Brenda’s Blog – October 17, 2023
“Principles never change – just the illustrations.”
My Dad viewed all of life through the perspective of life principles. He knew fundamentals were timeless, and yet timely. When I read his writings through his life I quickly saw his foundational values were fixed by his twenties. The way he illustrated them did change as language and cultural experiences morphed. But he did stay current to most effectively communicate the lessons.
Growing up under his influence I, too, filter everyday happenings digging for principles. Years ago I started calling the practice: “That’ll preach!” It has become a most enjoyable way of looking at life. Because I travel many miles alone I have great opportunities to intentionally look for ideas.
My children grew up enduring their Mom’s “life lessons” and encouragement to “feed their souls.” As they have grown up they are able to laugh about these activities. However, it hasn’t always been that way. During his sophomore year of high school, my son Jeff was involved in a serious car accident as passenger. His pelvis was broken and he was out of school for months as he recovered. As soon as I received the call, office friends drove me immediately to the hospital. I walked into the ER and saw my badly injured son. I opened my mouth to say “I love you.” My son looked up at me with weak eyes and said, “Mom, no life lessons, please.” Actually, I wasn’t seeing his situation as content for one, but he knew everything I saw eventually made its way into a principle-based expression. No blogs in those days, but early collection of illustration material, right?
Looking for God’s messages really does bring energy and vitality to ordinary days. Analyzing life conditions and finding the spiritual principles keep us mentally astute, as well as sharpening our appreciation for our ever present God. He doesn’t hide – He doesn’t run from us… NO, He is everywhere to be found.