You can get stuck looking at things a certain way.

And you can look at things for so long, with a perspective that may or may not be right, that eventually it becomes truth.

Might just be THE truth. Might just be YOUR truth.

There’s a difference. A big difference.

One will cause unity. The other will cause conflict.

And in a world where truth is relative, a personal choice, unique for each individual – it gets harder to put things in perspective.

But we need to keep trying.

Trying to see the other side(s). Trying on fresh eyes full of different perspectives. Looking at the world with a filter of grace, love, and compassion.

As we begin a new year, I’m trying on fresh eyes.

My word for 2018 was Know.

I did my best to remember the things that made me tick – to know my likes, dislikes, passions, gifts, abilities. And I sought out next steps for moving forward in our new home in Southern Ontario, in a new season of life where boys are growing up SO MUCH on what feels like a daily basis, and in a new church community where Hubby is senior pastor.

I found a job from home with Global Scholars Canada. I love being the first Program Administrator for this small group of dedicated christian academics. And I have put many skills to good use in this new role.

I found an online Master’s program in Community Studies that lines up with what what I’d like to study – learning more about effective ways to help others worldwide, and encouraging unity and community as best I can. I finished my first class before Christmas, and start on the next one this week.

I published a compilation of the last 11 years of posts from this blog. And I worked with a lovely illustrator to publish a complete set of Jesus Tree for Lent devotionals for the family. I was also able to squeeze in a week of work on publishing a daily prayer journal focused on the Lord’s Prayer. These are all projects I’ve wanted to work on for quite some time.

Through the entire year there was this growing peace and confidence that God was with me. I mean, I know we always say it, reassure one another with it, hold on to the idea of it – but to know it, trust it, rely on it, lean into it – that’s a whole different story. Knowing we are children of God. It’s powerful. And it’s peaceful. And it’s beautiful.

And now we come to 2019.

The word that’s been circling around in my head and my heart for a few weeks is…

Yours

As soon as I say it my perspective changes.

And there’s a great song that goes with it…

I had to start wearing reading glasses this year – for seeing up close and far away. There’s a zone where I can still see fine on my own, but things beyond the zone are getting pretty blurry.

I need my glasses to see beyond the zone. I need fresh eyes. I need a different perspective to see clearly.

So it is with all areas of life.

I’d like to see clearly, past the blur of my own skewed perceptions, to put on fresh eyes and look around again to see what else might be there.

I’d love to put on fresh eyes… God’s grace-filled, compassion-filled, love-filled eyes and see what else is waiting… for me and for you.

Because what He sees is beautiful, even when all I see is mess.

Whether I’m looking at myself, at my friends and loved ones, at the people in my community, at others around the world – He sees all the time what I can only catch glimpses of now and then.

Oh to live in the glimpses – but I think that’s what awaits in heaven 🙂

For now I’ll try to remember to put on my glasses so my eyes don’t get worse any quicker than they should, so I can see beyond my clear zone and into the blur at least a little better.

And while I’m putting on my glasses I’ll try to remember to put on fresh eyes for my soul – to see the world through God’s eyes more often.

Yours…

All is Yours.