This photo was taken on my last evening at sea, on the return voyage of the Sapphire Princess to Los Angeles. My friends Matt and Josie had been married on our second day of the cruise, and I was honored to be Matt's best man. So anyways, back to the sunset photo...
I went exploring the ship, mind you this was the 7th day I'd been on the ship, and I came across a walkway around the bow of ship that I hadn't seen previously. The wind was whipping something fierce, and the waves were breaking below me. It was a beautiful symphony of nature. I turned and saw the sun streaking through the ever darkening clouds. Sitting there for about an hour and a half, breathing deeply the cool sea air, with my ears filled with wind and waves; it was as if this moment in time was the sole purpose of my vacation.
Awe. Wonder. Amazement. I tangibly felt these things. Our God is THE master artist.
As I sat there taking in this profound beauty there were several people who came "power-walking" by, never pausing to revel in this. They were too busy thinking about their health, or walking to forget about something, that they missed the sunset that would never happen again. My observation of these people made me realize how busy and preoccupied I have become. So busy that I don't find pleasure in the simplest of things. It was when this enlightenment, and following confession took place that a simple phrase suddenly popped into my mind. How oblivious we are.
While we might be taking part in healthy and non-selfish pursuits, we can become so engrossed in those things that we actually lose sight of what is of the utmost importance. That being our love of God, and our delight in His love of us. Living life as though we're here without purpose, or that we're an accident is not only far from the truth, but there is no way to recover from feeling hopeless.
Each week I attempt to take a day off from my phone, the computer, music and movies. These have been very beneficial days. But what I learned in the hour and a half on deck 7 is that I will often squander my time even without the distractions mentioned above. So from here on out, on the days that I'm "fasting" from technology I'm going to incorporate a time of simplicity. Where I just revel in creation, and listen more than talk to God.
From my journal: " Balance is something I need to be better at. I've definitely settled in at work and think that when I'm off-duty there is clear separation. My off-duty time is where I need some work. I cannot be so busy that I don't have flexibility."
I have never felt like a "prayer warrior". I have always felt more inclined to be doing something. But Brennan Manning nailed it home when he said, "Work as if everything depends on God, and pray as if everything depends on me." Aside from learning to live a balanced life, I need to understand and take part in prayer more frequently. How else does one get better at something without putting time into it? Plus it is talking to my creator and master visionary.
I went exploring the ship, mind you this was the 7th day I'd been on the ship, and I came across a walkway around the bow of ship that I hadn't seen previously. The wind was whipping something fierce, and the waves were breaking below me. It was a beautiful symphony of nature. I turned and saw the sun streaking through the ever darkening clouds. Sitting there for about an hour and a half, breathing deeply the cool sea air, with my ears filled with wind and waves; it was as if this moment in time was the sole purpose of my vacation.
Awe. Wonder. Amazement. I tangibly felt these things. Our God is THE master artist.
As I sat there taking in this profound beauty there were several people who came "power-walking" by, never pausing to revel in this. They were too busy thinking about their health, or walking to forget about something, that they missed the sunset that would never happen again. My observation of these people made me realize how busy and preoccupied I have become. So busy that I don't find pleasure in the simplest of things. It was when this enlightenment, and following confession took place that a simple phrase suddenly popped into my mind. How oblivious we are.
While we might be taking part in healthy and non-selfish pursuits, we can become so engrossed in those things that we actually lose sight of what is of the utmost importance. That being our love of God, and our delight in His love of us. Living life as though we're here without purpose, or that we're an accident is not only far from the truth, but there is no way to recover from feeling hopeless.
Each week I attempt to take a day off from my phone, the computer, music and movies. These have been very beneficial days. But what I learned in the hour and a half on deck 7 is that I will often squander my time even without the distractions mentioned above. So from here on out, on the days that I'm "fasting" from technology I'm going to incorporate a time of simplicity. Where I just revel in creation, and listen more than talk to God.
From my journal: " Balance is something I need to be better at. I've definitely settled in at work and think that when I'm off-duty there is clear separation. My off-duty time is where I need some work. I cannot be so busy that I don't have flexibility."
I have never felt like a "prayer warrior". I have always felt more inclined to be doing something. But Brennan Manning nailed it home when he said, "Work as if everything depends on God, and pray as if everything depends on me." Aside from learning to live a balanced life, I need to understand and take part in prayer more frequently. How else does one get better at something without putting time into it? Plus it is talking to my creator and master visionary.
"The only way to fail in prayer is to not show up." - (attributed to) Thomas Keating
- Grow still.
- Be attentive.
- Listen.
"Abba,
I surrender my will and my life to you today, without reservation and with humble confidence, for you are my loving father. Set me free from self-consciousness, from anxiety about tomorrow, and from the tyranny of the approval and disapproval of others, that I may find joy and delight simply and solely in pleasing you. May my inner freedom be a compelling sign of your presence, your peace, your power, and your love. Let your plan for my life and the lives of all your children gracefully unfold one day at a time. I love you with all my heart, and I place all my confidence in you, for you are my Abba." - Ruthless Trust P.132
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