Memories and Moments
Isn't memory a strange thing. My mind was baffled today as I was working. I was cleaning the inside of a car when I smelled the subtle scent of perfume. Not just any perfume, the same perfume that my first serious girlfriend used to wear nearly 17 years ago. It wasn't like, "oh, now I recognize that smell, what is that?" type of recognition either. It was instantaneous. "Oh my gosh, Jeanna wore that exact same perfume!", I said to myself. I couldn't believe one, that I was, without a doubt, smelling the same perfume as she wore way back when and two, that my memory of that time was as alive as if it were last week. Of course, memories of that season of my life then abounded. Regret, poor decisions, a lifestyle of sin, but most of all, God's grace. As I stopped and looked back I saw how, even then, God's grace abounded in my life. Despite my living for myself, God looked through time and space and saw me here and now, in 2006. Serving Him. Seeking Him. He knew even then the plans for me that he had in store. One day, this day will also be a memory. May it be a fond one. Thank You Lord for Your grace and for the gift of memories.
Barney Balloons and Mullets
As I sat and ate my lunch in a local restaurant today, my quiet meal was interrupted by a small mullet–sporting young man around the age of 5. He was somewhat loud and chattering a mile a minute to his apparently numb eared parents. I watched him as he went by me and noticed that he began to jump up and down repeating something over and over again. I then realized that he was was repeating, "Barney! Barney!", as he then proceeded to point towards the wall. I thought to myself, "Barney is still around? Surely not." I scoured the wall for what seemed like at least 30 seconds before spotting a small balloon with who–else but Barney on the side. I thought, "How in the world can that kid see that?" It was so small and was also sitting amidst a lot of other items, all nearly 10 feet away. I was even looking for it and didn't see the silly thing. The Lord said this, "He sees it so casually, so easily because he knows it. He's spent so much time with it, watching it, "studying" it, that he didn't even need to scour the room for Barney, he simply recognized it immediately. So too should you be. You shouldn't have to strain to see Me, to find Me. Why is it so hard to spot Me? I am all around you, waiting for you to notice, to see. Be as a child and shout to Me. Jump up and down. Be foolish for Me and for no other. Be enveloped with Me and no other. Spend time with Me and you will see Me as this child saw this balloon. See Me among the normalcy's of life. See Me."
As silly as it seemed, I truly learned a lot through this simple parable and if you were to be honest, I think you could to.
1 comment:
I started out really laughing at this but soon became serious as I realized God was speaking directly to me. "ALWAYS Look for Me" was what I heard. I do much of the time, but ALWAYS. Ok Lord. I hear you. Thanks for sharing this Joel.
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