God Reaching Out to Man; Man Reaching Out for God

At the discipleship training I attend on Tuesday nights, this beautiful picture of Michelangelo's painting of "The Creation of Adam", on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, was shown on a large screen. This famous image is God and Adam reaching for each other with their arms outstretched. It took Michelangelo four years, from 1508-1512, to paint the entire ceiling of the Sistine Chapel with a series of frescoes that portrayed several biblical stories.

I was in Rome for the second time in June of this year, and I was no less in awe and wonder when I witnessed the magnificence of the Sistine Chapel again, than I was the first time. Michelangelo was 33 years old when he undauntedly “created” and painted the chapel. Though he had apprenticed with a well-known fresco painter in His youth, his talent was in sculpting (i.e. his David and the Pieta statutes). He was a brilliant sculptor, not known for his painting, but that changed when he was commissioned to paint the Sistine Chapel. Can you imagine painting, standing on a scaffold (that he invented) for hours on end with his neck blocked to paint that ceiling? He suffered so much pain during the process. We know that God orchestrated that creativity, and from his works of God, he knew God.

That photo was shown to us to point out God’s finger reaching out to Adam and Adam reaching to God. Since the beginning of time, God has been reaching out to man. We heard two conversion stories of God reaching out to point the way. The first was about the tax collector, Matthew, and how he was hand-picked by Jesus, who probably pointed his finger at him and said “Follow me” (Matthew 9:9-13). Imagine that experience. Matthew immediately got up and followed Him. He was #7 of the disciples chosen by the Master to be on His elite disciple team! The second conversion we heard about was Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan woman who was coming to draw water at the well at noon day. This day, at noon, the brilliance of the sun, rather THE SON, was brightest. John said in 4:9, “Jews had no dealings with Samaritans” and being a woman presented another obstacle. Jewish men didn't speak to women in public (John 4:27), But Jesus still reached out to this woman and through His love and tenderness led her to her truth and HIS truth and she became the first evangelist as she spread the word about Jesus. Matthew was touched. The Samaritan woman was touched.

Since the beginning of time, God has been reaching out to His creation to touch and be touched. In so many conversion encounters Jesus reached out to all, but, particularly to those who were broken, hurting, rejected and the worst of sinners.

I was inspired to write this post when I saw that painting and that depiction of God reaching out to man, and man reaching out to God. Oh, that we would be that man reaching out to our loving and caring God. No situation is too difficult. All it takes is a humble heart; an attitude that we depend on the guidance and strength of God our Father and the saving grace of the sacrifice of His Son Jesus. When Jesus pointed His finger to Matthew and said “Follow me”, Matthew followed. The Samaritan woman responded to that hand reaching out to her.

That hand is outstretched to you and me. May we reach out to Him today. He’s there, able to help us in our time of need. He is our great healer. May we reach out to Jesus and be comforted. May we reach out to Jesus and find rest for our souls. Use this photo of God's hand reaching to you, and visualize you reaching back to Him. God is always there with His arms open wide.

You Are Always On My Mind

Day 350 of Photo Inspirations -- You Are Always On My Mind
At the end of 2014 when I was seeking God about my assignment for 2015, I clearly knew that my 2015 blogs would be inspired by photos.  So that has been my mission.  Just 15 days to go.....and then I'll start my new assignment for 2016.

What a wonderful journey this year has been for me. As I look back on this year, I've met some wonderful people who inspired me, heard some incredible stories, witnessed lots of "God encounters" from being aware of His presence, noticed Him in many "everyday" occurrences -- all of which helped me capture photos that will be a part of my memories and archives from here on out.

I've found in this year that the principle thing is the simplest thing.....noticing, being aware of God everywhere, recognizing the beauty in His kids, appreciating their talents and abilities, savoring the everyday realities of His grace that are so abundant.  Elvis Presley and Willie Nelson recorded the love song, "You Are Always On My Mind", and that has been my love song to God this year.  In being watchful and in being "tuned in" to His voice by listening intently to conversations of friends and strangers, He has been on my mind.

I sincerely want to continue that awareness of Him -- maybe not so much as to take photos, but having Him on my mind.  "Him I will keep in perfect peace whose mind is stayed upon Me." Isaiah 26:3.  But, I also know the struggle it is to stay "in the moment".  It's just so easy to be distracted from the very thing He wants to show me.

