Let it go

I have been thinking a lot about trust the past few days and I've come to realize that I am not always very good at it. Sometimes we come to a point in life where we are holding on so tightly to something we are trying to protect. We hold it in our hands and squeeze hard trying to keep it safe. What we don't always realize is that in so doing we are not saving it, but suffocating it. And while we sit there with our efforts, God is patiently waiting for us to open our clenched fists and let Him take it. We so often think that if we let it go and loose control it will all come crashing down around us. Yet, what we don't realize is that God is good and He wants the very best for us. When we open our fists He gently takes what we were holding and before our eyes we see Him breathe life into it. When we tried to take care of it on our own, it was like we were holding a small flower bud and squeezing it in our hands trying to keep it safe. But, when we hand it to God and allow Him to take care of it, all of a sudden the flower is allowed to bloom in His gentle hands. It is not always easy to trust, it requires us to believe, have faith and to truly realize that God has good plans for us. So, open your hands, give it to God and watch it bloom into something beautiful.

"You say, 'let it go.' You say life is waiting for the ones who loose control."              --Tenth Avenue North   

Just keep playing

Today I sat down at the piano and started playing. I always find so much peace and joy in music. I love how the notes on the page come to life in such a beautiful way. As I was playing, every once in awhile, I would hit a wrong note. And it made me think. That is kind of how life is. Throughout the course of our lives, we are bound to make mistakes. That is just the nature of being human. But than I realized, mistakes are okay. It's when we dwell on the mistakes that a problem arises. If every time we hit a  wrong note we get upset and stop, the music will not be what it could. When I make a mistake on the piano I just keep on going and don't let it interrupt the fun of simply playing. If I was to play the piano so intent on not making any mistakes I would probably end up playing worse than if I simply allowed the mistakes to roll on by. That is how we should live life. Know that mistakes will happen, but never forget that there is grace. So, keep playing, don't dwell on the mistakes and enjoy the music. 

"Life is drawing without an eraser; that is to say, don't worry about making mistakes." --Robert D. Clements

Beautiful Potential

Eleanor Roosevelt once said, "The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams."
    Do you believe in the beauty of your dreams? Do you realize that life is beautiful and that God has good things for you? He does. We have dreams for a reason, to chase them. If we didn't go after them we would never go anywhere. If we life with the mindset that our dreams are pointless or unattainable than we will never really live. I believe that God gave us our dreams and He smiles when we go after them. And you know what, He likes to make them come true. Stop thinking that you are not worthy of what you dream or worrying that you might get hurt if you go after them. Their may be pain in the journey but that all works toward you becoming a better person, the person you were truly meant to be. So today I challenge you to start dreaming and watch the future unfold.

"Your life is an occasion, rise to it."  --Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium

Dandelions

I think that Peter Pan was on to something, he never wanted to grow up. So often we are in a rush to get somewhere: School, work, errands, we are always trying to get there. We are in a rush for time to pass, we just want to get through this week, this month, this year. And sometimes, we are in a rush to grow up. We think that when we grow up we will finally have life figured out. But that just isn't true. As life goes on I have come to realize that I will never have life figured out and you know what, that is okay. I think that when we grow up we loose something. Kids have the ability to trust without all the answers, they possess an unwavering faith, and joy that bubbles forth from deep within. Kids have the ability to enjoy the simple things in life and realize what is truly important. Just the other day my little sister came into the house with an armful of dandelions. She firmly announced that she was saving them from the lawn mower. You cannot help but smile at this and yet think about it, she took the time to save her favorite flowers from destruction when we as adults would look at them and see a bunch of weeds. When she looks at  dandelions she sees beauty, summer and a bouquet just waiting to  be enjoyed. So you know what I want in my life? I want to never grow up. I know that I will never be eight years old again, thats not how it works, but I do know that I can keep that childlike joy in my heart. I want to look at dandelions and see flowers, I want to laugh at the silly things, and I want to have that simple unwavering faith. I don't want to ever grow up.

