power

Sometimes in life it all comes back to power and how we use it.

Jesus was tempted in the wilderness.  He was tempted to use his power to benefit himself.  He set the example for us by choosing not to do that.

We can use our power to help ourselves and those in our camp, or we can use our power to help others, everyone, everywhere.

Power should be used for the common good.  We should never use power to hurt people or control them.

You have power.  I have power.  Everyone has some amount of power.  Be sure to use your power to bless people.  See them and hug them.

It's a beautiful day in God's world.  And by the use of your power you can make life better for everyone.   Be sure to see the good.

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I am leading a River Cruise to Belgium and the Netherlands March 19-27, 2022. If you are interested in reading about the trip or joining in, the link is below.

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I'm not mad

I have a dear friend, a fantastic human.  She sent me an email and for some reason it went to my spam.  Now I am constantly worried with all of this blogging, that my stuff is going to your spam.  But why hers went to spam I do not know.

When I did not reply, she worried that I was upset with her.

I am not upset with her.  I am not upset with you.  I am not upset with anyone.  I am as happy as I have been in my life in a long time, maybe forever.

If I don't respond in a timely way, please just write again or call.  I love you.  I love you all.  Never default to "someone is mad"  There is probably just something else going on in their world.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am leading a River Cruise to Belgium and the Netherlands March 19-27, 2022. If you are interested in reading about the trip or joining in, the link is below.

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Thoughts on the passing of Pastor Tim

On Thursday last week, the church sent this email: "Pastor Tim Willcox has gone home to be with our Lord Jesus Christ. He passed away last evening, August 25th. Please hold Sheryl, Jeff, Allison and Amanda and all the family in your prayers."

I cannot imagine the angst that this family is experiencing. Sometimes there are no words. No words. At times like this I want to pray, "Dear God... really???"

Tim was a great man and a great Pastor. He will be truly missed. In one short year he did so much for First UMC Ft. Pierce.

Life is fleeting. Hold those close whom you love. Learn to love those whom you don't.

Sometimes there are no words, but there is always love to share.

The Salt Doll

As a follow up to yesterday's post on falling into the mystery, I am reminded of the story of the salt doll.

A salt doll journeyed for thousands of miles over land, until it finally came to sea.
It was fascinated by this strange moving mass, quite unlike anything it had seen before.
“Who are you?” said the salt doll to the sea.
The sea smilingly replied, “come in and see.”

So the doll waded in. The farther it walked into the sea the more it dissolved, until there was very little of it left.
Before the last bit dissolved, the doll exclaimed in wonder, “now I know what I am!”

When we fall into the mystery of God we come to know ourselves better.  We let go of the need to be right.  We let go of the need to be in control.  When we fall into the mystery of God and dissolve into him, we find a comfort, a rest, a peace.

Wade in.  The water is fine.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am leading a River Cruise to Belgium and the Netherlands March 19-27, 2022. If you are interested in reading about the trip or joining in, the link is below.

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Mystery

God is a mystery.  He is the unknown.

We Western Christians like to know things.  We are rational.  We make lists and check things off.  We expect our preachers to know.  We put them on pedestals because they know things and they can help us know things.  Let me get the right things in the right order.  Ahh good.  I am in.

The truth is, is that we don't know.  God is beyond our comprehension.  God is bigger.  We cannot fathom his greatness.  We cannot get our minds around his immensity.  

And that is a beautiful thing.  We don't have to know everything.  We can't control him, but we can fall into the mystery.  We can fall into the arms of someone that is bigger than we are.  We can rest in the care of the one who has the whole world in his hands.

It's ok to not know.  It is beautiful to relish the mystery.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am leading a River Cruise to Belgium and the Netherlands March 19-27, 2022. If you are interested in reading about the trip or joining in, the link is below.

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affirming the goodness

My Friend Pastor Tim Wilcox died of covid yesterday.  I have a few days of blogs already posted.  I am not sure how to address his loss from his family and from our family.  When I find the words, I will post something.  Until then, I have already posted for a few days...

