Lightkeeper's Journal

Exhaustion

 

Photography by Norma Beaird

Article by Curtis Beaird

 

“Therefore is my spirit overwhelmed within me; my heart within me is desolate.” Psalm 143:4

There is tired, and then there is tired. Physical fatigue is an easy fix — sleep. Not that we rush to give ourselves permission to rest; but, we a least know the answer to “bone-tired", and that is sleep.

Spiritual fatigue is a different matter.

A nap won’t do it. Like it or not, and we don’t, there are those times when body and soul are overwhelmed to the point that we feel that our life has been, in the words of King David, “beat down to the ground”; and, we “dwell in darkness.” And, not just any darkness, but the darkness like “those that have been long dead.”

In that bleak moment when we are sure that it can’t get worse…..then it does.  David went from being overwhelmed to complete collapse. He describes it in one phrase, both blunt and sharp as a hammer strike to an anvil “…my spirit faileth”.

Thanks be to God we are not there often, but when we are there, we are there.
The question. What’s the way up and out, “lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit?”
I’ll skip thrashing the world’s solutions. They all fail and we know it. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be writing this, and you wouldn’t be reading it.

Unlike our usual strategy, David did not stare long and hard at his misery, tormenting himself with the “what if’s, the woulda, shoulda, couldas; and, if only I had”….. and then modulating into the “They should’ve” or “Why didn’t they?” ….all of which turns our face down, and uses our energy to dig the ditch deeper, shutting out the possibility of finding the light.  Instead, David looked up.

“Hear my prayer, O Lord, give ear to my supplications:

in Thy faithfulness answer me, and in Thy righteousness.” Psalm 143:1

David took control of his mind and its focus, which was no small challenge, since his reason for worry was life threatening. He had enemies that wanted him dead.  But, instead of camping out on the dismal possibilities, he tells us,

“I remember the days of old; I meditate on all Thy works;

I muse on the work of Thy hands.” Psalm 143:5

David had something that we may be a little thin in having. He had a personal past, while his people had a long history filled with, to him, the obvious actions of God. From victory in battles to forgiveness of sin,

King David understood all of life in general,

and his personal life in particular, in terms of God.

Things didn’t just happen. His way to the future was never in his hands alone. David knew what he needed. “…my soul thirsts after Thee, as a thirsty land.” (Psalm 143:6)  David had few, if any explanations, that were disconnected from God. We have many. How often do we stand before the storms of life, caught in dismay, paralyzed by the question….“Why?”

David, living all of life before God, was free to pray, “Cause me to hear Thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in Thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto Thee.” (Psalm 143:8)

And in the face of it all, who hasn’t felt His urgency?  “Hear me speedily, O Lord….”

Grace and peace

 

All scriptures are King James Version

 

 

Copyright 2022, Curtis and Norma Beaird.  All rights reserved. 

Fog

 

Photography by Curtis Beaird

Article by Norma Beaird

 

FOG...

Fog in the atmosphere.
Fog on the road.
Fog after the rain.
Fog on my path.
Fog in my mind.

No matter where the fog has manifest, prayer is the answer.

Fog, sunshine, rain, clouds, more fog and then blue skies.
This is basically life. One day, the skies are blue and the sun is shining. The next day it's cold, damp and gray. And then, you wake up to a very dense and unexpected fog.

Sometimes, our minds are clear with happy thoughts, forward movement, and looking for a bright future and everything that life may hold for us. The next day, we wake up in discouragement, pain and near hopelessness of thought.

Then sometimes, in the midst of the dense, overwhelming fog, where you can't see your way clear, the Lord sends a bright ray of light, both in the physical and the spiritual. Nature has a way of teaching us about the love and mercy of God.

LESSONS I've learned about FOG:

It doesn't last forever, sometimes it's mere hours.

The Lord is still there, even in the midst of the fog.

The sun's rays will peak through the fog and allow you to see your way clear, both physically and spiritually.

The dark gray fog will make the sunshine and blue skies seem much more beautiful.....because you've been in the darkness and now you see the light.

No matter the reason for your personal FOG, whether it's sickness, discouragement, depression, rocky relationships or unexpected problems on the job.... your answer is GOD. Only the Lord can cure what ails us both physically and spiritually. It's in the denseness of the fog that we learn our most valuable spiritual lessons.  Allow God to shine His light of love upon your situation. 

Psalm 27:1

The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

Isaiah 9:2

The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.

John 12:35

Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.

