Big & Small
It's been a summer! The middle of it felt like the end, when we were registering for school in July. The end of it feels like the middle, as oven-like as July on September 8th.
In the house, the grown-up children visited, the almost-grown child went to his boarding dream at college, the youngest-grown expanded to both bedrooms and blossomed at the Civic Theatre.
On the acres, seeds were sown, a few things will be reaped, many trees were trimmed - although they made barely a dent. Grass was mowed (after the first two months of rain). In my brain and heart and soul, facts and ideas are expanding me, experiences are forming me, and life continues to be rich, painful, sweet, exhausting, beautiful.
One of the stories that has formed my approach to life more than many is the one that shows the servant of Elisha overwhelmed by an enemy army in II Kings 6.
"When the servant of the man of God rose early in the morning and went out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was all around the city. And the servant said, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” He said, “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” Then Elisha prayed and said, “O Lord, please open his eyes that he may see.” So the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha."
Our lives become so small so easily. My car, my house, my children, my job, my church, my block, my comfort, my walls that I build...it becomes all about my little world. I have never been comfortable with that. It makes me (Amplified Version) disgruntled, testy, discontented, crabby, displeased.
Look up. Look outside of ourselves. CONSIDER.
Consider the lilies of the field, that they are taken care of and are beautiful and bring pleasure without effort or worry. Consider the invisible world, where God's powerful, majestic, tender-hearted angels battle over our darkness. Consider that each person's experience informs their perspective, and that only a very few are, in fact, "wrong."
Look outside of ourselves, so we don't shrivel to fit our little boxes.
Learn from the people who are different than we are, so they don't find themselves pushed away.
Romans 14:17:
"For the Kingdom of God is not eating and drinking (the little things that we want to create all the rules about), but righteousness (the purity of our relationship with the blindingly good, hurricane-powerful, butterfly-gentle Yahweh), peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (freedom, security, abundant help, strength, wisdom)."
Consider. Let His big world trickle through and expand you.
In the house, the grown-up children visited, the almost-grown child went to his boarding dream at college, the youngest-grown expanded to both bedrooms and blossomed at the Civic Theatre.
On the acres, seeds were sown, a few things will be reaped, many trees were trimmed - although they made barely a dent. Grass was mowed (after the first two months of rain). In my brain and heart and soul, facts and ideas are expanding me, experiences are forming me, and life continues to be rich, painful, sweet, exhausting, beautiful.
One of the stories that has formed my approach to life more than many is the one that shows the servant of Elisha overwhelmed by an enemy army in II Kings 6.
"When the servant of the man of God rose early in the morning and went out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was all around the city. And the servant said, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” He said, “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” Then Elisha prayed and said, “O Lord, please open his eyes that he may see.” So the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha."
Our lives become so small so easily. My car, my house, my children, my job, my church, my block, my comfort, my walls that I build...it becomes all about my little world. I have never been comfortable with that. It makes me (Amplified Version) disgruntled, testy, discontented, crabby, displeased.
Look up. Look outside of ourselves. CONSIDER.
Consider the lilies of the field, that they are taken care of and are beautiful and bring pleasure without effort or worry. Consider the invisible world, where God's powerful, majestic, tender-hearted angels battle over our darkness. Consider that each person's experience informs their perspective, and that only a very few are, in fact, "wrong."
Look outside of ourselves, so we don't shrivel to fit our little boxes.Learn from the people who are different than we are, so they don't find themselves pushed away.
Romans 14:17:
"For the Kingdom of God is not eating and drinking (the little things that we want to create all the rules about), but righteousness (the purity of our relationship with the blindingly good, hurricane-powerful, butterfly-gentle Yahweh), peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (freedom, security, abundant help, strength, wisdom)."
Consider. Let His big world trickle through and expand you.
Beautiful thoughts. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteIt´s good to know what´s on your mind, Pattie. Nice pics, too! Who´s the guy in the third photo down? Tim
ReplyDeleteThat's my Hoosier Tim. :)
Delete