have you ever risen early in the morning with one purpose...to watch the sun rise? there is something so calming about sitting in the quiet of the morning...be it on a lake (how beautiful...no?) or from a hotel window...i tend to notice the sun rise more when i am away from home...sitting with a cup of coffee...and watching the sun rise...the promise of a new day...
i remember one morning i found myself sitting on the dock facing east...looking for the sun to rise up over the lake...this was years ago...but i remember the feeling like it was yesterday...as i sat...i waited for the golden glow that would announce the sun's arrival...
days later...toward the end of my trip...i wrapped myself in a heavy blanket and curled up in the glider on the front porch of the cabin where i had spent the night...it was a business trip...and i had taken a few extra days to enjoy the utah landscape...and once again i searched the horizon...
soon a bright orange blaze appeared...forcing me to close my eyes because of its brilliance...in a few seconds...with wide-opened eyes...i continued my search for the morning's drama...only to see a half globe sitting on top of the mountains...i kept watching...not wanting to miss the spectacular sight...then...in another blink of an eye...the sun lifted itself from the peaks...and hung there in the sky - a perfect golden circle...
that was it...it went so quick...the sun had come up...creeping into the day...and now it simply dangled...a yellow ball in the air...surrounded by blue...looking like a child's simple drawing...
for a few minutes i pondered my disenchantment with this particular sunrise...is there such a thing as an incomplete...imperfect sunrise? at that moment i believed there was...i had just experienced it...and...i remembered others like it...somewhat lackluster...
why had the sunrise not impressed me this day? where was all the drama i had expected? then i realized there is no drama in a sunrise without clouds...
clouds - they've been given a bum rap...but all along...these predictors of bad weather...these symbols of negativity, sadness, blues, and gloom really serve to expand light, reflect color, cast dazzling rays, and paint incredible scenes in the sky...
a sunrise without clouds is like a life without trials and hardships...i do all i can to avoid challenges and difficulties...but the fact is the so called "clouds" in my life can cast me in a certain aura of God's splendor...a life free of complications and struggles can resemble a bland sunrise...little contrast, seemingly dull artistry, and little context in which i can reflect the Son...
truth is...the people i respect and admire most are those whose lives have been filled with "clouds" but they walk through any weather with God...these people walk in splendor...surrounded with a certain attractive and hard-to-capture beauty...they are people i seek out on a regular basis...i pursue them because i want to bask in their glow and confidence...they leave me in awe...
one thing is sure...i'm never disappointed when i find myself in the company of those who have learned to rise up in the midst of clouds...they don't seek to avoid cloudy days; rather they stand up to walk in dignity...accepting the brilliant contrasts and magical rays God can create despite and through their adversity...
it is in their presence i realize...a life free of clouds holds no attraction...now i see cloudy days in a positive light...may i never shun them again...for i realize clouds build character...add color...and separate the bland from the brilliant...
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Monday, August 9, 2010
only God...
can turn a MESS into a MESSage...
a TEST into a TESTimony...
a TRIal into a TRIumph...
a VICTim into a VICTory...
God is good...all the time!
Friday, August 6, 2010
music in the park...
so last nite i headed over to central park for "music in the park"...such a fun evening...just hanging out with a girlfriend...relaxing...enjoying live music...and people watching...
it was pretty wonderful to see so many "older" people on the dance floor...we are talking people in their 70's & 80's...i told my girlfriend...i hope i'm like that when i'm that age...just enjoying life...not sitting in a rocker feeling like your life is over...
one woman in particular caught my eye...i truly wished i had taken a picture of her...she had to be in her late 70's...early 80's...she was SO dolled up...big red flower in her hair...her super tight pants had big red lips all over them...she was definately someone that wanted to be noticed...and the thing is...i'm sure she dresses like this all the time...how fabulous is that? we ended up calling her "hot-lips"...
she also danced so gracefully...such a lady...it was beautiful to watch...
all in all...a pretty wonderful evening...and best of all?? no charge!
may you all enjoy your weekends!
it was pretty wonderful to see so many "older" people on the dance floor...we are talking people in their 70's & 80's...i told my girlfriend...i hope i'm like that when i'm that age...just enjoying life...not sitting in a rocker feeling like your life is over...
one woman in particular caught my eye...i truly wished i had taken a picture of her...she had to be in her late 70's...early 80's...she was SO dolled up...big red flower in her hair...her super tight pants had big red lips all over them...she was definately someone that wanted to be noticed...and the thing is...i'm sure she dresses like this all the time...how fabulous is that? we ended up calling her "hot-lips"...
she also danced so gracefully...such a lady...it was beautiful to watch...
all in all...a pretty wonderful evening...and best of all?? no charge!
may you all enjoy your weekends!
Thursday, August 5, 2010
what i'm realizing...
