...What I want for us...

 I don't want to pretend to be wealthy and actually have nothing, I want to be wealthy even if we have little!!

Its so big, I can't see the end...

 With my own eyes 👀 I saw the "Red Sea" opened with a path through for me, and as I reached the other side the water tumbled back in and destroyed my enemies!!!

Then standing on the edge of the "Jordan River" in the middle of flood season, I invited you to step into the water with me... and with delight a sweet path opened up through the water!!! Now as we glance back our hearts beat fast with gratitude!!

Standing here with you by my side, in this beautiful land, I gaze ahead... now we are standing at the Ocean's side... a part of me asks for the ocean itself to part, and yet this I know is not God way, for to sink or swim is the day that almost is here. See without the oceans we couldn't travel to new lands, without the oceans we couldn't float a big ship of our very own, without the oceans there'd be no waves, without the waves we never would ride high, without the depths that can drown us we would never be able to find the treasure buried on the oceans floor, and without the storms on the sea we'd never hear His voice telling them to "be calm". 

So, my love, as we look forward to the ocean ahead my soul trembles but yet the light I see, for the one who made the oceans big and broad is the one who made the doors that keeps them in their bounds!! Let's build a boat, let's build a raft- maybe it only starts out that small but let's float the ocean and go on a voyage to find new lands!! For this ocean God has given us as a gift, even though my heart is not used to seeing it, you see God made the ocean to keep us close, not to drown us, not to separate us but that we may float together on the ocean that represents the vastness of His heart and love for us as He leads us to our perfect home!!! ❤️😘

Speechlessness Talking...

  To be laughed at, to be called a fool, to have motive questioned, to be advised to move on, told to invest the resources in my own future! Asked "what if nothing ever comes of it??"

 I gave it all freely, no strings attached, just a gift from my heart for the treasure I saw!! Yes, great longing I had for something more, but to bribe and to buy I would not! 

Now what can I say or what can I do, for all that I did seems so small, so insignificant? 

Wave after wave comes rushing in bringing back more than I ever gave! How is this possible? An investment without a contract! "I love you" given with no demand of return! 

Now more received than I ever gave, how is this possible? But possible I know it is for it is the reality I now live! 

With grateful heart I bow my head to my King and I say thank you, thank you as I hold the hand of my best friend in mine and we bow together before our King and say thank you together!! 🙏🙏🙏❤️❤️❤️

Unlocked...

The Familiar sound of the deadbolt bar crossing into the door jamb with a semi-smooth clunk! Security, safety, peace of mind?

Keeping those safe on the inside and keeping those out who have no place there. Or is this true?

For years did the deadbolt keep me safe? Or for years did the deadbolt keep my fears safe?

I unlocked the door and I left it unlocked, in fact I left it partly open-not for all to welcome but for the One and one who are welcome! 

Now, instead of locking my fears inside, safely and securely while all others remain shut out- with door unlocked and partly open my fears have no place to hide, I see your silhouette stand in the door as you walk into the room, no fear of discovery have I, for all in its perfect time, nothing I have to hide!

With no protection of locks and bars my fears flee out the front door running down the lane into oblivion, they tumble and fall, how silly they look now; I don't even wave goodbye for your hand is wrapped in mine!

I unlocked the door and to lock it again I cannot. With respect and virtue I know you will walk in, and already have! 

This room I call my heart and the door to it is unlocked, the physical world of mine with real doors and bars is unlocked to 👸 for to shut you out I refuse, no fear I have  that you will overstep- for virtue is your middle name and our King is our safety with His word we will live in peace of mind!!!❤️❤️🙏🙏

Unashamedly...

 Unashamedly my greatest drive and joy is investing in the success of those in my world!!!!

🙏🙏❤️❤️💫💫🤩🤩

If this is wrong, then may God have mercy on me and change my heart. Otherwise may God grant me the grace to stand tall though few approve! And perfect my craft and make it stronger in God's perfect plan!!🙏🙏✔️

I Appeal to Heaven...

