Greetings Everybody,
Got a photo for you to take a look at.
I took this picture a few years ago on the Island of Molokai.
The Mountains in the background are covered in rainclouds.
And the rainclouds were rolling in to where we were.
This is such a soft and lovely landscape and it is one of my favorites photo's.
Everything is muted.
Everything is peaceful.
Tranquility!
The day I took this shot, it didn't take long for the rain to catch up with us.
In fact, right afterwards I had to put my camera away so it wouldn't get wet.
I can close my eyes and see the scene just as it was that day.
But before I lose all track of time in a Hawaiian Daydream, let me bring you to the reason I showed you the picture.
Now if you recall, I mentioned at the start of this entry that the photo was taken on Molokai, which is one of the Hawaiian Islands.
And if you recall, those islands were born of volcanic activity under the sea.
They literally rose up out of the Pacific Ocean
...courtesy of a significant geographical bit of underwater power called The Ring of Fire.
Before those islands were what we see today, we would NOT have wanted to be in that area.
It would have been a place of Turbulence with a capital T.
Lots of pressure and clash and instability...not to mention the red hot molten lava.
Still...when all that molten lava cooled...and enough time passed...the scene above appeared. It just took us a while to find it lol.
Time has a way of changing everything.
And I suspect that somewhere in this post is the kernel of a great message for us all that goes like this:
Even during the times of my life when there is
Turbulence with a capital T.
Times with lots of pressure and clash and instability...or when tempers flow like red hot molten lava...
We need to remember that each situation is in God's Hands.
And it has BEEN in God's Hands...All Along.
He makes all things beautiful in HIS time.
All we have to do is wait and watch.
Scripture tells us that if we seek, we will find.
"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find;
knock and the door will be opened to you."
Matthew 7:7
I believe that if we intently seek His Peace and Tranquility we will find it...even in the midst of our own Turbulence.
In Him,
Grace
Greetings Everybody,
It's been a week!
It's been a high pressure week!
And in times of high pressure, seeing water calms me.
Since I can't get to the ocean tonight, I have been combing through photo's of water scenes.
I found this one and could suddenly remember the feel of the soft breeze on my face the day I took this picture. And it caused me to sigh a little. So I thought I'd share.
Perspective is a really important thing because it tends to alter our Reality!
From this perspective we can't see the grass burrs, the snakes, the thorns on the trees...
From this perspective we can't see the tree stumps just beneath the top of the water...
From this perspective we can't see a whole lot of intricate details that are intrinsically woven into this scene.
Yet it looks peaceful.
And it IS peaceful.
But this is NOT where we live & breathe every day...this far away perspective...it's pretty to look at...but LIFE happens up close.
Metaphorically speaking, we LIVE right down in the Grass burrs.
And we have to DEAL with the Snakes, and the Thorns and the Tree stumps.
We contend daily with the things and people who irritate us, scare us, bite us and damage us.
LIVING is an Up Close and Personal Thing.
And Dealing with People is Emotionally Messy.
And if Christians are busy helping people, they get messy too.
And we get tired.
And we get weary.
And we need to get our batteries re-charged.
Because of that, the Far Away Perspective ( like what is seen in this photo) is extremely important.
And I must admit that I love the distance that Far Away View creates.
It helps me.
It makes my troubles not feel so big.
And it causes me to look up and look out and see the "bigger picture" and quit focusing on myself.
This type of lifeview is pretty and it's calming. But I know I can't stay there long.
I have to get back to what's real.
And furthermore, in the final analysis...I WANT to get back to what's real.
Afterall...if I lived life as it appears in that photo, I would forever SEE beautiful water from a distance, but never know what it was like to FEEL water on my skin.
God made us to be right there In The Mix..with the Grass burrs, Snakes,and Tree stumps.
And just like Roses, we live among Thorns.
Meanwhile, I am grateful today for photo's and memories...and the ability change my perspective every now and then.
God is Good!
In Him,
Grace
