Look Up, Look Around

I spent some time the other day at a wooded trail with my friend Katie. We sat down in an open area by a big tree after walking for a while. There we took out our Bibles and journals and spent some time with God. Below is a passage from my journal that day...

It is so beautiful here, God. I love it. Thank you for such a wonderful gift to such undeserving people. We walked around for a bit, loved it, and now we are sitting by a big tree, on a log, having God time. When I look in front of me it is so pretty. I see a cute little path with green grass and tall tress on either side of it. Past that I can see the beginning of a bridge leading to the other side of the water. Above is the beautiful sky, so blue, with just a few soft clouds. The sun is shining down and I can't help but feel happy when I look ahead. Sounds wonderful, peaceful, happy, and great doesn't it? Yes, it does. And then I look beside me, where a foot away is the huge tree we are sitting under. Right now I am so close that I can see it's grooves, where people have carved in it, spider webs, dirt and dead leaves around it. In my mind it would seem most pleasant if I were to get up and walk away from this big tree. But then I take my eyes, and move them up the tree. When this happens, my mind is no longer focusing on the dirty, not so appealing parts of the tree anymore. But rather, on the huge and awesomeness of the tree. How my eyes can hardly wrap around it and I love that. How it continues to go up in greatness, beauty, and awe. I tip my head back and through the branches see the blue of the sky, which before I could only see while looking in front of me. The rays from the sun make me squint and smile and though it's hard to look at I find myself not wanting to look away. I have now realized that where I am at is indeed beautiful. And maybe instead of just looking directly at the bark in front of me (not finding myself so fond), I need to look up, look around, and try to take it all in because I truly am in a beautiful place right now. I only needed to look at the whole picture. I thank you God for helping me to realize that I really am in a great place right now. I need to take it in and enjoy it, not only focusing on the place I will end up next, because there too, I will see the grooves, dirt, and spider webs on the trees, and instead of enjoying being there, will only be looking ahead to the next location I will be coming to, never enjoying the here and now that is beautiful through Your eyes.

Hakuna Matata

Kenya Slide Show

Here ya'll go! My slide show from my three month mission trip to Kenya!
=)

The Terrifying Beauty of the Cross

This is a post from my friend, Kelsea's blog. She is an amazing child of God that has been given the gift of writing. I found this post resembled my exact thoughts, feelings, and emotions today as I remember what my Father went through to save a sinner like myself.

There is so much beauty and grief stricken tears associated with that of the crucifixion. I do believe that the Easter season is quickly becoming my favorite time of year. I feel like my knowledge on the meaning of everything has expanded incredibly this year, and as a result, the impact emotionally has been great. I have felt myself purged of all strength, submitting to the power within the love of one so great, to die for someone so terrible as myself. As I observed the interpretation portrayed of the crucifixion in “The Passion,” I shuddered at every lash stricken upon his body, not because of the blood or because it looked painful, but because I imagined that every time He was struck, I was the one doing the lashing, every time I have blatantly or absentmindedly decided that my way of doing things, or the way I want my life to be is better than the beautiful plans He has for me. I also could not stop thinking, “why?” Why would anyone ever knowingly take on such torture. Not only was He physically beaten, bloodied, and bruised, but He was humiliated, mocked, spit on, and betrayed…..and He knew of this fate His entire life. The only explaination is a love I cannot comprehend, and a desire to be with me, that makes no sense at all.

I look at my life and see my downfalls and my shortcomings. I see my sin and my despair and I wonder, why would He die for this? and then I remember the joy, the hope, the peace, the LIFE that comes from knowing Him….and I think those gifts are the reason. He did not die only for my benefit, but because He desired to give, and to love, and to be with me….not because He needs me, but because I need him.

There is really no explanation that I can comprehend, but the explanation is not the point, the point- what really matters- is how I am going to live knowing that He sacrificed everything for me. This should not just be a realization that hits me once a year….but every single day. oh boy do I have a lot of growing to do.

“I breathe at the foot of Your cross, and I weep at the foot of Your cross, and I’ll bleed at the foot of Your Cross…till I believe, Jesus I’m Yours. I live only because Your alive. and I will love you, love through the pain, till only love remains. I’m Yours, oh Jesus I’m Yours.”

Hakuna Matata

The Terrifying Beauty of the Cross

This is a post from my friend, Kelsea's blog. She is an amazing child of God that has been given the gift of writing. I found this post resembled my exactly thoughts, feelings, and emotions today as I remember what my Father went through to save a sinner like myself.

There is so much
beauty and grief stricken tears associated with that of the crucifixion. I
do
believe that the Easter season is quickly becoming my favorite time
of
year. I
feel like my knowledge on the meaning of everything has
expanded
incredibly this
year, and as a result, the impact emotionally
has been
great. I have felt myself
purged of all strength, submitting to
the power
within the love of one so great,
to die for someone so
terrible as myself.
As I observed the interpretation
portrayed of the
crucifixion in “The
Passion,” I shuddered at every lash
stricken upon
his body, not because of
the blood or because it looked painful,
but
because I imagined that every
time He was struck, I was the one doing the
lashing, every time I have
blatantly or absentmindedly decided that my
way of
doing things, or the way
I want my life to be is better than the
beautiful plans
He has for me. I
also could not stop thinking, “why?”
Why would anyone ever
knowingly take on
such torture. Not only was He
physically beaten, bloodied, and
bruised, but
He was humiliated, mocked,
spit on, and betrayed…..and He knew of
this fate
His entire life. The
only explaination is a love I cannot comprehend,
and a
desire to be with
me, that makes no sense at all.

I look at my life and see my downfalls and my
shortcomings. I see my sin and my despair and I wonder, why would He die for
this? and then I remember the joy, the hope, the peace, the LIFE that comes
from
knowing Him….and I think those gifts are the reason. He did not die
only for my
benefit, but because He desired to give, and to love, and to
be
with me….not
because He needs me, but because I need him.

There is really no explanation that I can comprehend, but
the explanation is not the point, the point- what really matters- is how I
am
going to live knowing that He sacrificed everything for me. This
should
not just
be a realization that hits me once a year….but every
single day. oh
boy do I
have a lot of growing to do.

“I breathe at the foot of Your cross, and I weep
at the foot of Your cross, and I’ll bleed at the foot of Your Cross…till I
believe, Jesus I’m Yours. I live only because Your alive. and I will love
you,
love through the pain, till only love remains. I’m Yours, oh Jesus
I’m
Yours.”

Hakuna Matata

Remember

"But He was pierced for our transgressions,
He was crushed for our iniquities;
The punishment that brought us peace was upon Him,
And by His wounds we are healed."

Isaiah 53:5



Let us not forget.