ELEMENTARY ART CLASS REVISITED

I loved art class as a child, probably the only subject in elementary school I enjoyed, most likely because I received praise, and my grades were good. My very favorite lesson in art class was on PERSPECTIVE. It is where you make a dot on the paper, and everything you draw fades into that space. Typically the drawings we did were of buildings with windows, and sidewalks, and a road between them that disappeared into this point that we had previously placed on our paper. Everything drew your eye to this one particular point. No matter what else was going on in the art work, your perspective was drawn to the singular point on the horizon.

This lesson has come back around in my life, 40 some years later.

I left on July 10th, for a mission trip to Managua, Nicaragua. Our church group went on this same trip the previous July, and it was life changing for me.  We were teaching classes in cake decorating, hair cutting, and business in order to help women learn a trade to support themselves and their small children.  I had been to Nicaragua last year, so I was prepared, knew what to expect, and was feeling pretty comfortable about the trip in general. I wasn't even that nervous about the flight.

God had other plans. Yes, this was a trip to help others, minister to others, and focus on others. However, it was a very introspective time for me, and a great experience in growing closer and deeper in my relationship with my Heavenly Father.

When we arrived, and got to the house where we were staying, everyone began to unpack and get situated. It became obvious pretty quickly that the suitcase with my extra shoes, toothbrush, shampoo, hairspray, makeup, soap, you know, all the 'essentials', was missing. I don't know if you have ever been to Nicaragua, but trust me, things like deodorant, soap, and toothbrush are pretty valuable if you want to continue to have friends or make new ones while you are there.

I was so upset. How was I going to make it through the week without a toothbrush? Hairspray? and only ONE pair of shoes?? This was going to be a disaster. I joked about it, and tried not to let on how upset I really was. It was late, and everyone was going to bed, I would just have to deal with it in the morning. At least I had my clothes. I also had a VERY good friend that loaned me all the essentials for the night, including her toothbrush. (Did I mention she is a VERY good friend??)

During the night, God must have spoken to my heart, because when I woke up, everything was different. I still didn't have my lost items, but my outlook was different about the situation. God whispered to me "Keep your eyes on Me, it is not about you".  In other words, God told me to keep my PERSPECTIVE where it needed to be, focused on HIM.  I could go to the store and replace the items I was missing, except the shoes (if you don't know me personally, you don't know that I wear a size 12 shoe, not so readily available in Nicaragua). Again, I heard my Father speak to me, "You are going to meet people that consider themselves blessed to have ONE pair of shoes, and you are worried about EXTRA shoes".

I literally stopped in my tracks. How do you continue to complain, and feel put out about anything, when you are faced with proof of how richly blessed you are? How temporary these earthly issues became in light of the work we were there to do and the lives of the people we would be sharing Christ's love with.

Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we're in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed - that exhilarating finish in and with God - he could put up with anything along the way: cross, shame, whatever. And now he's there, in the place of honor, right alongside God.                  Hebrews 12:2 MSG


What little, yet life changing lessons has God taught you recently?