LIFE IS BUT A DREAM

In analyzing the children's song, "Row, row, row, your boat, gently down the stream.  Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily, life is but a dream,"  have you ever thought about the origin of the lyrics and what the writer meant by it?

I've often wondered.  We were all born in this life and although we don't have the same life experiences, the growth of our human experiences are pretty similar.  The terrible twos, the awkward age, the teenage years, the list goes on.  But as we age and near the end of our days, we reflect back on the experiences we have been through.  We muse on the regrets, people who have hurt us, and most of the time, we think about death and what is beyond this lifetime.

We row through our life without even a mere thought of its meaning.  What is the purpose of being alive?  In our youth, we push death to the back burner because we can never imagine how it could ever happen to us.  We feel invincible.  So we keep rowing, some of us with full force and gusto to achieve fame or fortune.  Some of us don't want to row at all because we haven't found the significance of life maybe because of bad experiences we were born into or may have been through.

Regardless, we all row.  The lesson I think this song implies is that we live each of our days as if it were the last.  Make it full of purpose not for ourselves but for the life that is to come that has no ending.  This life is our practice field.  It is not more important than the next as far as achievements that cannot be transposed.  It is said you cannot bring anything with you to eternal life but you certainly can send it on ahead.  This means spreading God's word to as many people so that many more would turn back to Him.

Our job is more important because we operate via straight faith, unlike the apostles and the thousands who have met and seen Jesus.  But even they were doubted, how much more for us?  We push through though because eternal life is our goal.  So row, row, row that boat merrily down the stream that leads to the REAL and never-ending life because this life, in perspective, will be but a dream.

Until my next rant.... LOVE ONE ANOTHER!

WHY ARE YOU STILL UP?

There are many reasons why we are kept awake at night.  I am an insomniac.  I'm awake more than I am asleep most nights.  Sometimes the reason is that I'm worried, but most times it is because my brain is just on full throttle and difficult to shut off.    As an artist I am constantly bombarded by ideas of creativity.  I don't dislike that part of it.


However, most people really do stay awake at night due to worry, stress, unforgiveness and the like.  During those times, I choose to attack the problem in a way that, to most, may seem unconventional.  The default justification is oftentimes "because I'm only human and that is why I worry."  While this statement is true, it is also controllable.  When God says, "give all your burdens to me and I will give you rest,"  you have to take it at face value.  Sometimes, you need to visualize yourself with something tangible in your hand handing it over to another pair of hands representing God's, and then washing your own with soap and water.  That is what works for me.  Sometimes, in my mind's eye, I take a deep breath, blow out really black smoke into a bubble and let it go up into the sky to God, never to think about it again.

When we were children, our imaginative and innocent minds allow us to visualize this, but because garbage comes into our minds and our hearts as we go through pain, life lessons, etc. as the years pass, if we don't maintain that innocence, soon they will be suppressed farther and farther down and actually kill us.  However, we are reminded about that child again as we lead our own children through life's pain and then we wonder what happened to our own hearts.  

God is our parent, at least He is mine.  As a parent, He wants us to give Him our pain so we don't have to suffer with them ourselves.  And who better to be our parent than the one, the only one who can actually fix and solve our problems for us?!  Let that sink in.  The problem is that we don't think we are worthy, and newsflash!  We're not.  The thing we can't grasp is why such a powerful God who can do and make things happen for us, would actually do and make things happen for us?  Our scrawny little human minds cannot and will never ever know the kind of love God has for EACH AND EVERY ONE of us!  But He actually does have a super love... Agape.   Yes, there is actually a word for it.  But instead of trying to understand it, we should just accept it.  It's always available for the taking, because Jesus gave up His life for it!  Acceptance is much easier to do, donchathink?

Until my next rant... LOVE ONE ANOTHER!

HONESTY AND THE TRUTH

MIXED MEDIA PEN AND WATERCOLOR WAX MARKERS

How does it feel when your conscience is fully clear and your integrity intact?  I would submit to you that you feel liberated and rightly so.  There are times when we go rogue and maybe tell half truths and later feel the guilt that it naturally brings, but then it is more difficult to correct and we wished we just told the truth to begin with.

