{by Jennifer Olson of Jennifer Liv Photography}
i can make it through the work day.
i can make it through a night awake with the kids.
i can do something that i’ve dreamed of for so so long.
i can do … this.
{Originally published on Genesis Moments: A Writer’s Journey}The speaker asked a piercing question that zeroed in on its intended target: my heart.
“Do I let the fragments and particles of the world collect on my soul?”
Starting with an analogy, he shared, “My wife wondered why her plant wasn’t growing right. She went to get advice from a gardener who told her that if she dusted the plant it would be able to get the light it needed and grow better.” Sure enough the trick worked.
He compared this dusty plant to our lives. Thought provoking questions followed.
By leaving unconfessed sin alone to accumulate, do I keep from receiving the light God has to share?
Do I dismiss the little things, thinking that they alone can not hurt my walk with God — only to turn around and find that a whole impermeable layer has formed?
Do we let the little hurts and ugly words add to that layer, adding them to our baggage rather than brushing them off and forgiving the source?
John 8:12 “When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’ ”
Shortly after this talk, I attended a garden party at a friend’s house. This friend has over 200 species from around the world planted and labeled with both botanical and common names…
Originally posted on Ponderings.
I attended a funeral for the father of new friend of mine recently. In
our understanding he died too soon. He was only in his early 60′s.
Although I never had the opportunity to meet this man, his funeral
impacted my life. The tributes and memories shared by family and
friends were beautiful. We viewed a slide presentation set to music,
tracing the journey of his life. The one thing that really spoke to my
heart was that this man had truly lived.
He
was an adventurer. Fear didn’t hold him captive. He lived out loud. He
wasn’t afraid to follow the dreams God had placed in his heart, and yet
he didn’t take foolish risks. He enjoyed life to the full. In many ways
he has gone from living to living.
My life in comparison would
be such a shadow. Many of us would be likened to “dead men walking” in
contrast. Oh, maybe outwardly we’re going through the motions. Jumping
through all the right hoops. We know how to play the “Game of Life”.
For generations it’s been the same. We’ve read the rules. We know the
expectations. Years go by, but our passion is getting buried deeper and
deeper. We are allowing ourselves and others to dig our own
grave…only we’re still breathing. We’re being buried alive.
(click title for more)
