Watching Through the Lens of Faith ~ Valerie Ronald

 

                                                                                     photo credit - Pixabay

I was assured having a cataract removed from my eye was a quick, painless surgery. The process was explained, but I still found it a stressful experience to have my eye numbed, then operated on while I was awake and still able to see. With my head immobilized in a headrest and my eyelid propped open, all I could see were bright, blurry lights bouncing in my vision. I saw a tiny surgical instrument coming toward my eye and felt the pressure while the eye surgeon worked, though no pain. I was thankful for the mild sedation that helped me not to panic. For the next few days the vision of the affected eye was blurry and distorted, then gradually it began to clear. The surgeon not only removed the cataract, he also inserted a lens implant that helped me see better. Soon he will do the same in my other eye. Although I will still need to wear glasses for far vision, I am looking forward to clearer near vision for reading and computer work. 

As a believer, I write through the lens of my faith in Jesus Christ. When I believed Jesus to be the Son of God and accepted Him by faith, I began to see things differently. Like the clearer vision I enjoy since cataract surgery, my spiritual eyes were opened to things that I previously didn't have the capacity to gain a full understanding of through natural means. 

Now, through the lens of faith, I see the perfection of God’s plans and purposes and my spiritual vision gains clarity. As Jesus proclaimed in the synagogue when He first began His ministry, “He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” (Luke 4:18 NIV) He wasn’t referring only to the physically blind, imprisoned or oppressed but to the greater urgency of those who need their souls set free and their spiritual sight recovered. Jesus came to do exactly that. 

When I write with the eyes of faith, God helps me see more than what appears on the surface. I see hurting hearts in need of words of comfort and hope. I see those lost on the wrong path looking for direction out of their darkness. My eyes of faith have caught sight of the glory of the Lord, so I search for words to describe how beautiful He is, words revealing a glimpse of His perfection, majesty and love so others will want to see Him too. 

The common idiom, “seeing through rose-colored glasses” means seeing only the positive view of something and not the negative. Jesus looks at people through love-colored glasses, although He knows everything about them, good and bad. He sees them through the eyes of love because each person is His unique creation, flawed and sinful, yet precious to Him. If I can view others from His perspective with eyes of love rather than judgment, seeking their well-being, loving them in spite of their flaws, then I will have a small sense of how He sees me. I don’t deserve a brief glance from Him yet He gazes on me with such love, I am brought to my knees by it.  

What it comes down to is that watching the world through the lens of faith isn’t just about watching, it’s about doing. When we see more clearly those Jesus came to die for then we feel compelled to reach out to them, care for them, love them, by the power of His Spirit within us. Writing about Him is a way of loving them. Our words have the potential to paint a picture of the One who loves them most and knows them best. When we write about our own encounters with Jesus and how He has given us a new way to see, we are offering hope to those who are spiritually blind.  

The lens of faith not only sharpens our focus on Jesus, it also helps us to see others as He does, through eyes of compassionate love.  

We don’t yet see things clearly. We’re squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won’t be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We’ll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us! (1 Cor. 13:13 The Message)

 Valerie Ronald writes from an old roll top desk in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, with her tortoiseshell cat for a muse. A graduate of Langara College School of Journalism, she writes devotionals, fiction and inspirational prose. Her purpose in writing is to encourage others to grow in their spiritual walk.

V is For Vision by Bob Jones

Vision is taken for granted until you lose it. And then everything comes into focus.

 

I suffered a full retinal detachment in May 2020. Saturday morning, my first day off in weeks. When the vision in my right started to diminish as a green colour seeped in from the side, I dismissed it as something that would pass. There was no pain. No visible signs of trauma. Why worry?

 

Monday morning at my ophthalmologist’s office was the first step to recovery from a full retinal detachment. Two surgeries, six months of recovery later, I was informed the nerve damage was so great I would not regain my sight. 85% of retinal surgeries in Alberta are successful. Mine was in the other group.

 

The surgeon gave me a stern warning that the next time I had any symptoms of a retinal detachment I should immediately get to the clinic.

 

That day came on October 1^st.

 

Late in the evening, my good eye started to experience colours and flashes of light. Anxious, but calmly, I told my wife what was happening. She packed us up in record time and drove us from our lakeside cabin to Edmonton.

 

My first reaction was, “I can’t go blind. I’m only 70. I’ve got so many more things to do.”

 

A retinal migraine. Have you heard of that? Me neither. But that was the diagnosis. My good eye is still 20:20. Rest required.

 

Thank God for sight. And mercy.

 

Blindness is not the end of life or function, but sight is so much better for living.

 

When vision is threatened, everything comes into focus. And even with half sight, you can still see the whole world. And sometimes better. You see clearly what really matters.

 

It’s easy for our vision to be distracted by catchy but unimportant things.

 

It’s the same with a writing vision.

 

Whether yours is a book or a blog, a poem or a screen play, you have your sights set on what you want to accomplish through your writing. That vision gets you through discouragement, setbacks, rejection, and disillusionment. Vision is everything.

