Skip to main content

After the Rain


It was such a beautiful day, one in which I was glad I lived in California. Pouring myself a fresh coffee cup, I peaked out the window at the small hole framed by our trees and fence, catching a glimpse of the bright snow capped peak. The backyard tree was sputtering leaves as a small group of colorful, finch like birds hopped off and on every branch. They were so chirpy, and their colors lit up the tree with hues of yellow, orange, green, and blue. It would be a good day to ride up the hill. . .

I started out with the intention for pictures, so I added my camera bag onto my back. Right away, I felt weak; I hadn't ridden as much as I had before winter and the time change, and now was I losing the strength in my legs? My mind was all cluttered and seemed out of sync with the nicely, neat earth washed white from the the storms. Why does it seem there is never enough? Why no matter how hard that you work, there seems to be such incredible gaps; gaps that grow bigger and seem hard to fill. Why do I struggle with all that's unknown, fearful of long new roads before me? When will it end, how it will all play out? My mind's a lament, my heart full of tears. . .

But I kept on pedaling, taking my picture shots too. I kept thinking the higher I'll go, the better view that I'll find. I arrived at the top and made a discovery, the beautiful peaks were almost completely blocked out by green barren foothills. In fact, as I started back down I realized the view was much better from my own street as I could totally see the whole glorious range. That's when I realized how introspection can be my defeat, I can focus so much on just one aspect, on what I only see as facts. Yet, my Savior is gently reminding me in so many ways, His perspective is greater and broader than my eyes could ever see. He's got the full spectrum, the whole mountain range and more! It's always a matter of trust, do I trust Him in this? Do I trust Him today? My answer has got to be yes! So I pedal on one day at a time, and thank Him instead for these days after rain. . .

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

But . . .

  I had to pause for a moment, as I began reading the text this early morning.  But they, our fathers, acted arrogantly:  they became stubborn and would not listen to Thy commandments."  (Nehemiah 9:18).    How often do I find myself verbalizing "but? what about? what then? what if? really?" All the phrases that feed doubt and angst into my life are found in that one conjunction.  Memory stands as the faithful argument against it, but when faced with future days all seems easily forgotten.  This verse comes to a people who had returned to their homeland after being ravaged and exiled by foreign powers.  Nehemiah is reminding them of who they are, and especially of their one and only God who has forever been faithful to them despite  their faithlessness and wrongdoing.  He reminds them how God is a God of forgiveness, slow to anger, longsuffering, overflowing with lovingkindness, never forsaking them even when He was totally forgott...
Post a Comment
Read more

Summer Breeze

  Gypsy Rose immediately prances to the back door as she hears her name.  We are ready for our morning walk, which has started later than usual, since I have some of these summer days off.  But it is still early enough to catch the morning breeze.  Walking south, I am refreshed by feeling the gentle wind all around me, it's a cool wrap in contrast to the summer sun.  But it all seems to disappear as I turn the corner and head west, my summer breeze is gone.  I am at a loss for it even as I continue north and east.  It's only as I begin the southern sidewalks back home that I am met with the blissful breeze.  I realize that though I wasn't feeling it for most of my steps, it was there all along, I just had to turn the right direction to get relief . . .  Sometimes, that is how my relationship with God seems.  Yes, I know He is ever near and is with me, but I don't feel that fact.  Sometimes my prayers seem to be in a vacuum, and I'm ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Brief Moments of Grace

  "But now for a brief moment grace has been shown from the Lord our God, to leave us an escaped remnant and to give us a peg in His holy place,  that our God may enlighten our eyes and grant us a  little reviving in our bondage." (Ezra 9:8)   Summer welcomes me today with a cloudy cool morning and a subtle fresh breeze.  The day is probably teasing me with moderate temperatures before it will launch into more robust sunlight and heat.  The scorching temperatures have given an abundance of tomatoes, bush beans and yellow squash in my garden, while tormenting the kale, cilantro, spinach and herbs.  My refreshment is found swimming laps in the pool and teaching or rather reminding Gypsy Rose to stay in her lane while we swim together.  Days seem to run together, slip away too fast, as I often feel locked in a routine of sleep, work, cook, repeat. I know that I need to pause and reflect, because even in that daily ritual are God's brief moments of gr...
Post a Comment
Read more