Friday, January 1, 2010

Badges and Stones

For weeks now, my eyes have been drawn to a small garden stone adorning my neighbors front yard.
It's nothing fancy, nothing that would attract a lot of attention or for any reason be the central focal point from my bedroom window. It is simply a rock painted an understated shade of white, embellished with a cross the color of ash.

A stone so subtle...but nothing other than Hester Prynne's scarlet 'A' in my eyes.

It was my badge of shame, a reminder in the form of a guilt trip. Or those were my thoughts as I momentarily considered stopping my empty endeavors and reaching for my Bible. Instead I would close the blinds, close my eyes, and shut out the Light that so relentlessly chased my gaze.

It's now the first day to a new year and God, as He so often does, has used my circumstances to push, pull and prod me in the direction of Him.

So here I sit, amazed at the simplicity & complexity of His teachings, of His works & ways, of how I keep falling slave to happiness while somehow stumbling and stepping over Joy every time.


So here's to yielding, to finding Joy, and to the beginning of a new year completely and wholly following, pursuing, and living for Jesus Christ, our Lord, our Savior.
(This is as much a prayer as it is a toast)

1 comment:

Lauren said...

... if your shoes seem to fitting more snug today, it is because my feet are in them as well... apparently.