perspective

A true story I recently heard.........

A doctor's wife is near death.  She has been in the hospital for months.  Yet every day he has people in his office with a sore back, a bad knee or a broken ankle.  They are all miserable and complaining.  How does he deal with it?

I don't know how he deals with it, but it makes me a bit more appreciative of my small bodily ailments.  So what, my back is sore sometimes.  I don't always see well.  My knee is really goofed up.

I am not in the hospital.  I am vertical.  Up and around and alive for this day.  I have much to be thankful for.

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

the parade

Please take time to watch the parade today.  Many people have gone to great lengths to prepare for this special event.

What parade you say?

Today is the day when all of the bands from the local high schools line up downtown and march fourth.

[this was my grandmother's joke, passed on to my mother, and now to me and now to you.]

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

to say or not to say

One of my favorite old sayings....
"Those who say, don't know.  Those who know, don't say."
or "Those who say, don't know.  Those who know, don't have to say."

Jesus said, "Wisdom is proven right by her children."

When a person is right about something, you don't have to run around blowing your own horn.  In fact it looks bad.  It sounds bad.

Sometimes, there is no point to argue.  Maybe even no benefit in speaking.  Just do what you do and make sure you do it.  Maybe no explaination, maybe no defense is needed.

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

unselfconscious

It probably isn't a word.  Unselfconscious.  If not, then lets make it one today.  The righteous are unselfconscious.  True spirituality is unselfconscious.  That is to say that such folks go about doing good and it becomes such a part of them that they are not even aware of it.

I was hungry and you fed me.  I was in prison and you visited me.
When did we feed you?  When did we visit you?

Loving kindness is such a part of the life of truly spiritual people that they are barely even aware anymore that they are doing good.  They just do it.

May we all aspire to be such people.

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

kindness remembered

Today I got word of the death of a retired pastor's wife.  I saw his name and it brought back so many memories. 

Memories of how difficult it was coming into the Methodist system.  How many pastors there were that seemed to have enough friends and didn't need to spend time with me.

Then there were the few who really reached out.  One of these was Byron Gilbreath.  My sympathies to him upon the passing of his wife, Joyce.

When I was a young minister Byron was always friendly and supportive.  Even all these years later, I appreciate his kindness.

Never underestimate the long term effect of your kind words that are delivered to others.  You may forget a moment of kindness extended, but they may just remember it forever.

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

flexible

Blessed are the flexible, for they will not be bent out of shape.

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

Let's Pray

This morning I was polishing off the last few edges on the sermon notes.  At the end, I always write, "Let's Pray" so that I remember to lead a prayer after the sermon.

I typed a typo.  I typed a Freudian slip.  I typed....... "let's pry."  I immediately started to laugh.  I got to thinking about our prayers.  Is it praying or is it prying?  Are we trying to leverage something out of God or are we just trying to be with Him?

Anthony deMello used to say that I am not praying in the best sense when I am only asking for things- but prayer in it's best sense is simply spending time with God.

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

Ash Wednesday

Today is Ash Wednesday.  It is the first day of Lent.  Lent is a time set aside by the historic church for us to consider the suffering of Jesus Christ.  It runs for about 40 days from Ash Wednesday through Easter.

Tonight there is a soup supper in fellowship hall/gym from 6-8pm.  Everyone is invited and bring your friends.

The sanctuary will be open from 545 to 745pm for the imposition of Ashes and Holy Communion.  This is always one of my most favorite times of the Christian year.  Very solemn, very sacred, very touching.  I hope you can join us tonight.

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

change, pain and comfort

We like comfort.  We dislike pain.  Most of us dislike change.  But change is inevitable.  Change comes to all of us.  In order for our church to grow, sometimes things have to change.  Yet, change upsets people.  So I find myself leading decisions that will help us reach people, only to make others mad because their world is changing.

Please remember that we are here to win people to Christ, not simply to be comfortable.  A friend sent me these quotes:

“A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for.”

"Authentic faith naturally produces action, but faith is hindered unless we abandon ourselves to that faith. Did you know that the African impala can jump to a height of over ten feet and cover a distance of greater than thirty feet? Yet these magnificent creatures can be kept in any zoo by a three-foot wall. The animals will not jump if they cannot see where their feet will land.

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

in a moment

Things can change.  Usually when we think of change, we think of how change affects us in negative ways.  But change can also be good.  Change can bring positive things our way.

And you might be struggling with something for weeks or months and then one day, things change.  Never stop believing, never stop hoping.  Although I want to learn to live beyond circumstances, it is totally fine to keep praying for a better day.

When you least expect it, things might just change for the better.  In fact, now that we are talking about it, sometimes, it is the search itself that takes us into a better place.  I wonder if those who immediately succumb to a problem ever have the chance to rise above it.  Finding usually comes after seeking.

If you are in a rut, don't abandon the car.  Keep working at it.  Things will catch and you will be out and back on your way.  Any moment now.

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

quote

Someone gave this to me a couple of weeks ago and I have been carrying it around thinking about it. 

"Oh, do not pray for easy lives!  Pray to be stronger men!  Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers; pray for powers equal to your tasks!  Then the doing of your work will not be a miracle, but you will be a miracle.  Every day you will wonder at yourself, at the richness of life that has come into you by the grace of God."  JFK

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

a letter to myself

Do you ever talk to yourself?  How about a letter to yourself?  Here I go.  Adopt it if you like.

Dear Jeff,

What did you expect?  Did you really expect not to have such problems?  As many things as there are going on, and you expected every day to be perfect?  Ha.  You are funny.  Gather everyone together in this big giant thing and no problems?

Do you remember when you were in your late twenties and you anticipated losing your hair?  It has never bothered you, partly because you were expecting it.  Well, you should have been expecting everything that has happened.  You have behaved a bit like a Pollyanna.  If you were counseling someone else, wouldn't you have told them to expect these things?  Wouldn't you have told them to get ready, to anticipate?  Wouldn't you even told them to celebrate them when they arrived, as difficult as they might seem?  Yes you would have.  In fact, you have done it before.

