There's nothing like satisfying a hungry gastric container with delightful sugar-coated, carcinogen-containing delicacies from Quillen's First Annual Halloweenie Roast. It sure beats the typical brown-bag sandwich lunch that most of my comrades and I consume during the lunchtime hour.
The past few weeks have been a series of small "treats" for me as I've been wearing out I-81 and I-40 to see those dear to me in the form of pleasant hikes through the Smokies and HTI's semi-annual board meeting in Nashville. I will not be disappointed in the least when in heaven, I don't have to make such exhausting solitary drives to see everyone because we will all be in one place. I am truly grateful for those of you who took time out of your schedules so that I could spend time with you.
If you never have taken the opportunity to drive I-40 during autumn, you must put it on your "10 Things to Do Before I Die" list. The brilliance of the foilage is simply astounding. There's something about being outside that's good for the insides of man. I think if every family in the United States was required to spend one day outside in nature (real nature-not the pseudonature our city government creates in the form of baseball diamonds and glaring stadium lights), I think that the incidence of crime and violence would dramatically decrease. To observe such intricate design and beauty puts everything back into perspective and gives one time to reflect upon their purpose in being here amidst the grand scheme of life.
As the morning devotional Saturday, we were asked to reflect upon Luke 10:1-12 and select a word from the passage that caught our attention. I have been blessed with the opportunity the past few months to take a deeper look at Luke and the life of Christ through Beth Moore's study. The more I study about our Savior the more I am awe of him. I don't think people are turned away from being a Christian by Christ; rather, they are turned away by Christians bearing his name but not understanding what it means to live under that name. How could you not devote your life to someone who had unending compassion for the poor, the sick, the impoverished; deep wisdom to confront the intellectually elite and spiritually empty, unmeasured strength to stand in the face of great opposition, and unfathomable patience to bear with the infedelity of the faithful? How can anyone's life not have more than just a shallow relationship with such a person?
My word from the passage was "intended." We are never sent out somewhere where God hasn't already planned to go. I just ask your prayers as I consider this palette of seemingly unending opportunities presented before me and that he leads me where he intends to go and that we never hold such busy schedules that we fail to set aside time to meditate on the beauty of the life of Christ.
"A man should hear a little music, read a little poetry, and see a fine picture every day of his life, in order that worldly cares may not obliterate the sense of the beautiful which God has implanted in the human soul." -Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
Your post rings so true. During my time of study in Middle TN, I learned every inch of I-40 between Nashville and Knoxville.
A recent Sunday morning hike up the Chimney Tops was also blessed. Once at the top, I met a group of Christians from my alma mater that asked if I would have church with them, which we did, and were edified in the beauty of God's creation.
Absolutely true. Romans 1:20 says, "For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead...; so that they are without excuse." So God's creation cries out His glory, even if man does not. Luke 19:40 says, "...if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out." And finally, one of my favorite verses, Psalm 8:3-4: "When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?" I think we would all do good to turn off the TV, and just stay outside a while and consider the heavens.
Post a Comment