I'm sure you are all aware that God sees all.  Sometimes we do forget this and are in denial as if we can really hide our discrepancies from God.  It's amusing to think but yet we continue to deny it.

Our own guilt prompts us to hide the truth from God.  The truth is, God can handle our truth.  He can handle our transgressions, our guilt, our stresses, our cries for help, etc.  We are human and humans come with the vileness of life and God is fully aware.  The degradation of humans doesn't get better, it actually gets worse.  But even then, it is just part of God's great plan.  It's amazing that God, in all His power, chose to let us make our own choices and therefore, He is still unable to control one human spirit.  That spirit He can only love unconditionally so that one spirit, that one lost sheep, can love Him back.  He has the overall power to do whatever He wants to do except to make us love Him.  That part is our part.  To love Him wholeheartedly is all He ever desires.  This is why He is full of mercy, He is full of grace and this is exactly why He sacrificed Jesus for us, so that roadblock can crumble between us and God.  What limitless love He has for us, and all He ever wants in return is for us to choose Him.  Who do you choose?

Until my next rant... LOVE ONE ANOTHER!

THE CHILD IS BORN

The child is born.  The Baby Jesus, born in a manger, a humble place, so insignificant but yet full of significance.  It proves to us that God among us does not flaunt His power and excellence even though it is very attainable.  Imagine if He was born in royal influence, rather than a stable, would we have been able to understand how God's love operates?  Imagine if He was born in wealth, would the people listen and follow Him simply because of His worldly influence?  Stop and think about that.  As humans we are attracted to delusions of grandeur, it is simply human nature.  Our intellect cannot comprehend wealth in God's love as compared to diamonds and pearls.

I can understand perfectly why God chose for Jesus to be born in such a humble circumstance.  First, it was for protection.  Protection from His life being taken which could halt God's plan.  His birth was incognito as they disappeared among the crowd when there was an order to kill all the newborn baby boys.  The second is because He wants to be relatable and more humbly below the lowest of all humankind.  This way, the blurred vision of worldly riches will not come between Him and us.  God is all powerful and a genius for planning such life for Jesus.

After the Christmas story, the Birth of Our Lord Jesus Christ, He is now living among us and spreading God's word, breathing life to the Bible, a book that is ever so timeless but timely.  Small wonder this is the greatest story ever told.

Now you can choose to believe it or choose to reject it but ultimately, you will have to accept it, because EVERY knee shall bow to Jesus when He returns for those of us who love Him.

Until my next rant... LOVE ONE ANOTHER!

REFLECTION

It is easy and quite normal for humans to shift focus from ourselves to others especially when it pertains to accountability.  It is in our nature to be protective and succumb to self-preservation and so it goes with every living species.  Our protectiveness does not just entail life-threatening situations but the line goes as far as the emotional realm.

No one is faulted for this however, after all, we all have a need to be justified and validated.  There is another side to this double-edged sword, however, and that is growth.  When we rebuke correction, our growth is stunted.  Often we default the solution baton being passed to God.  While that is acceptable and God desires it, going one step further into self-realization encourages growth.

What I mean by this is that when it comes to forgiveness, it is easy to simply say "I forgive."  Forgiveness doesn't stop there.  True forgiveness seeks forgetfulness.  God forgives and forgets because He is the almighty one whose love is immeasurable, unlike ours.  But when growth happens, so does love.  When you make the paradigm shift and focus on yourself, rather than waiting for the wrongdoer to do so, you not only progress spiritually, but you also urge the change in the forgiven.  The wrongdoer has his or her own accountability to God.  We need to remove ourselves from God's responsibility to cast judgement on that person.  When the baggage is not released, the forgiveness is like water washed away in the stream.  Holding on to resentment from that wrong done does not equate to forgiveness at all.  It will eventually fester inside of us and will manifest itself in every aspect of our daily relationships with others.  This is why the enabling saying goes, "Be kind to others, you don't know what they're going through" points to.  Again, human nature ensues.

