The Scenic Route

I've Moved!

2011-10-29T20:59:00.000-04:00

The Scenic Route has moved. You can now find me at www.eileenknowles.com. I am still unpacking and rearranging all the furniture over on the new site but I would love for you to stop by.

And, if you want to continue receiving updates on the most recent blog updates, please don't forget to subscribe.

See you there!

Focus on This

2011-10-28T08:05:00.001-04:00

It's Friday and time for another link up with The Gypsy Mama! Five Minute Friday is "a time when we just write for 5 minutes on a specific topic not worrying whether everything is just right." If you would like to join in CLICK HERE.

Topic: Relevant

For in Christ, neither our most conscientious religion nor disregard of religion amounts to anything. What matters is something far more interior: faith expressed in love. Galatians 5:6 Message (emphasis mine)

The most relevant aspect, the most crucial part of our Christian walk, Paul tells us, can be summed up in one word: LOVE

Why then do we attempt to turn it into something else? Why then do we sometimes make it more confusing than it needs to be?

Faith expressed in love.

Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ Matthew 22: 37-39 NLT

We love God by trusting him, serving him, obeying him and following him.

We love people by serving them, feeding them, doing life with them, forgiving them.

Love God. Love People.

This is relevant. Focus on this.

My Messy Desk

2011-10-27T07:49:00.001-04:00

I was preparing for my ladies bible study this morning and reread these words from Margaret Feinberg while sitting at my desk. "God is in the details, calling out if only I will wait, watch, and listen."

I looked down at my desk and thought...

Even in this God?!
↓

Does your desk ever look like this?

This morning I needed the reminder that God can even be found in the clutter on my desk. My job is to...

wait for Him
watch for Him
listen for Him

Put God in charge of your work,
then what you've planned will take place. (Proverbs 16:3 Message)

The Naked Bandwagon

2011-10-26T08:07:00.000-04:00

Sometimes, I have weird dreams. My dreams will often have a Matrix or Alice in Wonderland feel to them. Last night I experienced one of these dreams. I can only remember bits and pieces of it.

The overriding theme of last night's dream was...brace yourselves...walking around naked. I was going through my day with a bunch of other naked people. Let me assure you, I did not take any happy pills before going to bed last night...not even Benadryl.

If you know me personally (in real life), you would know I would not be the first one to jump on the naked bandwagon. If I was bored on a summer afternoon, I wouldn't be the first one to suggest to my group of friends that we go find a nude beach to hang out at for the day. Nope...not me.

But, in my dream, I was completely content being naked. I was encouraging others to be content with their nakedness.

See, I told you it was a weird dream.

But, the more I think about this dream, the more I realize the theme makes perfect sense. Because the one thing I am passionate about, is building a community around being open and vulnerable. Despite all our blemishes and imperfections, there is beauty found in living life naked and completely exposed. There is freedom in this way of life. So, in a sense, I would be the first to jump on the naked bandwagon.

I don't mind sharing my struggles if it will encourage someone else. In fact, I love sharing with others where I used to be and where I am now. I love sharing the journey of how God took one broken life and put it back together. And, it all starts and ends with being naked before an all-knowing God.

So, is there any flaw in your life that you are covering up and pretending doesn't exist?

What are you running or hiding from?

Let me encourage you to bring whatever you might be struggling with out into the light. There's incredible healing found when we become willing to strip off our masks of perfection and share our weaknesses with others!

But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. (Ephesians 5:13)

A Continuous Gaze

2011-10-25T06:05:00.000-04:00

"Faith is not a once-done act, but a continuous gaze of the heart at the Triune God. Believing, then, is directing the hearts' attention to Jesus. It is lifting the mind to "behold the Lamb of God," and never ceasing that beholding for the rest of our lives." ~AW Tozer

Share A Song Monday

2011-10-24T06:22:00.000-04:00

It's Monday. Time for another edition of Share A Song Monday! The tune I'm choosing this week was inspired by things I saw and heard over the weekend.

On Saturday, I encountered a lost sheep. If you missed it, you can read about it here.

On Sunday, I heard a message at church. Here are some things the pastor shared with us as we studied the first chapter in the Book of Ruth.

"When we wander away the right move is to return."

"If God's been heavy handed...don't reject him...rely on Him."

"If necessary, God will empty us in order to see us return to Him."

One of the verses, we read was Psalm 37:3 "Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture."

I've chosen to share Tricia Brock's song "You Are My Shepherd."

Now it's your turn! What song are humming today? What song is filling your heart? I would love to hear it. Please share a link in the comments section.

The Lost Sheep

2011-10-22T18:10:00.003-04:00

An odd thing happened on the way home from the grocery store this morning. I encountered a lost sheep. I haven't been able to get the image out of my head all day.

As I turned off one rural road and onto another, I almost missed him standing there on the opposite side of the road near the woods. He stood motionless. I stopped my car in the middle of the road and watched him. Was it a statue? After a few seconds his head moved and he looked around briefly.

What was a sheep doing here?

I wasn't quite sure how to handle the situation. I contemplated pulling off the road and going to the sheep, but what would I do once I got to him? How would he respond if I even attempted to approach him?

This was my first lost sheep experience and I was clueless as to what to do. A lost dog is totally different. A lost dog could possibly be coaxed into the backseat of my Toyota Corolla, but how could I possibly coax a large woolly sheep into the back of my car? And, what would my husband think if I arrived home from the grocery store with a sheep in the backseat of my car?

I was still thinking about this encounter as I went for my run later this afternoon. I ran along that same stretch of highway where, a few hours earlier, a lost sheep was standing alone on the side of the road. Part of me was hoping I would come across the sheep again. I wanted a do-over.

Three words came to mind as I ran along.

Feed my sheep.

My encounter today convicted me about all the times the Lord has placed lost sheep on my path and I have thought, how could I possibly help? How could I make a difference?

How many times have I convinced myself that there was nothing I could do?

How many times have I worried about how the other person might react?

How many times have I made up excuses or worried about what other people would think if I did help?

How many times have I just driven home and not tried to help the lost sheep?

I then thought about John 21 where Jesus asks Peter three times if he loved him. It was after Peter (afraid for his own life) denied he even knew his Savior.

After breakfast Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”

“Yes, Lord,” Peter replied, “you know I love you.”

“Then feed my lambs,” Jesus told him.

Jesus repeated the question: “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

“Yes, Lord,” Peter said, “you know I love you.”

“Then take care of my sheep,” Jesus said.

A third time he asked him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep."

Eileen, do you love me?

Yes, Lord.

Then feed my sheep.

The Sea of Trust

2011-10-21T06:11:00.001-04:00

Topic: Beyond

God takes us places we never thought were possible.
He takes us places far beyond our dreams.

As I think about this journey
tears fill my eyes and my lip quivers.

I can remember a time in my life when I sat shivering in my boat
My boat, rocking back and forth upon the waves of bad decisions.

Was this all I could hope for? Was this how life was going to be for me? Stuck at sea. Not really living, but simply holding on.

I don't want this, Lord. I want more. I want You.

I took a chance. I stepped out of my boat of fear and stepped into the sea of trust. I let go.

God takes us places we never thought were possible.
He takes us places far beyond our dreams.

God
Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom
and knowledge of God!
How unsearchable his judgments,
and his paths beyond tracing out!
~Romans 11:33

And, of course, lyrics from a song came to mind! "I'm Letting Go" by Francesca Battistelli. Click Here to Listen

This is a giant leap of faith
Trusting and trying to embrace
The fear of the unknown
Beyond my comfort zone

Son though he was...

2011-10-20T07:39:00.001-04:00

"Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered." Hebrews 5:8

This verse stood out to me when I read it today. I know it to be true.

It was true in the case of God's son, Jesus. And it's true for each of us today.

After reading it, I thought of something I've heard Pastor Rick Warren say in one of his books, "God never wastes a hurt."

Our trials and our suffering either help to keep us securely connected to the Father or they are used to bring us closer to the Father if we've wandered far from home.

Our trials and our suffering keep us on our knees. They keep us listening for His voice. They keep us dependent on the only One who can rescue us in the first place.

As much as I hate suffering, I love what God is capable of doing with an obedient heart.

One obedient heart can change everything!

Today, I want to choose to seek hard after Him. Regardless of my circumstances, I choose to follow Him. I choose to obey.

Cleaning and Renewing

2011-10-19T06:25:00.000-04:00

I am excited to have my blogging friend, Caroline, joining us on The Scenic Route today. I encourage you to check out her blog Under God's Mighty Hand after reading her encouraging words today!

I wish I could get “life” right and keep it right. Do you?

This faith calls us to active renewal.

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” -Romans 12: 1-2 (emphasis mine)

But sometimes I just want to renew my heart and mind once and for all! To keep God’s love, His truths, His compassion in my active thoughts – never allowing those elements to escape with my frustrated sighs.

The state of this age never allows such perfection.

The natural state of this world is chaos. We need constant renewal – every day, every minute – for our actions to follow His footsteps. Renewal takes captive our thoughts to make them obedient to His purposes.

I liken this constant need of renewal to cleaning my family’s very-much-lived-in house. I swoon over and even ache for clean surfaces, minimal clutter, and organized spaces. And I can usually establish decent systems for various areas of our house. But it’s keeping those areas clean that’s the tough job.

I clean. I organize. I de-clutter.

A few weeks or days (or hours, if we’re talking about the dishes) later, piles appear, dust settles, and dishes multiply. I glance around and wonder to where my clean, clear spaces disappeared.

My heart and my mind unfortunately revert to a similar chaotic, messy state. I read, I pray, I revel in His Word. Then, I turn to the next day, the next hour and forget some essential truth. My attitude sours to someone I disagree with, I lose energy to serve, or I attempt a to-do list without praying throughout.

But our loving, grace-giving God offers many more “second chances” than I deserve. He allows reoccurring opportunities to renew our everything to Him. To run to Him, cling to Him, and follow His guidance.

C.S. Lewis said: "Relying on God has to begin all over again every day as if nothing had yet been done."

So while I long deep within my heart for the day when this renewed state will become a constant state, I readily accept the grace God so lovingly gives me each day.

I pray for His perfect, pleasing will to act through me, not my own.

Caroline is a wife, mother of a beautiful and charming toddler son, avid reader, and writer. You can find Caroline at her personal blog (Under God’s Mighty Hand) and on Twitter.

Risk the Belly Flop

2011-10-18T08:37:00.000-04:00

In the ladies bible study I lead at church, we have been reading the book Hungry for God, by Margaret Feinberg.

This week, the chapter is all about becoming intentional about readying our heart to hear from God. "Recognizing God's voice means cultivating a seeking heart, a biblical heart, an inquiring heart, a listening heart and a patient heart."

I loved reading the author's take on the times we listen to God, step out in the direction we think God has called us to go, but it turns out to be a mistake.

"God knows how to handle my biggest mistakes. When I jump into the deep end of the pool and land with a stinging, awkward flop, God still uses the splash for his glory."

Our mistakes and failures never hinder God from being God!

Linking up with Jen today over at Finding Heaven. Come join in!

Share A Song Monday

2011-10-17T06:06:00.000-04:00

Happy Monday! It's time to share some tunes again.

As some of you know, I'm usually deep in thought when I'm running. It's me, my music and God. It was no different this past Saturday afternoon as I journeyed down the road.

"Empty Me" by Jeremy Camp began to play on my iPod and I didn't even notice the five deer grazing in the grass just a few feet from where I was running. As I looked up, their presence and their close proximity surprised me. My presence seemed to surprise them as well. The six of us jumped in unison!

I stopped running for a moment and we stared at one another. Finally, one by one, they disappeared into the woods.

Deer-sightings always make my runs that much more enjoyable.

So, in honor of the One who enables us to stand on the heights, I thought I would share the song that was filling my ears when I encountered these beautiful creatures.

He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he causes me to stand on the heights. (Psalm 18:33)

As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, O God. (Psalm 42:1 NLT)

Now, it's your turn! What song has been on your lips and in your heart lately? I would love for you to leave a link to the song in the comments section below. Who knows, it just might make another heart dance today!

The DOG...

2011-10-15T06:37:00.005-04:00

is my co-pilot.

The dog loves to pick up the boy from school.

