PERSPECTIVE

Yesterday I saw brilliant hues of pinkish orange from the corner of my eye and ran to grab my camera to catch this beautiful sunset. Even my fancy-shamshey camera could not put its lens around it's true beauty as my own eyes could. I love watching the sun set because it's during this twilight time of the day that God faithfully displays a small piece of His splendor, just for us! How awesome He is and how sad it is that we get so caught up in our lives that we don't stop to take a breath and watch His splendor. Just like His faithful sunsets He is always there for us!

My husband shared with me the other day about how important it is to him that he teaches our boys to men that love God. He said, "The only thing that should ever be important to them is this (he pointed up and down) their relationship with God, and not this (he pointed side to side) the world and all it's faults/issues, because this... (pointing side to side) is, and will continue to fall all around them, they live in a fallen world!"

I can't tell you how this small moment touched me, its so simple! How often do I get caught up in my little world (bickering, meals, world issues, cleaning, shopping, bills, activities, working out... no wait, delete that one, appointments, issues with Abby...) I could go on and on. Each day since he shared this with me I have preached at myself this very valuable lesson and it is incredible how it has changed my perspective! It has actually allowed me to un-wind, stop and breath and focus on a new perspective (well not new, about 2000 year old) instead of continually winding up. Try it, although I will tell you that it is very easy to fall back in to winding up... So, if your anything like me, don't give up... keep preaching to yourself this very simple yet valuable nugget of gold!

This is an exert from my morning devotion today, hope it encourages you as it has me.

Disappointments that come, not by our own folly... they are trials from heaven. It is our own fault if they prove not to our advantage. To see the hand of God in them, with humble submission to His will, is the way to turn our water into wine and engage the greatest love and mercy on our side. If we look only at our losses, consider how little we deserve what is left. Our passion will cool, and our murmers will turn into thankfulness. In Him, His humble, sincere disciples find more than all that they lose in the world. All we have is the Almighty's; and shall not God have His own when He calls for it? Discontentedness is not only in such a case ingratitude, but injustice. For we are both un-thankful for the time we had it, and not honest enough to restore it, if we could keep it. It is hard for us to look on things in such a glass, and at such a distance from the low world; and yet it is our duty, and would be wise and to our advantage to do so. William Penn

Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. Colossians 3:2

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:8-9

"I know the plans I have for you, " declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hop and a future." Jeremiah 29:11