Even if the strides are a little too long

...who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity... Psalm 24:4 

There are so many distracting baubles in our world.  That simply are of no lasting value.  Mere soap bubbles caught in the breeze. And while it is all good to enjoy the beauty and warmth and unique preciseness dangling about my head, let me not lift up my soul to them, allowing them to chomp at the roots of my joy, my peace and my most of all my love, which are from the Spirit.  

My heart echoed “Amen, brother, amen” at Saturday’s wedding, as we listened to two friends publicly affirm their value statement.  Colossians 3 says to Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. And rather than let the glitter and the beeping and the approval of the world worm its way into my heart, rather I shall chose, again and again, as God’s beloved child, to put on His compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. To be even-tempered, content with second place, and quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love.

And maybe some of this is the sort of dressing up that my sister and I did when we were little, wanting to be big and beautiful like our momma, we would swirl around in the long living room curtains, swish, swish, oh so lovely.  I am certainly in process. But it’s all about choosing the footprints that I will follow. Even if the strides are a little too long.

The earth is the LORD's, and the fulness thereof; the work of His hands.  And it is good.  But let me choose wisely, the better way.  He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.