Where There's Smoke, There's Fire!

Okay, so in case you haven't heard, it's forest fire season! Georgia and Northern Florida has been hit hard, and we are seeing the smoke here in St. Pete Beach! This morning, our sky was clear and blue, and by lunchtime it was completely covered with a smokey haze. The haze was so thick that visibility was reduced and breathing was difficult! This was definitely not a beach day. We did make it to the beach this evening to watch the sunset after the haze had cleared a little bit, but it still wasn't that great. The sun set about three quarters of the way to the water instead of disappearing behind the ocean. It was still pretty, though, and nice to just be outside. The weatherman said tonight that the smoke should clear up by tomorrow afternoon, so hopefully, we will be able to go back to the beach then.

I did my devotions out by the pool tonight. I think being in a nice, relaxing atmosphere increases my learning. Here's some of The Message's Ephesians 1. May it encourage you as much as it did me!

Long before He laid down earth's foundations, He had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of His love, to be made whole and holy by His love. Long, long ago He decided to adopt us into His family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure He took in planning this!) He wanted us to enter into the celebration of His lavish gift-giving by the hand of His beloved Son.

Because of the sacrifice of the Messiah, His blood poured out on the altar of the Cross, we're a free people - free of penalties and punishments chalked up by all our misdeeds. And not just barely free, either. Abundantly free! He thought of everything, provided for everything we could possibly need, letting us in on the plans He took such delight in making. He set it all out before us in Christ, a long-range plan in which everything would be brought together and summed up in Him, everything in deepest heaven, everything on planet earth.

It's in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, He had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose He is working out in everything and everyone.