"Clockwork."

Stepping Out in RED Shoes!

- Day 78 -

It looks so simple,  so common,  so effortless.

I didn't realize there was more to it 

than what meets the eye.

Over the years, I've planned many events:  Church Services,  Open Houses,  Luncheons,  Banquets, Networking Socials,  Seminars,  Workshops and more.  One of the greatest challenges of that is having the event roll out  "as smooth as silk."    It seems flawless.   Everything falls into place perfectly.   People leave WOWed!  They feel good.  Their time was well spent.  That means my goal was accomplished!

It's a lot like a watch.  I look down at my wrist.  It's 10 minutes past 10.  In my mind, I immediately know if I'm on time -- in the moment -- or running late.  In the two seconds it takes me to look at my watch, I never stop to think about the intricate workings of the clock, behind it's face.  I just look at the time and move on to the next thing.    Have you ever taken a close look inside a watch?  It's crazy!  There are all these tiny, moving wheels and mechanisms working together to give you the time of day.  It's  quite mind boggling!   . 

This morning as I was praying, I thought about the details of my children's lives:  Attending college --  Getting married -- Moving forward in one's career.  Each one of those things sounds so simple.  Each is an expected step in life.   But as I took a closer look, I noticed that those things aren't simple at all!  They're actually quite complicated.  

"She's attending college."   How often have I said that in response to someone's inquiry about my youngest daughter?   "Oh that's nice!"  is the common response.  No one stops to think about the long nights of study involved;  the challenge of juggling a job, study time, and attending classes;  the pressure involved in trying to grasp ahold of difficult subject matter; let alone, the whole financial end of things.

My point is... 

there's actually a lot of unknown detail 

-- blood, sweat and tears -- 

behind the simple phrase:

"She's attending college."

The same could be said about my son who's getting married.  That didn't just happen.  There's story after story of how the couple met, fell in love, and eventually got engaged.  DETAILS!

Even my daughter, who's living out her dream in the big city.  It sounds like an awesome adventure, but there are all sorts of details and stories that no one ever hears about.  Somehow we just hang a common tag on the whole thing... only it's not common at all.  It's a chapter in someone's life complete with the challenges, joys, mistakes, rewards, leaps of faith and victories.  How can we take so much for granted?

Today I read Psalm 139.  Please take a moment and read it in its entirety.  Here are verses 1-4:

"O LORD, you have searched me and you know me.

You know when I sit and when I rise;

You perceive my thoughts from afar.

You discern my going out and my lying down;

You are familiar with all my ways.

Before a word is on my tongue,

You know it completely, O LORD."

I'm just now realizing how God is so aware of ALL the details of my life and yours.  When I lay my head down on the pillow and shut the light off at night, I think to myself... "What a nice day that was!"  never thinking about how God divinely orchestrated the entire thing.  It went  "smooth as silk."  It was flawless.  It seemed so simple, common and effortless.  Often I'm left WOWed!   From the moment I open my eyes,  put on my RED shoes, and step out into the world, until I shut off the light at night and go to sleep.  He's at work pulling it all off for me!

 I should really say  "THANK YOU, LORD!"  

much more often. 

What about You?

Gail