Can We Judge A Book By Its Cover?

You've probably heard the saying that you can't judge a book by its cover. Right? Even the title rarely gives away the truth of its contents. It might give you a "heads up" every now and then, but you gotta be watching for it. However, if it intrigues us, we purchase it and begin the journey within its covers. When we begin spending time with the book, that's when the true story is revealed.

In comparison, sometimes we wonder why an individual seems so much like the "perfect" human being until we do life with them on the daily. When those bumps in the road trip us up, such as, helping with household duties, the kids, yard work, laundry, meal planning, etc. Or when those mountainous ranges cause us to fall long and hard, such as a family tragedy, health concerns, infidelity, etc. That is when the true nature of the life inside us is revealed. That is when the book begins to find its own twists and turns, the stability (or lack thereof) of its own story. That is when we find the truth of who they are. Who WE are!!!

Living life with another human will either make you great, or cause you to start doubting yourself. There WILL be bumps and mountains in every life lived. We all have a story to tell. As long as there is breath in the body, as long as a heart beats, a story is unfolding day to day. Page by page. Chapter by chapter. Until the end...

A casual acquaintance never sees the truth that lies deep within a person. That is reserved for those willing to take a journey with another. Reserved for those willing to climb the highest mountain, or kick stones off a beaten path, with another sojourner. There will be bruised hearts and misunderstandings. There will be strong discussions as couples hammer out a solution. And there will be hearts that glow with intense love during the strongest of storms, knowing their partner will always have their back, always look after their needs, and always trust that God is the one who directs them through it all.

Don't you just love a good book, though?! Those that grab you with the first paragraph? Those you just can't put down even though they cause your heart to beat just a bit faster, or sweat pop out on your forehead, or cause hope to rise inside you, as the author gives life to the book? Those books you can't bear to put down at the end? Those books that stay in your head forever? You know the ones I'm talking about. Right? It's the ones that get better and better with every chapter read. Now compare...

As always, here you will find me...in Mary's World

Things I Can Depend On

Every morning, right about 7:43, the sun peeks through my study window on its way upward. At least during this time of the year. I reach up to shutter the window so I can see without shielding my eyes. The sun is dependable. 

There are many things we take for granted as being dependable. Like, I will go to work tomorrow at precisely (fill in the blank). I will see my family this coming (fill in the blank). I will go to the grocery store tomorrow after lunch. I will go to the mountains next month when the leaves are beginning to show their beauty. Next summer, I will make plans to go with my family to the beach. So much of our lives, and what it will look like, we take for granted. We form habits and become "dependable". That's a good thing. Right? Sure it is. But my point is the things we take for granted, aren't necessarily dependable. Why do I say that? Because none of us knows what tomorrow holds for us. Actually, we don't REALLY know what the next hour holds for us. Sounds kinda gloomy, doesn't it? It's not intended to...

James 4:13-16 says:

“Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.” Otherwise you are boasting about your own pretentious plans, and all such boasting is evil” (NLT).

Even though this life is uncertain, and even though one might think once this life is done, it's done, there is a life that is eternal. Yours and mine. We were created to be eternal beings. Natural death entered because of not heeding the warning of God. Not because he was/is a demanding being. But because He wanted us to have a choice, not demanding we love him as he loved us. But because we choose to. And because of that, there needed to be a choice of right and wrong, of life and death, of fullness and emptiness. Choices. Thus, the Tree of the knowledge of good and evil was placed in the Garden of Eden, where Gods council (the Elohim) met. We were not to eat from that tree lest we live eternally in our choice. We get to choose our life's path. Which is an awesome gift in itself! Yes?

It's sad so many of us blame God for the evil in this world. When in fact it only comes from a persons choices. No one is excluded. Life continues after this earthly death, and since this life is so uncertain, doesn't it make sense to begin storing up for the next life? The life we step into after this earthly life, will depend on what we did with this one. Today, it appears I will be heading to work soon, a platform God has given to provide and to serve. 

Things I can depend on? The sun coming up, an eventual "death" (I do think I'll be around for a bit, though 😁), my family's love for me, and God's love for me. For the world He created. And those in it. 

As always (if God so chooses), here you will find me...in Mary's (loaned by God) World. That I (mostly) take for granted.

Gonna open the shutters now that the sun has moved on up. 😉😁