Author: debrabee

/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:”Table Normal”;
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:””;
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:”Times New Roman”;
mso-ansi-language:#0400;
mso-fareast-language:#0400;
mso-bidi-language:#0400;}

A couple decades or more ago there was a movie called “The Marathon Man”. It was some kind of edge of your seat flick where a young guy is chased all over the city for reasons he doesn’t understand after his brother is killed. Finally he is captured and a seemingly insane torture dentist induces painful procedures all the while asking and screaming at the guy “Is it safe?” Eventually the young guy figures out what this nut case is after but not until he’s escaped the grasp of this man and raced around the city like a madman trying to figure out who he can trust.

I was thinking about my spiritual journey this evening and this movie popped into my thoughts. I think many of us share this same experience in various forms throughout our lives. We seek God wondering if He’s for real but all the while we have the enemy chasing us down with various schemes and plots to wear us down until we don’t know who to trust and we want to stop running the race. When we finally think we have found our savior in Jesus we spend a great deal of time wondering, “Is it safe?”

Is He for real? Can we trust this savior Jesus? Is it safe to trust in Him? I can only speak for myself tonight, but there are 2000 years worth of testimonies to read. Not only is He for real, but yes, it is safe to trust in Him.

/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:”Table Normal”;
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:””;
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:”Times New Roman”;
mso-ansi-language:#0400;
mso-fareast-language:#0400;
mso-bidi-language:#0400;}

Love……….what is your experience of this insatiable emotion? I myself can only name but a few…….

Love given

Love withheld

Love hurts

Love pain

Love lost

Love searched for

Love as a drug

Love needed

Love twisted

Love desired

Love denied

Love understood

Love misplaced

Love unfulfilled

Love undeniable

Love beyond ourselves

Love without reason

Love without expectation

Love with exception

Love unimaginable

Love simply to love because nothing is more expressive

We are so different, all of us, and yet one thing is consistently the same. We are all in some way dealing with love and its many facets. For those who may not love each other, you are still in some way chasing a form of love albeit for your idol. Money? Fame? Popularity?

What are we giving our love to? Does anyone ask why we seek love in the first place, and how come we are looking so hard for it in others or things?

1 John 4:19 We love Him because He first loved us

While reading a book this morning it was thought provoking on idolatry. We all know one of the ten commandments spoke of there being no other gods before Me, meaning our heavenly Father wants us to only worship Him.

I got to thinking about how easy it is to consistently fool ourselves with daily idols. Instead of spending time in the presence of the Lord I can dismiss that thought and turn on the television to watch something mindless. The dissatisfaction of this action later makes me irritated with myself that I wasted my precious time. This small example is but one of a dozen I could name in any given day.

It’s not very profitable for me to beat myself up over things I cannot change but it is rewarding to have my thoughts readjusted to recognize today is a brand new day and I have the opportunity to spend quality time with my Abba Father. I’m guaranteed this will surely be profitable.

/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:”Table Normal”;
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:””;
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:”Times New Roman”;
mso-ansi-language:#0400;
mso-fareast-language:#0400;
mso-bidi-language:#0400;}

Mood music? A general question for all…do we put in music to fit our mood or do we listen to music and it sets our mood? I love the arts in all forms and I can’t define all the forms I have come across. Being a writer of course I am passionate about writing. I like the limitless places one can take a reader and all we need is the ability to describe our thoughts on paper.

Music however is beyond words and can convey in moments what may take chapters to describe for emotional content. A painting on the other hand is just what the cliché says, “worth a thousand words”. Sculpture is still another form but so often we cannot touch the art and often stand in awe but long to be nearer.

How we view art can be limited however. I am often drawn to people not because they are known for any “art form” our natural world recognizes but more for their own expression of art as they themselves see it. Sometimes these persons don’t even realize they are artistic. Food for instance, it is amazing how many people can approach food like art. Friendships too. Some people are just born to make friends but also make those friends feel special, not like they are part of some collection.

I guess to me, people themselves are art. How they live, how they interact and especially the many ways they give of themselves to the enjoyment of others. Yeah, I know not all of these expressions are beautiful but those who understand their gifting are the most beautiful creatures on earth.

I have never understood “Auld Lang Syne”. Perhaps I just never cared to know.

I loved the year that is now behind me for all it’s growing pains and new hopes born. I could spend much time reflecting but than I wouldn’t be looking forward and I might miss the opportunities ahead.

Which way are you looking?

/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:”Table Normal”;
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:””;
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:”Times New Roman”;
mso-ansi-language:#0400;
mso-fareast-language:#0400;
mso-bidi-language:#0400;}

We recently were up north, sharing a holiday meal with family. This in itself was tremendously fun but part of what we really enjoy is the clan of nephews! Part of their lawn is next to a gravel yard so there are many hills of sand and rocks. My husband is usually handy with the camera and talking nephews into doing crazy stunts is nothing new. I have to say my stomach did a few flips watching Michael pretend to be jumping off the edge of this sand cliff!