Life As I Seize It

I often hear people saying that worshiping nature is a form of idolatry .  Well, I have got to admit to you that I can't stop gazing up at stars at night.  I make it a point to look up to the heavens just to see the magnificence of it all.  There is something about the infinity of that inky-blue blackness and those millions of stars that remind me that it is not all about me while reaffirming the greatness of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  That's my God, too! Right now I am perched up in the hill country of Texas.  There is a magnificent lake the size of an ocean below me, and already, as the sun falls off the horizon behind the hills to my right I can see twinkling lights appearing one by one on the distant horizon around the lake.  The wind has picked up just enough, reminding me of the breath of God.  These gorgeous trees called Texas Willows and something else similar with these lovely pink blossoms are just waving about in the breeze.  Below me there is red feather ...

T he problem with "Christians" is that well . . . they are so fallible.  I am a Christian, and like every other "Christian", I am fallible.   As a former student of Latin, perhaps "fallible" is not the best choice of words since it stems from the Latin "fallere" to deceive . . .  On second thought maybe 'fallible' is the right choice after all: "We are never deceived; we deceive ourselves." ~ Goethe You see, I accept the fact that, although I am a believer, a follower, a disciple, an officer of the Church, I sometimes fall short of the expectations of others and it's likely that the first response from others is: "And she calls herself a Christian! " Quite frankly, I often fall short of my expectations for myself.  I am certain that I also fall short of God's expectations, which I suppose makes me most thankful that I believe in the New Testament and that a certain carpenter was God with skin on.  I don't ...

The general prayer that children send up to heaven is, "Dear God, please let the stuff I have studied be the stuff on this test."  The general prayer that business owners send up is, "Dear God, please let there be more money than bills."'

It's a crisp, cold, clear day and my dog finds possibly the best spot in the house: she is sitting as though beside Queen Elizabeth, poised and quite pleased with herself on the wool oriental in my foyer.  Contentedly, she is basking on the rug where the morning sun is falling onto her through the leaded glass door, creating a kaleidoscope of warm, fuzzy sunlight which sprinkles dapples of gold onto her.   I watch her momentarily before she spots me.  She gives me the look, the same look she throws me when we cruise together in the car with the top down.  The look that says she's very pleased. The one that says she is happy with her life and diggin' this moment. She may be "just" a dog, but she has taught me one of life's most important lessons: happiness is a series of moments basking in contentedness.  Just throw your head back and howl at them.