From Father Richard Rohr's devotional on Monday 8/23...

Love is the greatest mystery of all. Not love as a warm and fuzzy feeling, but love as the animating force that holds us together. If we can believe that we are loved just as we are and that everything else is equally loved, we unveil a cosmic reality that is life-giving and a Christ-like reality that affirms the goodness of all creation. . . .

Can you believe that you are loved? It is time to let go of the guilt that the church instilled in us in our youth. God is not mad at you. God does not need vengeance. God is not an old man with a long beard who is judging you. God loves you. The sooner that we come to believe that we are loved the better our life will be. When we truly believe that we are loved, a cloud lifts from our heart and we can truly be happy.

Affirm the goodness and the brokenness in you. God does.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am leading a River Cruise to Belgium and the Netherlands March 19-27, 2022. If you are interested in reading about the trip or joining in, the link is below.

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Don't say these things

As a follow up to yesterday's blog, here is a list of things not to say.  I have posted this before but we so easily forget.  We so easily fall back into patterns that are not healthy.

Things not to say to people who are hurting or at the time of a death... [and I have heard all of these said at one time or another]

• He looks better
• You look terrible
• He is in a better place
• Remember you have your children that need you
• It was God’s will
• God needed another angel
• Everything happens for a reason
• It must have been his time
• How are you going to carry on?
• I told him smoking would be the death of him
• How are you fixed financially?
• Life goes on
• You know he is going to hell
• Are you taking any medication?
• I know how you feel
• At least he’s no longer in pain
• You are young, you can marry again

Don’t overdo your emotions
Don’t ask, “how did he die?”
Don’t call the person the deceased. They had a name.
Everyone is uncomfortable, don’t act out of your discomfort or nervousness.

On the other hand here are some things that are good to say a the time of death or loss:

• I love you
• I am sorry
• Let me know if I can help you in any way

Keep it short
Keep it quiet
Move on, don’t hover

No pat answers please.  They don't work and they don't help.  Be a part of the healing by loving them and hugging them.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am leading a River Cruise to Belgium and the Netherlands March 19-27, 2022. If you are interested in reading about the trip or joining in, the link is below.

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No words are needed

There is a lovely John Wesley quote, "Preach the gospel.  When necessary, use words."  The point of that statement is this: how we love people will go much further in reaching another person than our words.

Sometimes we feel that we need to speak when we should really just keep quiet.  Love people and stop trying to fix them.  Stop trying to fix things.

In times of grief, humans are notorious for trying to say something to fix it.  It can't be fixed.  People need to hurt.  Let them grieve.  Many of the words that are shared in a funeral visitation line just hurt the people that we are trying to comfort.

No words are needed.  Just hug them.  Just love them.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am leading a River Cruise to Belgium and the Netherlands March 19-27, 2022. If you are interested in reading about the trip or joining in, the link is below.

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grief

Sometimes in life we encounter a hurt that is unfathomable. There are levels of grief that are so deep and so painful.  

If you are experiencing such grief, or if you know someone that is, here are some thoughts.

Grief is normal.  It is not something to push away.  We need to allow ourselves to go thru these valleys.  Remember that in the valley, you are not alone because our Shepherd goes with us.  Remember that the valley is something that you pass through.  You will come out on the other side.

Remember that grief is a sign of love.  The deeper the love, the deeper the grief is felt at the time of loss.  If we don't know someone, we don't grieve losing them.  But Oh, losing the ones that we love hurts so much.  Watching our friends hurt, hurts so much.

Love yourself.  Spent time with those you love.  Be there for them.  Hug them.  If you are grieving today, I love you and I hug you.

It's still a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am leading a River Cruise to Belgium and the Netherlands March 19-27, 2022. If you are interested in reading about the trip or joining in, the link is below.

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Sometime

I watched a movie the other night,  The Railway Man on Netflix.  Very much worth watching.  There is a quote in the movie, "sometimes the hating has to stop."

Sometimes the hating has to stop.  

