From the Outside

I love this view!

It is one of my favorite places in the entire world.

This picture was snapped from my backyard in the rain while my girls decorated Easter eggs.

(When Lacey told them that they were going to decorate Easter eggs, Ellie Grace said, "I'm not an expert like the Easter Bunny, but I'll try!" Those sweet words have nothing to do with this post, but since she melted my heart they are worth sharing.)

I see this view a lot when I take my manly maltipoo outside for her to do her business. I love gazing at my family from the outside with them unaware. (Sound a bit creepy? At least I stopped looking in my neighbors' windows...)

I spend a lot of time on the inside. The inside is where I live. I'm familiar with it. We spend a lot of time laughing, playing, dancing, singing, crying, fighting, arguing, making up, hugging, tickling, working, and every other -ing you can imagine. Unfortunately, what happens on the inside becomes rather routine.

But standing outside in the dark and watching them through a window becomes a sacred moment.

In those moments my focus is solely on them. These moments gives me a clearer understanding of how blessed I am and of who they are. Standing on the outside looking in magnifies that truth. During these moments, I can't wait to get back inside to my girls to hug and kiss them.

It's strange how standing on the outside for a moment can change a perspective so much.

As Christians, we spend so much time on the "inside." It is easy to take our faith for granted. If one isn't careful, living life in the truth of Christ becomes routine. It loses its power. It becomes just another part of life. But you already know that. You've felt that before. You might even be there now.

That's why this week is so important.

It's an opportunity to take a look from the outside of your typical experiences that you have the other 51 weeks of the year. It's an opportunity to step outside. You can break from the norm and focus not on yourself, but rather on Jesus' purpose for coming here. Looking at Jesus from the outside can realign our life with Jesus.

The scripture below is from the Common Lectionary for Holy Week. The intent is to prepare your mind and heart for Easter and they solely focus on Christ. Today's reading:

• Isaiah 49:1-7,
• Psalm 71:1-14,
• 1 Corinthians 1:18-31,
• and John 12:20-36.