Seeing clearly...
  Today I took Connor to the eye doctor.  Everything looks wonderful!  I did have one question for the eye man :) No matter how much I work with Connor he just dosent seem to understand colors.  While playing a game like Candy Land or UNO he does very well matching colors.  When I test him randomly by saying "Connor can you find the blue one?"  He may get the right one or you may pick yellow, green and red first.  It is very frustrating.  To me and him!  So with one little 30 second test Dr Jensen said well, yes Colleen, he  has a problem with greens and reds.
  Well, that isnt really what I wanted to hear.  I want him to see colors clearly.  Colors add so much to life.  Color is something that we, the ones of us that can see them, take for granted.  Why can I see all colors but Connor can't?
  Well this all lead me down  a slightly deeper thought path.  Where in my life and I "color deficient"? We all have our struggles.  We all have a weak area in our life that we choose to gloss over.  I call those a "pet sins".  I may not see them.  Not that I wouldnt know that they are there but I have lived with them for so long that they are just something I am used to.  Have they always been there?  I dont know.  Do you have one?  Or a few? What would they be?
  Someone on the outside can look at me and see very clearly where or what mine is but my "color deficient" spiritual eyes cant seem to pick it up.  I have made the changes in my life that make it ok for my little "pet sin" to stay and not cause problems.  It isnt hurting anyone else.  It is something I can keep to myself.  No one will know.
  The problem is, I am a child of the King.  The princess has no secrets.  The King knows all.  Sees all.  Expects that we give all.  That means that we can't just give him the part of ourselves that we deem worthy.  He wants all of us.  Our mind, out heart, our hurts, our dreams, our passions, our thoughts.  He want to make sure that they align with all that he has for us.
  Why are we so quick to hide everything?  Do we really think that God isnt seeing those things?  He knows us better than we know ourselves...right?
  What is it that we are afraid of? Sacrifice?
  You know, God has never asked us to step out in faith where he wasnt willing to go also.  He walked the path of loss.
  God loved me so much to asked his only son to leave heaven.  God sent him to earth.  He asked him to live like a human.  Then he asked him to give his life on earth so that I can live for eternity.  Not only me but all mankind.  What a wonderful father.
  Then look at Jesus.  Talk about a man that could feel rejected.  Imagine you are in heaven, and your dad says,"Hey, I need you to go to earth.  It is going to be really hard.  People are going to be so mean to you.  They are going to spit on you. Lie about you.  Use you.  Beat you up.  In the end you will hang on a cross and they will crucify you.  You will suffer, A LOT!  I need you to do this for the human race.  So that they can come spend eternity with me"
  Jesus is amazing. He not only came and did all that BUT he did it with a happy heart.  He wanted to die for us.  He not only willing came and died but he begged God to forgive his murderers.  "Forgive them father, for they know not what they do."
  So can I clean out my spiritual closets?  God is challenging me.  How about you? Can you give him your burdens?  You pain? Shame? Pride? Self hatred? Can you lay it all at the feet of Jesus and in return let him fill you with truth.  He will replace all that old crap for his new mercies each day.  Fruits of his spirit!  Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self Control.
  Are we willing to trade in our tired old color blind eyes for ones that see crystal clear?  Can we renew our lives and let Jesus heal parts of us we never wanted to admit where there?