Do you have "just enough?"

This is probably one of my favorite times in my day. It's dark outside (although the recent Harvest Full Moon was a GIANT spot light in the sky), the kids are in bed, the house is cleaned up and ready for the morning and it's time to walk the dogs. I grumbled at the first realization that I would have to walk the dogs several times a day, including at 5am and 10pm, because of the house we are living in...it doesn't have a fenced in yard, and it is all coral rock. For our oldest pup's whole 14 years of living and wandering, she has had the freedom to let herself out and return upon her leisure...until now. Now, Mama has to go too. Like I said, I grumbled at first, yet here I am acknowledging it to be such a sweet time for me.
It's so quiet here and dark. No street lights. No busy road. Nothing to be careful about except for critters in the road. The evenings always provide such a nice cool breeze and a beautiful stillness. I can hear the wrestling of the wind through the palms and the lightening bugs seemingly dance along the treeline near me, lighting the way. I do want to have a light with me so I utilize the small one on my cell. It's just enough to check for critter-eyes along the way and keep an eye on the pups.
Every now and then my husband will join me and he brings out his "real" flashlight. That thing can read signs at the very end of our street. It's soooo bright!! You definitely can see more with a greater light. I felt my heart and spirit began to stir as I pondered this thought. A stronger light, shines brighter. A dim light is just enough to get by....
Our women's Bible Study was discussing this exact thing this week, about God's Light shining through us and being a light in the darkness. The more we draw near to God and absorb His Light into our heart, the greater our Light to shine in the darkness. Even though my small cell light gives off just enough light to see right in front of me, in my small square foot, the "real" higher wattage Light, reveals much more of what is before me and around me and it even covers enough of the path that multiple people can clearly see "the way." It is brighter and clearer, and definitetly able to reach further. It is more than enough for what I need.
This is exactly how I feel when I have drawn nearer to the Lord, my "real" Light. He shines brighter and more clearly in the darkness. Those times I have slipped away from Him, I find myself with just enough to see right where I am standing, but no further. And my little light is just enough for me, and really of no use to benefit someone else.
I don't know about you, but when I am in a spiritual and emotional "funk" I am okay with "just enough." Until I start tripping over myself, exhausting from always having to keep checking all around, frustrated cuz I can't see...But, when I am drawn back into intimacy with my sweet Savior, I can see more than! I can see with more clarity. I can see further. I can see reflections I never would have otherwise never seen with a dim light and I get to share the Light with many others standing nearby! When I am fed up and done with having "just enough," and I experience the "real" Light, I wonder what in the world was I thinking just being okay with "just enough?!?"
If you are feeling like you have "just enough" and you have learned to adjust to it, and accept it as "just enough is good enough," I would encourage you and even challenge you to ask God to light your fire. Ask the Holy Spirit to began a movement of friction in you that gets your fire burning again, so that you can see further past where you are in the midst of your darkness. Ask Him to bring others alongside your path to shine The Way towards Him. May you no longer be satisfied with "just enough" and begin to desire a "real" Light to see further past your current circumstances and get out of your "funk." And if you are reading this and you are not in a "funk", may I beg you to ask God where He wants you to shine your light for someone else? You are a city on a hill and a beacon for the lost and weary. Please shine for us.

Thank You Sweet Savior for Your Penetrating and Satisfying Light. You sustain us on our path. Please forgive us when we choose to quench your Light. Lord, it's so easy to burn out in a dry and weary land, and yet, You are faithful to lead, provide and shelter us in the shadow of Your wings. When we cannot see, help us to remember that You do. Help us draw back to You and recharge our Light so that we can see where it is we are headed and lead us clearly on the right path again. Help us not settle for "just enough." Help us remember that You are a God of More Than Enough!!
Thank You Lord for those who share their Light. Sustain them and bless them. God, stir in us once again, the embers of Your fire and may we be consumed once again by Your Light. You are a consuming fire. Consume our darkness. Light our way. Show us how we can share Your "real" Light for others too. Thank You Sweet, Gracious Savior, amen.

Matthew 5:14-16 "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven."

Will You Take the Bait?

"Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." 1 Peter 5:8

Well, I finally had a glimpse of what it feels like to "prowl around like a lion, seeking someone to devour." I went fishing for the first time on our boat. Years ago, we went on a fishing charter where everything was done for you on the boat and all you had to do was cast...which we got nothing anyway. But, this weekend, the family went out and we did it all on our own. We chummed the water, baited our own hooks and began the cast and wait routine. The prowling....and waiting. 
Down here in the Keys, being on the water is gorgeous. Eventhough I wanted food on the table, and for the kids to catch it themselves, just the scenery alone was worth the hanging out on the boat all that time just to enjoy the turtles, corals, the landscapes and array of other fish we got to enjoy. It was a lovely day out, fish or no fish, but...it was quit the "hunting" experience.
We had learned that in order to draw the fish, you bag some chum and mix in the oatmeal which will camouflage your waiting hooks. We would shake the bag now and then, set new hooks and bait, and wait. We watched and waited patiently, scanning the area for what was coming next. The fish probably assumed "Wow, how wonderful, and new, and easy....look at this delightful treat bag." And we were up top assuming they would fall for our bait. We were luring them in by what they wanted most- fresh, free food. We just waited. Little by little, we chummed the water, sat still and silent and waited. We waited for "someone" to take the bait.
I was reminded of 1 Peter 5:8. Isn't that what Satan does to us? He chums our waters, makes it look good, waits patiently, sitting still while we swim around trying to decide if we will take a nibble as he draws us in...only for us to eventually get hooked?! He is clever. 
What draws you in? What type of bait gets you curious, or tempted enough, to come a little closer in, and maybe, possibly, even attempt a nibble.....just once? Just like each fish has it's own type of bait-mix, so do we. The temptation-mix that catches our attention and lures us in is as diverse as all of us are. None are the same. What hooks you, may not be what hooks me. You can't help but notice all the thousands of lures in any bait shop, big or small, you can choose from to bait (and catch) just the right fish. Imagine the schemes of the devil...they are just as plentiful. 
Next time the waters around you get a little cloudy, "...be watchful!!! Your adversary the devil, prowls around...seeking someone to devour." Remember, God CLEARS our water and Satan CHUMS our water. 

"Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil."

Ephesians 6:11

Do you "get it?!" I sooooo want you to!!

"Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, 7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. 8 See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, 10 and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. 11 In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. 13And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. 15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him." 

Colossians 2: 6-15

This morning, I grabbed my camera as I headed out the door to take the kids to school thinking I might stop by a nearby beach and "play" with my camera. What a beautiful place to play!! How can I share with you the beauty of that moment? I was intentional with my angle's trying to get the best shot, showing the most of the scenery, the everchanging view of the skies. A storm seemed to be brewing in the short amount of time I was out there on the pier. Within 15 minutes a double arc rainbow appeared, a cool breeze began to blow, and the textures and colors shifted intensely around me, in every direction, enhancing the gorgeousness of the moment. It was breathtaking and awes-inspiring.

My sweet friend called me when I was in the middle of taking in these moments and though I described all the colors, sounds and movement of the world around me...in that moment I have no doubt she could not have understood exactly what I was experiencing. It wasn't real for her. If she had "gotten it", she would have been jaw-dropping-speechless on the other end of the line. I couldn't do it justice and I soooo wanted her to "see" this. I wanted it to be real for her too.

As I posted these pics for family and friends to "get it", these 2D imagines, even  with my descriptive words, could not come close to the real life experience, personally experiencing it for themselves. I did all I could to share it, but until they come for a visit and stand in the sands with me, they won't be able to fully experience it...personally. It has to be their personal experience to be real for them.

This is true in our relationship with God too. We cannot simply read about Him, hear other's descriptions of Him and fully "get it." We cannot experience God through others but we can imagine God because of others. 

We can imagine in our head what peace must feel like in the midst of chaos, what unconditional love must be like despite the world's conditions, what unspeakable joy must feel like in the midst of despair and heartache. You must experience God Himself, for yourself to know Him and "get it." Get it? 

May you, too, personally experience the amazing Creator of all Creation! He is glorious and the joy of my soul. He is the peace in my storms and the strength in my weakness. He is my Rescue and Redeemer. He is my greatest Love!!!! I pray that through my personal testimony and sharing of Who He is to me, that you too, will come to fully know and experience Him for yourself and "get it"! 

Our God is an awesome God!!!