Saturday morning, we had to be in S-town at 8:45 for a Valentine's breakfast. After which Kara P, Abby & I hung out in Springfield shopping and eating. Yes, here is the headline, I tried Starbucks and I am in LOVE!!! Wonderful stuff, I had a Vanilla Latte and I am going to have to study up on my Starbucks lingo.
We then went to an amazing, beautiful Symphony concert at 7:30. They played West Side Story, Rhapsody in Blue, Romeo & Juliet, and Warsaw Concerto which I had never heard before but loved it. What is really bad about going to the symphony is it always makes me want to learn another instrument, man those french horns are awesome, and the percussion people. I really want to get a piccolo too, they are so stinkin' cute!
Valentine's Day, aka Singles Awareness day...it does make you think. On the holiday celebrating love, as a single, it does make you wonder and miss that connection you would have with a spouse. But, I know that what God has called me for right now is to be focused on Him. I think so many young people today, even those who are Christians, miss that special bonding time that was made to be between you and your Lord. Everyone wants a strong and lasting marriage, but the only way to achieve that is if it is built on a rock, the Rock. By taking this time, to dig deeper into God's word, by studying His word, you get to know the Matchmaker and ultimately prepare your heart and your life for another.
When I was 14 years old, I was reading a book in The Life of Faith Series. In this book, the main character was given a challenge by her mother to surrender her heart to Jesus, and give Him the key. He was to be the one to decide who AND when it was to be unlocked. This struck a chord in my life, and I surrendered that part of me to my Jesus.
Several years ago, I read a fictional story that illustrated this walk. Here is my summary of it.
You sit, looking at an uncompleted painting. The Artist skillfully, expertly brushes paint across the canvas. Yet you sit staring at it...a blank spot. "Artist, look here, its empty, there is nothing there."
"In my time, child", He lovingly answers.
I sit there staring at this blank spot, for what seemed like ages, getting angry that He wasn't doing anything with it. "When are you going to do this part?", I ask impatiently.
The Artist gently calls, "My Child, take a step back."
When I did, my heart stopped, all around the blank spot was a beautiful picture. Of me. It was my life, orchestrated in a beautiful collage of colors. I am in awe yet I still ask, "But why haven't you painted the blank spot?"
He sighs, and takes my hand, "You were so caught up in the one blank spot in your life that you missed all the other beauty that I was creating, and improving. One day, it will be time to complete it, but with all the other colors around it, it will make the blank spot all the more beautiful when completed. Trust Me"
This beautiful story resonated with me, I didn't want to stare at the blank spot of my love life and miss all the other things God was teaching me.
"Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart."-Psalm 37:4
Now don't take this verse as, "If I obey God He will give me whatever I want." He may, but He may not. What He promises is that if you trust Him, He will give you your true hearts desire, whats best for you. Rest in that, and enjoy the painting.