Actually, the dog loves the car ride and I love the company.

I never accuse her of being a backseat driver.

But, sometimes, I accuse her of smelling like a dog.

I'll occasionally remind her that she's the best dog in the world...except when she gets into the kitchen trash.

When I say the word "trash" her ears go back and her eyes seem to say,"let's not ruin a loving moment here by mentioning my one tiny flaw!"

I pat her on the head, give her ears a scratch, and silently agree.

Catch Me, Lord!

2011-10-14T05:56:00.007-04:00

Happy Friday, Everyone!

Before diving into this week's Five Minute Friday, I wanted to let you know that one of my devotionals is running over at Encouragement Cafe. I would love for you to hop over there and check it out CLICK HERE.

Now, for Five Minute Friday! Five Minute Friday is "a time when we just write for 5 minutes on a specific topic not worrying whether everything is just right." If you would like to join in CLICK HERE.

TOPIC: Catch

The first thing that came to mind when I saw the topic this week was the song "Who Am I" by Casting Crowns.

"Still you hear me when I'm calling.
Lord, you catch me when I'm falling.
And, you told me who I am.
I am Yours."

I don't know where you are today.
I don't know whether your feet are slipping or if they're firmly planted.

I don't know where you are today.
I don't know whether your hand is holding tightly to His or if you've loosened your grip.

I don't know where you are today.
I don't know whether you are running away from Him or if you are running with Him.

But I do know this.
You belong to Him.

Whether you know it or not.
Whether you accept it or not.

He created you and You are His.
He will fight for you.
He'll catch you...
if you'll let Him.

What's Your Favorite Movie Line?

2011-10-13T08:05:00.002-04:00

While out for a bike ride with my husband and my son the other day the topic of movies came up.

My husband mentioned to our son that his favorite movie line of all time could be found in the movie, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. It's when Frodo tells his best friend Sam...

"I'm glad to be with you, Samwise Gamgee, here at the end of all things."

So, I'm curious. What is your favorite movie quote? I would love to know.

I will start. Many of you know that my favorite movie is The Shawshank Redemption. My favorite line of all time is when Andy Dufresne says this to his friend Red...

So what's yours? Leave a comment below.

A Guest Post from Jen Ferguson

2011-10-12T06:00:00.000-04:00

I am thrilled to have Jen Ferguson joining us on The Scenic Route today! Jen is one of the few blogging friends I had the opportunity to meet(in real life) this past summer at the She Speaks Conference. And, yes, she's just as sweet in person.

If you have not yet discovered Jen's loving and growing community over at Finding Heaven, I encourage you to check it out!

Changed by the Word

It happened yesterday, but I didn’t realize it until I sat on my couch this morning, chai latte by my side, ready to absorb what He was going to tell me.

I saw “2010” printed in blue ink above the date, “October 11.” One year ago, I began my journey with the One Year Bible, and yesterday, without even noticing, I had completed my goal – to read the entire Bible.

And how ironic that just on Sunday, as I Skyped with my father, he asked me this:

“Does it really make a difference in your life if you read the Bible every day? If you read the entire Bible?”

“Um, yeah, Dad. It does.”

“How is your life changed since you started?” he asks me.

I had only a few minutes to reflect before I answered him, but now, after pondering for a few days, I have a fuller understanding of how the Word has changed me.

For all the ways that reading scripture daily has changed my life, I can boil it down to this statement:

I know God better.

Because I know more of His character, more of His heart, more of His desires for me and mankind, I am more willing and able to be transformed by His Word – that which is written in the pages and that which He whispers to me through His Holy Spirit as He prompts me to act in the world.

Because my foundation in scripture is so much richer, I am able to minister to others not just with my own opinions, but rather with God’s truths and encouragements.

Because I have read the Old Testament stories, I better understand the relentless pursuit of God for His people. Even in the middle of reading about His wrath, I can see the love that is behind the discipline. I know what it is like to cast idols as the Israelites did, even though mine do not take the form of golden calves. And I know what it like to then have those idols disappoint. I realize now that even though there is pain in the smashing of the idols, it is a necessary practice, for He wants nothing to separate us.

Because I have read the New Testament, I understand more deeply the sacrifice of the cross, the presence of the Holy Spirit, and what it means to truly be a disciple of Jesus.

Because I have read the struggles of Paul and Peter, who did everything they possibly could for God, I know you can still suffer hardships. Even though the comforts of this world may be taken away, He will never abandon you. The things of this world fade away but His love really does endure forever.

Because I have read the Psalms, I know it is okay to pour out my fears, my worries, my thoughts to God, no matter how bad they might be. I know that He will listen, that my help comes from Him, that He is my refuge and strength.

Because I have read the Proverbs, I have many nuggets of truth to tuck into my heart, nuggets that pop into my head at just the right moment, nuggets that help me to discern the best choice in a situation.

And, finally, because I have read each of His Words, I have so many truths to speak out in the face of affliction, persecution, suffering, worry, and fear. I have a tool with which to fight the daily battles, big and small. Even though I am still learning how to wield this sword of the Spirit, I am so much more prepared for this life than I ever thought I could be.

Can You Taste It?

2011-10-11T06:30:00.000-04:00

"If you'll hold on to me for dear life," says God,

"I'll get you out of any trouble.
I'll give you the best of care
if you'll only get to know and trust me.
Call me and I'll answer, be at your side in bad times;
I'll rescue you, then throw you a party.
I'll give you a long life,
give you a long drink of salvation!"
Psalm 91 14-16 Message

A long drink of salvation.
Can you taste it?
Oh, I hope you can!

Linking up with Jen today over at Finding Heaven. Come join in!

Share A Song Monday

2011-10-10T06:17:00.002-04:00

It's Monday! Time for another edition of Share A Song Monday. This week's song is "All My Days" from Alexi Murdoch.

A blogging friend, Duane Scott, shared this song on Facebook last week. I am so glad he did too, it's worth a listen!

Now, it's your turn. What song has been on your mind lately? Please share a link below. It might make another heart dance today too.

I Want This

2011-10-09T07:26:00.001-04:00

One of the things I desire to instill in my son is a faith that says

"Nothing is impossible for God."

I want his faith to anchor his soul when his life is one day turned upside down. I want this for him more than anything else.

As my faith sometimes struggles to reach mustard seed status, I want my son's faith to soar above the heights.

I want his trust in the Lord to carry him through all the valleys that come along.

I want him to experience all the beauty God has to offer him.

I want this.
Lord, I want this.

God Deserves The Gatorade

2011-10-07T07:35:00.003-04:00

My son is playing organized soccer for the first time this year. It's the first time, as a parent, I've gotten to stand on the sidelines and yell my support and my suggestions to the players. The coach of my son's team, Coach Larry, is a rather gruff tell-it-like-it-is kind of person. It's just what the team needs, I think.

During the course of one game, Coach Larry must shout these words out onto the field fifty times. "Don't kick it up the middle...kick it to the side...to the side!!"

Last night he became so frustrated that he yelled to one of the players, "Billy, where are the sides? Point to the sides!" And the little boy proceeded to point to the left and to the right of him.

I smiled as I watched the team last night be advised (over and over) by the coach about the best route to take and then I watched them immediately take the other (not so wise) route.

As comical and as frustrating as it was to watch, I wondered last night if God ever feels like Coach Larry.

How many times must I remind you of the best route?

Why do you insist on doing exactly what I've told you not to do?

Why don't you listen to my instructions?

Truth is, there are seasons in our life when we all tend to listen to God like seven year old soccer players. But God, the ultimate coach, refuses to give up on us. If anyone deserves a bucket of celebratory Gatorade poured over His head at the end of the game of life...it'd be our Heavenly Father!

Our Story

2011-10-06T07:54:00.001-04:00

Recently, while preparing my morning coffee, I noticed the words on the back of the coffee bag.

"Our Story"

Folks, even my coffee beans have a story.

What's yours?

Someone needs to hear your story.

Someone needs to hear His story.

I proclaim your saving acts in the great assembly;
I do not seal my lips, LORD,
as you know.
I do not hide your righteousness in my heart;
I speak of your faithfulness and your saving help.
I do not conceal your love and your faithfulness
from the great assembly.
(Psalm 40: 9-10)

A Mighty Explosion Of Light

2011-10-05T07:55:00.000-04:00

There is a story that continues to come to mind ever since hearing it retold by Ann Voskamp at the She Speaks Conference back in July.

It's the story of Maximilian Kolbe, a Catholic priest held prisoner at Auschwitz during WW II. If you've never heard his story please take a moment to watch this video.

As I listened to this story again, I thought of Paul's words in Romans 5

" You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

Here's the thing, just as the Apostle Paul recognizes, there are brave men and women who are willing to die for a good man. Max Kolbe chose to do just that. He gave this young man with a family a second chance.

But God.

But God, while each of us was still as guilty and sin-stained as Max Kolbe's torturers...chose to die for us! This still blows my mind each time I sit and think about it.

A survivor in the video refers to Max Kolbe's act of sacrifice being like a "mighty explosion of light" within the concentration camp. I love that. When light penetrates the darkness...hope is born. And, this hope breathes life into our dark and dreary world.

So thankful today for the Hope we have in the light of Christ!

Time

2011-10-04T08:44:00.001-04:00

As I sat down this morning to spend time with the Lord, my heart was planning on rushing through it.

The to-do-list is growing and the minutes on the clock are ticking away. Just a few minutes, Lord, and then I need to do this and this and this...

It was then I heard the whisper...

Make time for Me and you will have time for everything else

Make time for Me
and I will give you eyes to see

Make time for Me
and I will give you strength to do

Make time for Me
and I will give you peace instead of anxiety

Remember Me
Remember what I am capable of doing with a surrendered life
Remember what I did with your surrendered life

Do you think your busy schedule is too big for Me?
Hand it over, child
I've got this time thing all figured out!

Getting wisdom is the wisest thing you can do!
And whatever else you do, develop good judgment. Proverbs 4:7

Share A Song Monday

2011-10-03T05:35:00.000-04:00

Happy Monday!

Welcome to Share A Song Monday.
I heard this song for the first time last week. It's called "Everything Good" by Ashes Remain.

"You're everything good
everything true
When all the world is fading
You're everything new

You are my eyes when I can't see
When all the world is broken
You will always be everything good."

Now, it's your turn. What song has been on your heart lately? I want to hear it! And, perhaps, it will speak to another person's heart today too.

Are You Listening?

2011-10-02T08:04:00.000-04:00

We're watching the clock wondering when God will speak. Instead, we should recognize that God is speaking right now and we should be asking how he wants to talk to us. ~Margaret Feinberg, Hungry For God

Step #1

2011-10-01T06:37:00.000-04:00

Start with God—the first step in learning is bowing down to God; (Proverbs 1:7a Message)

I Have A Friend...

2011-09-30T07:08:00.001-04:00

It's Friday! Which means it's time from another link up with the Gypsy Mama. Five Minute Friday is "a time when we just write for 5 minutes on a specific topic not worrying whether everything is just right." If you would like to join in CLICK HERE.

Topic: On Friends

I have a friend who calls pumpkins...puNKins.
Every time I pass by the roadside pumpkin stands, this friend fills my heart and the thought of her brings a smile to my face.

I have a friend who saves my funny voice mails and tells me she listens to them when she needs a good laugh. I think that's a compliment.

I have a friend who was there with me during the darkest season of my life. I remember her arms wrapped tight around me as I wept. No words necessary, her presence was enough.

I have a friend, who I also call husband, he's seen me on my ugly days and somehow has resisted the urge to relocate to the corner of the rooftop. ;) (Proverbs 25:24)

I have a friend (many friends) who love to play Scrabble with me online.
I have yet to meet several of these friends face to face.
Our only connection is a love for the Lord and a love for words.
I would be overjoyed for the opportunity to sit down and chat with each of them while sipping a cup of coffee.

Friends Rock!

Finding The Light - Guest Post

2011-09-29T03:00:00.000-04:00

Today, I am excited to have Heidi Avery joining us on The Scenic Route! Over the past year, I've gotten to know and love Heidi via the blogging world. She is a wife and a mother to three children. When she is not home schooling, you can find her encouraging other busy mothers over at Mothers On Mission.

