Who needs a map when you have the mountains?

Sometimes I like to get out and drive and see where it takes me.  Today was one of those days, I have been cooped up way too long and I needed to get out and away from the city.  So I headed East to check out some of the small towns I always wanted to stop in and check out but never have.  If my kids had known I did this without a map they would have been concerned as I can be directionaly challenged.  It is always a joke that anytime we go somewhere we have to take at least one scenic route off the beaten path but not by choice.  Today was one of those days that it was by choice, I do like getting off the beaten path and making my own way.  It is in taking the road less traveled one can see God’s beauty and perhaps find a new perspective on life. I knew as long as it was daylight I need not be concerned about getting lost, as in Colorado where I live and head East the mountains are always to the West.  As long as I can see them I can’t get lost.  When it was time to head home I just pointed my car towards the mountains.  As I was driving home looking at my guide I began to think of God and how He guides us. We may get off the path in life and seek our own direction.  It is God that guides us back again.  Sometimes we find ourselves so lost and weary we do not know how we will survive and find our way.  That is when we need to look toward our Guide and He will get us back on the right path. God will allow us to wonder for a time but He never leaves us there and always guides us home, we just have to let Him.  As it is when we are home in His arms we are safe and no longer weary.

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way should go; I will guide you with My eye.” (Psalm 32:8)

“The Lord will guide you continually …” (Isaiah 58:11)

Thus says the Lord, Your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you to profit, who leads you by the way you should go.” (Isaiah 48:17)

Saving Grace

We all need saving, saving from our life circumstances, to include jobs, kids, spouses, boyfriends, girlfriends and all the many things that come into our lives that take from us.  Most of all, if we search deep inside the one thing we need saving from is ourselves.

God has saved me from myself more times than I can count and I know He will be the one to save me from myself in the future.  Think a moment, just how different our lives would be if we would seek God first in all things instead of waiting until we have exhausted all other options.

God's grace, mercy and love has made a huge impact on my life and I desire to share that grace and His love with others.  2 Corinthians 1:3-4 Blessed be the God of all our comfort,  who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.  For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ.  This is the verse God showed me when I asked Him to bring someone to comfort me.  He told me to reach out to others with the same comfort, grace, mercy and love that He had given me.

So began my journey to reveal the many ways God's saving grace has been a comfort to me in the hopes that by sharing my life struggles and how God used those struggles to heal me, to comfort me, and just simply love me, would comfort someone else.

It is my prayer that anyone who comes across my blog can in some small way experience the saving grace that only comes form God.

Change of Scenery

Change of Scenery

As I make my way around the last curve of an old winding dirt road, I see a cemetery at the bottom of a hill where the dirt road ends.  It is an old cemetery from around the 1800’s; I can tell this by the dates on the old wooden headstones.  There are millions of wildflowers with all their beautiful purple, white, blue and golden colors. The sky is a clear blue with just a few white fluffy clouds.  As I notice the spectacular view of the snow capped San De Cristo Mountains, I feel as I have just come upon a scene being painted by an artist.  I find a spot by an old withered tree, to sit awhile and take in the warmth of the mid-afternoon sun.  I sit back, close my eyes, and take in the sounds of birds flying overhead, and the wind blowing through the trees; the grass smells as if it has just been freshly cut.  I think it can’t get much better than this, to have a moment to myself to take in God’s magnificent art work.  Just then an eagle soars by with his wings spread wide; it is as if the eagle is floating on a cloud.  Next time I need a change of scenery, I will come back to this place as there is so much more to see.  I think I will plan to stay a bit longer so that I can watch a beautiful sunset unfold before me just behind the San De Cristo Mountains.

            How often do we find ourselves wanting to run away?  I do love escaping to the mountains when life is getting tough, however the time and ability to do so does not always cooperate.  This is when I have to ask myself what I can do to change the scenery while still at home.  It usually if not always involves changing my attitude at the situation that is causing me stress.  Sometimes this means locking myself in my bedroom and spending time alone with God.  God is the perfect resource when we need a “change of scenery” in our lives. 

A few verses to reflect on as you read these verses I would encourage you to read at least the whole chapter in which they are found.

Philippians 4:19 NASB- And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

Hebrews 13:5-6 NASB- “I will never desert you, nor forsake you,” “The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid.”

One of my favorites when I am overwhelmed with life circumstances and just want to runaway

Isaiah 40:28-29 NASB- The everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth does not become weary or tired.  His understanding is inscrutable.  He gives strength to the weary, and to him who lacks might He increases power. 

Isaiah 41:10 NASB-Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God, I will strengthen you, surely I will help you.  Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.

Breakdown of Communication and Common Courtesies

Long ago in a world almost unrecognizable neighbors knew one another and looked out for one another. People were polite and no one felt they were entitled to anything. No one took anything or anyone for granted. With the way technology has exploded there is less and less good “old fashion” communication. People prefer emails or better yet text messages rather than actually writing a letter or making a phone call and more and more there is less and less we should get together for lunch or dinner sometime and have it actually happen. Simply with the modern conveniences we enjoy there seems to be less and less time to really get to know your neighbors, co-workers and even those you go to church with. Sadly in some households this includes communicating with your own family without the use of modern technology. I am just as guilty as the next person on a lot of the things mentioned above.

One example of a lack of common courtesies happened to me a few weeks ago when I was at Wal-Mart. I had finally come across an empty parking space only to find that someone had left a shopping cart in the middle of it. A man was walking by he saw the cart and noticed I was trying to get into the spot. He walked right on by more concerned about what he needed to do than to help a stranger. I could not believe it! Why did he choose to be so rude and would someone leave a shopping cart in the middle of an empty parking space? A perfect example of looking out for oneself and not taking any consideration of others. I could go on and on with other examples but know I am sure I will come back to this subject.

I miss getting letters in the mail or an in-depth email for that matter. Anymore the main form of communication I receive is a quick have to figure out the acronyms text. I know you have experienced the same took me forever to figure out what lol meant or rofl.  Who would have thought a get lost message would not be delivered in person but in a text, on facebook or twitter or an email. I know more about what is going on with my family on facebook then any other way these days. Then I find myself “creeping” on them as my college kid calls it. Creeping means checking out their facebook page to see what is going on in their lives as the newsfeed does not always show what they have posted.

There is so much more to say on the subject of the breakdown of communication and the lack of common courtesies but I will end this for now as I know I will have much more to say on these subjects and I’m only getting my feet wet with my first blog. Testing the waters as I have not read many blogs or written one before.