I'm Only Human

As is expected in this day and age, the media is taking every opportunity to expose, exploit and exchange the value of a mans lifetime of achievements and humanitarian efforts for the race to receive the greatest ratings. It has sparked ugly and unnecessary debates among the public. It has caused me to revisit one of my favorite devotionals to remind me that I am only human. I will ever only be able to justify, judge or forgive as a human.  I am so grateful that the God who so lovingly created me, looks past all of this nonsense and sees only ME, His creation, His child, His reason to sacrifice His Son....

Think and act like Christ Jesus.In your lives you must

- Philippians 2:5
It's dangerous to sum up grand truths in one statement, but I'm going to try. If a sentence or two could capture God's desire for each of us, it might read like this:
God loves you just the way you are. If you think his love for you would be stronger if your faith were, you are wrong. If you think his love would be deeper if your thoughts were, wrong again. Don't confuse God's love with the love of people. The love of people often increases with performance and decreases with mistakes. Not so with God's love. He loves you right where you are.

Just Like Jesus

I don't know what things plagued the mind of Robin Williams. I only know that he was compassionate, he was kind, he loved his family and he loved people. He made an impact on my life with his humor and his creativeness. He had a beautiful heart. Simply put, I loved him and will miss his presence in this world.

A Rare and Beautiful Sight

From the Merriam-Webster dictionary…..

in·no·cent

adjective \ˈi-nə-sənt\

: not guilty of a crime or other wrong act

: not deserving to be harmed

: lacking experience with the world and the bad things that happen in life

 

Today I saw a rare and beautiful sight. It was sweet and it was pure. What made it this way was the fact that it was completely unsuspecting. It hadn’t yet developed preconceived ideas. It had no agenda. It hadn’t put rules into play that would make it ugly. It didn’t feel the need to fight for attention. It just floated around the atmosphere and relished in its creation. It hovered over its recipients and infused them with its euphoria. It was content to just “be” for a while. It was completely innocent.

I sat and observed a young couple today. They were by no means making a public display of their relationship. For all intents and purposes, most people wouldn’t have even known that they were in a relationship. For the unsuspecting crowd, they were just two people who happened to inhabit a central area of space for a short while. They were not alone. They were with a crowd of friends.

As I sat and watched this young duo, there was no doubt in my mind that they were on the cusp of a grand adventure. I’m not even sure they realize it. You see, I saw the way they looked at each other. It wasn’t just glances in passing or the casual eye contact while having conversation. It was the WAY they looked at each other. Almost as if each look was actually asking a question. I’m not sure what the question really could have been. It was just a look that was eager for an answer of some sort. It was a look that said, “Whatever you have to say is genuinely important to me!”

When one or the other would stand to walk away for a moment, it was that lingering length of time it took for their eyes to leave the other and return to the crowd at hand.  It was the way that they watched the other unobserved. Taking in the details of the others face, of their hair, of the way they smiled, of the things they did with their hands. Intently paying attention to how the other acted and reacted to the conversations going around the table. They were reading each other. And completely without their own knowledge of it, they were storing this information into a new file in their brain marked, “very important stuff.”

Amidst the blushes and small smiles that frequently made an appearance were the moments of complete beguilement that would transport them to a place that no one else was allowed to go. They only lasted for a few seconds but they were completely understood by the other. Maybe memories of times spent together, maybe something said that caused a spark of shared recognition over a past event. It was beautiful!

Yes, today I saw a rare and beautiful sight. It was sweet and it was pure. I hope that the world will leave it alone. I hope that Merriam-Webster continues to prevail with its definition of the word “innocent”, that this rare and beautiful sight, lacking experience with the world and the bad things that happen in life remain undeserving to be harmed!

My Best Friends Wedding Day

For my best friend on your wedding day…..

As always, my brain has a way of being completely random at the most logical times. We have established that my mind is haphazard on the best of days. And today is definitely the best of days! I have so many thoughts running through my head today about what you mean to me, about how much I love you, about love in general really.

You are more than a best friend to me. You are my sister, a confidant, a protector, a mentor, a quiet place to hide and a happy place to reside. On this journey of friendship we have been through so much. You have been by my side through most of my adult milestones. We were kindred spirits from the start. We will be crazy old ladies ‘til the bitter end.

I have tried to think of a brilliant, funny, witty, unique way to explain how much you mean to me but, alas, I have come up short. I believe it to be due to the fact that when I think of you, one thing comes straight to the front of my little brain and that is this….1 Corinthians 13: 4-7. This is the way I do and always will see you my friend.

Love is patient….You are the most patient person I have ever met. You have the amazing ability to look past undesirable things and see the good instead. You are able to let things fall into place in their own time and you do so with grace and dignity.

Love is kind….You change the world a little each day with your kindness. I’ve seen it a million times. I have seen you stop to help a turtle in the middle of a busy street. Who does that?? I have seen you love people more than they deserve.

It does not envy…You have always made your own way, created your own opportunities, and fought your own battles. You have never needed to compare your life to another. You are rich in all things that matter the most.

It does not boast…You are humble. You always remember where you started from and you have never let this world change your heart.

It is not proud….It is impossible to be proud if you are thankful. It is impossible to be proud if you are humble. It is impossible to be proud if you are grateful and you my Love are all three of these things.

It is not rude….I’ve read that rudeness is the weak persons imitation of strength. You are the strongest person I know and you never miss an opportunity to build people up instead of tear them down.

It is not self-seeking….Other than your desire to own your own car wash/barber shop, I can’t think of a single solitary thing that you have sought just for yourself. You keep that desire, it is a totally fab idea!

