Clouds of Glory

Way back in 2005 I was playing around with some pastels and came up with this.  I dearly live a huge cloud, piled up tall and brilliant in the sun.  It always reminds me of my beautiful future:

"...and they will see the Son of Man coming

on the clouds of the sky

with great power and glory..."

and

"For the Lord Himself

will descend from heaven

with a shout,

with the voice of the archangel

and with the trumpet of God,

and the dead in Christ will rise first.

Then we who are alive and remain

will be caught up together

with them in the clouds

to meet the Lord in the air,

and so shall we always be with the Lord."

(Scripture from Matthew 24 and 1 Thessalonians 4)

CHOOSE - Life or Death?

This speaks to me.  There are so many times that I really think I no longer have the ability to....paint....to clean the house....to cook another meal....to love people well....to do as God asks.  And maybe "ability" isn't quite accurate.  Sometimes I don't have the energy.  Or the courage.  Sometimes I no longer even have the desire to do these good things. And God still calls me.

So I must CHOOSE.  Choose to obey....to step forward....to try some more....to love again and again.

Thankfully, the beginning decision (and thus the final decision) between life and death has already been made.  I have chosen to answer the pull that God placed on my heart, and I belong to Him.  But every decision, every day, is also a bit of choosing life or death.  Lord Jesus, I want to be the tree on the right!  I choose the better.