Merry Christmas

 

 

Today Pastor Eric's sermon was about Christmas in July, or rather feeling the spirit of Christmas in July.  Isn't that what Scrooge said? " I will honor Christmas in my heart and try to keep it all year long."

 

That made me start thinking about the "magic" of Christmas and how Evan turns eight this year and the magic might not be as much "fun." You know there's nothing like experiencing Christmas through the eyes of a child. It made me a little sad. Yet today's sermon made me realize the REAL "magic" of Christmas never dims. Maybe gifts aren't quite as much fun, nor hanging stockings, or visiting Santa but the true wonder of Christmas simply gets better with age.

 

When my own children were little we did the Advent wreath candles at our house every Sunday and that's a special "tradition" that we got away from. Perhaps Evan will enjoy reinstating it.  I've also wanted to do an advent activity for several years where you open and place a part of the nativity set each day of advent, saving the placing of the baby Jesus for Christmas Eve. That's something I will plan to do this year.  I want to do more to help Evan experience and find joy in Christmas outside the secular, which consumes so many during the holiday season.

 

But let's get back to Christmas in July, or specifically how do we "live" Christmas all year long? You might be surprised in my answer. Yes we can "be a little nicer" to people, greet them warmly and be helpful. We can remember the poor and the needy. We can give more. We can forgive more. BUT what I really think living Christmas all year long is about....is living a life of JOY.

 

 

I know, I know, that seems a little self centered doesn't it. I don't mean it in that way. Yet isn't that what Christmas is all about? The joy of Christ's birth. The joy that changes the world forever. And let me tell you when you are living a life filled with joy, you are giving a gift to others around you. When you let the joy of Christ's birth, the "magic" of this gift be lived out in the joy of your days, you are giving others a taste of the beauty of God. You are transcending a mere human existence and living a spiritual one.

 

 

 

Hugs to each of you. Merry Christmas and Joy to the World!

 

 



Comfort, The Way, and the Holy Spirit

 

Gospel of John Chapter 14

 

 

"You know the way to the place I am going."  Jesus says this to his disciples in the well know story of "my Father's house has many rooms."  He is talking with them trying to provide comfort as he knows the days ahead will be full of anguish.

 

 

 

When I first read this I thought "you know the way" and while I realized immediately that this referred to Jesus I also paused to consider it in another light. You know the way.... it's something I often think and believe in my heart, that if we follow our inner guidance (our spirit perhaps) that we know what to do in many circumstances,

 

Then Jesus speaks of the gift of the Holy Spirit. "I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever."

 

 

"But the advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said."  I find the whole concept of this the third part of the trinity intriguing. As I read this part of the scripture I felt that some gem of understanding was just outside my grasp. I will pray and muse about the Holy Spirit.

 

Jesus ends this chapter saying, "the prince of this world is coming, he has no hold over me."  As we seek a stronger, personal relationship with God, the prince of this world will come, but he will have no hold over us if we use the advocate to help us live a life of truth and love.  

 

Hugs to all and may the Holy Spirit dwell in you so that you may know the truth.

 



Feet, Betrayals and Denials

Chapter 13 of the Gospel of John

Chapter 13 includes a lot of foreshadowing. Jesus is trying to prepare his disciples for the upcoming events. First he washes their feet and tells them:

"I your Lord and Master have washed your feet, you also should wash each others feet."

He predicts his betrayal and immediately (just like we would today) they want to know, which of us I it that will betray you.

He predicts Peter's denial. The story of Peter's denial is to me one of the strongest, personal stories in the Bible. For someone to love so completely and then be ruled by fear and unable to "claim" knowledge of or friendship with Jesus.

Hugs to each and everyone of you.

Perfume, Money, and the Prediction

 

Gospel of John Chapter 12

Mary washed Jesus' feet with the expensive perfume and Judas takes exception to it, asking why it wasn't sold and used to feed the poor. His real reason for questioning it was that he was stealing from the money box and he hoped to profit from the perfume himself.

 

Throughout this chapter Jesus makes predictions about his death. "You will always have the poor among you but you will not always have me." He rides into Jerusalem on a donkey as his faithful wave branches and shout. His time is near and this he knows, although his disciples are unaware.

 

He spends time in conversation with God and he points out that he could ask, "God save me from this hour." but he does not because it is his very reason for being.