 

R.J. Palacio has a vision for writing. She contributed a series of books on kindness to the literary realm. And her writing is moving. It provokes thinking  ignites emotion, and changes behaviour. Have you read her books, Wonder, or White Bird?
 

A writing vision is powerful.

 

In my role as a church coach, I remind pastors that vision raises money. People functionally give out of obedience in stewardship but they give passionately and generously because of vision. Vision, not budget, creates provision.

 

My vision for writing is to be a hope dispenser. I write to give hope to readers. And to other writers.

 

What is your vision? Please leave a comment below. Thank you.

 

Bob writes about hope at REVwords.

 

The Clarity of 2020 Vision - Tracy Krauss

In January I chose the word 'Clarity'. It just seemed to fit so well with that fact that I needed to refocus my priorities because of ongoing heart health issues in an effort to minimize my stress. I also liked the way it meshed with the whole idea of "20/20 Vision" in the year 2020. Who could pass up on such a theme?

Well, to continue the play on words, hindsight is 20/20, as they say, and now that this strange and challenging year is drawing to a close, I can see that continuing to seek clarity is still as valid now as it was eleven months ago. 

In my January post, I explained how I had chosen to step down from several long time activities in order to be able to keep up with others. I simply couldn't continue with the demands of directing an Easter Passion Play, volunteering on the local and regional Arts Councils, or substitute teaching. Little did I know that not many months from then, schools would be closed, and plays and other arts events would be shut down anyway. 

I also didn't know that just a few days after that post went live I would end up being taken by ambulance to the hospital and later flown to Vancouver to investigate the cause of even more heart problems. Two weeks later I was home again, just as Covid was starting to take hold. Again, my previous decision to let go of some responsibilities seemed providential. 

The reminder to clearly seek the Lord before taking on any activities or projects has been an ongoing process. While the first few months of the Covid crisis were an 'excuse' to lay low and not take on too much, by late summer I found myself falling back into my old habit of over committing. 

Fall Conference - and our very first ever virtual conference - was taking place in September, and as InScribe's president and part of the committee, I was very involved in making sure it went off without too many problems. 

Added to that, school started up again. As an online support teacher for a Distributed Learning School, I had parent consultations, Student Learning Plans to write, and many, many staff meetings. 

Somehow, two new books came out at the exact same time in mid-August: Tempest Tossed, book three in my THREE STRAND CORD Series and a memoir I helped my 85 year old friend write called Angels Watching Over Me. This meant I had book launches and other marketing activities along with everything else. 

And finally, a precious grandson was born on September 1. I wanted to be there for my daughter, providing meals and helping as much as possible because that's what Moms (and Omas) do, right?  

Let me backtrack just a bit - not to garner sympathy by any means, but just to make things clear. My current condition of microvascular disease on top of congestive heart failure and previous bypasses due to coronary artery disease means that I often suffer from chest pain. To put it plainly, my heart isn't very healthy. I currently take a mitt full of drugs and wear a nitro patch every day. I also never go anywhere with out another bottle of nitro just in case I need an extra shot. Over exertion can cause problems, but the biggest enemy for me is STRESS.

Somehow I managed to get through September with a minimum of 'episodes'. (What I call chest pain that stops me in my tracks.) Perhaps it was sheer willpower, but Fall Conference went off without a hitch, Student Learning Plans got written, one book became a bestseller on Amazon, and I got in lots of "Freddie snuggles". (My grandson's name is Fredrick.)

But then, almost immediately afterwards, I paid the price. The last couple of months have been a struggle for me. Too many 'episodes' too frequently have me realizing that saying I'm letting go is not the same as actually letting go. 

Another daughter had a baby boy on November 8, 2020. (Yes, we're prolific that way...!) I had to face the fact that I could not physically go and stay with her to help out like I did for her other two kiddos. Rather than be a help, I could be more of a hindrance if they had to worry about me having an 'episode'. This felt like a blow, and I shed a tear or two. I wanted to be there for this daughter, too, because "that's what Moms and Omas do". But it is very clear because of the frequency and severity of my so called episodes that I'm not that person any more. People often remark, "I hope you start feeling better soon," but my condition isn't like a cold or flu from which I will recover. Limitations are my new reality.

Which brings me to one final point. As we approached this year's InScribe AGM in September, I prayed long and hard about whether I should step down as president. With so many changes to the executive as well as other key exec members leaving for health related reasons, I felt it right to continue my term until its conclusion in September of 2021. However, I am so very grateful that God saw fit to bring alongside an amazing, skilled, efficient and larger team than we had previously. With these folks in place, I foresee a gradual stepping back from the extra duties I usually take on and plan to let the team carry the load. I know that this organization is in good hands. 

I am also looking to pass on the torch as moderator of this blog. If anyone feels the call to take it up, please contact me.  

