I guess the best place to start in writing this blog is to confess that I've never been a fan of blogs. I guess this is God's way of keeping my mind open. This idea started at the end of a week of seclusion. Not by choice, but by a bad case of poison ivy. It kept me at home without much motivation to get out of the house or do much of anything other than clean around the house. That was mostly because of the prednisone. Regardless, I made it out today to Starbucks on Cedar Bluff. As I sat outside reading, listening, and wondering what the Lord may be up today the following thoughts, quotes, and what I'll deem for now as "divine interruptions" lead me to start this blog.
The first were quotes by Frank Laubach's Letters by a Modern Mystic. If you haven't read it, I'd suggest it. It requires little and gives a lot. The quotes were:
"If there is any contribution that I have to make to the world that will live, surely it must be my experience of God (on Signal Hill)."
"God, how can we reconcile this need of pain with our effort to abolish all misery?"
Although these quotes may seem unrelated, God was up to something with them as I began writing. If the first quote is something I truly believe then I must pursue it whole-heartedly. Laubach's Signal Hill was a hill in the Philippines, today mine was a Starbucks on a busy road. Wherever my encounters with the Lord may be, I hope they are the rule of my life and what I share with others. Is there really much else I can offer that has any value beyond the experience of Christ?
The second quote has a much longer story behind it of a life in pursuit of running away from misery and pain, seeking a life that is satisfactory in all facets. However; over the past couple years my painful experiences have only lead me to the feet of Jesus and a deeper desire to want the things He wants. I'd desire to suffer for the love of Christ and not much else. I must redefine my suffering, pain, and misery to endure what Christ may doing in me through His wisdom.
Today's Beautiful Moment: Very different than the beautiful moments of my past. Usually these moments happen in the mountains, by rivers, the window seat of a plane, or at least my quiet porch. However; it seems fitting that God would start this experiment out his way. His beauty came over me as cars passed by, a now hiring sign under the golden arches, a group of laughing high school girls behind me, and a guy smoking a philly in front of me. These are not things I would choose to surround myself with in order to contemplate God's beauty, but He didn't care, He just wanted to show up and be with me. So, off I go on a contemplative journey of the heart, mind, and soul to experiment with my heavenly father.
So, this initial blog post isn't that much different than throwing a bouncy ball off a building and onto a trampoline, but it is where I'm starting. Wondering and willing to see where God takes this experiment for however long he desires.
The first were quotes by Frank Laubach's Letters by a Modern Mystic. If you haven't read it, I'd suggest it. It requires little and gives a lot. The quotes were:
"If there is any contribution that I have to make to the world that will live, surely it must be my experience of God (on Signal Hill)."
"God, how can we reconcile this need of pain with our effort to abolish all misery?"
Although these quotes may seem unrelated, God was up to something with them as I began writing. If the first quote is something I truly believe then I must pursue it whole-heartedly. Laubach's Signal Hill was a hill in the Philippines, today mine was a Starbucks on a busy road. Wherever my encounters with the Lord may be, I hope they are the rule of my life and what I share with others. Is there really much else I can offer that has any value beyond the experience of Christ?
The second quote has a much longer story behind it of a life in pursuit of running away from misery and pain, seeking a life that is satisfactory in all facets. However; over the past couple years my painful experiences have only lead me to the feet of Jesus and a deeper desire to want the things He wants. I'd desire to suffer for the love of Christ and not much else. I must redefine my suffering, pain, and misery to endure what Christ may doing in me through His wisdom.
Today's Beautiful Moment: Very different than the beautiful moments of my past. Usually these moments happen in the mountains, by rivers, the window seat of a plane, or at least my quiet porch. However; it seems fitting that God would start this experiment out his way. His beauty came over me as cars passed by, a now hiring sign under the golden arches, a group of laughing high school girls behind me, and a guy smoking a philly in front of me. These are not things I would choose to surround myself with in order to contemplate God's beauty, but He didn't care, He just wanted to show up and be with me. So, off I go on a contemplative journey of the heart, mind, and soul to experiment with my heavenly father.
So, this initial blog post isn't that much different than throwing a bouncy ball off a building and onto a trampoline, but it is where I'm starting. Wondering and willing to see where God takes this experiment for however long he desires.