...is that i am a lot stronger then i thought...there have been some really tough days...weeks...actually months...years...but i'm still standing...
just when i think i can't handle anymore...i make it another day...with peace in my heart...
but i'm wise enough to know...that it has been only through the strength that the Lord gives me...He has carried me through this time...that i know...for sure!
and He has given me some unbelievable parents...and friends...even some strangers along the way...all who have my back...who are here...by my side...not letting me do this alone...
for that...i am eternally grateful...
just when i think i can't handle anymore...i make it another day...with peace in my heart...
but i'm wise enough to know...that it has been only through the strength that the Lord gives me...He has carried me through this time...that i know...for sure!
and He has given me some unbelievable parents...and friends...even some strangers along the way...all who have my back...who are here...by my side...not letting me do this alone...
for that...i am eternally grateful...
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
simple pleasures...
a big oak tree & a swing...i was blessed enough to enjoy this simple pleasure this last weekend...
Monday, August 2, 2010
accepting discipline...
"this hurts me more than it hurts you..." these were the exact words my mom and dad used before they disciplined me...have you ever heard these words? have you ever said these words?
as a child it was hard to understand how my parent's correction and discipline could hurt them more than it hurt me...after all...i was the one on the receiving end of the pain and suffering! =) i had many mental conversations with myself on this very subject...how can they say that when i am the one confined to my room for the week?
as i got older...i started understanding this term...and my heart began to understand the Father's correction...it helped that i had already made the decision to allow God to be the Lord of my life...i was surrendered to His leadership in my life...surrender meant accepting and submitting...accepting His unconditional love and undeserved grace for my sin and submitting to His correction and discipline in my life...trusting Him to use His word to shape me into the person He wanted me to be...i was and i am today the object of His great love...
the Lord's correction and discipline is given to everyone He loves, accepts, and cherishes in His heart...according to ephesians 1:5, through Jesus Christ we are adopted as sons of God...therefore...as His children we are entitled to His great love and His loving hand of discipline...
admittedly...it took me some time to willingly submit to the correction and discipline of the Lord...at times...the process was painful and difficult...asking me to give up things i took pleasure in...when i obeyed though...i always saw a positive result...two truths came to life: discipline is good...and discipline is necessary to help me become like Christ...
i felt His great love as God would tell me, "no honey...don't watch that show anymore" or "elena...that relationship is not really beneficial to you...it would be in your best interest to break away from it..."when i submitted to the discipline...i could see that He really loved me and wanted what was best for me...
so how exactly does it "hurt me more then it will hurt you?" because of the love...the giver loves so deep and in a way the receiver cannot understand until the discipline is accepted and applied...and the receiver matures...eventually...the one receiving the discipline and correction realizes that discipline brings what he or she has always longed for: security, comfort, and peace...
there have been times that i needed help from the Father to accept and apply His loving discipline to my life...but what i know is that He loves me enough not to overlook my faults...He wants me to be all that He has planned...i know sometimes i have stubbornly stood in the way of the work of His great love...it warms my heart to know that He accepts and cherishes me...enough to discipline me when i need it...
the next time you need to accept discipline...remember the love of the Father who uses correction to shape you into the person He has designed you to be...
as a child it was hard to understand how my parent's correction and discipline could hurt them more than it hurt me...after all...i was the one on the receiving end of the pain and suffering! =) i had many mental conversations with myself on this very subject...how can they say that when i am the one confined to my room for the week?
as i got older...i started understanding this term...and my heart began to understand the Father's correction...it helped that i had already made the decision to allow God to be the Lord of my life...i was surrendered to His leadership in my life...surrender meant accepting and submitting...accepting His unconditional love and undeserved grace for my sin and submitting to His correction and discipline in my life...trusting Him to use His word to shape me into the person He wanted me to be...i was and i am today the object of His great love...
the Lord's correction and discipline is given to everyone He loves, accepts, and cherishes in His heart...according to ephesians 1:5, through Jesus Christ we are adopted as sons of God...therefore...as His children we are entitled to His great love and His loving hand of discipline...
admittedly...it took me some time to willingly submit to the correction and discipline of the Lord...at times...the process was painful and difficult...asking me to give up things i took pleasure in...when i obeyed though...i always saw a positive result...two truths came to life: discipline is good...and discipline is necessary to help me become like Christ...
i felt His great love as God would tell me, "no honey...don't watch that show anymore" or "elena...that relationship is not really beneficial to you...it would be in your best interest to break away from it..."when i submitted to the discipline...i could see that He really loved me and wanted what was best for me...
so how exactly does it "hurt me more then it will hurt you?" because of the love...the giver loves so deep and in a way the receiver cannot understand until the discipline is accepted and applied...and the receiver matures...eventually...the one receiving the discipline and correction realizes that discipline brings what he or she has always longed for: security, comfort, and peace...
there have been times that i needed help from the Father to accept and apply His loving discipline to my life...but what i know is that He loves me enough not to overlook my faults...He wants me to be all that He has planned...i know sometimes i have stubbornly stood in the way of the work of His great love...it warms my heart to know that He accepts and cherishes me...enough to discipline me when i need it...
the next time you need to accept discipline...remember the love of the Father who uses correction to shape you into the person He has designed you to be...
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