Soaring Above it All

I saw this photo on a friend's FB post about her recent vacation. Right away a blog started forming in my head. Her FB comment was: “Oh, today, let’s be adventurers! Feel the wind and fly.” Obviously, she and her husband took her words to action. I commented on her post: "I love that! I sense that’s a word from God telling us to rise above anything that is keeping us earthbound. He will carry us above all as we place our trust in Him. God gives us wings as eagles to fly and strength to rise above it all. When our feet begin to stumble and our dreams begin to crumble, we mount up on eagle’s wings. Instead of doubt and fear, we get adventurous!! Count me in!"

Their adventure reminded me of my parasailing two years ago while in Zihuatanejo, Mexico for my son’s birthday celebration (2nd photo here). It looked like a cinch to me to be strapped into the harness and take to soaring behind the boat. But, I missed an important detail: “Sit back in the harness.” I didn’t and for the entire experience, I prayed and held on for dear life hoping I wouldn’t fall out of it. It felt so loose. I wouldn’t have fallen out, but still my mind wasn’t on soaring but staying locked in.” Indeed, it was an adventure for me.

No matter whether we’re walking on water with Peter (yesterday’s blog), earthbound and never flying in an airplane or a para-sail or jumping from an airplane in a parachute – there is no 100% guarantee that we will arrive safely to our destination. We don't know the equipment, the pilots and, as trained and skilled as they are, they just can't predict everything. Then what about the potential wackiness of other passengers on an airplane? With bombs found in shoes and bags, everyone is suspect when boarding a plane. The reality is that many things can go wrong and, despite the airline's stellar track record, and parachutes and para-sails working properly -- history has proven that bad things can happen.

Still, I fly. Still I para-sail. Still I raise my hand “Pick me!” when offered an adventure. And, the same is true about my faith. Like that enormous aircraft getting off the ground -- my faith even defies human logic. We are told our Savior is one who died, then came back to life. How can that be possible? But I BELIEVE. We're asked to trust God Who we can’t even see. But when we do, and we put our lives in His hands and have faith that His flight plan is the best course for us, we arrive safely at our faith destination -- fulfilling our destiny and purpose.

We were handcrafted by our Creator to soar far above this earth, going to places that would be impossible to go under our own power and doing things we never imagined. If we let go of inhibitions and fears, we can expect a faith journey of soaring high above this earth's worries and concerns, and, He guarantees 100% ON-TIME arrival! WOW! That's a record that can't be beat! Come, fly with me!

DisAPPOINTMENT or His APPOINTMENT

Day 301 of Photo Inspirations -- DisAPPOINTMENT or His APPOINTMENT
Did some-ONE or some-THING really disappoint you?   We can't stop disappointment, but we can stop staying stuck in it. I know how easy it is to dwell on something or someone that hurt me.  But, that gets us nowhere.  I remember the void I felt when my sweetheart graduated to heaven.  When I would dwell on that void, sadness and grief would try to fill me and I would become miserable.  But, when I would snap out of that dwelling place to go to the "secret place of the Most High" -- the better place, I'd experience joy, gladness, comfort and peace.  .

God has incredible plans for us and the enemy of our souls would like to keep us from ever experiencing those plans and just stay "put" in woe and distress. God's purpose for our lives goes way beyond times of disappointment. In fact, that disappointment today may just be the SET UP for His APPOINTMENT where hope is found and comeback has major assignments that produce many successes and joys. That's what happened to me.  My days are filled with purpose and I know that I'm walking in my destiny, getting to bring others with me on this road.

I saw Christine Caine's daily post a few days ago that really inspired me. She said "Isn’t it interesting that the word "appointment" comes from within the word disappointment? I’ve often marveled at that because I’ve seen again and again how disappointments take something FROM us: a dream, a piece of our hearts – maybe whole chunks of it. But disappointment GIVES us something too: a gift, an opportunity, the possibility of creating change. This means we can move from the valley of the shadow of death to new horizons and bring others with us on that road."

Yesterday my blog was about the steps of a comedian's joke.  First he provides the set up, then he goes another direction with the punchline.  For example, Michael Jr. told how his 4 year old son came to him and said, "Daddy I want to be a doctor when I grow up!"  Michael Jr. was so excited and happy about his son's aspirations.  Then his son said "Or a dinosaur!" LOL!  (The set up.....shift happened.....and then the punchline.)

Let's remember God is in the "set-up" and appointment business.  There are many future God-appointments on the other side of whatever disappointment we may be encountering today.

God has got your name on His appointment schedule.  He'll be right on time.  Don't you be a minute late!