Equal parts photo blog and faith walk, "Up the Sunbeam" exists to highlight moments in time that reveal something of God, His matchless character, His wondrous work, or our privileged interaction with Him. I hope it blesses your heart!
It has been a long while since I have posted anything here. I have been busy completing three years toward my B.A. in English and my senior year is underway. My current class (Creative Writing) has finally given me the space to take off the tight harness of academic writing rules, and it feels SO GOOD!! After reading my first assignment, Mom and Daddy gave it their thumbs up and suggested I make it a blog post, so here it is. It is my story and their story. It's a little longer than my usual posts, but as with everything I have ever posted here, I pray it encourages you to run "up the sunbeam to the sun" (C. S. Lewis). "Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ." 1 Corinthians 11:1 NIV I sat above them on the stairs. Looking down through the window-like openings in the partition between the living room and the stairway, I listened to the basketball players, football players, baseball players, wrestlers, track athletes, both the lettermen
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Wholehearted
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A little more than ten short months ago, I set out toward a cherished dream to become a teacher, and today I reached the first major milestone on that road. I clicked the SUBMIT button to turn in my final assignment in the final class of my freshman year of college.
I love looking at the row of binders that hold all my textbooks from this year--each one represents a five-week chunk of my life that I spent on the way to achieving my big dream. Stacked up together, they feel solid, substantial, sacred. Not sacred because of their content (although every bit of truth they hold belongs to God), but sacred because this work is all an offering of love, given for God's glory. He is the reason I stay up late to finish papers. He is the reason I fuss over details. And He is the reason I step up to lead team projects with a commitment to excellence instead of letting someone else do it (or not do it) and just get by with minimum effort.
Last year, just before I started, I shared with you a line fromJustin McRoberts who says that "every great work takes the shape of the cross." That line comes back to me again and again. In the quiet of the wee hours when I am falling asleep over my keyboard, it keeps me clicking away until the job is done. On beautiful days when my camera is calling my name, it helps me choose discipline despite the ache to go outside and play. When managing a team in an online environment is making me want to tear my hair out in great, desperate handfuls, it keeps me patient and kind (relatively, anyway).
My family might tell you that I could stand to work toward more balance sometimes, and I would have to agree--sometimes running off with them to have some family fun, or heeding the call of my lonesome camera are exactly the things that would most please my Heavenly Father right at that moment. But I feel His joy in what I am doing and in what I am working toward.
"Whatever you do, put your whole heart and soul into it, as into work done for God, and not merely for men—knowing that your real reward, a heavenly one, will come from God, since you are actually employed by Christ . . ." Colossians 3:23-25 PHILLIPS
I wonder if you are now like I was for so many years? Are you dreaming a dream, but afraid it might always be out of reach? If that sounds familiar and you wonder if you should just give up on it, let me encourage you to keep praying, keep watching for your moment, and keep trusting that God's guidance and timing are perfect!!
This song by Amy Grant says it beautifully--I hope it encourages you like it does me!
________________________________ Joining Ann Voskamp in counting His graces for her Multitudes on Monday
I hope you'll join in if you haven't already!
In the counting of the endless gifts I say with C. S. Lewis,
"This also is Thou!"
Counting my next 1000 Gifts, joining Ann in The Joy Dare--like a scavenger hunt for graces, gifts and glory!! Wanna come along? I dare ya!!
The continuing JOY DARE:
#1927-1947 (November 4th through November 10th)
4. A gift gathered, given, good People to play a trivia game at church last night Words of encouragement Five Guys burgers & fries (best fries on EARTH!) with my sweet family after church--what a treat! 5. 3 gifts acorn-small Bits and pieces of potpourri that smell like spiced apples Gummy vitamins Brightly colored push-pins 6. 3 gifts government (could also double for "hard eucharisteo") The privilege of voting The Balance of Powers That our government was established on a firm foundation 7. 3 gifts from your window Deep red plum leaves making confetti on the green grass Squirrels running back and forth along the top of the fence, their own personal freeway system The flash of their ruby heads in the sunlight as hummingbirds flit from flower to flower 8. A gift sweet, salty, sipped Homemade Peet's dark chocolate orange mocha Homemade toasted acorn squash seeds Cranberry juice for breakfast 9. 3 gifts harvest The acorn squash the seeds came from, baked with butter and brown sugar--so yummy! The sweet onions She So Sweet put in with the pot roast she cooked The celery we are re-growing on the window sill 10. 3 gifts found in Bible reading Renewed strength Hope for tomorrow Peace for today
Word became flesh . INCARNATION The Flesh-wearing Word lived and breathed and moved among us, sharing our space-and-time existence, for a span of 33 years. In that mere blink of history, He spanned the chasm between divine love and human desperation. Christmas . . . His coming. We so easily envision His birth, the praising angels, the Joy to the World, the Peace on Earth, the Good Will to Men, shepherds, wise men, drummer boys--the Christmas card comes to life in our mind's eye. But do we rewind a little further, go back to the moment where He took off His glory like a glistening robe and left it hanging on a hook in Heaven's hallway? Do we envision the moment He handed His crown to His Father and said, "Don't worry--I've got this! I'll go!" Do we reckon with the sacrifice it was for Him to limit all that He had always been to the permanent wearing of humanity, just so He could rescue us from the dragon . . . and ourselves . . . and our ugly sin
Northern California is rainy this time of year. While many of you are eagerly anticipating the beauty of a white Christmas, here we get rain . Some people don't like it and can't wait for the return of the sunshine, but I like the break in the monotony of weather that doesn't have 4 distinct seasons to follow. Rain is also lovely for turning the hills an almost Irish shade of green (at least how I imagine Ireland to be). Then there's always the fact that I hate it when the powers that be talk about drought and rationing water and expecting me not to flush toilets--so yessirree, I do love the rain!! This week brought rain, really more heavy mist than rain, but so heavy you could actually hear it. It soaked and soaked and soaked into everything. For a day and a half it lingered. It gave some people all the reason they needed to complain. I just listened to the lovely soft sound it made and breathed it in. The morning it stopped, I drove up a street that is lin
I love Christmas lights!! I love the color and dazzle they bring! I love that they illustrate the truth that Jesus came as the Light of the world! Every year there are a number of houses I can't wait to see decorated! Some of them are so elaborate, I think the people must have to start around the 4th of July to get all those lights in place for the next Christmas season! I love it that there are people who will go to these lengths, but it makes me tired just to think about all that work!! Here is a video of one such magical place (I've never been there, but would love to see this in person!)--more power to 'em!! Pretty great, huh?!! I think so too! Of all the houses that I love to see decorated, there is one house I look forward to more than all the others. They came through for me just this past weekend, much to my delight!! My son called me a "creeper" for going and lurking in front of this house, quietly snapping pictures to capture it, but I LOVE