There s still much belief and disbelief among the people. He talks about how he is not here to judge but rather to save and that only God himself will judge.

 

What an emotional time this is for Jesus. Seeing his life's work come to fruitation but the human aspect of him also realizing that this means his death is very near. To know he is welcomed into the city by those who believe while knowing the belief of even his faithful disciples will be shaken when he is arrested.

 

Sometimes I think faith is like this also, both a joyous celebration and a scary commitment.

 

Hugs to each and everyone of you. May your faith grow into a joyous celebration and may your fears be squashed.

 

 

 

Death, Resurrection, and the Glory of God

 

 

Gospel of John: Chapter 11

 

Chapter 11 contains the story of Lazarus and how Jesus brought him back from the dead. When Jesus heard that Lazarus was ill and his sisters, Mary and Martha were calling for Jesus to come heal him, he didn't hurry. There was no need to. The plan was already in place to use his death to glorify God and God's plan for eternal life.

 

Sometimes this story bothers me. I don't know why, maybe for a variety of reasons. It stretches my faith a bit and has me pondering why we don't see such miracles today. I've been thinking about that lately. How different our world of today is from the world of Jesus's time. Perhaps miracles happen every day and we have become too jaded to see them, to recognize God's hand in the overall lives of people. I mean miracles do happen and we call it science. People are "saved" everyday by medicines, treatment and operations, It's not quite the same thing now is it? Or perhaps it is? Who gives us the knowledge, the ability, the foresight, the chance discoveries?

 

I think the whole story is more about making people realize the wonder that eternal life truly is and yet there's something about it that continues to niggle at my brain, to cause just enough unrest to have it popping into my thoughts at unexpected times. It's as if there is a discovery, a "truth" just outside my line of vision, an idea that hasn't quite came into being, waiting for me to reach some conclusion, some optimal point of understanding. Or maybe its just not mine to know.  

 

Hugs to each and everyone of you. Have you ever wondered why I end each post with hugs? A hug is a warm embrace meant to convey, love, friendship, understanding and comfort. I always hope that each post helps you in some way and the "hugs" at the end are meant to express my sincere feelings about you my readers.

 

 

 



August Bible Study 1 John

I know...I know...I haven't finished posting my Study of the Gospel of John yet but honestly I finished it before going to Alaska in June. I just got "off track" of actually writing about it. I'll still be posting all of my chapter thoughts here on Soul Musings but I want to get back to my daily study also.  I put that off, thinking I'd wait till I finished posting the Gospel of Jonh posts but since I'm so slow ....I'm getting restless. I tried some random verses that all focused on the same topic and quite honestly I just couldn't get into that approach so I'm back to picking a book to study.  I'm hoping to get the Gospel of John posts up before the end of July so I can start "fresh" with the new study in August.

I've decided to continue with John by reading 1 John, know as an epistle. An epistle is a writing directed or sent to a person or a group of people using an elegant and formal didactic letter. 1 John is not the only epistles but it is the one I will be reading and refelcting on in August.

Since 1 John is a shorter book of the Bible I will break it into 5 weeks, one week for each of the chapters. I plan to read and reflect daily and will attempt to get a post up at the beginning of each week with things to ponder and a post at the end of the week with some thoughts. Np promises though because life does happen around here...and well sometimes life is just more important than blogging!

Hugs! I look forward to sharing my experience, thoughts, and questions about 1 John with you.

The Gate, the Shepherd and the Sheep

Gospel of John Chapter 10

In chapter ten we read the story of the good shepherd, probably one of the most common and weel know images of Jesus is him as the shepherd. In reading the account in John I realize the story even has more layers of depth than I remembered from childhood.

Jesus not only tells the Pharisees that he is the shepherd but that he is the gatekeeper and those that enter by other means are thieves and robbers. Although he is referring to others who have come in the past it also makes me think of false phrophets and others that come into people's livesand try to enter the pen, like thieves stealing the spiritual lives of the sheep.

The sheep listen only to the shepherd because they know his voice and recognize him. This is a worry or perhaps a doubt of mine sometimes that I might hear something or feel moved to go in a certain direction and HOW will I know it is God and not just my own will or if I am being lead astray?

