It's a mystery to me

There are many things in this life that are a mystery to me. I simply cannot explain them.  Like for example, how to get get all those lovely, but seasonally inappropriate, Christmas songs OFF of my iPhone.  I only want that playlist on my phone during the months of November and December.  Ok, I don't feel too bad about that one because neither my 16 year old nor the iPhone tech could figure it out either.  Apparently, the latest "fix" or "update" I loaded on to fix a problem created a new problem.  WHATEVER. So for now, I will just have to put up with random Christmas songs popping up when I hit the shuffle all songs button.  Gahhh...

I do not fully understand Rugby, although I do enjoy watching it.  I'm just not sure what the rules are and why they do some of the things they do.  I do not completely comprehend photosynthesis, although I understand the basic workings of it.  It is still a wonder to me that this complex, yet simple system, brings nourishment to the plants around me and at the same time helps to sustain  the life forms around it by producing the oxygen most life forms need in order to function.  For that matter, I do not fully understand this complex thing called nature. It's a mystery to me that a school of fish can turn completely in sync with one another in a matter of a few seconds, or that a Cicada can basically hibernate for 17 years underground and then emerge.  We had that happened a few years ago and it was creepy, fascinating, and extremely loud!  As much as I know about people, about what makes them tick, so to speak, there are still things I'll never fully comprehend about them.  Heck, I'm still learning new things about myself every day.

And the list could go on and on about the things I do not understand.  And I will admit, I am one of those people who likes to have an explanation, or meaning, or understanding of things.  I like to know the "why" of it.  I am not a believe it just because someone said it kind of person.  I want proof.  I like to do my own research and find out my own truth of the matter.  Which isn't a bad thing.  I encourage you to not believe everything you hear.  You should weigh it, research it, and do some critical thinking about the matter at hand.

But, the fact remains, there are just some mysteries in life that are just that, mysteries.  They defy logic.  They defy explanation.  There is little or no conclusive evidence to support or negate these things (for lack of a better word).  And, those things can drive a person like me crazy.  They don't fit neatly into any box.  They bring a little clutter or chaos into life.  And, yet, my brain still tries to find a place to fit these things. To neatly file them away in the proper place.

And that brings me to my point.  You see, God is still somewhat of a mystery to me.  As much as I strive to get to know God, as much as I understand about God, there's still those pieces of God that I do not understand.  I will admit, that there are times I have said to God, "Really?  That's really how this is going to go down?"  or "I don't understand".  Many times I have felt alternately angry at God, disappointed by God, overwhelmed by His love, overwhelmed by His goodness, overwhelmed by His grace, humbled in His presence, grateful for His blessings, confused by Him, unworthy of Him, awed by Him, ….. the list goes on.

I found myself striving to fully understand God, yet frustrated beyond belief at my inability to do so.  Just when I thought I knew him fully, I would learn some new aspect of Him. And my mind would be blown away.  You see, God, for me, doesn't fit neatly into a box.  And I like boxes, and neatness, and non-cluttered, non- chaotic spaces.  I like endings that I can understand.  I like things to make some sort of sense to me.

And yet, as complicated as God is.  As complex.  As layered.  As diverse.  I have found that there are a few characteristics that are constant and never changing about God.  The first constant is this:  God loves me.  God loves you.  His love is sometimes beyond my comprehension, but it is always there.  ALWAYS.  Even when I doubt His love, it doesn't change the fact that He loves me.  You see, I have learned that just because I don't "feel" love doesn't mean it's not there.  Feelings are not a reliable measuring stick in life.  They are fickle, easily changed, and easily influenced. The hard times I face in life are not because of a lack of love from God.  God's love is just there-- I haven't earned it and I haven't lost it.

