Since we have moved into our new home here I have had the incredible pleasure of going on early morning walks. I take Genesis with me and my ipod and leave everything else behind!
As I walk, I pray and talk to God. Mostly I beg Him...petition Him to shine His light on loved ones in our family and community. Then I plead with Him to give me the strength that I need for the day. That He would empower me to respond to each situation with grace and understanding.
Then I cry out to Him to forgive me for each look, each word, each thought that was not pleasing to His sight.
These walks are a true blessing and there is nothing that can quite satisfy me like a good morning walk. They are not always great. Sometimes, if there is something between me and a family member or a friend, I do not have a peace and I do not feel Gods Presence as I do when all is well with my surroundings.
Then there are the times that my routine gets messed up and I don't enjoy these walks quite as much like the other morning, when Genesis was barking (rather loudly) at a youngster walking to school and a few minutes later, she nearly broke loose out of her leash as she leaped for a motorcyclist. As if these encounters were not enough I lost the key to our house. Did I mention this was last Wednesday, the day I had to submit in my heart to president elect Obama. Kevin has been working on me to be a good citizen and not think bad things about him. I am still trying.
Any way....this morning was a great walk! Sometimes I walk all the way up to Briarcliff and I always pray that maybe I will encounter my Dad as he is headed to work and this morning I did. I was walking with Genesis and I saw Dad pullling out of the driveway. I walked towards him excited that we were able to have an early morning encounter. He pulled up to talk to me and smiled. I could tell that the visit was a blessing to him as his spirits seemed lifted. As he drove away I thought to myself...I think I just made my Dad proud.
Seeing me out early in the morning, smiling, and enjoygin Gods creation, walking our dog and simply enjoying life made my Dad proud and lifted his spirits and I thought to myself...is this how God feels when we do a kind deed or reach out to someone in need or be nice to our children and husbands!
Later in the morning I was reading to Emily ab out Noah and how during Noahs time, everyone did evil. In this story it did not say that this made God mad but that it caused pain in His heart. Wow! Not mad, but pain. This to me speaks of the awesome love God has for us and makes me want to give Him pleasure and not pain.
What can we do to cause His heart to be proud and happy and not full of pain? I pray that as you read this, you will walk away and find one thing you can do to make your Father proud!
