What You See

Instead of leaving town on a vacation this month, we decided to staycation.  In fact, we're creating our own vacation spot in the back yard. We have a patio area in the lower, larger part of the yard but I found I wasn't using it much because I really prefer smaller, more intimate areas.  I like the courtyard feel.  So Rick is putting in a new patio for me in the smallest section of the yard.   Here it is in progress:

Once it's done I can't wait to furnish it, fill some pots with flowers and herbs, and then fix an ice coffee and do my Bible study out here in the mornings. What should I put out here? An outdoor sofa?  A table and chairs?  A fire pit?  Tikki torches??  I need creative input.

We also joined Netflixs for the summer so we've been grilling most nights and then watching some movies.  Last night I finally saw The Blind Side.  Have you seen it?  Tremendous story.  Yesterday I talked with a friend who told me the story of a friend of hers.  This woman, here in Wilmington, had learned of a homeless teen attending a local high school.  The girls' attendance, however, was dropping off as she got more involved with life on the street.  So this woman - who lives in one of the nicest sections of town - took the girl in.  It was a very Blind Side sort of thing. 

However, the girl wound up running away- choosing to go back to the streets and back to her gang.  It was as if she just couldn't handle the drastic transition. Very sad.

As I watched The Blind Side I noticed that Michael managed to keep his heart pure despite his terrible past. One scene towards the end revealed how.  He tells his adoptive mother that whenever he was confronted with violence, sex or drug use as a child, he would simply close his eyes and not watch.

He refused to look at it.  That seems overly simple. And maybe it is.  But just this Sunday I heard my pastor say, "What you see determines the direction you will go."  Hum. Do you agree?

If that is true, I feel it is important to start my days by seeing and savoring Christ.  That way I'll be more inclined to follow Him. I'll let Him determine the direction I should go.

Praying for that local girl back on the streets.