Shirley's Corner - View From the Seventh Floor

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My husband, Jerry, and I live on the seventh floor of Calvary Towers, a senior apartment complex. Our building is across the street from a banquet facility that is being renovated. The outside of this area is in the process of being painted, having a new picket fence constructed and all new sod, flowers and parking refurbished. As Jerry and I have come in and gone out of "The Towers", we have admired all the changes being made daily across the street--very impressive changes.

One afternoon this week, my neighbor across the hall, who's apartment overlooks the remodeling, invited me over. As I looked at the banquet facility from her window, I was astounded...We had only observed the building and grounds from our car, therefore, we only had an eye level view of the structure. However, the view from her seventh floor window allowed me to see a gorgeous courtyard complete with brick pavers, a garden full of brightly colored flowers and several structures completely hidden from the street. I quickly realized I hadn't seen the half of this beautiful place until I saw it from this higher viewpoint.

Things that were obscured before were perfectly and completely visible from this higher vantage point.

As I have considered this view from the seventh floor versus the ground level view, I realize how different things look according to your perspective. We are gifted with life one day at a time, some great days and some days not so great. We never see the whole picture at one time, never able to see the end product because in our lives demolition and reconstruction never stop. Our Master Contractor is the only One with the blueprints; He is the only One Who calls forth the workers to complete His design, some to tear down and others to build up, some to uproot and some to plant, but all according to His divine plan.

Over the years I have experienced a reoccurring dream. In this dream I am in my house (not always the same house, but never the less, my house) and as I am living there, I discover a room I never knew existed. The room is always empty, but immediately I find myself trying to imagine how this room can be used. I could come up with a lot of spiritual interpretations for this dream, but honestly I don't really know why I dream this dream repeatedly or if it means anything at all. Yet, in my life I know He is not finished building, because He is still giving me life, one day at a time, adding and taking away. Sometimes I understand and can envision where the plans are taking me and sometimes I can't.

One day, in the near future, He will declare, "It is finished. Come up and see what it looks like from My perspective." At that point, I will see what He sees and declare with Him, "It is beautiful, Lord! I wouldn't change a thing."

Something beautiful, something good
All my confusion He understood
All I had to offer Him was brokenness and strife
But He made something beautiful of my life
lyrics by Bill Gaither

Recommended Reading
"Destined For The Throne"
Paul E. Billheimer

With love from my chair at The Harvest Table,

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(Photo Credit: www.secretgardens.com.au)

2 Comments

Shirley you really describe godly perspective. Clinging to the hope of the higher view when we are in the midst of the remodeling dust.

Thank you. This adds beautiful perspective to what I am walking through right now. Debi, thank you for capturing Shirley's heart and sharing with us. What a beautiful ministry. I am blessed.

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