Finding The Light

A child is born in the world dependent on those whose arms she rests in. In the best of circumstances she is secure in the care of her parents. All of her needs are met. She is without the knowledge of fear.

It is an eventual and inevitable experience or exposure to darkness that invites the feelings of insecurity and fear into her heart.

Lately I’ve wondered where it all started for me and why. What particular moment in my history was security robbed from me and where did fear slip in? Trying to think it through a memory surfaces...

She wasn’t supposed to tell me the news. But she slipped. My sister and I are visiting my grandparents in Iowa for the summer. I know something is wrong, but I can’t put it together. I am nine or ten, I think. At the first mention to my cousin of these concerns five words fall freely from her lips… “Your house has burned down.”

Soon after my parents arrive to drive us back home to Texas. To the burned house. Where everything is, but isn’t anymore. There is no insurance money and my parents decide not to leave the two acre property that the destroyed house still sits on.

A purchase is made for two travel trailers. One is regular looking, white paneled with stripes of some color and setup with its door facing the front of the burned house. My parents stay here. The other is the silver bullet style placed along the side of the house. This one is for me and my little sister. The door faces the pitch-black country night.

And I wonder if it is here. In that trailer, in our new and unusual room, set aside, alone, door closed and locked to the darkness outside that fear snuck into my little girl heart.

I wonder if the loss of everything I knew to the flames and the separation from my parents though just feet away through the onyx night is where insecurity gripped a hold of me.

It must be there. The place that established worry over my safety and fear over my future as my foundation for my every step ahead. And I clumsily muddle along this uncertain road for years and years.

Until God.

As He reveals Himself to me I gradually begin to understand just who I am in Him. Pieces of His plan unfold behind me and before me. And the journey here, no matter how long or how hard no longer takes me under, but instead it acts beautifully as an irresistible pull to Himself. Where the security I was born with is restored to me again. And the place where fear was once unknown is returned to me again.

I rest in the security of His arms. And He meets my every need.

And though I battle still with fear and insecurity they are no longer my foundation. Just obstacles along the path that keep me connected to the One who continues to cancel them out.

I am at the place where I am honestly thankful for the experience that exposed me to the darkness because it is what He used to show me the light.

After all, what is darkness anyway? Merely the absence of light.

“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:1

Productive Prayers

2011-09-28T07:45:00.002-04:00

God speaks in the silence of the heart. Listening is the beginning of prayer. ~Mother Teresa

We often approach prayer with an agenda. We know what we want and we want God's stamp of approval. I think we waste considerable amount of time fixated on our plans instead sitting at his feet and allowing Him to lead us down the best path.

When I was at the height of my addiction to alcohol, I approached the Lord with a plan. In the past I've referred to it as my win-win situation prayer. I could continue to drink but I would stop getting wasted every night. My one request was to drink to like a "normal" person.

So everyday, for a few months, my prayer was...Lord, I know I have a problem, but just help me to drink like a normal person. I just want to be normal.

I wasted time telling God what I wanted. My prayer was unproductive. I sat down one morning, frustrated that God was not answering my prayer. I realized I had nothing left to say. I couldn't seem to achieve normal. I was done trying get the Lord to do things my way. And on that day, my prayer changed.

"Lord, change my heart. Make my desire for You stronger than my desire to drink."

My prayer was answered. Not overnight. And, not without some pain. But my prayer was answered! *

After this season in my life, I learned one of the greatest lessons of my life.

God's not after normal. God's after our heart.

*November 27, 2011 I will celebrate 10 years of sobriety! (insert Snoopy happy dance here)

Transformation Trumps Skepticism

2011-09-27T07:40:00.000-04:00

My church just finished up a series on the importance of creating margin in our lives. This past Sunday, we were reminded that the one thing we need to make time for is pursuing the Lord. The pastor took some time to share some one thing passages in scripture.

"One thing I ask from the LORD, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple" (Psalm 27:4)

Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” (Mark 10:21)

Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, (Philippians 3:13)

When I arrived home on Sunday, I decided to look at this concept of one thing awhile longer.

I came across John 9. It's the story of the man who was born blind and then one day he encountered Jesus. After this encounter, he was able to see.

The Pharisees interrogated and insulted the newly sighted man. They could not wrap their minds around the idea that this man, Jesus, could do such a thing.

I love the healed man's response.

"I don’t know whether he is a sinner,” the man replied. “But one thing I know: I was blind, and now I can see!” John 9:25

Here's my paraphrase. I don't give a hoot what y'all say about this man Jesus. All I know, and all I care about, is this one thing. I have been living in darkness my entire life. I came across this man Jesus and for the first time...I can see. I can see!

The one thing we need to make time for in our lives is Jesus. The one thing we need to do is pursue him.

Why?

Because, as this man discovered, Jesus is the one thing that will completely transform our lives.

Dark becomes light. Old becomes new. Broken becomes healed. The lost become found.

When Jesus touches your life, people can dispute and challenge and mock...but it really doesn't matter what people say, because transformation will always trump skepticism. You were blind and now you can see!

Linking up with Jen today over at Finding Heaven. Come join in!

Share A Song Monday

2011-09-26T07:24:00.001-04:00

Welcome to Share A Song Monday! One of the reasons I picked Monday as the designated share a song day is because Monday has a bad reputation. Do you ever open your eyes on Monday morning (after a particularly nice weekend) and think....sigh...it's Monday...again.

I hate that feeling. I would much prefer to jump out of bed excited for another day. Another day to live, to serve, to love and to share songs!

On Saturday, I posted pictures of the beautiful morning sky I saw on Friday and of the rainbow that stretched across the evening sky later that same day. Both sights reminded me of our Creator.

A friend on Facebook saw the picture of the sunrise and commented, "nobody paints like my Father!" I love that. Then, I heard this song while listening to some of Phil Wickham's most recent release. This song makes me want to shout His Name...even on a Monday!

Now, it's your turn. What song has been on your heart lately? I want to hear it! And, perhaps, it will speak to another person's heart today too.

Finding Strength

2011-09-25T06:55:00.000-04:00

Your salvation requires you to turn back to me and stop your silly efforts to save yourselves. Your strength will come from settling down in complete dependence on me— (Isaiah 30:15 Message)

Even My Camera Has A Creator

2011-09-24T06:38:00.000-04:00

From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets,
the name of the LORD is to be praised.
(Psalm 113:3)

Yesterday day morning as I drove my son to school, we came across this view as we crossed the bridge over the Perquimans River. I happened to have my camera with me so I was able to snap a photo.

Then, later in the day, right before sunset, this beautiful rainbow could be seen from our living room window.

These beautiful creations reminded me of a post I wrote awhile ago.

Coffee, Cars, & Sunrises
(originally posted February 2010)

Every morning on the way to work I cross the bridge over the Perquimans River leading out of Hertford just about the time the sun is coming up. I have yet to remember my camera to capture it. I absolutely love the view of the sun rising over the water. It always forces me to pause and think about our Creator. I am so thankful God gives me sights like this to pause and be grateful.

The other morning when this happened, I started thinking about people in this world who have a difficult time believing there is a Creator. I am simply baffled by this belief or lack of belief. I am not quite sure who first said it but I once heard that it takes more faith not to believe in a Creator than to believe in a Creator. I find this to be SO TRUE. Everything has a creator. Someone created the coffee machine I enjoy coffee from every morning...and every afternoon....and every evening. Someone created the cup I drink my coffee out of. Someone created the car I drive that took me over that bridge that someone created that allowed me so see that sunrise that someone created. Amazing.

And to take this thought one more step. And perhaps this is where the harder part of faith comes in. I believe that Creator who created that sunrise cares about me so much! I think about the way He “knit me together in my mother's womb” and can't help but believe this. And then I think about the times I have called out to Him with my mustard seed of faith and found peace and contentment beyond anything I thought was even possible.

Thank you, Lord.

Keep On Growing

2011-09-23T09:02:00.005-04:00

Linking up with the Gypsy Mama today. Five Minute Friday is "a time when we just write for 5 minutes not worrying whether everything is just right."CLICK HERE.

Topic: GROWING

I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding.
(Philippians 1:9 NLT)

Keep on growing

Like a seed needing water
I need Him

Like a baby needing milk
I need Him

I often make growing up in Christ
much more complicated than it should be.

I. need. Him.

Earlier this week, I read this quote from Pete Wilson
"I'm broken. I need Jesus. The End."

To grow up in Christ does not mean we do more in an attempt to earn His love. Growing up in Christ means we rest more and more in the knowledge that there is nothing, absolutely nothing, we can do to earn this love. His love for us simply is.

As we grow in the knowledge of this love, we become more dependent on Him.

Our grip becomes tighter
Our cries more frequent
Our knees more worn
And we love
because He first loved us

I Want To Sing With David

2011-09-22T06:11:00.001-04:00

It doesn't surprise me how David was always expressing his love for the Lord through songs. The other day as my son was reading some bible verses for school he shared with me his favorite verse.

Jesus said, I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
John 14:6

As I thought about several of the words in these verses, my heart was suddenly overflowing with songs.

Jesus said, I am the way...."You are the highway I travel cause I've watched you carve streets of gold from the sand and gravel"~ Audrey Assad

Jesus said, I am the truth..."But the voice of truth tells me a different story the Voice of truth says "do not be afraid!" and the Voice of truth says 'this is for My glory' " ~Casting Crowns

Jesus said, I am the life..."You are God, You are life and I will worship you forever. Into your hands I commit my spirit. You're the only One satisfies my soul" ~Hillsong

Praise the Lord!
How good to sing praises to our God!
How delightful and how fitting!
Psalm 147:1

Guest Posting Today

2011-09-21T08:50:00.000-04:00

Today you can find me over at Relevant Brokenness discussing freedom. I came across Marni Arnold's blog several months ago and have been enjoying her wisdom and insight ever since. Plus, she and I both have a special place in our hearts for the Arizona Wildcats!

What is Freedom:

When I think of freedom I often think of the difference between worldly freedom and the freedom found in Christ. Worldly freedom makes me think of the Frank Sinatra song "My Way"

I did it myyyyy way. (That's me singing.)

No One Likes A Whiner

2011-09-20T06:13:00.000-04:00

This is the sign hanging over the door to my home office. Some good friends of ours passed it down to us once their kids grew up and moved out of the house.

While out on my run this morning, I was thinking about how this advice comes in handy for adults too. We sometimes resort to whining when plans don't progress the way we envision them progressing.

But, I can think of three much more productive alternatives to complaining.

1. Pray

Why is this so hard to do? Why is it that we often throw tantrums or pity parties first? Prayer will always shift our focus off of the situation and onto Him.

Discuss the concern with Him and see if your attitude changes.

2. Count Your Blessings

We often get fixated on what we don't have and forget about all we do have. I recently watched this video and it made me so thankful for the things I often take for granted.

Gratitude helps us to put our whining into perspective and reminds us of what is important.

3. Act

Instead of grumbling about why things are the way they are... perhaps we need to act. Several years ago, I was whining that my church really needed to start a recovery-type small group for people in need of a safe place to come and find healing.

I kept saying...why don't we have something like that? We need a group like that! So, one Sunday I approached an elder friend at church and ~~shared~~ whined to him about why we needed this option.

His response was, "That sounds like a great idea! Would you be willing to lead the group?"

Gulp. Me? You mean the girl who's afraid to open her mouth in public (except this one time when she's whining).

"Umm...yeah, I guess I could."

If we can be a part of the solution then we need to stop whining and we need to act.

Thou Shalt Not Whine.

Thou Shalt Pray
Thou Shalt Count Blessings
Thou Shalt Act.

Can you think of other productive alternatives to whining?

Share them below.

Linking up with Jen today at Finding Heaven.

Share A Song Monday

2011-09-19T07:26:00.000-04:00

Hey everyone! It's Monday again and time to share some tunes. This might be the most somber song I have ever posted as a Monday post. But, it's an important issue. We all need to evaluate the health of our own marriages on a regular basis.

My church has been in the middle of a series about creating margin in our lives. Yesterday, the message was about creating margin in our relationships. We watched this powerful video from Casting Crowns.

