Experts said last night/early this morning would be an ideal time to catch the show. The weather was clear as the sun descended and the twinkling lights in the sky flickered on. He left the fluorescent moonlight turned off for better viewing of the rain.
I was eager to catch the 1 a.m. showing of the Perseid “Chasing Stars”. I imagined it to be a sneak peek of the glory that awaits.
The only alarm I set was a prayer that if God felt I should see this one, He would stir my soul awake with anticipation. Two hours after I laid down, I was leaping out again.
1:14 a.m.
Scrambling for my shoes, the hype was building in my heart for what was about to come down. I’ve seen it in 2D, but I just wonder what it’s going to look like in 3D.
It was a beautiful night to be out under the glittering heavens. And in all fairness, I saw several things streaking through the sky, but none were brilliant enough to be a shooting star.
Convinced my sleepy eyes were now seeing things, I closed my eyes and wondered what it would be like to wake my ficticous family up and encourage the kids to come outside for the show. Would they think, ‘oh Mom. Why must you drag us out of bed for this?‘ Or would they be just as eager to leap out of bed on a school night with me? I imagined my husband would be gathering up blankets to lay on the lawn, as the microwave finished cooking the last bag of popcorn.
And then we would wait in silence, with the sound of kernels being crunched between our teeth. Maybe we’d ask each other about our dreams and begin praying for one another as a family of dreamers as we waited on our God.
I smiled at the thought.
Pulling up a star finder app on my phone and pointing it toward the sky, I started to follow the planets. Gazing at the canvas of artwork, I watched Him splatter stars with intentional strokes that drew invisible lines, forming incredible frescoes on the ceiling.
With arms lifted high in awe of this Creator, my front row seat was something I didn’t expect to see.
When in doubt that your life looks like an unorganized mess of random happenings, just look to the stars and be reminded that a scattering of celestial were strewn with purpose. What looks chaotic was strewn with more control than you realize. A splattered painting isn’t perfect. It’s really impossible to mess up.
As an artist sits back from His masterpiece and squints to see lines connecting, examine the specks in your own story again.
He’s an intentional Maker.
There’s a beautiful illustration He’s drawing with these dispersed dots in your life.
It was 2 a.m.
My shoulders shifted as I started the walk back to my house.
Spinning around one last time, my head lifted just as a streak shot out of the dark from behind me. My chest inhaled from the deepest part of my stomach as the sound of my gasp rang through the air.
Wow!
Reveling in the moment of my breath being taken away, I replayed the delight over.
And then this cynical side questioned if that really could have been a shooting star or just a lightening bug lingering in the night.
My head fell and I heard, ‘oh Ye, of little faith.’
A tear formed in the corner of my eyes.
Why must we squash the very things that God uses to take our breath away?
For some it would take a meteor to catch their attention. For others, it’s as tiny as a lightening bug that will sweep a soul right off it’s feet and have it spinning through the darkness in delight.
Lifting my hands again to the One who knows me to the deepest parts, all I could whisper was, thank you Lord, for taking my breath away… with whatever it takes.
Live for the moments that take your breath away and be ready for any way He wants to do it. Don’t question the validity of your shooting stars just because they look like lightening bugs.
Hell hath no fury like a kingdom woman disturbed. She won’t stop doing all she can until she makes the devil regret ever messing with her. This explosion of strength and inner resolve could put many men to shame.
Yet, this same woman of grace is equipped with insight, sensitivity and spiritual beauty to temper steam with some self control. Behind every great man, is an even greater woman.
If the first woman God ever made was strong enough to turn the world upside down all alone, the collection of us ought to be able to turn it right side up again. #kingdomwoman
There are times God doesn’t close the door. Someone just told us no. Don’t mistake no as the answer. This is how perseverance grows.
Conversely, sometimes you get a yes and you know that’s not an open door for you. Hold out for something better.
When you know where your purpose, passion and skills intersect for greatness, it turns your questions into answers.
Do that thing you think you cannot do. If you take the chance and it doesn’t work out, what’s the worst that can happen? That you’d have to try something else?
Falling will probably hurt a little. But, going against gravity and rising when you want to stay down is what produces growth. Resistance is meant to be uncomfortable. Let go of protecting yourself from trying. Workout those possibilities. Exercise the opportunities.
Where there’s no risk, there’s no reward.
Let me be more black and white…
You may have reached your end, but it’s really a new beginning.
Though you may not see the hope at the end of your rope, let go.
Trust.
Free fall into the unknown and find His faithfulness.
When we come to the end of ourselves, we find Him.
Everything under the sun has been leading us to this point of no return.
Someone to depend on. Someone to invest in. They help each other succeed and are worth all the struggles to stay for. That is a friend. That is someone we all need.
Today is Friendship Day. A time to reflect on those who demonstrate their kindness and loyalty to helping us rise up when we fall and reach out when fear holds us back.
Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10