So, now, take your own advice.  All of this is to be expected.  In fact, it is totally normal.  Laugh at yourself.  Make friends with the pain.  Life is good.  All things work together for good.  There is nothing that has befallen you that is not common to man or woman.

Sincerely,
Jeff

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

they didn't mean it

A friend of mine was deeply hurt by another person.  The pain is deep and the pain is real.  The problem with the situation is that the person that did the hurting did not mean to hurt the other person that bad.  Probably did not mean to hurt them at all.

Sometimes when people hurt others, it says more about what is going on with them, than what is going on with the person that they hurt.

If you have been hurt by someone, I appeal to you to consider that they didn't mean to skin you.  They did not mean to wound you.  They may not even be aware of how you feel about what happened.

See them in a different way.  See the good in them.  Look past the one incident.  Take them to Jesus.  See Jesus standing next to them.

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

things

There are some things going on in my life right now that I don't know how to make sense of.  I don't know how to categorize them.  I cannot seem to control them or fix them or how I feel about them.

I don't feel lost, but I feel like I am searching.  Trying to restore something that is just out of reach. 

I hear the voice of God telling me "all is well.  This is a passage.  Younger Jeff had things more under control.  The older Jeff gets, he is going to have to get used to more things that defy explanation. After all, Jeff, you are not in charge, I am."

Is that too much information for you dear reader?  Or do you feel like this sometimes?  I have been looking for a way to describe what has been going on with me, and I think I just did it.

God is still good.  Everything is ok.  This too shall pass- or I will adjust to it.

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

mats

One of our cats has a lot hair.  Sometimes the hair gets matted around her neck.  Since nobody likes to pet a mangy mat infested cat, we usually try to cut the mats off.  Needless to say, she does not like this.  One person has to hold the cat while the other one works at cutting off the mat.  To call it holding is a bit of a stretch, it is more like restraining the cat.  If  you have ever owned a cat, you probably know that they are not really restrainable, and they would tell you that you don't own them, but that they own you.  The entire time she is of course yowling and squirming, trying to get away.

The end result though is always good.  She looks better, she feels better, and she gets more attention, which is what her cat life is all about.

So I was thinking of this experience and relating it to us humans.  Sometimes there are things that come our way that we don't like or understand.  We resist them with all of our might.  But, they are still going to happen to us, and if we would just sit still long enough and let the moment play out, we may actually find that everything is ok. 

Once the moment is finally over, I just might realize that some good came out of all of that.  All things work together for good for those that love God.

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

walnut logs

I was driving on the highway the other day and I came upon a truck pulling a trailer of walnut logs.  It reminded me of a story long forgotten.

In 1998 when we were talking about building the new church, a family in our congregation made a great sacrifice.  They allowed a crew of men from our church to go to their home and cut down some very old walnut trees.  The trees were taken to a saw mill down south where they were cut and dried.  The following year, Bill Carter used the lumber from these trees to make the pulpit, lectern, altar, and communion rails in our church.

I remember this story fondly for three reasons.  First of all, I was not involved in the tree removal, and it was one of the first big projects at our church that others managed completely without me.  [Today of course most of what happens at Woods Chapel has little to do with me.]  The second reason I remember this story fondly is because of the generous sacrifice made by the Walker family in giving up their trees.  Finally, this is a great story because of the beautiful result of the fine woodwork in our Sanctuary. 

A chance sighting on the highway reminded me of something from long ago.  An investment in the future rarely goes to waste.  Generosity is a great gift that is celebrated for many years.

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

keep at it

Sometimes you just have to keep after a thing.  You can't give up, even when you want to do so.  You have to keep working on raising children, even when they are driving you nuts.  You have to go to work, even when you don't want to.  You have to keep working on your attitude.  You have to keep going in spite of your feelings.

It will break a different way pretty soon.  It will take a different turn pretty soon.  Good will eventually come from doing the right things.  Don't give up.  Keep at it.

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

for my friend

For my friend who is hurting............

The mama's and the papa's sang, "the darkest hour is just before dawn." The psalmist [30] reminds us that "weeping lasts for a night, but joy comes in the morning."

The Christian mystics wrote of the dark night of the soul.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark_Night_of_the_Soul
A time when we feel that God's presence has withdrawn.  A time of pain and fear.  A truly dark valley.  They taught that at the end of the dark night of the soul, we would emerge into a period of enlightenment and joy.

May you quickly find the end of the dark night.  But until then, please remember that we do not fear in the dark valley because God is with us.  Please also know that you are dearly loved by me and by many.

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

Love, fear and anger

A friend of mine tells me that the three cardinal emotions are love, fear and anger.  He says that they are like the primary colors.  Everything else falls out from them.

What do you love?  If it doesn't go your way with the thing or person that you love, you can become angry.  What do you fear?  Fear also leads to anger.

I made a mental list of my fears the other day.  It seemed to help.  It was like by calling them out, I reduced their power over me, or by calling them out for what they are, I was no longer angry about them.

Love, fear and anger.  May we all have less anger, less fear and more love.

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

the impossible

I think that I have fallen into an old trap.  I am trying to fix something that I have no control over.  I can do nothing to change people, they must change themselves.  Heck, maybe they don't even need to change.  Who am I to say?

If I am constantly worried about fixing someone, I am sick in my heart, overwhelmed and in pain.  When I just accept things the way that they are, and accept people the way that they are, love can emerge.

I will keep working on this simple old truth.

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

this blog

Good Morning,

When I started this blog over 3 years ago, I decided to write daily.  There have been spells over this time that I found it difficult to do that, but I made it through.   Recently, I am struggling to find the daily words and it is, among other things, causing me some stress.

