Are you looking up…or down?

The other day when Joe and I were out for an evening walk, we stopped at the park restroom for a certain someone to…well…take care of things (ahem…this certain someone has an especially small bladder, I might add 😉 ).  While I was waiting, I continued walking around the small field and I caught myself reaching for my cell phone.  But since I wasn’t carrying it that evening, I looked up at the beautiful evening sky and started talking to the Lord.

When I did that, it hit me… How often do I look down at my cell phone, to check my email, Instagram or scan through Pinterest, instead of looking up to talk a little with my Heavenly Father?

(Wow.  Thank you, Lord…I needed that little jolt!)

It was a sobering thought, because I’m more likely to look down at my cell phone, than up and pray.  Sad, but true.

As I thought about this later that evening, the verse that came to my mind was Luke 21:28 ~

And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up,

and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh. 

We are closer to the Lords return today, than we ever have been…so are we looking UP??  (We’re suppose to!)  Or are we too often looking down?  I know we can get encouragements from emails, texts, Instagram or Pinterest, but is it not the absolute best to get it from looking up and talking to the Lord?!

I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.  

My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.

Psalm 121:1,2

Recently I was going to pick up one of my girls and while I was driving I started talking to the Lord about something that I’m personally dealing with.  The drive was only going to take me about 7-10 minutes, but you know what?!  In that short time the Lord gave me some real clear direction…my next step…in this thing that has been bothering me.  I’d been kinda stumbling around, not knowing what my next step was, and all along, the Lord was just waiting for me slow down and ask…and listen for His answer.   (Let me insert here that, while the Lord gave me my “next step” during that short drive, I had been asking Him in the previous weeks about what to do, but with all the distractions of life, I needed that little bit of quiet time…a time for looking up…to hear His answer.  Ain’t God good?!)

I so want my life to be a life of looking up!  A life of looking to HIM for answers and not always grabbing my cell phone for answers.  How easy it is to grab that phone and spend waaaay more time on it than I intend (am I the only one that falls in that trap?!).

As I’m typing this, another incident comes to my mind.  About a year or two ago, Joe and I were in town and he stopped to wash the van.  Instead of getting my phone and passing the time looking at this, that, or the other…as per usual…I got the little Bible that we keep in the glove box (is that what they’re still called, seeing as we don’t keep our gloves in it??) and I started reading.  And you know what happened?!  Nope, the clouds didn’t part and angels didn’t start singing…but God spoke to me.  Very specifically.  Right now I can’t remember what it was that I had been praying about, but during that short little time…time with God, on purpose…He spoke to me.

Why do I pass up opportunities like that, I want to know.  sigh.

Well, that’s it for today, my friends.  Lord-willing I’d like to write more in the very near further.  Sitting beside my laptop here, is several miscellaneous scraps of paper that I’ve written little thoughts down as they’ve come to me…furture blog posts, I hope.  (Sometimes I wonder if I’m writing this whole “blog thing” for others or for me… I just know I need it and if it helps and encourages others, I’m thankful.  And I’m thankful the Lord uses it to help me too.  I don’t know about you, but I need reminders…often! 😉 ).

Let’s start looking up more… Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith.  Will He find us watching when He comes back…or will we all be looking down at our phones, checking for texts or Instagram posts?

PS ~ I haven’t forgotten about the homemade tortilla recipe post…I’m still working on it. 🙂