Here we are, designed to be here on this earth at this precise time for purposes set for us long ago. And in reality, we need One Thing most of all. We know we need Him first and foremost, but we get distracted by everything else.  We want Him to be Numero Uno, but distractions and interruptions keep us from Him.  Truth is, we really do want God with all of our hearts.

And that’s what Christmas is all about — finding Him once again in the midst of the chaos, in the midst of the interruptions and distractions.   No question, He is everywhere, but the simplest, purest, most humble and less grandiose place we'll find Him, is at the manger where He came as a baby.   Wouldn't it make sense that we, too, will find him in some of the least expected places?

This is His Christmas.  Remember the chaotic, stinky, messiness of His birthplace?  That's where we'll find Him in our world too.  Yes, we'd love to have those no-distractions, sweet, mellow encounters with Him....but, it just doesn't matter.  He meets us where we are -- in our busyness AND in our stillness.  He is there.  God is always there waiting for us.  The point is.....we must continue to "practice His presence" because in His presence, we'll find not just photo inspirations, but we'll find Him embracing us, giving us aha moments, seeing Him everywhere and in everything.

And if going to the stable and the manger in our minds is too much of a stretch.....after all it really is quite stinky and messy there.....then we can go to the foot of the cross where He paid the ultimate price for you and me.  We were on His mind from the manger to the cross.  We are ALWAYS on His mind.  Shouldn't He ALWAYS be on our mind?

One Nation UNDER GOD!

Day 232 of Photo Inspirations -- One Nation UNDER GOD
Aw!  The 50s...Elvis Presley, Ricky Nelson, I Love Lucy, Ozzie & Harriet, Leave It To Beaver, Father Knows Best, Poodle Skirts, Hula Hoops!!!

What a great, Be-Bop-A-Lula time we had Saturday night -- celebrating the Sock Hop days of the 50s at my community, Hyde Park at Tulsa Hills.  I did my best  "Olivia Newton John" impersonation from Grease.  As one of the hosts of the event, it was such a treat to research some of the 50s memories, like those I mentioned above, in black and white TV, "Name That Tune" show (we played it at our party), hula hooping (I won that one! LOL!), bubble gum blowing contest, etc.  I am a Baby Boomer, one of the record number of babies (3.4 million) born in the U.S. (must have been a lot of cold nights -- LOL!).  

Goodness -- have times ever changed the way of doing things since then.  Compared to today, it's a wonder we survived those days, and are even here to tell the story!  My fellow 50s generation will recall that, as toddlers, no car seats, instead, we stood by our parents and what stopped us from being thrown into the windshield when they stopped the car quickly, was their automatic arm.  We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles.  When we rode our bikes, we had no helmets or even shoes.  We drank water from the garden hose and NOT from a bottle.  We ate cupcakes, white bread and real butter and drank soft drinks with sugar in it, but we weren't overweight because......WE WERE ALWAYS OUTSIDE PLAYING!!   We didn't have video games, no 99+ channels on cable, no DVD movies, no surround sound, no cell phones, no computers, no Internet, BUT.......WE HAD FRIENDS and we went outside and found them!  

Lots of blast-from-the-past memories, but I wouldn't trade those days for these days for anything -- particularly when it comes to child safety in cars and otherwise, and brilliant technology that makes life so much easier. There's just no sense living in the past and thinking about the way things were. There's just too much to celebrate about the way things ARE, and that God intended us to be here and be fully engaged AT THIS TIME.

But there's also paramount things that should NEVER be changed.  One of the most critically important decisions that was made in 1954 was the addition of "One Nation Under God" to the Pledge of Allegiance.  And in 1957, our currency was printed with "In God We Trust" words on it.

Yesterday, my FB post was about those words: "In God We Trust".   Yes, there are those who want to stamp out God from our schools and public places. But, here's the deal -- emperors have tried to destroy those words, philosophies have tried to stamp them out, tyrants have tried to wash them from the face of the earth with the very blood of those who claimed it, yet, it still stands. "In God We Trust" is still our non-negotiable.  It is indelibly printed in our hearts, our spirits and our minds.  Now, let's pray that our nation NEVER concedes to letting it go.  