I have run into a few people lately that are still all balled up with resentment over what someone had done to them.  At some point, the hating has to stop.  Do you really want to be filled with resentment for the rest of your life?

• Make a conscious decision that you want it to end.
• Realize that the person that hurt you is also a beloved child of God.
• Seriously pray for the other person. You cannot pray for someone and hate them at the same time.
• Fill your heart with good thoughts for them. That will fill your heart with good, and push out the resentment.
• Repeat.

Sometimes the hating has to stop.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am leading a River Cruise to Belgium and the Netherlands March 19-27, 2022. If you are interested in reading about the trip or joining in, the link is below.

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If you can't

If you can't give it to yourself, you probably can't give it to others.

I became a much happier person when I started to learn to forgive myself.  I became a much happier person when I finally came to believe that God really did love me.

If you can't forgive and love yourself, how can you forgive and love someone else?  If you cannot forgive yourself and love yourself, I recommend that you start working on that right away.  The sooner you turn that corner the happier your life will be.  And the people around you will be glad that you turned that corner because when you can love yourself, you can really begin to love them.

Happiness springs from within.  It gurgles up from the bottom of our hearts.  Find the joy.  See the good.  Give it to yourself and then you will be better at giving it to others.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am leading a River Cruise to Belgium and the Netherlands March 19-27, 2022. If you are interested in reading about the trip or joining in, the link is below.

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What are you watching?

I got to see my granddaughter last weekend.  Since I was a pretty unknown commodity, she kept an eye on me.  Who is this guy?  Why is he here???

What are you keeping an eye on?  Your guilt?  Your worries?  The person who is doing it wrong?  Hurry and get to where ever?  I have to keep up with my emails??? If these are the things that your eye is on, then your life might be full of worry, tension and regret.

There are other things to keep your eyes on.  Waking to the day with gratitude.  Taking a deep breath and enjoying the moment.  Seeing others and loving them.  Forgiving and gracing yourself.

What you choose to focus on in this life will say everything about your happiness.  Keep an eye on the right things.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am leading a River Cruise to Belgium and the Netherlands March 19-27, 2022. If you are interested in reading about the trip or joining in, the link is below.

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Don't care

Jesus did not care that she was a prostitute.  They were not going to talk about that.  It was not the issue.  Loving her was the issue.

Jesus did not care that he was a tax collector and cheated people.  It was not going to be the issue.  The issue was not going to be about how he had to change.  The topic was simply how much God loved him.

Jesus did not care about people's brokenness.  He did not focus on that.  He just welcomed them and loved them.

We humans, especially some religious people, love to make it about who the good ones are and who the bad ones are.  Along the way, love is kicked to the curb.  It is not about your sins.  It is not about what you did or are doing wrong.  You are just loved.

I don't care about your past.  I don't care about your sins.  I care about you.  I love you.  Mercy rejoices over judgement.  James 2:13

Stop thinking about what you did wrong.  Jesus isn't.  Love yourself.  Jesus is.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am leading a River Cruise to Belgium and the Netherlands March 19-27, 2022. If you are interested in reading about the trip or joining in, the link is below.

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What I did in Kansas City

From time to time I make a pilgrimage to Kansas City.  This is where I am from.  I was born at St. Luke's hospital when the only one was on the Plaza.  My childhood home is there.  My parents are buried there.  My mother in law is still there.

My friends are there.  Yes, I have some new friends in Florida, but my life long friends are in Kansas City.  I go there to see them and to work.

When I work I do random handyman work for people.  I also work for my friend who has a small steel company.  Commonly I cut sound proofing material into various sizes to fit into walls of buildings that he is building.  I also cut and drill gaskets that go in-between various steel members.  I love the work... no employees to worry about and no upset members.  Simple mindless work.  Just keep your hands out of the table saw.

Going to Kansas City is healing for me.  It connects me to my roots.  I am actually flying in to KC today.  Royals game tonight.  Lake day on Saturday.  All good!!!