 Like stepping on to a different planet, like an auditory specialist going deaf, like all my best dreams being in a foreign language that I do not know, like an Olympic swimming drowning on dry land. I do not know what to do. Like the gates of hell opened up wide, like the most compelling opportunity to fail, like almost  every insecurity ever know to me raising their voice to question my hope. I don't know what questions to ask. 

But this I hold, my hope, my confidence, my requests to my King, my knowledge that 👸 is the best and only one like her

Why is it that as one is freed from pressure, another becomes captive to the unknown??

This much I must confess freely... our King knows what He is doing so I cling to Him with nothing but the teeth of my heart and look to the day when face to face, hand in hand, arm in arm, and side by side we stand as one with the three of us!! 

Worth the effort? Worth the fight? Worth the growth? Worth the risk? Absolutely 💯 ✔️

This too will somehow make tomorrow better because God is King of today and tomorrow!!🙏🙏

I am here, and not going anywhere so much as God grants me grace to stand!! To the one whom is my best friend... I love YOU!!!

Could it be...???

 Could it be... Two of the most amazing hugs any human could give to another human!!! ❤️  Could it be I received both?? Why yes indeed I did!!!! 

Could it be though that I keep taking? That I keep longing for the absolute best, without giving my absolute best??

Have I ever given a hug to the most amazing woman ever?? I fear I have not... I fear I always receive... Yes, it is safer this way, I spare the awkwardness of rejection, or awkwardness of timing. But I ask again have I ever given a hug to the most beautiful woman in the world?? And if no, why?? Is not it my fear of her fear that makes it so?? She is most lovely and perfect in her timing, her hugs are always just right so I never could replace them even if I tried. But why would I not at least try to give a gift freely given?? I accept her gift freely given!! 

Where are you my reader?? Have you dared to give, have you dared to give a hug to your best friend? Have you dared to give a hug to those who mean more than life to you? Have you dared to despise the fear and seek the glory that comes from Above? Not for selfish gain but for genuine, honest, and right motive?

I know not how, but I shall not leave you to attempt this on your own, my best fried!👸 for we shall dare to live and prosper even if in so doing there is risk of failing!! That is a risk I must take!! For without it, do not we die?? 

The Hair...

 There it was... the hair... in stark contrast to the interior of my vehicle as it layed straddled across the center console. Far to long to be mine and not quite the right color either. It was no mystery where it came from.

You probably know the hairs... At the most inopportune times they clog the drain, appear in a casserole at Christmas dinner, cling to clothing and fly through the air. Some recoil in disgust while others shrink in embarrassment, ill-mannered kids will throw a tantrum and refuse to eat their food after discovering the hair! All in all no one is too crazy about them.

That November day I jolted back to reality... my car had been "invaded" by the donor of this hair, perhaps "invaded" is too harsh of a word, for she had spent time with me driving in my car. One simple hair strung across center console... as I closed my car door and walked into my house I made a choice.. or perhaps the choice made me I prayed  that I would never again complain about the hair but instead gratefully take it as a reminder of an amazing person and an amazing time spent together!!🙏

A Journey

 Oh how can I keep silent! How can I hide my face? No, I cannot!! For I have seen miracles upon miracles, I have seen the waters of the Red Sea part as it were and dry land appear where there was no way!! Because I have seen this I dare to Hope and I confidently trust that the raging waters of the Jordan River will stand still and also part!!🙏🙏😃😃 Even if no one is with me I will put my feet into that water! Oh how sweet it would be to have company on that journey! 

Help me my King!!

