Mind Boggling

I'm reading Max Lucado's book "It's Not About Me". These paragraphs have floored me...
     Your world extends beyond...time. A foreverness woos you. Your heavenly life Everests the pebbles of your earthly life. If grains of sand measured the two, how would they stack up? Heaven would be every grain of sand on every beach on earth, plus more. Earthly life, by contrast, would be one hundredth of one grain of sand. 
     "Our light affliction, which is but for a MOMENT, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." 2 Corinthians 4:17
     What if we took the same attitude toward life? What if we saw our tough times as a grain of sand scarcely worthy of contrast with the forever dunes?
     We can be sick for JUST A MOMENT.
     We can be lonely for JUST A MOMENT.
     We can be persecuted for JUST A MOMENT.
     We can struggle for JUST A MOMENT.
     Can't we?
     Can't we wait for our peace? It's not about us anyway. And it's certainly not about NOW.
I know these things in my mind. Getting them to my heart and actually shaping who I am seems to be another thing altogether. Maybe I'll get it in a...moment.

Imagine a World Without Christmas

Christmas has been my favorite time of year for as long as I can remember. I love the sights and sounds of Christmas. Being a Music Minister, I can get Christmas music as early as June and I like hearing all the different musicals that come out every year. I enjoy seeing all the lights and the decorations that come with the holiday. But it was brought to my attention that I have lost some of that wonder, that joy of the Season. You know life happens and it leaves its mark on you. It wasn't my plan or desire especially at Christmas to lose feeling for it. Sometimes you may just want to skip the hassle and the busyness of this season we call Christmas. Imagine a world without Christmas. Imagine a world with no Christmas parties, no carols, no gifts under the tree, no egg nog, no cute nativity plays and no warm family gatherings by the fireside. Name the most important thing to you about Christmas, or the Christmas season, and then take it away. What would life be like without Christmas? A long and uninterrupted period of cold and darkness, with no spark of warmth or pleasure. So now I am making a conscious effort to find the wonder of a child for Christmas. To look around every corner for the joy that the Savior brings. 'Tis the season can lose its shine if we let it. So, early on this Christmas season I am choosing to look for the wonder, the mystery, the majesty, the splendor that is CHRISTMAS. Celebrating Immanuel, God with us because He is!

Miracle

6. I am thankful for answered prayer. God showed up and showed off today.  A friend and fellow church member of ours faced her past 9 weeks ago. The result was having to serve time in jail. Her sentence was for a maximum of 6 months. She has a 7 year old daughter who was her biggest concern. We volunteered to take her daughter into our home. Well, two and a half weeks ago, she went before the judge for early release. He is a firm but fair judge. He really didn't give her or us much hope. Many church members sent letters of support to the courts. Today, although the judgement had in bold on the page, Parole cannot be granted, the judge signed her parole. She was released today around 2 pm. There was a grand and tearful reunion between mother and daughter today around 4. God is good all the time and all the time God is good. Thank you God for the perfect Thanksgiving gift. We stand in awe of who You are! Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

Tuesday

Before I continue I do want to say that this list is in no particular order.


5. I am thankful for my salvation. Salvation is a choice I made when I was 6. Did I fully understand what it meant to ask Jesus to be my Savior and Lord at that age? NO. I still don't fully understand it today. I learned some things about my salvation just last week. God did all the work when He became flesh and lived among us. (We're getting ready to celebration His incarnation - it's the most wonderful time of the year!) Thank you Father for your indescribable love, mercy and grace you've shown to me on the cross 2000+ years ago and the love, mercy and grace you continue to show every day, every hour, every second, every moment of my life. 

Monday the 22nd

4. Okay this one is a bit over the edge but follow me on it. I am thankful for brokenness. I have experienced physical, emotional and spiritual brokenness. We don't, or at least no one I know, pray to be broken. It is in brokenness that we grow closer to God. It isn't the only way we grow closer but it is a way. Unfortunately, it's only after I'm heading out or hopefully heading out of the brokenness that I'm realizing that God is using this time to draw me closer to Him. I wish there were another way. But in God's wisdom He has chosen brokenness to get my attention. Wonder if I wasn't so hard headed if ALL this brokenness was absolutely necessary. The answer seems to be...YES. Regardless, I am thankful for this brokenness that God is using to remind me of all the better things He wants for me.

Thanks

As we begin this week of Thanksgiving, I want to post a few things I am thankful for. My plan is to add to this list throughout the week.


1. I am thankful for my health. That may sound a little weird since my health hasn't been stellar as of late. But on April 12th I received clearance from my doctors concerning my arm I broke at the end of 2008. For almost a year and a half, it was a brokenness unlike anything I was used to, at least not physically. My thumb still tingles but I have full use of my fingers and my arm.


2. I am thankful for my family. Bonnie and I have been married for over 23 years. It's a journey. I know Bonnie loves me unconditionally and I love her the same. Jeromy is my cowboy. He has grown so much this year. I am so proud of him. I have parents who love me and pray for me and my family daily. I am so thankful for them all!


3. I am thankful for my church family. We have so many friends and family in the churches God has blessed us to serve. There is no way to name them all. But you mean so much to my family and me. We are so blessed to walk through life together. Thanks for allowing us to be a part of your families.


More to come.

Processing

I am a SAINT not just a SAVED SINNER. Thinking through this one. 

Superhero

We watched MEGAMIND in the theater today. OK movie. Not sure why they made it 3D. Watching the INCREDIBLES now. Saw an OK superhero movie, thought we needed to see a great one. Ever wish you had some kind of super human traits. Super strength, the ability to fly, disappear, laser vision. I have a scar on my shin from trying to fly like Superman off of a metal lawnchair when I was under the age of 6.  I remember towels pinned around my neck with clothespins. Wanting to be super. Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. I remember those days, but then I thought about something Jesus said. He'll mess with your mind if you listen to Him. Remember these words? “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father." John 14:12. Greater works than Jesus? Is it posisble? Unlike the superhero movie though, it's not for our glory. Nothing we do is for our glory. All that we do, all that we are, everything is FOR HIS GLORY! Pretty sure that trumps superhero powers. Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. "Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Phil 2:3-11. Thank You, God, that You have given us all that we need to serve You. Help us to use what you've given us for Your glory. AMEN!

Rest

It's still dark outside and I've been awake for over an hour and a half. Been trying to go back to sleep but for some reason sleep won't come. Been tossing and turning, just laying still with eyes shut, praying. At least I feel I accomplish something with the praying. There's a difference between sleep and rest. Not getting much of either lately for some reason. Reminded of the Psalm, "Be at rest my soul, for the Lord has been good to me." I don't think I have that much on my mind, then again, maybe I do. God is active in some many ways. There are areas I need Him to be active in and He is. It's kinda weird how that works. Then again it's not 'cause He's God. I am thankful for that. Thankful that not only in this chaotic world God is in control but even in my chaotic life, my little, mundane life, God is in control.