Hey God, Don't Forget

As the appearance of the rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the surrounding radiance. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory and the brilliance of the Lord. And when I saw it, I fell face downward and I heard the voice of one speaking. Ekezial 1:28 AMP


This past week has been one of those crazy, unbelievable weeks. Texas was pounded with at least four feet of rain. Here in Florida we were pounded with at least a foot of rain causing some local flooding as well. It's kind of ironic that just five months ago, we were concerned because of drought conditions. 

For me, I'm alright with a day or two of rain, but if I haven't seen sunshine after that I can feel a bit down in the dumps. As we anticipated our fifth day of clouds and rain, I desperately ask God to remember His promise not only for us but especially for those in Texas. I can only imagine what they might have been feeling. 

The meteorologist predicted the five days of steady rain, you can prepare yourself some for that but it doesn't help to much as the rain keeps coming down in buckets. Cars, roads, homes, everything covered in water. People coming together to help each other despite our differences. There's the joyous part in all of this. No matter what we look like or what we believe in when a crisis arrives we're there for each other.

Yesterday I asked God to please stop the rain here and in Texas, and if He could would he please send a rainbow to reassure them in Texas that He still is Lord over all. To my surprise He sent one here for us as well. I felt like falling to my knees because even when things look grim, God still loves us. Maybe this storm was a reminder that no matter our differences we can still love one another.

Look Through Different Lenses

Lift your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one, and calls them by name. Because of his mighty strength not one of them is missing. Isaiah 40:26 NIV

A lot of hype brought us into Monday. Some traveled many miles so they could be in the dark during the day time. Some people constantly received phone calls, texts, and e-mails from the schools with warnings. We heard the same warnings on the news. There were even warnings from the pet stores about your pets. Sometimes all of this hoopla makes me want to turn away from the event.

Deep down though I was excited and was even more excited that I would have my afterschoolers when the main part of the eclipse happened around here. I had planned to make boxes for safe viewing or at least paper viewers for them to experience the eclipse. My daughter though was able to get us six pairs of those special glasses. So when each family member took his/her pair that left me with two. I figured we could share.

I tried to take pictures with my camera, but when I looked at the pictures the sun looked like it usually looks. I thought, "well maybe it's not really happening here." I continued to take a few pictures all with the same results. When I took the kids out to look at this event, I wasn't really expecting much. I put on my wonderful glasses and looked up. What a difference!

The moon was making it's way across the sun! The black appeared in front of the orange. It was amazing! We each took turns to view this event. We even saw when the moon covered 81% of the sun, that's the most we saw here. My family kept reporting to each other, and we all shared our glasses so others could see.

This of course got my mind thinking how different things seem when we look through different lenses. A group of people will see things one way and another group will see things another way. I remember viewing things a certain way and it wasn't until I surrendered to God completely that I see things completely different I now see things with different lenses.

One change is the way I see money. I used to worry all the time about having enough money. I also figured money was a worldly thing, so I didn't need to talk to God about it. After my complete surrender to Him, I now realize the money I earn is actually God's. He allows me to earn what I need and sometimes more if I am wise with the amount He blesses me with. Looking at money through God's eyes sure has made my life less stressful.

Maybe something you're looking at it can use a new view, maybe you need to look at it through God's eyes. Trust me the view is awesome!

It's The Heart

But the Lord said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."  1 Samuel 16:7 NIV

Once again my heart hurts because of the actions of others, when any violence happens I am grieved no matter who does it. There are have been times when I judge before I get to know a person, I don't mean to but I think it's in our human nature. When someone approaches with his pants hanging down so I can see his underwear or butt crack it's kind of hard not to judge.

But before you judge me, you need to know I have judge my food before I ate it as well. A friend of mine brought hummus and pita chips, and one look at I decided I was not going to try any hummus. She encouraged me to try it and I did, and now I really enjoy snacking on hummus and pita chips.

I have also learned at our youth group to not judge these teens God brings us. I try to make them feel welcome whether they have a gauge hanging out of their ear, an earring hanging off their nose, or when they show up in pajama pants or pants hanging down. As they come every week, I get to know them a little better and it turns out they are really good kids.

Last night as we were merging on to a road, I noticed a kind gesture someone helping out somebody else. From the looks of it (I know I'm judging from the looks, he-he) a white man had run out of gas and his run down truck sat on the road. The white man held a gas can and black man was standing near him (he had parked across the ramp), I believe this black man took the white man to get gas and was making sure he was good before he went on his way.

I wasn't really looking at their outward appearances, I noticed first how someone was helping somebody else out a heart gesture. The kindness that was being shown to another human being. I was wondering where the news crews were so this story could be shown on the news.

I hope that as I go throughout my day I am able to see a person as God sees them. Much like the picture of all of our muscles someone shared on Facebook, from this picture you can't tell what nationality or color someone is. Maybe if we could all look at each others hearts we'd be less judgmental, maybe that person could end up someone who could change our lives for the better.