It was a glorious summer morning ~ a day off ~ when I could sleep until after the sun was up! We had moved into the first floor bedroom so that our aging dog, who can't climb steps anymore, could sleep in the bedroom. I arose and looked out the window to see my husband, B2Y, working on the fence to the horse pasture. He was wearing blue jeans, a white T-shirt and a light colored baseball cap. I smiled, thinking how he loves early mornings, and I, who have to get up for work at 4am, do NOT appreciate early mornings. I was going to start my day off in a lazy way, certainly not working outside the way my husband was already doing! Looking forward to my morning coffee, I walked out of the bedroom... and froze.

There, sitting at his desk, was my husband. Wha? Who? WHO'S THAT GUY IN THE BACK YARD?

Hubby leaped up and flew to the window to see who could possibly be in our back yard. "I don't see anyone", he said. I told him he was right out there, at the fence to the horse pasture! I put my glasses on and looked. No one. Hunh? But he was just THERE! Where could he have gone? W... . wait a minute... .

I took off my glasses and looked again ~ voila! There he was! The man in blue jeans, white T-shirt and a baseball cap! Glasses back on, he's a fence post. Glasses off, man reappears.

Feeling rather foolish, but much relieved, we had a chuckle about the man in the backyard. I immediately thought of Elisha and his servant in II Kings when God showed them the spiritual army of chariots protecting them. Elisha's servant was afraid because the Syrian army was surrounding them. Elisha asked God to open his servant's eyes, so that he could see what was REALLY going on.

II Kings 6: 15-17 And when the servant of the man of God was risen early , and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do? And he answered , Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them. And Elisha prayed , and said , LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see . And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw : and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.

I Corinthians 13:12 tells us, For now we see through a glass, darkly ; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

For now we see through a glass darkly ~ no matter how good (or poor) our eyesight is, we can't see what is really going on around us. Sometimes God gives us a glimpse, as He did for Elisha and his servant. But we are all blind, no matter how well (or poorly) we can see ~ we are all blind to the spiritual realities that surround us at all times.

The next time there is an intruder in the backyard ~ whether it be fear, anger, or a man in blue jeans and a T-shirt ~ it might be wise to put those glasses on, spiritual or otherwise, and see what the real story is!