Rebirth of Famous Words

Today I found myself feeling beat up.  One of those days where you see all your faults and shortcomings.  Today was full of realizations of how lazy I have become.  How I have stopped pushing myself and let excuses win.  Then the words of William Ernest Henley popped into my head.

"I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul."

With that I banished those destructive thoughts that had brought a cloud cover over me.

But as I kept thinking about this incredible poem I realized that Henley, although his words are inspirational and lift the human spirit to believe in the possibilities of life, got it all wrong.

Now don't think I am criticizing him.  I am not.  I respect his poem and think its amazingly beautiful and stirring.

But I think I got a Holy Spirit Download with a few rewrites to his poem.  After rewriting it, not only did it make my chest swell with pride and possibility; it also made my heart soar knowing that I am not alone in this.  And that someone bigger than it all is truly in charge.

Invictus - Reborn

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the pit from pole to pole,
My God I humbly thank thee
For saving my unworthy soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have winced and cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My knee bent to pray with head bowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms the horror of the shade,
Yet with His spirit through the years
I stand and am found unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll.
HE is the master of my fate:
HE is the captain of my soul.



Here is the origianl poem.  (All credit given to William Ernest Henley for his words, I own none of them and intend no copyright infringement.)

Invictus


Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds and shall find me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll.
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

Cherries

Have you ever felt God smile at you?

It's the most incredible feeling.  I just got to experience it.  Not for the first time of course, but it feels like it's been awhile.  Which all the blame goes to me...so maybe I should rephrase that and ask;

Have you ever been aware enough to feel God smiling at you?

I think it's all a matter of us paying attention to Him.  Because we are the apple of His eye and He's ALWAYS paying attention to us.

Tonight is my 2nd night alone since Jordan is off to Peru for a mission trip.  Before he left Jordan told me that while he was gone God was going to show me something that I wasn't able to see before because Jordan was there.  In other words; I wasn't paying attention.  So, I've been talking to God since I'm by myself.  And tonight I said something profound (at least to me it was).  I went to Sam's Club today and bought a big box of cherries. Mmmmmm. I went into the kitchen to grab some to snack on and as I'm putting some in a bowl, I noticed the color tones of these cherries.  And they were beautiful. I had never really noticed before.  But the color was just astounding and rich and so varied.  And without thinking I said,

"God, you make beautiful things."

I froze.  Then I heard Him say, "Yes, I do." Then I felt it.  I felt Him smile.  All I can say is that I felt this warmth and this joy fill up my chest until I too had to smile.  Now my mind won't stop getting this revelation, of how beautiful God  makes things, and how much He delights in His creations.  How often must He smile down on us.

Now I can't get this song out of my head:

"You make beautiful things, You make beautiful things out of the dust.
You make beautiful things, You make beautiful things out of us."

Jordan has told me over the last 2 weeks with all the blessings God has poured on us that God is treating us like my how my Dad treats me.  God wants to give us good things, He wants us to feel spoiled and blessed.  God loves to give us gifts.

Tonight has been a gift.  I have my loving family texting and calling to make sure I'm doing alright.  :) And I have a nice bowl of beautiful and delicious cherries.  Thanks God!