Saturday Morning Thoughts

Mom's Catalpa Tree with the Moonlight peeking through.

I woke up this morning with one idea for a blog and found that it wasn't going see the light of day. That happens to me sometimes when I am earnestly seeking something that God wants me to know about myself or to share with others.

When we have to go through an operation or some other procedure that is not in the realm of our every day lives, there is a bit of apprehension because we will not be in control of our destiny for a brief period of time.

I, for instance had my gall-bladder taken out 6 years ago. Because of my c-section surgery experiences, I have never liked the idea of someone touching my stomach again, let alone cutting it. I shared with my surgeon the fears that I had and they were valid because he wasn't sure that I would get the band-aid operation or the whole incision trauma.

In fact, I had to go under the knife without knowing what the outcome would be. Thankfully, it was the band-aid operation. That alone was stressful to me and I dreaded them taking out the few tiny stitches from my four incisions. After confessing my baby fears to the surgeon, he laughed and said that I didn't have to worry, they were dissolving stitches.

There are many things going on in our lives today that cause great fear and anxiety. We don't feel as though we are in control of our destiny in the midst of the storm of chaos and uncertainty.

I shared something with a friend this morning about how we have all been separated from each other in a physical, spiritual and mental way.

Imagine yourself in a flash flood, the only anchor that you have is a tree in the midst of the rushing waters. You could see the rain coming and tried to take shelter, but was caught up in something more powerful than yourself. Your loved ones and friends are holding on to other trees of varying sizes just out of your reach.

All that can be done while waiting for rescue is to call out their names and keep reassuring them that help will come.

Huge waves of debris are buffeting your stronghold and causing your grip upon the tree to slip slightly. Hold On! The Tree is God and He wants you to survive the flood.

God knows the very nature of those whose hearts seek to do evil and to bring destruction and devastation upon others. They might seem as though they are winning the fight and we can hear them gloating at the edge of the water as we struggle to keep ourselves dry and safe.

Again, I will say that the entire mess that we are facing as a nation is not of a political nature, but a spiritual battle. And the best part of this analysis is that we are not fighting alone. The battles that we do not see are being fought with more strength and power than any politician or individual on this earth can imagine.

Norman Vincent Peale was a great optimist. He would always quote: "If God is For Us, Who Can be Against Us"?

I think in 2012, there was an end that no one saw coming in this world. It wasn't like an Irwin Allen disaster movie, but a quieter and more deadly attack upon our values, faith and desire to do good.

It comes down to the realization that our biggest strength in holding on to that tree in the midst of this flood is Prayer and Faith.

We can no longer be rescued by a political party, members of Congress or any other individual who walks on this earth. They are as human as we are and fail God just as miserably as we do.

When the flood waters start to recede, we will begin to see where God kept us safe from the real harm of destruction. There will not be FEMA, or Disaster Relief as we know it today.

I am no wiser or better than the next person. I have made plenty of mistakes with my words during my lifetime. It is humbling to know that I have wounded the ones that I love with my actions and ill-conceived "authority".

It grieves me to this day, that I allowed myself to accept lies in my youth and stray from what was right and good. We cannot be selfish in the coming days. There is plenty of selfishness flooding the market right now.

What is very scarce and more precious than gold is the desire to do the right thing. That desire does not come naturally to everyone. Just like being able to paint a portrait is not what everyone is able to do. Again, I will say that Everyone is a Child of God whether they want to be or not.

Never in our lifetime has it become more important to discern the true intentions of those who seem to hold power over our safety and well-being. And to be faithful to God in our personal lives with a desire to do good.

We tend to forget the beautiful words that are at our fingertips when so many words are being spoken in contempt or anger. God has given us the greatest treasure of all, if we will let His Love shine in our hearts.