Here's a portion of the lyrics:

It's a slow fade when you give yourself away
It's a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray
Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid
When you give yourself away
People never crumble in a day
It's a slow fade, it's a slow fade

Sin often happens in our lives because we have not created distance between the potential sin and us. Temptations are out there. However, are we standing far enough away from temptation in order to make the wise choice when temptation occurs?

Where might you need to add margin in your life to protect your relationships?

Now, it's your turn. What song has been on your heart lately? I want to hear it! And, perhaps, it will speak to another person's heart today too.

Open Your Eyes

2011-09-18T07:05:00.000-04:00

Jesus said, "The food that keeps me going is that I do the will of the One who sent me, finishing the work he started. As you look around right now, wouldn't you say that in about four months it will be time to harvest? Well, I'm telling you to open your eyes and take a good look at what's right in front of you. These Samaritan fields are ripe. It's harvest time!
(John 4:34-35 Message)

When Joy Seeps Out

2011-09-16T08:04:00.000-04:00

Linking up with the Gypsy Mama today. Five Minute Friday is "a time when we just write for 5 minutes not worrying whether everything is just right." Click Here to join in!

TOPIC: JOY

I thought it only appropriate to drink coffee from my favorite mug this morning.

I love how joy can be seen and felt and heard.

I saw joy in my mom's eyes shortly before she left this earth and went home to be with her Savior.

I felt joy the first time the doctor handed me my little boy and my husband and I embarked on our new adventure as mommy and daddy.

I heard joy on my first mission trip as our team stood together with the Dominican people. Two countries, two languages coming together and singing praises to one God.

Joy can't be contained.
It wells inside us. It touches every corner of our heart. It overflows. It searches for other hearts to touch.

Tiny Crumbs Of Faith

2011-09-15T08:27:00.001-04:00

While out for a walk the other morning the song "All I Can Say" by David Crowder began to play on my iPod. Here is one portion of the song.

This is all that I can say right now
I know it's not much
But this all that I can give
That's my everything

There are seasons in our life when our faith is worn thin. Our heart has been broken into a million pieces and all we can do is scoop the pieces up as an offering to Him. Tiny crumbs of faith.

Have you been there? Perhaps you are in the midst of a season like this right now. You're exhausted and it seems like all you have left to offer are crumbs.

As I think back on the seasons in my life when all I had to give the Lord was a pile of crumbs, I am so thankful for His response to my offering. When we bring everything to the Lord, He is faithful to receive. And, not only that, he assures me that my offering is enough.

He invites me in and I place the crumbs on His table. He graciously shows me to my seat and I feast on His strength. I eat and I am satisfied!

O God, you are my God;
I earnestly search for you.
My soul thirsts for you;
my whole body longs for you
in this parched and weary land
where there is no water.
I have seen you in your sanctuary
and gazed upon your power and glory.
Your unfailing love is better than life itself;
how I praise you!
I will praise you as long as I live,
lifting up my hands to you in prayer.
You satisfy me more than the richest feast.
I will praise you with songs of joy.
(Psalm 63: 1-5 NLT)

Linking up with Beck Far From Home...come join in!

Meet My Little Friend

2011-09-14T08:18:00.001-04:00

Apparently, I have an ant farm living in the keyboard of my computer. I took my laptop outside a few days ago to enjoy the sunny day. Ants have been keeping me company ever since. Yesterday, one of my little friends crawled out from underneath the letter Y carrying a big crumb.

When I told my husband this, he jokingly expressed to me what this one happy ant was probably yelling to all his ant friends. "Come on guys, there's a whole pizza down there!"

My hubby is always teasing me about all the crumbs on my laptop keyboard. Yes, I'm a snacker, and I often choose to snack while sitting in front of my computer.

But now I see that my bad habit is actually helping my new friends store food for the winter. I have also discovered ants love to read. This little guy seems to really like reading Marni Arnold's site Relevant Brokenness. We read yesterday's article together. Me and my little friend highly recommend adding Marni's blog to your daily reading. :)

From Fear to Praise

2011-09-13T07:56:00.002-04:00

Years ago, I lived my life in a state of fear.

I feared picking up my phone.
I feared answering my front door.
I feared going to my mailbox.

I feared.

I knew it was just a matter of time that, one day, I would make one of those choices and I would collide into the heavy hammer always swinging around in my life. I feared the possibility of being hit so hard one time that I would not be able to recover emotionally.

The devastating blow did come. One day, I discovered it in my mailbox.

Bad choices will always catch up with you.

Today, I am so thankful for that trip to the mailbox. It was a trip that completely changed the course of my life.

Sometimes, it takes having the wind knocked completely out of us before we allow God to come into our situations and teach us to fly.

Now, I live my life in a state of praise. Praise because I am completely aware of how God is capable of taking a broken shattered life and putting the pieces all back together.

From east to west, from dawn to dusk,
keep lifting all your praises to God!
(Psalm 113:3 Message)

What do the pieces of your life look like today?

Have you handed all of the pieces over to the Restorer or are you trying to hold things all together by your own strength?

Are you running away from your problems or are you facing your fears?

Linking up with Jen today over at Finding Heaven. Come join in!

Share A Song Monday

2011-09-12T06:33:00.001-04:00

Happy Monday! Welcome to Share A Song Monday. Last night, I went to bed with joy and sorrow on the brain after writing this post. It made for an interesting dream. In my dream, I was packing for both a mission trip and a wedding.

At one point, my husband was driving me to the airport to head off for the mission trip and we were discussing how I would meet up with him after the trip. We were planning on meeting in France to attend a wedding. En route to the airport, this song by Addison Road began to play on the car radio.

I've shared this song on my blog before. However, I can see why it crept into my brain again last night as I slept. It's a song that has a way of making me feel sad and joyful all at the same time...kind of like mission trips and weddings.

What do I know of holy? This side of heaven, there is only so much of life, and so much of my Savior I can comprehend. As much joy as it brings me to know Him and have Him in my life today, I look forward to the day when I will know Him know Him!

Now, it's your turn! In the comments section of this post, leave a link to a song you have been enjoying lately. If you have a story for why the song is special, please share, I would love to hear it. My reasoning behind sharing songs here is similar to the Give A Penny Take A Penny concept. You leave a song...and someone else comes along and picks it up. It might be one small treasure that makes another heart dance today.

Thanks!

Joy and Sorrow

2011-09-11T22:20:00.003-04:00

Sometimes, it surprises me how sorrow and joy can occupy the same space inside the heart. The bitter and the sweet. Over the past few days, I've experienced these two emotions simultaneously.

Last Wednesday, I celebrated my birthday. That same day, a new friend of mine celebrated the 21st anniversary of the passing of his little girl. When I became aware of this, a part of me grieved for my new friend. One person's day of celebration is another person's day of sorrow.

Only once, for about an hour and a half on Saturday night, did I watch any of the 9-11 anniversary coverage. I couldn't watch any more than that. It hurt too much. It was emotionally draining to watch just a small amount of this event unfold again...an event that will forever be etched in our minds and in our hearts.

This afternoon, I headed into town to attend a baby shower for a friend whose precious little girl was born just five weeks ago. The emotions I felt driving down the road were bittersweet. I was eager and excited to celebrate the birth of my friend's child and to share in her joy and yet, at the same moment, my heart ached for all the families remembering the darkest day of their lives.

Two emotions stirred within my heart, the joy of new life and the sorrow of lives cut short.

We will never forget.

As I pondered these emotions, I couldn't help but think of our Heavenly Father who made the bittersweet choice of sending his only Son to the cross for us. A decision that forever changed history.

Death has lost it's sting. Death no longer has the final word. Life triumphs!

"Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful." Hebrews 10:23

Not My Will...But Thy Will

2011-09-09T07:41:00.001-04:00

Linking up with the Gypsy Mama today. Five Minute Friday is "a time when we just write for 5 minutes not worrying whether everything is just right." Click Here to join in and also to hear some exciting news about (in)courage!

TOPIC: In Real Life

I've discovered that real life requires me to live expectantly without expectations.

Can you recall a vacation or a holiday where you were all excited and you could hardly wait for the big event to arrive. You envisioned it playing out one way and when the time arrived it was nothing like you imagined.

In real life things often don't turn out the way we expect them to.

When I was younger, this used to really bother me. It used to leave me feeling empty and discouraged when my expectations were not met. Now, I live expectantly without expectations. I don't get my hopes up anymore for a certain situation or a certain person to act the way I think they should.

Today, my desire is to live in the moment, the real life moment in front of me, and to not waste time worrying about why that moment doesn't always look like the perceived one I had rolling around in my head.

Lower your expectations of earth. This isn't heaven, so don't expect it to be. ~ Max Lucado

In the morning, LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly. Psalm 5:3

Lessons From Falling Off The Road

2011-09-08T06:42:00.000-04:00

Yesterday morning, about halfway through my run, my ankle twisted. My leg gave out and I fell down into the grass next to the road. It was the weirdest thing. It didn't hurt too much at the time. I was more embarrassed than anything else. I quickly looked around to see if any cars were driving down the road. Whew! Embarrassing things aren't so embarrassing when others aren't around to witness the event.

But here I am, sharing the whole story with you on the www. So, for a moment, please visualize a woman (who is getting closer and closer to middle age) running down one of the flattest roads in the country and, out of the blue, she just falls off the road. Isn't that weird?

It's odd how things like this can happen with little or no warning whatsoever. Could I have avoided it? Probably. I don't normally go around falling off the road.

I wonder if this is why the Bible tells us so many times to be careful. If we are not fully paying attention. if we are not fully engaged in our lives, if we are not constantly looking to Him for our next step, then it is so easy to trip up. Falling off the road can happen in an instant.

Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways. (Psalm 4:26)

So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! (1 Corinthians 10:12)

Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise ( Ephesians 5: 15)

A Trip Down Grace Lane

2011-09-07T07:33:00.000-04:00

I added an About Me page to my blog last night. I've thought many times about adding one but was never quite sure what to say or how to say it. Yesterday, another blogger I follow recently updated his About Me page. He suggested we take a look at our About Me page and see if it might be time to update it. I thought...well, it's hard to update a page that doesn't exist! ;)

Today is my birthday. I finished creating/updating my page around midnight last night. I can't think of a better birthday gift than to remember everything God has done in my life. Adding this page, turned out to be an amazing trip down Grace Lane!

Conquering Fears

2011-09-06T07:50:00.011-04:00

I have an exciting update to this post from last week. Move Forward...Wobble If You Have To.

My son faced one of his fears this weekend. He is now, officially, a bike rider! We are thankful to a friend of ours who suggested we take the pedals off of our son's bike for awhile and just allow him to simply push himself around the block and practice balancing.

He quickly reached the point where he could pick up his feet, balance, and coast for a long period of time. His confidence grew, and late last week he told his dad...

"I think I am ready for you to put the pedals back on."

So Saturday, the pedals were put back on, and just like that, he took off! As his dad ran beside him, he kept saying, "I'm doing it, Dad! I can't believe I'm doing it!"

Over the past couple days, our son has been on his bike more than he's been off his bike. Yesterday, we were able to take the first family bike ride in a long time. It was fun.

Then, later in the day, my son wanted to go out again. And as the two of us rode around the block, the cool breeze hitting our face, my son says to me, "Mom, who ever invented the bike was a genius!"

I agree.

Linking up with Jen today over at Finding Heaven. Come join in!

Share A Song Monday...wings, freedom & light

2011-09-05T07:25:00.001-04:00

Happy Monday and Happy Labor Day, everyone! Welcome to Share A Song Monday. The song I picked to share today comes with a little background story.

The song below popped into my brain late last week as I pondered the idea of freedom. I listened to it on iTunes and filed it away as a possible song to share with you all.

Then, on Friday, I wrote a post about resting in the Lord and how I love the image of resting under His wings.

On Sunday, can you guess what one of the songs was that we sung at church? :) And later in the service, these verses were displayed up on the screen.

God's love is meteoric,
his loyalty astronomic,
His purpose titanic,
his verdicts oceanic.
Yet in his largeness
nothing gets lost;
Not a man, not a mouse,
slips through the cracks.

