With eyes wide open

David-Henry - eyes (and heart) wide open

See, a king will reign in righteousness and rulers will rule with justice. Each one will be like a shelter from the wind and a refuge from the storm, like streams of water in the desert and the shadow of a great rock in a thirsty land. Then the eyes of those who see will no longer be closed,  and the ears of those who hear will listen. The fearful heart will know and understand, and the stammering tongue will be fluent and clear. – Isaiah 32-1-4

SHAMELESS: Here, without apology, is a shameless example of “Look at my grandchild!” However, there is a point to the inclusion of my most recent David-Henry – and that is the example he offers for an “eyes wide open” approach to life and a “seize the day” orientation to the world around him.

I tried my best to do just that today, even as my morning plans collapsed around my inability to organize a calendar properly.

DUH…: 7:30 AM – I pick up my friend Gerard for our breakfast meeting. Here’s the conversation, halfway to The Brunchery:

• Gerard. “So how is this going to work for you, logistically?”
• Me. “How is what going to work?”
• Gerard. “You know, attending that CPM meeting in Tampa for Peggie’s final assessment.”
• Me. “Is that today?”

Construction on the I-4 Connector

So I turn around, deposit my friend back at his house, tell him to fix himself a bowl of cereal, and then drive over to the other side of Tampa for myCommittee on Preparation for Ministry meeting. Gerard’s wife, Peggie, who wraps up her Masters in Divinity degree next month, is first on the agenda.

Hence the “no blog until the mid-afternoon” phenomenon. Hence the rush to the other side of the city. Hence the potential for frustration and stress.

Metal and concrete sculpture in Tampa

EYES WIDE OPEN: However, driving on the upper deck of the crosstown expressway I can’t help but notice the progress on the new Intestate-4 connector. I’ve seen it before, but this time I’m thinking about my grandson David’s curiosity-soaked approach to life, and I’m captured by the art of the construction.

I’d like nothing better than to park on the construction site and wander around with my camera. I want to climb the tallest crane and get a different view of the work. I want to get all the way to ground level and take a photograph looking directly up. I want to put on a hard hat.

Downtown geometrics

MY HEART IS FULL:Then, stuck in traffic again in the middle of the Tampa, I find myself leaning forward to look up through the windshield. I can see the wondrous geometry of the downtown cityscape.

I’m probably going to be late, I’m not getting to the work I planned for today, and I missed out on a good breakfast conversation with my friend. But it’s a beautiful clear morning, the roof of my car is open, and my heart is full because I’m looking around with my eyes wide open. I don’t want to miss a thing.

DEVOTIONAL: It turns out that my grandson helped direct my spiritual pathway today. Eyes wide open! God’s creative hand in the creative work of people. So, so much to take in.

I am grateful and I am rich - DEREK