"Just a Thought"

" The idea of time passing by, 

it's melancholy moments turning to nothing but breathless, lifeless memories, 

is intoxicating to the poetic soul. 

The intrigue lies within the idea that there are a million feelings in existence that flit through the shadows of your mind and echo in the depths of your heart that cannot be sculpted into words. 

It is not from lack of ability, rather, that no language can quite has the capacity to contain the melancholic idea of time."

                                                                -  Riley Rose

Whimsical Wednesdays

           “There

~Are only~

-two ways-

 to live your life.

 One is as though nothing is a miracle.

The other is as though everything is a miracle.”

                                                                                                                                     ~ Albert Einstein                                                                                                                                    

Many in our society today would propose the idea of miracles intertwined in the scientific world is absolutely absurd. On the topic of miracles, there seems to be a line defining the two seemingly opposing sides.

On one side resides the skeptic. They believe that miracles simply do not exist, and that science is the only answer for the goings on in the world we live in.

In the other camp stands the eager. Not only do they believe in miracles, they would at times consider science to be the enemy, and show it bitterness for its respected standing, and foreboding presence in our society.

I have often found myself in in somewhat of a drift between the two rather strong beliefs.  I absolutely believe in miracles, but at times I tend to view seemingly unbelievable events with a skeptical eye, and a doubting heart.

It was not until I recently saw the above quote by Albert Einstein that I was able to  find a firm balance situated between the two worldviews that turned out not to be in opposition after all. Science is not the enemy of miracles, rather science supports the makings of miracles.

Just because science can explain how I take a breath, does not make it any less a miracle that I actually take a breath. Science often explains the “how” to something, while a miracle anticipates the “why.” In truth every breath is a God-given miracle.

One of my favorite songs is “Ordinary Miracles” by Sarah McLachlan. In it she says, “It’s not that unusual, when everything is beautiful, it’s just another ordinary miracle today.”

Color, taste, scent, the changing of seasons, all of these are miracles that are not fully appreciated because they are considered “ordinary”, and often cast off without a thought. I submit to you that ordinary, often time’s turns out to be extraordinary.

Every breath, every step every leaf flitting across your path in the cooling breeze is a miracle. I can see the very hand of God in everything around me. I can see the breath of God in every human soul. God is still very much present in our world today, and He is moving.

My cousin once wrote something to my mother that I thought profound, and inspiring. He said something the effect that he chose to be a conduit for miracles. That is what I aspire to be. I long to miraculously touch someone’s life, simply by giving them cause to smile. I want to make someone’s day every day. In short, I desperately want to embody the grace of God to someone who needs it.

Today, I choose to view everything as a miracle. There are miracle’s happening all around us, if we just take the time to look for them. It is the ordinary happenings that form the extraordinary lifetimes.  Will you set out with me to be a conduit for miracles today?

                                            Ordinary Miracles, By Sarah McLachlan 

Forgotten Hands

Doubt is a struggle for many people, often I find myself doubting nearly everything, the love of God, mercy, hope, and forgiveness. The disciple of Jesus that is given a bad rap is "Doubting Thomas." He is often judged for insisting that in order to believe in the resurrection of Jesus, He would have to touch the- scars in his hands. I believe that there is a grain of doubting Thomas in each of us, the end of the story is that Jesus came to Thomas, and had him feel the scars in his hands. He gave him a hope, he gave him proof. It seems that God knew, what no one could, and granted Thomas the proof that his heart desired. God did the same for me, he saw my weak heart, and knew that through struggles I may in fact doubt the work of his hands, so he gave me two sets of his hands to reassure me at any point I need it. My mother's hands have cared for and loved me for as long as I can remember, and my father, well my father has shown me the love of my heavenly father in the absolute best way, From the time I was five and learning to ride my bike, he held my handle bars to make sure I wouldn't fall. to the first time he helped me ride a horse and guided me around the arena, Until I can stand at the throne of God in Heaven, and touch my Savior's hands, and erase all struggle and doubt, until that day, I can look at the hands of my Mother, and the hands of my Father for that God kind of love that my heart desires, much like Thomas, Proof. The poem below was written under the idea that often the hands that give the most, are most easily forgotten. I would like to Thank my Father today, he truly is the best father in the world, he is involved loving caring, and to me a very good human example of the love of the Heavenly Father. This is for you dad, Happy Father's Day!!!

Forgotten Hands

Hardened hands, from working long, 

Wishing the hours to be gone, 

And every day, it's the same old song

Yet he pushes past the misery,

And thinks only of his family,

Even though it's more than he can stand, 

He tells himself this is what it is to be a working man, 

Even though they make me who I am, his are the forgotten hands, 

Hands of Patience 

Hands of Hope 

Strong hands to say I'll never be alone

Hands of promise, Hands from above, 

These are the hands of God's love. 

