We live in a crazy world. A world where we spend most of our days running around trying to get as much accomplished as possible. And often the end result is that we wear ourselves out and make ourselves crazy chasing after a goal we can never seem to catch.

Why is the goal so elusive? We have to ask ourselves: “Do we really even know what the goal is?” If we are honest, the goal seems to change from day to day. And to be really honest, many of us are running, just to be running with no clear goal in sight. We are just running because it seems to be what everyone else is doing.

There has to be a better way! Would you admit that there are some things in your life that need to change? Maybe, rather than focusing on a successful day, we should simply seek to follow the example of our Creator??? The Scriptures teach us that God is love. This carries forward the idea that focus is not so much on what you do, but on who you are. Stop and let her sink in…

The Scriptures also teach that we are created in God’s image, which means that we have the amazing ability to do it God’s way. We must ask ourselves: “Is there a better way than God’s way?” “Is there a better way than love?” And the answer is ”no”. We simply need to learn to walk/live in the way of love. And the good news is this: All through out the Scriptures, Jesus gives us the perfect example to follow. He didn’t fight it, he embraced it. He was love and so he did love…

The key that unlocks blessings to flow is love! In Ephesians 5:1-2 we read these words: ”1 Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” In other words: Open your heart, soul, life, mind, body and spirit to receive God’s unlimited and unconditional love. (LET GOD LOVE YOU!) Allow yourself to be loved by God, because you cannot give to anyone else what you don’t possess for yourself.

I like to call this sharing of love – letting the love flow. When you let the love flow and grow, I promise you that your life will become amazing, blessed and miraculous. Now let’s make this real in our life and living: What are three ways you will allow yourself to receive God’s love and what are three ways you will share the love you have received? Live in the flow of God’s love and get ready for miracles and blessings…

There are approximately 4,071,000 miles of roads in the United States, 2,678,000 miles  paved and 1,394,000 miles unpaved. Many of those paved roads are filled with potholes, but that’s another conversation for another time. I want to take a moment to think about those unpaved roads…

I grew up in an area that had just about as many unpaved roads as it did paved roads and one of the things that I learned early in life is that those unpaved roads can take you to some very interesting places. When I was younger, my mode of transportation was two wheels plus my legs and feet on a bicycle, peddling just as fast as I could. Now a days, it’s an ole 2006 Dodge Ram Pickup.

Not too long back, I was out on an adventure and I came up on an unpaved road. It was rocky and rough. I thought of “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost and turned right and headed for was I was hoping was adventure. I bumped and bounced my way up and down, from side to side through the hills and curves, until I came to a place where a little creek was running across the road. I drive a Dodge, so I headed straight on across that little, not worried one little bit, because I was created for adventure (wink). More bumps, bouncing, ups, downs, side to sides, hills and curves until eventually the road ran out. Really! It just stopped and there was nothing but woods.

I surveyed the situation a little closer and saw a trail disappearing into the woods and decided to get out and go for a walk. After a short little hike, I could hear water and of course got very excited and journeyed on. And then just around the corner, I found it – a beautiful waterfall. The water was cascading over the rocks and into a nice little, very relaxing looking pool. The sun was beginning to go down and was at just the right angle to hit the cascading falls and provide that magical effect that makes your jaw drop and your mouth say “WOW!”

I sat on a nearby large rock and soaked in all the beauty I was surrounded by. I allowed all my senses to take in the moment. It was one of those moments. You know a moment where thoughts align, life makes sense and you are at peace. It was very nice and I will remember the moment for the rest of my life.

Now here is the most interesting thing: I would have totally missed the adventure of that amazing moment, if I had not turned onto that rocky road. In life, we are presented with many moments of choice. Moments of choice where we have to decide what we are going to do. Sometimes we don’t have a choice and just have to go with the flow. Don’t be afraid of the rocky road that life brings your way. Embrace them, enjoy them, learn from them and get the adventure they have in store for you. Robert Frost probably said it best when he said: “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I — I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.”

Today as I was running errands, I walked into a business where I know most of the folks by name. I almost always speak, call folks by their name, share a joke or two and hopefully leave folks with a little encouragement.

I noticed that one of the workers seemed a little off today, so before I left, I was going to try to give them a lift up and some encouragement, but when I went to speak to them, they turned their back on me. I continued trying to open the door, so that I could leave them with an “up” feeling, but they continued to give me the “back” treatment. I walked out the door wondering what in the world is their problem?

I must admit, at first it made me mad, but then I started asking myself what could be going on in their life and mind that would cause them to not want to look me in the eye and I have to confess that while I came up with many possible scenarios, I never came up with the answer to my question???

So, I turned it around on myself and began to think about how and when I may miss opportunities to look someone in the eye and really see them. This got me to thinking about some of the different reasons why eye contact is important…

The first reason is it COMMUNICATES RESPECT! When you look at someone in the eye, it is a way of saying you trust them and they can trust you. It’s a safe space, level ground and trust is a foundation for us to build on.

The second reason is it EXPRESSES INTEREST! We pay attention to what we are interested in. We look at what matters to us. We fix our focus in the direction of the things and people we really care about.

The third reason is it CONVEYS APPRECIATION! When we are truly grateful to someone for something, we want to make sure they know it. We have to look at them and see them to know for sure.

The fourth reason is it REASSURES UNDERSTANDING! The eyes often say so much more than words can convey. With them we can express positively or negatively exactly how we feel and what we understand.

The fifth reason is it OPENS FRIENDSHIP! Someone said the eyes are the windows to the soul. One of the reasons I hate texting is because I communicate with all of my senses, both in how I express myself and how I receive the expressions of others.

So open your eyes, look at me, I see you and appreciate you seeing me…