The Esther I Know

Hiyah!  Ok.  So this pic is of me playing "Paquita" in The Three Amigos at Old Tucson Studios in Tucson, Arizona in 2004 where the old John Wayne movies, The Three Amigos movie, Bonanza, etc. were filmed years ago.  I worked there for about 9 months singing/dancing/stunts, you name it.  Good times for me.

I had the best time there.  The sun, the dry air, the people, the shows... everything was so much fun.  I played so many different characters all day long, from Paquita the bandit, to Mrs. Perry the stickler-of-a-lawyer, you name it.  Good times.  We blew up banks, arrested the bad guys, sometimes I even played the bad guys... 

The reason why I'm giving you this little insight is because of how this job was so great in it's time.  This story connects to one of my dear friend's sister, and how she lives out her life.  Her name is Esther.  She is such a down-to-earth, natural, intelligent beautiful young woman.  She sets this comfortable atmosphere everywhere she goes, more than likely unknowingly because of how effortless it seems.  Anyway, from what I get from her, she doesn't do anything that makes her unhappy.  She always has a new adventure ahead of her.  She even considered being a river rafting instructor/guide just for a summer.  I wonder sometimes if we just lived our lives out day-to-day, as opposed to looking at the long-term so often.  Of course, we have to plan for our futures, look at the best possible decisions for our families.  I'm also not saying we should give up our good jobs to be a raft instructor.  ;0  All I'm saying is, live out your dreams.  Don't worry about the future, whether or not you're pleasing pleasing pleasing those around you.  Please God by loving others first, and you will create that atmosphere that Esther has.  You will make others comfortable in your presence.  They will let their guard down so that relationships can be built, not manipulated.  Those are the best kinds of relationships.  So often, we put on a front, but God wants us to let down judgement and insecurity and start with His presence filling all around us, bringing us closer to one another and to Him.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.  Hebrews 12:1-2