You Are Always On My Mind

Day 350 of Photo Inspirations — You Are Always On My Mind
At the end of 2014 when I was seeking God about my assignment for 2015, I clearly knew that my 2015 blogs would be inspired by photos.  So that has been my mission.  Just 15 days to go…..and then I’ll start my new assignment for 2016.

What a wonderful journey this year has been for me. As I look back on this year, I’ve met some wonderful people who inspired me, heard some incredible stories, witnessed lots of “God encounters” from being aware of His presence, noticed Him in many “everyday” occurrences — all of which helped me capture photos that will be a part of my memories and archives from here on out.

I’ve found in this year that the principle thing is the simplest thing…..noticing, being aware of God everywhere, recognizing the beauty in His kids, appreciating their talents and abilities, savoring the everyday realities of His grace that are so abundant.  Elvis Presley and Willie Nelson recorded the love song, “You Are Always On My Mind”, and that has been my love song to God this year.  In being watchful and in being “tuned in” to His voice by listening intently to conversations of friends and strangers, He has been on my mind.

I sincerely want to continue that awareness of Him — maybe not so much as to take photos, but having Him on my mind.  “Him I will keep in perfect peace whose mind is stayed upon Me.” Isaiah 26:3.  But, I also know the struggle it is to stay “in the moment”.  It’s just so easy to be distracted from the very thing He wants to show me.

Here we are, designed to be here on this earth at this precise time for purposes set for us long ago. And in reality, we need One Thing most of all. We know we need Him first and foremost, but we get distracted by everything else.  We want Him to be Numero Uno, but distractions and interruptions keep us from Him.  Truth is, we really do want God with all of our hearts.

And that’s what Christmas is all about — finding Him once again in the midst of the chaos, in the midst of the interruptions and distractions.   No question, He is everywhere, but the simplest, purest, most humble and less grandiose place we’ll find Him, is at the manger where He came as a baby.   Wouldn’t it make sense that we, too, will find him in some of the least expected places?

This is His Christmas.  Remember the chaotic, stinky, messiness of His birthplace?  That’s where we’ll find Him in our world too.  Yes, we’d love to have those no-distractions, sweet, mellow encounters with Him….but, it just doesn’t matter.  He meets us where we are — in our busyness AND in our stillness.  He is there.  God is always there waiting for us.  The point is…..we must continue to “practice His presence” because in His presence, we’ll find not just photo inspirations, but we’ll find Him embracing us, giving us aha moments, seeing Him everywhere and in everything.

And if going to the stable and the manger in our minds is too much of a stretch…..after all it really is quite stinky and messy there…..then we can go to the foot of the cross where He paid the ultimate price for you and me.  We were on His mind from the manger to the cross.  We are ALWAYS on His mind.  Shouldn’t He ALWAYS be on our mind?