To see in the darkness

 

If you have ever been in a place of near to total physical darkness you know how near impossible it is to see even your hand in front of your face. In time you adjust to the light available, if any, or to the lack of light and learn to hear and see by touch and memory of your surroundings. It isn't the same as having your sight but you learn to deal with it. That is because you still have hope for going on with your life in what seemed an impossible situation. There are times when life deals a blow that seems to leave no possible avenue of recovery. The glimmer of hope may be small and difficult to see but there it is there. It isn't always what you expect or even want but it is there. This life is temporary and short. I often think of one of my favorite stories in the bible that reminds me of hopelessness and what we should remember before we shut down in the face of it. (Psalm 27:8-14) Says pray to the Lord and rely on the Lord that He will take you in. There have been times when I have wondered who would come to my aide when it seemed there was no answer to a dilemma. Two guesses where the help came from. Prayers  were answered and the answers were not always as expected but the Lord took me in and gave the answer needed. The hope we seek is not always in those around us but in the one who has taken us into his fold and cares for our needs. Light in the darkness is the Lord Jesus and the hope we have in His promises.

This week another Image from Highlander Dreams. This image will be the final image for awhile from this series. I found some male images that I am excited to try. Finally male images that are not fantasy or cartoonish. It is a welcomed change. 

The Copics used are:

The Pen is a Copics multiliner Cool Grey 0.03mm.

Note: I started another image but, as sometimes happens it was not up to snuff with the colors I chose. It is on hold for now.

That is it for this week. May the good Lord Bless and keep you safe. Remember To "Always Love The Details."

Hope

 

I was going to base the weeks post on a different subject. I attended a funeral service for our neighbor this week and feel it is important to address what was felt during that experience. I had shared several weeks ago that I became very close to him in a very short period of time. There are some very important underlying things that I now see that were hinted at but not addresses in his life. He was intensely seeking to know and understand God, Christ and what that meant for him. The problem with that was that he never became still enough to allow the Holy Spirit and Christ to be realized as working in his life. There were many questions and many answers given that were not given the time needed to be seen or felt in his life. Hope is not often answered instantaneously in a way that will be recognized when we are struggling to see answers. (Psalm 46:10  Be still, & know) Being still is what is needed. If we are too wrapped up in the search we run the risk of missing what is right in front of us. My favorite place in all of the scriptures on how to listen to the Lord is in 1 Kings 19:9-13. Elijah had learned that rushing here and there was not the way to know if God was with him or speaking to him. He took for granted that God was there with the care God's angels were providing him when he was fleeing from Jezebel (1 Kings 19:1-8). It was in almost imperceptible quiet that God was present and speaking to him. Not being quiet in the midst of the turmoil of life will cause us to feel that all hope is lost when in fact it is not lost. Elijah felt lost and hopeless until he stopped and became still. Hope is often missed because we want answers now. I am not saying they will not happen immediately but we must be still more often than not to get the answers we seek. That in itself may be for some time or a very short time. My friend was also seeking solace with things to fill voids in his life. That was another distraction rather than being quiet. I went over to his cremation urn and stood quietly before it. I could feel his sorrow and grief. I also know that he now knows the Jesus he so desperately sought was there all the time. I have a cross that I never had the chance to give him. On it is Be still, & know --- Psalm 46:10. My heart is heavy but I also know he is now safe, trouble free and loved.

I have decided to wait and post images next week. Thank you for your visit. Please leave a comment if you can. May the good Lord bless and keep you safe. Until next week remember to "Always Love The Details."