Thinking On Him

"The more I contemplate God, the more God looks on me. The more I pray to Him, the more He thinks of me too." ~ St Bernard of Clairvaux

This quote really struck me because the saints often talk about we receive from God as much as we hope for. If you don't ask for help, how do you expect to get it? I think we feel when life gets overwhelming that God is less present, but the classic "footprints" poem reminds us that He carries us through those difficult moments. Sometimes the fear and uncertainty don't go away, sometimes we have to do things while we are afraid.

There's a quote from the classic show "Full House" that goes, "if you never try new things, you'll never know what you're missing out on." Do we want to feel comfortable all our life, or fly by the seat of our pants and have adventures? It's so easy to cling to what is familiar and known rather than launch out into the deep. Many people live quiet lives and are content with that. I wish I was one of those people. It's almost like that itch to experience new things is a thorn in your side, but without it who knows what "might not have been" in the words of Chesterton.

I have always liked the end of the Hobbit movies where Thorin tells Bilbo to return to his books, his armchair, and plant his acorn. I love that acorn. It's become my own little icon for adventure, home, and the journey. I love the quote he says about his acorn, "one day it'll grow. And every time I look at it, I'll remember. Remember everything that happened: the good, the bad...and how lucky I am that I made it home."

Let's take our acorns with us, our experiences, our joys, our sorrows, and keep going, always moving forward, and never to forget to enjoy the journey, knowing that the more we keep looking toward God, He keeps looking on us and smiles.