The sound proofing product comes in sheets 50x100

It is cut to various sizes on the table saw.  Be careful!!!

Restacked on pallets

Wrapped and banded for shipping

Manifest added and shrink wrapped.

Gaskets drilled

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am leading a River Cruise to Belgium and the Netherlands March 19-27, 2022. If you are interested in reading about the trip or joining in, the link is below.

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John Wesley Quote

“Do all the good you can; in all the ways you can; to all the people you can; and just as long as you can.”

This makes me proud to be a Methodist. Doing good is beautiful. Being kind is wonderful. It is why we are here on this earth. Being good to others is like a magic pill. It heals them and it heals us. Being good to others takes our minds off of our worries and recenters us on life. If you are in a rut, go be good to the next person that you see.

Share all the love that you can.
In all the ways that you can.
To all the people that you see.
Don't stop...ever.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am leading a River Cruise to Belgium and the Netherlands March 19-27, 2022. If you are interested in reading about the trip or joining in, the link is below.

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I'm more important

Many of us can forgive others, but have trouble forgiving ourselves.  A reader wrote in about her experience, "I accepted that God had forgiven me but struggled to forgive myself... I finally realized my inability was as though I was "of more importance" than God. That's humbling."

If God says you are forgiven, but you say, you are not, does that make you more important than God?  How about we just forgive ourselves.  How about we just let grace do its job, for others, and for us.  Maybe this is the thought that will finally help us to forgive ourselves.  

God has separated us from our sin, as far as the east is from the west.  Psalm 103:12

He has the final word.  That is the final word.  You are forgiven.  You are graced.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am leading a River Cruise to Belgium and the Netherlands March 19-27, 2022. If you are interested in reading about the trip or joining in, the link is below.

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"

In my head

A dear reader wrote in, "Your words this week were a comfort to me.  Thank you.  They helped me to remember to be grateful and thankful and they helped me to get out of my head, because sometimes it is crazy up there."

I love the, "Sometimes it is crazy up there."  Here we have lived all of these years and we still have these mind games.  

I thank God for every friend that I can be real with.  I thank God for every friend that can be themselves.  I thank God for the friends in our life that heal us.

Let's keep being there for each other because sometimes "it is crazy up there."

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am leading a River Cruise to Belgium and the Netherlands March 19-27, 2022. If you are interested in reading about the trip or joining in, the link is below.

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45 lessons

My friend Nancy sent this to me. I have bolded my favorites.

Written by Regina Brett, 90 years old, writer for the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Cleveland, Ohio.

"To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 43 lessons life taught me. It is the most requested column I've ever written. My odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the column once more:"

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.

3. Life is too short – enjoy it.

4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and family will.

5. Pay off your credit cards every month.

6. You don't have to win every argument. Stay true to yourself.

7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.

8. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.

9. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

10. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.

11. It's OK to let your children see you cry.

12. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

13. If a relationship must be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.

14. Everything can change in the blink of an eye, but don't worry, God never blinks.

15. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

16. Get rid of anything that isn't useful. Clutter weighs you down in many ways.

17. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.

18. It's never too late to be happy. But it’s all up to you and no one else.

19. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.

20. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear fancy lingerie.
Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.

21. Over prepare, then go with the flow.

22. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.

23. The most important sex organ is the brain.

24. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.

25. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'

26. Always choose life.

27. Forgive.

28. What other people think of you is none of your business.

29. Time heals almost everything. Give time.

30. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

31. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

32. Believe in miracles.

33. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

34. Growing old beats the alternative of dying young.

35. Your children get only one childhood.

36. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

37. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

38. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.

39. Envy is a waste of time. Accept what you already have, not what you need.

40. The best is yet to come...

41. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up, and show up.

42. Yield.

43. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift."

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am leading a River Cruise to Belgium and the Netherlands March 19-27, 2022. If you are interested in reading about the trip or joining in, the link is below.