It is not easily angered….Your ability to put yourself in the shoes of others has definitely taught you to look past what you see on the surface. This makes you beautiful.

It keeps no records of wrongs….This is my most favorite trait that you possess!

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth….You have a beautiful soul that sees beauty instead of ashes.

It always protects….I can’t even begin to explain this one. You know that I understand this about you and that’s all I have to say about it!

Always trusts….You have surrounded yourself with people who love you and that you love. You have never needed tons of people around to be happy, just a few that recognize your worth. I’m so very grateful that I am among those few!

Always hopes….You have always had it. It has always kept you going. It continues to guide you and tell you that tomorrow has the potential to be even better than today.

Always preserves….Your love never changes. It is smooth and steady. It is comforting. It is rare. Never change my friend.

I am so happy for you and Michael today. Happy that you have found love and laughter. Happy that you have found peace and contentment. Happy that you have found each other. I love you! I Can’t wait for you guys to get home and share your day with me!

Smoke and Mirrors

My devotion from today: 

A Raging Fire

Since God has shown us great mercy, I beg you to offer your lives as a living sacrifice to him.

- Romans 12:1

Resentment is the cocaine of the emotions. It causes our blood to pump and our energy level to rise. But, also like cocaine, it demands increasingly large and more frequent dosages. There is a dangerous point at which anger ceases to be an emotion and becomes a driving force. A person bent on revenge moves unknowingly further and further away from being able to forgive, for to be without the anger is to be without a source of energy.

Hatred is the rabid dog that turns on its owner.

Revenge is the raging fire that consumes the arsonist.

Bitterness is the trap that snares the hunter.

And mercy is the choice that can set them all free.

The Applause of Heaven

If you are a Christian and you have the belief that you are safe from addictions, then you are wrong. Dead wrong. A Christian can be just as susceptible to an addiction as a non-Christian if they aren't careful about letting the world influence them. And unlike the addict, that almost always knows that their addiction is wrong, the Christian will inevitably hide behind their "religion" to deny or justify their addiction, thus, the "dead wrong" comment. 

There are all types of addictions. The obvious; drugs, sex, alcohol and smoking to name a few of the traditionalist views. Then there are the less conspicuous; resentment, control, self-indulgence, gossip, codependency. 

Every single one of these have consequences. Every single one of these cause pain and destruction. Every single one of these lead to death. Every single one of these are a sin and have no greater degree of sin than the other. 

For every person that has one or more of these addictions, and that is almost all of us at some point in our lives, we will exhibit the same behaviors. We will assume we have it under control. We will tell ourselves that we don't really have the problem at all. We will justify our actions. We will hide it from our loved ones. We will assume that no one knows because we think we have it all under control. We will spin out of control until something eventually lands in our path that causes us to crash! 

My prayer for me and for you is this: that we will take a real long look at ourselves. We will ask ourselves the hard questions. Have my actions hurt someone? Have my actions built someone up or torn them down. Am I able to take an honest look at myself and my actions? Have my actions strengthened my relationship with God or have they caused me to hide from Him in shame? Are my actions pleasing to Him?

These questions are not a one time pop quiz. They should be asked every day, sometimes every minute if need be. Will you have the courage to face the answers you might get? Will you make amends where need be? Will you love yourself enough to slay your own self-will? Will you chose to give up hypocrisy?

Will you chose to live? I hope so, because you are important!

Give Us This Day

My devotion from today really hits home in reminding me of how easy it is to wish our lives away if we aren't careful. I remember when Trey Casey was a baby. Being a new stay at home mom was a tough adjustment. Not only was I trying to figure out how to handle a new baby, I was trying to do it with half of the income coming in. I remember being tired and overwhelmed for a good part of the infant stage and realized one day that I was saying, "if only he will sleep through the night". But that wasn't enough so I moved on to "if only he will will learn to walk, my life will be easier". Then, "if only he will potty train". Get the picture? One day it's like a light bulb went off in my head and I had "if only'd" my precious sons first year right out the door! 

I stopped and made a vow to myself that day that I would never again wish away any part of this life God has given me! Have the years been rough? Occasionally yes, but what I have learned from this is that those are the times that have brought the most meaning into my life. Why? Because those are the times that mattered the most! Those are the times that my little family had to draw together and figure things out together. Even now, as I have two kids in college and we quite frankly live pay check to pay check, I don't wish away one second of this moment in time. I've seen my kids grow and mature and have come to an understanding of hard work, money and sacrifice. They have a new appreciation of the things that John and I have provided for them and we all work together as a team to get through these things now. 

I appreciate everything life has to offer me, it's all from God and it all has a very specific purpose in my character development. I hope He likes the person I am becoming! 

Nothing on Earth Satisfies

We brought nothing into the world, so we can take nothing out. But, if we have food and clothes, we will be satisfied with that.

- 1Timothy 6:7-8

Satisfied? That is one thing we are not. We are not satisfied.

We take a vacation of a lifetime. We satiate ourselves with sun, fun, and good food. But we are not even on the way home before we dread the end of the trip and begin planning another.

We are not satisfied.

As a child we say, If only I were a teenager. As a teen we say, If only I were an adult, As an adult, If only I were married. As a spouse, If only I had kids.

We are not satisfied. Contentment is a difficult virtue. Why?

Because there is nothing on earth that can satisfy our deepest longing. We long to see God. The leaves of life are rustling with the rumor that we will-and we won't be satisfied until we do.

When God Whispers Your Name