  It was an older home and the stairs would creak as you went up and down.  I can remember knowing who was walking on the stairs by the sound they made.  Isn't that amazing and cool?

Conversely, being recognized as belonging to a group or family by your appearance is pretty powerful as well.  Imagine the angels walking into town and you immediately know they are emissaries sent from God with a message.

I wonder.....would I recognize them?  If this occurred today, would I sense God in them and know who they are?

My heart cries out today to deepen my experience with God.  I want to recognize him, his angels, the Holy Ghost power working in me and through me to fulfill his will on earth. I want my community, my world, to recognize me as a child of God because of my relationship to him and with him.

How about you?  Do you ponder these things? Are you in a relationship with God? Should I know you?