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Don't be so hard on yourself

I have a friend, a reader who writes from time to time and always says, "Jeff don't be so hard on yourself."  Well I get that.  Sometimes it may sound like I am being hard on myself, but what I am really trying to do is give the reader a glimpse into the dance that takes place in my brain.

I know the good.  I seek to do it.  But I don't always get the job done.  So I write about the struggle and the failure.  I want the reader to see the brokenness in my life.  Because if I have it, and I can be honest about it, maybe you will find some encouragement when you face difficulty.

As my friend Margaret recently wrote, "Thanks...sometimes we think we are the only ones...but I see you are in the club too."

Keep your chin up. Don't be so hard on yourself.  We are all in the club.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am leading a River Cruise to Belgium and the Netherlands March 19-27, 2022. If you are interested in reading about the trip or joining in, the link is below.

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I overreacted.

I am probably six years old. My dad is helping me with my bath. There’s a small sliver of soap.  I threw it in the trashcan. Dad protests "we don’t waste anything," he says. I tell him mom throws those away all the time. He calls to her and she comes to the door of the bathroom.  He tells her that we shouldn’t be throwing these slivers of soap away.  She says, "I don’t ever throw them away."  Dad looks at me, I look at her and she says, "why would you say such a thing Jeff?" 

There might’ve been other earlier incidents but this is the earliest one I can remember, an example of the brokenness in my family.  And so inside this 64-year-old body there still lives a child that has been hurt. And sometimes when things happen that hurt this 64-year-old man, the feelings that I have go all the way back to when I was a child. And unfortunately sometimes my response to what is going on is disproportional to what is actually happening in my life.  Sometimes I automatically buy in to all of that hurt from when I was a child.  So if I have overreacted to something that happened between us I’m so very very sorry.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am leading a River Cruise to Belgium and the Netherlands March 19-27, 2022. If you are interested in reading about the trip or joining in, the link is below.

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He giveth more grace

There is a song that I have always loved. It is a song of encouragement for anyone who is down. It is a beautiful song. I am providing the lyrics and a link if you want to listen to it.

Click here to listen

He giveth more grace as our burdens grow greater,
He sendeth more strength as our labors increase;
To added afflictions He addeth His mercy,
To multiplied trials He multiplies peace.

His love has no limits, His grace has no measure,
His power no boundary known unto men;
For out of His infinite riches in Jesus
He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again.

When we have exhausted our store of endurance,
When our strength has failed ere the day is half done,
When we reach the end of our hoarded resources
Our Father’s full giving is only begun.

His love has no limits, His grace has no measure,
His power no boundary known unto men;
For out of His infinite riches in Jesus
He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am leading a River Cruise to Belgium and the Netherlands March 19-27, 2022. If you are interested in reading about the trip or joining in, the link is below.

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A big smile

I had a 7:30 breakfast with Tyler and Bruce.  I was up a little early so I sat down at the computer.  After reading the news, I gravitated to youtube videos.  If you want a big smile on your face, search on youtube for "best golf shots" or something like that.  There are tons of videos out there of amazing golf shots.  

They start with the angst of being in the sand or being behind a tree, and then the shot... then the waiting the anticipation.  Then when the ball gets close or even goes in, the crowd goes wild and the golfer celebrates.

You can't help but get a big smile on your face.  I am not much of a golfer, but the joy from those moments was contagious.  Next time you need a pick up, search Phil Mickelson's 50 greatest shots.

It's a beautiful happy big smile day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am leading a River Cruise to Belgium and the Netherlands March 19-27, 2022. If you are interested in reading about the trip or joining in, the link is below.

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Consumed by a mistake

Sometimes when we make a mistake we’re completely consumed by it. That’s all we can think about.  Sometimes we carry the guilt and shame for weeks, months or years.  That is not good.  When you are consumed by a mistake, you cannot see the good.  Free yourself.  Forgive yourself.  

 If you have recently made a big mistake, tell yourself what you would tell your friend.  "This is not the end of the world.  You will get to the other side.  Learn from this.  We are all broken.  Everything is ok."

