I have no idea really what I want to write. I have thoughts flowing through my head but I am really unable to put them all down in some sort or order. Today is fathers day and that leads me to be thankful for my own father. It's different for my to explain what I am thinking other than to say as I get older I think of Father's Day very different and appreciate him all the more. I know that at the heart of things my father loves me. In reflection he has done all that he can to show us the Fathers Love. I know that the little things mean the most to him, a walk in the woods, time in God's word, a game of solitaire. All I wish and prayer for my father this day and for the rest of his life here on earth is that he would continue to grow and know who he is and be the best at it as he knows how with God's help/guidance of course. I know that much blessing comes to those who have been faithful. I have been blessed by my father and I know the blessing has and will be returned.
There you have it, some of it anyway, I love you Dad
Just a quick note to my other friend who I admire who is also a father. It's been great watching you become more than just a single guy at Houghton. You have meet your match both with your wife and your daughter and son. I know that God is working in your life and its great to see you grow as you become a father. I know you have a lot to tell, your facing a lot but you can make it. I am will be here to listen and be your friend.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Can't see it all
Judgment has come to my attention yet again, this time in a different form. It’s so easy for me to speak negative words of other people which I take from my own reflection or view of the situation. Again my preferences stand in my way of my thinking and I put myself before others. Not seeing what other are really like but isolating things down to one event, happening or dislike and making a statement about who they are and why they must be doing it, its just so simple to do. It seems that I am holding out on grace. I have been forgiven and I have been set free to love others but its still about me. I know that I need my heart renewed in how I speak to and about others.
It’s taken me a few days to process this information, its something I am still examining in my life. I end with a touching story on the subject from
J.R. Miller, On Judging Others, the full article can be viewed at http://www.gracegems.org/Miller/judging_others.htm
A tender story is told of Professor Blackie, of Edinburgh, which illustrates the same lesson. He was lecturing to a new class, and a student rose to read a paragraph, holding the booking his left hand. "Sir," thundered the professor, "hold your book in your right hand." The student attempted to speak. "No words, sir! your right hand, I say!" The lad held up his right arm, ending piteously at the wrist: "Sir, I had no right hand," he said.
Then the professor left his place, and going down to the student he had unwittingly hurt, he put his arm around the lad's shoulders and drew him close to his breast. "My boy," said Blackie—he now spoke very softly—yet not so softly but that every word was audible in the hush that had fallen on the classroom—"Please forgive me that I was so rough? I did not know—I did not know!"
It’s taken me a few days to process this information, its something I am still examining in my life. I end with a touching story on the subject from
J.R. Miller, On Judging Others, the full article can be viewed at http://www.gracegems.org/Miller/judging_others.htm
A tender story is told of Professor Blackie, of Edinburgh, which illustrates the same lesson. He was lecturing to a new class, and a student rose to read a paragraph, holding the booking his left hand. "Sir," thundered the professor, "hold your book in your right hand." The student attempted to speak. "No words, sir! your right hand, I say!" The lad held up his right arm, ending piteously at the wrist: "Sir, I had no right hand," he said.
Then the professor left his place, and going down to the student he had unwittingly hurt, he put his arm around the lad's shoulders and drew him close to his breast. "My boy," said Blackie—he now spoke very softly—yet not so softly but that every word was audible in the hush that had fallen on the classroom—"Please forgive me that I was so rough? I did not know—I did not know!"
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Rubber meets the Road
Here I am without really any scripted words. This is usually the time when you really find out who you are and what your made of. The place of vulnerability.
Things are tough around here. Granted God is supplying our needs all around but were at the point were we have to hold on and trust. The feeling is that if any time now is the time when we must really trust God. It's easy to say He's done it in the past and He will supply but it can also be just surface talk we use to sooth our heads. It almost feels like your holding on for dear life, your muscles are spent and you feel like it will not be long till your fingers and body just let you down.
All that to say I am not giving up, I am not down, I am just looking for God to speak to me as I wait on Him. I will surrender today and wait for Him to speak to me.
"Don't let this throw you. You trust God, don't you? Trust me.
John 14:1 MSG
Things are tough around here. Granted God is supplying our needs all around but were at the point were we have to hold on and trust. The feeling is that if any time now is the time when we must really trust God. It's easy to say He's done it in the past and He will supply but it can also be just surface talk we use to sooth our heads. It almost feels like your holding on for dear life, your muscles are spent and you feel like it will not be long till your fingers and body just let you down.
All that to say I am not giving up, I am not down, I am just looking for God to speak to me as I wait on Him. I will surrender today and wait for Him to speak to me.
"Don't let this throw you. You trust God, don't you? Trust me.
John 14:1 MSG
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Just Different
When you hear something twice God might be speaking to you. Elise and I went to a marriage seminar a few weeks back and one line they hammered into the teaching was, It's not right or wrong just different. That was Strike One. Elise and I went to a friends house for breakfast and they had devotions for which we got the blessing to be apart of.
The title for the devotion was I’m Right; You Must Be Wrong. Here is a snip it from it which challenges me. Strike Two.
Different personalities, history, or knowledge can color people’s views. It doesn’t mean that one person is right and the other wrong, yet sometimes we can be unkind, rigid, and judgmental if there is not agreement.