The second constant is this.  God is aware of every aspect of my life.  There is not a sorrow that He doesn't know about.  There is not a joy that He doesn't know about.  He is not an uninvolved God.  By that I mean He doesn't just sit up "there" somewhere, uncaring, unseeing, and without action.  Sometimes His actions or reactions may not be how I want Him to react.  He doesn't always do what I want or expect Him to do.  And there are times when I have felt like He didn't care, or was unaware. Again with that feeling issue. That doesn't mean He isn't involved.  It just means He's God and He's in control, not me.  (Which we can agree is a good thing, me not being in control of everything).  Parenting has helped me understand this constant better.  There have been times that I have been aware of sorrows in Keagan's life, but I have not acted because he needed to learn those life lessons on his own.  It doesn't mean that I was uninvolved-- in fact one of the hardest things for me to do was to sit back, and let him learn on his own.

The last constant is that God is good.  He brings good things about in my life.  Being a God follower makes me a better person.  Period.  If I am TRULY following what He says, I'm a better person.  If I completely embrace the command of  "Love one another," then I am more kind, more loving, more generous, and  more compassionate than I normally would be.  It sets a high standard for me to try and attain.  And I fail often (but then I refer to constant number one, get up, and try again).  If I Forgive others like God asks, then I am a more peaceful member of society, more gracious, and more understanding.  And I fail at this often (refer back to constant number one, get up, and try again).  If I help others like God asks, then I am more generous, more welcoming, and more charitable.  And I fail at this often (again refer to constant number one, get up, and try again). However, this last constant is one of the main reasons I choose to be a God follower.  I am a better person for having God in my life.  I know the changes that God has rendered in me.  I know what I would be like without God in my life.

I am still striving to know and understand God.  And I am learning new things about Him everyday.  There are more constants about God that I didn't list.  I am not a theologian, a minister, or an expert. I'm just a simple person, going through life like everyone else.  I am aware that I will never fully comprehend God.  My little brain just can't handle it, or completely grasp all of what it means to be God.  That's ok.  There are many things in this life that I will never comprehend fully.  But I can say that I do know the One who does, and He loves me, He is aware of every aspect of my life, and He is good.

I'll leave you with a few photos of this beautiful, mysterious world we live in.

You have One Job….

"This is my command: Love each other."  John 15:17

"Our job is to love others without stopping to inquire whether or not they are WORTHY.  That is not our business, and in fact, it is nobodies business.  What you are asked to do is love."
                                                                                                                            Thomas Martin

Love, compassion, and kindness.  I think we can all agree, in theory, that our world needs more of those three gifts in action.  It sounds good to say things like practice love or compassion or kindness.  However, I think sometimes we focus on saying these words, but not putting them into action.  You see, in order for these ideas to come to life, to be more than just mere words on a page or spoken in the air, they must become a physical action.  A verb, so to speak.

I think there are some areas where we (and I am including myself in this we) almost always respond appropriately.  Most people respond to big emergencies, such as natural disasters, with an outpouring of love and kindness and compassion for those who are suffering.  It's easy to do when we feel like people are suffering unjustly, through no fault of their own.  I would say our response in those situations would rate at least a B+ if I were to grade such a thing.  It's good that we do this.  It is the right way to respond in those situations.

"We are ALL in need of mercy."  Dieter Uchtdorf

"Judgements prevent us from seeing the good that lies behind appearances."  Wayne Dyer

"A part of kindness consists in loving people more than they deserve."

"The most memorable people in your life are the ones that love you when you aren't very lovable."

Today, I'm talking about showing love, kindness and compassion to others when we feel that they might not deserve it.  And believe me, what I am about to say cuts me to the core of my being because I myself have been guilty of some of these things.  You see, it's easy to show compassion to the starving child in another country, yet not so easy to show the same compassion to the hungry homeless person you pass on the street.  We reason in our own minds that the child is helpless in their situation (which is true) and the homeless adult has made a choice that led them to where they are ( this might or might not be true).  We use this reasoning to apply to many situations.  We decide who is worthy to receive compassion based on what choices (good or bad) we believe they have made.  We see a person who is overweight, and judge that they have made choices to be that way, and therefore we treat them with less compassion, less kindness, less love.  We see a person using food stamps to purchase food we do not approve of, we see a teenage girl wear clothing we do not approve of, we see someone smoking, we see someone with tattoos or piercings, we see an unmarried girl who is pregnant, we see a kid on a sports team who always messes up, we disagree with another's opinion, we see someone living a lifestyle we do not approve of, we see someone living what we deem as too lavish a lifestyle, we see someone not giving enough (in our humble opinion), we see someone who does not volunteer enough, we see someone as too prideful, we see someone acting in a way that we do not approve of…….. OUCH!

