Life's Trails

FOCUSING ON JAMES TODAY, I LOOKED AT MY BIBLE COVER DIFFERENTLY THAN EVER BEFORE.

Azaleas red lavender pink and white line the rail fence beside the path leading to the red roofed cottage.  Blue door stands out in intricate detail of tiny stitches.  Lighthouse stands tall beside the cottage with matching red roof. Crevassed cliff at foot of lighthouse imagines rocky sea below, dangerous waters.

People get to safety of fire-warmed kitchen cottage, mug of hot in their hand, by one of two paths.

The beautiful gently sloped path or the ridged stone cliff.

We find Jesus much the same way.  The easy way or the hard way.

How easy it would be to walk the path to comfort safety and security from the time we are children.  Church, Jesus stories, belief, conformance, faith, wrapped into one neat ball.  Doubts, yes.  Slipping on clutch of path rocks occasionally.

Some do.  Most don’t.  Satan’s lies get in the way.

How many of us choose lies over truth?  Starting at the bottom of the cliff, having been tossed by the waves of sea, driven and tossed by the wind? Beginning of our journey.

Then comes the hard part.  Climb.  Hand over hand, toehold over toehold. Bloody scrapes over skin knuckles knees.  Shedding lies as we climb higher. Reach the lighthouse after battles, war.  The journey so ingrained in our souls as to be the main part of us.  The pain driving us toward Jesus.  Funny, the stubbornness that put us on the cliff in the first place is the stubbornness that helps us reach the top.

Lies.  Truth.  Stubbornness.  Choices.  My mother set my feet on the easy path. Then I became stubborn.

Brothers and sisters, when trouble comes among you, let it be an opportunity for joy.  For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.   Let it grow, for when it is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything.  James 1:2 -4

What is your path?

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She is the author of  One Thousand Gifts, and the blog A Holy Experience.  She promotes gratitude journals, and has challenged her readership to count 1000 gifts in 2012 with THE JOY DARE.

13.  A prodigal son coming to church.

14.  My car seat warmer on a cold day.

15.  Having the physical ability to provide horse room service.

16.  Snowdrops in February.

16.  A high school fashion show including my beautiful daughter.

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