All scriptures are King James Version.

Copyright 2022, Curtis and Norma Beaird.  All rights reserved. 

What Will See us Through?

 

Article by Curtis Beaird 

Photography by Norma Beaird

 

We know at first light, God has given us another day, win, lose or draw. The day that the Lord has made has arrived. And, right before our eyes,  “Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” opens before us.

We pray. Read our Bible. Drink coffee. Then it happens. 

We turn on an electronic device.  In the blink of an eye, the tedium of the ever-present chaos greets us.  The world rushes in, claiming that there is never enough; and, if there was enough, it wouldn’t be right.

Things must change, but stay the same. The promise is a lie and it is “their” fault.  Turn the volume down, and even mute the sound, but you know the voice of demand continues to grate on your nerves, even if all you see is a plastic smile with moving lips. 

What will see us through?

 

We know that determination, strength of will, and fortitude can move us forward.

They have before, and will again. 

We know that patience is an asset; as in, “This too shall pass.”  

We know that hope is a necessity and faith is a gift. 

 

But, what will see us through?  Of everything that we try, and the last thing we expect to hear, Paul says — “the greatest is love.” 

“Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. “ 

I Corinthians 13

 

Grace and peace

 

Copyright 2020, Curtis and Norma Beaird.  All rights reserved.  

God's Way is Always Better

Beautiful cotton clouds over rural Georgia

 

Photography by Curtis and Norma Beaird

Article by Norma Beaird

 

Isaiah 55:8-9

For My thoughts are not your thoughts,

neither are your ways My ways, saith the Lord.

For as the heavens are higher than the earth,

so are My ways higher than your ways,

and My thoughts than your thoughts.

 

Before I looked on the front page of our blog today to see the daily scripture that was posted in the sidebar, I had already planned to use Curtis' cloud picture for this article.  I didn't expect to see another cloud picture attached to Isaiah 55:8 on the daily scripture, but I realized again, that God is in control and that it was the scripture that the Lord wanted me to use for today's blog post.  God is always one step ahead of us.  To be honest, He's usually ten or twenty steps ahead of us.  And for that, I am very grateful.  Here is the Bible Verse that was posted on 7/20/2017 (it changes everyday): 

I'm thankful that we serve a Heavenly Father whose thoughts and ways are higher than ours.  Sometimes, in our carnal human life, we can set the bar rather low.  We expect less for ourselves than God expects.  We can get to a point in our lives, especially as we get older, where we think that good things aren't in store for us anymore.  Because life has dealt us some tiresome blows, we find ourselves driving into an emotional ditch.  We reach for mediocrity and God wants nothing less than the best for our lives.  However, we may find it difficult to believe that God wants the best for us when we're in a frustrating situation, or we're physically sick, or emotionally drained.  We wonder where the Lord is when we're fighting evil, struggling on the job or dealing with financial worries.  We pray and it seems that the answer never arrives.  Still, God is always in control.  

.....His ways are higher than our ways.  

Aloe Vera Plants 

Just like these Aloe Vera plants have taken root and are growing, God wants us "take root" and grow spiritually.  One way that we grow in our Christian walk is the practice of faith.  Sometimes the skies look dark and gloomy and sometimes it seems that the answer will never come, but we must believe that our blue sky will soon show up.  We must live a life of spiritual expectancy, always expecting God's best for our life.

#FAITH

We must learn to trust God in the storms of life. 

Faith is not easy, but it's absolutely necessary to the Christian walk.  If we never learn to trust in God, then we will never find peace, no matter the situation.  Trusting God means that we get up every morning and thank God that we woke up today and then thank Him for His many blessings.  We pray unto the Lord and ask Him to guide our thoughts, our work, our steps and our words.  We ask the Lord to give us wisdom and discernment.  We pray for His divine protection.  We ask Him for healing and help in every trying matter.  We ask him to deliver us from the hand of the enemy.  ....and then we trust Him.  We trust Him completely.  Is it easy? Of course, it's not easy.  But, it's necessary.  If we want peace, we must have faith and trust in the Lord.

College Baptist Church - Mount Vernon, Georgia

The picture above of the church surrounded by the beautiful blue sky is a perfect way to explain "God's ways".  When we have faith and trust in God, we can know that no matter the storm, no matter how much rain is falling down, that a blue sky is just around the corner.  This is how it feels to trust God.  You don't "spiritually" see the dark, gloomy skies.  You "spiritually" see the sky of blue.  It's called faith.  Faith and trust.  