As God continues to give me clarity about what I am to be doing right now in this stage of my life, I cannot continue to look back and long for how it used to be. I do believe I have more books to write, grandchildren to snuggle, people to encourage, and interceding to do, but perhaps not at the same pace. 

I know that God has perfect vision for the future and that He has a plan and a purpose, both for me and this organization.

Tracy Krauss is serving as InScribe's president. She lives in Tumbler Ridge, BC where she continues to write - and get in as many snuggles as possible.

tracykrauss.com

To See The Uncharted - Denise M. Ford

These thoughts come to mind as I mull over the idea of this month’s blog theme,

Uncharted Territory…

To open my eyes and see,

To clear my vision to interpret,

To know the meaning of another person’s gaze,

To trust the message within a shared look.

I open the door this morning to peer through the darkness to allow my field of vision to settle on the silhouettes of the spruce boughs.  Their branches are slowly brushing against each other, untangling themselves beneath the dawning light.  I struggle to bring the details into view, to see the dark green outlines forming before me, to bring meaning to their beauty.  In my mind I hear, 

“Come, come discover today, see what is uncharted yet set before you.”

The past few days have broadened my perception and my concept of how I might interpret this theme. Some personal interactions have given me the opportunity to witness how I can see and make sense of personal uncharted territories.  The way the spruce boughs revealed themselves to me this morning reminded me to consider these moments.

On Saturday, while babysitting my grandson, I marvelled at his interpretation of his world.  At nearly 9 months old he has mastered the quick pivoting head move to assure himself that his mommy or his daddy still remains in his line of vision.  When suddenly he becomes aware of their absence his ability to enjoy his surroundings disintegrates into fearful anxiety.  He cries as he loses sight of them.  His uncharted territory appears before him: Nana and Pop-pop staring back at him instead of mommy and daddy.  His eyes reflect his fear and his confusion. In my mind I hear his unspoken questions,

“Where am I?  Why did they leave me?  Am I alone?” 

On Sunday, while walking hand-in-hand with my granddaughter at the local ski hill, we pass an elderly gentleman.  His eyes look wildly about as he grabs the arm of his companion to steady himself.  The man is obviously in an unfamiliar setting, stepping onto a snowy path, the sun casting a harsh glare directly into his eyes.  His wild gaze clearly means he can’t see beyond his precarious position.  His uncharted territory appears like a vast wilderness oppressing and paralyzing him.  In my mind I hear his silent screams,

“Where should I go? Can you take me away from here!” 

On Monday, I spend the afternoon reading to pairs of first graders at the local elementary school.  I meet them at their classrooms, and we chat as we walk to the small reading room.  I try to look directly at them so they can see my genuine interest in what they tell me.  “I was hoping I would see you today,” one young boy says to me.  He runs ahead and when I arrive, I see him sitting at the reading table with his head tilted up toward me.  His eyes look up eagerly to connect with mine.  In my mind I hear an innocent yet mischievous message,

“I’m ready, let’s have some fun!”

Sometimes our eyes allow us to gradually see what might be possible as a new day unfolds before us.  Sometimes our ideas of how we see ourselves in a certain time and place form exaggerated feelings and we react fearfully and uncontrollably.  Sometimes we find ourselves directly engaged in seeing and understanding a message that is sent within a shared look.  To see and to perceive becomes our new uncharted territory.  To ask ourselves,

“What is it that I am seeing?” “Can I face it without fear?” 
“Can I sort through the confusion?” “Can I trust the situation?”

I am currently in a program of vision therapy to improve the way my eyes track and focus.  The goal of one exercise is to correct the choppy motion of my eyes as they try to focus on an object as it moves from point to point.  In order to reassure myself as I do this exercise, I have placed a picture of the face of Jesus on one end of a popsicle stick to use as my focal object.  I find it fascinating to look into the eyes of Jesus, to follow Him, to earnestly train my line of vision on His eyes. As I finish, I usually spend a bit of time simply relaxing and gazing into Jesus’ eyes.  Sometimes I hear those same questions that came to mind over the past few days:

“Where am I?  Am I alone?  Why did you leave me here? 
Where should I go? Can you take me away from here?”

But if I allow myself to settle into the line of vision of Jesus’ eyes, I am reminded of the words I heard this morning as the spruce boughs formed their outlines before me,

“Come, come discover today, see what is uncharted yet set before you.” 

As I look up to Him, I silently state my promise,

“I am ready to have some fun!”

I pray for each of us to open our doors to uncharted territory so we can find and see ourselves in new and exciting spaces!!

As a post note: As I am typing this my daughter-in-law sends me a text to let me know that her first attempt at adult swim class was a success.  However, the goggles she bought to use didn’t work like she had hoped.  While her vision may have been slightly impeded by the pool water, she conquered her childhood fear and managed to discover in her own words, “a safe space for me to relearn what I already knew, so I didn’t feel overwhelmed.”  I wish I could tape one of my Jesus stickers to a new pair of goggles and let her use it under the water!!