September 5, 2008
Dear Jesus:
I have been complaining so much about lack of time that all of a sudden, You have cleared my schedule and now, I have all this extra time to write. Of course, I'm using Alex's tennis lessons as my time to write. I could be reading a book, but I feel that this place is a wonderful source of inspiration.
I'm looking at this long caterpillar. I have been looking at him for a while. He's been crossing the tennis courts from side to side, headed for the bushes and trees that are right behind me. Nothing can deter him from his goal. Even the tennis balls bouncing around him are not distracting him from his destination. They probably scare him, these giant balls crossing his path. But he doesn't stop. He just keeps walking without losing sight of his goal. At one point, a ball falls on top of him. He doesn't move for a while. I thought to myself, "the poor creature died." He stayed still for a few minutes, and then, started walking again. It almost looked like he was walking faster. Finally, he reached the chain link fence. He had to climb over the pine needles and leaves that had accumulated next to the fence. But he had a purpose, and nothing could stop him.
In contrast, I have also been observing this strange bug next to my chair. I have no idea what kind of bug it is. At first, I thought it was an ant carrying a piece of wood chip, because that's what it looks like. I moved it with a pine needle, but there was no ant below it. It stayed still for so long, that I thought maybe the ant had just left, and I had missed it. Eventually, it began to move again. It reached my chair, and he began to climb it. This bug is definitely moving without direction, without purpose, without an end in sight.
It's the same with humans. If we keep our eyes on You, Jesus, no matter how many tennis balls hit us, we will be able to get up, and keep walking towards You. If we lose sight of You, we will lose our sense of direction, and any detour in our path will lead us away from You. We get side-tracked with any distractions that we find along our journey. When we find obstacles in our way, we will stumble, we will fall, and it will be harder for us to keep moving.
It's so easy to lose our focus. The world's attractions lure us away from You, until we begin to walk without direction. Eventually, we will lose our way, get lost, wither, and die.
Jesus, help me keep my eyes on You so I don't lose my way. Help me to be like the caterpillar, with a purpose and a goal. As long as I keep my eyes on You, I will reach my destination. Help me to align the plans for my life with yours, because as long as You are at the center, order will reign in my life.
I love You, Jesus!!!
September 5, 2017
Dear Jesus:
I used to love those afternoons when I would sit in the park, under a tree, waiting for Alex to finish his tennis lessons. It was the hour that I dedicated to You. Now, I have changed the place. Instead of sitting in the park, I sit at the beach, under an umbrella. I love spending those hours with You.
Please, continue to show me your plans for my life. Help me to keep my eyes on You so that my life continues to have a purpose. Help me to continue walking with direction. I know that is only possible as long as I'm walking towards You.
I love You, Jesus!!!
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