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am leading a River Cruise to Belgium and the Netherlands March 19-27, 2022. If you are interested in reading about the trip or joining in, the link is below.

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Sometimes

Sometimes love is an action not an emotion. It’s something that you do that is not supported by how you feel. Sometimes you just press on to do right and to do good. We are called to show love even when we don’t want to. If you love those that love you what reward do you have? Jesus asks us to love even our enemies.

Feelings are fickle.  It doesn't matter if you feel it, just show love and kindness.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am leading a River Cruise to Belgium and the Netherlands March 19-27, 2022. If you are interested in reading about the trip or joining in, the link is below.

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Disingenuous

Lacking in candor.  Insincere.  Pretending. Not straightforward.  Calculating.  Disingenuous.

I remember the first time I ran into this behavior.  I was in seminary.  I was the youth director at a church outside of Tulsa and the pastor asked me to come to his office at 3pm on a Sunday afternoon.  I asked if everything was ok.  He said yes.  Turns out there was a meeting with the staff parish [HR] chair.  They were upset with me.  I wasn't doing my job well enough because the son of the staff parish chair would not come to youth group.  Now, the youth in question was a troubled kid who gave his parents fits.  Somehow this became my fault.

The point of that story is that I was lied to.  I was told one thing, when something else was going on.  They knew it and just flat out lied to me.

I hate that.

It has not happened to me very many times since then, but it has happened to me twice this year.  When I was the pastor of a large church and I had difficult conversations with staff or members, they always knew why they were coming in, and I always led with the truth, as graciously as was possible.

To be disingenuous with another only hurts them.  It is using your power in a situation to sneak in and then to wound.

I am going to get over what happened to me, but please be real with people.  Please be honest.  Please be kind and gracious.  When we are kind and gracious, it is much easier for us to sleep at night.

And it's still a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am leading a River Cruise to Belgium and the Netherlands March 19-27, 2022. If you are interested in reading about the trip or joining in, the link is below.

Click here for the cruise brochure

Covering another's sin

Recently someone that I am very close to made a big mistake. They were embarrassed. They asked me for help. Of course I helped them.

They could not stop apologizing. I told them to relax. You are not the first person to face this issue. You will get to the other side.

Blessed are those
whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered. Romans 4:7

It is a powerful thing to release someone from their sin, from their worries. It is a powerful thing to tell them that it is ok, that they are ok. Instead of judging others, we should help them. We should offer them the same grace that we would hope for in a similar situation.

But for the grace of God go I.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am leading a River Cruise to Belgium and the Netherlands March 19-27, 2022. If you are interested in reading about the trip or joining in, the link is below.

Click here for the cruise brochure

Grieving what should have been

Sometimes I find myself grieving what should have been, missing what could have/should have been. Missing the mother that I wish she would’ve been. Missing the fact that I didn’t get to spend my entire life with that friend. Missing every moment that I’m away from people that I love. Missing the thought that much of my life has not measured up to the ideals and hopes that I had for it.

And so when those feelings come along, we have to remember that God loves us. Life isn't perfect. This is some pretty raw stuff, but if you can relate to what I am saying, you probably need some good words. Life rarely turns out the way that we wanted it to. And it is ok.

It is ok. Everything is ok. Life is bigger than my expectations.

And it's still a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am leading a River Cruise to Belgium and the Netherlands March 19-27, 2022. If you are interested in reading about the trip or joining in, the link is below.

Click here for the cruise brochure

A big fat cry

So a few weeks ago on a Saturday morning I was driving home from Jacksonville. I was listening to music and the song Drink a Beer came on by Luke Bryan. It's a sad song about him losing someone that he loved. Whenever that song comes on I always think of Dan Horn. I started to cry. I thought about how much I love Dan and how much I miss him. I thought about how unfair it is, how wrong it is, but he’s gone and there is nothing that I can do.

I thought about a couple of other things in my life that haven’t turned out the way that I wanted them to and I had a really good cry. A big whopping crocodile tears rolling down my face cry.  And I remembered the old saying “sometimes in life you get what you want and sometimes in life you get what you get.”