How exquisite your love, O God!
How eager we are to run under your wings, (emphasis mine)
To eat our fill at the banquet you spread
as you fill our tankards with Eden spring water.
You're a fountain of cascading light,
and you open our eyes to light. (emphasis mine)
(Psalm 36: 5-9 Message)

"Marvelous Light" by Charlie Hall is my song for today!

Now, it's your turn! In the comments section of this post, leave a link to a song you have been enjoying lately. If you have a story for why the song is special, please share, I would love to hear it. My reasoning behind sharing songs here is similar to the Give A Penny Take A Penny concept. You leave a song...and someone else comes along and picks it up. It might be one small treasure that makes another heart dance today.

Thanks!

Where Do They Sell This?

2011-09-04T17:20:00.001-04:00

Today, my husband asked me what I wanted for my birthday this year.

The Answer: Five more hours in my day and the motivation to do something highly productive with them.

If any of you know what store sells this particular gift, could you please inform my husband.

Apparently, he has not been able to find this specific gift at our local Wal-mart.

After describing the gift to my husband, I think he wants to pick one up for himself too.

Since my birthday is quickly approaching, I guess I would settle for simply a nice big box of motivation.

Walmart has got to sell that! ;)

Rest

2011-09-02T06:00:00.001-04:00

Linking up with the Gypsy Mama again. Five Minute Friday is "a time when we just write for 5 minutes not worrying whether everything is just right." If you would like to join in CLICK HERE.

TOPIC: Rest

Those who live in the shelter of the Most High
will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty...He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings.
Psalm 91: 1,4

The images in these couple verses have a way of calming my soul. When we invite Him into our lives something amazing happens.

His strong arms wrap around us and He promises to protect us. Regardless of our circumstances, His shelter is secure and we can find rest.

Some of the most beautiful moments I've ever had with the Lord have been when I simply chose to take cover under His wing. The storm was much too powerful.

All I could do was huddle next to Him and wait for the strong winds to die down. His peace filled my soul and I found rest.

Fear

2011-09-01T06:55:00.002-04:00

Today, my seven year old needed this reminder. Perhaps, he's not the only one.

When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.
In God, whose word I praise—
in God I trust and am not afraid.
What can mere mortals do to me?
(Psalm 56: 3-4)

Hope and Second Chances

2011-08-31T06:28:00.000-04:00

One my favorite moments in the original Star Wars movies is the last exchange in Return of the Jedi between Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader, right before Darth Vader dies.

Darth: Now go...leave me.

Luke: No, you're coming with me. I'll not leave you here. I've got to save you!

Darth: You already have, Luke.

I love this scene. I love how much grace and redemption and forgiveness is packed into these few short moments. I love Darth Vader's line...you already have, Luke.

Darth could say this because there was somebody in his life who had not given up on him. Luke refused to write his father off as a lost cause. Luke was willing to look beyond the countless sins of his father and see a person worth fighting for. He never gave up hope.

So, is there someone in your life today who needs to know that you will not give up on them? And, even more...that Christ has not given up on them!

Continuing to partner with People of the Second Chance and their NEVER BEYOND series. For more great posts and how to get involved CLICK HERE.

Move Forward...Wobble If You Have To

2011-08-30T07:30:00.000-04:00

"Why can't we just be born knowing how to ride a bike?"

This was the question my son tearfully asked me not too long ago after attempting to ride his bike again.

"You're right,Honey, that would make it so much easier. But you just need to practice. Remember when you learned to swim? It's the same thing. The more you practice, the better at it you become."

"Mom, I want to learn, but I don't want to do the work."

And there it is. The dilemma we all face when it comes to accomplishing the goals we have in life.

The desire to achieve something will only take us so far, we must do the work.

We must risk wobbling around on our two wheels and spending sometime looking and feeling awkward.

If we keep our eyes focused on the fear of falling we will never learn to ride the bike. Sometimes, what slows us down in our attempts to reach a specific goal is the time we waste dwelling on how much we don't know. We think of all the things we still need to learn and it completely overwhelms us. We get scared, we hesitate, we lose our confidence, and we start to wobble.

In my previous job, I had a sales manager whose favorite motivational phrase was, "Nothing plus nothing equals nothing." Accomplishing our goals will always take effort.

So, what's that one goal you've been wanting to accomplish, but have been resisting the work that goes along with it?

What are some steps you can take today towards achieving that goal?

"The race is not always to the swift, but to those who keep on running."

Linking up with Jen to today over at Finding Heaven

Share A Song Monday!

2011-08-29T06:25:00.004-04:00

Good morning! Welcome to Share A Song Monday. Before I share the song on my heart, I wanted to thank you all for your prayers. Many of you know Hurricane Irene passed right over the top of eastern North Carolina on Saturday.

My family and I drove inland just to be safe. We arrived home yesterday and, although power had not yet been restored to our neighborhood, we felt very blessed that only a few trees were down in our yard. And, no tree damage to the house!

While stretched out in bed early this morning listening to the sound of my neighbor's generator through the open windows, I had no idea if I would be able to post a song today. I didn't even have a song in mind. It had been a crazy upside down weekend.

Then, a few minutes later, I heard the power click back on! I jumped out of bed and started a pot of coffee. I opened my bible to Psalm 29 and read these words...

The voice of the Lord echoes above the sea.
The God of glory thunders.
The Lord thunders over the mighty sea.
The voice of the Lord is powerful;
the voice of the Lord is majestic.

The voice of the Lord splits the mighty cedars;
the Lord shatters the cedars of Lebanon.
He makes Lebanon’s mountains skip like a calf;
he makes Mount Hermon leap like a young wild ox.

The voice of the Lord strikes
with bolts of lightning.
The voice of the Lord makes the barren wilderness quake;
the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.
The voice of the Lord twists mighty oaks
and strips the forests bare.
In his Temple everyone shouts, “Glory!”

The Lord rules over the floodwaters.
The Lord reigns as king forever.
The Lord gives his people strength.
The Lord blesses them with peace.
(Psalm 29: 3-11)

And, then I thought, our God is greater. God is greater than hurricane force winds. God is greater than rising waters. And God is greater than any storm you might currently be experiencing in your own life.
So, here is my song today.

Now, it's your turn! In the comments section of this post, leave a link to a song you have been enjoying lately. If you have a story for why the song is special, please share, I would love to hear it. My reasoning behind sharing songs here is similar to the Give A Penny Take A Penny concept. You leave a song...and someone else comes along and picks it up. It might be one small treasure that makes another heart dance today.

Thanks!

The Older Ones First

2011-08-26T05:44:00.000-04:00

"At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”

“No one, sir,” she said.

“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.” (John 8:9-11)

Ever wonder why it was the older ones who were the first to put down their stones and walk away? Could it be because, unlike the younger men, their life resumes were tarnished with a few more years of sin and failure.

“Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her." (vs 8)

Perhaps, the older men thought back over their many years of living, and for a brief moment after Jesus' question, their biggest failure replayed in their head.

Older often means we've had more time on earth to take more wrong turns and experience more seasons of stumbling. The older men were first to recognize this. Their track record over the years was not perfect and they knew it.

Many in life don't grow wiser simply because they lived a righteous life, many grow wiser because the older they get the more they recognize how many times they've fallen short.

Circles

2011-08-25T06:39:00.002-04:00

These street signs make me smile every time I take my dog for a walk. I find it amusing the "sign people" found it necessary to inform travelers that the circle does indeed go in both directions. The circle goes this way...and, by golly, the circle goes that way too!

Circles will always lead us back to the same place. That's the nature of a circle. They are a never ending loop.

This concept made me think of our Creator, the only constant in our lives. The One we can depend on every single day. When we take hold of His hand, He promises to help us on our journeys. He promises to never leave us. He promises to lead us home.

“I am the Alpha and the Omega—the beginning and the end,”says the Lord God. “I am the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come—the Almighty One.” Rev 1:8

Questions, Grief, and Gratitude

2011-08-24T06:50:00.002-04:00

On our drive home the other day, my son asked me, "Mom, what has been the saddest moment in your life?"

My answer was easy. "The day my mom died, Honey."

Then he asked, "What was the happiest moment of your life?"

And, again, my answer was easy, "the day you were born."

Sean and I then agreed that the day I married his dad would be a close second. :)

Then I asked him the same questions. "So, what has been the saddest moment of your life?"

I was curious what his answer would be. Perhaps, he would recall a day on the playground when he felt left out. Or maybe, a day in his life that didn't meet his expectations.

But his answer surprised me,"Mom, I don't think I've had the saddest moment of my life yet."

I found his answer beautiful. His life, this far, has been joyful and happy and carefree. And, after hearing his answer, I rejoiced over this fact. I also rejoiced because my son seemed to understand, that in his almost 8 short years on this earth, nothing in his life could be defined as the saddest moment.

As I thought about this, I also grieved. I grieved for children in the world whose reality is greatly different than my son's experience. Kids who have experienced sexual or physical abuse. Kids who have experienced the death of one or both of their parents. Kids who have experienced abandonment or extreme poverty. Many kids would not be able to arrive at the same conclusion as my son did.

For some reason, this conversation with my son brought to mind the pictures of these little children. Below, are pictures of some of the children from my last mission trip to the Dominican Republic. Each time our team goes to the DR, we visit some of the poorest areas to deliver rice and beans to the families living there.

I have no idea if these kids have a memory in their life yet that can be defined as their saddest moment but I do know that their lives have been so much harder than my life and my son's life.

This first picture is of a little girl who was home alone, her parents would be gone all week. They were out working to support their family. I wonder if this is the saddest moment in this little girl's life so far. I wonder if she even realizes how sad her situation is. This is her life. This is what she knows. I wonder if she is just grateful for a chair to sit in, a roof over her home, and neighbors to look in on her while her mom and dad are away.

I am thankful for the easy life my son has had. I am thankful he understands that nothing in his life this far comes close to being the saddest moment.

Oh, and by the way, when I asked my son what his happiest moment in life had been he responded, "The time I went to Fun Forest and played with all the other kids there and we pretended our sticks were weapons and we chased each other." Now that answer didn't surprise me!

Not Just Another Face

2011-08-23T07:20:00.001-04:00

The other day my seven year old son and I had some time to kill before his eye doctor's appointment so we decided to go next door and look around Ollies Bargain Outlet. Ollies is one of those discount stores where you can find almost anything. We wandered up and down the aisles for a few minutes.

As we stood in the picture frame aisle my son looked at one picture and comments, "Well, I know why no one's bought that picture."

"Why?"

"Because nobody knows who that girl is!"

"Sean, people buy the picture and replace it with people they do know."

"Oh."

His comment made me laugh. Sometimes, he blurts out some of funniest stuff. But, his comment also made me think about this tendency...

We tend to have more compassion for people we personally know and not so much for people we don't know.

And, I realized this was the case for me when I saw the next poster in the People Of The Second Chance(POTSC) Never Beyond poster series.

Do you know who this is? This is Mike Tyson. I have to admit, I don't know much about Mike Tyson beyond the fact of him being a convicted rapist and the crazy dude who once bit a portion of some other boxer's ear off.

I am tempted to view Mike Tyson similar to the way my son viewed the generic picture in Ollies the other day. I don't know that person, why would I buy that picture? Why should I care about him?"

But, regardless of whether I know Mike Tyson or not, I do know one thing...God knows Him. We are tempted to see just a generic face in a picture frame of a person who is guilty of some serious mistakes in his life...but God sees him as something more than just another face. God sees Mike Tyson as another one of His children who He chose to purchase by going to the cross for.

Think about it...if God shopped at Ollie's Bargain Outlet...He would buy that picture with Mike Tyson's face on it. Just like he would buy the picture with your face and my face on it.

We are not just another face to our Creator. He loves us and was willing to go to extreme measures to purchase each one of us!

If you missed my post last week, here's a recap of what this post is all about. Over the next few weeks POTSC will be revealing 25 posters representing well known historical, current and fictional characters who are believed to have harmed society. This campaign consists of digital and print posters and the full collection will eventually be displayed as a touring art exhibit.

The campaign draws out themes of forgiveness, grace and what a pathway to a second chance looks like and will prompt us to ask ourselves this question...who would you give a second chance?

You can read more about the campaign HERE

Share A Song Monday

2011-08-22T06:40:00.000-04:00

Happy Monday! The song I've chosen to share with you all is called "Please Be My Strength" by Gungor. They have new music being released next month and I can't wait!

