Friday, June 29, 2007

Obedience

"God gives us all the knowledge we need in order to be obedient,
not all the knowledge we want in order to be omniscient."

~ J.J.D.

Monday, June 25, 2007

Nobility Captured

There are often times in life where our personal nobility is captured through the altering circumstances that encompass our lifestyles. I was with a client last week and was flipping through a photography book, while he was in an appointment. This quote perplexed me in such a different way. It was the snapshot of life that flashed before me in that moment.

The noble world that we live in is captured daily in the simplest forms. The waters flow, spring, spin, and even trickle by in our lives. It is how we stay a float that captures our nobility in times of crisis. During these snapshots we are at times lonely and feel as if we can't go on. The rushing tide comes along and pulls us into the riptide. Nobility captures the soul within the rushing tide and allows the lonely waters to embrace a new dimension of flowing.

The secret keeping stones are there silently awaiting the tides arrival, and knowing that life's trials aren't worth worrying about. The secret keepers are found in the trees, flowers, birds...etc. The nature that embodies us everyday. The nobility of life can be captured through seeing the beauty of nature. The snapshot of beauty is exemplified in the silences of the secrets. The sliding shutter opens to allow the beauty shine and capture the snapshot of life.

Along the path there are snapshots that are hard to not only capture; but to aspire to take. Nobility captures the spirit and allows the flowing sky to shine. It is the silver lining that is highly anticipated in any life. The snapshot that exclaims nobility captured my soul.


But look how noble the world is,
The lonely-flowing waters,
The secret-keeping stones,
The flowing sky.

~Robinson Jeffers

Saturday, June 16, 2007

Fragments and Particles

It seems to me that life is created by the moments that we embrace with our hearts. The fragments and particles of life that go unnoticed until we, ourselves, give notion to the light of truth.

When life happenings are out of the ordinary, and typically left for us to simplify, people are less likely to cascade into the reality of the situation. Some people bypass it all together, not wanting to establish a change of pace within their own life. Some people tend to dabble at their monotonous situation, and ponder the ramifications of the alluring possibilities. Then there are those people who take note of their situation....and cautiously, subtly notice life happening. Questioning motives and thoughts every step of the way. Sometimes causing them to run and not exemplify the truth of their heart. When a person doubts and questions the fragments of life that are the most profound, they realize that through the happening of life, they have most fully grasped who they are as a person.

The people that dabble....they never fess up, and are usually very non committal amidst the situation. They are the ones that walk by and notice that you exist...but never speak. They have notion that you would get along and they embrace the smile that you give. However, they are the ones who question the reason for the smile...and give subtly nuances to the fact that they enjoy seeing you smile. They question the possibilities...of the could haves, the have nots, and the what ifs. Typically, there jesters speak volumes about who they are and where they stand.

The people that bypass...are those who really don't care. They are the ones who are just living the happenings of life and never grasping the ground breaking truth behind the experiences that they are facing. They tend to even deny that they lived specific stories in their life that truly touched the deepest part of their soul. Sad really, how these people just merely exist not embracing the reality of the fragments that have been given to them to experience. It truly is a tragic way to live life.

At one time or another...I have been all three of these people. In given situations and experiences that I have faced...perplexity always steered me back to desiring the truth of matters that I encounter. The fragments and particles of life were skewed leaving me to figure it out for myself. There were times of utter confusion, and times of true denial. When I chose to bypass those situations it left me feeling useless, almost wondering if I had any feelings at all. I didn't like not being honest with myself...and eventually the notion of denial led me to the reckoning of the truth in my spirit. Bypassing the fragments of life can be easy in the moment that they are happening, but can also be very detrimental to the soul.

Dabbling...I think in my life this is where I have been the most. It's as if I wanted to reach out, but the fear inside of me quenched my soul from doing so. I became content with living life as just a bystander and realizing that my questioning was causing me to live out the answers. The smiles of people who passed me by, left me questioning who I was and what did I have to offer to this world. The mere existence of one is great and who knew there could be such tragedy behind knowing a face. This type of living is consistent and yet clarity screams to be defined. It's an ebb and flow of grasping genuine reality without ever embracing the notion of truth. Living this particle of life causes one to reflect on the philosophical schemes in the human race and question different communicative ways to bring light to the situation.

Through the doubt and fear a person emerges and find who they really are. They grasp reality and give notion to the truth. The become someone through experiencing the growing pains of choosing to live truth. Truth to the soul and embracing life with their heart. Touching the life of another and giving acceptance with a smile. Clarity never given, nor ever expected, just wanting to define yourself and where you stand. Living life encompasses bypassing fragments, taking note of particles, and dabbling with the truth. Life extends even beyond these moments, allowing the questions to be the answers that ultimately form who we are. Moments that cause ourselves to embrace the fragments and particles of life for the light of truth to be shown. All life experiences give notions to who we are and how we shine our light.

Friday, June 15, 2007

Slumber Sleep

Capture the stars,
that leave their mark,
by the twinkling hope,
that lingers in the dark.

Cherish the dark,
that restores the soul,
by the slumber sleep,
that silences the light of day.

Carry the light,
that dims the despair,
by setting the blaze,
that shines a new day!

Wednesday, June 13, 2007

Enduring Hardship

Often times people think that love is something that happens that sends two hearts into an oblivion and allows a couple to live happily ever after. At times, I think this is possible. However, I believe that love has a deeper meaning than living happily ever after.