We look and we judge.  We decide who deserves our kindness, compassion, and love and who doesn't.  And we feel justified in our belief that somehow, these people deserve less of our compassion, love, and kindness.  However, I am here to say that when we do this we are wrong.    Don't believe me?  Go back to the commandment in John at the top of the page.  It doesn't get any simpler than this statement:  Love each other.  You see, we are not commanded to judge whether or not someone is deserving of our love,  we are commanded to LOVE.  Period. Nothing more. Boy if you aren't as uncomfortable reading this as I am typing it, you may need to go back and re-read the previous paragraph.

And I do not want you to misunderstand what I am saying.  You can still show love, compassion and kindness to someone without approving of their choices.  Every year our church sends gifts to various inmates in local prisons.  That's what I am talking about.  You see, we are still treating them as human beings, regardless of their actions. We are not sending them letters pointing out all the ways in which they have done wrong and are deserving of their life.  We simply send little gifts. And if you still need convincing, let me tell you that God looks at you and loves you IN SPITE of your actions, decisions, etc…. You are a product of the grace, mercy, love, compassion and kindness God has shown/continues to show to you.  Even if you were the only person on this planet, your sin alone, would have required the sacrifice of Jesus to cover it.  Hmmmmmm…. that's humbling.  Every human being on this planet is God's creation, and as such, they are loved by God.  Everyone.  And if you think that God couldn't love a certain person, think again.  Throughout the Bible He showed his love for adulterers, thieves, liars, those with handicaps, murderers, prostitutes, the prideful, those who persecuted others,  the sick, the elderly, the disobedient, children, adults, ….. you get the picture.  God's love includes all, not just some.  And it is God's love for people that draws them to him.  Not judgement.  Not condemnation. Not fear. Not shame.  If you really want to draw people to God, do what God does, love them.

"There is knowledge.  There is wisdom.  The difference is compassion."

"In life you can never be too kind or too fair;  everyone you meet is carrying a heavy load.  When you go through your day expressing kindness and courtesy to ALL you meet, you leave behind a feeling of warmth and good cheer, and you help alleviate the burdens everyone is struggling with."
                                                                                                                                  Brian Tracy

"All around you there are people who are hurting, people who need your love, people who need your encouragement.  Let God use your gifts and talents to bless them."

"I would like my life to be a statement of love and compassion -- where it isn't, that's where my work lies."

So my challenge to myself and to you is to remember  that you have one job.  Your one job in this life is to love others.  That's it.  Such a simple, yet complex thing.  I want to always lean towards love in my interactions with others and away from judgement.  My goal is to treat everyone with love, kindness, and compassion.  I wish that I could say that this comes naturally to me with everyone I meet.  But the truth is, that sometimes I have to consciously choose to act and react that way.  But it is the most important job I have, and so I will continue striving to do  this to the the best of my ability, and with a lot of help from God.  I love this quote from Mother Theresa-

"I would rather make mistakes in kindness and compassion than work miracles in unkindness and hardness."

She is one of my personal heroes in life.  Her legacy to this earth is one of compassion, kindness and love. Speaking of love, I love to watch my son run hurdles at the track meets.  So I'll leave you with one photo today.  Go out in love this week and touch someone in a meaningful way!

Look Up!

 I can remember as a little girl, laying in the grass on a warm day and looking up at the sky, watching the clouds as they passed overhead.  I loved doing that!  I was reminded of this when I recently re-listened to one of my most favorite Ted talk videos the other day.

The video is  of time-lapse filmmaker Louie Schwartzberg sharing a part of his film project about happiness.  The cinematography is stunning to say the least, but I love, love, love the words spoken in the background by Benedictine Monk David Steindl-Rast.  I've viewed this video clip a multitude of times over the past few years and it never gets old.