Further more there are othe sheep besides those in this pen and they will come to Jesus also: a reference to the Jewish and the Gentiles. Jesus is for everyone and it is made clear in this story that he knows this from the start. It's not a "change of plans" because all the Jews do not follow him. It has been a clearly outlined objective from the beginning.

The hired hand is not the shepherd because when the wolf comes he runs away as he cares nothing for the sheep.  Again this makes me think of false prophets but not just false ones. Our own relgious leaders of today are human. They cannot have the strength or the resolve to see things through as Jesus can. That is not to say that many of them are not strong faithful individuals but just that they are not the shepherd. This makes me think of churches splitting up and following other leaders. Are they going because they feel called to grow spiritual in a different direction or are they pulled off course by the "hired hand", the "leader" they re following?

They will listen to my voice and they will be one flock and one shepherd. Hasn't happened yet but is an interesting and inspiring prediction.

Of course all this did was cause further disputes over Jesus's claims. He is asked: Tell us plainly are you the Messiah?" Jesus replies: "I did tell you but you did not listen."  He states "I and the Father are one." It incises them so that they pick up stones to stone him and he asks for which of my good works am I being stoned?  They replied it is for blasphemy.  Again Jesus challenged them and told them that in their own laws it is written that those receiving God's word are "gods" so how is it wrong for me to say I am the Son of God.  Then Jesus left and went back across the Jordan.

Hugs to you. As we travel through life may we recognize the voice of the shepherd and find eternal life.

Wars, Planes, and Children

I spent a bit of time last night praying for those aboard MH17 and their families and friends. It came to mind that some people might criticize that act because they might deem some of the sufferers as non Christians. I pondered what "come back" I might have to such an outcry. Quite honestly what came to mind is not particularly pleasant.

First of all they are dead. There it is... blunt and cruel and not pleasant. Whether I'm praying for them ceases to matter for them but it matters to me and it matters to the world. Regardless of your spiritual beliefs, 298 people lost their lives, not by some "accident", not because they were on one side or the other of a war, not because they chose to put themselves in a dangerous situation but simply because they were there. In a plane, with no thoughts of death, no concerns as they soared toward their destination. That number includes 3 infants and possibly as many as 100 children.

Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." Matthew 19:14  He didn't say, "let only Christian children come to me." now did he?

These were people that laughed and loved and cared. They had friends and families and lives. They were mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, sons, daughters, grandparents and grandchildren. They existed. I don't know how they knew God or their God's name or even if they believed in an afterlife. None of that matters to me. What matters is that in our world today we have hate and war and lies. We have the ability to destroy 298 (and let's face it a lot more than that) people in a matter of minutes. Just because we can, doesn't mean we should.

It looks like it's shaping up to be one big political mess. I have no idea who exactly shot down the plane but it's starting to look as if it was the insurgents. Yes, there's finger pointing, and yes there are those that say its a conspiracy. My thoughts are that they accidently shot down a civilian plane which they believed to be a Ukraine military one. Now all hell is about to break loose. Whether it was an accident or intentional, regardless of who is at fault, the point is, as long as we have hate, and war, and those that think we settle our differences with violence then things like this will continue to happen. After all this isn't the first time a civilian plane has been shot down by accident. That doesn't make it any less horrific.

The whole world is watching. If Americans were aboard the plane has not been confirmed although some are suggesting 23 Americans lost their lives. People are already arguing about WHY people are concerned about Americans onboard as if they are somehow "special." No they are not special. It's simply that people want to know, just like the Australians wanted to know, just like any other country wanted to know. Just this simple unknown fact is already pitting people against each other. That's how evil works. I do wonder why our government is so slow in confirming if in deed Americans were onboard. It makes me think they want their "response", their "game plan" in place before they acknowledge loss of life. But this isn't a game, people. This is real. It cuts to the core of those people who have lost loved ones.

I pray for those that lost loved ones, I pray for the leaders of all the countries involved, I pray for the world, I pray for people to move beyond their self inflicted, limited viewpoints toward a more global view of the world and the people in it. I pray that a senseless act doesn't push us to the brink of a world war.

Hugs to each of you. Hold onto the light in the darkness and guard it with passion.

"Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness." 1 John 2:9

Blindness, Investigations and The Son of Man

Gospel of John Chapter 9

Chapter nine is almost exclusively the story of Jesus healing the man who was born blind.  He covered his eyes with mud and told him to wash in the pool of Siloam. Upon doing so the man could see.