To truly forgive is to forget.  This is what God has been teaching us about Himself.  When we are truly a reflection of God, we have to learn how to do this and perfect it.  Start with a clean slate.  What a blessing it would be if the guilty party could see the love and kindness coming from the wronged which could eventually change the guilty.    But that is not for us to patrol this change, because at the end of our time, we are only accountable for ourselves.  This is never an easy task, but with growth, baby steps are taken.  When that happens, our lives and hearts become wholesome and pleasing to God.

Until my next rant.... LOVE ONE ANOTHER!

HERE'S LOOKIN' AT YOU KID, THROUGH ROSE-COLORED GLASSES

When you look at yourself in the mirror, how do you feel about the person staring back at you?  How holy is that person?  Well, I'm pretty sure the quick answer to that would be "not too holy" or "well only God is holy," etc.  Human nature is self-deprecating because we know that we were born sinners.  I do not dismiss sin as to say that we can't help being sinners because when in a deep relationship with God, we purposely avoid sin until we become pros at it.

Since we have established such fact, it doesn't mean that God sees us the same way.  God is unexplainable, and you would go insane if you even attempted to understand God.  Our finite minds cannot and will not be able to achieve such complexity.  However, with a deep desire to truly get to know Him, He will reveal Himself to you.  He loves you and He wants nothing more than to know that love is reciprocated.  

Furthermore, and most importantly, God sees you through rose-colored glasses because His spectacles are stained with His Son's blood who saved us, gave His life, as sinless and as perfect as He was and is.  I do not insinuate in the least or to encourage you into complacency as a sinner.  On the contrary, I urge you to seek God, seek His mercy and His love so that you can turn away from sin and work on becoming a better person.  Some of us have began our journeys, yet there are still miles to go.  I believe God is just waiting for the right moment to scoop us all up who love Him and it will be soon.  Just look around you until you realize that the world is on its way to demise.  The signs are everywhere.  Don't ignore them.  It is never too late until Jesus' return.  I've always said, don't get caught with your pants down.

Until my next rant... LOVE ONE ANOTHER!

KILLING WITH PRAISE

Most of us are still inhibited when it comes to praising God.  I see people, and I include myself, a little shy or embarrassed to raise our arms in church when worship songs are sung even though your heart is full and bursting with adoration of God.  We are still self-conscious about what people around us may say.  The funny thing is that everyone or at least majority of the attendees think the same thing.  

What's even funnier is that when I'm alone at home listening to worship songs, I have no problem stretching my arms out to heaven, head thrown all the way back, eyes closed singing along at the top of my lungs!  Goosebumps start to plague my whole body and tears come streaming out feeling the presence of the Holy Spirit with the blast of joy streaming out of my heart to my esophagus and out my mouth!  How I wish I could do that at church.  But again, it's that self-conscious notion of the fear of making a mockery out of myself that holds me back.  Something I definitely have to work on.

The Bible teaches that God is fit to be praised wherever we are, expressed through words and music, at all times for His greatness because He is worthy of our praise!

But why?  For what purpose? I am willing to bet that God already knows He's awesome, He already knows the names of those who love Him.  So why?

It thrills God to be worshipped and praised.  He knows our hearts more that we do our own and praising Him brings glory to Him and it literally makes Him happy!  Think about what your dogs think about you, someone who oh, maybe once in a while spends time with them but regardless of your treatment of them, they still love you.  Now multiply our kindness to our dogs 1000%.  That's how God loves us and when we praise Him, it brings Him joy.  What privilege is that for us to bring God joy?

Another reason is that praising God is our best weapon against satan!  When we praise God, it cements to the evil world that God is worthy of our praise and worship.  It is worst for satan because he hates to see that.

So go ahead!  Raise your arms, sing at the top of your lungs, lift your hearts up to God because He is worthy of all those things and there is nothing to be ashamed of.  If anything, you might be able to encourage others to do the same!

Until my next rant... LOVE ONE ANOTHER!!