The New Years Mirror

   There seem to be a great many sayings about looking backward, hind sight, and all of that. As New Years approaches, that seems to be the direction that receives a lot of attention. New Years Resolutions, ideas for what can be in the coming year becomes the focus. So, with all of that discussion, I started wondering if there were any direction of looking forward or back through life. I stumbled on a couple of verses in 2 Peter and thought that they were kind of interesting.
   2 Peter 3:2 says “I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles.” To recall, to look back. It’s like looking into the year’s rear view mirror. Recall the words, think about the commands that were given. There seems to be a time and place to look back. Then I noticed that in looking back, it wasn’t just a random direction. It was a specific place to look back to, not being lost in memory but with purpose. When I look back, I can look with regrets of might have been or could have been. Or, I can look back at was set in motion for a purpose, and a good one at that.
   Now, I can’t always be looking backwards. If I do, I’m going to run into something. It would be like trying to drive forward by looking through the rearview mirror – not much help! So, we drop down to 2 Peter 3:13 and “But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.” Looking forward to something wonderful and new is the direction. Think of the excitement and anticipation that is built as you look forward to something wonderful! And by looking forward, you are moving towards it.
   So, I guess I get to look backwards and forwards – with purpose and anticipation.

The Cowboy

   He is a man with a dream and a love of the wild mustangs. Having seen these horses living in stock yards, milling about without room to run, he made the decision to chase his desire. Acres and acres of land were purchased for a home for these wild mustangs. He brought them to their new home and set about creating a sanctuary for them.

   I just saw a photo of this man, who will soon be turning 85, in a photo with a horse. He is leaned onto the fence post. His white hat sitting so naturally on his head, strong hands who know a horse and how to work a ranch for a horse rest so naturally on the fence. A large black horse with a thin white stripe down its nose has nestled in to the navy blue sleeve of his windbreaker. They look as if they are the best of friends and are sharing a comfortable and long standing conversation.
   A cowboy with a dream decided to take the chance and pursue it. As a result, scores of beautiful horses have found a home. Now, the descendants of those first horses roam the land. They run, play in the fields, nurture their babies amongst the pines, and splash in the streams. What a beautiful dream of the cowboy. I’m so glad he pursued it. What dream should we pursue?

Son-flower Follower

   A few years ago, a local farm planted at least one field in sunflowers. I would occasionally drive past and loved to see the bright yellow petals contrasting with the dark brown centers. They stood so tall and straight in the field and were so beautiful.
   When I would drive past, I would be headed to a different city and would see these flowers at different times of the day. I didn’t even think about it the first time. When I drove to the city, the flowers were all visible from the road. When I drove back, several hours later, the flowers had turned their heads and what I could see then was the green framed with bits of yellow petals. It puzzled me for a moment and then I remembered, sunflowers are so aptly named because the follow the sun.
   I want to be a sunflower kind of Christ follower. I want my movement, my purpose, to follow the son. When I need to move because He has told to move, I want my face turned in the right direction. I will plant my feet, lift my face, and follow the son.

Only in the Storms

We ask why do we have bad storms, cyclones and hurricanes? Asking God, “don’t you realize that you have people here that get hurt with this?” I saw a television show the other day about manna rays. These amazing sea creatures were spiraling in a giant cloud of the agricultural bits that they enjoy. They said that only in cyclones do these animals gather like this, in giant spirals, in a condition created by the cyclone.



It served as a reminder to me that during the storms, the difficult times, when we are wondering where God is and why this is occurring, that there may be some other purpose, literally under the surfaced that we do not see or understand. With that knowledge, it can bring both a hope and understanding to the difficult times.

Road Maps

I love a good map.  Pulling open the paper, I can see the path the road will take.  Then, I can plan which way to head, if I need to diverge this way or that, or what alternatives I have.

It would be nice sometimes to have a map like that for life.  Tracing along the path, I could see joys, detour the sorrows, and avoid the hurts.  Honestly, that is what I would do if I could see that map.  I would avoid the hurts.  But, God puts the hurts in front of me at times, at other times He allows them to come into my path.  “It is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.”

The Lord’s purpose, the Lord’s plan is something that is a mystery to us.  We don’t have a map that shows what is coming next.  “Many are the plans in a man’s heart.”  But we don’t steer a straight course, we don’t go the way we should, and at times we get lost.  “Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.”

We can take comfort in that, that the Lord’s purpose prevails.

~Proverbs 19:21