It is an odd feeling to sit in front of the computer and know that you are supposed to write something, something inspirational, but you just can't find the words.

Therefore, I am no longer going to be posting daily.  When I have something to say, I will write a post.  I am very sorry if this disappoints you but it is what I need to do right now.

A feature that you may want to look at is the option to receive email notification of a post.  That way, you will know when I post something and don't have to check the site every day.

I know that there are several of you that are daily readers, I am very sorry.  I am fine, and everything is fine, I just need to take a break.

I love you.

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

fog lifting

Do you ever feel that life is a bit foggy?  Discouragement can easily take root in our lives.  If you feel this way from time to time, you are not alone as I have felt some of it lately.  Not sure why, my problems are the same as they always were, but for some reason, I have been going thru a rough patch.  We all have holes in our lives and we all try to patch them.  Sometimes the patches are rough.

When I find one of these spells, I am so appreciative of those of you that encourage me, and for Lion's Den Man who takes over writing.

Today I am glad to report that the fog seems to be lifting.  Nothing has changed, same problems as ever, but the fog is lifting and the joy is returning.  Seeing the good takes constant vigilance.

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

could be

things could be better
things could be worse
we know we should not want "the better" that others have
and we don't want anything "worse" than what we have or are going through
is seems to be in our nature to compare though
it is a distraction, either way, from where you stand
where you are is real
work from there


Peace,
Lion's Den Man

enter life

This verse has been in my head for a while now and has me thinking.

Matthew 19:16-30
16 Another day, a man stopped Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?"
17 Jesus said, “Why do you question me about what’s good? God is the One who is good. If you want to enter the life of God, just do what he tells you.”

Enter life. (get in the game)

If I am not in the game what must I do to change that?

Remove that thing…the obstacle…the excuse….my thinking.

Then pray and listen.

Not my will but….

Peace,
Lion’s Den Man

coffee

If you are new to the church and would like to have a cup of coffee, I would love to sit down and visit.  For that matter if you are not new and would like to sit down for a cup of coffee, I would love to visit with you.

The best thing that  I do is to spend time with people.  Let me know if you want a cup.

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

need a pastor

Do you ever feel like you need a pastor?  I hope so, but I also hope not.  It is a sad feeling when a person feels despair and needs to talk, but it happens to all of us.  I hope that our pastors, staff and Stephen ministry team can provide you comfort and solace when you need it.

What does a pastor do when they feel the need to talk to a pastor?
It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

thoughts for a new year

Everyone talks about change, but will we really be transformed in 2013?

Think of the major things that people talk about improving..... they tell me that they want to be less judgemental, less worrisome, more generous and more joyful.

But what will it take for us to actually make such change?  Here are some thoughts....

1.   Do you really want to stop judging others?
What will that really take? We must learn to see some value in them.

2.   Do you really want to become more peaceful and less filled with worry?
What will that take?  Trust God- take your eyes off of circumstances and trust in God.

3.   Do you really want be more generous?
What will that take? We must assess how we are using our time and money and make changes so that we can reassign our gifts and live a more generous life.

4.   Do you really want to be more joyful?
What will that take?  We must learn to see the good.

Change isn't easy, but nothing changes by wishing.  We all must think long and hard about who we want to be and work at becoming that person, with the help of God.

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

Saturday

A lazy winter Saturday.  Sometimes Saturdays are full of things that must be done.  Finish the sermon.  Paint the house.  Fix something.

Every now and then, a Saturday shows up with no agenda.  Sleep in.  Have a cup of coffee with your wife.  Take it easy.

That is my day today.  I hope you have a restful one as well.

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

worrying

Worrying.  We all do it.  Well I guess I know some folks that don't.  But most of us do.

Someone said something about you.  Someone looked at you wrong.  Now, we are going to spend the rest of the day, the rest of the week, the rest of our lives worrying about it.  They have moved on, they don't care anymore, it has fallen off of their radar screen, but I am still thinking about it.

Someone left the church.  Someone stopped being a friend.  Someone won't shake your hand.

Do what you can to fix it, and then, let it go.  There is no reason to worry about things that you cannot control.  Worry robs us of the joy of living, it robs us of being able to focus on the good things.

There are so many more that still love you, that still are your friend, that will shake your hand.  Life is good.  Focus on the ones that are lovers, don't worry about  the ones that aren't.  You can't fix them anyway.  The only person you can do anything about is you.  So make a conscious choice to stop the worrying.

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

Good Winter Days

It almost sounds like a contradiction......Good winter days.  An oxy-moron, two things that don't go together.  Good and winter days.

Well, yesterday was a good winter day.  No snow, no frozen pipes,  no wind, and temperatures warm enough to cause a bit of melting.  My favorite winter days are when the snow melts.  I keep hoping that we will have enough of them and then spring will be here.

Days over 32degrees in the dead of winter are like grace.  They are like a little light that shines in the darkness.  They are God's reminder that the darkest night means dawn is just in sight.

I hope you are enjoying the nice days of winter, because before this is over, we may have some difficult days as well.

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

North Entrance Sign

This is the church sign at the north entrance to the property.  Some of you may not know that there are two entrances into the church property.  Of course there is the main entrance off of Lakewood Way.

The second entrance was made possible by the purchase of five acres behind the Holiday Inn.  I think we bought the land in 2002 and the youth and mission building was built on that five acres in 2008.  The parking lot was extended and an entrance was constructed out to the north, behind the Holiday Inn at that time as well.  If you don't know how to find this entrance/exit, go to the playground and turn north.  Drive past the youth and mission building and the road will dump you out onto Goodview Circle Road in front of the Cancer Center.  Keep driving straight and you come to Lakewood Way.

So, anyway, there is this sign at the north entrance.  You can see what it says on the front of the sign.  Do you know what it says on the back side of the sign?  Next time you are at church, drive out the north entrance and read the back side of the sign.

