December 23, 2020Breathing Again

God is a genius.

I suspect that's how He got the job ... being the smartest one in the room, you know!

After all my years of walking with Him, He still is full of surprises. I always like to try and guess what He's up to, and He always surprises me.

At the outset of some new project or direction we're going, I'll think, Oh, I'll bet He's doing it for this or that reason.

After the project is done, or maybe after we've been going in a direction for a while, I can usually look back at where we've been, and I'll say, Oh! THAT'S what You were doing!!

Sometimes I won't have a clue at the beginning or even after it's over. It doesn't matter. It's His business.

I like to think of myself like one of my colored pencils. If I pick up my green pencil, perhaps I'll draw Scarlett O'Hara's green drapery dress, or maybe a cypress tree in the Okefenokee. It makes no difference to the pencil. And that's how I want to be in my Maker's hand ... just an instrument He uses. But it is still fun to ponder what He's up to!

One day He came to me and told me He was going to give me a web site. I won't rehash that whole tale, though you can read it here if you like.

Like always I had no clue what this was all about ... but if He wanted a web site, we'd do a web site. And suddenly I found myself doing things and talking to people that I would have never done on my own. He was stretching me.

I wrote and wrote and wrote all the first year. I wanted the site to be filled with content and thought I'd better get it done, because the novelty of it would surely wear off soon and it when it's not fun anymore the writing will stop. But it didn't stop.

Last December I looked back and mostly just thought how great it was to have such patient friends! Did you ever get around somebody and all they could talk about was some new thing they just got? That was me! I had turned into a total bore! Could hardly eat at a restaurant without handing out business cards to the staff. And all the wonderful ladies at the Gathering were so patient as I would tell them for the 50th time about what that week's article or blog would be about. It's a miracle I have any friends left!

I did settle down a bit ... I quit shoving my business cards into every open hand I encountered. Occasionally I actually find other topics to talk about with friends. But all the writing was so theraputic, and I found that I'd write an article and 2-3 more would come to mind. And like the Energizer Bunny, I just keep going and going ...

So now this December I'm looking back and thinking, Okay, forget the giddiness of having a new toy ... just what is this all about exactly?

I know that's it's certainly had an impact on me. I said in the last blog that I was free. I'm discovering that there are degrees of "free", and the "free" I'm enjoying now is light years past where I was.

I also know that there's more going on here than merely healing an emotional cripple. I'm not the center of the world and He always has the bigger picture in mind ... my curious mind really wants to know what He's up to ... unfortunately He's not talking! Except to say just trust Him and continue on this forward path. So that's what I'll do.

That's such a timely answer in this particular December, after the year we've had and the uncertainty of what's coming next year.

If you find yourself stressed this season over the virus and the unrest and wondering what's next, I'd invite you to reach out to Him. Maybe you're hurting over losses you experienced in 2020 ... He specializes in healing broken people and broken lives. That's what redemption is all about! That's why Christ came and made the way open back to the Father.

The world may come undone today, or it may rock on in its craziness another 1000 years. Doesn't matter.

He is our Rock and our firm foundation. He is our King. He will give us peace and walk us through whatever comes!

Don't be afraid to approach Him ... He will set you free.