Soft hands 

A softer heart

Together they work the day from the start

Planning, Cleaning, Dreaming, and Doing. 

Packing, and Saving, Hugging, and Holding

Pushing past the weariness  

Thinking only of us. 

Sometimes it's more than she can bear 

But she's reminded of all those who need her there, 

And even though they make me who I am, 

But hers are the forgotten hands. 

Hands of Patience

Hands of Hope 

Strong hands to say I'll never be alone

Hands of Promise 

Hands from above, 

These are the hands of God's love. 

Bloodied hands 

A shattered heart

 With each breath his soul and body beg to part. 

He grits his teeth, and bears sins load, 

Surrendering Himself to death's demand, 

He just wants to go home, 

But He will save the world as a whole. 

Pressing through the separation of Father and son, 

He sends a victory cry to the sky, 

Battle Won. 

And though they make me who I am,

His are the forgotten hands. 

Hands of Patience

Hands of love 

Strong Hands to say I'll never be alone. 

Hands of promise

Hands from above

These are the hands of God's love.

Remember the Forgotten Hands

Whimsical Wednesdays

“~When you ~

-         FIND YOURSELF -

        On the side of

THE MAJORITY,

YOU SHOULD ALWAYS

Pause and Reflect.”

                                      ~ Mark Twain

Mark Twain was America’s author, and a legend in his own right. His witty wisdom, and practical, life-applicable quotes have trickled down through the decades, and in a time in which it was difficult, he discovered the balance of speaking the truth while remaining sensitive to delicate issues. He did not favor situations, nor did he bow to the altar of being politically correct. He seemed to see no grey in the world. Truth was truth and lies, were lies. Throughout his lifetime, he remained intent on delivering truth at all cost. His quote that best describes this is shown below, and it was extracted from one of his speeches.

“It doesn’t matter what the press says. It doesn’t matter what the politicians or the mobs say.  It doesn’t matter if the whole country decides that something wrong is something right.  Republics are founded on one principle above all else: The requirement that we stand up for what we believe in, no matter the odds or consequences.

When the mobs and the press and the whole world tells you to move, your job is to plant yourself like a tree beside the river of truth and tell the whole world:
“No, you move.”

I believe that people respected Mark Twain for his absolute honesty, and yet complete lack of hate or malice in his quest for truth. It is my belief that he provided an excellent example of speaking the truth in love. That being said, the quote above is an excellent example of his practical, yet witty style of truth telling. Incidentally the principle conveyed seems to promote a partiality for the underdog crowd, in whatever situation they may be in. I can honestly say, that I do not know anyone that does not enjoy a good underdog story. In our media today there are a plethora of modern, and instant-classic films to choose from: The Blind Side, Rudy, 23 Blast, We are Marshall, just to name a few. There is a book, that seems to be an underdog story from start to finish, yet it has an incredible ending. It is the Bible. The Bible is comprised almost completely of God using people that society and situations would deem to be unworthy.

Joseph was the youngest of twelve. He was favored by his father, hated by his brothers, dumped into an empty cistern, sold in to slavery by his own family, and accused and imprisoned for a crime he didn’t commit. BUT God used Joseph to save his people during a time of famine. Joseph rose to be second only to the king in Egypt, and he saved the same brothers that sold him into slavery all those years back, from starvation.

Moses, was a murderer, and suffered from a speech disability, he ran away from his position as prince of Egypt, and became a shepherd for forty years in the desert, BUT God chose to use him to free his people from Egyptian enslavement. Moses spent the first forty years of his life thinking that he was somebody, the next forty years of his life realizing he was nobody, and the last forty years of his life experiencing the INCREDIBLE things that God can do with a nobody.

Elijah doubted God's plan, even though God had proven his faithfulness time and time again. He had just come off of the mountain, where he had experienced a heaven sent miracle, and yet he questioned, “God where are you? Am I the only one serving you? Will my life be spared?” He so quickly forgot the promises of God, when his life was threatened. BUT God continued to use him to reach out to His people.

Peter proved to be faithless to Jesus, he gave in to peer pressure, lied, and seemed to have anger management problems. BUT God chose Peter to establish, and lead the Jerusalem church. Peter was one of the most active evangelical witnesses in the history of the world.

Many times I struggle to believe that God could use someone like me in this world. I am not strong, I quickly forget God’s faithfulness, then I hear that same still small voice Elijah heard in that time of doubting remind me that the Bible is the story of God using nobodys for his purpose, and ultimately his glory. I am a Nobody, but I am God’s Nobody. Will you join me and be a Nobody for Him today too?