I love this song, but my favorite portion...

"I cannot create it
And I cannot sustain it
It's Your love
That's keeping me"

What a great reminder to seek Him more and strive less.

Now, it's your turn! In the comments section of this post, leave a link to a song you have been enjoying lately. If you have a story for why the song is special, please share, I would love to hear it. My reasoning behind sharing songs here is similar to the Give A Penny Take A Penny concept. You leave a song...and someone else comes along and picks it up. It might be one small treasure that makes another heart dance today.

Thanks!

The Well Within

2011-08-21T06:15:00.000-04:00

Knowing what is right is like
deep water in the heart;
a wise person draws from the well within.
Proverbs 20:5 Message

A Walk With Inspiration

2011-08-20T06:50:00.001-04:00

I took a walk with Inspiration
His stride, much shorter than mine today
His gaze, drawn to all the yellow dandelions poking through the grass

I call to him, "Come now, Inspiration,
catch up, it's getting late."
His little steps quicken

A caterpillar
emerges from the blades
and wriggles across the path

Inspiration giggles and crouches down to watch

I turn, and call again
"This way, Inspiration,
we're running out of time."

He bends down lower
his cheek brushes the earth
he waves good-bye to his friend
jumps up and continues along the path

"Amateurs look for inspiration; the rest of us just get up and go to work" ~Chuck Close

"You can't wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club." ~Jack London

A New Song

2011-08-19T07:13:00.000-04:00

He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock
and gave me a firm place to stand.
He put a new song in my mouth,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Psalm 40:2-3

The lyrics to the old song:

This prison's your home now
There's no hope for you
You've traveled too far in the wrong direction
shame and guilt is the garment you'll wear
All you can do now is smile...pretend

And, the lyrics to the new song:

You rescued me, Lord
How can this be?
I didn't deserve it
yet you chose to love me
My past now erased, every sin wiped away
You took hold of my hand
Your grace led me here
freedom and peace is now what I wear!

The Land of Oogie

2011-08-18T08:10:00.002-04:00

Note To Readers: I am planning on using some form of the non-word oogie as many times as I want to in the following post.

One of our family fun goals this summer was to experience Busch Gardens. Last week, we headed up the road to this amusement park for the first time. My son was just a tad excited about the adventure. See...

I have never been a fan of rides that plummet me down at high speeds. It's not the height we fall from which bothers me, it's the oogie feeling permeating my innards when we plummet. If we could plummet or whip around abrupt corners or turn upside down minus the oogie feeling...then rollers coasters would rock!

I was reminded as we stood in line waiting for one ride, that there's whole breed of people in the world who seek out ooginess. This goes completely against my nature. If you were to look up my name in the dictionary, o0gie-lover would not be anywhere near it.

We boarded the above ride and although I was nervous I was enjoying all the special effects as we traveled through the darkness. The fire, the heat and the collapsing Roman- looking columns were cool. But then, we approached this huge door. As the door slowly slid open, I could feel my ooginess elevating. While listening to the ominous music playing, it occurred to me the ride designers were not trying to make it any easier on riders who might be prone to ooginess. If I had designed the ride, I would have chosen lighthearted music to put my wimpy riders at ease. Perhaps a pleasant voice like Julie Andrews singing something like "Do Re Mi."

Sure, all you riders are about to plummet over this cliff into a pool of water but aren't we having FUN?? Do a deer, a female deer, Re a drop of golden... Ahhhhhh!

As we rode several more rides that day, I was reminded of the following life lessons.

The feeling of oogie often precedes the feeling of elation.

We often have to journey through the oogie feeling to get to the desired destination.

Oogie rarely happens when we remain in our comfort zones.

Growth and change don't occur without first taking steps into the Land of Oogie.

What makes you feel oogie?
Is it time for you to face the oogie?

When Sin Rings Our Bell

2011-08-17T07:45:00.001-04:00

You know that ring the bell game at the carnival similar to the one in this picture? It's the game where you have to take a mallet, hit a pivot board as hard as you can, and try to get the indicator to travel up the scale board. The harder you hit board, the better the chance it has of moving all the way up the scale and ringing the bell at the top.

We often respond to sin much like this game. We carry around with us these mental scale boards in our head and we often judge the severity of the sin simply by how far up the scale the sin climbs. Did it ring the bell or not?

If the sin doesn't appear to harm anyone, then it doesn't travel very far up the scale and we sometimes ignore it. No harm done. But if the sin does extensive damage, it travels up our scale board and rings our bell.

ding ding ding!

We love to rank sin. Sometimes we do it and we are not even aware we are doing it. This one is forgivable. This one is not. This one rings our bell. That one does not.

We tend to forget, that God doesn't weigh sin in our lives like this. The sin that barely moves up the scale disgusts him just as much as the sin that shoots to the top of the scale.

What about you? Do you tend to forgive or not forgive someone by the severity of their sin?

Think not of the sinner, or of the greatness of his sin, but think of the greatness of the Savior!"
~ Charles Spurgeon

What If God Had Given Up On You?

2011-08-16T07:00:00.001-04:00

Who have you given up on?
Who should you give a second chance?

Take a moment to think back to your darkest, not so shining moment.

Can you recall a time in your life when your situation seemed hopeless. There was no where else to turn and you desperately stretched your hand up out of the pit you were trapped in, and cried out to Him. Help me, please help me!

If you've ever been there, then you can relate to the anguish David reveals in this Psalm.

"For troubles without number surround me;
my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see.
They are more than the hairs of my head,
and my heart fails within me." Psalm 40:12

In that moment, you cried out for His grace and His mercy to come and lift you up and save you.

And He did!

"Praise the LORD, my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name...
who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion."
Psalm 103: 1,4

But, can you, for a moment, imagine a different scenario? What if you had stretched out your hand, in search of a Savior, and there was no hand waiting to grab hold of yours. Instead, all you heard were these words to meet your cries for help, "I'm sorry, but it's too late for you."

God does not give up on you. Did you hear that?

God does not give up on you.

And, we are called to not give up on others. Not because of who we are or what we can do but because of who HE IS and what HE CAN DO!

"And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him." (Luke 15:20)

People of the Second Chance (POTSC) is launching the NEVER BEYOND poster series: 25 posters representing well known historical, current and fictional characters who are believed to have harmed society. This campaign consists of digital and print posters and the full collection will eventually be displayed as a touring art exhibit.

The campaign draws out themes of forgiveness, grace and what a pathway to a second chance looks like.

I hope you will take time this week to follow this thought provoking and heart stirring journey.

Share A Song Monday

2011-08-15T06:39:00.001-04:00

Happy Monday, everyone! Welcome to Share A Song Monday. I had so many songs on my heart this past week, but this is the one I'll share with you today. It's called "My Hope Is In You" by Aaron Shust.

Now, it's your turn! In the comments section of this post, leave a link to a song you have been enjoying lately. If you have a story for why the song is special, please share, I would love to hear it. My reasoning behind sharing songs here is similar to the Give A Penny Take A Penny concept. You leave a song, and someone else comes along and picks it up. It might be one small treasure that makes another heart dance today.

Thanks!

And Then God Created The Coffee Bean

2011-08-14T07:05:00.002-04:00

As I poured my first cup of coffee the other morning, I had this thought... I wonder on what day God created the coffee bean? I opened my bible to the Book of Genesis and read the first chapter. If I had to take a guess, I would say it was the third day.

Day 3.

Day 3?!?

You see, this is why God is God and I am not. The coffee bean would have been higher on my list of creations. If I was the Almighty, I would have found a way to work the creation of the coffee bean into Day #1.

Let's see we need some light 'cause it's dark. Oh, and speaking of light, I will create a bean which will make a perfect companion to the first light of the day. A bean, that can be transformed into a tasty beverage. My children will be able to enjoy my beans every morning as the sun rises and lights up my world.

When God first created the world, I wonder if he also thought of you and me?

I wonder if we each came to His mind as he created all the beautiful things we see in our lives today. One day, Julie is going turn her life over to me while standing next to this ocean. One day, Eric will look up at these stars and finally know that I am God.

In the book of Jeremiah, we discover that God had us on His mind before we were even formed. “I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb..." Jeremiah 1:5a (emphasis mine)

And, here's the thought I like to imagine God having as he spoke the coffee bean into existence...

One day, I'm going to create this quirky girl named Eileen. She is going to love my coffee beans. And one day, she's gonna write a blog post about coffee beans. Silly child. But, you know, I'm still crazy about her. And one day, she's going to understand...fully...just how much I love her.

And then God created the coffee bean. And it was good.

"And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is." Ephesians 3:18

You can find me here...

2011-08-07T06:30:00.001-04:00

The Scenic Route has decided to pull off the highway for a little while. See you all in a week!

Awake My Soul

2011-08-06T06:35:00.000-04:00

I'm ready, God, so ready,
ready from head to toe,
Ready to sing, ready to raise a tune:
"Wake up, soul!
Wake up, harp! wake up, lute!
Wake up, you sleepyhead sun!"
Psalm 57: 7-8 MSG

Every Room

2011-08-05T07:15:00.001-04:00

Five Minute Friday is "a time when we just write for 5 minutes not worrying whether everything is just right." If you would like to join in CLICK HERE.

Five Minute Friday: WHOLE

We serve a God who doesn't settle for half done.
He cleans the whole house.
He is not a God who cuts corners.
His work is thorough.

He searches through every room and every drawer of our heart and asks us to discard the distractions.

We must make a choice, we must decide. And the cleaning and polishing continues.

Some rooms must be revisited.
Some rooms remain off-limits.
And so, He waits.
He waits until He hears...

Yes Lord, that room is yours too.
It always has been.
Please clean that one too.

We serve a God who doesn't settle for half done.
His goal is all of us, every single room, our whole hearts.

"There has never been the slightest doubt in my mind that the God who started this great work in you would keep at it and bring it to a flourishing finish on the very day Christ Jesus appears."
Philippians 1:6 (Message)

More Race to Run

2011-08-04T08:45:00.001-04:00

Sometimes when I hit publish post on a blog entry, I feel like a marathon runner who decides to leave the race before reaching the finish line. I've run an impressive distance but stop short of the ultimate goal.

A half marathon is a great accomplishment. I ran one back in April. However, what if, instead, I had signed up for a marathon but half way through the race chose to stop running? What if I decided to make 13. 1 miles the finish line even though I knew I had the energy to continue running?

I would be disappointed. I would go home feeling as if a goal was left unfinished. I would also feel as if I had missed out on the reward that comes with perseverance and hard work.

I love writing about The Scenic Route. I love sharing all the cool things the Lord continues to teach me on this journey. But, I'm slowly discovering something else. I often hit publish post before the race is completely finished. I quit running. It's a nice finish but I can still see road stretched out in front of me. There is still more race to run.

Waves

2011-08-03T07:05:00.002-04:00

"Mom, where are the waves?"

This was the question my son asked me when we arrived at the beach yesterday. The ocean was remarkably calm. I don't think I'd ever seen it that waveless before.

The main reason for our beach excursion was to catch some waves on the boogie board. An ocean without waves would make our mission somewhat more challenging.

We stepped out into the calm sea. My son clutched his board and waited.

"Mom, where are the waves?"

"I guess we need to give it time, Honey. The waves will show up. Waves always show up. How 'bout we dig in the sand for awhile instead."

We journeyed back to shore, sat under our umbrella and played with the warm sand, a brief distraction from the uncooperative water stretched out in front of us.

Lord, bring some waves.

As this silent request left my heart, I smiled. Never in my life have I prayed for waves. I like calm. Waves are unpredictable. They tend to show up unexpectedly and catch us off-guard.

But, here I was, relaxing on the shore, toes buried in the sand and my one request was to be tossed around by some waves.

So we waited.

Because sooner or later, waves show up.

