Walks with Jesus.

This morning found me home alone, for the second day in a row. Normally I would have done anything to get out of staying home by myself. It makes me feel as empty as the house, and to be honest, it's kind of scary. But this morning it wasn't.

It was the perfect opportunity for a long (and quiet!) coffee date with Jesus on the back porch.

The beautiful weather was too wonderful to simply enjoy sitting down, however. So I put my coffee down, grabbed my camera and His hand, and our coffee date turned into a walking date through my backyard.

As we walked, He talked to me about a few things, and He pointed out different opportunities to capture little pieces of beauty.

I learned:

1) how beautiful a bloom among thistles is.

"Like a lily among thorns

is my darling among the maidens." 

-Song of Songs 2:1

It takes a lot of strength, and determination, and even some hard-headedness, to live life that way. "A lily among thorns..." Thorns hurt if you're not one. They claw, and scratch, and are altogether nasty. To create beauty in that sort of environment? To not get tangled up? choked out? overtaken?

That takes a lot of guts.

2) how scary it is walking on the dock at high tide, knowing there's no other human within earshot.

I'm scared of water. Especially grey, thick, cloudy water that looks like it could swallow me up at any moment, or tear my dear boat dock away from land, leaving me stranded and floating.

It's rather silly to be afraid of something that couldn't hurt me in any way. I went to the very edge, and walked back. Completely unscathed, too. 

Yet, sometimes I feel like my life looks like this:

Uphill. Slightly over-grown. Definitely over "treacherous" waters. And then there's me, not knowing where to put my feet, or what direction I'm headed in, or where I'm gonna end up.

Silly me. That's without Jesus in the equation.

"Fear not, for I have redeemed you;

I have summoned you by name; you are Mine.

When you pass through the waters,

I will be with you;

When you pass through the rivers,

they will not sweep over you.

When you walk through the fire,

you will not be burned;

the flames will not set you ablaze.

For I am the LORD, your God,

the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;

I give Egypt for your ransom,

Cush and Seba in your stead."

-Isaiah 43:1-3

The end will be glorious. And I don't have to make it there on my own.

and, 3) I learned that my fabulous brown faux-suede boots I got for five bucks at the thrift store aren't waterproof... bummer... ;)

Soggy socks and all, though, it was so wonderful.

In the lonely places, You still are there. You are wonderful, faithful, unchanging.

Hope ya'll had/are having a grandd Wednesday... the weekend's half-way here! Woo!

       Love,

              Casey