More simple pleasures

Reading Ally's post tonight at work reminded me of another simple pleasure I so quickly forget in life. The pleasure of friends, fall and walking. Saturday night not much was going on and Shea and I were at home. Shea had a movie in mind to watch, but there was a need to fill our stomachs first. Oddly on this occasion we were not craving the typical girls night items (chocolate, ice cream or chocolate ice cream) but on this particular night Hummus was the desire. We decided to walk and The Jerusalem Bakery was the destination. Thanks to the flip-flops Shea was wearing, the typical speed to my canter was mellowed. It was a blessing causing me to slow, to enjoy, to relax. Why I feel the need to move at such a pace even when there is not a deadline to meet I don't know, its ingrained. But I was forced to slow and I am grateful. The night was beautiful, the company even better. And the hummus spectacular. Props to peaceful nights.

Beer, BBQ And A Good Book

I never understood what a beautiful combination the three of these could be until tonight. The evening started with a small blessing...I didn't have to work after all. Thus began the brilliance of the evening. Quick jont to the store to pick up some Boulevard. Already had brauts and chicken at home. (You gotta take full advantage of a buring fire when you are a single women.) Start up the grill - ok so that wasn't as smooth as I would of liked. Finally, kick back, read, sip some Boulevard and smell the wonderful fragrance of the dinner you are soon to enjoy. The evening was perfect, temperature you could hardly feel and no breeze to flip the pages. So quickly I forget the simple things in life. Let this not be forgotten. :)

Is this the face of God?

Spending two weeks at Camp Barnabas challenged me and blessed me in many ways and I have many stories to share, but I will begin with this...a challenge I received from one of the doctors on site.

We as Americans place such value on external or physical beauty, yet know little of the depth of a person. This is not the Lords perspective.

"Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."

According to Mel Gibson in the making of The Passion, it was important to have an attractive Jesus in order to draw men to the film. But is that the most accurate demonstration of the man who actually walked the earth?

Reflect upon Isaiah 53: 2-4 (NASB)
"For He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of parched ground; He has no stately form or majesty that we should look upon Him, nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him. He was despised and forsaken of men, a man of sorrow and acquainted with grief; and like one from whom men hide their face. He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely our griefs He Himself bore, and our sorrows He carried; yet we ourselves exteemed Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted."

**Pictured with me is my friend Justin a beautiful teenage boy with a disorder called Neurofibromytosis (NF). His face is disfigured by benign tumors from his diagnosis. He is one of the most beautiful people I have ever met. His heart is incredible and his laugh is contageous.

Clear Vision

Ok, another Camp Barnabas story, but this is brilliant. This picture was taken during my first week of camp. Alex pictured in the middle was a camper and he is blind. I acted as the nurse to his cabin and would round at night to give bedtime meds. The campers and counselors would often gather outside at a picinic table when I arrived. Peris (pictured on the right) was a volunteer counselor working with Alex. On one particular evening I had arrived at the cabin as Peris was leading Alex out. In guiding him she said, "watch out, Courtney is there, you'll need to go around." And his response (which is where the brilliance lies) was "Oh, you guys look a like." As Peris and I looked at one another with a smile we both said, "why do you think that?" "Oh, I guess you act alike or something" he responded. I could not help but say, "Alex you need to teach the world to see with your eyes."

So we must ask the question, does he have the disability or do we? It is often a question I must ask myself when I have the opportunity to work with blind children. I find myself wondering if my vision isn't a stumbling block to seeing the true hearts of those who surround me. Something to think on...

breathe

OK, so I must confess. I sit to write my first real post, in this new life as a blogger, and I was doing exactly that which I was blogging about. I was writing about simply breathing, letting go of the need to always be doing something, and in the effort to express that exact thing I was pushing hard to find some profound words to make my point. I was overwhelmed by the need to do something magnificant, but instead I choose to breath.

Today breath deeply
breathe in the breath of God
breathe out the control of man
breathe in the refreshment of faith
breathe out the reliance on self
breathe in trust of a Saviour
breathe out fears of dependence
breathe in the love of the Father
breathe out the lies of insecurities
breathe in the hope of tomorrow
breathe out the struggle for success
breathe in the knowledge that we are but dust
breathe out the pride of life
breathe in the life of God
breathe out the life of sin
breathe
simply breathe
Lord have mercy on me, when I breathe.

someone once told me...

Someone once told me I should blog my thought. I don't have much to say right now...