24/7 Surveillance

Photo by; imagerymajestic

I was on a walk with my children in a little village. I felt like someone was watching us. We looked around. Lo and behold, a man in a house not close to the road was looking straight at us through binoculars!

There’s a lady who lives across from our church. She pretty much keeps tabs on us from her window.

Today, most cities have closed-circuit cameras, other cameras monitoring highways, and cameras in stores. (Have you ever stopped in a public place and looked around? Smile!)

There’s a good chance someone is watching as you shop for groceries, pick Junior up from school, walk down the street with your girlfriend, park your car, and visit a relative in the hospital.

We’re getting used to it.

Some people couldn’t care less. Others grasp signs and protest the lack of privacy. Edward Snowden made himself famous by exposing surveillance.

We’re being watched . . . all the time.

God sees us, wherever we are:

• And she (Hagar) called the name of the LORD that spake unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me? (Genesis 16:13)
• The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry (Psalm 34:15; 1 Peter 3:12).
• Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee. For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb . . . How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee (Psalm 139:7-13, 17-18).

God knows our thoughts and understands our hearts:

• I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee (Job 42:2).
• Lord, all my desire is before thee; and my groaning is not hid from thee (Psalm 38:9).
• But, O LORD of hosts, that triest the righteous, and seest the reins and the heart. . . . (Jeremiah 20:12a).

God sees and evaluates our actions:

• O God, thou knowest my foolishness; and my sins are not hid from thee (Psalm 69:5).
• For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, and he pondereth all his goings (Proverbs 5:21).
• The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good (Proverbs 15:3).
• Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do (Hebrews 4:13).

And so, we’re accountable to the One Who has all authority, our Great God.

• Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting (Psalm 139:23-24).
• Who can understand his errors? Cleanse thou me from secret faults (Psalm 19:12).
• If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).

God watches over us, because He cares for us:

• The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them (Psalm 34:7).
• But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows. . . . And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you. Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom (Luke 12:7, 29-32).

God wants to bless us:

The LORD bless thee, and keep thee:

The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:

The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.

(Numbers 6:24-26)

24/7 Surveillance? Yes!

What a blessing! 

Fashion Observations

Photo by: Serge Bertasius Photography

I saw an old family picture the other day—not ours, but it might as well have been. The mother was wearing perfectly permed big hair, the father was in a suit, the little girl wore a wide, white collared dress and the boy a "little man suit." It made me smile, because we have our own family pictures in wide, white collars.

Speaking of things around necks . . . there’s always something around the neck.

When I was in college, it was bows. We had big, tied bows on blouses and dresses. There was an art to tying them just right. I wore them under suits and jumpers. I even wore one for my engagement picture! Bozo the Clown—but we didn’t know it.

Then, there were turtlenecks and cowl necks. Now, I’ll admit I like them both. Anything with a graceful high profile covers a multitude of evils. For the mature lady, they were a blessing. After being face-lifted, with a high neck, no one would ever guess her age—unless they looked at her hands. (Gloves, anybody?)

In the early 2000s came lots of flashy, fun jewelry. Necklaces got longer again, and more colorful. So did earrings. Wear anything with this jewelry, and it looks new and vibrant. Turquoise, silver, natural stones, crazy colors together . . . . It was the beginning of chandelier earrings and tasseled necklaces.

A couple of years ago, it was out with the necklaces and cover-up time again—literally! Long things are wrapped around the neck. We used to call them mufflers and wear them only if living in Minnesota in the wintertime or going sledding in Pennsylvania. The muffler went mainstream and got a new name: scarf. (Not a new name actually, but re-named.) Long scarves are wound around the neck in many different ways. There are knots and weaves and wraps galore. If you don't know how to do yours, you can watch You Tube tutorials! The infinity scarf is a ring of material that makes it easy. Just pop it over the head and dash out the door all color-coordinated and put together! I marvel at young women who can cook without singeing their scarves and eat without collecting food in them. Amazing!

Now that everyone has spent a small fortune on neck rags, we arrive at the 2014 statement necklace. No, you can’t wear the Bohemian necklaces you bought in the beginning of the millennium. Your necklace has to say something! It’s big, much bigger in front than around the back of the neck. Think color, large “beads,” and arranged so that it makes an upside down triangle or a crescent in front of you. The thing I’ve noticed with the new statement necklaces is that many of them look exactly the same or very similar. What kind of an individual statement is that? Hmmmm . . . . Some look like the things my grandmother used to wear. Seriously? Gonna go looking for some big, blue faux pearls in three strands . . . .

I laugh.

Fashion.

The trendsetters laugh as they trot off to their banks singing, “We got them to buy into this, again!”

My advice?

• If you’re young, keep your Bohemian stuff. It will be cool in about thirty years, and then you can sell it as “vintage” or wear it yourself.
• Throw away your infinity scarves and your chevron clothing—not yet, but soon. The scarves will not be cool again in your lifetime. If you have a regular scarf, hold onto it. It will be worn in a different way in a few years. Chevron was very “in” when my husband and I honeymooned thirty-six years ago, so it will come back in another thirty to thirty-five. Unless you’re quite young, in a couple of years, forget chevrons.
• Wear your statement jewelry now. You are cooler than cool, even if all your friends have the exact same necklace. Keep the turtlenecks, cowl necks, and the smaller bows. They are “in” again. 

Prepare for the next “new” fad. (Remember, your grandma wore it first!)

The thing that hath been,

it is that which shall be;

and that which is done is that which shall be done:

and there is no new thing under the sun.

(Ecclesiastes 1:9)

I predict chokers in the not-so-distant future. It's been forty years. See if I'm right or wrong! What do you think the next neck ornament will be?