Being Led

This past Sunday at church we sang a song that I have heard and sung numerous times in my life. But this time it was different. The name of the song is "I'd Rather Have Jesus". It is a song that was made famous by George Beverly Shea.

As I sang the song two lines grabbed my attention like I had never seen or heard them before.

"I'd rather be led by His nail pierced hand" comes from the last line of the first verse.

"I'd rather have Jesus and let Him lead" comes from the last line of the third verse.

Why did these two lines grab my attention? I think that one reason is that I have become more interested in allowing Jesus to lead me on the path he has set out for my life. And those two lines were my declaration of my intent to go wherever God leads me.

For me, following the leading of God is going to help me mature and grow into the person God destined me to be.

So today I choose to take the hand of Jesus and go where he leads me, wherever and however he deems best for me.

Be blessed today my friends as you are led by "his nail pierced hand."

The Unexamined Life

This week I have been working my way through a book by Julia Cameron called "The Right to Write."  I have been enjoying the exercises at the end of each chapter.

Last evening as I was reading I came upon a dialogue Julia was having with a friend.  They were talking about being so busy they felt they didn't have time to do the type of writing they needed to put things into perspective.  The friend said that he felt "unexamined" when he couldn't write about his feelings on things he was involved in.

As I read that sentence the phrase "the unexamined life" popped into my mind and struck a particular chord.  I find that there are times when I don't want to examine my thoughts and feelings because I'm just too afraid to go there.  Other times I dig so deep in my examination that I come away feeling raw inside.  But I know that there has to be a happy medium between the two extremes that will be beneficial to my maturity and growth as a person.  I just need to slow down a bit, find that happy medium and go on from there.

I believe that the "unexamined life" is a stunted one where there is little or no real growth or maturity.  I think a "shallow life" is the result of an "unexamined life".

So I am making the choice today to live an "examined life" in a way that will help me become mature and the person I am meant to be in this world.

Are you living an "unexamined life"?  Think about it.

Getting Older

This morning as I was getting ready to go to church I noticed something on my head that I think I have been ignoring. What was this novelty? Apparently there are a lot more grey hairs on my head then I had been willing to admit to. As I combed my hair it was looking more salt and peppery than just plain peppery.

Why did I notice the grey hairs more today? I think part of it may be that I turned 53 on Friday. Don't get me wrong. I have known for some time that the grey hairs were coming in, it just didn't register that more grey hairs were replacing the dark hairs that fell out then dark hairs growing back in.

Here's why I am putting this in my "I Am a Work in Progress" blog. I'm okay with all those grey hairs that are coming in. I'm okay with maturing and "getting older". Some of those grey hairs I've worked hard to get by going through times of trials and testing, health and mental issues and spiritual growth and spiritual break downs.

The most important thing in all of this is that I am still moving forward. Some times I slip back a couple of steps but as long as I keep taking more steps forward and catch myself before I slip too far back, I know I am making progress and that's what counts in the long run.

I hope you have a blessed day.