The story starts out with the disciples asking Jesus who had sinned this man or his parents since he was born blind. Jesus tells them that it was neither but that it happened so the works of God might be displayed.  This strikes me because I think even today people view misfortune, troubles, and illness as being the result of sin. It's not but in reading the verses again I wonder does it even in today's world allow for God's work. In some ways it certainly does even though God doesn't make bad things happen.

 

The Pharisees investigate, question the man and his parents, and try to cast doubt on who Jesus is. The man says "If this man was not from God he could do nothing." But the Pharisees certainly do not want to hear this and they throw him out.

 

Jesus then finds him and asks: "Do you believe in the Son of Man?"  He worshiped him saying "Lord, I believe."

 

I think I find most interesting what Jesus says to the Pharisees: "If you were blind you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains."  In other words, had you not declared your own power to know the difference between good and evil, right and wrong you would be "innocent". Yet in declaring that "you see" or that you know the difference you are now accountable for your actions.

 

Sometimes I pray for God to open my eyes so that I might see and understand the path I am intended to walk. There are so many questions that pop up in today's world and things that might have once been a simple black or white now have so many shades that it's hard to tell where one starts and another leaves off.

 

Yet "seeing" can be difficult at times too especially when there is often so little that can be "done."

 

Hugs to all of you and a special hope that you ":see" with new eyes as God leads you on this special journey called life.

 

 

 

 

Here I Am

 

I've written before about doors, and knocks, and seeking. Who is knocking at your door? Is it the world with all it's whims, and lures and glittering gold? Have we hung out the "do not disturb" sign? It's strange sometimes I can hear the knock, feel the embrace and listen to the whispered words of love and at other times it seems distant and foreign. Is that lack of faith?  I don't think so. 

 

It is like a poor connection on a cell phone. "Can you hear me now." God might be saying. It is not loss of faith but simply the language of the soul once again being drowned out by the busyness of this humanly existence. While we like to think that our faith is a strong constant lifeline; it isn't. At least that's not the way I seem to experience it.  Oh sure there are "in the trenches" faithful that pray only in times of great need and their thoughts of God fade quickly with the passing crisis. Yet I also think there are very faithful believers who experience these times of "disconnect."  It is what you do during those times that determines whether you become lost on the path to spiritual growth.

 

"I stand at the door and knock." Yes Lord, I hear you. May you stand patiently waiting for me to stumble about in the darkness and find the light that guides me to the door.  

 

If anyone hears my voice and opens the door. Yes I do hear you. My house is a mess Lord; if only I had a moment to straighten it before I let you in. I struggle to find the key. The door is locked sometimes Lord, not from you but from my own fear. I so easily make a mess of things.

 

"I will come in." Yes Lord please do come in. Don't let my slowness block your entry.

 

"And eat with him and he with me."  Yes Lord we will eat together and your bread will be my salvation.

 

Here I am Lord.

 

Hugs to each of you, may you always find the light on and the key ready when the Lord knocks.

 

 

Perfect as an Angel

Mostly I keep my personal trials and things to myself. Not bursting them open on a blog for all to see. I love to share the joys, the triumphs, the unexpected glimpses of beauty. Perhaps I like to pretend that I live in a perfect little bubble where ugly things never venture.

My oldest brother Jimmy passed away last week and his funeral was today. Isn't that a lovely term "passed away". What does it mean exactly? Other than passing from one life into another? Quite honestly, we weren't particularly close. We'd had many a falling outs through the years and just had very different ways of looking at life, and love, and the world. A while back I let him know that none of that truly mattered. I simply let go of those things that caused anguish, bitterness, and stood like a brick wall between us. We still weren't close (sometimes there's just too much time and distance and it starts to feel surreal) but it still felt better to let go of all those things; that in the long run, in the overall scheme of life, really didn't matter anymore.

Even with all of that, there's still a sense of grief, lost childhood memories and little things that even when I wanted to knock him in the head, only he would truly "get". He could get my temper going like no other and then just say some completely logical thing that left me scratching my head. He wasn't perfect but neither am I, or you, or anyone else for that matter. All he could do is travel this path, this journey through life with his own flair. And that he did.

