 |
| Sunrise by God, photographed by me |
Waking early in the morning these days, (summer vacation days), I walk down by
the lake. It seems so strange to call it simply a lake. I can't see the other side and when I look across the expanse it seems to go on and on forever.
Waking and walking early in the morning with my Lord, (although He's not the one sleeping), gives me new life, strength, to get through another day. I listen to praise music, hymns, anything that speaks of God.
I walk six days a week nearly five miles round trip. I see only about a dozen or so other folks, who brave the wee early hours to walk, run, sit and write, walk dogs, jump about, sketch, there's a woman who sings in what sounds like Korean. I wonder how many are like me, contemplating life's direction, the next step, or simply the next thing. Still, each new gift of a new day finds me on my same routine.
 |
| Garbage by mankind, pic by me |
Walking on Saturday or Monday mornings though I have found to be the worse. The parks would have been visited by partiers, or athletes competing in games; all leaving a little bit of themselves behind, their mark at the park; from the weekend. The garbage cans are full to overflowing and if things could be worse, the fields are littered with plastic water bottles and trash of all sorts. The smells are gagging. There is no going around or away from the smell or the trash - unless you remain at home. The trash is everywhere as well as the stench - to walk around would be too much of a detour. It could be done but too much time would be consumed and accomplishes very little, other than lengthening the walk, as the temperature rises.The garbage containers line the pathway - making it easy for the trash to make it's way into them, but some folks don't care. They throw their trash at the receptacles which sometimes lands on the path and that's the extent of their effort and it sinks! I suppose this is better than leaving the trash where it's made and scattered everywhere - but it is already.
 |
| Scene by God, messed up by mankind. Pic by me |
I've considered cleaning things myself - but I would never make it home - it's so much to clean up and thankfully there are park maintenance staff who come eventually to clean - just not at 5:30-6:00 in the morning. So, I walk through the smell and the unsightliness. My goal is set every morning. I have a predetermined course and I won't be deterred, especially on my return trip home. I'm tired, hot, achy and I just want to get home after power walking half my stint. No matter how bad the smell, or how tired I am, my goal, once I reach Montrose Street Harbor, is to get home.
That's the way life seems to be on our way to Heaven. It's exhausting to put it mildly, not to mention smelly and often not so pleasant, but we're not alone in the journey along the pathway, like that poem "Footsteps" suggest; we're carried [a lot] along the way by Jesus. He knows our direction/our goal and if we let Him, (this sounds crazy - 'if we let' the Son of God... But, He is a gentleman like that. He allows us to take the lead if we want to - this is called, free will). However, Jesus can do just that - direct and lead, if we let Him. He walks with us through the stench and unsightliness of life, (God does not always remove the stench and unsightliness, a.k.a. the pain, the hurt-in this too, there is purpose - His purpose). Jesus doesn't turn away or leave us hanging. He goes the distance till the end, all for the purpose of getting us Home - Heaven.
Ginny Owens - "If you Want Me to"
Soli Deo Gloria,
Nina