Hebrews 11:1

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Every single day that we wake up is another opportunity to strengthen our faith and deepen our trust.  The Lord knows that living in this sinful, selfish world is not easy.  He already knows and understands the challenges that we face every minute of every day.  But, His promises are true.  His ways are perfect.  And, He loves us more than anyone could ever love us.  As our Father, He is watching us when we think that He's nowhere around.  You may think that He's a million miles away; and, in reality, He's standing next to you, helping you every step of the way......if you will trust Him and allow Him to help you.  The choice is ours.  We can allow God to help us or we can push Him away with doubt and unbelief.  God loves us enough to not force us to choose His best for us.  We're neither puppets nor robots.  We do have a choice.  However, life will teach us that faith and trust helps to solve our problems, not doubt and unbelief.  

Please don't let another minute go by without turning your life or your circumstance over to God in prayer.   

The Lord is just as close as the next prayer that you pray.  

God's way is always better.

 

Psalm 13:6

I will sing unto the Lord, because He hath dealt bountifully with me.

 

 

 

Copyright 2017, Curtis and Norma Beaird.  All rights reserved.  

 

Cardinal Climbers are Climbing & Attracting Visitors

 

The amazing Cardinal Climber vine will attract hummingbirds and butterflies to your yard.  In this picture, you can see the pollen on the lovely bright red flower.  

 

 

Photography by Curtis Beaird

Story and Poem by Norma Beaird

 

We planted the Cardinal Climber seeds in mid May.  It takes approximately 90+ days for the flower to bloom.  It does take a while, but it's well worth it.  We actually over-planted the seeds so that we would have an explosion of red blooms.  We also planted late because we were attempting to time it just right for Ruby-throated Hummingbird migration.  During this time of year, birds are flying south to their winter location.

   

A Cloudless Sulphur butterflylands on the Cardinal Climber.  

Butterflies love the Cardinal Climber!  

We see these little yellow treasures flying all over the yard and all over the Cardinal Climber.  

 

Every day, we walk outside to see more blooms!

Cardinal Climbers are native to North America, Asia, South Africa and the West Indies.  They are members of the Morning Glory family.  The South is the perfect place for planting Cardinal Climbers.  Cardinal Climber plants need full sun to reach their full potential.  They prefer rich, well drained soils, and they need to be watered frequently during dry periods.

 

And, the moment finally arrived.  

There she was....

a beautiful and young Ruby-throated Hummingbird female.  She is friendly and excited to see the abundance of Cardinal Climber blooms.  She has been a regular visitor for several days! 

 

We love to have fun and experiment with our photography.  In this picture, we had sprayed the Cardinal Climbers with a fine mist of water.  We were very careful to use a fine mist.  This created little water droplets that add a unique dimension to the picture.  

 

 

The Ruby-throated Hummingbirds,

migration fills the skies,

with yellow Cloudless Sulphurs,

and the many butterflies.

 

They fly south for the winter,

'cause the chill is coming soon,

We hope they stop and visit us,

They know that we have room.

 

For in the yard, we're ready,

with the Cardinal Climber vine,

our flying friends are welcome,

to come visit us sometime. 

 

 

 

Copyright 2015, Curtis and Norma Beaird.  All rights reserved.    

The Birds Still Sing on Cloudy Days

 

The Duchess of Soperton, our Northern Cardinal

 

Photography by Curtis and Norma Beaird

Article by Norma Beaird

 

I've thought long and hard about writing this particular article.  I've wondered if it's necessarily the best idea, considering the fact that we're still living in the same area that is the subject matter of the article.  However, sometimes it's easier to be honest about your situation than try to hide the truth of the matter.  

For the last three years, we have been documenting the birds of rural Georgia and submitting our reports to Cornell University's eBird.  We photograph, count, document and write about the amazing avian community in our backyard and in the surrounding counties, state parks and wildlife management areas.  Our birds have been a blessing beyond words to both Curtis and me.  I cannot properly describe with words what our birds have meant to us.   As a matter of fact, our backyard birds have been just one of the reasons that we have kept our sanity in the midst of a very dark place called rural Georgia.  

Within the last three years, a dark cloud has crept in over this part of Georgia.  Drugs, drug trafficking, meth labs and the subsequent meth lab busts have increased and are the subjects of the weekly newspapers. Two of our small-town weekly newspapers have the monthly Jail Report.  This edition of the newspapers feature almost full pages of mugshots, mostly due to drug possession, assault or theft.    