But this time, these words caught my ear,

"Look at the sky.  We so rarely look at the sky.  We so rarely note how different it is from moment to moment with clouds coming and going…..The formation of clouds in the sky will never be the same as it is right now.  Open your eyes.  Look at that."

And in that moment, I began to start looking up again.  It has become my new favorite hobby.  I love it because I can do it anywhere I am.  It doesn't take long, just a moment.  Just a quick moment to look up in renewed wonder and awe of the simple beauty that God has surrounded me with.  

Just a quick moment to be reminded that the world is bigger than just the little space I am currently occupying.

Just a moment to enjoy how the light and warmth of the sun filters through the trees in order to allow the plants to grow.

How the clouds and sun combine together to streak the sky with beauty.  How the earth reflects the colors of the sky.

Just a moment to notice the many different shades of blue there are in the skies above me.

Looking up helps to remind me that there is something greater than myself.  That God brings beauty to everything, including the smallest details such as sky color and cloud placement.  Looking up reassures  me that God is involved and interested in details.  He enjoys creating beauty.  Which in turn reminds me that he is actively involved in creating moments of beauty in my life, all the time.  

So take a little time with me and start to look up and enjoy the beauty that God brings to your life and the world around you. And so, I'm wishing you a week full of beautiful and wondrous moments!

Sometimes Happy is Hard….

I think I am a fairly happy person.  But even for me, sometimes happy is hard..  What I mean by that is that I have days where it feels like I struggle to find the happy in that day.  I call them fragile days-- days where you are just feeling like your world is a little off kilter and you are feeling vulnerable. Thank God that for me, those are few and far between.  But I do have them. And I'm here to tell you that it's ok to have those days.  Now, I'm not  a minister or a therapist or anything like that, but I'll just share with you some of the ways I have found that help me deal with those days when my happiness is a little lost in left field.

Admit that you are having one of those days to yourself.  Then pray about it.  For me, I can often say things to God that I can't say to anybody else.  I can even vent my frustration and anger to him in a way that I might not with others.  And, if words fail me, there is at least some peace in knowing that He understands how I'm feeling even if I can't express it.  I find even the act of silently sitting still and just meditating about God can help calm the chaos inside.  Reminding myself that God is still in control. This quote says it all:

"Anything under God's control is never out of control."  Charles Swindoll

Admit that you need some support.  Call a friend or two or 20.  I personally hate to feel like I'm burdening someone with my problems, but sometimes you need help to carry the load.  That's what your friends are for.  Let them help you.  They are there to share in your life, both good and bad.  Proverbs 17:17 states that "A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity."  I find that even just the act of sharing with my friends what is going on helps.  It may not change the circumstances, but it does help you with that overwhelmed feeling you sometimes get.

Give yourself permission to take care of yourself.  Find a way to "treat" yourself in a small way.  For me, it may be giving myself time to sit down and read a book, watch a funny movie, spending time on Pinterest, or even treating myself to a Reese's Peanut Butter cup.  Whatever it is that you can do to just take care of yourself a little bit.

Lay the burden down and walk away from it for a while.  Seriously, it's ok to take a time out.  I tend to look for something that I can do that doesn't take a whole lot of thought, but enough so that my brain is occupied with other things.  Recently, I decided to paint parts of the inside of my house.  Much to my husbands dismay, I recruited him to help ;).  So, we put what I call my beach/travel playlist of songs on the stereo loudly, gathered supplies, and got moving.  The combination of movement, music that makes me happy and brings back some good travel memories, and the mindlessness of painting  large spans of wall seriously helped.  Later that evening we joined some good friends who had invited us out for dinner.  And I spent most of the day just talking and thinking about other things.  Reminding myself that there is more to my life. And guess what I found at the end of that day?  I found my happy.  The problems, concern, and issues were still there, but they were no longer overwhelming.

