reflections

Daily Drawing #275, Be Careful Who You Hug

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I have often been accused of freely offering up a hug to all those I meet. It is something that comes from my Southern heritage. I think a good hug warms the heart and can break down the barriers between two people. However I have also learned over the years that some people don’t want to be hugged for whatever reason. So if you like to give a hug of greeting like me make sure if you don’t know the person that well ask before you give out the hug. Why all the talk about hugging? Because in this world which seems so filled with hate and division it is one small way we can do as Jesus instructed us, “Love thy neighbor…”

Daily Drawing #272, Some Things Just Don’t Go Together

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As I grow older I have discovered there are certain things which no longer go together like when my mind tells me I can do one thing but my body tells me I can’t. As a Christian I have been told over and over again that the Christian mindset does not go well with the worldview. In other words be in the world but not of the world. What does this really mean. I live in the world how can I not be of the world. the answer is simple. As Christians we are not to see as the world does but as God does. This means we no longer seek to satisfy our own needs but seek to become one who gives unconditionally. Think about how much good would be done if everyone who claims to be a Christian lived like one.

Daily Drawing #271, Time is Flying By

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It is hard to believe how fast time flies anymore. It seems like only yesterday I started my self imposed drawing challenge and now it is almost the end of September. I must say I’ve enjoyed the process so far and look forward to drawing the last 94 drawings. The hardest part has been coming up with things to draw. By the grace of God I’ve made it this far and I know he will see me through till the end.

Daily Drawing #270, Please Stop

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Today’s cute cartoon is a reminder to us all that at times we can be annoying and don’t know when to stop. the poor cat is tired of listening to it’s owner singing. “Please Stop,” the cat meows. Why do we not know when to stop? The answer is simple we are looking out for our own interests and fail to see the cues that we’ve crossed a certain boundary. As Christians we especially have to be careful not to be over zealous with our message. Look for the cues when it is time to stop. Then start praying that God will open up new avenues for you to once again give out the message of hope.

Daily Drawing #267, Tryin’ to be The Cool One

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When I attended high school, many many, many years ago we had four groups of people in our school, the cool people (those with status for one reason or another), the jocks (self-explanatory), the nerds (the smart people who didn’t fit in with the cool people) and the others (the ones who didn’t fit in anywhere sometimes by choice.). I started out hobnobbing in the academic world of the cool people.

Then one day I found out I just didn’t like the way the cool people treated those who didn’t fit their mold of what it meant to be cool. By the way jocks and cheerleaders always seem to be cool.  In my junior year I ended up in the world of the others…by choice. These people were true friends who like you for being you. They didn’t judge you or make you feel like you didn’t want to be in school.

I have discovered over the course of my Christian life that the church can be like high school with the members sorting themselves into groups. If you don’t fit in a group, well you become one of the others, on the outside looking in. It should not be this way. A church should be focused on the vertical and should not have any type of division but should be all inclusive.

Daily Drawing #263, Giving A Friend a Lift

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One of the greatest treasures of this earthly life are our friends. As I have recorded in earlier writing I had some good friends in my life which came from my neighborhood, my school years, the years spent as a volunteer fire company, church and of course work. the sad news is almost all of those good friends not counting family and my wife are no longer part of my current life. Many of my past friendships I wish would have continued but sadly they didn’t. Only their memories are still there. So today I give to you this advice, hold onto your friendships as long as you can.

Daily Drawing #261, Chasing Raindrops

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As a child one of my favorite things to do was run through the rain drops. Catching a stray raindrop or two on my tongue. Back then there seemed to be something refreshing and magical about the rain. I no longer run around in the rain well on purpose. Sometimes I get caught in a rainstorm and have no choice but to get wet. I also know now their is nothing really magical about rain because I know it is a gift from God to help His creation, the plants and man refreshed and hydrated. I hope you enjoy today’s drawing.

Daily Drawing #260, The Patterns of Life

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We live life in a straight line but we seem destined to repeat certain patterns in life as our parents. Not the same life per say but we seem to pick up certain traits and mannerisms as our parents. Thus goes the patterns of life, I used to think people were wrong about what I just wrote but the older I get the more I feel like and act like my parents or I find myself saying, “Man my mom/dad used to do that or say that.” So be careful what patterns on to your children because at a certain they will start mimicking what you do and so on down the line.