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

Happy New Year

And so another New Year dawns.  I wish you the best.  I wish you God's grace.  I wish you a trust in Him, no matter what comes.  Good or challenging, He is with us.

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

New Years Eve

Last night I sat around and listened to people share how happy they were that they were off on New Years Eve.  Others complaining that they had to work.  I thought it was an odd discussion.  Doesn't every body work seven days a week?  Isn't there always something that we have to do?  Sure seems like it to me. 

Seems like in life, you have to lean into the plow and keep working at it.  You take your rests when you can.  That is just the way the world seems to work to me.  No reason to complain, you just get up every day and keep going, and look for the good along the way.  Not very scientific, but it seems to be working.

I have great memories of New Years Eve's.  Invited over to someone's house.  Games, snacks, stories.  You fall into bed late at night and tomorrow the new year starts.  The older I get, the faster it is all going by.

If you have the day off today, enjoy it.  If you have to work, enjoy that as well.  It is all good.  Life is good.  Rain or shine, snow or not.

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

Christmas Aftermath

Christmas is over again for another year.  We had a wonderful time at our house and everyone is glad to take some time to rest.  All the busy-ness tends to make everyone a bit tired.

Today is the last Sunday of the year.  You may not have any relatives with you, but I hope that you will make it to God's house.  He will surely be there.

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

attendance

There are always several that ask about our attendance numbers for Christmas eve.  Please remember that numbers are only important because they represent people.  Human beings.  Numbers can also reflect the level of vitality in a congregation.

Last year on Christmas Eve we had a record attendance of 3003.  It always makes me nervous when we set records because you are always still expected to beat it.  If a baseball player hits a 360 foot home run, the next time that he comes up to bat, the fans aren't excited until he hits it 370 feet.  And a 350 foot home run, well that is just boring.  Anyway, you get the drift, there are some strange pressures that come to bear on pastors regarding attendance figures.

Having said all of that, we had a great night on Christmas Eve.  The music was super and I was very pleased with everything.  I so appreciate all of you that volunteered with hospitality, parking lot duty or ushering.  The total attendance for the Christmas Eve this year was 3281.  This is another new record.

Please join me in working to identify and retain every person that is now newly visiting Woods Chapel.  Please also receive my thanks for being the kind of congregation that people want to become a part of.  I am indeed the most fortunate pastor that I know.

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

something to think about

A reader shared this story and quote.......

Wes Swank passed away at the young age of 31.  His death was a loss to all those who knew him.  This was one of his favorite quotes.

“I go to work every day with people smarter than me, who are better at what they do than me.  I go to the gym every day and work out with people stronger and faster than me.  I spend my spare time with friends and family whose values and quality of character I aspire to reflect.  For all of these reasons, I get a little better, every day.”

I thank God for those who give us something to think about.  Heaven is a better place.

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

 

accepting

What is that line from the serenity prayer?  "Accepting the things that I cannot change."

I really don't like the painful things that I am powerless to change.  I wish I could change them.  It is easy to get lost in the struggle of trying to fix that which I cannot fix. 

Sometimes Christians think that if they pray hard enough, or if they get enough people praying, that anything will be fixed.  Well, I am all for prayer, but in the world that I live in, honest people will admit to you that sometimes, things don't go the way that they want them to go, no matter how much they pray.

Jesus offered an interesting prayer, it includes a request and an acceptance.  "Lord, let this cup pass from me, but if not, then not my will but Yours be done."  Sometimes true spirituality is accepting that which we are powerless to change.  To learn to find the joy in these times is a great gift.  I find that I am often on a pretty serious search for this kind of joy.

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

the gift

What does a parent give to a child?  What does a son give to a father?  A father to a son?  What does a mother give to a daughter?  For that matter, what does a Father give to a daughter?  A mother to a son?

The joy of giving and receiving is beyond description.  It is such a wonderful opportunity to give to those we love.  I hope that you have taken the opportunity to invest in those that you love.  There is no greater joy in life than to help someone else along the way, along the journey.

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

today

Merry Christmas!!

I dearly love you all.

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

Christmas Eve

Today there will be long lines at the shopping mall.  There will be hurried wrapping and baking.  The rush of deadlines and the pressure of trying to get everything done will cause many to be on their last nerve.

Today the churches will be filled.  The story will be read and the carols sung.  The pastors will remind their congregations of the reason for all of this.

God has spoken into this world.  Although the message came through a quiet babe in Bethlehem, His message still resounds loud and clear.  No evil of human endeavor can quench the message of God's light.  Every time a light bearer falls, someone else is there to take up the cause and point the way again.

God is redeeming the world.  God is reaching His people.  God so loved the world.  It is Christmas eve.  Don't be distracted.  God is not.  He is still on point, looking for hearts that are open to receive His wonderful message of love.  May yours be such a heart.

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

for you

"No one can make you feel inferior without your consent."
Eleanor Roosevelt

It is Christmas time.  You should be happy.  So should I.   What ever it is that is dragging your heart and mind down, don't let it do it anymore.  God loves you.  Jesus died for you.  The child was sent to a lowly place, to common people, to grungy shepherds.  God's message in Christmas is that every single one of us is loved, especially those who did not expect it. 

Realize who you are in Christ.  Realize that you are the object of God's love, God's delight.  Don't give in to the bad feelings that come from time to time.

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

the end it isn't

Please join me in putting no stock in any future predictions of the end of the world.  In my lifetime I bet that I have heard of 50 different end of the world predictions.  The middle east is always in turmoil.  Please don't rush out and buy the books the next time that there is a big war in the middle east.

We just don't know about these things.  There is no reason for us to get ourselves all excited about trying to predict the end.  We can not do it.  When we try, we are simply engaging in speculative theology.  It wastes our time and it is not glorifying to God. 

Do you want to please God?  Then stop worrying about the end, and start being concerned with today.  Who can I love?  Who can I help?  How can I use the resources God has given me to bless someone else?