Make a list.  Ok, I will stop here and admit that I am a little bit of a compulsive list maker (probably insanely so).  But, I promise that this list will help you gain some perspective.  Divide the piece of paper into two columns, one labeled problems, one labeled blessings.   And you need to start with the blessings column first.  If you are sitting there and truly can't think of any blessing, let me help you get started.  You woke up today--today is a gift given to you.  Some people do not have that gift today.  God loves you--even if you do not feel His love today.  Did you eat well this morning?  If so, that's a blessing that many others across this planet do not have.  Can you read and write?  That's a blessing that many do not have.  Is the sun out?  That's a blessing.  Is it raining?  Moisture is a blessing-- there are many places that are struggling with drought.  I think you understand where I am coming from.  Start with wide, broad blessings and then begin to narrow it down to more personal blessings, such as your are blessed with a good friend named _______ (fill in the blank).  When you are done filling in the blessings side, then go and list your problems.  This should help you with perspective. Use this list to give equal thinking time to your blessings.  Often we give our problems too much thought, and our blessings not enough.

I know that these ideas are not new ideas, but they are practical, and they do provide me some help on those days where I feel like I've lost my happy.  Life can sometimes be very painful and hard.  Having ways to help deal with those moments will help you get through. If you've lost your happy, remember that God loves you, that I love you, and it's ok to feel that way.  But don't let yourself live long term without finding some way to have a few moments of happiness, even if your happy moment comes in the form of a small ice cream snack or funny quote.

I will leave you today with a few photos that make me smile.

There's a fine line between being passionate and being pushy

Have you ever found yourself making the statement, "What is wrong with people?"  Boy I have.  In fact, I was asking that question out loud after a recent conversation with a person I have known for a long time.  And, to be honest, when I left the conversation I was straight up annoyed, angry, disappointed, saddened, and shocked.  To say that it was an intensely passionate (not in a good way) conversation would be an understatement.  And I have to stop here and acknowledge something about myself.  I can handle a lot of stuff fairly calmly, but my personal achilles heel is my family.  Nothing brings out the Momma Bear, Xena Warrior Princess side of me more. I am passionately, fiercely,  and unwaveringly protective of my family.  I admit that I have a hard time being balanced when I am in that mode.  Which serves to remind me that I am still a work in progress.  Needless to say I felt that this persons sharing of his passion for a product became inappropriate pushiness, and I was done.

There is a difference between being passionate about something and being pushy. I have a strong dislike of pushiness. And yet,  I let my own passion turn into the pushiness that I so disliked in this other person.  Oh…. ouch!  You have no idea how hard it is for me, even sitting here typing this blog, not to continue to argue my case as to why I was right and he was so, so wrong.  I'm not saying that I was wrong in stepping in and saying something.  But, I can honestly say that I was so enveloped in my own passionate belief that I found myself thinking some very unkind things about this person.  Thank God I have at least learned to just think those things and not say them.  When I was younger, I probably would have said them-- and regretted it.  But, I hate that I even had those thoughts at all.  That I let myself lose sight, briefly, of the fact that this is another human being, whom I love, and who deserves to be treated as such.  So, I am refusing to let these negative feelings and thoughts  about this person fester in my mind anymore.  I am choosing to continue fostering the feelings of love I have for this person.  Regardless of how he may or may not feel about me.  That's one of the lessons I am still learning.

Which brings me to my point of there's a fine line between being passionate and being pushy.  I am grateful that we all have things that we are passionate about!  Passion is a good thing, most of the time.  But, if we are not careful, we can let passion turn into pushiness.  You can be passionate about an idea or subject or product and yet still allow room for the other person to choose not be passionate about that idea, subject, or product.  Passion shouldn't allow you to treat or talk to someone in a demeaning way.  Passion shouldn't force an idea, thought or product on a person.  And, passion should allow and acknowledge the other persons right to freedom of choice-- to make a choice that is different from the one you want them to make, without there being hard feelings.  Pushiness is when you do not allow for the other persons right to make a different choice.  Pushiness demeans and disrespects the other person.  Pushiness demands compliance or else.  Pushiness does not respect the feelings, thoughts and ideas of another person.  Pushiness forces love out of the way.  Pushiness passes judgement upon the other person for their choice. Pushiness doesn't take no for an answer. Pushiness causes rifts in the relationship. Pushiness makes people want to run away from you and your passion, instead of drawing them in.

