Influence

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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 ...

From Whence This Beauty Springs

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A patchwork of color captures my attention in my side view mirror as the road flows away like a grey river behind me. Day after day in the well-worn groove of my many trips on this road, I watch as the colors change and intensify. I keep thinking that I must come and take pictures in this spot before this scene as it is right now is gone. I don't know how many times I've taken pictures of seemingly permanent things, only to find that something unexpectedly changed and I would have missed it forever if I hadn't taken the shot when I did. Finally, on a suddenly sunny day after a string of storms, I follow through on those thoughts.


The scene from a distance and the scene up close, it is all so unspeakably beautiful to me. The colors, the textures, the complimentary nature of all the parts into one glorious canvas like something Thomas Kinkade would want to paint. What must be the nature of the exquisite Imagination from whence this beauty springs? Now THAT'S someone I want to know!

I am ever captivated by the beauty of creation. God's creation and the beauty He has put into His work speaks to me of Him as no scholarly treatise on theology or philosophy ever could. He lays His heart out for all to see in the works of His hands both great and small, and I must notice . . . I must stop and whisper, "Yahweh!"

I was recently asked a wonderful question about my faith, "What is so convincing to you [that you believe what you do]?" I could have gone the intellectual route and engaged in a debate-style layout of my case for faith, but the first thing that came rushing to my mind was, BEAUTY. The fact that there is beauty in the world and that we have the capacity to notice and appreciate it is incredibly compelling to me as evidence of an omnipotent and loving Designer-God.  There are an infinite number of convincing reasons to believe that God is real and that He is good--beauty is just one of my favorites!

Apart from God, beauty makes no sense!

I am often reminded of an episode of the TV show, Man vs. Wild. The intrepid host, Bear Grylls, was deep in a remote jungle somewhere that people (besides him) never go. It really touched my heart when this incredibly tough soldier-survivalist-adventurer stopped to marvel at what he called "the extravagance of God" when he saw a beautiful and exotic flower blooming in a place where on normal days, it would never be seen by anyone. He was right. God IS extravagant! God constantly creates beauty--completely unnecessarily I might add--because He IS beauty. He can not do other than to be beautiful, to make beautiful, to give beautiful, and I cannot in good conscience do other than to be grateful, to live . . . grateful . . . and BELIEVE!

"He has made everything beautiful in its time."
Ecclesiastes 3:11a ESV



What do you find so convincing that you believe what you do?
Do you whisper "Yahweh" when His beauty touches your senses?
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If you love this verse and the beauty of God as much as I do,
here is one of my cards you can use to share it with someone else!
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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!"

#416-430

416. She So Sweet lending me her words to shore up my flagging spirits
417. An opportunity to consider questions of faith, knowing God's answers are good
418. Encouragement from a dear sister in Christ
419. She So Sweet, confident and full of praise, singing and playing bass for worship
420. That she is thoughtful and discerning, and can tell the truth from a lie
421. Playing vocal coach for Drummer Boy on his new song
422. Wet, slushy hail that bounced off the grass like popcorn
423. Watching She So Sweet ballroom dancing with her Daddy at her school's Open House--I didn't think he'd do it!
424. Drummer Boy's entry in a songwriting competition
425. Ecclesiastical "giants" who are willing to be my sounding boards 
426. Laughing into the wee hours while Drummer Boy burns off his late night Starbuck's drink--slept in 'til 10:00 and still only got 6 hours of sleep!
427. Photoshop--a veritable playground!!
428. Clouds that puffed taller than tall and blinding light that turned them all to silver
429. Good morning hugs and goodnight kisses
430. The glasses I wish I didn't need


Joining L.L. Barkat for:
On In Around button

Joining Michelle DeRusha for:



And for the first time, joining Laura Boggess for:


A heartfelt thank you to these generous bloggers
who make these communities available!

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