What Is Waiting?

   For some reason, I don't know exactly what, ever since I got my new, actually refurbished, camera, I have seen things that are waiting. People waiting, inanimate objects waiting, just the theme of waiting has caught my eye.

or

   Now I know that objects do not have feelings, so cannot actually wait, but I see things that have been placed somewhere, by someone, that just seem to be in limbo, waiting for someone to use them, waiting for their purpose to be fulfilled.

   Sometimes I just snap a shot that seems to be interesting, but don't actually see it as part of a theme until much later. Like this one on Jekyll that was merely part of an interesting path to the sea.

   I paid no attention to what was at the end of the path at the time, but on later reflection, seemed to see an object that was waiting, for someone or something. It was a spot waiting to for its purpose to be realized.

   Was that a spot for me? Was someone led to place that bench right there for some purpose that he did not even know? What things might be thought about, or decided, on that spot? If not for me, for who?

   Does God place things in my life, people or objects, that have a purpose that I do not even see? Am I so busy doing nothing that I miss what is out there.

   It may not be this particular bench, but this shot get me to thinking about the things that God prepares for me to use, or see, or relate to, and, not just things, but people.

   This was only a shady path toward the ocean, but at the end...

For Who?

For What?

Why?

How to Hold Things

   While reading the Psalms this morning, this verse caught my eye: Psalm 119:109

   "I hold my life in my hand continually,"

   I hold my life in my hand. I am holding my life, it is my life and it is in my hand. That is a lot of first person pronouns in that one sentence. When we have free will, that is a true statement, but it is the attitude that this all represents that impresses me right now.

   This sounds like the most important person in this equation is me. I do what I want to with my life, because it is mine. I clutch it tightly, because I do not want to give up the reins of it to anyone or anything else. It sounds a lot like a small child screaming "mine" when someone else wants to get a thing out of his hand.

   I hold tightly onto what I say is mine, perhaps clutching is a better description, holding out a stop sign and saying "mine, don't touch". This can be possessions, family, time, or even my life. "Don't mess with it!"

   But, is it really? I know that my life and times are in God's hands. I cannot add one day to my life that has not been ordained by Him. The circumstances and the things that go on around me are in His providence, not mine. The other people that come into my space and interact with it as I allow, they are not controlled by me, but act on their own, as they are led or respond.

   So, what does it all mean for me for this day?

   The best way is to acknowledge that all is His, including my stuff and my life, and to begin every new day with that thought. If I give the day over to Him, for His purposes and then see what happens, I will at least be in the frame of mind to catch hold of the significance of what is going on around me.

   I will hold onto my life with a light hand, not grasping and clinging, but with a willingness to say, "I really don't control anything, take it, God, and do with it what You want."

   And open my hand.

Faith, Active or Passive?

   I thought about this after reading a verse in Matthew 17 this morning:

   "He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.” 

   Then I pondered the three words of Belief, Trust and Faith. I look at my life in the light of that verse, and what do I see?

   I believe that God is, that He cares, that He is active in the world., and that He is indeed in control of everything.

   I trust that God's plan and way are the best for my life, and that they are the way to His blessings.

   But I feel that my faith is more passive than active. I see the application of this in my favorite prayer, the one that never fails: "Thy will be done". A lot of the time this prayer is just tossed out there, and there it lays, used as a catch-all, a way to be in God's Will without much thought on my part.

   That is not all bad, I know, but the voice of resignation does little for living a life of active faith. God does bring circumstances into my life, as well as relationships, but, if all I do is acknowledge that these come from Him, and then go my way, what have I done but see them?

   Belief in His control, Trust that these things are for me, and Faith to see them more from His point of view than from my sense of "well, they are just there, now move on". That is a start, but I need to get out of the "que sera, sera" mode.

   "Whatever will be, will be" is not the end of the story.

   God wants a better response than that, and I need to at least ask, Why and What For?

Hippocrates and Me

   When I read these verses from Psalm 69, I thought immediately of the Hippocratic Oath and its admonition. The verses:

"May those who wait for You not be ashamed through me, O Lord God of hosts;
May those who seek You not be dishonored through me, O God of Israel,"

   The part of the oath that I focused on:

"I will prescribe regimens for the good of my patients according to my ability and my judgment and never do harm to anyone."