 Oh, how I wish to run through the hills picking the finest wildflowers like I have done almost every other seventh day since Sioux Falls!! But yet how can I do such a thing?? I delighted in it and looked forward to it every week!! A dear friend I must protect, and as we try and carve out what is right, as we stand appart for now, I appeal to Heaven and my King for help🙏🙏💐💐

"Open last"

 The morning dawned with sun yet some gray clouds, rain was forecast... would it make it a dreary day? A drive lay ahead and my aching throat was the greeting to my next decade... The card had layed next to me all night, now retrieving my trusty pocket knife I slit the envelope open carefully... the card had wrinkled some, the light blue stain that bled through from where I had held it close to my heart until the time to open it. There was the card with the very familiar handwriting... a kind and encouraging message that brought tears to my eyes, and there was a mysterious white piece of paper folded in half with the simple words "open last" the card had contained an explanation of the paper so with trembling hands I opened the white piece of paper... the more I read the more my hands shook, the more my heart ached and yet the more pride and joy that weld up inside! How can it be that one simple card and one simple piece of paper could be the most painful things I have ever received and yet simultaneously joyous? Now I have two prize possessions... 1 my old Bible from childhood, 2 the most beautifully painful card I have ever received with a white piece of paper that said "open last".

As my day came to a close I looked back and without any shadow of a doubt I could say it was my absolute best birthday yet, the most prized possession and gift that could have been given that day!!! I wonder if everyone gets these same opportunities? I don't remember hearing many people talk about them if they do, so I bow my head and I say thank you Jesus, thank you Jesus!

"Open last" 💔❤️‍🩹❤️💝💞🙏🙏🎉🎉

Into War...

A heart tore between heaven and earth. I've felt pain before yet never so deep, so invasive, nothing escapes its feel. Yet at the same moment I've never felt so calm, so happy, so confident of my King! I have never been more sure and yet onlookers would question my sanity.  🙃 🤔 

See,  this pain... can not freeze me for I take it to the ice Melter who shines His warmth into the soul!! What I can not do, He can do!

If my King leads into war I can follow with confidence 💯 and there is much to be fought for 👸, good and noble aims!! My promise 👸 is that I will only do it with our 🤴 help and blessing!!!

Let me hear...

 I do not need to see the lightning, I do not need to hear the thunder, I do not need the raging fire to keep me warm, I do not need the wind whistling through the rocks, and I do not need an earthquake to rock my world...

 I must have the still small Voice, that is all I need, that is all I want, for One whisper of that Voice and everything else fades into dim silence, and that still small Voice becomes the pounding throb of a beating heart full of life - from the soft command of its Maker and King!!!

To Grow...

 When we stop growing we start to die, to grow we eat. Feed your "heart" with the Good Word, and be grateful for the growing pain!🙏

Help Me Remember!

 On the days that seem like I'm not running this race wall, I look and remember that I wouldn't be running at all if it were not for the One who gave me today to run! So my King, I thank you for today, though others dash past me on their race, I thank thee that I am in this race with you! Help me to remember that without You I wouldn't be running at all!!🙏

You ask again?

 How can I be so sure?? Sure of what?? Sure of the sweetest I've ever had!! 

I have seen 👀 and watched all my life the ebb and flow of relationships, I have watched and seen that there may seem to be  no way of computation with live breathing humans, no guarantee of faithful love. So why do some give faithful love all their lives together and others do not??

The secret lies in a mystery greater than themselves, a mystery but yet a reality, a mystery to us but a fact to Heaven! Some call it faith, some call it trust, others would call it weakness! What is it??

Why am I so sure? And what am I so sure of? What makes her so different, or is it her at all?

This I am sure of- a rare diamond unlike any other mined out of the Earth, cut and polished by her Maker!! Anything I could have hoped for and yet so much more I did not know that I needed!!

I remember the first conversation, I remember the first meeting, I was wrong about both, any preconceptions I had were wrong for she was that much better!! ❤️

"That much better" was no comfort to me for if I thought I didn't stand a chance before, now how could I have any hope? I was left with nothing of my own I could turn to, nothing to give me a plan, nothing to give me a strategy. My only hope, my only prayer, was my prayer to God!

