IT TAKES TIME

         I remember an interview I saw with Oprah Winfrey sometime in the mid to late 80's. When I heard her say that she always knew that she was destined for greatness, "something" leapt inside me. It was as if finally, I recognized that seed of greatness in myself and knew perhaps someday, someone might write books about me, too. I even dared to share this revelation with my friend, Shelly, as we camped in her Ford Econoline van under the stars in Taos, NM that year. As I remembered these memories years later, I thought about what an arrogant assumption this was!

         Fast forward almost 30 years...three more divorces, my parents and both my siblings gone, a distant relationship with my son, and a 42 year career standing behind my styling chair just to make ends meet…. Some greatness that is!

      And now, I am starting over again. No whining here, but at least, I CAN start over and "fix my life". PRAISE GOD that I have a skill to rely on, own a business that provides my livelihood, and that I have my health that enables me to stand there day after day and "eek it out..." I am grateful for my children, grandchildren, many friends, other family, and for this little apartment that provides a home and solace, a refuge to heal.

         Yes, the Great I AM is fixing my life. "It takes time..." as our little friend, Stanley, would say. As mentally challenged as he is, this was his typical response in most conversations at the Sunday dinner table with our family. Yes, even Stanley is destined for greatness. God's dream for all of us is that we would catch His Grand Vision...that somewhere deep inside of us, our inner spirit would leap to catch hold of that Truth for ourselves…. WE ARE ALL DESTINED FOR GREATNESS.

          Our life story is living out our dreams. Hopefully, my dream and God’s Vision are coming together now. I love photography, so thinking about a life’s vision and comparing it to photo images is easy for me. Just like shooting with an old film camera (remember those?) and forgetting to advance the film to the next frame results in multiple images overlapping, so is a life stuck in reverse. This kind of conflict has been my life’s experience focused on many unfulfilled dreams and past mistakes. What resulted is a temporary failure to “advance the film” of God’s vision. I forgot that “whatever the camera lens focuses on is what is developed for all to see!” And what is the solution for this overexposed life? Spending time in God’s Presence always brings His Vision for Life into sharper focus, and sometimes, it requires time spent in spiritual darkrooms to appreciate the Light. 

          “Yes, Lord, YOU are fixing my life and helping me to recognize the seed of greatness planted in me. It is this vision that I must grasp and clearly focus on for destiny to firmly root in my life. What I feed, water and tend, GROWS. “Seed, time and harvest….” is a message that still applies even when it feels like a season of “time waiting and whackin’ weeds.” Only You, God Almighty, can see the harvest ahead…. “It just takes time…”

         And yet, if given the choice of sitting in Your Presence or possessing my destiny for greatness, well, Lord, there is NO choice. The privilege of communing with the God of the Universe IS fulfilling my destiny for greatness.

AMEN.

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