Grace everywhere

While walking at a nearby wildlife sanctuary, I came across this amazing "field" of American lotus. The lotus is a type of water lily that rises from muddy waters to blossom. I had heard of the lotus flower before, tho I did not know that America had any. Studying Buddhism when I was searching for God, I learned that the lotus was one of the auspicious symbols and referred to enlightenment or wisdom. Because the lotus comes out of the murky water to flower, it is also a sign of resurrection. When the flower is used in art, the more open the bloom, the more enlightened the figure would be.
Of course I had to come home to search this stuff out but it is interesting when I look over the pictures I took and see all the closed or slightly open blooms. How often my spirit is like that. I sometimes just want to throw up my hands and tell Him to give up on me since I am so lost most of the time and feel that I could be useful to no one. But here, thru this adventure, I learn it is not that I am lost but that I am only at the beginning. I cannot learn more than I am able. I need not to stuff my brain full of lessons that remain incomplete because my comprehension is incomplete. My part is to open myself as fully as I can to the Spirit and embrace each moment for all the life and love and learning it holds.
Never expected to find grace in the swamp, but I am glad He can find me anywhere!

Comments

Anonymous said…
Dear Jaime,
Every once in a while I do a "next blog" search. It isn't always so nice what comes my way but I also have found a lot of God's people out there in blog world...you are one. I enjoyed reading some of your blogs I enjoyed seeing God's work in your life...it is such a wonder to see His work ..slow and often painful but always with Love and leading to such wonderful truths.
Here is a site where you can hear some GREAT sermons on how to live our lives as His people.
http://www.hillcrestchapel.org/Audio%20Sermons.htm

You might especially appreciate, as I did, the one on Habakkuk as he talks about the pains of this world and how with live with them.
Here are some great verses to encourage you also...a reminder to us as to WHO is in control and some insight as to His purposes. "God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands. Nor is He worshiped with men's hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things. And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, 'For we are also His offspring.' Therefore, since we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, something shaped by art and man's devising. Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead." Acts 17:22-32

Keep 'running the race'! God will and does bless HIS people continually!
A Sister in Christ from Oregon! Diane
July 28, 2007 at 4:36 PM
Anonymous said…
Hi Jaime,

I couldn't wait to read your blog--how exciting to see this entry and what a privilege to have been walking with you when you saw these blossoms. The insight God has given you is so true. I look forward to walking beside you as we both continue becoming all that God wants us to be. We're all a work in progress! Donna
July 30, 2007 at 9:37 AM
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