Can we learn from someone who sees things with a different perspective? Do we need to practice a little patience and love? I’m so grateful that God is abundantly patient and loving with me. — Cindy Hess Kasper
Ok so I practically gave you the whole thing. Check out the rest here
http://www.rbc.org/devotionals/our-daily-bread/2009/05/22/devotion.aspx#
I feel so challenged in this area in my relationship with my wife, church, and the lostness of the world around us. It's easy to get caught up in how we think things should be, what it should look like, or why do people want to force us to believe or act this way. Stepping away from ourselves and showing patience and love is something I am working on. I know that it takes a while and that I am a work in progress.
Don't pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults— unless, of course, you want the same treatment. Don't condemn those who are down; that hardness can boomerang. Be easy on people; you'll find life a lot easier. Give away your life; you'll find life given back, but not merely given back—given back with bonus and blessing. Giving, not getting, is the way. Generosity begets generosity."
- Luke 6:37-38 MSG
The title for the devotion was I’m Right; You Must Be Wrong. Here is a snip it from it which challenges me. Strike Two.
Different personalities, history, or knowledge can color people’s views. It doesn’t mean that one person is right and the other wrong, yet sometimes we can be unkind, rigid, and judgmental if there is not agreement.
Can we learn from someone who sees things with a different perspective? Do we need to practice a little patience and love? I’m so grateful that God is abundantly patient and loving with me. — Cindy Hess Kasper
Ok so I practically gave you the whole thing. Check out the rest here
http://www.rbc.org/devotionals/our-daily-bread/2009/05/22/devotion.aspx#
I feel so challenged in this area in my relationship with my wife, church, and the lostness of the world around us. It's easy to get caught up in how we think things should be, what it should look like, or why do people want to force us to believe or act this way. Stepping away from ourselves and showing patience and love is something I am working on. I know that it takes a while and that I am a work in progress.
Don't pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults— unless, of course, you want the same treatment. Don't condemn those who are down; that hardness can boomerang. Be easy on people; you'll find life a lot easier. Give away your life; you'll find life given back, but not merely given back—given back with bonus and blessing. Giving, not getting, is the way. Generosity begets generosity."
- Luke 6:37-38 MSG
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Back to the Roots
It seems as if lately I have been digging around plants and trees. Once such occasion happened to be on the Bridge of Flowers here in lovely Shelburne Falls. Needless to say after digging around it for nearly an hour I was able to use another tool to hit it in its roots and pry up on it. With a few blows and prying it was ready to come out and the clean root free dirt was ready to go back in place.
It seems every so often I find myself going back to my roots and seeing how God's Word is growing in my life. This classic childhood memory verse John 3:16 seems to resound with a little more meaning as time goes on. It's been repeated alone and I promise not to preach but the next verses are just as important. Love how The Message tells the story.
"This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn't go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person's failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him.
John 3:16-18 (The Message)
Is this great news or what? I still get excited when reading this even now, all God ever asks for is belief and trust. Yes Jesus Loves Me. (Special note to my one reader I know about its page 193, memory is a wacky thing aye?) Reading this reminds me that God is in control, He is protecting me and He loves me.
Despite how I feel, the circumstances I fund myself, I know I am loved and that I have a wonderful friend.
It seems every so often I find myself going back to my roots and seeing how God's Word is growing in my life. This classic childhood memory verse John 3:16 seems to resound with a little more meaning as time goes on. It's been repeated alone and I promise not to preach but the next verses are just as important. Love how The Message tells the story.
"This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn't go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person's failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him.
John 3:16-18 (The Message)
Is this great news or what? I still get excited when reading this even now, all God ever asks for is belief and trust. Yes Jesus Loves Me. (Special note to my one reader I know about its page 193, memory is a wacky thing aye?) Reading this reminds me that God is in control, He is protecting me and He loves me.
Despite how I feel, the circumstances I fund myself, I know I am loved and that I have a wonderful friend.
Monday, May 25, 2009
Start
Everything has a beginning. This is my start. I want to use Psalm 92:1-2 from The Message as my starting line.
What a beautiful thing, God, to give thanks, to sing an anthem to you, the High God! To announce your love each daybreak, sing your faithful presence all through the night,
News is always so bitter and I want to just sit down and write the things that I can praise God for, the things that have touched my heart and intrigue my mind. I want to give God all the Glory and be even a poor reflection of Himself.
We don't yet see things clearly. We're squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won't be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We'll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us!
But for right now, until that completeness, we have three things to do to lead us toward that consummation: Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly. And the best of the three is love.
1 Corinthians 13:12 -13 (The Message)
Thats my start and goal explained!
What a beautiful thing, God, to give thanks, to sing an anthem to you, the High God! To announce your love each daybreak, sing your faithful presence all through the night,
News is always so bitter and I want to just sit down and write the things that I can praise God for, the things that have touched my heart and intrigue my mind. I want to give God all the Glory and be even a poor reflection of Himself.
We don't yet see things clearly. We're squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won't be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We'll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us!
But for right now, until that completeness, we have three things to do to lead us toward that consummation: Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly. And the best of the three is love.
1 Corinthians 13:12 -13 (The Message)
Thats my start and goal explained!
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