So busy looking down . . .

We were winding down a busy week of vacation, and had walked down to the pond on that hot, sunny day to feed the fish. A few clouds had floated by in the distance, but we hadn't even heard a rumble of thunder or seen a single drop of much needed rain.

As the kids tossed food to the fish with Grandma, I wandered the pond bank with my camera, keeping my eyes peeled for little treasures hidden amidst the rocks and grass. A tiny flower here, a little frog there.  Then on the water, I saw a shimmer of rainbow colors, and snapped a picture, assuming it might be an oil slick. My mind started to grumble at whoever must be responsible for it as my eyes stayed peeled to the bank and the water. 


Then I heard a voice behind me call out, "Wow!  Look at the rainbow!"  As I lifted my eyes upwards, sure enough, there nestled into the distant clouds was a beautiful rainbow.   And I'd missed it at first, eyes focused downward, even mistakenly identifying the reflection as something negative.  

It made me wonder how many times I've missed God while focused downward on the craziness of life surrounding me.  How many times could I have simply shifted my focus up, and been met with evidence of God in the midst?

I was shocked to even see the rainbow.  The sunshine and heat that day, the blue skies in the west and overhead, the lack of any rain that had fallen ~ a rainbow was the last thing I expected to see.

But there it was.  A reminder that even when circumstances try their best to convince me that God has left, He is still there.  I need only to turn my focus heavenward.

Preparation, not planning

This week I'm reading through Psalms, and being reminded to sing a new song to the Lord.  Reminded that we are to ascribe to the Lord the change in our lives. 

These past few months have been filled with tiny changes, the kind that you have a hard time describing as they're happening, and that on their own don't seem like much.  But then looking back, you see how far you've come.  I can't wait to share more about it ~ but so far He hasn't given me the words to do so yet.

The yellow room is empty once more.  We shared five good months with the one who stayed there, and she is now out on her own getting settled. 

While nothing seems imminent on the Abigail front, I'm encouraged to remember that the Bible is filled with stories where God's people pray and prepare for his intervention in their lives, instead of trying to predict and plan how he is going to work in advance.  (p. 93-95, The Present Future, Reggie McNeal)  

Our job is to keep praying, keep seeking God's kingdom first.  We're trusting that He will show us when the timing is right to take the next step, and preparing to be able to do that when it comes.  And ironically, in some areas of life, that preparation does involve some planning.  A challenge from a friend to think about where we will be in 10 years brought some of that into focus.  There are areas where we do know what we're supposed to be doing, but not always walking them out day to day.   Putting some of those into focus in the bigger picture makes it easier to make those moment by moment decisions.   In order to get THERE, is the choice we're making HERE going to help or hinder?  That perspective seems especially helpful for those areas that are more a matter of discipline than a one-time step of obedience.

God is at work . . . in our lives, and the lives of many we know.

How is He working in your life right now?