A long time friend sent me this version of a famous scripture.  I found it humorous....
"Of that day and hour knoweth no May-an."

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

the end

The Doors sang a song about "the end."  The Mayan calendar said something about the end.  Or maybe it didn't.  My entire life I have listened to preachers, prophets and ner-do-wells threaten the end of the world.

I stick with the words of Jesus, "of that day and of that hour knoweth no man."

Each day that God gives us is a gift for us to cherish.  Instead of hoping for the end, or worrying about the end, why don't we just throw ourselves with wreckless abandon at the gift of today.

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

this Sunday

I know this is going to come up in the sermon on Sunday.  It is a Ralph Waldo Emerson quote- "rings and jewels are not gifts but apologies for gifts........the only true gift is a portion of one's self."

I don't know about you, but that little phrase has given me plenty to think about for a while.

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

a loss

He was born December 21, 1911, before the titanic sunk, before WW1. He was appointed a bishop in 1972 when I was 15 years old.  He retired from the episcopacy in 1980 and became a professor at my seminary.  At the age of 72, he was my oldest professor in seminary.

I remember how much I loved to hear him talk about faith in Jesus Christ.  He was an expert on prayer.  He was a good soul.  He used to say that "prayer was the soul's most sincere desire." He took a personal interest in me.

Bishop Mack Stokes died on November 21 of this year.  He was 100 years old.  He will be greatly missed, yet I thank God for the ways in which this wonderful man touched my young life.

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

momma said

Momma said there would be days like this.

Everywhere I went yesterday, I ran into people that were mad at me.  People that I had disappointed.  I hate days like that.  Much as I don't like to let people down, it happens.  They didn't want a bigger church, they don't like some new staff person, they don't like the sermons.  Any number of reasons for folks to be discontented in any church.

 I comfort my brain on days like that by telling myself that I did not mean to hurt them.  It was not my intention to let them down.  In fact, the opposite is true.....usually I was trying to do the right thing, and they just saw the world differently.

So, you keep going, you keep trying to do the right thing.  The sun will come up tomorrow.

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

those painful moments

"You didn't fail.  You have not lost.  Instead you have gained.....a chance to start again, this time, with new ideas, new energy and a new perspective.  An opportunity to try something you've always wanted to do without the ties of the past to restrict you."
Patricia Mitchell

Change, pain and perceived failure can be painful.  They can also be a chance for a new start.  A person has to decide in such moments, whether they will succumb or overcome, whether they will rise or fall, whether they will lay down or whether they will step into  the wind.

It's all in how you look at the moment.

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

shhhhh

Shhhh.  Quiet.  Listen.  Don't miss it.  Sometimes I am talking when I should be listening.  Sometimes I  am worrying and scurrying when I should be listening.

There is a little sound.  A little sound of Christmas.  A little word.  It is the heart.  It is the core.  It is the central and only piece. 

Shhh.  Quiet.  Listen for it.

love.

That is what Christmas is about.  God's love.  Don't miss it for all of the hurrying.

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

tragic

I am saddened, as all of you are over the senseless killings of teachers and children that took place yesterday.

We will be talking about this in church tomorrow.  Suffice it to say, while I am baffled by people that do such things, I feel pretty clear about who we are and the message that we have to give to the world.

I cannot control others, but I can control me.  And as long as I have life and breath, I am going to work to to the right things and to love every one that I possible can, for the sake of Christ.

Let us grieve for those whose hearts are breaking.  Let us pray that our Father console them as only he can.

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

your choice

How do you spend your time?  What do you get caught up in?  Are you drawn into endless arguments?  Are you fighting a battle that will never be won? 

As the Hasidic masters taught their students, “Rake the muck this way.  Rake the muck that way.  It will still be muck.  In the time you are brooding, you could be stringing pearls for the delight of heaven.”

How are you spending your time?

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

Awake

We all want God to act.  We all want something to happen that will remind us of his presence with us.  We pray for miracles.  We beg for His touch.  But we cannot force God to do anything.  We can’t make it happen.

What we can do is wake up.  We can learn to open our eyes and our hearts.  At least that way, when God does act, we will notice.  We will be looking.  It will not pass us by.  Awake thou that sleepest, and the light of Christ shall shine on you.

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

Good or bad?

Is the world good or bad?  Is life here a good thing or a bad thing?  Are you usually safe or usually in trouble?  Now there is no argument that there are some bad folks who make life terrible for others… gangs in Mexico would be an example.

But outside of those situations, I think that the world is basically a good place.  This is my Father’s world.  I was reading an author the other day who pointed out that the most common phrase in the Bible is “be not afraid.”

God is with us.  Be not afraid.  All is well.

I like it.

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

fighting depression

Little d depression.  Many of us get it.  It isn't any fun.  Big D Depression.  Fewer get it, but it can be very debilitating.  I talk to people all of the time who are dealing with one form or another of depression.  Here are some suggestions if you are struggling..........

8 keys to fight depression

1.  You may feel overwhelmed by many difficult things in your life.  Agree that most of them will be there tomorrow.  Make peace with that.  Focus your efforts on one of the issues.  Work on it until it is resolved.  Then move on to the next.  One thing at a time.

2.  Listen to soothing music.  Classical music or Fernando Ortega or whatever you love.  Music calms the savage beast.  It speaks to our souls. 

3.  Diversion.  Go to a movie.  Go occupy your time.  Give your brain a break by force filling it with something.

4.  Read something helpful.  Try the book, "Walking on Water" by Anthony Demello.  It really helped me during a very little d depression time.

5.  Spend time with Christian friends.  Surround yourself with positive, helpful, constructive people.

6.  Get outside and take in some of God's creation.  let the sun, the moon, the air, the wind, the trees speak to you of the glory of God.  Get outside of the four walls and let the heavens declare the glory of God.

