Eye Exam

Last Sunday we sang one of my favorite hymns of all time.

Be Thou My Vision a tradition Irish hymn that I have loved since I was a teenager.


As a person who wears glasses (not just wears them, but desperately NEEDS them-I have incredibly poor eyesight), they are the first thing I reach for when I get up.

Whether, it's up for the day or a kiddo crying out in the wee hours or quick trip to the bathroom in the middle of the night. I grab my glasses first.

 Habit because of necessity .

I don't like that feeling of everything being blurry -not quite able to make out the objects around me.

Now, I can if I must. .. but it certainly does make wherever I am headed a much longer journey and much harder to get there.


With all the tragedies of last week, it  feels sometimes like our vision can get a little off.

Our focus all out of whack.

First one thing, and then another and pretty soon we are walking around without our Holy Glasses, unable to make out what is coming our way.

But, it's not just National tragedies, it can be personal tragedies-I know so many people going through those right now. . .where it would be so easy to fix our eyes on our problems not on our hope.

What about parenting? Boy, is that easy to get my vision all mixed up!?!

We had an issue come  up with our 14 year old this weekend. He was invited to do something with a group of friends that we had to say no too.
Oh, that was a hard one.

Lots of questions why, lots of feeling left out of the group.

( I don't care who you are, it's no fun feeling left out of a group-those feelings are so normal-ESPECIALLY at 14!)


But, as we talked with him, we talked about the 'vision' God has for our hearts and  our minds and how it's our job to guard them.
That sometimes, that means needing to make the hard choice, even when it feels like everyone else is going with the flow.

And after lots of conversation and prayer, he handle it so well and understood and we are so proud of him.

But, what about those times when they don't understand? Do we cave to the tears, anger, peer pressure?
Do we use the tired phrase, "It's not worth the fight!"?

Or do we keep on those Holy Glasses, pray for clear vision of what God wants for our lives, for our children's lives, then follow through when He gives it to us?

Or those are hard, hard things, aren't they?


I certainly don't always do it correctly.

In watching the news of the week unfold, as the tears flow it is sometimes hard to keep my vision on the Maker of the World and not the makers of the news.

What about you? Have you had your vision checked recently by the one who gave us sight?
Is your vision, His vision?

I pray mine is. . .

Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art.
Thou my best Thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.

Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word;
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.

Be Thou my battle Shield, Sword for the fight;
Be Thou my Dignity, Thou my Delight;
Thou my soul’s Shelter, Thou my high Tower:
Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my power.

Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.

High King of Heaven, my victory won,
May I reach Heaven’s joys, O bright Heaven’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.

I love that last line, "Heart of my own heart, whatever befall, still be Vision, O Ruler of all".

May we truly walk in His vision for us today!

Blessings,