* * *

Afternote: Woke up with the words to this song on my heart. Guess that's what happens when you write about waves before going to bed. :)

"It's time for healing time to move on
It's time to fix what's been broken too long
Time to make right what has been wrong
It's time to find my way to where I belong
There's a wave that's crashing over me
All I can do is surrender"
~ "Whatever You're Doing" Sanctus Real

Keep Moving Forward

2011-08-02T16:10:00.001-04:00

"It is true that God may have called you to be exactly where you are. But, it is absolutely vital to grasp that he didn’t call you there so you could settle in and live your life in comfort and superficial peace.”
~Francis Chan

Keep moving forward

Those are the words on my heart. Yesterday, I shared with you all a small glimpse of what that looks like for me. I have fears and doubts that creep into my mind when I think about this goal and yet the Lord seems to be addressing these fears one by one.

Lord, I am not organized enough. I write ideas on napkins.

Then take steps to become more organized.

Lord, my thoughts are so scattered and messy.

Then take the time to sort them out.

Lord, there is so much more I need to learn.

Then learn

Keep moving forward

Beginnings

2011-08-01T19:44:00.000-04:00

A title
fluttered through the door of my heart
and made itself at home

The title of my book

A book
not yet written

Just ideas
and dreams
and possibilities
looking for a place to settle

Gazing through the open door
I catch a glimpse
of what could be

“What is not started today is never finished tomorrow.”
~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Linking up with Jen today at Finding Heaven

Share A Song Monday!

2011-08-01T06:58:00.003-04:00

Happy Monday, rise and shine! On this edition of Share A Song Monday, I am sharing "I'll Rise" by Michael O'Brien. I heard this artist at the She Speaks Conference during our large group sessions. If you are in need of a good coffee sipping, gratitude song...this is a good one. My favorite part is when Meghan O'Brien joins him two minutes into the song. Their voices sound beautiful together.

Michael describes the compilation of songs on his CD, Be Still My Soul, this way...

"Life is busy.
Life is overwhelming.
Life is in a hurry.
This project is my answer to the problem.
May it wash over you as it has washed over me.
and bring rest unto your souls."
~ Micheal O'Brien

My Second Favorite Word

2011-07-31T08:15:00.003-04:00

The word broken is on my heart this morning. I've blogged about this word before. It ranks up there as one of my favorite words. Lately, it's been giving my favorite word, spacious, a little competition.

A couple weeks ago, I bought a new set of dishes. My husband saw them at a discount store in town and suggested I check them out. They looked very similar to the ones I have been wanting but were half the price. Plus, I happened to have a 20% off "one day only coupon" for this particular store. You might call these God ordained dishes. ;)

Since bringing them home, I've handled them with extra care. They are new and special. If one broke, I would be a little disappointed.

The word broken can either stir up negative feelings or positive ones, depending on what's being discussed. I hate broken stuff...dishes that chip, computers that freeze up, cars that won't start, roofs that leak...

But broken people?

The thought of a broken person fills my heart with so much hope. A broken person realizes they are beyond human repair. A broken person has given up trying to hold onto all the shattered pieces in their life. They have become completely willing to place all those pieces at the feet of the only one who is able to put it all back together. A broken person recognizes their desperate need for a Savior.

God sees great potential in our brokenness. He sees it as an opportunity to rebuild us, an opportunity to teach us of His greatness. It is in the midst of our brokenness when God reveals the incredible power He has over a surrendered life.

When we give up...He takes over. And there is nothing more beautiful than that!

You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one.
You do not want a burnt offering.
The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit.
You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.
(Psalm 51: 16-17)

You did it!

2011-07-30T07:15:00.000-04:00

You did it: you changed wild lament
into whirling dance;
You ripped off my black mourning band
and decked me with wildflowers.
~Psalm 30: 11-12 (Message)

Still Sinners

2011-07-29T06:33:00.001-04:00

Five Minute Friday: STILL

It's Friday! It's time for another link up with The Gypsy Mama who has taken Five Minute Friday on the road this week and is posting over at (in)courage.

Five Minute Friday is "a time when we just write for 5 minutes not worrying whether everything is just right." If you would like to join in Click Here.

While we were still sinners...

It's a love I still have a hard time wrapping my brain around.
You hung there with your body broken and beaten.
You said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing."

Even then, while suffering a pain I can't even begin to imagine,
you still loved me.

I think of the thieves on either side of You.
One mocked you.
One found you.
"Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."

Even then
Still you were loving us
and healing us
and offering us life
with You.

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)

Sweet Lessons

2011-07-28T07:50:00.001-04:00

Sometimes inspiration or ideas are birthed in the simplest, most common places. Today, an idea came to life while packing my son's lunch bag. He is heading off to day 4 of summer fun camp. As I peeled his orange, I was reminded of a statement I posted on Facebook not too long ago.

Simple pleasures: Oranges that don't resist the peeling process.

Have you ever come across a stubborn orange? If you have, you know what I'm talking about. So much more work goes into the peeling process when the rind does not wish to pull away from the orange. It has a death grip on the orange. If orange rinds could talk, it is at this moment when they seem to be screaming, "I'm NOT letting go!"

Sometimes, we are much like an orange rind. The Lord begins to peel away at us in hopes of getting down to the good stuff and we hold on and resist. No, Lord, I'm NOT letting go! His goal is to reveal the beauty hidden underneath and we resist the process. We dig our heels (or peels, I'm sorry I couldn't resist) in and make the process messier than it needs to be.

What about you? Are there any parts of you resisting the peeling process? Decide today, to loosen your grip and allow Him to show you the sweet potential beneath the surface.

The Chisel Belongs To The Artist

2011-07-27T08:00:00.000-04:00

Four words looped around my brain this past weekend, like a ticker tape banner circling my mind.

More seeking... Less striving More seeking...Less striving

Lysa Terkeurst spoke the first night at the conference, the topic Let God Chisel.

Her talk reminded me of how often we are surprised by the methods God chooses to chisel away at us...His masterpieces. The process is not always comfortable. Sometimes it hurts. We don't necessarily see all the areas still needing to be chiseled. We question and we doubt. Lord, are you sure? As Lysa spoke, I thought about the many times in my life I've attempted to take the chisel out of the Artist's hand.

I've tried to do the work that only the artist, Himself, is capable of doing. Sometimes, I've tried to speed up the process. Other times, I've tried to resist the process. I have no clue what the finished product is supposed to look like, only the Creator of the masterpiece knows and sees this.

When I strive to make things happen my way and on my timeline, it's exhausting. However, when I choose to simply seek Him and trust Him, then I discover I can rest in the hands of the Artist. He does the work. He chisels me into who I need to become.

The chisel works best in the hand of the Artist.

I accomplish more when I rest wholly in the labor of Jesus than I do when I frantically try to do the work for Him."
~AW Tozer

Claiming Truth

2011-07-26T09:10:00.002-04:00

"You blend into the wallpaper."

These words spoken to me nearly two decades ago by a clinical instructor I had in college came to mind as I drove home from the She Speaks Conference on Sunday. The memory came first, followed by a bucket of tears.

As I drove up Interstate 85 reviewing the last couple days, I had one regret about the time I spent at the conference.

Lord, why do I still struggle with shyness and feelings of insignificance?

My one regret after leaving the conference was not meeting more speakers face to face. After each session, we were given a brief opportunity to stand in line and meet those who had shared with us what they've learned throughout their own speaking and writing journeys. Each time it came to this point, I would linger in my seat for a moment and consider going up to introduce myself.

Yet, each time, I convinced myself not to. I chickened out. I never had a specific question to ask them. I felt as if there would be others standing in line with a more important reason for being there. I also envisioned my introduction going about as smoothly as the scene in Back To the Future when George McFly introduces himself to Lorraine in the diner. Okay, I knew it wouldn't go that badly but still...I get so nervous meeting people I admire. On the drive home, I pinpointed the reason. A part of me still has a tendency to feel not significant enough to be taking up their time.

Lord, why do I still struggle with shyness and feelings of insignificance?

I guess the point of this post is to acknowledge to you all that I am still healing. I still need to claim God's victory in all areas of my life. I still need to replace these negative, destructive thoughts with His truth. If I am going to move forward to the next step, I need to allow Christ to redeem this part of me too.

On the trip home from Concord, the healing began. I could hear the Lord whispering these words in my heart and in my ears. "My child, you do matter. You are significant. Stop listening to those voices that try to convince you that you are anything less than a loved, treasured and valued daughter of the Most High King. I went to Calvary for you! And, I would do it again if I had to!"

A Reassuring Presence

2011-07-25T06:30:00.001-04:00

What an amazing weekend! I have so much to unpack and process. I am taking a slight detour to my normal Share A Song Monday format in order to share a story with you. It happens to be about a song.

On Friday, a few hours prior to arriving at the She Speaks Conference, I wrote a post for The Gypsy Mama's Five Minute Friday. In my post, I shared the song "Going Through the Motions" by Matthew West. I heard this song a few years ago for the first time during a season in my life when the Lord was teaching me this important lesson.

Fear will leave you empty...faith will fill you up.

After writing Friday's post, I drove the last couple hours to the conference. I arrived in Concord, NC and as I approached the conference hotel a song began to play on the car radio. Can you guess what the song was? Yep, it was the Matthew West song I blogged about a couple hours earlier.

Now fast forward to Sunday afternoon. This beautiful conference ended and it was time for me to head home. I said my goodbyes, packed up my car and pulled out of the parking lot. My car radio was on. Can you guess what song began to play as I left Concord, NC?

After this happened, I couldn't help but think of Psalm 139. God knows us so well. He is a part of every detail of our life. He knows when I arrive. He knows when I leave. When I pulled into Concord, NC...He was there. When I left Concord, NC...He was there. And, I have no doubt, He was there during the in between time as well!

God, investigate my life; get all the facts firsthand.
I'm an open book to you;
even from a distance, you know what I'm thinking.
You know when I leave and when I get back;
I'm never out of your sight.
You know everything I'm going to say
before I start the first sentence.
I look behind me and you're there,
then up ahead and you're there, too—
your reassuring presence, coming and going.
This is too much, too wonderful—
I can't take it all in! (Psalm 139: 1-6 Message)

Think about it

2011-07-24T07:30:00.000-04:00

Our help is from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.
(Psalm 124:8)

I Am Full

2011-07-22T07:30:00.003-04:00

It's Friday! It's time for another link up with The Gypsy Mama for Five Minute Friday, "a time when we just write for 5 minutes not worrying whether everything is just right." If you would like to join in the fun CLICK HERE.

The topic today is FULL.

My heart is happy today. I am en route to my first writer's conference. I took the long route to get here. It's taken me nearly 20 years. I graduated with an English degree and then stopped writing. The idea of putting words down on paper scared me. What if they weren't just right? Writing would force me to confront my imperfections and flaws. This was hard to swallow for a recovering perfectionist who had already made a lifetime of mistakes. What if I fail again?

A couple years ago, there was a part of me that felt empty and dead. There was something missing in my life. Then, I heard this song at church and I knew what I needed to do. I needed to face my fear. The moment I did, an amazing thing happened, that empty place inside me disappeared.

My writing isn't perfect. It never will be. And that's okay. The joy I receive from writing and putting words down outweighs all the mistakes I make.

I am full.

Guess What God? I Have A Plan!

2011-07-21T07:05:00.000-04:00

Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways!

For who can know the Lord’s thoughts?
Who knows enough to give him advice?

And who has given him so much
that he needs to pay it back?

For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen.
Romans 11:33-36

I still remember coming into my son's preschool classroom to pick him up one day. He was about 3 years old and was playing with another little boy. I could hear them ~~arguing~~ discussing how they should go about playing with the stack of dinosaurs in front of them.

I peeked through the door and listened to them. I smiled when I watched my son practice his negotiating skills. "I know! We can compromise!" His little hands were stretched out in front of him and I think I saw a little light bulb pop up over his head.

His little playmate readily agreed.

"Okay!"

Compromise. To make a deal. To negotiate.

Have you ever tried to make a deal with God? I know I have. One of the most memorable deals I attempted to make with him still makes me shake my head in disbelief. I had come up with a plan. A very fair plan, I thought.

God would win. And, I would win. Don't you love win-win situations? Me and God were basically arguing over the stack of dinosaurs on the table and I had come up with a plan. Guess what, God? We can compromise!

I can still see God shaking His head and chuckling. Really?