In the end he left his imprint on many people's lives; friends, family, coworkers. It never ceases to amaze me that so many people can know one in so many different ways. The brother I might describe is not the one my sister would, or his children, or his friends. The parts we play in people's lives are as varied as the stars in the sky. And the legacy one leaves behind can be as vast as the dark night sky, varying in intensity, an ebony canvas filled with clouds and specks of light from the distant stars.  Too beautiful for words.

I've no doubt that he is in a wonderful place, surrounded by people he loved that have gone before him. He won't make a "perfect angel" but he will be perfect as an angel. A strong angel, perhaps a bit stubborn but worthy, an angel like no other ever before him. It makes me smile to think of him in that role.

Hugs to each of you. As I share these very personal thoughts I hope that somehow they may be of some help to you in some small way.

What Are You Growing?

Today's sermon was about the parable of the sower.

"That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. ² Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. ³ Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. ⁴ As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. ⁵ Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. ⁶ But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. ⁷ Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. ⁸ Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. ⁹ Whoever has ears, let them hear.” Matthew 13

Obviously the parable is in both Mark and Matthew and it is a powerful message indeed. God is the sower, providing us with an abundant supply of possibilities to live his word and grow in our relationship with him. What are you growing?

The seeds that fall on hard ground are quickly found and eaten by the birds. They have no chance to thrive or even to sprout. Like God's whispers that we ignore, like those doors that are open but we do not enter, like the songs that are never sung. These seeds fall on a heart that is hard or blinded to the message. Yet where does the blindness come from? There are times we are blind to the message or the possibilities because to be open to them is just too complicated, too time consuming, quite honestly too much effort and we don't wish to cultivate our soil (our hearts) to prepare for the message or the harvest.

The seeds that fall on rocky ground sprout but they are not strong and they have no staying power. They quickly fade in the hot sun. The rocky heart is enthusiastic at first, open to the whispers from God but the strength of this faith fades quickly. It is shallow and does not stand a chance against the blazing sun of life. Remember earlier I posted about being a muser and whether this is somehow better than those with strong, simple faith. I repeat again that it is not better but it is what helps me cultivate the soil. It is what digs out the little pebbles and the big boulders and allows the roots of my faith to delve deeper into richer soil.

Some seeds fall on good soil but are amongst the weeds and thorns. They sprout but are quickly lost among the tangled brambles of life. There is faith but there is the allure of many worldly things. This is also where we hear the voices of others, questioning, causing us to doubt, casting us into the thorns of our own minds. It's easy to get lost on this path. One runs the risk of "unbecoming" quickly among the weeds of life. What we water, grows. Are we watering our faith or cultivating riches on earth?

Some seeds fall on the rich soil reaping the fruits of their faith. Seriously? It's not quite as simple as that now is it? Not in today's world. I've mentioned before that I believe in people taking an active role in the relationship with God, in growing their faith, and in striving to become the person God intends for us to be. This just doesn't happen because we "land" on good soil. Be that soil, a good family, an inspiring church or a life affirming event. There is an individual and personal role in creating rich soil. Again to me, cultivating the soil means reading, reflecting, living, questioning, seeking meaning and listening for the whispers. It is "learning the language of the soul" that I spoke of earlier. It is recognizing that a relationship with God is just like any other relationship. It takes time, it take patience, it takes commitment.

What are you growing? Fragile plants that wilt in the brilliant sunlight? Seeds that fail to germinate?  Plants that are anemic because their nourishment is sucked away by the weeds? Strong, healthy plants with roots that delve into the darkest, richer part of the earth and thrust toward the sky seeking light? It's your choice whether to cultivate or ignore the garden of your soul.

Hugs to each of you. May your gardens bloom with the colors of the rainbow full of light and love and strength.

Bible Verse of the Week: Isaiah 41:10

This week I am starting a weekly reflection on a Bible verse. For the next six weeks, I will be using verses that center around the idea of protection. No real reason, it's just where I'm starting. You can think of it as a mini Bible study.

 

This weeks verse is Isaiah 41:10. I will post the verse each Sunday here at Soul Musings and on the Soul Musing's page at Facebook. I want to try posting a question or a thought about the verse each day but that will most likely occur on the Facebook page not here on the blog. I want to give others the opportunity to join in, answer the question, accept the challenge or give their own thoughts about the verse/theme. 

Stones, Liars, and Children of Whom?