7.  Exercise.  Go for a walk.  Start a mild callisthenic work out.  It is amazing how much better a person feels when they are exercising even a little bit.  It is a giant stress reliever.  This might be the first thing that you try.

8.  Pray.  There are some things that we can do, and there are some things that God can do.  Do everything that you can, but ask for the help of our loving Father.

It is a beautiful day in God's world.  Keep looking for it.  You will find it.  You will see it.  The goodness of God is here.

the blessing

Oh.  The blessing of a Sunday off.  Whether a pastor is on vacation, or present but not preaching that day, it is a blessing to have a Sunday when you are not preaching.  Sometimes people complain to me if I am gone, but please understand that your brain needs a break.  Your soul needs a break.  There is such pressure to have something to say, something spiritual, and it better be good!

It is so wonderful to have a Saturday when your brain isn't rolling over the information for the sermon every moment of the day.  You can actually work in the yard and enjoy the relaxation.  It is nice to have a week when you are not frantically searching for the right things to say.

So I was off yesterday.  It was good for my brain and soul.  Getting a break keeps our souls good and excited about life in general.  Thanks for understanding.

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

golden windows

When I was a child, my grandmother used to tell me a story about a boy who looked to the west at sunrise and saw a home with golden windows.  He wanted very much to go to that very special home and be apart of the wealth, glamor, fame and wonder of that place.  He packed a lunch and started walking.  He walked all day.

Just as the sun was beginning to set, he arrived at the home only to find that it did not have golden windows.  In fact, it was a very common home just like his own.  And so he looked to the east, and as the sun was setting, he saw his own home, now itself complete with golden windows.

Grandma would explain how the sun does that to windows depending on whether it was rising or setting.  Then she would tell us the meaning.  Your home is fine.   Your things are fine.  Your life is fine.  You are fine.  All is well.  Don't think that the answer is somewhere else.  Find the answer where you are.

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

our choice

There is a scene in the movie Evan Almighty where a reporter is interviewing Evan that sticks with me.


Ark Reporter: What makes you think God chose you?
Evan Baxter: He chose all of us.

It makes me think about when we talk about the people who are chosen and how it is usually followed by the statement ........God doesn't choose the equipped, He equips the chosen.

That statement seems have a sense of exclusiveness to me.

I Believe
We are all chosen.
We are all equipped.
We just need to say yes.

Peace,
Lion's Den Man

83 years ago

today is my mom's birthday

83
born a little over a month after the 1929 crash on wall street
she grew up in the depression era
pearl harbor was bombed on her 12th birthday (today) and so from that point on war replaced the depression.
at age 16 in 1945 the war ended
those were her child hood years

i doubt she knew how much of the plans made for her that were set aside. i never had the chance to talk to my grandfather about what he went through as a father and provider i am sure it was tough for him.

neither of my parents never talked much about those days growing up but in hindsight you can see how it affected their lives. never really complaining and never really wanting. they grew up "making do" and continued in that way of life their entire life.

so many things we can learn from our parents and those who came before us.

Peace,
Lion's Den Man

beware of doug

i love this larson cartoon
my twist on this piece of humor is
i think everyone has a doug in their life
someone that we avoid
someone that makes us uncomfortable
someone that we find hard to communicate with
someone that always needs something or just simply gets in the way of our plans
someone that if we don't see and can't avoid really brings our day down

more than likely you have a doug lurking around
more than likely you are a doug too.... as am i

i need to remind myself of this and remember doug is ok if i don't let myself get in the way

Peace,
Lion's Den Man

Grace

Yesterday morning, at the men's gathering, a talk was given on the topic of Grace. I think most will agree that although we are thankful for God's gift of grace it is still something we struggle to accept or understand at times. When we know we have done wrong to another, although it is nice to know when they have forgiven us, we are either unable to accept it as a truth or we tend to still want to prove ourselves worthy of that forgiveness. Many times how we accept it often plays into how we give it out as well.


In the book "The Ragamuffin Gospel", Brennan Manning writes,

We accept grace in theory but deny it in practice. Living by grace rather than the law leads us out of the house of fear into the house of love. "There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love." (1 John 4:18) Living by Grace inspires a growing consciousness that I am what I am in the sight of Jesus and nothing more. It is His approval that counts.

Yesterday's talk ended with an exercise that went something like this:
Close your eyes.
Think of something you have done that has made you feel unworthy of God's grace.
Now picture Jesus next to you.
He calls you by name and tells you that you are forgiven.
Thank Him.
Open your eyes.


Grace provides the freedom we need to carry on and do his work.

Peace,
Lion's Den Man

wagons

here is a twist on something i heard the other day.....


wagons. in church some people pull the wagon. some ride in the wagon. some need to be in the wagon and others need, at some point, to leave the wagon and pull. pulling feeds us. it strengthens us. it binds us closely to others we are pulling with and helps to keep the wagon on the path.

my guess is the majority of the readers here are wagon pullers and my guess is you weren't always but because of another puller's invitation you became one. there are lots of folks in the wagon that really just need a personal invitation to pull. as pullers that is our job too.

Peace,
Lion's Den Man

a simple message

It can be easy I think to take something that is simple and make it complex. sometimes we just tend to get in the way. sometimes we let others tell us what we should think or how we should respond or how we are suppose to view something. we are all so different and so we all have a different take or view on how things should be and that is ok as long as it doesn't stray from the truth....over the last few weeks I have been reading and listening to thoughts and opinions about what Christmas is "really" about and how, as believers, we are to suppose to respond to the Christmas message. Interesting how easy it is to make a statement and then argue it until it sounds like you have the answer....

I like this one myself....

John 3
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

That is Christmas. A gift of love from God. God is love. God loves us. God wants us to love each other. When we love each other by whatever means we can..... a smile and hello, a gift, serving, etc. then we are in understanding of the true meaning of Christmas.

Peace,
Lion's Den Man

quotes

I recently watched a movie called the Tree of Life.  I was moved by some of the quotes, which I share with you today.



