Being watchful of every situation...

Good morning all-

I woke up this morning after I suffered from a restless night of weird dreams.  I doubt that I will ever know the meaning or what I'm trying to work out in them. I do know that I have been praying about one thing in particular and to my astonishment God gave me compassion in my dream for someone I just didn't think I would ever have compassion for.  I don't know if that has to due with my husband's dad and the fact that he's dying or that an old friend of my moms just passed away.  I really don't know but I'm glad that for once I had compassion for this man.

Yesterday was a lot of travel and not much else.  I came home to a husband that is semi-peaceful during this very stressful time.  My son was chatting about joining a fraternity and job prospects and I was doing what I always do when I walk into my house, serve.  Service and being watchful are the two things I do best.  I love to ask God to show me His heart for people and often, I get a glimpse of it.  That happened to me yesterday as I was standing in line getting ready to leave beautiful Minneapolis.  I saw a young boy, the age of my youngest son in full army gear.  He was obviously going to basic training and he looked like a baby.  It reminded me of all the clips I have seen of the wars all over the world.  Our babies are fighting and all we can do is watch, pray and wait for peace.

The boy touched me because on his innocent face was fear, anticipation and stress.  You could tell he didn't know what to do but as he was walking through the gate he was going to be a man.  From a  cherished little boy to someone that will fight in combat, train and sweat and take orders for at least four years or until he dies for this country.  It was a sobering thought.  And then, just like the God I love so much, He showed me a soldier with his two kids and one on the way.  He was feeding a bottle to his son, playing with his daughter and packing all their blankets in his combat back pack.  He was a glimpse into the man that boy I saw would become.

For me the world is a picture of God.  In every corner you can see people suffering, laughing, pensive, stressed and hardened.  You can see on the faces of people what their lives have been like even if you don't know where they have walked.  It shows.  Maybe that's why I like eyes so much because no matter how tough life gets a person filled with the spirit has bright and beautiful eyes.  They can be wrinkled up but their eyes tell the story of the spirit.

I'm sure many walked by that young man yesterday and didn't think a thing.  I walked by and prayed for him to be safe, to be trained well and to be protected.  I asked God to watch over him all his days and I took the time to think about him and the thousands all over the world that will die for their countries.  It's an honor to be around someone like that. I'm just hoping that he always looks for Jesus.

If you really want to know God's heart, look at all the people.  Watch the millions of cars go by and look to the sky.  You will find Him and He will show you His heart.  It lies within all of us to find Him and to believe that He is our God.  When He said to be watchful for His coming, He meant it.  Part of being a watchman is to look all around you and observe.  It's in the observation of what seems like every day life that we truly see the beauty of Jesus.

As always I am praying for all of you and thanking God that you are before Him today.

What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!’ ” (‭Mark‬ ‭13‬:‭37‬ NIV)

Pray for Israel tonight if you can and the fighters of Hamas to come to peace.