"I'm gonna take care of you."

Yes, when I pray I sometimes sorta feel an impression of an idea, almost like words. It is often comforting, sometimes startling, and always welcomed. It took years of practice praying to be in this place. It takes time and quiet, it takes a clear head and a willingness to set aside all the distractions of life...

Meditating it is not, it is more like breathing, like walking, like an  intentional slowing to a resting place with a purpose. I've come to learn that if I show up with the idea "what do you have for me" I often receive some impression. Often it addresses the thing that is winding up my time and thoughts, sometimes it is regarding things I didn't know were bothering me. The last one was, "I'm gonna take care of you."

I haven't realized, until the last few days, but subtly over the last few weeks I've had this idea re-occur in my mind: just who do I think God is? How powerful is God? Do I think this is out of His control? 

Unfortunately, I do not act like I have a powerful God very often. That is a shame. That is not a good reflection of what I truly believe.

This photo of the Tiger Lilly has a beautiful quality about it, I have loved it since I took it. There is a sweet magical something about it that has little to do with the flower and a lot to do with reflected light and shadow.

If it weren't for the reflected light there would be a flower it would be beautiful but not necessarily striking, the water would not be seen although present. There is also dimension, pattern, movement contrast and value added because of the light and shadow.

I will be learning this lesson for a long time: I reflect what I act out regarding my beliefs of His power--I need to be intentional about deciding to believe in a powerful God. I also have dimension added to life by the shadows, these, over the whole, add texture and a beauty of their own--in the end I will be glad for that as well. I can gaurentee I will not learn this lesson quickly. And it will probably be introduced over and over...