Perspective

My perspective is, I think, wider in scope than it once was. It is, I am sure, very limited in comparison to many others, and most certainly, in comparison to God's.

Years. That can help, although it doesn't necessarily do so.

Experience. That also broadens perspective, although once again, it doesn't necessarily do so.

Age, years, experience. These things do not guarantee an enlarged viewpoint, a broader understanding, a more comprehensive perspective. There are many seasoned, intelligent, educated, elderly people who, sad to say, fail to exhibit largeness of perspective. Sin has not been conquered, hurts fester within their soul, self concerns and pet causes still rule their hearts.

God Almighty alone sees the end from the beginning; He viewed a vacuum - nothingness -  and spoke worlds into existence. He alone comprehended sin, loved in spite of sin, and made a way to redeem us from sin and its consequences. His is the perspective we all need.

And it's available to us. The Word is ours to feast upon. The Spirit indwells those who believe and teaches us all things. He has not left us as orphans, but has made a way for us to grow in grace, spiritual maturity, and eternal perspective.

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.   Proverbs 9.10

Soul Restoration

My soul is luxuriating in ordering my surroundings. Order does a soul a great deal of good. Our Creator is orderly, and we are made in His image. We do best when there is order.

But a good deal of the luxuriating springs from the fact that I am on no set schedule. I rummage through dresser drawers and closets - removing unwanted and unworn items, paring down til the closet shelves look like a well managed department store - when "the spirit moves me." Front gardens that have become nothing more than a tangled mass of overgrown wild day lilies are dug out when a free afternoon allows.

And so the garden sits half finished. But guess what? I am immensely pleased to see bare dirt! Empty space. Borders and margins that will be established. Ah... progress is happening. And I am eager to get back to it - when I can.

Clothes are being ironed at whim. The dirty backside of the kitchen sink cupboard is wiped when I notice it, not when the chore list indicates.

Am I opposed to lists? No. Do I like lists? I like to make them - they also bring relief to my soul - but I am not prone to following them. That is a major weakness of mine; adhering to such limitations is somewhat exhausting to me. It is trying to my soul to continually do what I ought instead of what I feel inspired to do. I have done okay with learning to make the list and stick to it, but this brief respite from deadlines and "to do" lists is absolutely refreshing for me, one who prefers living out of inspiration rather than duty.

So for a bit I've set aside clocks, calendars, lists, and schedules. Am I busy? You bet. But I'm busy doing whatever tickles my fancy.

My, my. Aren't we special!!

Flowering Days Are Coming

Seasons of minimum maintenance in a garden makes for stunted and ingrown irises, gloriosa-crowded yarrow, pushy goose-neck loosestrife invading day lilies and choking out mums. Grasses are growing in the midst of delphinium and bachelor buttons pop up everywhere, out of control.

Dig out the toughened tubers. Thin the primrose. Remove innumerable gloriosa daisy and lily-of-the-valley. Throw them away.

Dig up entire sections of iris, toss aside toes and save just a few. Make room for them to spread and renew, developing fresh and young growth. Healthy growth.

I think I need a spiritual garden overhaul as well this summer. Too much old stuff crowding out new growth. Dig out the old, tired thinking. Learn something new. Increase once again. Get rid of too much of the same. Make room for new blooms.

Yup. It's time. I need some freshening up, some growing room. So first -- out with the old, tired, crowded, smothering hard stuff. Loosen the soil. Find a new idea or two and search it out. Water, feed, prune, and see new growth.

I may be older, but it's not time to be done blooming. In fact, some new color might be just the thing this summer!