Keeping My Eyes Wide Open

That’s a new resolution – to keep my eyes wide open, and for that matter, to keep my ears and my heart wide open, too. Since my granddaughter’s parents were out of town on her birthday, I wanted to be sure she was celebrated at the get-go of the day. I asked for her order for Chick-Fil-A. I was in line early and placed the order. I paid, took the bag, and was on my way. Alexia was bubbling with giddiness as I played Stevie Wonder’s “Isn’t She Lovely” and as I set out her meal. But, oh me! They gave us a BAGEL chicken, egg and cheese sandwich instead of the BISCUIT, chicken, egg and cheese sandwich. And, I wanted her day to start so on-point. But she didn’t mind. She said it was her second favorite sandwich. But, I minded – I should have checked the bag to be sure of its contents. I should have kept my eyes wide-open.

Same day. Went to Walmart for a few groceries. Checked out and was on my way. Got home and unloaded the groceries, THEN checked the receipt and saw that the cashier charged me for 22 avocados – not the two I purchased. Oh me, again! I should have kept my eyes wide-open.

I play on a Bocce ball league in my community. Good news is we won our first two games. Since I’m the captain of our team, I’m especially proud of us. Bad news is I got a call the next day from the director of the league who had been advised that some of us didn’t have our face masks on. We were well social distanced, but that’s not what our HOA designated. “Face masks are required.” I received my correction well. But, I knew better and as the captain, I should have been a better leader. I should have kept my eyes wide-open.

The point of this blog today – “keeping our eyes wide open” aka being more intentional – more in the moment – more consciously aware of the enemy’s ploys to steal from us. It might sound a little over-the-top to say the enemy wants to steal from us when I speak about a chicken biscuit or too many avocados or carelessly not doing what’s right – but, oh, I know him well by now. The least little time stealer or joy stealer or doing what’s right stealer – is the subtle way he comes to “steal, kill and destroy” our peace and joy AND our credibility. 1 Peter 5:8 says "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion (and for this post – a biscuit, avocados and a face mask), walks about, seeking whom he may devour". It's just who our enemy is -- he wants to slip us up and create loss of time, confusion in our minds, chaos in our family, deception in relationships, and it's up to us to be "on guard, vigilant, and aware of him sneaking into our lives." EYES WIDE OPEN to the enemy's tactics and EYES WIDE OPEN to God's love, protection, tender mercies, and promises. Yes, my eyes are wide open. How about yours?

Lent Means Course Correction

What you may not know about me is that I’m a Private Pilot. So I have a little extra help with the notion of “I believe I can fly”. We had a single engine Cessna 182 – a sweet ride. We logged many hours flying across this great country. Though I haven’t flown in a while, I remember some crucially important things that ensured landing where, and when, we intended. Wind speed and wind direction requires course corrections throughout the flight. A strong wind can certainly take you off course. Constant “tweaking” is necessary. All it takes is to be off just a few degrees and you can end up in Timbuktu, instead of the intended destination.

And isn’t that true in our own lives? Our emotions, our bodies, and our spirits may get off course by “negative winds” that we’ve let come in. They may have come in by the company we keep, the food choices we’ve made, some unhealthy habits, some compromising of our ethics and integrity, or literally missing the mark. Perhaps, it’s time for tweaking and correcting our course. The winds can certainly slow us down, and take us completely off course -- not to mention keep us from receiving the blessings that could have been ours if we were on track. Tomorrow, the Lenten season begins -- the 40 days that precedes the passion of Christ and Easter -- the time we deliberately focus our attention on getting it right – getting our hearts right. It’s the perfect time to make course corrections – where we make the adjustments necessary to be fully devoted followers of Christ. “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.” Psalm 51:10. I promise you….this is the stuff that helps us fly higher than we’ve EVER flown before.