WE ARE ALL VISUALLY IMPAIRED

While maneuvering my way through traffic one day, I began to observe the behavior of other drivers around me. I realized at that moment, that I was in the midst of a large number of very impatient and seemingly distracted drivers!! Some people were on their phones, appearing to be fully engaged in conversation; while others seemed to be lost in a song blaring from their stereos. And of course, there was the occasional erratic driver, who weaved in and out of lanes at a far greater speed than legally acceptable, giving no thought or respect to the safety of others.

 The amplified sounds of horns, motorcycles and oversized trucks was overwhelming. It was like a symphony of chaos on concrete!!  As the traffic came to a stop at an electric signal, a sudden calm took over and my eyes were drawn to a woman making her way across the street with the assistance of a cane. I realized that she was blind.  At first, it seemed as if she was making her way across the busy intersection with a level of confidence by the swiftness in her step,but as she approached the curb, her gait slowed dramatically, as if she had reached unfamiliar territory and she became more dependent upon the tool (the white cane) that was required to move her in the right direction.  With each step, she tapped the pavement to ensure that the path was firm and clear of any obstacles that could potentially harm or cause injury and could keep her from getting to her destination.

 As I observed this woman, striving to make her way to her destination unscathed, I thought about the journey that we are ALL on in this life. When it comes to reaching OUR destination in life, we are blind to some of the steps that God desires for us to take. We often weave in and out of confidence when we approach spots that are seemingly unfamiliar on the path. We each have been provided with tools to get us where we need to be.  Those tools are: The Bible, prayer, fellowship, worship, praise and love.  These tools as well as a host of others, will prepare us for uneven terrain, potholes, high curbs, rough pavement and the distractions that the enemy uses to keep us from living the life that God desires for us.

The Bible is our roadmap to the plan that God has for us. Prayer is our guide to keep us on track and give us strength to stay on the right path. Speaking to God through prayer is vital...developing that personal relationship with HIM and finding comfort in your prayer time with HIM. Fellowship helps us to be blessed and to be a blessing to others...we were not designed to go this journey alone...iron sharpens iron and our faith is strengthened by hearing other people's testimonies AND by sharing our own!  Worship and praise are also an important part of our journey...it allows us to tell God just how much He means to us...how grateful we for all of the things He has done for us...How much we love Him!  The greatest tool (gift) that God gives us is the power and ability to love...when we walk in love, it takes off the blinders of anger, hatred and the inability to forgive, that cause us to loose our footing and our direction.

 2 Corinthians 5:7 says, "For we walk by faith and not by sight." We should be like the woman who was blind, we must walk in confidence along the parts of the path that are familiar, but when we hit those spots that are unfamiliar, we must rely on the tools that God provided to get us to our destination...safe and sound!  ♥

                            IS BEAUTY REALLY ONLY SKIN DEEP??

My husband and I were waiting for our food one morning in a restaurant that we were trying for the first time.  We took our time to peruse the menu that contained a variety of interesting meal choices.  When the group of patrons seated next to us began receiving their food, we took note of the array of delightful looking dishes placed on their table and wondered if WE had made the right selections.

While trying to determine if one their dishes happened to be one I had ordered, I made eye contact with one of the women in the group.  I Immediately attempted to assure her that my staring was strictly due to whether I made the right choice and nothing else, so I blurted out, “This is our first visit here and I’m just noticing how good the food looks, have you been here before?" She responded with, “Oh yes and everything here is delicious, you will enjoy whatever items you selected!"  I smiled and said thank you as my eyes briefly connected with everyone seated at the table.  There appeared to be a mutual understanding of my inquiry about the food, based on the smiles beaming from most of their faces.

It was then that I noticed that one member of the group did not seem to share an appreciation for our short, but pleasant conversation. She was a very attractive woman, dressed in upscale attire and donned with finely detailed jewelry.  Our eyes locked and she peered at me as if I had just come between her and one of her most prized possessions.  Her gorgeous face was skewed by a frown and her eyes were filled with emotion that gave an impression of  both resentment and mistrust!!  Where could THAT be coming from?  We had never met before.  Why would our first encounter be so negative?

This experience made me think about how careful we need to be with the image that we present to others.  Here was a beautiful woman who possessed great potential in her ability to connect and relate to others... after all, being easy on the eyes is half the battle, right??  Our outward appearance can give an illusion of what our attitude and spirit should convey to those we meet.  God created many beautiful things on this earth.  His creations stem from the oceans and mountains to the sunrises and sunsets.

 We are one of God’s greatest creations, because he designed us to be a living example of Him and to draw others closer to Him.
We must sync our outward beauty with our internal beauty that was woven into us through God’s inspiration and creation.  We were fearfully and wonderfully made and our attitude and actions towards others, give praise and honor to God.
I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. (‭Psalms‬ ‭139‬:‭14‬ KJV)

 When we prepare ourselves to leave the house and we take a look in the mirror, we must make sure that our inner beauty compliments our outer appearance and that both attributes illuminate us with the light in which God desires. ♥

                                              THE GIFT OF TIME                    

TIME is a gift from God...but it isn't always seen as a gift.  We take it for granted...we waste it... we carry on as if TIME stands still when we need it to and that we are given unlimited opportunities to complete tasks when and if we are so inclined...but TIME waits for no one!...It is fleeting!  We forget that we can NEVER relive those precious minutes previously encountered.  How many TIMES have you put off seeing a friend or a family member because something else took priority over your schedule and that visit just didn’t seem to be as important as the items on your to-do list?  It happens all of the TIME!

Our lives are filled with so many obligations and events that it's easy to get caught up and often overextend ourselves. That's how we miss out on the truly important things!  There are several reasons why we should view the TIME that we have been given as a gift from God.  One of the most important reasons is that God wants for us to make TIME for Him.  He wants us to sit at His feet and to connect with Him. He wants us to know that He loves us and that He will give us the desires of our heart if we trust and believe in Him. He also wants to know that we love Him. That we are grateful for His presence in our lives and that we are thankful for all that He has done.  Developing this kind of personal relationship requires our TIME.

 God also wants us to take the TIME to show love and kindness to others...our family members, friends and even those whom we may have just laid eyes on for the very first TIME!!  We are to set aside TIME is to pray, to study the word of God and to be Disciples of Christ.  We are to share the "Good News"of Jesus Christ, whenever possible. Many of us try to accelerate through TIME, in an attempt to forget about past hurts and trials that left us in pain and anguish.   We want to push past all the bad stuff and get to a better place...in a hurry!  We have to realize that in God’s perfect plan, (which is very different from our own) TIME is to be used for healing and for making the necessary personal changes needed for strength and growth.  Take the TIME tell that family member whom you haven’t seen or spoken to for years, that they are important to you.  Take the TIME to share a kind word with the neighbor whom you haven’t made eye contact with because life has just gotten too busy.  Take the TIME to ask your friend for forgiveness when harsh words may have been exchanged.

 We often take for granted how precious life really is.  Sometimes we act as if we were designed to be on earth forever and that TIME has no real value.  When we take TIME to explore all of the opportunities and see all of the wonder and beauty that God created for us to enjoy, we will value the TIME that God has given us and we will begin to use every moment to love, praise, honor, and glorify Him in all that we do. Cherish the TIME you were given and live life to the fullest!! ♥