today's beginning

We often talk about how life can change on a dime - sometimes devastatingly tragic, sometimes just not according to our plans, which is the case today.

As I was preparing to leave for Crossroads, we got word that electricity was down - so our starting times are delayed a little while.

I had listed each point of what I needed to get accomplished this morning - mostly organizing administrative stuff, but I find myself instead in my favorite spot - on my deck!

I started my day yesterday in the same place assuming the Lord had something for me, and it turned out that my prayers yesterday supported everything that ended up happening - unscheduled things - things that could have been negative or positive - things that felt negative as the day went on.

But when I asked the Lord to see things through an eternal perspective - it seemed completely insignificant and the Lord allowed me to move through it, and here I am laying my day down again.  The negative stuff I'm referring to, was nothing big, so I'm not trying to sound all mysterious and make you feel sorry for me - it was just stuff that didn't feel good, that felt repetitive and old.

To picture the Lord 'way up high' looking down (not theologically correct I'm sure), knowing He can see all the dumb tiny things that we focus on and how they fit into His plan makes it important to keep moving through Him.  I picture Him seeing so easily how my decisions fit into eternity, and picture His disappointment when I choose the lesser path - the compromising path.  And in some cases, the easy path.

His plan will be fulfilled, with our without my cooperation.  That gives me confidence - and I praise His Holy name for a new day of communion with Him again.

All I care about is that my life speaks of Him, that nothing I do pulls people's attention away from Him, and that my life encourages everyone I have contact with today.  


Titus 3:1 Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, 2 to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people. 3 For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. 4 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”

Can you even image how our surroundings would be affected if we lived this way?  Only through total submission to Him will I take steps today into this passage and into the possibilities of eternally important options.  Ready, set, go!