Rock Solid Perspective. Abandoned To God.

This short film is powerful for gaining rock solid perspective on the things that really matter most in life. Yes, we get to see through the eyes of real people who claim the God of Grace as their strong foundation even though their world seems to be caving in all around them:

Click here: This Was Grace - Short File/YouTube

I waited and waited and waited for God.
At last He looked; finally He listened.
He lifted me out of the ditch,
pulled me from deep mud.
He stood me up on a solid rock
to make sure I wouldn't slip.
He taught me how to sing the latest God-song,
a praise-song to our God.
More and more people are seeing this:
they enter the mystery,
abandoning themselves to God.
-- Psalm 40:1-3 (MSG)

My grace is enough; it's all you need.
My strength comes into its own in your weakness.

-- God's Words in 2 Corinthians 12:9 (MSG)

Click here: Your Grace Is Enough by Matt Maher - YouTube

Do we believe God's Grace is enough?
Have we entered the mystery?
Have we abandoned ourselves to the God of Grace? Will we?
Grateful

Exit History! Enter Mystery!

Last evening was our night to undecorate our 2010 Christmas tree. The 8-foot Fraser Fir with its twinkling lights and colorful ornaments brought a glorious glow to our home and to our hearts during the sacred month of December.

Each morning during the Advent Season when I arose from a night's sleep for my morning quiet time, the first thing I would do was switch on the tree lights so I could sit in its light as I communed with my Lord. (My daily quiet time prayer chair sits in the same room that we set up our Christmas tree year after year.)

Anyway, last night the tree came down. Our son helped his mom carefully remove the ornaments and I took the lights off one strand at a time. Once the tree was bare, I loosened the bolts in the tree stand, firmly grabbed it out of its' anchored position and through the back French doors the tree and I wildly went. Mission accomplished. Out with the old (once wonderful, but now withering) Fraser Fir. It's leaning against the back of the house now awaiting it's final resting place at the county dump. I'm a tad sad.

This morning as I arose from a night's sleep and walked into our living room, I must confess, I really missed the sacred December ritual of switching on the lighted Christmas tree. The room seems somehow less inspiring and light deprived. I'm still sitting in my prayer chair, looking out those French doors and realizing that like 2010, this year's 8-foot Fraser Fir is all but history. Yes, it's about to be 2011, and in my mind I hear this invitation:

Out with the old -- it's now history, and in with the new -- it's all mystery!

Friends, let's pray together that we can somehow begin to place yesterday where it belongs -- in the backyard, yes, in the rear view mirror. It's now time to focus forward. Surely, we can take comfort in knowing that our God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. In other words, He is more than capable of handling what is now our history and He knows how to move us onward toward the future. What we see as mystery is not mystery at all to Him.

Yes, our God is an out with the old and in with the new kind of God. His name is I Am, meaning He's our ever-present Peace in whatever time or place we find ourselves in. He's been Faithful. He is Faithful. He will Be Faithful.... forever and forever and forever! How long is that?

This link to a Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir song inspires:
Click > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdO2cRXVHII

Here are three soul-glowing passages to closely consider as December 31 races for the finish line and January 1 is rising on the horizon before us:

(25) Look straight ahead, and fix your eyes on what lies before you. (26) Mark out a straight path for your feet; then stick to the path and stay safe. (27) Don’t get sidetracked; keep your feet from following evil.
-- Proverbs 4:25-27 (NLT)

(1) Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress. And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us. (2) We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, on Whom our faith depends from start to finish. He was willing to die a shameful death on the cross because of the joy He knew would be his afterward. Now He is seated in the place of highest honor beside God’s throne in heaven.
-- Hebrews 12:1-2 (NLT)

(6) And I am sure that God, who began the good work within you, will continue His work until it is finally finished on that day when Christ Jesus comes back again.
-- Philippians 1:6 (NLT)

Time to exit our history and enter His mystery! So help us, God!
Grateful

A Beautiful Opportunity

Let us not forget the sacred preseason that leads us to the Glorious Main Event of our Lord's Resurrection year-after-year. Yes, as Henri Nouwen said, The Lenten Season offers a beautiful opportunity to discover the mystery of Christ within us.

So let's sacredly soak in the seven-word, secret message written in Colossians 1:27 -- Christ in you, the hope of glory. And let's get the secret message out during the Lenten Season and every season.

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14.
Grateful

The Passage of Time

James Taylor sings a song titled Secret of Life. One line from the old tune says: The Secret of Life is enjoying The Passage of Time.

Well, I'd agree that's at least one secret of life. But the greater secret, or mystery to me is The Passage of Time itself. It seems just days ago that my son and daughter were little children, Now, all of a sudden, our "little" son is a 22-year-old college graduate and beginning his chosen career in radio broadcasting. Our "little" daughter is 20 and already a university junior as a fashion marketer and living three-and-a-half hours from home. It's unbelievable how fast time has rushed past our family.

This morning as I had my usual quiet time on the front porch, our neighbor was playing with his little four-year-old boy on the sidewalk next door. Listening to his young son's little-boy-laughter penetrated my heart and reminded me of the mystery, yes, the mystery of The Passage of Time.

I am reminded of these words from a poem my wife and I used to incorporate in advertising when we were full-time photographers. It was an effective sales pitch that encouraged or warned parents to have their little children remembered in portraits before it was too late. Listen to these 13 words:

Whatever happened to yesterday?
It picked up our children and stole them away.

Now, rest assured, I have enjoyed The Passage of Time, but I am still confounded by it all. James Taylor's song advice may be very close to some of the the best counsel we can get about the mystery of life's brevity: Enjoy the passage of time. That is, enjoy the passage of time by being present in your present and by being up-to-date in your relationship with God and your relationships with others, especially your own family members.

Another old Gospel song by the Gaithers said it this way:
We have this moment to hold in our hands,
and to touch as it slips through our fingers like sand.
Yesterday's gone and tomorrow may never come,
but we have this moment... today.

The time that remains is very short... 1 Corinthians 7:29 (NLT).

ALL JOY!
Grateful

Note: This blog entry specifically spells out in part my life's joy-description, which includes, but is not limited to, these 7 words:
Live to help others minimize future regrets.