   That is my prayer a lot of times as I enter into relationships with others, family and friends that God has placed in my life. It may seem like a passive prayer, but one of the things that I do not want to be is a stumbling block to someone else, especially in the things of the Spirit.

   I think of the many ways that others can be influenced by my life, by what I say, and what I do. There is also the opposite side of that coin, what I do not say and and what I do not do. I want these facets of my life, all of them, to line up on God's side, so that my life becomes an example of the right.

   This week has been a good one for us. We have played, laughed, talked and just had a good time with our family. When I say family, I mean all, but especially those grand children that God has placed in our lives. This week we have been blessed with the three that live in Virginia, three states away up the interstates, and a good time was had by all.

   But I would pray that it has not just been a "good time", but a week that those kids will look back on and see their grand parent's lives lived in accordance with God's plan, to know that they are loved, each one, for who they are. We want to reinforce those things that their parents are putting in their young lives, so that the witness of God to them will be consistent and true.

   Thank You, God, for these opportunities to bless, and help me to be faithful in these "good times" Don't let me forget the importance of my words and actions on everyone You put in my life. Help me do good and not harm.

Caroline is Eleven Today

   Yes, 11, although it seems like only yesterday when she was born.

   So her mother arranged for the 3 girls in the family, Dawn, Caroline and Lucy to go back to Jekyll to ride horses for an hour and a half this morning.

   It was hot, but you would not know it from the smiles that abounded.

   This pretty girl is smart, witty, sensitive, and that is only on a Thursday. Much more can be added for the other 6 days in the week.

   But best of all, she loves her Papa.

   Nuff said......

Following A Theme

   Following the theme of family, and having a 12 year old grandson in the house still sleeping off yesterday, and not knowing when he will be out here talking about playing golf this morning, I decided to do more of a Jekyll Island promotional blog today instead of anything profound, unless, of course, a reader can find something worthwhile in the activities or thoughts of yesterday.

   So.....

   The main activity of yesterday was the water park over on Jekyll, Summer Waves. Doug and family went over when it opened, and we followed later, in time for a few pictures and bringing a snack lunch for everyone. An unexpected blessing was that the girl at the entrance gate allowed us to go in free and we just got to wander around, using the camera and watching the activities.

   Then it was time for fruit, crackers, drinks and chocolate.

   We had a visitor for lunch also, and he looked well fed.

   Not only did we get to go in the park free, but they stamped our hands on the way out for the picnic, so we got to go back at the same price. A double blessing.

   After a few more minutes in the park, it was a hot day and we could not go in the water, we decided to let the younger folks enjoy the fun, and we took the scenic drive around the south end of the Island, looking for scenes to photograph. At St. Andrews beach, we found a piece of driftwood sitting out on the sand and asking to be captured in a digital image. It used to be that the proper term for this was "captured on film", but, since there is no film, it is just captured.

   Regardless, I took several shots and then noticed that, in the distance to the north was the Sidney Lanier bridge. A convenient hole in the old tree trunk allowed me to frame the bridge, and I got the old and the new in the same picture.

   Neat, right? Can't see it?

   Better?

   The theme of family strikes again.

Family Week

   This is family week here on St. Simons. Doug, Dawn and the 3 kids are renting a house here for the week, and we are busy having fun. Drew will be 13 shortly, Caroline is 11 this Thursday and Lucy will be 9 in a couple of months. The newest member of the family, Roxie, is 6.

   Let's see: They got here late in the afternoon of Saturday, and we ate supper at our place and played a few games. Sunday we went to church, played in the afternoon over at their house, both outside and in, cooked out there and played again.

   Monday, Drew and I went to Sanctuary to play 18 holes of golf, the girls and Momma went to the beach and rode bikes, and then we ate supper with and kept the kids while the parents celebrated their 18th anniversary with a dinner out. We played more games and listened to the thunderstorm rumbling around outside.

   God has blessed us with 3 great kids of our own and 7 beautiful and "above average" grand children, and we are more than happy to share our time with them whenever we can. We look forward to the rest of this week with these "pumpkins", and then next week we will rest. But for now, we are off to Jekyll for the water park and the beach and all the fun we can stand.

   As the summer wears on, we hope to be with all our kids and grands, at one point or another, at one place or another, doing the things we like to all do, play.

   We'll rest in the fall.