Love can be shown in different ways. Love can symbolize and mesmerize and allow one to question everything that he/she is as a person. Love can embrace the warmth of a smile and love can simply run. Eventually, living out love is something that must be played out before ever embracing the happily ever after.

I have had my share of seeing beautifully written love stories lived out and experienced right before my eyes. These stories have given me more hope to just keep trusting in the Lord for the beautiful hand written story that He has for me. The truth is when it comes to love...and given my past it is completely understandable...love is something that is truthfully hard for me to grasp. I have experienced so much unconditional love in my life, that I fear it will never be found in this life. My parents set the bar extremely high and though I am grateful for what I have experienced...I know that not everyone experiences a happily ever after love.

Others live through love....they experience a moment and realize that with chemistry and commonalities it can work. Though it may be hard and at times, heart wrenching, they deal and accept the utter fact...that well love brought us together and love will keep that bond.

Yes, love is hard...however, it should not be painfully hard...living through tumultuous doubt and fear of loosing love along the way can tear the soul and leave one in pieces. Hardship...is something that happens before ever falling in love. It is the journey that proceeds that happily ever after moment that allows the genuineness of love to be real. Without hardship...one could never have a true/genuine love story. You have to learn how to stand on your own without ever embracing another, before true and genuine love can find one's soul . You have to love yourself in order to give the love you have in your heart to another. Most of all...Love stems from the Father...He is love....and with His love...stories can be written. They can stand the test of time, and truly touch the depths of the heart. Love has so many ideals...but the truth is... if one can live out the test before ever embracing the soul of another....than the beauty of that love is found through the hardship.

The hardship that each person experiences before connecting with the soul that is meant for them is the foundation of what will eventually lead them to the happily ever after that is so desired.

Evidently, enduring hardship is apart of the road that gives a couple the stability and strength to embrace the destiny of two hearts. Once the rough terrain is walked and life has played out, and the hardship has disappeared, that is when the happily ever after begins.

Saturday, June 9, 2007

Unseen Certainty

The uncertainty of life surrounds us constantly, leaving us questioning the true unseen certainty. We live in a world of constant change and what might be acceptable in one moment isn't quite acceptable in another. Out of the uncertainty of this world, there is a creativity that is born from within ourselves that motivates our personal courage and enables us to release the certainties that we cherish.

Releasing these certainties, what we know to be true, allows our creativity to spin cycles in life, challenging us to proceed with faith and courage. When we embrace the creativity in our personal souls, and cling to the courage in our hearts, the two converge and what seemed to be an uncertainty of life, has truly been just a glimpse of how to let our certainties go.

For Christians, the certainty in life is Creation: knowing that we are created in the image of God. However, with this notion we are human, and our nature, at times fails. We must have courage and faith to keep pursuing the life of certainty among the uncertain world. The motivation of Faith for a Christian is usually stemmed from the uncertainties of life, to allow our personal faith to strengthen. During these times of strife we are forced to let go of our certainties and cling to that we know to be true; faith, courage, hope, love, and salvation. Eventually, there comes a time where we must release the certainties in this life and cling to an unseen certainty.

Creativity requires the courage to let go of certainties.
~Erich Fromm

Friday, June 8, 2007

Satisfaction

What makes one satisfied in this life? What ables a person to look at life with clear rose glasses and see all of life's perfection rather than it's flaws? I honestly wish I was more of the person that could pass all the flaws of this life and see perfection. I wish so badly that I could become satisfied in this life. I typically can find optimism in most situations and thrive on being at peace within life situations that arise.

There come certain realms that I am finding it harder and harder to just be satisfied. I am a person who has many blessings in this life to offer up to God and give Him the praise and glory for bringing me through life situations because of His grace and mercy. However, I have hit a crossroad in my path in this life. I find myself striving more and more to figure out what my true destiny is to live out on this earth, and find myself surrendering in battle's left and right to get me there. I find myself constantly questioning life, and it's authentic Ora that life itself possesses. I question God often about life situations that have been thrown at me and to some degree find it hard not to be frustrated at Him at times. Not at all do I want to blame God for the hardships and persecutions that I have faced...but I simply want reason behind these afflictions that He has chosen me to walk through.

I believe that God walked the hardest road of any of us. He paid the price for us when He died on that cross...and that I am forever grateful for. He walked through many hardships and times of persecution....but because of His undeniable love for His people, He chose to endure and pay the price of love for all to accept; if they desired.

I am sure that somewhere along the 33 years of His life here on earth that He had feelings of dissatisfaction. I believe he still does, every time His people sin against Him. However, He still accepts us back into His loving arms, even when we have disappointed Him.

Though He may have felt as if He wasn't satisfied at times, He still endured pain, hardship, and persecution...and above all...He still loved. Amidst unsatisfied times...He loved and He gave love to His people, and still does.

I question God about my own personal satisfaction in this life. What more can I do to show that love? How can I become satisfied through the fire? These questions are often raised in my own heart...and often I hear Him say...just love through the fire. Through unsatisfied times and fiery situations...just love and trust Me every step of the way...and Satisfaction will be found.

Life itself may not present the Ora of perfection, but satisfaction can be found through the flaws in which we choose to embrace; to love.