An Alternate Reality

These days I often find myself feeling as if I am living in some kind of alternate reality, some Twilight Zone episode, where nothing is as it should be.  There are news stories of a young child being expelled from school for taking bites out of his poptart so that it (supposedly) looked like a gun.  Now seriously, what thinking person believes a child can actually kill somebody with a poptart?  I actually thought it looked more like the state of Idaho.

I read a story of a homeschooling family who is being deported back to Germany.  They are not in this country illegally, yet our government is going to deport them.  Why, you may ask.  Because they choose to homeschool their children for religious reasons.  Like many people I know.  And some you might know.  And they left Germany and came here because homeschooling in Germany is illegal.  But our government will spend its resources deporting them back to Germany where the children will likely be taken away from their parents.  Yet our government does nothing to deport the millions of illegal immigrants that have crossed our borders.  Makes no sense to me.

Tours of the White House have been discontinued.  Supposedly due to budget cuts because of the sequester.  But since the White House tours were run by volunteers, how does that make sense?  Just another instance of the government lying to the people.

You just can't make this stuff up.  At least I couldn't.  Yet all these things, and many more instances just like them, have become part of the fabric of life in these United States.  I am really saddened by what we as a society have become.  And just astonished that we accept all this as normal.  As just the way it is.

On the other hand, there is a sense in which I really do live in an alternate reality.  Because, as the old gospel song says, "This world is not my home, I'm just a-passin' through." 

In this alternate reality, I am continually astonished.....amazed....by the wonders of God.  By His goodness.  By His mercy.  By His blessings.

I am amazed at the way He answers prayer.  I am in awe of how He uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things for His glory. 

Yesterday I read a friend's story of her adoption, and was amazed at how our Sovereign God worked all the pieces of her story together.

I'm amazed when I see how well my mother-in-law is doing these days.  Just a few months ago her Alzheimer's was so bad that she had to be placed in a memory care facility.  She was in very bad condition.  These days she is doing so much better.  She is no longer aggressive  or incoherent.  I can't explain it.  Yes, she still has Alzheimer's.  But she is so much better than she was, and God gets all the credit for that!

As I look out the window on this snowy morning and see the wintry scene before me, I'm amazed at the beauty of these snow-covered mountains.  In awe of the Artist who painted this scene.

I'm in awe of the way God answers prayer. Over and over, in the lives of others and in my own life as well, God has provided just what we needed, just when we needed it.   I continue to be amazed.  And it's all part of the "alternate reality" that is my life.

You dance over me while I am unaware;
You sing all around but I never hear the sound.
Lord I'm amazed by You,
Lord I'm amazed by You,
Lord I'm amazed by You,
And how You love me.

You paint the morning sky with miracles in mind.
My hope will always stand
For You hold me in Your hand.
Lord I'm amazed by You,
Lord I'm amazed by You,
Lord I'm amazed by You,
And how You love me.

How deep, how wide,
How great is Your love for me.

(-Amazed by Jared Anderson)