lenses

for as long as i can remember i have had problems with my ears. since i have inner ear issues, i have seen many doctors throughout my life trying to assess and deal with the different problems that have come up. i remember the first time i had tubes put in my ears...it was a surgical procedure. the last time i had tubes put in i was able to remain awake and had the procedure quickly done right there in the doctor's office. technology is amazing and i have seen it progress so much already in my lifetime. since i have always had ear problems, i have always wanted to have something more normal wrong with me...like needing glasses.
i used to poke the sun-glass shades out of my sunglasses just so i could have frames to wear as my "glasses". later, i saved up money to buy fake pairs of glasses...i have had an array of glasses over the years. my sister still rags on my for the Sally Jessy Raphael pair i loved to wear around the house. for some reason i thought having glasses would be way more normal than having to explain to people at the swimming pool why i had to wear ear plugs and a swimmer's cap. my sight is actually really incredible...guess i can thank my not-so-great ears for that. i got good eyes.

the other morning as i was sitting with the Lord, i realized that my recent struggles intensify when my lens is zoomed in way too tight. it is like the lens is right up on my face...nothing else. all i care about is my problems, my worries, my...my...my. God was reminding me that i have to zoom out. i have to focus not on just my face or my latest fear or struggle, but be willing to let others in the picture. let others' lives be a part of mine. allow myself the privilege to use my experiences to help others has they go through theirs. and vice versa.
at the retirement party i went to last week i noticed a young lady taking lots of photos. i have seen some of her work before and was excited she was able to couple her talent with her day-job. later, she asked if i could take a photo of her work team. i gladly took the challenge of capturing the perfect shot of all five of them...making sure all eyes were open, smiles were on point, and backs were straight and tall. she warned me that the lens was really best for portraits, so maybe try and take a shot to see how it would really turn out. when i take photos i try to make them as un-needy of cropping as possible, but this portrait lens was tricky. it gave me a different shot than what i was seeing on my side of the lens. the gal said that the lens is best used for up close and personal shots and not so great for group shots (like the one i was trying to take for her and her team). this whole scenario came back into mind during my time alone with the Lord that morning. what if i took the portrait lens of my camera and was willing to attach the wide-angle, landscape lens? what would i see? what would that capture? possibly some heart-ache, possibly some trials, possibly some victories, possibly laughs, and so on and so forth. but most likely allowing the lens to capture the depth and width of life would allow me to experience loads of what God really cares about...love. not in the mis-construed sense that the world is all wrapped up in these days, but good, pure, holy L-O-V-E.

this article below is a helpful piece that reminds me of what i am really here for.
http://www.mygazines.com/issue/9197/68

not to [me], but to your Name be the glory.