Stac’s Place

Today was a big day for Annabelle–she got a new perspective on the world around her.  That’s not a medieval torture device that she’s strapped into in the picture above; that’s the eye-puff machine.  Annabelle got out of school a little early today to visit our friend Dr. Mike Cymbor and the good people at Nittany Eye Associates.  Just as we suspected from her squinting at everything, Annabelle’s been looking at the world through eyes that left her with a blurry view.

The trip was wildly successful, but not without a few tears.  Joyce did her best to explain the eye-puff test, and they let her feel the puff on her hand before they puffed her eyeballs.  But Annabelle still cried when the deal went down.  I guess some things that help can still cause a little shock and pain.  Now there’s a life lesson for you…

After the tears were dried, Dr. Mike worked with Annabelle to discern her needed corrective lenses, and she was back to her smiling self.  A couple of hours later, Annabelle’s glasses were ready for pick-up, and the world was suddenly crisply in focus!  What a wonder that must have been for her.

Do you remember when your perspective on the world suddenly grew clear?  I had a little bit of a revelation myself, just today.  I’ll get back to that in a bit.

Joyce is in a lot of the pictures today.  I’ve written about how helpful she and a handful of other young ladies have been over the past week.  She told Kim today that she tried to leave State College earlier this year.  She applied for several positions elsewhere, but got no replies by the time it came to make her decision.  She prayed about her options, and believed that God was shutting the door for her to leave, so she accepted a position at Penn State.  Once she said yes to PSU, she got the replies that she had anticipated, and was forced to say no to the other offers that she received.  We’re all grateful for the way God orchestrated things, as it seems like God wanted her to be part of our life now!

Back to my perspective change:  I’ve been in a funk over the past couple of days.  I’ve been cranky, unpleasant, and unsettled.  My tone has been short with Kim and the kids, and I’ve not been fun to be around.  I don’t really know why.  But today I realized that I have a choice about my attitude.  I can choose to be grumpy, or I can choose joy.  There are a lot of things rolling around in my head and heart.  I don’t know if it’s lingering effects from the trip, my messed up sleeping habits, or any of a number of other things going on.  But I do know that I can choose to react with love and patience, to show grace and be joyful.

Like Annabelle’s new glasses, I want to slip on a fresh perspective, to see the world through eyes that have been corrected.  I expect that this adjustment may come with a little pain and discomfort.  I understand that for my eyes to see differently, I will have to apply the change agent.  For Annabelle, that means wearing the shiny new glasses (they look so good on her, btw.)  For me, it means saturating my heart with the word of God, spending time in his presence, and choosing to live and believe him, being filled with his Spirit.

Clear my vision, Lord.  Let me see the world differently, and let that perspective shape the way I live and love.