I was left dazed and stunned, why had she come into my world, why had our paths crossed? Nothing was going according to my plan, nothing at all. 

As quickly as she had come- she vanished! That is the day I begin to realize how precious she was to me!

I resolved that not a day would go by without a prayer for her, that her life would be prospered, that her joy would be full, that our Father's tender care would cover her. And not a day went by that I did not fulfill my pledge. Some say it is easy to pray when things are going well but what about when things are not? What about when someone has left your life with a hole the size of the Marianas Trench??? 

I had known that I would not survive even a casual hiccup in the road, and this was no casual hiccup! Emotional life and death hung in the balances- tilting on a knife's edge!

I knew I was already a dead man if I tried to survive this on my own, even though I know my God had helped me through all the other life hiccups, I didn't see how He could get me through because I brought nothing to the table...

...I brought nothing, I was helpless, and in many ways the hole 🕳 left in my heart was the least of my worries even though it compounded every other worry and even though it grew larger with each passing day. 

I crayed out to Him and I cried, for days all I did was cling to Him!! A week later I woke, my tears gone, my heart calm and one of the most important decisions of my life lay before me...

As if God was speaking to me... "You are free to go, you are free to move on, your heart is at rest, and I will not blame you if you do!" I thought about it for a while that Monday but taking everything I knew and had seen about her... I knelt down and asked my King if I could stay, maybe six months, maybe a year but let me stay and hope against hope for a miracle, for what I had seen was only a once in a lifetime gift 🎁. So I stayed, and that is when I realized something... 

She had taken part of my heart and forgot to give it back! so with God's blessings I went to find the missing piece of my heart... 

There it was, I could see it! She was holding it in her hands, as we sat down across from each other, the missing piece of my heart still beating! As we parted ways that evening I still saw her holding the pice of my beating heart. She was unable to give it back and I unwilling to take it back. Did she even know she was holding it?? I'm not sure. As I drove away I realized that she now held even more of it than before! I learned a very important lesson... when someone holds your heart, it's not because they necessarily want to but it's because you have given part of your heart to them. It's almost a cruel thing but a beautiful thing too!!

So, by heavens help it must be two holding each other's heart 💞  mutually for thriving love to grow!!! Even though I felt I held so little of her's I was determined by God's grace to hold the little sliver I thought I might have as a sacred trust! 

And that my dear friend is where my confidence lies, it only takes a sliver, one tiny sliver and God's blessing!

And you ask again why I am so confident of this? I am confident that God's will, will be done!! As I continue to ask day and night pleading for God's grace I know that he will not fail and he will not disappoint and his answer will be perfect, perfect for me and perfect for the most amazing woman I have ever met! Yes I am 100% confident that God's will, will be done!

And yet again you ask why am I so confident? I know that she is taking everything to her King and will do nothing without His approval and blessing!!!🙏❤️ This gives me great confidence because I can be open and honest, with the woman who holds part of my heart in her hands, and not fear to sway her heart only based on my input and opinion!

But you still ask how can I be so confident?? I have seen miracles, I have seen miracles stacked on top of miracles!!! This banishes fear of failure, because I can not make it happen, but my King is and can make it perfect!!

I know that 4 decades ago God designed me for this time and I know that He knew almost 3 decades ago and designed her for a special purpose!! I know we were made for each other regardless of if it's for life or only for a while!! 

There is no other like her ❤️ ,the only one of her Mother!!

This is why I dare to be so confident, my confidence is in Heaven, for that is where true and lasting love comes from!!!🙏❤️

I am confident of 👸, because I am confident in our King!!!!❤️❤️❤️

A Time for Everything!

 Lord, let me run with you! When I can not run, let me walk with you! When I can no longer walk, give me strength to crawl, no matter how slow, beside you! When I can no longer crawl, give me the trust to lay my life in your arm's, for it is then that I will fly with you!!!🙏🙏💝🎉

No ?

