Carmen Horne

New Lens, New Life

Spotlight or Floodlight for Our Hearts

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Have you ever looked at another’s life or circumstance and thought, How could they miss the red flags? How are they so blinded?

We can get so self assured righteous. We tell ourselves that we keep our own hearts in the spotlight. All is light and bright. The thing about a spotlight is…it hits “a” spot. Everything around it is dim, in the shadows, unnoticed. 

If we are not diligent, we can get so accustomed to the darkness within that we don’t notice those deeper places that the spotlight is not hitting. This a dangerous place to be. Jesus issued a dire warning about darkness in our hearts, 

And the judgement is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants.” John 3:19-21 NLT

“Dear friend, if you are afraid of light, be suspicious of yourself, for it is deceit that dreads detection.” Charles Spurgeon

A good question to ask ourselves – Is there any area of my life that I dread light? 

Oh, but there is good news – “He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” Colossians 1:13-14 ESV 

 




The Imprint of God on Our Lives

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Doesn’t it seem that beginning the year – January – is the time to make some changes? January for the year is kinda like Mondays for diets. It just seems the logical time to start over. My family (and my church family) are smack dab in the middle of prayer and fasting. The month of January has been dedicated to seeking God in a deeper way. 

I am fasting bread and sweets (sugar). I do adore that duo. And, it shows. I’m heavier than I need to be and my cholesterol levels are sitting on the border fence. Carmen, change before you have too, please.

On the silly side of life I’ve been watching this eagle family, live. I met Harriet, M15, and E9 (eaglet) on new year’s eve. As I watched E9 peck on the shell, I became invested. I’m starting to feel like a godmother.

Southwest Florida Eagle Cam – Dick Pritchett Real Estate

I’m not obsessed, but I do feel the need to check in on the fam every morning and evening. Whoever thought the eagle cam would come up in my google search, first, each day.

Harriet is a bit bossy. She is the older of the couple and she wants things her way. M15 brings a stick for the nest, Harriet moves it. He eats a little too much, she takes it and gives it to the baby. He wants to brood on a cold, windy night when momma wants to settle down – she nudges convincingly and he gets the message. One thing is apparent in all the nest shenanigans is that E9 (and an unhatched egg that is not viable) is the priority. 

I’ve read Deuteronomy 32:11 many times, I can give Harriet and M15 credit for helping me see this aspect of God’s care more vividly and personally, “Like an eagle that stirs up its nest, that flutters over its young, spreading out its wings, catching them, bearing them on its pinions,”.

The more I watch this family, the more I appreciate God’s as The Creator. He imprinted within their DNA everything they need to survive. Goodness, not just survive, thrive! Over and over the moderators of the forum remind the viewers, “It’s the eagle way.” 

Did God imprint those kind of things within our DNA too? Biologically, we don’t have to look any farther than conception and birth to see the evidence of that. More than that, He has imprinted within our souls the desire to know and worship Him. In that knowing, we have abundant life available to us. We have more than mere survival given to us, “…I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance [to the full, till it overflows]. (John 10:10, AMP)