"Life is too important to be taken seriously." --Oscar Wilde

Motorcycle Rides

Today I rode home on the back of a motorcycle. And I must admit It was pretty fun. There is something nice about speeding along on a beautiful day watching the world fly by in a rush of colors. As I was enjoying the world around me, I started thinking. I realized that I felt completely comfortable speeding along in the open air at highway speeds because I knew that my Dad was driving and that he knew exactly what he was doing. If I didn't trust the driver, the ride would suddenly go from being fun and relaxing to terrifying. But I knew my Dad was in control and that he would keep me safe. I realized then that a motorcycle ride is a lot like life. We speed through this life and at times it may be scary or feel unstable, but I know that the Heavenly Father is driving and He knows what He is doing. If I stop trusting Him, I will be unable to enjoy the ride because I will be so worried that He doesn't have my best interests in mind or that maybe, just maybe, He doesn't really know what He is doing. But you know what, God made the ride and He knows how best to navigate through the twisting roads of life. So, instead of worrying about every turn, sit back, relax, watch the colors fly by and know that your driver has it all under control.

"Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all." --Helen Keller

Friends and Life

Do you ever think about all the different people you come into contact throughout your life? Whether it is an acquaintance or your very best friend, people play a part in shaping who we become. When I think back, it amazes me how people can walk into your life for a season and then walk out. You can spend a piece of your life with someone, and then that time comes to an end and you both move on. And, I suppose that is just the way of life. Then we have those friends who we know will be with us through the thick and thin of life, no matter what! I have several such friends in my life. I don't know what I would do without them. They are there through the laughs and the tears, the dark places and the sunny days. As I continue on this journey of life I am thankful for the friends, the ones who last a lifetime and the ones that last for a season. They are all important and a blessing. And the amazing thing is that, everyday we have the opportunity to both be blessed and to bless the people we meet. You never know, the person you meet tomorrow may just turn out to be one of those friends that lasts a lifetime.

"A Friend hears the song in my heart and sings it to me when my memory fails."
--Unknown.

Antiques

The other day I went to an antique store, and as far as I'm concerned, antique stores are better than museums. I always love the interesting, odd, beautiful and funny things that can be found there. As I was walking around, I started to think about how all these things are a window into the past. A glimpse into someone else's life. I especially love looking at the old photographs. They always make me wonder about the lives of the people in them. That picture was just one second in someone's life. Who were they, did they have someone they loved? Did they have a secret they were trying to keep? Where did they live and what did they do from day to day? All those things that are found in an antique store, were at one point used by someone. That old dress was someone's best outfit that she wore on her first date, the funny looking toaster (which we would call a fire hazard) was once sitting in someone's kitchen used to make someone's breakfast. That aged and yellowed diary was used to record someone's secret thoughts and dreams. The owners of these things, are now long gone, but they had a story. They loved, laughed, cried and lived. So, from all of this, remember that someday all the things we own will be nothing more than items sitting on a shelf, a glimpse into a past life. The stuff is not what is important, what is important is the life that is lived around it. So, don't get caught up in the stuff, get caught up in life. You only get one, so live it!

"Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. But today is a gift, that's why they call it the present." --Kung Fu Panda

The Song

It's a cool spring evening. Step outside close your eyes and listen, what do you hear? Do you hear the wind in the trees, the gentle waves on the lake, the sweet song of a pond full of bull frogs, the beautiful silence of the night. It says in the Bible that even the rocks will cry out in praise to the Lord. And that is just what I hear when I listen. I hear all of creation singing to the Lord of Lords and King of Kings. It is like the world is one big symphony that never ends. It started a long time ago and it's going to keep on going. How can you know this and not smile. And you know what I think, I think that laughter praises God too. When we laugh and let joy come forth, it is like a song, bubbling forth from our hearts. And that makes God smile. So, take a minute and listen to the symphony of life and join in. 

Psalm 98:6b "Make a joyful symphony before the Lord, the King."

Sunrise

Early this morning I was lying in bed trying to fall back to sleep and I started thinking about the sunrise. The sunrise is like a great big splash of color that lights up the sky and reminds us of the promise of a new day. It is as though God is taking the empty canvas of the night sky and creating a masterpiece for the morning. And then I realized that God gives us an empty canvas every day. Every morning when we wake up we find ourselves with a brand new day before us. It is like God is giving us the opportunity to create our own masterpiece. And the great thing about this is that we will mess it up some days, but it's ok. Some days will simply not turn out that great. We'll spill the paint, smudge the picture or worst of all, not do anything. But, the great thing is, that no matter how bad it may turn out, God gives us a new day to start fresh. So, wake up every morning with the determination to live, create, and dream.

"Life is a great big canvas and we should throw all the paint on it that we can." --Danny Kaye