Musings on New York City, The Statue of Liberty, and are you paddling with invisble oars and getting nowhere?

Lady Liberty

lately, I've had dreams about New York City. The dreams are surreal and I always wake up wanting to go.

I have vacation time in a month. I thought about taking a trip to the Big Apple...But then, I thought..no, I would like to to Paris..or ...Destin...or ....Hawaii....and the list goes on..

My mind roves for the perfect place. I was forced to stop myself and say, "Rachelle, what are you doing?"
Slow down....
Sometimes, I get into my thick skull that the more I "do"..the more places I "go" the more fulfilled I will somehow be...

But it's false..
It's an illusion.

I am forced to question my motives, at times.   How much of my desire "to get away" are for bragging rights? SO I can say, I've been there. I've done that.,, How much of those desires are  born out the spirit of love?

I realize that I don't have to go to exotic places to find fulfillment.
The truth is that the world is becoming a dangerous place. I spoke with a friend who has been to New York. He told me how dangerous it is...
Danger is everywhere.
But I am thankful that I can find peace and rest in the arms of Christ. I am thankful that He fulfills my needs. I realize that strolling thru Central Park isn't going to shape my character and turn me into the women I was meant to be.. only Christ can do that..

and everything else is the illusion..

Christ is the reality in my life. He has shown me so many wonderous things.

So where will I go on my vacation? I don't know. I am glad that I realize that I don't have to fit my life into a mold or a pattern... I can allow Christ to shape me. I don't have to say..I'm going here..I'm going there. I'm doing this..I'm doing that...I can trust that God knows what best and go where He leads...  God, where can I take my boys this year?  God, would we glorify you more staying somewhere close to home? God, wherever we go..even if it happens to be New York..will you give us rest to give to a city that never sleeps?


Just a few short musings...I know that long blog posts sometimes irritate readers...
I was thinking of the statue of liberty. She stands as a beacon of hope in the middle of the ocean. It was built by two men, one of who was named  Federic Bartholdi. Mr .Bartholdi, said the idea for the statue came to him as he was sailing into New York . He envisioned a woman holding a flame on a pedestal welcoming immigrants to the their new life in the New World.

The other day I thought of Christ, not as a statue of liberty..but a promise of hope. a living, breathing promise..not one made of materials that will fade..but Christ is living. I thought about He stands in the seas of life..the raging turmoil..the cold, relentless waters..and holds out His flame and His fire to each of us...offering us new life, giving us "new worlds" so to speak..

While I was pondering all of these things..I looked over at my two year son. He was in a shopping cart. We were standing in aisle, which also happened to hold some boat paddles...  Little Brendan was pretending like he was paddling along in the shopping cart, but He wasn't moving anywhere..  ..

I thought the entire act of little bear struggling with invisible oars...but moving nowhere...resembled our lives in many ways.  The struggle to move. The struggle to get to places that seem unattainable. Let down your oars and let Christ be the beacon in your life. He can bring you to the places you need to be.
Stop, stop, stop..struggling with your invisible oar already, and let Christ lead you....Lord, let me slow down..and lead me...

One more thought...about idols..Idols don't have to be a statue...Idols are the things in our life that replace our need for Christ.. Idols can be money, ambition, desire for self-fulfilment... Idols can even be people that we place ahead of Christ.   Who is your "Statue of Liberty?  Who or what gives you hope? For me, it is Christ.. .living, breathing..Jesus. Anything else doesn't satisy. Anything else is the illusion.