Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Doubting Thomas

I have a friend Tom - who was discussing my blog the other day. He was trying to figure out if I wrote a new blog each day or if I did a bunch all at one time. I think - in a nice way - he was trying to figure out if these are my original thoughts or if I have some source available to me that I use. First - it is almost impossible to have any real "original" thought - as almost every topic or subject that you can think of - somebody else has already written about. Secondly - I do use a resource - available to everyone - the Bible and the internet. With my basic knowledge of Holy Scripture - a solid background in Christianity -my diaconal training - and my basic love of Jesus and His people - all that - gives me more than enough material to write my daily blog. And write daily I do. On occasion - when I travel - I may prepare some articles in advance - as I did recently when I was in Poland. If I think that internet services may not be readily available - then I will write in advance - so all I have to do is go online and "Publish" a pre-written article. Otherwise what you read is written on a daily basis. The articles and titles are all mine - taken from whatever is happening in my personal life. The article about power washers - was the result of spending hours washing my deck.  You can probably go back and figure out what was happening to me the day previous if you really think and realize that my article titles actually tell a story of what is happening in my life.
So back to Tom's question - how do I manage to write daily? To me it is a gift from God - I have the ability to see God's hand at work in a lot of different and unusual situations. Where some people see only devastation - loneliness - emptiness - I see God. Where many people go for the first impression - I take a different road - and look for God hidden in minor details - that tells a completely different story. In the photo above some will see a nebula - others the eye of God. It is all about realizing that by myself - I am nothing - and only with God in my life - do I have a potential - a possibility to be - at best - average. If I can empty myself and be open to however and whenever God wants to work through me - then so be it.  Nothing more - nothing less - as I live out the words selected by my brothers in deacon formation - as our ordination motto - "To love and serve the Lord".


Deacon Dale