After several futile attempts to rent a DVD entitled, Georgia O'Keeffe, from Red Box I had to resort to seeking it out at the local library. Let me tell you it is a very popular one to view. I had to wait several weeks for a copy. Today was the day I viewed it. I had no idea she lived a life that in my opinion was not a life of romance and true love. By true love I mean that she captured solely the heart of her husband. He cheated on her and she found I believe peace when she was away from him able to create the most exquisite paintings of her time. When I look at her creations I use to not help wonder if she created this incredible beauty through her eyes and life that was filled with love. Do not judge a piece of artwork or a home that has a coifed lawn with gorgeous landscaping as a place of true love and peace reigning in that home.
As I began to write I was reminded of the times I would walk the neighborhood when I was still married. So many times I would see a home or beautiful yard filled with flowers and could not help wonder if this creation on their property stemmed from a home filled with love. My very own home at the time had flowers planted in the yard and I could not help wonder that if someone went past my home and saw the flowers if they thought this surely must be a happy home when in fact the happiness was replaced with restlessness. Do not judge a person by what you see on the outward appearance for it is their heart that will reveal the true state of their life. Do not be quick to judge for your very words of judgement can crush their tender and delicate spirit. Refrain from judgement and just learn to be a good listener. Sometimes they can be in a state of not being able to think beyond that very day and not look beyond that very day.
Help them out. They may be a great planner but when the big things come into their life they just may need a bit more help than you think. What would normally be an easy task for them may be a challenge for them in that time of their life. I am sure if you look back you will remember when a kindness truly helped you out. I remember a particular moment right now. I was basically responsible for packing up a whole house on my own when I was about to move and our house sold. I remember a dear friend of mine that I had recently met offered to drive out (almost an hour drive) to my home and she spent time with me as I packed up my china and good serving pieces from my china cabinet. If she would have not spent the time with me that day I do not know if I would have truly been ready for the movers on the day we moved. I remember packing the kids in the van and saying goodbye to our home to start a new journey in a new city. Bittersweet is all I can call that. They liked Mr. Hero and we stopped at the local one and got it to go for the road trip. I loved that home we lived in prior to the sadness that filled that home. Blue is a very good color and I find it to be soothing and my living room and dining room had a beautiful shade of blue on the walls with a deeper shade of blue that was used to paint the trim and my fireplace. The fireplace was the focal point for pictures to be taken and I loved to have fresh flowers on the mantle whenever we would have a gathering. I also decorated it for the various seasons too.
Enough of the past, let me share with you my new and favorite song that has been playing in the background as I hit "repeat" while I am writing. I found this song yesterday and it is by Juanita Bynum entitled, "This Is My Passion." I cannot share the words with you for this did not come with the words printed I have to actually listen to this one and write them down while I listen. I just wish they would enclose the words with the CD it would be so much easier.
Here are a few of the words:
This is my passion telling the world about Jesus. This is my passion shouting out loud of his goodness and how he gives beauty for ashes making his glory known. This is my passion shouting out loud of his goodness giving beauty for ashes making his glory known the one I lived for my life he died for silver and gold could never pay the cost of the ransom he paid for me. This is my passion this is my passion.
There are a lot more words I just will have to figure them out and then I will share them with you. I was always drawn to the artwork of Georgia O'Keeffe because of my love for flowers and she just had a way of capturing the essence of true beauty. As I was able to see this via her creations it reminds me that we should also look at the beauty in our lives. Do not dwell on past hurts but capture the beauty of the past blessings that caused you to become the lady or man that you are today. There are so many moments left in your life. Choose to celebrate your life and not look back upon those and the things that brought hurt into your life. When I see my rose bush outside I could choose to see it as green since there are no bloomed flowers on it today. I do not choose to see it like that for I see the life in it. In a few short days I will see seven roses bloomed on it. Do not look at life as regrets or failure. Look at it with the eyes of what you accomplished. Think back on the lives that you have touched in a profound way. You may think that that simple kindness or piece of wisdom you shared with another was just a few short words (or it could be many words too) or thoughts but you really have to take credit for much more than you think. For you see, they were reaching out to others in their life and the others did not respond and you come along with your kindness and give encouragement when they were crying out to the Lord for some sort of confirmation on what the next step will be.
In my lifetime I have packed up a home a few times and let me tell you there is a lot of work to it and organization too. Isn't it funny that each time you move you get rid of things that you think you will not need or have any use for and it feels good to pitch stuff. It really does. You move to your new home and it seems like you don't have enough stuff to fill it. In a matter of a few years you have accumulated stuff again and the home if filled with your little touches that make it a home. You look around and wonder how in the heck did I accumulate this stuff. When I moved in it really was quite comfortable but you just need more of your touch to make it home.
It is just stuff and it will not go with you when we go to heaven (that is if you are going to heaven.) It will also not go with you if your final demise is hell. Maybe with me talking about clearing out the stuff you do not need, this just may be a good time to ask you if you have filled your life with stuff but not taken the time to fill your life with the most important person? Things will come and go in your life along with people too. Do not put your trust or hope in going to heaven based on what a wonderful person you are or tried to be. That will not get you there. All you have to do is acknowledge that you are a sinner and ask Jesus to forgive your sins. He was born of a virgin, suffered and was beaten and took on your sins as he was beaten and bruised. He died on a cross and he rose from the dead three days later. If you believe this in your heart then repeat a simple prayer with me and you can have the very assurance that if you were to die tonight you would be in heaven for eternity..."Jesus, I am a sinner and I confess my sins to you (if you feel led to say what the sins are He is listening to you) forgive my sins and cleanse me with the blood that you shed for me when you were beaten and died for me. I want a fresh life with you in it change my heart and teach me of your ways. Come into my heart and be the ruler of my life. I surrender my ways to you and teach me your ways and what my purpose and plan is for my life. Teach me to love the unlovely and to reach out to the hurting and show me how to have a heart for those that you have a heart for. Let me feel your presence and teach me to know your true presence when I hear the word of God either in a church or when I read it in my bible. I want to fulfill all that was planned for my life way back when before I was ever born. Thank you that I will be with you in heaven not because of what I do but because you did it all just for me. I love you Jesus make my heart pliable and tender to the heart of the Father. In Jesus name I pray this. Amen."
Congratulations, this truly will be the best day of the rest of your life. Holy Spirit I ask you to seal the very words spoken into their hearts and bless them with your peace, grace, wisdom and love.
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