"Blessed is the Nation is "whose God is the Lord." Psalm 33:12



Psalm 100:5;  'For the Lord is good; His steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness TO ALL GENERATIONS."

Meeting Elvis Presley -- the King of Rock n' Roll

I’ll never forget the day I met Elvis Presley. My young husband and I were in Memphis, TN, attending a Gospel Quartette Convention, and my husband’s piano teacher, as a child, was Joe Moscheo, who had become the piano player for the Imperials Quartette. The Imperials, at that time, were the back-up singers for Elvis, and little did we know that he would be at the convention. He came just to walk on stage, so the Imperials could honor and thank him for his generosity to them and for elevating their careers.

Joe had given us advance notice, and invited us back stage to see Elvis before he left the building. My heart was racing – Elvis had been my teenage idol. I was a basket case – just thinking that I could potentially get near him. Back in those days, we used cassette players to record. I was doing that with the music of the convention, but now, when I saw Elvis coming toward me, I quickly put the recorder on. Elvis nodded at me, and as he passed me, I reached out and touched his shoulder, and shrilled into my recorder “I JUST TOUCHED ELVIS PRESLEY!!!!” I was enamored, and all I could think about was the thrill I felt from meeting “Elvis – the King of Rock n’ Roll”!!! My precious husband enabled the whole experience. In fact, he also admired him as an amazing musical talent. I thought about it over and over, and here I am, almost 45 years later, still talking about that encounter.

But that encounter with Elvis, didn't hold a candle to what I found to be the REAL DEAL! In fact, this REAL DEAL didn't just nod and pass me by either. I am ever so grateful for the encounter with THE King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Jesus Christ, that I continue to talk about. There is nothing, or no one, to compare to the encounters I have with Him on a daily basis. While seeing Elvis gave me a momentary thrill......knowing Jesus has changed my life forever. My joy, peace, comfort and hope for tomorrow lies in knowing Him. The more I encounter Him in my prayers and praises, the more I think about Him. And the more I think about Him, the closer I want to be to Him, and best of all, I'll get to be with Him forever. How sweet it is to have a relationship with THE King, and even better, that I’m a part of His royal family.

Have you met Him? I can get you better than a "back-stage" pass. I'd love to introduce you to Him, and get you a one-way ticket to heaven someday. You'll find Him to be a friend that is closer than anyone you will ever know, and I guarantee you....that encounter is one that will change YOUR life forever!

At the End of Your Rope -- Hold On!

Feel like you've failed at something one too many times.....and you're ready to throw in the towel? Feel like you've prayed too many times....and the answer just has not come? Feel like you're at the end of your rope.....and there's no where else, or no one else, to go to? And, you've even spoken the words, "I'm DONE!"

This is not the time for giving up -- it's time for holding on.
This is not the time for looking back -- it's time for being strong.

Some of the greatest GREATS failed, went bankrupt, made many mistakes, but never gave up -- today they are world renown because they never quit: Henry Ford, R. H. Macy, Soichiro Honda, Bill Gates, Colonel Sanders, Walt Disney, Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison, Orville and Wilbur Wright, Winston Churchill, Abraham Lincoln, Oprah Winfrey, Lucille Ball, Vincent Van Gogh, Charles Schultz, Steven Spielberg, Monet, Elvis Presley, Ludwig van Beethoven, Michael Jordan. All these names are synonymous with accomplishments and achievements -- honored, respected and commended. Maybe we won't be in the world's archives of fame and notoriety, but we will be to those eyes that are in our sphere of influence, if we don't give up.

So today, I'm just reminding us all to dig our heels in, put a stake in the ground and say "I will NEVER give up!" Yes, it may seem like each day holds insurmountable challenges, but still, our Creator said He would never leave us or forsake us. I'd say that's quite the PARTNER, so let's take His SUPER abilities and meld them to our NATURAL abilities.....and let's go after it another time. His SUPERNATURAL is on its way! He will make a way where there seems to be no way. He will provide another rope if we're to the end of that one. He will SHOW UP if we don't BLOW UP!! He'll even catch us if that rope breaks and He'll set us on a new course with a new rope with an AMAZING comeback!