....Talk about the myth of Southern hospitality....

Almost three years ago, I remember having, what felt like, a very dark cloud to descend over me, a cloud of fear and dread.  It felt as though something bad was going to happen and the feeling produced an anxiety about the unknown.  Curtis felt the same thing.  A few weeks later in May 2012, our house was burglarized and approximately $7,000 worth of stuff was stolen, to include a laptop, camera, jewelry, tools, not to mention photos that can't be replaced.  We were devastated.  

We had just returned from a doctor's visit in Dublin, Georgia and Curtis had received wonderful news, thanks be to God and a great doctor.  Later that day, we had driven into Riverbend Wildlife Management Area in Laurens County and photographed the beautiful Yellow-Crowned Night-Heron, a bird that we had not photographed before.  We celebrated the good news with one of our favorite pastimes, birdwatching.  

The Yellow-Crowned Night-Heron scratching his head as we photographed. 

 

We were overjoyed to have found this entertaining bird hanging out in a very swampy area of the WMA.  We had a good doctor's visit, a nice lunch and a fun excursion back on dirt roads in a rather remote avian hangout.  And then we came home....

When we arrived home, our front door was open, a door that was locked when we left.  My heart just sunk.  I knew what had happened.  It had happened twice to my mother and me when we lived in Augusta, Georgia. Words can't describe that sick feeling in the pit of your stomach, knowing that some low-life thief has busted through your door and stolen precious treasures that can never be replaced.  

For a while, Curtis and I were simply devastated.  They had even stolen a one-of-a-kind custom pocket knife that I had given to him on a special occasion, a knife that cannot be replaced.  They had stolen my beautiful Native American Squash Blossom Necklace that was a gift from Curtis, a necklace that I dearly cherished.  

Talk about going into the emotional dumper.....  Many people say that things can be replaced and "just be thankful that you weren't at home...."  That's not the point.  An alarm was sounded that we were no longer living in Mayberry.  We had known for a long time that the seemingly innocent small town that we moved to wasn't the same anymore.  Now, we knew for sure.  

Even though there has been an increase in drug arrests and subsequent takedowns of meth labs, we continue to feel the dark cloud of spiritual oppression.  Drug addiction is a strong, demonic force and drug trafficking is the result of greed and selfishness.  Law Enforcement has a difficult task in taking down a criminal element that has affected this area for decades.  There is a constant battle of good versus evil.   Law-abiding citizens must remain vigilant and alert.     

At times, in various counties over rural Georgia, crimes are committed that are never solved.  Some shootings have occurred that seem to disappear off of the front pages of  newspapers.  Some burglars are never caught.  We have read reports of drug dealers being arrested and then released.  

Sometimes, it feels as though communities remain complacent while the Jail Report continues.  No matter how many arrests are made, it never seems to jar the community as a whole.  Law Enforcement can only do so much.  Communities must rally together and look out for each other, patrolling their own streets and forming neighborhood watches.      

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure things out.  And, no one wants to talk about it or deal with it.  It's easier to ignore it than admit the truth.  Many locals would prefer to turn a deaf ear even though they know what is going on.  As Curtis says, "We are living in a pine straw ghetto."  When people refuse to admit there is a drug or crime problem, then a once-safe community can turn into a crime-ridden ghetto in a matter of months.  

An Umbrella of Faith

Why am I writing about all of this?  Hopefully, we can encourage you to open up an umbrella of faith in the midst of a raging storm.  That's what we had to do and are still doing.  We pray constantly for God's wisdom, guidance and protection.  

In the midst of this dark place, God sent us the most beautiful birds to photograph and document.  We have bought bird identification books, researched them and studied taxonomy. We have fed the birds, filled up the birdbath and even named our avian friends.  We have talked to chickadees, woodpeckers and crows and we have felt their love when we walk outside to greet them in the morning.

In the midst of your dark place, God can send powerful reminders that He created this world and that He is still in control.  

Rocky, the Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker

 

Therefore, do not despair and don't give up hope.  The answer is on the way.  Don't allow distrust and bitterness to take root in your life.  Allow God to show you the big picture and introduce you to His magnificent creation.  

In the Old Testament, the prophet Elijah had delivered a message to the evil King Ahab, husband of Queen Jezebel.  Elijah told King Ahab that there would be a time of neither dew nor rain.  After the message was delivered to the king, God told Elijah to turn eastward and hide by the brook Cherith.  He would drink of the brook while a raven would bring him food in the morning and evening.  

