Dancing On The Edge Of Forever

This was originally intended to be quite a different post (pertaining to the lovely evening picture above, which Barb took from our front door), but coming back from near death earlier today... well, that may be worth a few words.

It was a hard experience. I realized, very suddenly, that I was about to go down very hard, and, vision fading, managed to lunge across my bed.

There followed a period of passing in and out of awareness, and I can liken it to drowning (I was once trapped beneath seaweed when diving).

I became too weak to fight, and handed the situation over to God...and gradually my breath came back, and I could, later, see again.

Barb came home from lunch shortly thereafter, and was horrified to find me ice-cold, with pale, and with very poor veinous return at the fingernails.

Now, several hours later, I'm as shaky as a shopping cart with a bad wheel.

And what does it mean? What's the lesson from this terrifying morning?

God is.

No matter how proud, nay, arrogant we are in our own strength (I have cornered the market, here), there's a limit.

And there God stands, shaking His head, perhaps rolling His eyes, sleeves pulled up, ready to work.

Perhaps to put you back, perhaps to take you home.

Or something in between.

He holds all the cards.

I paid out in arrogance

far more than I could fain afford,

and, as if in recompense

I was forced unto the Lord,

unwillingly into His arms,

where He smiling bade me hide,

safe from earthly harms,

but not from that which lurked inside.

'Twas pride that led me to resist

in my heart, with pious face,

and it's hard, with tight-closed fist

to receive the gentle grace

that the Lord so wants to give

through every moment that we live.

Music from Soundgarden, with Live To Rise.

The Five Minute Friday prompt this week is VIEW. Let's take a look.

Come and visit us, right here,

yes, we do mean you!

My friend, we hold your friendship dear,

so let's enjoy the view.

A mountain range lies to the east

across the desert plain,

and its best matches its least

when peaks are clothed in rain.

Un-named mesas in the west

will shine red in the morning light,

and receive the sun in rest

at the fall of night.

But beauty goes on, have no doubt;

just wait 'till all the stars come out!

Four minutes. Good enough.

Sylvia learned long ago that trading pride for ice cream is a good exchange,

and that ice cream presents a lovely view.