 When all standing, I had, was taken away, when no place left where to pursue. 

When even hope seemed to tremble, no path forward I saw. It was then that I continued to bow, a place wide enough for my knees, though trembling, to kneel.

I pled for You to bless them, and if there was a blessing left for me I humbly asked for it. Not because of hurt nor out of spite but only for Your mercy, and for Your love I did come, bowing before Your throne both day and night.

Then, in the middle of pleading for them, You only made my desire stronger! what was I to do??? Now I pled for myself too! 

Pleading with the Righteous Judge of all the Earth to stand up and let His will be done, in placing hand in hand whom he deemed best!

Night and day I plead for His will, night and day my heart strings grew fonder! What was I to do? But keep pleading to my King!

Then the time came where for another man I could not plead, I asked a blessing on him but I could not pray his hand to prosper in taking yours!

Still no visible standing I had, simply the ledge where my knees trembling pled to my King!

I asked His blessing to prosper my way, yet I knew not how, for how would He take one's heart and transfer it away from another?? It seemed so cruel to me, yet I had to ask, and His will alone I prayed to be done! 

Whatever the future held, one thing I knew, I could not safely venture down a road where I was only second best, so I asked my King, I pled with my King, I cried to my King to do whatever work was necessary in His great perfect plan!

 I do not claim to see the future nor know what His plan is but one thing I can say, all my prayers He answered very clear, and no question mark is now left in my mind should His good pleasure be to place your hand in mine!

A backseat to no one!

 My King, I need help and I'm asking for you to send me that help, may I be very humble and teachable, may I bow low before you!🙏 Yet may I never bow to another, may I be fearless to defend Your honor! May I never bow to anyone or nothing no matter how authoritative they be nor how scary my fears- let me only be humble and bow to You!

Could it be possible...

 Could it be possible that the most exhausting days are not the ones that leave you the most exhausted?? It is not a matter of how exhausting the day but rather how much you can lean on Him🙏

His Plans...

The Plans I Have for You

Survived The Night!

 How will I survive the night?? I will survive the night because you are King of the day and your Light makes darkness flee! So I will survive the night and it will turn to dawn, and dawn will turn to day! Glorious day, because you are King of the Light!!! This is how I will survive the night! 🙏🎶❤️

Thank you my King!!

 You keep cutting my legs off, what my noblest things were you took away... Yet I run stronger and faster, I dance with more grace and passion than ever I did when my own legs I had!! My God, my King, my Father, my only Hope are you!! And this Hope now stronger than an army of ten thousand with twenty thousand legs of the finest warriors!!

Keep cutting away the legs of my pride, cut away my arms too if You need to make me cling to you with nothing but the teeth of my heart!!💗  Amen.

A Poem for a Very Dear Friend...

 Somedays we pray for miracles, somedays we pray for Angels with strength from Heaven's Court. At times the answer seems to be just perplexity and Mortals that surround our steps. When if the clouds could roll open wide we'd see wings fanning the sky, Heaven and Earth stepping aside for God's tender hands are making you and I. You see things in me that make me cry, cry tears of joy for that is who I was made to be! But if truth be told it couldn't be me, not without you... the work God has done in you gave Him a place to do a work in me. Because of who you are I can be the man I was made to be!! I couldn't be who I am without you being who you are!! And neither of us could be who we are without God being who He is!!🙏❤️🙏❤️

Will you??

 

As for Us...

 

Perfect Morning...

 

Twin Sisters...

Fantasy/daydreaming and doubt/discouragement/fear are twin sisters who are the spawn of the devil! These sisters will take up residence with anyone who will let them. They are the most vile wenches any man could ever associate with. They always work together to destroy anyone who they can, regardless of social class or moral standing.

