He makes everything glorious...even me!

God has been prompting me to write about what I have been learning and going through the past few months. I am not sure where this is going, but I am just going to be obedient.

We are currently in Kauai enjoying a much needed family vacation. One of the strangest things to me is how different I perceive things now that I know Jesus and what He did for me. I can remember going to a different place and being completely blown away by my surroundings. I remember a trip to the Oregon Coast with my family about 10 years ago where I found complete peace and serenity at the beach. I remember every smell, every sound, every sight. It was the most peace I had ever experienced. We come to Kauai and it is 10 times more beautiful and more peaceful than the Oregon Coast and yet I find myself not totally enthralled by its beauty and majesty. There are gorgeous cliffs, everything blooms, the ocean is breathtaking, and the weather is perfect. Yet, I am not completely thrown off my kilter (you know what I mean). The Oregon Coast was cold and dark compared to this place and yet I am not completely blown away by Kauai. So I start asking what in the world happened? What is wrong with me?

I have come to know Jesus. I realized the peace that I experience every day cannot compare to anything of this world. Kauai is beautiful and I am completely enjoying it, but it isn't everything for me. Jesus is everything to me. I am so glad that coming to Kauai doesn't completely do it for me. If it did I wouldn't need Jesus and He is so much better than this place. He is better than the best place you can imagine.

I look around and see how man has tainted the earth. I can't wait to visit this place when it has been fully redeemed. I am sure it will come a lot closer to knocking my socks off then. I think of movie The Chronicles of Narnia when everything starts to unthaw and you see the glory that lies underneath the frozen terrain. I see how the Earth will be transformed by redemption. I am thankful that is has already begun! (a little detour there)

It has been a long few months of enduring, overcoming, and struggling. There has been a lot of change in our lives over the past year. There have been very challenging times and even more important very glorious times. So in the quiet of the beach house, I have been able to hear God much more clearly. It is amazing how when I slow down I realize how "busy" I have been. It's silly. I feel like I have been to a chiropractor (even though I have never been to a chiropractor). I feel like God has been stretching me and realigning me and setting me straight. He makes our paths straight. The second day we were here God gave me a picture of what He was doing with me. He picked me up from behind and "popped" my back. It immediately shook all the kinks out and I felt instant relief from all the burdens I have been carrying. He is just getting started too. That scares me and excites me all at the same time. God is so awesome. I am so thankful that He is always faithful even when I am faithless. He is always the same and never changes through every trial and every victory….he remains the Jesus that completely changed my life. Oh how I love Him. He makes everything glorious…even me.