Through the Looking Glass

This picture was taken on a beautiful cool, October morning. We had spent the night in a cabin of one of the states park in Western Tennessee. Walking to the bathhouse, I saw this beautiful scene.

The sun was rising and shining it's light over the misty lake. The leaves were radiant - shining in yellows, reds and orange. Grateful I had remembered my camera, I took several shots. I knew I'd never capture the full beauty of the scene, but I'd sure try.

It wasn't until I returned to the cabin, that I understood the full truth of that statement. When I put in my contact lenses, I was able to see that the pictures were out of focus. Blurry. Drat!! Though, here, it may just illustrate my point! Perfectly!! :)

Fast forward to November: One of my students recently asked me, after struggling to hear heart sounds on her obese patient, if she should buy one of the (expensive) specialty cardiology stethoscopes. I told her it depended on what she was going to do once she graduated. "Cardiology". Hmmm.... "Yeah, you might want to upgrade". Now, for me, working in Trauma, a middle-of-the-road stethoscope is adequate (I don't get to bring it into most of my patients' rooms anyhow - they have their own assigned!) In my world the mere PRESENCE of a heart beat increases your chances of returning home... significantly! But, her question was about now - would it improve her learning? Good question.

And then, that evening, waiting for our yoga class to begin - I had a discussion with another yogini. We were talking about situations people find themselves in... chronically. Generation after generation of living in ways that we couldn't imagine. To some it's "normal". Unbelievably, incredibly, "normal".

But...there are things in today's society that are becoming all too "normal" - the incidence of diabetes, and childhood obesity to name a few. Add a lack of personal responsibility and a sense of entitlement and you're getting close one of my 'soapboxes'.

But, I digress.... sort of. I remember back to when I first got glasses - I could see the leaves on the trees, and I was amazed. When I got contacts and added clarity to my peripheral vision - WOW! It was a whole new world. There were things I never saw before that were so clear before my eyes. Things that I never imagined existed!

Would it improve her learning to hear things clearly? - probably. Would it make that much of a difference in listening to heart sounds in that particular obese woman? I don't know.

Does it make a difference in my daily life whether I am wearing my contacts or not? - OH YEA!

Does it matter if I am looking through the lens of the world, or the lens of God? - OH YEA!

It makes all the difference in the world - it affects my perceptions, my choices, my actions. It changes my life in a very real way. It helps me see things that I never knew existed. I see hope and joy and miracles... sometimes in the most unlikely of places. Looking through the lens of God helps me to see some of the fallacy of "normal". It helps me be IN the world, but not OF it. Like Alice through the looking glass...

May I see clearly.... May I see through Your eyes...

Morning Moments with God

Bleary-eyed, I stumble to the great room to free the dog from his kennel. Our morning routine has begun - he takes time to become reacquainted with the backyard, and I take a few moments with God.

As we open the french doors, I am amazed at the beauty of the sunrise. Shoo-ing the dog out onto the deck, I return into the house for my camera. "YES! A sunrise picture!" I thought.... "hmm... could have used that in my blog yesterday.... oh well....I'm sure there will be another opportunity."

The dog romps and plays and sniffs at the grass. The hummingbirds flock to the feeder. I sit on the steps that lead from the deck to the backyard, leaning up against the railing. I'm still not quite willing to awaken.

It's a cool morning, the sun is making it's way up around a layer of clouds. There is hope for a beautiful day today and the refreshing promise of autumn in the air.

The chattering of the hummingbirds remind me to be joyful. I smile. I appreciate all the reminders I can get to remove myself from the business that can overwhelm my life and leave me feeling frantic.

What to write about today, I wonder... Thus far, I have known. The titles have leapt forward from their listing and the stories have come to life. Today, I'm not sure. I open my eyes and look at the fading colors of the sunrise, consciously pausing to take it in before it's gone.

I don't know at what point in my life, I was taught to hold these moments of unexpected beauty close to my heart - to stop time for a moment and honor their presence, and Him who brings them before me. I am reminded of the fern print that hangs in my great room. "Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away", it says. "Amen", I say.

I hear the hawk calling from behind me. Again and again, he cries. I stand to make my way back toward the house, hoping to be inspired in some small way. I raise my eyes to search for the hawk, as his cries are incessant.

Standing there, I gasp. The hawk is silent. There is nothing now but me and God and the view before me. A rainbow! (a double no less!). Thank you, thank you, thank you, God... for another moment by which my life is to be measured.