Living Life in a Glass House

Being a blogger is a joy for me. I expose myself as though I were living in a glass house. It's on purpose. Being open to sharing my mistakes, do-overs, and wins is to give you hope and if you can learn from me, maybe you'll be spared from having to go around the same mountains that I did. My point is to share faith and how to stay optimistic in such a negative world.

I want my passion for God to get stronger and my light to burn brighter, and a sweet way of doing that is to refresh and recharge at a daily retreat (a place of refuge) with our CEO Who has an “open door” policy. He is never too busy for us to come into His presence. It's an intimate, altogether personal time with Him. I assure you that intimate place of relationship -- removes doubt, worry, concern, and fear consciousness and replaces it with "Savior" consciousness.

Living in a glass house opens us up to vulnerability, because we all know there are times when the journey gets rocky and uncomfortable. It’s okay…..because the rocks make us appreciate the flat terrain more; the uphill climbs make us appreciate the downhill sprints. The times of despair cause us to lean into God’s love even more. I want my glass house to be a beacon of light for those who can follow in my footsteps as I follow my Lord’s footsteps. You can be assured, wherever this walk takes me today – you’ll hear about it tomorrow because it always comes with a lesson learned and a lesson to share. You’ll know all about it, because “living in a glass house” is describing my relationship with Christ. He comforts me when I cry. He directs me, teaches me, reproves me, guides me and loves me.

Here's the thing -- God loves me AND you. He understands our desires, motives, and thoughts. Nothing about you and me escapes His notice. And, for sure, I don’t really want to live in a literal glass house. But, there’s one thing for sure, no matter where we live, we’re being watched daily by God Who doesn’t require glass walls to know everything about us. The Bible tells us that “there is no creature hidden from His sight, but ALL THINGS are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account” (Hebrews 4:13). He knows ALL things -- not just the things in the open, or the things said out loud> He knows all things -- all the way down to the thoughts and intents of our hearts. When it comes to God, we all live in glass houses.

So how should we feel about the God of the universe having access to any and everything about us? How should we feel about Him having complete knowledge of every thought we’ve ever had, every emotion we’ve ever felt and every decision we’ve ever made? It’s simple — we should feel relieved.

Living Life Out Loud

Living life out loud on Facebook has sure been an encouragement to me. I have found sweet peace in writing, which by the way, has been a gift I didn’t even realize I had. FB also became a place of solace because it connected me to thousands of friends, and family members. I needed that connection.

I’ve had the opportunity to write about my faith journey from my husband’s first diagnosis of Stage 4 Kidney Cancer, to his battle, victory over the disease, to our conquering and winning through it all……to his going home to heaven and to my new world as a widow. That diagnosis came as a complete shock to us. No words could adequately explain the roller coaster ride we were on. Yes, a roller coaster ride can be quite thrilling with its ups and downs and twists and turns..but it can also make you want to throw up!

Here's what I know for sure. All those things that seemed so important before, soon became so trivial. My priorities shifted to making moments count more than ever before. Now I know the stuff of life are those everyday precious moments that matter most.

I’ve learned that life can be lived in solitude, and that’s okay…because those quiet times often open up great conversations with God. But on this journey, I’ve come to realize the comfort of living life as an adventure. But even adventures, as exciting as they may be can often make you want to throw up. For example, my BFF Sheila Michie came over yesterday to BE and DO – BEING my friend to let me vent and DOING as my friend – helping me pack. Her presence allowed me to shed some tears about the unknowns of my future, in spite of my rock-solid faith and trust in God’s guidance and provision. Living out-loud opens us up to vulnerability, because we all know there are times when the journey gets rocky and uncomfortable. It’s okay…..because the rocks make us appreciate the flat roads more; the uphill climbs make us appreciate the downhill sprints.

I know my posts reveal my innermost thoughts – sort of like living in a glass house. But that’s the adventure I’ve chosen. I want my glass house to be a beacon of light for those who can follow in my footsteps, even board the roller coaster with me. So, excuse me, while I spend my day cleaning out my Tulsa house, moving over to a friend's home and appreciating this ride until I jump aboard the next wild ride. I’m in it to win it and of course, you’ll know all about it, because “living out-loud” seems to be this roller coaster ride's mode of operation.