Confessions of a Dazzled Dame...

So, I feel really lame writing this because I'm in Lake Tahoe and I'm sitting in my hotel room writing a blog. But I couldn't resist! Today my family and I went to the lake. And unfortunately because it was freezing and raining we couldn't go in. So, being the aspiring amateur photographer that I am I whipped out my little camera and caught some shots.

But it wasn't until after I was done staring at the little 1 by 2 inch screen of my camera that I got to take in the lake's beauty. And WOW. It was breathtakingly GORGEOUS. I mean literally jaw dropping beauty. And it got me thinking. This was the most beautiful thing I could imagine, but it is nothing compared to how beautiful God is. And just thinking about it puts me in a state of absolute awe.

It was then that I realized, I needed Lake Tahoe. I used this family vacation as an escape. A chance to get away and just relax. But more than the simply enjoying spending time with my family and getting away from the stresses of everyday life I needed to be awed. We have beauty all around us, and we take it for granted so many times.

The earth and how it got here is the work of a craftsman. In it bears intelligence, purpose, goodness, and power. Just look at the power of thunder, or of the ocean.

When you look at the ocean you cannot deny the existence of a Creator. But the beauty and power of the ocean is only the most minisculed, tiniest fragment compared to the majesty of God. The creatures in it speak intricately of the creativity and beauty of their maker. And that is why I LOVE my major :).

But God's creation and beauty extends far beyond nature. We are image bearers. And as such we are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14). The human body is the most complex and unique organism in the world. And that complexity speaks volumes of the mind of our maker. Every single life matters. And how you treat that life is in part how you treat the Artist.

If you wanted to hurt an artist you'd defect their art. How many times have we done that? But if you insult the creation, you insult the Creator. James 3:9-10 warns us about this, "With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be."

And as the creation, it is our job to point to Christ. To treat everyone as if they are redeemable. We are also called to have a child-like faith Matthew 18:3. This does not mean to stay an immature baby christian forever. But rather, to be awestruck at the wonder and splendor of God. I remember when I would go to the Disney store when I was little. I was so amazed by all the princess Jasmine stuff. My jaw was entirely floored at the simplest little things. Eating lunch at Taco Bell with mom was a huge deal. Think about the stuff we would bring in to show-and-tell. Now they are just little trinkets we would probably through away.

We have to fight from being taken by the work of our own hands in order to stand in awe. We have to fight our own pride in order to stand in absolute amazement. Being in a place like Lake Tahoe and living in Long Beach it's not too hard to do sometimes. But when was the last time you stood in awe of the beauty both inside and out and the intricacy of design of someone that you didn't care too much for?