my cracker barrel for the soul

Here are my new three favorite questions:

1. "So what are you doing now?"

2. "Are you dating anybody?"

3. "How are you?"

Right here, right now, I could choose to elaborate on why the three afore-mentioned questions are not in my top three. But that is a decision I cannot justify. For three reasons.

1. I truly believe there is more to my faith, and this life, than what I feel right now.

2. I am too old for pity-parties.

3. If I were to elaborate on why the three afore-mentioned questions are not in my top three, one-third of you would think I was being funny... one-third of you would think I was being cynical... and the last third would shake your head in love at my redundancies, because you've already been praying for me about every single one of those would-be-elaborative footnotes.

So. For all of these reasons (and more), I will not be elaborating today.

But I will say that today I have felt very much like a sparrow - perched hopefully on the back of an eagle, just waiting to soar on its wings. One tiny verse, mentioned thousands of years ago... but I am clinging to it with all I am.

"Who else has held the oceans in his hand? Who has measured off the heavens with his fingers? Who else knows the weight of the earth or has weighed out the mountains and the hills? Who is able to advise the Spirit of the Lord? Who knows enough to be his teacher or counselor? Has the Lord ever needed anyone's advice? Does he need instruction about what is good or what is best? No...

Look up into the heavens. Who created all the stars? He brings them out one after another, calling each by its name. And he counts them to see that none are lost or have strayed away.

Don't you know that the Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth? He never grows faint or weary. No one can measure the depths of his understanding. He gives power to those who are tired and worn out; he offers strength to the weak. Even youths will become exhausted, and young men will give up.

But those who wait on the Lord will find new strength.

They will soar on wings of eagles.

They will run and not grow weary.

They will walk and not faint."

(Isaiah 40)