Whenever I think about how God sent birds to us in the midst of a bad situation, I think about the prophet Elijah and the raven.  The Lord used a bird to physically feed Elijah.  God used birds to infuse our hearts with joy and teach us about migration and nesting behaviors.  Birdwatching increased our focus and our faith. The majesty of God's creation will bring a sense of peace to your spirit.  

In the midst of spiritual hunger and despair, God will feed our souls with the bread of Heaven.  Sometimes, He gives us great joy in the midst of sorrow.  At times, He sends us a distraction from the cares of this life that breathes hope into a seemingly hopeless situation.  He knows all and He sees all.  He is still in control.  

No matter how long you've been in a dry barren land or how desperate your situation, I pray that God will send you manna in the wilderness.   May He brighten your day with blue skies and cotton clouds or the fragrance of a Honeysuckle vine.  May He send you an encouraging word or laughter in the midst of tears.  

Just remember, the birds still sing on cloudy days.  

 

1 Kings 17: 1 - 6

And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab,

As the Lord God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand,

there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.

And the word of the Lord came unto him, saying,

Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward,

and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.

And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook;

and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there.

So he went and did according unto the word of the Lord:

for he went and dwelt by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.

And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning,

and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook.

 

 

 

Copyright 2015, Curtis and Norma Beaird.  All rights reserved.   

The Threat to a Sound Mind

Article by: Curtis Beaird

Photography by:  Norma W. Beaird

 

I Timothy 1:7

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear;

but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

 

Fear Arrives

Regardless of Paul’s list of spiritual gifts …..…"love, power and a sound mind,” an ugly fear was visited on us on September 11, 2001.  It hasn’t been the same since.   Fear and its cousin anxiety are at all times just below the surface.

But wait, there is more.  The economic meltdown of 2008 pushed us to a new edge.  If the threat of them over there coming over here wasn’t enough, now we have the economic threat of the disappearing 401k, brought to us by a financial system we built and believed in. 

Oh no!  What to do?  Where to turn?

Fear Grows

Today, fear is the emotion of choice.  We continue to choose fear and its primary expression of anger as the engine that moves us.  We prefer emotional spasms to informed decisions.   Paul’s gift of a “sound mind” seems way too passive in the face of the hurricane of anxiety that faces us every day. Given the choice of thought or feeling, all we need is a word or two, and we can start ourselves a flash fire.  Say “Communism” or “Communist” out loud in a mixed group and check the level of tension.

The Problem of a Sound Mind

Thought takes time.  Developing the capacity to consider and decide requires a steady effort that an anxiety-driven anger can’t wait for.  Patience may be a virtue.  Today, it is considered a weakness, if not a liability.  Quick, something has to be done!  Panic, oddly enough, competes with boredom for the upper hand.  Boredom in itself is a low-grade anger.

The little train that could now wears, not the face of courage, but the mask of grim determination.   Shrill voices dominate.  Rage, not reason, is offered as a guide.  The power, love and sound mind that Paul thought were gifts of God have been driven underground by a fear that he implied was not sourced in God.

The Threat to a Sound Mind

Like it or not, and we don’t, there is no way back to the days of our pre 9-11 innocence.  The days when we believed the illusion that we were safe and secure from all alarms are gone.  Those were the good ‘ole days.  Now, it’s a daily struggle over gun rights and the TSA.  The burning question whispered here and there, “Whose house did the drone fly over today?”  Conspiracy theories once laughed at as political fiction have fallen into the “where there is smoke, there is fire” category.

Jesus’ statement, “there shall be wars and rumors of wars” has become more than a statement of reality, it is a business model.  By the way, not all drones are snoops.  The one built by Kratos Defense and Security is described with some wonderful abstract and cool language.  They state that these unmanned fliers are “…utilized as high fidelity enemy threat surrogates.”  Yeah baby.

And, who wouldn’t want to cut a winged “surrogate” out of the sky with a 50 Cal.   For a picture with substance, imagine shooting down a model airplane.  Dirty Hairy never had it so good.

The High Cost of a Fear-Driven Anger

When rage replaces reason, it is easy to demonize would-be leaders.  Romney and Obama have been demonized, and as long as fear and anger remain the emotion of choice, they will continue to be.   We the angry believe that power lies in the strength of that emotion.  Its heat generates such a sense of self, that for a fleeting moment, it dominates our feelings of helplessness.  Never mind that it blinds us to the forward look.  