Gospel of John Chapter 8

In this chapter we find Jesus in the temple courts when the teachers of the law and the Pharisees bring in a woman that has been caught committing adultery. They try to trick Jesus into "going against the law" in what he says needs to happen but instead he turns the tables on them by simply saying "let any one of you who is without sin be the first to cast a stone at her." Of course, on one could or did.
I think today we are too willing to cast stones, to see faults in others while turning a blind eye to our own.

 

In this chapter we also have a great discussion between Jesus and the Jews as they tried o determine just WHO Jesus was and whose children Jesus opponents were. This conversation goes back and forth for some time. Jesus states that they belong to their father the devil who is the king of liars. He also contends that they cannot hear what God says because they do no belong to God.

 

I paused to reflect on this part a bit because I can see a great similarity to today. I always thought (and still do in theory) that anyone can hear God's voice but then the more I think of it the more I'm convinced that people can turn a deaf ear to God, or tune him out or ignore him to such an extent that his whispers are no longer viable. That's not to say he stops trying but just that his voice is dead to those that choose to "worship" different things.

 

Remember the whole concept of good and evil as viewed as "becoming" and unbecoming. It's part of the process. As we "become" we are more in tune with God and we can "hear" his voice, his sense of direction, his suggestions more readily. Yet when people turn away from God and become engulfed in humanly desires or evil endeavors they are in the process of unbecoming and can no longer hear the sound of God's call. You don't have to be "bad" or "evil" really to cease to hear God. You can just be indifferent. Indifference can murder the spiritual self as readily as evil.

 

Hugs to all of you. I'll end with my favorite verse from John 8.

 

"I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life." John 8:12

 

 

 

 

 

 

Walk 500 Miles or Hitchhike?

So before I go about the rest of the day I wanted to muse a bit about this morning's sermon while it's fresh in my mind. It was all about rivalry, Jesus, and the importance of realizing that we can't please everyone. Even Jesus couldn't.

We don't have to walk 500 miles to find Jesus. Yet with that being said I do think we have to make some commitment to our spiritual life and growth. As I was driving home however I thought of the whole idea of competition and rivalry. Do I believe that those that "seek" God and muse and read and ponder have a "better" relationship with God? Am I an "intellectual snob?" Do I think one way is better just as the Pharisees went back and forth over Jesus's approach and John the Baptists way of doing things? 

As I pondered this I came to the conclusion that no, I don't really think one way is better than the other. It's simply that I have to write about what I know, my approach to life, spiritual growth and seeking to know God. I can't write about the pure basic I believe in Jesus faith, never questioning, strong and unshaken. People that have this simple yet strong faith are truly blessed. But its not me. Does it make them better than me or I better than them? No it is simply two different paths to the same destination.

The most basic premise of the whole search for meaning and spiritual growth can be summed up in a single bible verse. Believe in Him. It's as simple as that.

 

Anything after this belief is as some might say "Icing on the cake." Anything beyond this is not necessary so why do  spend time musing?  Not for "saving grace" that is already offered without strings attached. I do it for myself. I find that it helps me stay the distance, helps me put one foot in front of the other, and leads me in meaningful directions. Do I HAVE to do it? Do you have to do it? No. Yet to be an active participant in my relationship with God has benefits.

 

I've pondered before that we have some personal responsibility for our own relationship with God. That the door can be opened but it is indeed our choice to step through it. So I ask you, "Are you walking those 500 miles or are you hitchhiking?"

 

Again, I fully understand that we don't have to walk 500 miles to find Jesus. What I am asking I suppose is "do you walk the walk or simply talk the talk?" I suppose also I'm asking, "do you walk or do you hitchhike?" In other words, do you make your faith your own, do you live it, breath it, speak it and listen to God's whispers or do you simply "go along for the ride" (with someone else's beliefs)

 

Those 500 or 5000 or any number of miles can be wearing on the spirit. That is where that basic belief in Jesus comes into play. Without it your shoes wear out, you get blisters and the dust settles in your nostrils.

 

I know this is rambling. It's not meant as a great dissertation but simply as one travelers thoughts.

 

Hugs to each of you. Hugs to those with a strong simple faith that you live daily, you are truly blessed. Hugs to those who struggle to believe, may you be comforted by God's touch. Hugs to those like me that wander the pathways seeking guidance, inspiration, and a deeper relationship.