"Rain Drops"

 

As the clouds parted and the sunshine broke through I felt the ground beneath my feet, firm and solid yet damp and cool; the perfect time to plant, to pull weeds, and prepare for something beautiful to come!

Let me tell you about this flower garden… it’s been a long process working here. From time to time I can get some really strong thunderstorms where all fury breaks loose and everything I’ve tried to accomplish gets washed away! So I have built levees to divert the water around my flower garden and I even used tarps to cover the area so I would only get water when I wanted it and only from the garden hose. Some of the plants have not grown well at all and others have done reasonably well but I had trouble with some of the weeds.

Well, it’s interesting how my levees started to get a few holes punched in them, some from the outside and I made a few from the inside too! And then a beautiful wind came and blew the tarp away from overhead! It was actually really nice and I didn’t mind it a bit being gone!!! All was good as I worked in the flower garden until I saw the dark clouds and felt the wind whistling through my fingers…

As the lighting flashed and the thunder cracked in the sky I felt helpless standing in my flower garden, I knew this day would come, for thunderstorms always come… If at least I could pull the old tarp back over my flower garden it would keep the rain from beating down on the tender plants. As I reached out my hand and began to pull the tarp over the delicate garden of my heart I heard a voice saying “let the rain come!” What?? I argued- “NO!” But the voice again said “let the rain come!”

It was a downpour- as the flood rose higher all I could do was call out to the voice for help, through the light from the lighting I could see my Best Friend reaching His hand out and holding mine tightly.

As the rain drops fell from my eyes, drenching the garden of my heart, I began to see the uselessness of tarps and levees to shield my heart from pain.

The tears of pain and joy both water the ground gently and the dry and desolate garden begins to spring to life more than it ever has before!!

Yes I know there is a tear running down my face- today it’s a grateful one!

Thank you Jesus!!

Looking to the Son...

 

Looking Home!

 

Morning

 

The Gift of Feeling!!

 I have discovered that the most painful days in life are not the darkest days!!!

For to feel pain one must be able to feel, and to be able to feel one must be alive!

When the numbing dark clouds of discouragement, doubt, and depression roll in- pain is displaced by fear, dread, and worry as a fake impostor fooling you that you still feel pain.

When there is pain there is feeling!! Feeling of hurt and sadness, feeling of loss and grief,  feeling of joy and acceptance, feeling of love and trust in the arms of Jesus!!

Let there be no dark days where the Light is covered, hiding the pain to be had as a gift showing the dangers in life.

Even if I feel pain every day for the rest of my mortal life, I will be happy!!! For to feel the arms of Jesus around you and me is worth it all!

And one day all pain, suffering, and tears will be taken away!!

Thank you Jesus!!!

😃💓

Looking Up!

 

When you are hurting...

 

My Greatest Fear...

 A whisper, a premonition, a prediction, or perhaps a promise?? “You will lose this too.”

The closest I’d ever let my heart get to a woman, perfect beauty in my eyes, the sweetest days of my life, like the face of an angel she had appeared into my world! She came on timing that mortals do not plan, a gift from Heaven for sure! My greatest fear was to lose this gift, lose this taste of Heaven, lose the sweetest I’ve ever known, lose a one in a trillion, lose a once in a lifetime chance!?

A gift from Heaven for a reason unknown to mortals, a gift for sure! Pleading with my King for her hand in mine, notwithstanding only for His glory and only "thy will be done, Father". Day and night wrestling with my God, giving the gift back to her maker- for to have and hold she was not mine to be. Sweetest days though, not always easy but beautiful times to be treasured! What a smile!

I knew this day would come, I had fought it, I had cried out to, "let it pass", to let me keep this treasure that was not mine to keep. But she was only on lone for a fleeting four and one half months.

Would my greatest fear come to pass and then destroy me? A gift of knowledge as the day drew near to let her go, oh how hard but how sweet the time spent with my King, stilling the storm in my heart and giving peace!

