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."

Getting Past the Bumps in the Road

Well, little guy has done such a great job without his training wheels, we decided to take some neighborhood bike rides and one of them was on the bayou. The bumpy bayou. As I rode behind him, I gave him navigational instructions like going around certain stumps, watch out for dips, look for trash, etc. Then, we trailed through some loose gravel and he began to stop in the middle of all the rocks and he couldn't balance and get through it. He came to a complete stop and couldn't easily get going again. As I said, "KEEP PEDALING!! You cannot stop in the middle of the bumps because your tires will loose their grip and have a hard time getting back going through it," I felt the lesson pressing into my soul for me. "Yes Michele, when you get to the bumps, keep pedaling and don't stop or you will get stuck too. You have to keep moving forward or you will slip or stop."  Oh how true. 
It had been a very difficult week for me, a bumpy month actually, and I faced lots of bumps in my road. I was moving forward as usual and then came upon some bumpy roads... and I hesitated, not sure if I could go through them, so I slowed down, lost my balance which took me a while to get back going and get past the "bumps" in my "road." 
When we are going through life and we approach the bumps, may our first instinct not be one of panic. We know we must get through them and we know we can get through them if we go carefully, without stopping! The scene from Finding Nemo comes to mind "just keep swimmin' ." With confident assurance, we must continue to navigate through the loose gravel before us and get to the other side of the mess. If we stop, 1.) we will not get where we need to go; 2.)  though it's possible, it makes it very difficult to get started in the midst of the gravel.
The next time I approach bumps in my road, I hope to keep my confidence, and sound wisdom, knowing I can get past them if I will simply hold on tight, carefully passing through, without slipping, stopping or even speeding through like a loose cannon 'cuz that can make you loose control quickly! Just keep pedalin', Just keep pedalin'!

"Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart. So you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and man. Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones.
My son, do not lose sight of these-- keep sound wisdom and discretion, and they will be life for your soul and adornment for your neck. Then you will walk on your way securely, and your foot will not stumble. If you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet. Do not be afraid of sudden terror or of the ruin of the wicked, when it comes, for the LORD will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being caught." Proverbs 3:5-18, 37-46


Lord, keep us strong, confident and steady on the road marked with suffering. We cling to You. Lead us straight through in peace and confidence as we desire to trust You with all our heart and acknowledge You as the keeper of our path. May our foot not be caught. What Satan intends for evil, You oh Lord, intend for good. We bow our hearts, souls and minds to You, our Faithful God and Father, our Savior and Friend. Thank You for our healing and the refreshment You bring to our bones. You are worthy of all our praise and our cup overflows. Thank You for Your patience and forgiveness when we hesitate. Help our eyes stay fixed on You alone. We will follow You. Help us be faithful. amen.

Love is in the Dirt too!

"I waited patiently for the LORD; He inclined to me and heard my cry. He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the LORD."  Psalm 40: 1-3

Have you ever felt like you were in a pit? The ground in which you found yourself standing became dusty, crawling with critters and it was gonna be a doozy to get out of? Maybe you are in one right now. How big is your pit? Enough to twist your ankle and limp on a little or is it over your head and you stand in darkness? No matter your pit, God can rescue you!
There is no such thing as "A perfect person." (Otherthan Christ Jesus, of course!) No one has it all together even if it seems to you they do. Everyone gets hurt sometimes. Everyone makes a mistake sometimes. Everyone looses their cool sometimes. Everyone responds in ways they wish they hadn't sometimes. Some times, we find ourselves in a pit. A pit of betrayal. A pit of anger. A pit of loss. A pit of addiction. A pit of loneliness. A pit of depression. A pit of lies. A pit of rejections. A pit of laziness. A pit of rebellion. A pit of debt. There are a lot of pits which anyone can fall into, sometimes.
I think we tend to look at other people and think they've got it easy or that they never fall. I believe this is a clever lie Satan plants in our hearts, not so much in way of comparison...but by exalting another person above us, we then lower our own adequacy and it heightens our awareness of our imperfections. We tell ourselves things like I am a failure...I can't win this battle...I'm not good enough...Things will never get better...Someone else can do it better...I'm a looser...I will never conquor this thing...It's no use...I am nothing. 
And if we have any sense of hope in our heart, we will turn towards God and then pitifully sit in shame, fear, lacking anything to present as "good" before our Gracious and Holy God. And yet, God is the Perfecter of our Faith, Strength in our weakness and a rescue in times of need. Just as He drew Peter up out of the pit of disbelief in the water, just as He brought Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego out of the pit of fire of injustice, just as God gave provision and protection to Daniel in the lion's den and Jonah from the pit of disobedience in the belly of the whale...God will rescue us too. God is a God who gathers together His people in His ark and delivers them from death. Over and over in the scriptures, we find God in the depths and dirt with us.
I am soooo thankful that God meets me where I am along my journey and even if I find myself stepping in a pit, He has "heard my cry. He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God." He is not a God who sits on the throne judging and shaking His head. He is compassionate and empowering, as He sent His Son to the dirt of the earth to place His feet on the road marked with suffering, in order that we can see Him, feel Him, touch Him, and by His infinite Grace and Mercy, be saved by Him from the pit of darkness. 
Lord, thank You for being a God and Savior that knows when I fall into a filthy pit and graciously draws me out of it. I know my tears are heard and seen. Help me Lord God to be a demonstrator of your Amazing Grace and Compassion as You "set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God.." May others see You and fear You. May my life be a testimony to Your healing from less paths with pits to more paths of righteousness. May others trust You for their rescue as I testify how You alone rescued me!! Thank You for Your sweet, sweet Love, that can even be found amongst the dirt. 
PS. See the glass heart in the dirt? Love and Hugs right when you need one! We KNOW He loves us but there are times when you just need to know-know. Sweet Lord!!!

"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John bore witness about him, and cried out, "This was he of whom I said, 'He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.'") And from His fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ." John 1:14-17