"The only way to be happy is to love.  Unless you love, your life will flash by.


There are two ways through life- the way of nature and the way of grace.  You have to choose which one you will follow.

Grace doesn't try to please itself.  It accepts being slighted, forgotten, disliked.  It accepts insults and injuries.

Nature only wants to please itself, to get others to please it too.  It like to lord it over them, to have its own way.  It finds reasons to be unhappy when all the world is shining around it.  And love is smiling through all things.

No one who loves the way of grace ever comes to a bad end.

I will be true to grace, no matter what comes."




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

sermon series

I love the Christmas season, but it will soon be over.  It is pretty easy to know what to preach about during Christmas.  The story is the same every year.  But between Christmas and Lent, there is a period of 6-8 weeks that we need ideas for a sermon series.

You all are the best people in the world, and you all have great hearts and great ideas.  What would you like to hear about during that time period?  What topic would you like to hear a sermon series on?

Thanks for your help today, and in every way that you reach out and care about your church.

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

thankful -30

Today I am thankful for a new friend.  In addition to that, I am thankful for an old friendship that has been renewed.  I am also thankful for a long term relationship that has blossomed into a friendship. 

I am thankful for the ways that we can feel about others in our hearts.  I am thankful for the warmth, the joy and the hope that love and care can bring to a person's life.

If you take stock of your life and find no friends, then it is time to start looking.  Start working on you, and start reaching out.  If a man would have friends, he must show himself to be friendly.  Somewhere out there, there is a friend for you.  When you find each other, it is a great joy and it is well worth the work.  But it is sometimes work to find and build a friendship.  There is no time like the present to start the effort.  You will be glad that you did.

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

thankful - 29

"People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are.  I don't believe in circumstances.  The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want and if they can't find them, make them."
George Bernard Shaw

The central question to happiness and contentment in this life is the choice that we make every day to focus on what is wrong, or to focus on what is right.  On any given day, there is often something wrong, but there is always something right.  The choice of perspective is ours and it makes all the difference in the world.

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

thankful 28

Today I am thankful for release.  The ability to release others from bondage.  To free them in my heart.

Someone hurt you.  Someone said something about you.  You are worried about someone.  There are so many ways that we get all tied up inside about another person.

You can choose to let them go.  To free them.  To forgive them.  To no longer count their sins against them.  You have the power to do this.  And when you do, how happy are you!  How happy am I when I no long hold a grudge.  Love keeps no record of wrongs.

If your heart is truly free, it is a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

thankful 27

As I sit here on this chili morning, I am thankful for Spring.  It's not here, and it won't be here for a while, but I am looking forward to it.  My feet are cold!

Now while  I am looking forward to Spring, I am not going to look forward to it so much that I ruin the rest of Fall and Winter.  Fall is good and Winter is ok, but I am thinking that Spring is looking good to me right now.

The cycle of life and death, the cycle of renewal that God has placed in creation is absolutely wonderful.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.  Don't wait for Spring to see the good.

thankful -26

from a friend-

Here is what I am thankful for today. Every morning I read one or more devotionals written by people who do not know me but cared enough about me to want me to grow spiritually and to see the joy in this part of our eternal journey. That list includes all those who labor behind the scenes and publicly to make our spiritual lives more rewarding (and easier in many ways). Included are the authors of the Bible and those who worked to make it available to everyone. Now for the point of my reading today. A couple I have read about for years both recently went thru cancer and achieved remission. The husband’s cancer is back. His wife, an author in one of my devotionals, described a recent visit to the doctor. She told the doc her husband was using the word “hopeless” a lot recently. The doctor shut his office door, looked the husband in the eye and said “your attitude is the biggest ally you have right now. You need to understand each day is a gift you can chose to open or not. I want to you to end each day by thinking of one reason why you were glad you were alive that day. You will be surprised how many reasons you find.” Today I’m grateful for the doctor, his advice (which I’m going to try), and for everyone who takes the time to share their spiritual thoughts with me and the world. What a gift!

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

thankful - 25

"At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person.  Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have relit the flame within us."
Albert Schweitzer

And so I am thankful for you, for each of you.  Because although you may not know it, you have relit the flame of my life.  Your handshake, your hug, your voice, your smile.  You caring enough to take time to read this.  You have had a profound influence on my life, on my heart.  And as your caring has touched my journey, so you have great power in this life to bless others.

I am grateful for you.

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

thankful still

"Saying thank you is more than good manners, it is good spirituality." 
Alfred Painter

I have believed in God my entire life.  I have believed in Jesus as long as I can remember.  There was a time that I thought I was something because I believed.  Then I became grateful. 

Gratitude adds an element to one's spirituality that makes it all about God again.  Gratitude tends to clean out the self and make room for the Spirit.

Of all of God's gifts, gratitude may be the one thing that sets our lives into proper balance.

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

thankful - 23

from a reader -

Things I am thankful for- Cinnamon-the fragrance warms a home. It is medicinal, a weight loss aid, and it tastes so good!  Always a reminder of simpler things, thoughts of home and family.

 

Holding a new baby, listening to the tiny grunts, the cries, smelling the sweet breath, envisioning a bright future; hope in a tiny perfect bundle.

 

Sailing on water;  deep sea fishing, whale watching, or cocktails with friends on the lake. How beautiful to feel the wind in your face, and warmth at your back.

 

Hot air balloons over California vineyards. Swooping down into the valley to grab a bunch of grapes then back up 500 feet. The pristine quiet aloft as you hear everything on the ground below.

 

A solid relationship with my grown children!  God has blessed us in pure joy!  We like traveling together, and meet twice a week to enjoy each others company. And they often bring their friends along.

 

Singing to someone; Happy Birthday, a lullaby, or a praise song to My Father.

