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here, near and far

There are 3 elements in this photo I took in South Africa in January of 2006. It reminded me of life perspectives when I saw it today.

The field I am standing in (close):

I am in my office blogging while I wait for supper to cook. It is 11:15 pm, rather late, I know, but this is what the past few weeks have been like as I work on a long list of things to do before July 1, most of them home improvement related. Today I mowed the lawn, put together a new bureau for our bedroom (the assembly must be worth the same as the materials, I am sure of it), rearranged the furniture, and tidied up my kitchen which had been neglected for a bit. I still have a message to prepare for church tomorrow but I think that will wait til the morning.

The foothills (just ahead, close enough to see clearly): Beginning June 30, there will be quite a few people coming through my home, some just for a brief night between flights, some for a week to visit and tour Montreal, some for a month or two or more as they are in transition. I look forward to taking the time to spend with each of them, making new friends and appreciating old ones, laughing and playing and talking about deep things together and savouring each moment like the first bite of watermelon or the last lick of ice cream.

The mountains (hazy and not sure how far away they actually are): I don't know what the future holds - how long we will be in Montreal, how our job situations will change, or how our church community will develop. But I do know that God is a master writer and I need not fear how my story will turn out as long as I follow his skillful direction. He is not random, but he loves spontaneity. He is not legalistic, but he loves consistent character. He is longsuffering and patient yet not slow to act. Each day I hope to learn something new, to walk towards a higher calling, to be faithful to those God has placed around me right now, to build something worth remembering, and to never be afraid to walk towards Him and his light.

11:45 suppertime.
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