Walk in my Shoes

Today I took a walk. Well, I drove for part of it, since the spots I wanted to go were neither connected by footpath or close enough to walk to from my house. And I brought Zac with me. I know we were supposed to be "alone" for this thing...but we were already doing a Bible study at Starbucks together anyway (plus, he functions as my GPS). So here are my pictures and my reflections.

Only when we are quiet and still
will we capture the moment 
our eyes search for.

We are clumsy and rackety, crunching leaves beneath our feet, snapping twigs we don't care to see. We speak clamorously of things we'd like to find, missing the very things we're meant to look for. Only when we are quiet and still will we capture the moment our eyes search for. In our rambunctious clatter of feet moving swiftly, we forget to stop and stare in awe of the perpetual beauty of the world God created for us.

This outward skin protects the heart.

The bark on the tree is all we can see. It may bear the scars of a lover's pocket knife from years ago, the couple having long since broken off. It may be rough to the touch, having weathered storms too numerous to count. It may have things pinned to it, searching for a valuable loss. But this outward skin protects the heart, a thing apart from the outward influences. This is the part God wants of us. Our skin may bear scars, marks, and labels the world pins on us, but God wants what's underneath all that.

Life goes on, even when you're in the thick
 of it.

 Personally, remembering where I came from can be the most beneficial thing when I look forward into what my future  could hold. I know things now that I was too naive to realize  as a child, even when I played in the midst of them. When I  return to my old stomping grounds, I remember where I came  from and what experiences shaped me into who I am today. I  remember the drama I thought was devastating, and I smile, knowing life goes on, even when you're in the thick of it. 

  

This picture has been here my whole life.
I just needed to zoom out.

The details of life can become overwhelming sometimes, especially when your future is all that's on your mind. Today, I realized that I need to take a step back and just watch God do his thing. I don't need to worry about the little details, because God is a God who cares and who can handle it. The big picture of what he is doing is so far beyond what I can do, all I can do is sit back and look at the vast picture he has painted in front of me. The thing is, this picture has been here my whole life. I just needed to zoom out.

Every person leaves a mark on the world.

Although I can't quite make out what the markings on the back of the bench mean, this picture makes me think of all the times I've wished I was notable. I wanted to leave a mark, something tangible and meaningful, something that everyone appreciated. There have been so many times that I felt insignificant, like no one saw me or what I was trying to be. It was here that I realized this: every person leaves a mark on the world. Every person is notable in their own way, and while not everyone will see that, those who do will appreciate it on a deeper level.