Let me share with you what I've discovered about God. He doesn't like to compromise. God is God and I am not. And God will go to whatever lengths to remind us and to teach us that He is the one in control. He is the one with the best plan. God has no desire to play the "compromise card" if it doesn't address the one thing He is most concerned about...the condition of our hearts.

So, are there any areas in your life right now where you are trying to make a deal with God?

Put down your cards and allow Him to win. When He wins...you win.

Giant Hamster or Tiny Rhino?

2011-07-20T07:25:00.000-04:00

Thought I would share some fun questions from the church program this past Sunday.

Leave your answers and any explanations to your crazy choices in the comment section. I would love to know your preferences!

Would you rather...

1. Be a giant hamster or be a tiny rhino

2. Be 3 feet tall or be 9 feet tall

3. Jump in a pool of pudding or jump in a pool of Jello

4. Be able to fly or be invisible

5. Only drink coffee or only drink soda

6. Go to an amusement park or go to a family reunion

7. Live without music or live without T.V.

8. Have a missing finger or a have an extra toe

9. Live as a dog or live as a dog (Ha, Ha you thought we were going to say cat) Okay, cat :)

Batman and She Speaks

2011-07-19T07:25:00.003-04:00

Yesterday morning I drew pictures with my son. Here's my finished product.

I was proud of my picture. I am not gifted in the drawing department. Normally when I draw something, there is a high probability you will not be able to figure out what it's a picture of when I am done with it. But this is Batman! I copied it by looking at a Batman picture on the front cover of one of my son's coloring books.

Did I mention I am sort of pleased with my picture? I put it on the kitchen table for my husband to see when he arrived home from work yesterday. He was proud of me too. I could tell. I know he really wished he'd had one of those Good Job stickers to put in the corner of the paper. I was tempted to hang my masterpiece on my refrigerator but I restrained myself.

I have bigger plans for my picture. Batman is going on a road trip! I've decided to take him to the She Speaks Writer's Conference with me on Thursday. And, anytime my mind begins to ask myself that self doubt question...what are YOU doing here? I am going to look at my Batman picture and respond...because I AM an artist. I AM a writer.

I will not be bringing a book proposal. I will not have a one-sheet. I will not be meeting with a publisher. Nope. But, I am planning on bringing a professional looking notebook so I can take lots of notes. I thought a professional looking notebook would look a little more sophisticated than the napkins and pieces of scratch paper I usually write my thoughts on.

I don't have any expectations as I head off to the conference except to learn as much as I can about my craft and my passion. I would appreciate your prayers for each of the ladies going this year. Please pray that the Lord will open our hearts and our minds to anything He desires to teach us!

I have learned, as a rule of thumb, never to ask whether you can do something. Say, instead, that you are doing it. Then fasten your seat belt. The most remarkable things follow. ~ Julia Cameron

Share A Song Monday

2011-07-18T06:00:00.001-04:00

It's Monday and time to swap songs! This song by JJ Heller makes me smile. It has a way of reminding me that my relationship with Christ is a beautiful love story.

Now, it's your turn! In the comments section of this post, leave a link to a song you have been enjoying lately. If you have a story for why the song is special, please share, I would love to hear it. My reasoning behind sharing songs here is similar to the Give A Penny Take A Penny concept. You leave a song...and someone else comes along and picks it up. It might be one small treasure that makes another heart dance today.

Thanks!

Listen

2011-07-17T06:30:00.000-04:00

Blessed are those who listen to me,
watching daily at my doors,
waiting at my doorway.
(Proverbs 8:34)

Strong Enough To Save

2011-07-16T18:55:00.002-04:00

I had one of those dreams last night that went on forever and ever. It seemed to last all night long. In my dream I was talking to a young lady. We appeared to be friends. She was due to be married but was apprehensive.

We talked on many different occasions and then during our last talk she confesses to me that her soon-to-be husband was physically abusive. Upon hearing this, the me in my dream reached out to this lady and cupped her face in my hands. I looked her in the eyes and said, "Don't do this."

She looked at me crying and said, "I know. But, I have no other place to go."

I responded, "I can help. I know people who can help. Please let me help."

The remainder of the dream was spent arranging for a safe place for this lady.

I woke up the next morning thinking about this dream. The feelings of hopelessness felt so real to me. I thought about the action of cupping someones face in your hands. I think I have only done this to my young son when I've needed him to pay close attention to me.

This dream and this action stirred up this thought.

I wonder how often Jesus has reached out to us and cupped our face in His hands attempting to get our attention? Child, don't go that way. I can help you. I know a better way. Listen to me. Things are not hopeless. Follow me. Trust me.

20 Years Ago Yesterday

2011-07-15T07:19:00.001-04:00

I was excited to write another Five Minute Friday all week. It's a time when we just write for 5 minutes not worrying whether everything is just right. This morning I check over at Gypsy Mama's site to discover the fun topic for today...LOSS.

And here was my reaction...

Really, Lord? Again?

I lost my mom to breast cancer when I was 18 year old. She died on July 14, 1991. That was 20 years ago, yesterday. Yesterday, I wrote this post Twenty Years Ago Today.

I have written SO many posts about this particular loss in my life. Before losing someone close to me, I used to think grief was something you "got over" and you stopped talking about it. I don't believe this anymore. It is normal to carry the loss of a loved one with you the rest of your days on this earth. Life does move on and goes on. You discover joy, and laughter, and happiness again. But, a part of you never forgets and never gets over it. And, I wouldn't want it any other way. (Except for the option of no more death and no more tears.)

I love memories of my mom. I loved her smile and her laugh. I loved how she would tickle my back if I stretched out on the couch next to her. I loved going for walks with her. I loved riding along in the car with her and singing the most recent song she had written about her love for the Lord. I loved popping popcorn and watching The Sound of Music with her for the 85th time.

I loved her... I still love her.

If you are experiencing a recent loss in your life, I want these next couple sentences to speak directly to you.

Don't believe the lie that you have to "get over it." If you need to talk about it. Talk about it. If you need to cry about it. Cry about it. If you need to write about it. Write about it.

I am so thankful that this separation from a loved one in my life is temporary. I will see her again one day. What an amazing reunion that will be!

20 years ago today

2011-07-14T00:01:00.002-04:00

20 years ago today, my mom went home to be with the Lord. I've written many posts about my mom since starting this blog 2 years ago this August. Her faith and deep love for her Savior touched my heart in so many ways.

I once wrote a post sharing the good-bye letter I found tucked in her Bible after her death. What I didn't share in that post were the five songs she had written on the back of her letter to us. These were some of my mom's favorite hymns and ones we chose to play at her memorial service. I've shared each song below.

The other night, I sat and listened to all of them again on YouTube. I hadn't heard a couple of the songs in many, many years. It was nice.

When you have a chance, take a couple minutes to enjoy one of the songs. I hope the words touch your heart as they did mine.

It Is Well With My Soul...but with a slight twist It Is Well

Great Is Thy Faithfulness

Day by Day

He Giveth More Grace

I love you, Mom! Keep singing with Jesus. I'll join you soon. :)

Security

2011-07-13T06:35:00.000-04:00

Where does your security lie? Is God your refuge, your hiding place, your stronghold, your shepherd, your counselor, your friend, your redeemer, your saviour, your guide? If He is, you don't need to search any further for security."
~ Elisabeth Elliot

A Corny Prayer

2011-07-12T06:10:00.000-04:00

It was my son's turn to bless the meal before dinner last night. Our family of three will take turns each night.

Dear Lord,
thank you for this meal
and thank you for today...
and thank you for the corn we get to eat tonight.
In Jesus name,
Amen

His prayer made me smile. I love his simple and direct prayers of gratitude. I came across this quote after dinner.

“The Christian is like the ripening corn; the riper he grows the more lowly he bends his head.” A.B. Guthrie Jr.

It reminded that God isn't impressed with frills and eloquent words. Instead, He desires hearts and heads bowed in humble adoration for the everyday. I love how God can use my son's thankfulness over an ear of corn to remind me that gratitude and humility go hand in hand.

You are worthy, O Lord our God,
to receive glory and honor and power.
For you created all things,
and they exist because you created what you pleased. (Rev 4:11)

Linking up with Jen today at Finding Heaven

Share A Song Monday

2011-07-11T00:01:00.000-04:00

I recently discovered the group NeedToBreathe and have been enjoying their music. Thought I would share this one with you all, called Something Beautiful.

Now, it's your turn! In the comments section of this post, leave a link to a song you have been enjoying lately. If you have a story for why the song is special, please share, I would love to hear it. My reasoning behind sharing songs here is similar to the Give A Penny Take A Penny concept. You leave a song...and someone else comes along and picks it up. It might be one small treasure that makes another heart dance today.

Thanks!

Uncle Fester, Opie, and the groundhog

2011-07-09T07:15:00.000-04:00

I love to whistle. I whistle and don't even realize I am doing it. My brain often gets stuck on replay when it comes to whistling. I've caught myself whistling The Andy Griffith Show, The Addams Family and that song from the movie Groundhog Day, the Pennsylvania Polka, more times than I like to admit. I'm sure I reached my whistling quota on each of these songs years ago.

Another song I like to whistle is the chorus to Mighty To Save.

Savior
He can move the mountains
My God is mighty to save
He is mighty to save
Forever
Author of Salvation
He rose & conquered the grave
Jesus conquered the grave

He is mighty to save. Hmm, I think this might be why I like to whistle so much.

I'm thanking you, God, from a full heart,
I'm writing the book on your wonders.
I'm whistling, laughing, and jumping for joy;
I'm singing your song, High God.
Psalm 9: (1-2 )Message

Reserved for me

2011-07-08T06:25:00.001-04:00

It's Friday! It's time for another link up with The Gypsy Mama for Five Minute Friday, a time when we just write for 5 minutes not worrying whether everything is just right. The topic today is GRATEFUL. If you would like to join in the fun Click Here

GO

I am grateful for my mistakes. Grateful they led me here. Grateful that God was capable of taking the wreckage called my past and making it beautiful today. He carefully worked and continues to work on every single detail, every single flaw.

He tweaks me, molds me, shapes me, disciplines me, redirects me.

I am grateful for my husband and his response to me ten years ago when we first started dating.

I am sorry that I come with so much baggage.

What do you mean? It's only baggage if you carry it around.

I am grateful for the cross and the space at the foot of it reserved for me and all my baggage. One by one, I put them down. I never need to pick them up again.

STOP

Eyes

2011-07-07T08:10:00.001-04:00

Follow my advice, my son;
always treasure my commands.
Obey my commands and live!
Guard my instructions as you guard your own eyes.
Tie them on your fingers as a reminder.
Write them deep within your heart.
Proverbs 7: (1-3)

I was reading my Proverb a day this morning and the first few verses of Proverbs 7 jumped out at me. For some reason, as I read the above section, it reminded me of my biological grandfather from my dad's side of the family. He passed away years ago and I remember very little of him. We visited him a few times when I was a child.

My grandmother divorced my grandfather when my dad was a child. I don't know much about their marriage. But, I do know, divorce was not as common in 1952 as it is today. My grandfather was an alcoholic and, apparently, not a very happy drunk. He also had a disease known as Retinitis Pigmentosa which is a genetic condition that causes blindness. My grandfather lost his sight when he was in his mid-twenties.

Our visits with my grandfather made me uncomfortable. My grandmother had remarried years and years earlier and I always consider that grandpa to be my real grandpa. He was the one in my life on a regular basis. He was the one who would tickle my back to help me fall asleep.

One of the reasons I disliked visiting my biological grandpa was because of his blindness. It scared me. Retinitis Pigmentosa is a hereditary disease and I was fearful I was going to go blind. Sometimes, as a child, I would close my eyes and practice being blind.

"Guard my instructions as you guard your own eyes." When I read this section of Proverbs 7, I thought about my grandpa. He was powerless over this disease that took his eyesight, guarding his eyes would not have helped prevent the disease which led to his blindness.

This memory brought to mind how different physical blindness is to spiritual blindness. We have power over whether or not we become or remain spiritually blind. God promises us many times throughout scripture that if we look for Him, with all our heart, we will find Him...we will see Him. Blindness happens when we take our eyes off of Him or refuse to look in His direction. It's a choice whether we decide to follow His commands and teachings. If we close the eyes to our heart, then we are choosing to stumble along in the dark.