Psalm 84

          Amazing, wonderful God filled place

84:1 How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD of hosts!

84:2 My soul longs, indeed it faints for the courts of the LORD; my heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God.
84:3 Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at your altars, O LORD of hosts, my King and my God.

84:4 Happy are those who live in your house, ever singing your praise. Selah

84:5 Happy are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion.

84:6 As they go through the valley of Baca they make it a place of springs; the early rain also covers it with pools.

84:7 They go from strength to strength; the God of gods will be seen in Zion.

84:8 O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer; give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah

84:9 Behold our shield, O God; look on the face of your anointed.

84:10 For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than live in the tents of wickedness.

84:11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield; he bestows favor and honor. No good thing does the LORD withhold from those who walk uprightly.

84:12 O LORD of hosts, happy is everyone who trusts in you.

       I often speak about setting side time to listen to God. I suppose most people think I mean heading to their house of worship and being in His presence. While I think that's a splendid idea, what I really advocate is standing where you are at any given moment, and taking in your surroundings.  I believe that this is probably better than the first idea. As soon as you leave church one of the first things you do is pick up your armor to battle the parking lot (if you are Catholic). When you take time from your ordinary day, you allow God to be present in the moment, in your routine, in your normal life. What a difference that makes. God is no longer removed to some special location. God is now with you in whatever moment you are in, wherever you happen to be. If you silence yourself and look around you'll see all kinds of God created wonders and sights to awe you. That not only includes the birds, the sun, the stars, the trees, the mountains, a lone flower or countless other gifts of wonder, it includes people - and they are gifts from God as well. Of course you do have o try and be present in that moment.

       When you do what I am suggesting you find yourself in an amazing, wonderful God filled place all the time. It is a wonderful place to live. You may be so joyful that people may actually think you are living on another planet. I think that's just what they may say "what planet are they living on?". What you really are attaining is a quietness of soul, a constant presence of God in your life, a higher plane of existence if you will.

       Yesterday Neil Armstrong died, the first man to step onto the surface of our moon. In  remembrance of him his family asked that you look up at the moon this evening and be persent to the accomplishments of this man and of mankind.  I would suggest the same thing but with the twist of what I just wrote about. Be present to this wonderful world, the beauty, majesty and infiniteness of the heavens above; be present to the gift this man was to us and what he helped show we are capable of if we allow ourselves to all use the gifts God gave us together. Think of the infinite possibilities of life and be tankful and joyful for what we have been given