This Journey is My Own

If you have ever read Gary Thomas' Sacred Pathways or heard Bill Hybels unpack the concept, you will understand what I mean when I say my primary pathway is a "relational" one.  Those for whom solitude sometimes sounds like solitary confinement.  I see God best and "feel" closest to Him as I see Him portrayed in the lives of others.  And, God has been overwhelmingly gracious to allow me opportunity for wonderful, encouraging relationships in every chapter of my life.  But I will admit that on more than one occasion, that has given me much to think about, since I am single.

This morning, Sara Groves' song (blog title) caught my attention.

When I stand before the Lord, I'll be standing alone.

This journey is my own.

Still I want man's advice, and I need man's approval,

but this journey is my own.

Why would I want to live for man

and pay the highest price?

What would it mean to gain the world,

only to lose my life?

So much of what I do is to make a good impression.

This journey is my own.

So much of what I say is to make myself look better.

This journey is my own.

I have never felt relief like I feel it right now.

This journey is my own.

'Cause trying to please the world it was breaking me down,

it was breaking me down.

Now I live and I breathe for an audience of one,

now I live and I breath for an audience of one.

Now I live and I breathe for an audience of one,

'cause I know this journey is my own.

You can live for someone else,

and it will only bring you pain.

I can't even judge myself.

Only the Lord can say, "Well done."

Sometimes it is a fine line, leaning into and learning from the relationships He has so graciously provided and making sure I see Him as my only audience.  I am thankful to be able to walk alongside others as we each take our own journeys.

The joys of being a geek

The scary part is, I'm not even a good geek.  But I have a blast trying!  Maybe it's because I have just enough info to usually be able to guess next steps and almost enough fear to know when I am in over my head.  And, it's my way to be able to "help" family and friends and that makes it fun, too.

The info part does come from a good series of mistakes.  Like the first time I tried to "fix" a certain Children's Ministry Director's laptop... and ended up frying the motherboard.  Learned a lot on that one!  Or the more recent hosing of my Peruvian friend's internet connection, which prompted us to PRAY for a tech support person who spoke English.  Then there was the "whoops" of reloading a certain pastor & family's computer, and the reload NOT being enough, so that I got to do it one more time.

  

But, that is the joy of computers, in one way.  When all else fails (as long as you have a good backup), you can always start fresh, one more time, until you get it right ...if the hardware isn't as old as PacMan and Frogger, that is.

I like that part - the opportunity to start with a totally clean slate, one more time.

It's not a game

Friday, I had opportunity to attend a political rally.  I was glad I went.  Interesting to see the hype and catch the flavor of what was going on.  The techie part of me spent time looking at lights and computers (was in a position to look over the shoulder of the teleprompter technician and see the final speech arrive via USB drive - that was fun!), while the business admin part of me was looking at crowd management techniques and security response teams.  (Yes, I am a geek!)

Yes, as I said, I was glad I went, but I will admit, I came away pretty disillusioned.  The hype and presentation were all for show, and were seemingly of no consequence.  I seriously doubt that anyone there walked away having changed their mind at any level about the coming election.  I felt a little like a junior higher at the assembly where they introduce candidates for student council.  The candidate with the most locker signs or the one giving away candy usually wins.

I am overwhelmingly thankful for the freedoms we have in this country, but I sure wish we had a better way of electing our leaders, rather than playing the game of generating support through mega-hype.  It's such a serious responsibility.  I know, and I am again thankful, that there is a sovereign God who sets up and takes down rulers to accomplish His own purposes.  I also know, if "my" side doesn't play by the rules that have somehow been tacitly established, "we" are unlikely to win.  I just wish we didn't behave like it was just a game.

Clouds

I like clouds when they are little wisps in a bright blue sky.  I love flying above the clouds, looking down on the "other-worldly" landscape of them.  I usually don't care for them at all when they are heavy and gray and block out every speck of anything else worth seeing in the sky.

This morning, I gained a new appreciation of clouds.  When it truly is the very darkest, they capture what little light there is and reflect it in a way that makes it very easy to see next steps.  You might not be able to see the glory of the stars, but you can see the way to go right now.  Which is really all we need anyway, right?

Lite Brite

Yes, it has been a while since you have seen anything posted here.  I think it is because I was not sure there was anything profound or even entertaining to say.  But, this morning, I had a "simple" thought, so here you go.

Do you remember Lite Brite?  Putting that piece of black paper on the frame, poking all the little colored pegs in on top of the "Y" and "G" and other letters to form an image?  (Or making your own design if you were visually creative or daring.)  And then, you turned on the light and a marvelous picture was revealed as the light shined through all the little pegs.

This morning, the stars reminded me of Lite Brite.  Sort of like God poking little clear pegs in the black of the sky, some larger than others, to let just a little of His light out in our direction.  I loved the picture.