Every Cloud Has a Silver Lining 5.10.12

(I wrote this yesterday, but just now am able to post.)

The past couple of weeks have been stressful ones. Alan and I have been staying at a friend’s condominium the last couple of days due to part of the stress. We thank God for having a generous friend with a kind spirit who loaned us the condo. The stress isn’t the focus of this post, however. The focus of this post is that in the midst of troubles, God is always there with us and for us. He gives us silver linings. The condo just happens to be on the west side of Colorado Springs, right next to Garden of the Gods. As many of you know, Garden of the Gods is my favorite place in Colorado Springs. The red and white rocks that rise up there are like sentinels guarding the mountains. Buddy and I have taken many good hikes there. Alan has joined us on some of the hikes, too, which are even more special because when Alan comes with us we don’t get lost! That, of course, reveals that Buddy and I have gotten lost on a couple of occasions and felt like conquering heroes when we finally found our way and the car. Those hikes when we’ve gotten lost, however, weren’t without merit. On our “lost” hikes is when we’ve run across deer, rabbits, squirrels and even a fox once. Buddy loves those hikes because nothing gives him greater joy than chasing another creature and then barking at it to show just them who is the boss! One of his favorite things is to bark at and challenge the horses and riders from the riding stables. I’m not sure why Buddy thinks he has to challenge an animal that is ten times bigger than I am, much less 100 times bigger than he is, but he loves to do it! I call it his little big man, macho syndrome.

I took Buddy for a walk a little further on the condo grounds today, topped a rise and was astounded to realize how very close we are to the Garden. Of course, then I had to run back to the condo, get my camera and take pictures. The sun is in the west so they aren’t the best photos and do not in any way do justice to what can be seen with our God-given eyes, but I still thought I’d share them with you.

As I was standing on the rise and looking across at the Garden, at Pikes Peak, and at Cameron’s Cone to the left of the Peak, I was reminded of God. He is always with us and for us, whether we are deliberately seeking Him or not. He remains ever near and reveals His presence in the beauty He spreads before us, whether the beauty is a flower, a mountain, a red rock garden, or the joy of a little dog. He reveals Himself to us in the smiles and love of friends and family, in hearty laughter, and even in the tears we shed at low times in our lives. God revealed Himself to me today in the silver lining of the clouds floating over the mountains and the Garden. He revealed Himself to me in the silver lining of our circumstances. God is so magnificent and loving. I could not live without Him and pray I never have to do so.  I pray that you have discovered God’s magnificent love and grace, in the silver linings He has just for you. (Notice that the silver linings put a smile all over my face!)