Stars In My Eyes

Few things are as beautiful as the night sky adorned with it's brilliantly shining stars. It is simply breathtaking to gaze up into the wide expanse and behold such a lovely sight. Night after night, innumerable pulsating lights appear to hang effortlessly--faithfully fulfilling their purpose. At first glance, it seems that these celestial beacons have been randomly scattered upon the canvas of darkness. Yet further observation challenges this theory of indiscriminate origin. Slowly images emerge among the twinkling backdrop! First one, then another and another! My eyes can clearly see the outlines of noticeable objects! Over there, a bear! That way, a balancing scale! Straight above are two ladles, one slightly larger than the other! Is it merely my eyes playing tricks on me? Has my overactive imagination engaged itself? Is there truly a deliberate and systematic order to the placement of these tiny wonders? Or are they simply strewn haphazardly into the atmosphere, coming to rest in a chaotic heap? So much information for my whirling mind to consider and comprehend! I take a moment and turn away from the heavens, hoping to gather my senses and awaken my ability to reason. Looking down at my shadow on the ground, I prepare to resume my surveillance of the night sky; wondering what scene awaits my inquiring eye. I close my eyes and lift my face upward. My eyes flutter open, blinking repeatedly to restore focus. Wow! I stand amazed at the immense detail of the luminous mural that meets my meticulous gaze! Even more objects than before reveal themselves; this time with superb clarity! There is no way this was done by chance. This most definitely is not coincidental. If there ever was even a twinge of doubt in the depth of my being regarding the existence of a Creator, that voice has been silenced forever! For tonight I have witnessed first hand a magnificent masterpiece---divinely designed by the hand of God!

"The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands." Psalm 19:1

Morning's Repose

My eyes awaken to the soft glow of sunshine

gently filtering through a light, misty haze.

Birds seem to whisper their greeting this morn

instead of the usual loud clamor they raise.

A calm quiet greets me as I step beyond the door

to an absence of traffic and neighbors and noise.

Like a blank canvas, a day fresh and undisturbed,

alive with the possibility of yet discovered joys.

With great wonder I consider

where my path will lead today.

In the stillness of the moment

I yield my heart to pray.

I lift my voice in praise to Him

for the blessings I have known,

And offer my thanksgiving

for His grace and mercy shown.

I bring the plans that I have made

and lay them at His feet.

For He alone knows what it takes

to make my life complete.

I will travel His path

my progress unhindered,

When I give Him my life

fully surrendered.

As I arise from the place

where I had paused to pray,

The haze lifts . . . the birds resound

Now I am ready to embrace this day!

Never Alone

I want to dedicate my very first blog to a friend from high school whom I recently reconnected with on Facebook. A talented blogger herself, Angie is the one who encouraged me to pursue this venture. Thanks for the nudge!

I am one with a deep desire for learning...be it from books, from people, or from experience. There are many teachers in life: parents, siblings, friends, educators, clergy, mentors, spouses, children, media. The list is endless. So many forces in our environment are capable of impacting our lives in tangible ways.

The end of each day finds everyone in an altered state from when we first swung our feet over the edge of our beds in the morning hours. Some days our lives are enhanced and enriched by personal triumphs and achievement. Other days we find ourselves diminished and depleted from the challenges and disappointments of the daily grind.

The experiences are there...every day...faithful to their task of building and refining our character. Some learning experiences are planned and pursued, with a desired result in mind. Other lessons come unannounced--out of nowhere--and shake us at the very core of our being. Each incident we encounter is different and unique; and so is our response to them. We gladly accept and embrace the positive things that come our way. We reluctantly bear the blows of sorrow and heartache and dismay. So the cycle goes, day after day, month after month, year after year.

I have come to know and understand that we all remain students of life as long as we have breath in our being. With each day, our lives proceed through a loop of continual change. The good things in life serve to launch and propel us forward with renewed purpose and vision. The difficult things cause us to search out and rely on a strength greater than ourselves to sustain us.

It is a common saying that life is a journey. I can say with sure conviction, the greatest lesson I have ever learned is that I am not expected to walk this journey alone. There is One who has come alongside me, sharing both the weight of my burdens and the fullness of my joy. He strengthens me through my times of weakness, and equips me for certain success. When things are pressing in all around me, causing me fear and distress--He is there. When I stand on the mountaintop and celebrate my victories--He is there. When I lay awake at night and wonder what tomorrow holds--He is there. When I ask myself what's the one thing I want everyone to understand, it is this--He is there!