Wednesday, April 08, 2009

Ponderings

So much has happened today that I want to write down before I forget.

This morning on the bus, I sat next to a lovely lady who normally doesn’t take the same bus as me, but “just happened” to take it today. The bus was full and she asked if she could sit in the seat next to me, to which I delightedly said yes. She’s going to college, majoring in psychology and anthropology. Very soon she’s going to be going on a 6-month trip to Israel where she will live with an Israeli family and spend time working in offices devoted to community and social services. Her church here in Spokane has a sister church in the town she’s going to be staying in there in Israel.

She was telling me how she’s not content to settle down, get married, have kids and be a soccer mom. She hears the cry of those in need and wants to remain single so she can focus all of her energies there without distraction. I told her I want the same thing for my own kids… Not that they NOT get married, but that they not get married for the wrong reasons, and that they can feel free to stay unmarried if that’s the path they feel God leading them on. I believe with my whole heart that meeting this precious young lady was a divine appointment, even though I don’t think I’ll probably ever see or speak to her again. May God’s will be done in her life, and may His face shine upon her and bring her heart peace.

* * * * *

A friend of mine at work shared a story with me. The other day, she and her 3-year-old son were walking in her neighborhood a few blocks from their home. They walked past a church and her son asked, “Whose house is that?” My friend said, “That’s a church. That’s God’s house.” Her son replied, “That can’t be God’s house. God lives in my heart.” Then he picked up a rock from the parking lot and took it home. The next morning, my friend’s husband asked her son where the rock came from, and her son replied, “It came from His house.” (With a big emphasis on the word “His.”) My friend said her son has begun asking all kinds of questions about God that have caused her to begin to ponder her own views about God. Needless-to-say, I was incredibly delighted to hear this story, especially from someone that I've never heard speak about God before. God is good.

* * * * *

At least twice today God sent me the same message. Once through my friend Danielle of Danielle’s Realm, and once through a meeting I attended. The message is that I can’t hope to take care of the people around me if I’m not taking care of myself. The same exact illustration was used in both situations: During the sudden depressurization of an airplane cabin, it’s crucially important to put the oxygen mask on ourselves before we try to put it on someone else. We tend to think, "Oh, no... No matter what anyone says, I’d certainly put the mask on my kid before I’d put it on myself." But we don’t realize that it can take only 10-15 seconds to pass out from sudden depressurization... If we're passed out, we're not going to be very helpful to anyone, are we? Not to our kids, or our spouses, or anyone else around us. This principle is also echoed in a book I just read, portions of which I hope to post on my blog "Echoes" in the near future.

* * * * *

I've been feeling overwhelmed with life lately. I know that I need to get my eyes off the circumstances and focus on Christ, because I feel myself looking at the waves and sinking deeper and deeper into them. All morning this morning I prayed to see Him more clearly, and kept singing the chorus of "Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus" to myself over and over again.

During our prayer meeting at work today, I almost didn't pray out loud at all. Because I usually only pray out loud when I feel confident that what I'm going to say is going to come out smoothly and be somewhat agreeable. But at some point, I started praying, near tears, with a quavery and breaking voice. I believe it was God giving utterance to the deep cries of my heart. I prayed to see Him more clearly, and that He would direct my gaze towards Himself. Then others prayed that, too, for me and for other people who are also going through difficult, chaotic, noisy times.

Not even an hour after that, I read a poem on The Souls of Men that God spoke to me powerfully through in direct response to the pleadings of my spirit. The poem was written just yesterday. And this verse was quoted in the same post: "When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek." Psalm 27:8. God is GOOD! (All the time!)

4 comments:

Joseph Pulikotil said...

Hi Mel:)

I am delighted to read the events of the day which makes me believe that God works in HIS own mysterious, unfathomable and inscrutable ways provided we are willing to look and listen and understand.

The first lady you met in the bus is very exceptional and very rarely we come across such people. We definitely need them to work for God very exclusively and devotedly. I pray to God to give her strength and courage to fulfill her mission in life. Recently I read in the news paper that there is a decline in the number of sisters joining Sisters of Charity founded by Mother Teresa. The reason for this was attributed to the fact that many couples prefer to have just one or two children.

The second scene reminds me that God works wonders even through children. Hopefully the son will be able to bring in the necessary atmosphere for his parents to get closer to God.

In the third, you have conveyed a great message. We need to take care of ourselves to help others. Another reason to take care of ourselves is not to become a burden on others. You may not appreciate this at your age but I fully understand the importance of this reason.

In the last scene, I understand you are fully devoted to God and want to do all things which will be approved by HIM although you have human frailties. Hope and pray that God will lead you in the right direction and shower upon you the graces needed to fulfill your earnest heart felt desires.

Your photo is very alluring.

Have a good Holy Week, Mel :)
Joseph

Mel said...

Hi Joseph,

I always enjoy reading your interpretatios of things. You invest much thought into your responses and share of yourself in the words you say. I appreciate that from the bottom of my heart. I very rarely have a post go by without at least one comment nowadays, thanks to you, and to Fred, and Laura, and others. It makes me more motivated to think of various circumstances in my life with a mind for sharing it here on this humble online journal. Thank you for your friendship, Joseph. It means so much! :)

God bless you!

Laura lok said...

I to enjoy reading your interpertations.

Mel said...

Thanks, Laura! I enjoy staying caught up on your life through your 365 blog, too. :)