Whose Eyes Do You See Through?

I barely have any time to write my own post, but I just discovered this blog site through Google+, and I thought it was nice to share one of their posts. Recently, because of wrong talks, there was that short period of time I was cynical towards the people surrounding me. I heard rumors, and with my good intentions, it, in turn, clouded my eyes without me realizing it. The Lord, is quick to act, though, and He had granted me discernment and opened my eyes.

So, let's get to their blog post. Click here to check out their site.

There is an old phrase that says, "Perception is reality." What that means is that for many people what they see, or how they perceive things, is truth to them. The problem is that those people cannot accept truth beyond what they see, or think they see. For this person, their reality is based upon their point of view, or perspective of events.

Too many times in our lives we all fall into this category. We see a person or situation and quickly pass judgment without understanding that individual or the full story behind the situation. We make rash decisions, based on ignorance and assumption. When this happens, we find ourselves so far from the truth that we have a hard time finding our way back. 

So, to counter perceptions becoming reality, I ask you a question. Whose eyes do you see through? I am not talking about your physical eyes, because the answer is obvious. What I am asking is what filter do you use to process what you see with your eyes? Do you see events and make decisions based on your limited knowledge and understanding or do you stop and allow God to have input on the situation? 

One of my favorite Bible stories of all time is in 2 Kings 6. Elisha and his servant awake to find an enemy army surrounding the town and looking for them. In an incredibly natural response, the servant immediately allowed fear to take over. In his perspective, he was looking into the eyes of death.

Elisha responds the servant in verse 17 and says, "Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha."

Now, the chariots were there the entire time, the servant just could not see them with his natural eyes. He was not looking through the eyes of faith. His perspective was based on incomplete information because it did not factor in God.

I know 99.9% of us will never face the threat of an angry army, but that does not make our issues any less real. We faces financial issues, marital issues, family issues, work related issues, health issues, and many, many more that we have to deal with on an every day basis.

Our issues are very real, but we must not let that be our only perspective. We have to make the decision to look at our world through the eyes of faith. When we face an obstacle, our response should be the same as Elisha's and see it through the eyes of faith.

I encourage and challenge you to start to see your world and life differently. Ask God to let you see people the way He sees them. Let your faith in Him be the filter that you your world through.

Illusion and Reality part 1

Romanticism. Our American Literature professor mentioned it to us when we were discussing Stephen Crane and Edgar Allan Poe's works and Realism.

"The dangers of being an English major: we are too romantic (not of romance like we know it today). This is illusion. But THIS is reality," he said. He was not talking about "romance" the way most of the people today view it. This movement influenced us greatly even before we knew what reality was. It was a movement that emphasized on happy endings, heroes, victories in battles, and people who do not get hurt. Those were the dangers of being an English major.

"Ever since, we had always read books until we forgot reality," he added. "All we saw was beauty."

My question is: is this even enough reason to explain ourselves? Romanticism. Oh, Shakespeare, I've adored your works too much.

That chasm engulfs the once sunlit meadow

beyond the forest beneath the now-grey clouds, across paradise where the sun kisses the earth.

That cruel chasm. That emptiness the meadow calls cruel, torturous.

That cruel chasm. That lonely chasm.

It had been a mistake. It had been a skid of the foot.

But the wind stirs; it shoves the clouds, refills the open space.

The wind stirs and clears the smog. That choking smog, the meadow mutters.

And the meadow was then a meadow, no longer covered, no longer shaded.

It was back to being a meadow. Everything else then, now back to page one

And now, finally, back to zero.

-Aine

In Mid-air

Okay, so I was bored, even though I was supposed to be listening to one of my favorite mentors. Linguistics just suddenly seemed to become harder than Mathematics, I wasn't so sure if I got myself in the right course. Anyway, because I was practically almost clapping my palms over my ears, I wrote something that might be a cross between poetry and prose, or...I don't know. It's stressful to follow the conventions of poetry, you know, unless you're willing to compromise on writing about what you actually feel.

This probably is the most unconventional piece one could ever read (but not really). Solomon's Song of Songs just might had subconsciously inspired me to write this baby. :)

In Mid-air

Floating in mid-air, a groan escapes him.

Of fear. In agony. In pain of waiting. In uncertainty

Of tumbling down or of proceeding up.

Of climbing up, of seeking. Of walking.

Floating, due west.

"And when am I to proceed?" he asks. He floats.

"Dizziness overcomes. Fainting. I'm about to fall and let go of hope.

Fainting. In mid-air."

As long as the Lord keeps showering glitters on the dark skies each night,

She remains. She waits.

Waiting

as he floats and wades.

Floating. Wading. In mid-air. Towards her. In mid-air.

"How long until...he comes?" she asks. She waits.

"Fear overcomes. Of not being found. I'm about to fall and let go of hope.

Fainting. Barely waiting as he

Floats or faints. In mid-air."

To those who have nothing else to do and would want to analyze this, you may use the Reader's Response Criticism, but I do recommend New Historicism. Haha. Nah, whichever, I believe the meaning's too obvious, you wouldn't even bother to choose a theory to use here.

Take heart, readers in the wait. Both you and your soon-to-be's might be confused and still floating right now, but do not let it overcome you. Bow-waves may sweep past you, but never panic. The waves will pass; the rocks will show again.

<3 Aine