In pain, what have I lost? ...My greatest fear will die this night! Instead of losing a gift, I carry the fruits of a short but amazing time! Instead of losing a gift, now I can be a gift too!

"Father, hold this treasure of yours close to your heart and give her a Heaven on Earth of her very own!!!!!"

...Now My Greatest Victory!! Thank you Jesus!!

But you may ask… Why did God allow this pain?   No pain, no gain!!!🙌 If you know, you know 😉

Sunshine On The Mountain ⛰️

 As the curtains of my eyes closed and my head tilted forwards, the hurry of life faded into insignificance as I began to visit with my best Friend! In the process of talking about life in the company of my best Friend I noticed a canvas in the corner of this room of mine, I moved closer to see what was depicted on it.

A flickering candle danced its warm cheery light across the painting, as I picked up the candle and lifted it higher to examine the piece of art. From the light of the candle my words can only scratch the surface of what my eye saw!! Like a canvas with living color and living objects, a three dimensional panorama came to life before my very eyes!!! A beautiful valley with lush green fed by streams running from the rough mountain sides, where the creatures of the wild found safety and made their homes.

From the vantage point I occupied I could take in a large view and my eye was caught by two separate parties traveling along the trails of the valleys below the mountain. I could see how their paths would take them up two separate route to the top of the mountain.

I began to wonder what would compel people to leave the beautiful green and pleasant smelling valley and venture up the rough terrain to the summit??? As I peered through the morning mist I could see something peaking out from the clouds that were between me and the mountain top, it looked as if it was a large painting or sign…

I would stay and watch the climb of the two parities! But I needed a way to identify them… one of the parities passed the blacksmith’s shop so I named them the “Smiths”, the other ones I named the “Bells” because the Church bells rang out the time as they passed by!

I saw many similarities between the Smiths and the Bells… Both were younger couples. Both were happy to be with their spouse! Both laughed and talked as they walked in the beautiful valley!

My initial object for watching the Smiths and Bells was to see who could reach the summit the fastest and be the default winner in this room of mine!

The Smiths were making good progress as Mr. Smith set a fast pace, no doubt he was a trail blazer! I had to smile… here was a man taking charge and leading the way for his wife!!

The Bells seemed to be lagging behind, from my perspective, almost struggling! If they were to reach the top first and win this race I had thrust upon them something would need to change!! Mr. Bell was not taking charge and blazing ahead, he was trying to walk beside Mrs. Bell on the trail and hold her hand… that craziness was casting time in “my” race to the top!!

I looked back at the Smiths, I blinked, and blinked again!!! Were my eyes playing tricks on me??? Could it be??? Was it real??? I blinked again… Yes, on this living canvas the Smiths were now five in total!?! This painting was unfolding at a high rate of speed in comparison to real life! I watched with intense interest as Mr. Smith began to lead his family up the mountain side!!

I noticed that the clouds had cleared from the top of the mountain and light was now rolling down its sides like bouncing happy waves of feathers, giving a pleasant and warm glow to everything it shown upon!!

With a strong show of energy Mr. Smith again started his family on their journey up the side of the mountain, what a sight of pure masculinity, Mr. Smith climbing from one bolder to the next bathed in the warm glow of light coming down the sides of the mountain! (for a minute I had to pause and look at myself in the mirror, squeezing my muscles and puffing up my chest in imitation of Mr. Smith!) Mr. Smith would excitedly tell his wife and children of the wonderful sunshine and in a clear deep voice tell them how to climb, were he had placed his feet and gained his hand holds. They were making excellent time but I could not help noticing that Mrs. Smith looked pale and tired as their three children clung about her and cried from climbing up the mountain. Mr. Smith shared words to help and encouraged his family to keep climbing to the new heights he was reaching!! I was perplexed though because it seemed that his family was responding more like they had been in an ice cave than on a heart working climb up a mountain. Perhaps Mrs. Smith was not cut out to be a winning wife in the mountain climb of life?? Perhaps bad genetics plagued the children and they could never reach the potential of their father?? Now the children were crying and Mr. Smith was visibly frustrated, if only his family would trust him and follow his leadership they could reach the summit quickly! It was a sad sight, Mr. Smith in his prime tethered to his wife and children, who from where I now stood, seemed to ignore his leadership!