So, you may be asking, how can I be passionate without being pushy?  I believe that love is the answer. Passion needs to be combined with love in order to be effective.  Love tempers passion, placing value on the relationship above the value of the idea, thought, or product.

"Love is patient, love is kind.  It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."  1 Corinthians 13:4-7

So, my challenge to myself and to you is to be passionate about things, but temper it with love.  And that's a life lesson I am still learning.

With that said, I will leave you with a photo of my cat, who is sometimes a little pushy in his demands for attention.  But I still love him all the same ;)

Happiness is in the simple things

I have found that for me, happiness is found in the simple things.  Things like the simple song above.  For me, happiness is:  When I hear my son come through the front door after track practice and yelling "Hi Mom!"  The sound of the birds singing in the morning. Giving my wonderful husband a kiss goodbye as he leaves for work. Lunch with a friend. Taking time each morning to pray with my son before he goes to school.

Happiness  is when I look out my window and notice how beautifully the snow has covered the branches of the trees.

I find joy in watching the deer come up to snitch birdseed out of the feeder in the morning.  Although I do admit to having a love/hate relationship with them because they also enjoy snitching flowers out of my gardens.

My point is that most happiness is found in the small things.  I think we are under the misconception that it takes "big" events or things to make us happy.  Or, we believe that we will only be happy when everything is "perfect" in our life.  I have news for you, if you are waiting for the next big thing or for your life to be perfect in order to find happiness, you will be disappointed more often than not.   

I'll even take it one step further, you have to look for happiness.  In order to do this, you need to be mindful of what is going on around you.  You need to slow down a little, take in the details, look for the little things that bring happiness and joy to your life.  And, you need to be grateful for the little things.  Happiness and gratefulness go hand in hand.  Finding happiness or gratefulness requires that you embrace a sense of child-like wonder.  Instead of ignoring a moment because it is routine, look at that everyday moment differently.  When you take a sip of coffee, stop and savor it instead of rushing through to the next sip.  When you hear your child laughing, stop and really listen to it.  Let the sound fill you up.  When you see a sunset, stop and watch it take place.

I promise you that if you truly look for it, you can find sparks of joyful moments in your life.  And the good thing is that when you get in the habit of looking for and being grateful for those joyful moments, you discover that there is no limit to those small moments.  Even when you are in pain.  Even when most things are going horribly wrong.  Even then.  I believe it's God's gift to you during tough times, when you find those little snippets of time where happiness, even in the smallest form, creeps in and shows it's face.

So I challenge you to take the time to look for the simple, small moments that make you feel joyful or happy and take the time to be grateful for those moments.  I'll leave you with a few things that have brought me some happiness this week.  Have a great day!

Watching my cat enjoying the sunbeam while sitting on the back of my favorite reading chair.

Watching the sun filter through the trees.  Look at how it lights up the whole forest with golden light.

The joyful sound this machine makes every morning when it grinds and brews my coffee beans.

Making Banana bread for my family.  Enjoying the smell of it baking as it fills the whole house with yummy scents of banana and cinnamon.

Finding a great new cookbook on sale.  It was marked down to $5 which I thought was a great price.  Then finding out at the checkout counter that it was further on sale and I only paid 2 cents for it.  2 cents!  Yeah!

Walking into the grocery store and spying these little beauties.  They make lei's out of them in Hawaii.  So, I picked up two bunches and brought home my own little piece of paradise.

Spring is Coming!

This morning as I sit here listening to the birds make all kinds of happy noises, I am reminded that Spring is coming!  It is supposed to be a beautiful 70 degrees today.  Hallelujah!

I think that I am speaking for a lot of us in saying that spring cannot get here soon enough.  I am ready to shake off the greys of winter and move on to the fresh green of spring. I have begun to see buds forming on the trees and I can't wait until they start to leaf out.

I am ready for flowers, and the sound of happy bees collecting pollen, and tree frogs singing at night, and fuzzy caterpillars, and blue skies! I am ready to be outside in the sunshine.  I am ready to be warm.

I like color, and springtime around here presents an amazing array of colors to view.  I don't know if it's the lack of color in the winter that makes the colors seem so brilliant, or if they truly are that way.  But I love how bright the greens are, how white the whites are, how pink the pinks are etc…. in the springtime.