We never realized that living on the outskirts of rage is debilitating.  It robs us of thought.  It reduces choice to what is put before us.  Read that again.  Anger reduces our choices to what is put before us.  Like it or not, and we don’t, our fear-driven anger blinds us to possibilities that we could otherwise see if we settled, blinked twice and thought past the chaos that surrounds us….. and that is manufactured for us.   Paul again…... 

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear;

but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

The Final Loss

All of the above said to say this.......anticipation is buried.  God’s gift of power is eclipsed.

Being a baby boomer, born in 1945, I knew the experience as a teenager of working construction alongside men who won their war.   They were different animals.  I was thirteen.  They, to include my father, were in their early to mid thirties.  Do you get the picture?  There was nothing they thought they couldn’t do.  I grew up in that atmosphere.

Super-charged anticipation is the best way to describe it.  The Cold War?   The Russian Missile Crisis?   The hinky little bomb shelter built in front of the fire station a few blocks from our home?  None of that applied.  Today was what it was, good, bad or indifferent…… but we were on the way to tomorrow.  Tomorrow was always on the way to better.

A friend of mine in his forties said to me a couple days ago, “I hope I can keep my job so I can retire. Maybe we can get the country headed in the right direction.”  If you saw him, you would think you were seeing a professional in mid-career.  He sees himself as a tired man with a job he hopes to keep.  A man looking for a way out of the fray.  At forty-something?  The spirit of the line, “I am the master of my fate, the captain of my soul,” has long departed the building.  

As for me and my house, we trust God and His Word.

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear;

but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

 

Bring it on.  The best is yet to be.

 

Copyright 2012, Curtis Beaird.  All rights reserved. 

 

What To Do.....When You Don't Like Anything

Article and Photography By:  Curtis Beaird

 

You don't have to listen close to hear that the glass is half-empty and about to be drained.  Doom is pronounced on every hand.  The dreary end is cited as an accomplished fact, even by those who once thought there was a pot of gold at the end of every rainbow. 

And we wonder.  What shall we do?  Who shall we listen to?

The forward look is now controlled by the assumption that the bottom is about to drop out.  Anticipation has turned to dread.  Tomorrow is no longer welcomed.  Its arrival creates anxiety, worry and doubt.  How many of us are tired, even before we start the day?

The possibility of a bright future is automatically exchanged for a view of the abyss. Exhaustion is our reward.

And we wonder.  What shall we do?   Who shall we listen to?

Frowns are the face of choice today.  Our sense of humor has been exchanged for sarcastic barbs. Criticism powers most, if not all, observation.  Exposing the presumed and assumed ugly has been raised to an art form.  Exploring the seedy and demeaning is the path of choice.  Tabloid is relished. Honorable has been forgotten.  Anticipation is nowhere to be found, unless it is the anticipation of the next wrong thing.  We are sad.

And we wonder.  What shall we do?   Who shall we listen too?

Everyone waits for the other shoe to drop. It, whatever it is, is never right.  Whatever "they" are doing is considered wrong.

Choose any subject, even the subject of the need for rain, and you will find an instant difference of opinion.  "Push back", as it is called today.  Argument is the communication of choice.  We prefer anger to vision.  We choose fear over courage.  We indulge in preplanned disappointment rather than seek opportunity for creative risk-taking.  We quit before we start or add the burden of denial to any new effort or project.  “I really don't think this will work.  But, I'll do it anyway."

And we wonder.  What shall we do?   Who shall we listen to?

To accomplish, should we bring ourselves to the point of actually trying, requires the double expenditure of energy.  First, the energy spent to overcome our negative outlook, then the energy necessary to accomplish the goal.  Our creativity is consumed in wasted effort to resist our own initiative.

And we wonder.  Is there a source of motivation deeper than the froth of hype, and more lasting than the adrenaline rush of a moment of thrill?

Is it possible?   Can we escape the way of insanity?   Can we escape the downward pull of gloom? Can we escape the gravity of the perpetually grim?  Can we find our way into a creative future?

All of this has been faced before.  All of these questions have been answered by one man in a single sentence.   

“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”   Philippians 4:13 

That one decision enabled the Apostle Paul to change his world and mark the future for almost 2000 years.

We no longer need to wonder........  What shall we do?   Who shall we listen to?

 But, will we?

 

Copyright 2012, Curtis Beaird.  All rights reserved.