I looked away… What had caused this?? They were so promising, they were the only ones strong enough to make it to the summit and yet that was not enough. I began to blame the mountain, it was too harsh, why would anyone risk everything to reach the top only to loose the most precious things in life??

I could not watch any longer my eyes and thoughts drifted… Where were the Bells?? Had they gone back home?? I searched the low parts of the mountain with my eyes were I last left them walking as they talked about their joys, hopes, and how God had brought them through hard times but they were gone from sight! I was about to return to my world and leave this room of mine when I heard the most beautiful laughter!?!?!? Who was making it??? I carefully listened for the direction of sound… my eyes scanned up the mountain side and there was Mrs Bell laughing with her children! Wait!!! Children??? What had happened?? I had been so absorbed in watching the Smith family that I had forgotten all about the possibility that the Bell family could be growing too! Four children had now entered the Bell family!!

In confusion I looked and the Bells were higher on the mountain side than the Smiths were with one less child. I determined to learn and be instructed on the “change of fate”! The Bell family was not climbing in the traditional sense but yet they moved higher and higher up the mountain!?!? As I watched I saw Mr. Bell beside Mrs Bell and their children in front of them climbing over one bolder and then another obstacle Mr. Bell would give advice where the children could get the best toe holds, he watched them climb. Mr. Bell would also help the youngest with a boost or at time carry them on his shoulders! He never blazed ahead of Mrs Bell and it seemed as though they both were directing their children. It was a sight of the most tender and toughing love that I had ever seen. What was the secret ingredient??? All were happy! All were exerting a lot of energy! But the progress was not driven, it was almost spontaneous but yet there was design and a pattern being executed?!?!

But then again why were they climbing this mountain in the first place??? I had to know!!! On my own and from my position I was able to reach the top of the mountain quickly! The most beautiful and warm Sonshine was flooding from the summit! As I reached the top my gaze rested on what I had thought was a painting or sign… But I was not expecting what I saw. There was no painting, there was no sign with bright lights.

There was a man with an awful burden of the most ugly and evil thing that had been laid on His back and yet the weight of those things did not crush Him. He was lifted up for all to see and He said “come unto me and I will give you rest”! From His hands, His feet, and His side a flood of light came and rolled down the mountain side like beautiful refreshing waves, wherever the light was life was bright and everything that was beautiful thrived!!! Then my eye caught a brass plaque with an engraving, moving closer and bending my knee I read these words… “Let Nothing Between My Soul and the Savior!”

The dark curtains of my eyes once again moved and as the morning light beamed into them I began to understand…

Mr. Smith was a good man but he was standing in the way of the light from the only One who could carry the ugly weight of sin, he was trying to be his families light and that is why his wife was so pale and his children unhappy. In standing tall in his prime and blazing a trail up the mountain Mr. Smith had actually blocked the beautiful Sonsine and cast a shadow over his family…

Mr. Bell had insisted that his entire family always be exposed to the wonderful light rolling down the mountain like waves of feather, warming and reviving the entire family! Getting to the top first had never driven the Bells actions for they knew this was not a race against another but rather their race alone and to reach the top was the goal, to reach the top together, to reach the top with not one of their family lost on the mountain side of life!

As I said “thank you” to my best Friend, He blew out the candle and said “now you get to decide!”

In this room of mine with the curtains wide open, letting streams of light in I tilt my head back, look up and say… “Nothing between our souls and our Jesus, full in His wonderful face let us look! Side by side we stand, no shadow we cast upon each other but hand in hand all to Jesus we surrender!”