I WISH...

I watched this video and it made me think... I wish I could be a kid again. You know... do it all right, turn out better, learn the lessons and not repeat the mistakes again and again. Be steady in life and finish school. Understand that the idea of "rebel" was never my friend. Listened to my mother and father and not need twenty-six years to realize they were right. Man, I wish I could be a kid again. Chose better paths, acquire wisdom and actually receive wise and act on counsel instead of hear and not apply it; not do what I knew was wrong or hang out with those I knew weren't right. To never do drugs, experiment with sex; resist the temptations that harmed both me, and those I loved. Man, I wish I could be a kid again. To love only one woman as my father did and never know and fail with so many. Made a much better life with something left to show for it and ultimately leave an inheritance that my children will never forget.

But the truth is, if I had done it all differently I wouldn't be me; who I am, know what I know or be able give what I can because of all I have experienced and learned. I wouldn't know the meaning of "healed" had I not been "broken", or the mercy of God had I not come face to face with the depths and depravity of my own sins. I wouldn't understand the power of His love or His patience towards me, or His peace that guards me and passes my finite ability to understand; none of which I deserve, nor have I earned. I couldn't say, because of Him and by His grace "I live and move and have my being". I would never know, never be, never have seen what I have were it not for the path I chose for myself. In a perfect world I would get the chance to change my past, prevent the curse I brought on myself; but I'm thankful today for all that I know and all that I am which He Himself has forged by His own hands, and transformed by His love. And I, just like the woman who washed His feet with her tears, am free to love because He forgives all my sins... past, present, and future.

Though I would never want any of you to go through all that I have, I sincerely wish that you all come to know the same truth.

© 2014 Steven Bliss

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THE DOOR

I took this picture not long ago and call it, ‘The Door’!

Notice the crooked angles, gaping holes, the broken and splintered planks and the shadows that are cast along the deep worn lines of weather and time. And then look at the large red handles that are there to open these awkward and very heavy doors up.

For me, this picture is the perfect metaphor of our lives. Like the marks on this door, our lives reflect the many details that tell the story of who we are. And like every story, we have our own personal mysteries and scars, our broken places with gouging splinters and gaping holes and those shadows that are cast across it. They hang on the surface for all to see, just like this door, but the most important part of this picture to me isn't what is seen, but what is not. Just as it is in real life God, who is always there, sees everything... not only what’s on the surface, but what lies behind the doors. He knows how every crooked angle came into existence, how each gaping hole was formed, how every broken place with all its splinters exploded on the scene... He knows every shadow and time-worn line... yes, He sees it all! He knows each hurt and every wound that has occurred in our lives that created the scabs that formed, which I call, the doorway of our soul. And it’s His hands alone that placed those handles there so those extremely heavy doors can eventually be opened.

So think about this with me for just a moment as you look at the picture of that door and consider this… “How precious it is when someone we know allows us deep inside their life, past all the scars and brokenness and into their wounded heart?” Then ask yourself this, how often have you taken that rare privilege for granted and, while you were in that sacred place, selfishly thought only of yourself and your wants and needs, and not of them? And instead of bringing healing and the gift of love, you added more damage and scars to door itself?

The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 13 that, “Love cares more about others that it does about itself!” That being the case, look hard at those doors… you see, it’s not just someone else’s doors you're looking at, but your own. With that in mind, don’t you think it’s time that you "do unto others as you yourself would have it done unto you"? Love heals a multitude of wounds as it covers a myriad of offenses. Let me leave you with this thought... love as much and as hard as you yourself want to be loved.

Life in pictures brings meaning to life!

© 2014 Steven Bliss

If you like this article, please spread it around! Tweet it, Facebook it… just hit the share buttons below! Your comments are always welcome; so please feel free. Thanks! SB