Day 223 Considering

 

8/11/2025

 "To everything there is a season,

a time for every purpose under heaven."

Ecclesiastes 3:1

 

A few years ago my close friend gave me a little book entitled, "Age is Nothing but a State of Mind." I've always believed that was true, because as I aged, I never seemed to change my perspective on many things. I tend to view most things from the eyes of a child who wants to love and trust everyone, looking for good and value in all things and people. I love to motivate people who are down and out or who have low self-esteem, or the proverbial underdogs or misfits of society, to dream. I've always dreamed of having a place deep in the woods on about ten acres of farmland where I can invite such dreamers to come and learn how to use the gifts God has given them. We all have gifts, but some people are so busy trying to exist from day-to-day that they cannot see any value in their lives. They feel they have no sense of meaning, so how can they even conceive of God creating them with built-in talents and abilities?! It's hard enough to wrap around the notion that we are made in God's image much less gifted in any special way! Unless you are blessed enough to be raised by parents and grandparents who understand that children are a gift of God be be nurtured and loved, then there's the danger of falling into the traps I've described of being unlovable, unwanted, not enough, or otherwise. It's all a circle of life, but it is how you learn to live your life - your best life - that matters.

I live a simple life, although it is rather complicated in many ways. I see things a bit differently than most people, as I tend to see into the soul of a person just by studying their eyes as they are speaking. The Message translation of the Bible says this about the eyes: 

 “Your eyes are windows into your body. If you open your eyes wide in wonder and belief, 

your body fills up with light. If you live squinty-eyed in greed and distrust, 

your body is a musty cellar. If you pull the blinds on your windows, 

what a dark life you will have!"

Matthew 6:22-23 

In William Shakespeare's King Richard III, Act 5, the words “The eyes are the window to your soul.”    were purported to be written. It also has been said that these intrinsic words could have originated from the renown artist, Leonardo Da Vinci, or the philosopher Cicero, but I rather like The Message translation, as it gives it more depth and clarity.  

I can generally "see" if someone is lying or trying to manipulate me by the way they present or represent themselves or how they respond in a conversation. Many people find it intimidating to have someone look intently at them and maintain the gaze. There are times that I look away, but only as a safeguard to maintain my focus on what I am trying to say to the person, and then only a brief blink of the eyelashes, and I'm back at it. Nothing escapes me when I am in my element. However, if someone interrupts me in the middle of what I am saying in a normal conversation among friends, I can lose my train of thought very easily. That comes from years of being knocked in the head, so it has finally caught up with me in the here and now, but, again, my forgetfulness is not because of age, rather due to trauma. I imagine that's why I love to seek out quiet places where I can retreat into solitude, commune with God and enjoy nature's splendor. It gives me peace, and I can compose my thoughts for writing.

Today was one of those days where I felt blank. Many things happened, as they always do. I could write volumes from the emails I receive, but I'm  trying to keep things simple. There is really nothing new under the sun, as I heard a new friend say recently. While there may be nothing new, there is certainly more evil being exposed, but I really don't have to read about it, I already know. My source of information is fool proof, in fact, Luke 8:17 confirms it: "For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open." Honestly, sometimes I feel as if I am the worst intercessor in the world. When we get together for prayer, sometimes I remain silently praying. In John 16:33 Jesus says, "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." I believe in prayer obviously, as "keep asking, seeking, knocking," but sometimes I prefer to listen to what He is saying at the time, not everyone else. I hope that makes sense. Jesus asked me once, during a difficult time in my life - actually it was right before things got worse - this question: "Do you trust Me? Do you really trust Me?" So whenever I feel myself getting upset by all the news that comes my way, I ask myself that question. As an intercessor, a watchman on the wall, as we are called in scripture, I stand on God's word and His faithfulness, and I take it very seriously. It is what He called me to do. There's a portion of a psalm that I love to consider, especially when I pray with groups:

"My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast;

I will sing and give praise. 

Awake, my glory! Awake, lute and harp!

I will awaken the dawn.

I will praise You, O Lord, among the peoples;

I will sing to You among the nations.

For Your mercy reaches unto the heavens,

and Your truth unto the clouds.

Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;

Let Your glory be above all the earth."

Psalm 57:7-11

  

When I whispered these words as a prayer, I was misunderstood, because there was strong warfare going on at the time. Later, I noticed a note written to me from another intercessor in the chat. She said, "My heart is steadfast, too."