In other words, I am ready for fresh new color in my life!  How about you?  To me, spring is always a reminder to jump back into life with full force.  I don't know about you, but I have a tendency to sit and kind of hibernate during the last part of January clear through the middle of March.  It's easy during those months to just sit back and let life pass by.  I get a little too comfortable with the status quo.  But, I really don't want to live my life that way.  You miss too much when you do.  

So my challenge to myself and to you is to take this spring season and jump back into life!  It's time to come out of the cave and experience all that life has to offer.  Try new things.  Get out and explore!  Look for signs of new life.  Enjoy the things that bring sunshine into your life.  Get ready, because Spring is Coming!

You are not forgotten

An old high school friend posted this quote today and it struck me:

"He who counts the stars and calls them by their name is in no danger of forgetting His own children. "  Spurgeon

Have you ever had a point in your life where you felt forgotten? Maybe by a friend, a loved one,  or maybe even by God?  It's a terrible feeling!  That feeling of utter loneliness.  Complete aloneness.

This brings to mind a scene in the Lord of the Rings series.  I'll try and paint the picture for you.  Frodo is the unlikely hero of this story.  He's a small hobbit, without much experience in life, who is tasked with the burden of saving the whole world by destroying the ring that is giving power to evil.     There is only one place that can destroy the ring, and it requires a treacherous and dangerous journey. He starts out with eight companions that are going to try and help him with this task.  One by one, his companions must leave him to complete his task without them.  All except his true friend Sam, who manages to stick by his side through thick and thin.  However, there becomes a point where Sam is not by his side. Frodo, in a fit of anger, has driven Sam away.  And this is where we pick up the story.  Frodo has been led into a dark cave.  He's by himself.  He can't see.  The feeling is one of fright, and utter aloneness. Although he doesn't know it, he is being stalked by a huge  man-eating spider.  He feels the danger, but none of his companions are around to help protect him.  He is facing down this danger completely by himself.

Sometimes, life can feel like that cave.  Dark, scary, and dangerous.  And you may feel like Frodo-completely alone, feeling inadequate, unprotected, and unprepared to face the problem in front of you.  Ever been there?

Well, if you are feeling like you are in that cave, I have some good news for you.  You are not forgotten.  You may be in a cave, but you are not alone in there.  And you are not defenseless.  How do I know this?  I've been there.  And I've learned that I'm not alone.  God has been and will continue to be with me through every step.  But don't just take my word for it.  Here's what it says in the Bible.

"Who marches this army of stars out each night, counts them off, calls each by name?  So magnificent!  So powerful-- and never overlooks a single one?  Why would you ever complain, O Jacob, or whine, Israel, saying God has lost track of me.  He does't care what happens to me.  Don't you know anything?  Haven't you been listening?  God doesn't come and go, God lasts.  He's creator of all you can see or imagine.  He doesn't get tired out, doesn't pause to catch His breath.  And He knows everything, inside and out. "  Isaiah 40:26-28  the message

" I've picked you. I haven't dropped you.  Don't panic, I'm with you.  There's no need to fear for I'm your God.  I'll give you strength.  I'll help you.  I'll hold you steady, keep a firm grip on you."  Isaiah 41:9-10  the message

Now, just a little more about Frodo and the cave.  Frodo, hearing noises and becoming even more afraid, suddenly remembers that he was given a container by Galadriel that contains the light of a star.  He remembers when she handed it to him she said, "I give you the light of Earendil, our most beloved star.  May it be a light for you in dark places, when all other lights go out."  

And so that is what I hope you get from these verses today.  If you find yourself in a dark cave, feeling all alone, remember these verses.  And I hope that they are a light for you in dark places, when all other lights go out.

Speaking of lights, I'll leave you today with a couple of photos of the amazing lights in the the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul.  This building, now a museum, started out as a Byzantine Basilica and was later used as an imperial mosque.  The museum is now in the process of restoring the Byzantine church paintings on the walls that were painted over at one time.  It is a beautiful structure.  But I fell in love with the beautiful, large, stunning light fixtures while there.