Love lifts the head, surveys the scene, beholds a higher perspective

by Craig on November 30, 2010

When she said “Look up. Just look up. Fly.”  The sky unfurled, I could see everything, and I could fly.

First I want to thank Melissa @ Sweet Water Blue Sky for inspiring this post with her words.

We walked around the plane, checking this, shaking that, it seemed a little too meticulous to me at the time. Not so when we were airborne. There’s a confidence born from a firm foundation.

Then we climbed in. A 747 it was not.

There was more pre-flight checking, communication with the tower, and then we were in the air. I noticed how little separated me from that air. It was unsettling being that close to the sky. It was a little scary, but there was comfort in knowing the pilot.

There is comfort in knowing the pilot.

She explained the guages. Fascinating.

She told me to hang on,

and then we flew straight up into the blue,

the engine shuddered,

I was all manly and unafraid was terrified that she would so such a thing!

Then she calmly leveled off. The engine sounded relieved. It wasn’t alone

She smiled, and I acknowledged her fiendish, sarcastic, sadistic kind sentiment with a smile of my own.

Then she dropped us off the table.  A roller coaster without tracks. My stomach, which was  left behind at the beginning of the climb, was reunited with me on the way down. The pilot was good – confident when I was shaky, knowing things I didn’t, knowing limits, knowing the wind, knowing the sky.

There is assurance built up

when the pilot knows secret things.

Then she said, “Take the wheel”. Casually – like she was offering me a bagel. I had never tasted this kind of bagel and so I was leery. I said no thanks to the bagel. But she told me the bagel was delicious, luscious, and satisfying. She sounded a little like a rather suspicious character from the Book of Genesis. You know the one. She told me I’d be fine. She told me she could take over. She told me she wouldn’t let me crash …

… her precious plane.

I took over.

And those gauges, the ones she explained to me. The ones right in front of me. The dials that told me stuff.

That little airplane between the lines that told me I was level.

The altitude thing that said I was safe.

The speed thing that assured me I would stay safe.

I focused on those gauges as if they were brilliantly flawless diamonds scattered on black velvet.

It wasn’t really that fun though.

Then she said, “Look up, just look up. Fly.”

And it was stunning. The blue sky blazed with a hue I’d never seen before. Freedom to wander that sky. Left. Right. Up. Down. I didn’t need the the little airplane gauge to tell me I was level. I could feel it. I was flying. She was right about the bagel.

And the higher perspective? It was breathtaking…

 

Love lifts the head,

surveys the scene,

and beholds a higher perspective.


Today’s love tell me that I can’t just see things the way they look.

There is spirit all around the material. There are more angels then demons and God above all.

A higher perspective sees what is hidden behind the veil. If only I could stay at that altitude. I would see pain as method. I could see failure as stepping stone. I could see sadness as sharing suffering with Our Lord. But I always land too soon and see only what my earthly eyes can witness.

Today is the the day to see with better eyes. Discerning what God would have me see, and viewing things the way he would.  Today is the day for looking beyond the obvious to the hidden details. To see hearts behind words. To see pattern in chaos. To see the subtle beauty God is weaving in this meshwork of life.

I pray today that you would join me. That you would lift your head. See with better eyes. Behold a higher perspective.

In God’s love.

{ 21 comments… read them below or add one }

Anonymuss November 30, 2010 at 1:33 am

Love lifts the head,
surveys the scene,
and beholds a higher perspective.

Craig, that is so beautiful! i needed to hear this. also, ‘to see hearts behind words’. what a gift to give to those who i encounter…and it is helping me now as i am in the midst of writing important letters to people close to my life…(yes, smack in the middle of the night…i, too, have had completely atypical, dysfunctional sleep now for a number of years. i can’t imagine what it must be like to drop off and have sound sleep for an entire 7 or 8 hours! maybe someday…)

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Craig November 30, 2010 at 1:14 pm

the writing the letters thing – I’d be honored to pray for those – they sound important. Since you may not see this response – I’m going to go ahead and pray anyway. I’ll ask God to allow a take back on the prayers if you say no 🙂

And the sleep thing – get to the cause of it soon, it might be a simple thing – it’s been 14 years since I last slept through the night, restfully, so I get it – mine seems to have no cure, legions have tried, but you should get some sleep people looking at you – sorry for the unsolicited advice – it’s just that I know how much life ‘not sleeping’ can steal. It’s hard to live 100% when your body is only capable of giving you 50% or less because it didn’t get rest.

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Anonymuss November 30, 2010 at 4:58 pm

Craig, thank you for the letter prayers. those are very much appreciated. i wrote the letters last night and have been reviewing them in the light of today before i mail them. you do not need to ask God to give the prayers back…:)

sleep-yes, am doing several things i have been told i need to do/take, etc; the hardest is dealing with stressors, especially when i have little or no control over some of them. have to learn to adjust how i view or respond to them. your articles have been very helpful in some of this though this is a longish haul recovery rather than an overnight fix. it is truly remarkable how much excess or improperly addressed stress can mess with our lives. in weird ways, too. medically, physically, etc. i know i am likely preaching to a weary and tired choir person. lack of proper sleep is like having a perpetual hole in the gas tank, isn’t it? or an obstacle under the accelerator pedal, etc.

