From Gary... While I am thinking about it...

Today, my oldest daughter, Darlene, put this picture on Face book.  Their trek though the store was an imaginary one, with the Kohl's cart transformed into a train.  Oh, to think like that again!!!  To see beyond the hum-drum of mere reality and envision the possibilities of imagination that alter the "IS" to the "COULD BE".  But, wait, isn't that the substance of FAITH?  To have confidence in the one and only supreme GOD of all the universe and not just in our sensory perceptions and vain reasoning’s.  This past week I went to a new barber and asked for a "flat-top" haircut; he did a great job and yesterday in church, numerous people were saluting me and calling me "SARGE".  I really loved the irony of it all, as they had a little fun at my expense, even though they really liked the dew!!!  (I know this because several of them told me so!!!)  Well, in the grand scheme of things it wasn't that long ago that the barber poll outside the shop stood for blood letting and inside you could get a tooth pulled as well.  And we are so SOPHISTICATED!!!???  No, the Earth is not the centre of the universe, sickness is not caused by evil spirits and YES, their is a GOD!!!  His desire for us is our ultimate good and if we listen, blessing awaits...

Isaiah, Chapter 55

 1 “Come, everyone who thirsts, to the waters! Come, he who has no money, buy, and eat! Yes, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.  2 Why do you spend money for that which is not bread? and your labor for that which doesn’t satisfy? listen diligently to me, and eat you that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.  3 Turn your ear, and come to me; hear, and your soul shall live: and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David. 4 Behold, I have given him for a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander to the peoples. 5 Behold, you shall call a nation that you don’t know; and a nation that didn’t know you shall run to you, because of Yahweh your God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he has glorified you.” 
  6 Seek Yahweh while he may be found; call you on him while he is near:
  7 let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return to Yahweh, and he will have mercy on him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. 
  8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” says Yahweh.  9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways,
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
  10 For as the rain comes down and the snow from the sky,
and doesn’t return there, but waters the earth,
and makes it grow and bud,
and gives seed to the sower and bread to the eater;
  11 so shall my word be that goes out of my mouth:
it shall not return to me void,
but it shall accomplish that which I please,
and it shall prosper in the thing I sent it to do.

OK, I admit it- I don't understand EVERYTHING about God; I can't.  But I can understand the difference between good and evil and listen when the Almighty tells me something.   God helps me understand what I really need to know (case in point- the first three verses from Isaiah) through his grace and the rest- well, that's up to HIM.  One thing is sure- Whatever God really wants done will be accomplished.  I just need to really internalize verses 6-9 above!!!  Today, I will make a point to "open my mind" to the things around me; to see shapes in the clouds above and love behind every hint of a smile on a neighbors face.  More than that, may God above help me truly understand the whole passage from Isaiah at a practical level and rely on God's grace and not just my own understanding.  Who knows, I might even go shopping and look for one of those "train" things...

PS. The older boy in the picture is Alex (short for Alexander) and his younger brother is Chase!!!  I think they are "good looking kids", but then- I just might be a tad prejudiced!!!!!