Flaws and All!

“Every valley shall be filled And every mountain and hill brought low; The crooked places shall be made straight And the rough ways smooth; And all flesh shall see the salvation of God,” Luke 3:5-6 NKJV 

 The Cherry trees pictured above are mostly recognized for their soft fragrant blooms. However, what I find most fascinating about these trees is not their short lived blooms but rather their imperfect trunks. Even the limbs that spread out into pink and white canopies grow irregular and seemingly malformed. 

I think their true beauty stems from the fact that their rough and ill-shaped limbs can still produce something so delicate and beautiful.  Only God can take what is rough and crooked and turn it into something magnificent and breathtaking. The transformation of these trees from something sinister looking into what they are now illustrates how our Father can do the same with us. 

You see, I believe that what God does for these trees, He can do on a continual basis for you and me. Even when we have deviated from the proper path, God can still allow us to flourish, bloom and even glorify Him. DSC_2881

Our twists and turns often take us away from the narrow path that leads to Him. Even our best efforts to be spiritual, church going, or however you choose to commune with God ultimately fall short in developing us into the people we can be. Only God can make us righteous, a blessing to others and develop us into people who look outward instead of inward.   

God uses our “detours” away from Him to define and build our character. And sometimes isn’t always about the choices we make as it is how we react to the twists and turns life throws our way.  

Sometimes we do get where we want to go, just not when or how we expected to get there. Our experiences often become a reference from which we change. Hopefully, we become compassionate. Educated. Humble. Not bitter, mean or hopeless.  

Recognizing our faults and weaknesses makes us wiser because we learn we can’t do it ourselves. We need Him. God is not an accessory in our lives but a vital necessity! 

Only He can make our crooked places straight. Flaws and all, God can use us; we can glorify Him! 

We just have to remember to not let the twists and turns obscure the bigger picture. He does love us. He wants us to flourish, blossom and grow…nearer to Him. Because our God wants the absolute best for us. And that just happens to be Him.  

Though less than perfect, these trees never stop reaching up toward the Heavens. 

And neither should we. 

 

Awards Day

A very kind man named
Clayton Paul, blogging over at Clayton Paul, Better days through better ways … nominated me for The Versatile Blogger Award! To say I was shocked is an understatement.  However, his kind deed is very much appreciated nonetheless. I always enjoy reading his posts because I never know what I’m going to get each day (cause he’s versatile) but I look forward to them and each one leaves me with food for thought or insightful information. I’ve only been blogging for roughly three months now but here goes…

My Nominees are:

Devotions by Chris are literally “a daily dose of encouragement.” These are always good reads to start the day or end with. His voice is sincere and topics true to “real life” for anyone trying to “walk in the Light.”

Raising 5 Kids With Disabilities and Remaining Sane Blog is the very first blog I followed.  This blog has given me laughter, inspiration, and the determination to be the best mom I can possibly be. Sometimes comical yet often touching, this very busy mom handles her challenges in stride. Some people preach, others teach by example!

Fighter Faith by Jason B. Ladd is a good one. This guy is no wuss! He’s a marine, husband, father of five and flies fighter jets! His blog is Christian but from a totally different perspective than mine. He tackles current events and some of the ugly stuff; after all he is a Marine! But he also tackles parenting and other relevant issues.  Well rounded comments from a well-rounded guy.

The Culture Monk has me hooked. You never know what topic he will take on over a cup of coffee. Relationships, religion and culture are just a few things he tackles but his posts provoke you to really search out your opinion. He takes on the good, the bad and the ugly in what we call modern society.

J.S. Park calls his blog “A Blog for Struggling Christians,” I call it a good dose of common sense! It is a Christian based blog but he definitely “keeps it real,” posting on everyday issues people battle with daily in today’s culture.

The Adventures of Fanny P has made me laugh and cry. You never know what her adventures with thing 1 and thing 2 will bring about. She is very open and honest sharing both family joys and woes. She counts the joys, tears and her blessings!

Chris Martin Writes really, really well! He really puts you there in the midst of his stories. No time for a good book? Chris provides a good read “fix” that fits within daily time restraints yet leaves you satisfied. His writings are inspirational and thought provoking.

Today’s Manger gives good insight and advice about dealing with life “situations” often met in the workplace. These thoughts and posts are not exclusive to the work environment but they are always encouraging and inspiring. You don’t have to be a “manger” to benefit from these posts. They really teach us how to manage ourselves.

Heavenly Raindrops always leaves me blessed! Her stunning photos and inspired words are one of the first things I check out each morning.

Storyshucker by Stuart M. Perkins always offers a great read. His short stories are often inspirational, comical, and or insightful. His characters are vivid, and the stories have twists and turns that leave you smiling at the end. He is very talented and his tales talk to this southern gal’s heart.

Perceptions of Reality (tagged under parenting and autism). The post “Grandmother made her cry” really struck a chord with me. Well worth checking out if you are affected by anyone with special needs or would like a peek into living along the spectrum.

Life Reference is “a Christian’s walk through everyday life,” and I always enjoy
Don Merritt’s posts. He often show’s a different perspective to commonly asked questions. He provides a good read and direction for those willing to “dig just a little deeper.”

Faith Comes from Hearing just got the Liebster award but I like the posts so much it gets another. Yes, I know it’s another Christian blog but that is where I’m usually hanging out in the blogosphere.  Do check it out. I’m obviously not alone in my opinion of this one!

The Belmont Rooster is one of my favorites. I am a die-hard gardener and so is he. Even if you aren’t gardener, his posts are quite entertaining and even educational. His blog is a gardener’s boon!

Finally, I would have nominated iChristian  by Steve Rebus but his blog has already received this award. It blesses me every day. In addition, Prayers and Promises by Diana Rasmussen and Little World of Hope and Little Words of Hope are all awards free but definitely worth checking out!

Okay… seven things about me

I am really a fan boy! Or rather, fan girl. I am a die-hard Marvel Comics lover. Nothing against DC but that love of reading had to  start somewhere. Thirty-five years later and I still love those X-men!

I’m a sucker for any pretty flower, bush or tree.

I am a therapist. No, not really but everyone treats me like one and comes to me with their problems. I think it’s because I’ll actually listen.

I’m an introvert married to an extrovert. That’s made for an interesting couple of decades of marriage.

I love jazz and classical music.

My favorite move is Jaws. Corny, I know but really a breakout back in its time. I watched it opening week when I was way too young leaving me traumatized for years. It continues to makes me flinch, fake shark and all.

Anything with chocolate, cream cheese or pecans is good.

Thanks again Clayton for the recognition and many thanks to all of you who have supported my writing. I have been consistently blogging (as consistently as I can) for roughly three months and the blogging community has quite generous.

I wish you all well and may you continue to bless those fortunate enough to find your words!

Lilka .