Changing Directions

As a scuba diver that appreciates the creatures of the ocean, I find this video to be wonderful. As a Christian, I see a parallel to our lives. How many times in life do we run up on the beach unintentionally? Thank goodness for our heavenly father - similar to the man in this video - who can lead us to where we need to go.

Viewing Elements of the Past

This past weekend, Lee and I had the opportunity to view some things from the past. And of course, I had to take photos.

Some of you may not know it, but I've become quite the amateur shutter bug. Lee says I have a good eye for spotting things that would make a good photo. Frankly, I think I'm just beginning to learn how to shoot. Lee knows much more about photography than me. And then there are my friends, Andrea Williams and Michelle Pearson, who both take phenomenal professional photos. But I digress.

On Saturday, Lee and I walked out of S&S Cafeteria - one of our favorite places to eat - and saw a really old car in the parking lot. We quickly discovered the old car was an original 1939 Plymouth. (I'm posting one of the photos I took of the car here, but will post more in a stand-alone story).

The next day Lee and I visited the Calhoun Mansion. This was part of his birthday present from me. (I love giving him memories as gifts.) What we saw during our tour evoked a lot of conversation, some of which I will share in an additional post with more photos.

After reflecting on these two pieces of history, I'm reminded that we all get caught up in the here and now to easily. We, including myself, tend to race forward toward the biggest, brightest and shiniest thing we can obtain or participate in. We get distracted by things that really have no impact on the big picture of our lives and the lives of those around us. We tend to forget what is really important because we get sucked into the vortex of here and now.

This Joyous Journey taught me that by taking time to appreciate things from the past, we can obtain a better understanding of where we've been and where we're going. What are the elements of the past that you encounter in life telling you?

The heavens

I went for my first bike ride since my surgery. It was a brief one as I quickly discovered a few things that made me cut the ride short.

It was colder than I had anticipated outside. Bike riding in the high 50s is not something I'm accustomed to doing. Frankly, I don't think I will learn to become accustomed to it either.

I also discovered that while it is apparent to me that I've made great recovery strides from my surgery, I'm not "back" yet. I found the short 20 minute jaunt to be exhausting. But I am certain I will regain my stamina in time.

Aside from the latter two points, I really enjoyed getting out to see things that we often miss as we hurriedly drive from point A to point B. On this particular excursion I noticed that the clouds and heavens were beautiful. Fortunately, I had my camera and was able to capture what I saw radiating above me.

God's handiwork is amazing. He sends us reminders of His love all the time. All we have to do is be open to stop and look around us.

Sunday afternoon

I love biking. Add a camera to the mix and I'm happy as a clam in the deep blue ocean.

Here are a few things we saw biking in downtown Charleston after church today.

LOL

This makes me laugh so hard. And it really makes me think about Angus. I miss him so much!

En-joy!

Escape The Stress Trap

From Girlfriends In God... but good for men, too, imho ;-)

If we would listen carefully, I believe we could hear God say, “If you want to get to know me - really know me – if you want to be intimate with Me,then you have to know my Book!”

The level of stress in my life is directly correlated to the amount of time I spend or don’t spend reading and applying the Word of God.

The truth is that we find a way to do the things in life that are important to us. Have you noticed that we always seem to find the time to eat and sleep? We are driven to work in order to live the good life but we neglect the most important – the only eternal part of our being – our soul. Our soul can only be nourished and fed by the Word of the Living God! How important is God’s word in your life?

Jeremiah 2:32 “Does a maiden forget her jewelry, a bride her wedding ornaments? Yet my people have forgotten me, days without number" (NCV).

A Beautiful Memory

Yesterday Lee and I completed our bike ride just as the sun was setting. There was a cool breeze blowing across the harbor. Walkers, cyclists and boaters were in abundance as we all took advantage of the beautiful weather.

I tried to capture a slice of the sites with my camera. This photo is one of several I took that showcase the stunning scenery and provides me with a beautiful memory.

What do you think?