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Craig November 30, 2010 at 6:00 pm

yup – and it’s invisible – glad I don’t have to take the prayers back – it was fun praying

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Nacole@sixinthesticks August 31, 2011 at 11:39 pm

this is unsolicited advice as well ;), but i also have had insomnia for the past four years, and its devastating to a mama of 4. you can try melantonin–its a natural supplement–its already in your body naturally but some people don’t make enough of it–i take it every night, and it helps so much–timed release so that i fall asleep and stay asleep. i also drink a glass of wine at bedtime and read my bible and it calms and soothes me–relaxes my mind and body so i can sleep. hope this may be helpful for you. peaceful dreams.

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Debbie November 30, 2010 at 1:53 am

Thinking of how Love looks at me and doesn’t see the same things I do. That lovely grace helps me to look further, higher, behind what I think I see and find Him in others and in every situation. This was so good, Craig. His love is certainly displayed in and through you! blessings, hope and joy! deb

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Craig November 30, 2010 at 1:18 pm

Same to you my friend. I’ve found love written all through your words.

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bill (cycleguy) November 30, 2010 at 6:07 am

Great thought today Craig. What a great perspective we get when we begin to see things from another view point. Imagine this being God’s view of the world our world. He sees all while we see only little glimpses.

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Craig November 30, 2010 at 1:21 pm

Thanks for saying that Bill, you’ve probably preached about it many times. I bet you’ve thought about it from a million real life angles. A blessing to see your little cartoon Bill here today. Thanks for riding by.

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Eryn {mamahall} November 30, 2010 at 6:27 am

beautiful moments. beautifully felt. beautifully recaptured. beautifully written. “open the eyes of my heart, Lord.”

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Craig November 30, 2010 at 1:23 pm

Eryn

I’m blessed, really blessed that you visited. And your words warm my heart. Thank you. Keeping the head up and eyes open is the thing isn’t it? God Bless You.

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Sharon November 30, 2010 at 7:48 am

Thank you. I needed to be reminded of my perspective and keeping it focused in the right direction, on the right things. Phil. 4:8 I focus on the negative far too often. Thanks for reminding that there are more angels than demons and GOD IS OVER ALL.

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Craig November 30, 2010 at 1:45 pm

Sharon, Philippians is my favorite NT church, Paul’s favorite too, they were an Urban church, about 100 of them – and good people. (research dork)

And there are more angels – 2 against every one – and thank you for making me look this up – Scripture all fits together and I love hopping down these bunny trails.

Is 14:12: How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations!

Rev 9:1 and I saw a star that had fallen from the sky to the earth. The star was given the key to the shaft of the Abyss.

Rev.12:4 …swept away a third of the stars in the sky and hurled them down to the earth.

There are more verses about this but there’s the gist – 1/3 bad angels – 2/3 good – and GOD IS OVER ALL.

Bless you Sharon

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Linda Kruschke November 30, 2010 at 6:50 pm

Craig, It seems not to fit with the rest of the post, and yet the line that meant the most to me today was this: “There are more angels then demons and God above all.” There is more love than hate and God above all. There is more good than evil and God above all. There are more who believe than refuse to believe and God above all. I needed that reminder today. Thanks. Peace and Merry Christmas, Linda

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Craig November 30, 2010 at 7:25 pm

When I was in Seminary they taught the classic three point sermon – I always liked the 100 point sermons myself – just spread around God’s stuff and let the Spirit deposit it where he may.

And God above all Linda

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Duane Scott August 31, 2011 at 8:28 am

You are officially cool.

I want to learn how to fly. 🙂

“Love lifts the head,
surveys the scene,
and beholds a higher perspective”

Wow. Love it.

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Craig August 31, 2011 at 11:01 am

not really so cool Duane, but thank you. I think the hardest part of flying must be landing, taking off, and dealing with in the air problems. I had to do none of that. I thought it would be really hard to fly – but in the air, at least for the small plane, it was as easy as looking, and steering, and pulling back, and pushing forward. And I had a pilot right next to me who knew what to do just in case. So the the experience was cool, and the lesson was cool – I’m not really that cool. But thanks. God bless and keep you.

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Elizabeth August 31, 2011 at 10:25 am

Beautiful!!!

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Craig September 1, 2011 at 2:34 pm

Elizabeth, sorry I’m late on the reply – but somehow your comment got caught in my spam catcher – and I rescued you – but not until today. Thank you very much – really, thank you. And God bless and keep you.

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Nacole@sixinthesticks August 31, 2011 at 11:46 pm

i always read your’s first–not sure why–must have something to do with the fact that you are such a great writer, i always know a great story awaits me, and i will be uplifted.

loved this: “a higher perspective sees what is hidden behind the veil.” i want God to completely unveil me. i know He sees the real me (highjacked from a Natalie Grant song).

love that there are 1/3 bad angels and 2/3 good angels and GOD IS OVER ALL!!! thank you so much for writing this, so that i could be reminded of this today… you couldn’t know how i needed this today–i am in the midst of a serious battle with Satan as we speak…i needed this today.

blessings,

Nacole

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Craig September 1, 2011 at 2:38 pm

first of all, Nacole, I’m humbled, and thankful – for you. And I heart that about Angels too – they outnumber the demons – and I get the feeling they’re bigger, and stronger, and definitely cooperate with each other better – I don’t think demons to the team thing very well – always fighting and scraping with each other – the classic book by CS Lewis – The Screwtape Letters – if you’ve never read it – it’s a small book – and it will give you insight – lots – promise! Insight for any battle you might have against Satan. Blessings to you Nicole – I know that you – YOU are a blessing to me.

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