devil eye retinas

Sunset, just getting started to really blaze.

That moment right before the sun heads over to China.

I took those pictures a few weeks ago.
The sunset was so amazingly spectacular that night, I couldn't stand it.
I love the sunsets and sunrises lately. I like the clouds too. And the stars. And the moon. And whatever else is in the sky... satellites (Emma thinks they're shooting stars), airplanes (Lily thinks they're shooting stars), hot air balloons...

Did you know that if you look directly at the sun, it'll burn a hole straight thru your retina and therefore cause blindness? And you won't realize it's doing it because you have no pain sensors back there? I didn't know that until a few weeks ago. All I knew was that the sun was bright and I had to squint to look at it and then I'd get a headache. So I don't look at it. I was homeschooled, that's my excuse for not knowing what every kindergartner knows. You can't even look at the setting sun, the rising sun, or a solar eclipse without special eye gear. Now I'm terrified to even look at the sun on a movie. What if I end up like Helen Keller? But minus the deaf part? It could happen.

Anyhoo.

You know how Kind David is always saying, Cause thy face to shine upon us, and Moses got all shiny when he saw God, and someday the sun won't be needed because everything will be lit up by God's light?
So basically, God is pretty bright. Basically He's the brightest light ever. Literally.
That's pretty cool.
Then I read this the other day:

Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men!
Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man: thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues.
Blessed be the LORD: for he hath shewed me his marvellous kindness in a strong city.
For I said in my haste, I am cut off from before thine eyes: nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my supplications when I cried unto thee.
O love the LORD, all ye his saints: for the LORD preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer.
Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD.
Psalm 31:19-24

See that bold part? Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence.
If God hides us in the shining bright light of His presence, you know what happens when Satan tries finding us?
He gets a hole burnt straight thru his retina.
And while he's flailing around trying to find his retinas, God is flexing His holy arm for my sake.
And I get to just sit there with my protective eye gear on and watch God flex.
I think sometimes Satan thinks he can just stand there with his foot on our necks, mashing our faces into the gravel, and that he can stare at God, smirking and taunting.
But he obviously forgets about this:

In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears.
Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth.
There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it.
He bowed the heavens also, and came down: and darkness was under his feet.
And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind.
He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies.
At the brightness that was before him his thick clouds passed, hail stones and coals of fire.
The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice; hail stones and coals of fire.
Yea, he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; and he shot out lightnings, and discomfited them.
Then the channels of waters were seen, and the foundations of the world were discovered at thy rebuke, O LORD, at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils.
He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters.
He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me.
Psalm 18:6-17

He forgets that when we turn to reach for God, He leaves the sidelines and enters the ring, and from that day forward, Satan loses. At that point, the holy arm reaches out and takes Satan for a shake down. At that point, we're picked up and dusted off and hidden in the brightest Light ever.
I just love that!
God is such a winner. He wins stuff all the time. And He hides me.

And I'm thankful for it. Truly thankful.

Watch out devil eye retinas. Your day is coming.