But I want to tell you today I think that we will always have a heartache or two. I’m glad for the times that we can cry and I am glad for the times that we can rise above it. Sometimes it’s OK to cry. It’s OK to have a big sob. God still loves us and I’m so thankful for friends that hurt when we hurt and cry when we cry.  May your heartaches be few and your times of crying be few and far between.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am leading a River Cruise to Belgium and the Netherlands March 19-27, 2022. If you are interested in reading about the trip or joining in, the link is below.

Click here for the cruise brochure

Don't hurt back

So someone hurt you.

You have the opportunity to point it out publicly, or on social media. You can call them out on it. You can get even. You can hurt back. You can do to them what they did to you. You can make them look like a complete fool.

But the bigger part of you says there’s no point of that. Karma is what karma is. Jesus said, "do unto others as you would have them do unto you." He did not say do to them what they did to you. 

Instead, do to them what you wish they would have done to you.

No grace from them to you? Then you be sure to deliver grace to them. We still have to sleep at night. We should not succumb to our weakness and try to hurt back. We can stand tall and believe that life is lived better if we choose not to hurt those who hurt us.

Weakness hurts others.  Strength bears the pain and delivers grace, and feels good about their life at the end of the day.  

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am leading a River Cruise to Belgium and the Netherlands March 19-27, 2022. If you are interested in reading about the trip or joining in, the link is below.

Click here for the cruise brochure

Oh my, what to do?

So I had this random discussion with a couple. They own a house and a condo. They bought their house 5 years ago for $400,000. Last week they got an offer to sell it for $800,000. They are not sure if they want to take the money and move into their condo or keep their house. They are 65 - they’re my age. They don’t need any more money, they have plenty.

They asked my opinion, so I asked them if they could make a decision based on how much good they could do. How much can you help others in this story?  Friends, some of us have these amazing blessings, these fortunate blessings that we’ve had, how can we use them to help others?  Just ask yourself, how can you use what God has given you to bless others??? 

The problem is that there are people with millions, that still don't think that they have enough.  At some point, we have to stop wanting more.  At some point we have to come to believe that we have enough.

So, if you don't need the money, just help the people have something, that never had anything.  Just help people. So many people will never have the opportunities that you and I have had.  You and I were born rounding third base.

If you don't need it, just give it away.  It will make your life happy.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am leading a River Cruise to Belgium and the Netherlands March 19-27, 2022. If you are interested in reading about the trip or joining in, the link is below.

Click here for the cruise brochure

Everything happens for a reason

Nothing could be farther than the truth.  If you have been saying "everything happens for a reason" please stop.  There are lots of things that happen for no reason at all.  If God has a reason for some of the terrible things that happen, then that makes God a very bad God.

• A child dies of cancer. What is the reason?
• 100 Navy seamen are eaten by sharks when the USS Indianapolis sinks on July 30, 1945.
• 9-11
• My friends son died.
• The surfside condo collapse.

God did these things for some reason?  I say no.  Emphatically NO!  Sometimes things just happen.  We humans like to feel some sense of control by insisting that things happen for a reason.  That plane crashed for a reason?  Yes, it was shot down or it had a mechanical failure, but God does not make bad things happen.

Some times random things happen.  My daughter has a painful skin condition.  It is hereditary.  My mom died of lung cancer, she smoked for 45 years.  That is the reason.  Warning signs were ignored at the surfside condo.  That is the reason.

We are broken and life is uncontrollable.  But we cannot blame things that we don't like on God.  Some things happen for any or no reason.  The rain falls on the just and the unjust.  God is in control but he is not controlling.  Lazarus died and Jesus cried.  There are things that just happen in this life.  We need to learn to trust God no matter what happens and stop blaming everything on him.

Life is random.  Things happen.  It's ok.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am leading a River Cruise to Belgium and the Netherlands March 19-27, 2022. If you are interested in reading about the trip or joining in, the link is below.

Click here for the cruise brochure