 

Hands, all the hands that have served me in the big and the small things. Mother, Father, brother, doctor, nurse, lawyer, friend, wait staff, communion servers, cleaning, Christmas lights, lawn care, pastor, chef, police, fire, neighbors, Aunties, grandmother and husband, my husbands beautiful hands.

 

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

thankful

Today is thanksgiving.  I could write about so many things.  But I am going to write about what is on my heart today.  I am thankful for my children.  Today for the first time in years, I woke up and they were here in my house.  I love that!  They are so funny and so smart.  They are young, and beautiful and they have a start at life, a shot at life, the ability to do better than I have done.

They all three have better jobs than I did at their ages.  They have fewer worries, fewer voices in their heads, and we love each other.  I am the most fortunate man, I am the most fortunate father.  I am thankful, with tears running down my face for my children, Alli 25 - Jenny 23 and Scott - 21.

Now there are lots of other things that I am thankful for as well, but I love my kids, we will talk about the rest of thankful things in the days to come.

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

thankful -21

I am thankful today for the songs of faith that sometimes roam around in my head.  They seem to find a way down into my heart.   There is nothing better than to find myself singing off and on, all day the words to a great tune.

"This is my Father's world, and to my listening ears, all nature sings and round me rings the music of the spheres.  This is my Father's world, O let me nere forget, that though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the ruler yet."

or how about this one-

"Now thank we all our God, with hearts and hands and voices.  Who wondrous works has done, in whom this world rejoices.  Who from our mother's arms, has blessed us on our way, with countless gifts of love, and still is ours today."

I love it!

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

thankful - 20

from a reader -

I am thankful…

I am thankful he chose to dwell in my heart.

I am thankful for his presence when each day starts.

I am thankful for the smell of flowers, and the smell of hay. The smell of a barn, where the baby Jesus lay.

I am thankful for sparrows and how birds fly.

I am thankful for clouds way up in the sky.

I am thankful for water that quenches our thirst.

And I am thankful for fireworks  and how they burst.

I am thankful for trees and all they provide.

For their leaves and shade and a place for animals to hide.

I think it is awesome how tall some trees grow.

How they give nuts and fruit to feed the kingdom so.

Another thing that is simply amazing is how paper For the pages of the Bible, also comes from trees!

His Word is to guide us and teach us about living.

His Presence is found there and fills me with praising. For wood to build things, like the ark and the manger the baby Jesus laid in.

For firewood to keep warm and the frames of the homes we live in.

I am also most thankful for the cross that was made For the taking of sins so we can live with him today. 

I am thankful for friendships and people to love.

I thank God for the pilgrims and to see a morning dove.

I am thankful for neighbors who live close by.

I am thankful for schools and the flags that they fly.

I thank God for our eyesight, and how both eyes work.

I am thankful for ears and the way God made animal’s ears perk.

I am thankful for laughter, when things are funny.

Smiles and giggles and bees who make honey.

I am thankful for life and the way God chose it to start.

In the womb of our mothers where HE formed our heart.

I am thankful for snow when everything is white, A gift from heaven is snowflakes that glisten in the light.

Reminds me of another gift that came down from above, The precious Holy Spirit that fills our hearts with His love.

 

I love it when it rains, I love it when it snows.

I love the sound of thunder and how the lightening glows.

I love and adore and thank God for his Son.

Jesus…the Holy Spirit, the trinity…three in one.

I am thankful for the cross and the plan God had made How Jesus died there for us and then rose from the grave.

I thank God for family, and that I am his friend.

I am thankful for Jesus and the Holy Spirt, He did send.

He is faithful to all who will trust and obey.

My heart is so full of his love when I pray.   

 

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

thankful - 19

this one is from me.

I am thankful for forgiveness.

For the chance to learn it's importance.  For the ability to give it to others.  The air is always clearer when there is a drenching rain of forgiveness.

I am also thankful for those who have forgiven me.  There are more than I know of.  Think of that.  There are more people that have forgiven you, than you even know.  I have wounded others and didn't even know it, and they forgave me.

We all receive much more grace than we can know.  And so I am thankful for forgiveness.  Given and received.

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

thankful -18

This one is from me-

I am thankful that sometimes I don't get what I deserve.  Jesus died on the cross to bear my sin.  Instead of judgment, I have been forgiven.  We get love and freedom, when we deserved something else.

The other night I was heading up to meet someone at La Fluente.  I was running late so I was in a hurry.  I am in the median, in that little strip waiting to turn left into the Price Chopper parking lot.  There is a good deal of traffic.  I see an opening coming in the cars that I can turn through.  I also notice that the car coming up is speeding up, almost as if they are trying to close the gap so I won't make the turn.

Here comes the opening, here I go.  I make it through, but it is much closer than I thought, and it was a very dangerous thing for me to do.  Even careless and imprudent.  It was dark that time of night, so it wan't until I was pulling through that I noticed that the car that was closing on me was...... a police car.

I rushed through the parking lot, another dangerous move, parked, turned off the lights, and headed in.  I watched for a while to see if a cruiser was lurking around looking for a brown truck.  The police car never came back.  I dodged a bullet.

Sometimes we deserve something, and we get something else.  So I am thankful today for good fortune and for God's amazing love and grace- all undeserved.

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

thankful - 17

Shared by a reader -

I thank God for my son’s disabilities.  He was born January 6th and has been my Epiphany baby in more ways than one. I will condense our story by saying that my son’s disabilities have led us down a twisting path of incredible disappointment and devastating pain.  We face daily challenges ranging from life threatening situations, to less than supportive family members, a hostile school environment, financial challenges to emotional breakdowns.  Every time we took a step forward, we would be handed a new diagnosis, a new challenge. But at each moment when I don’t think I can handle it, God has shown us the way. 

I've never been more challenged in every conceivable way.  There have even been times when I questioned if life was worth living.  How could God keep letting life deal this innocent child blow after blow? I often find myself at the absolute end of my rope.  But then I open my eyes, and see God has shown me unbelievable opportunity to grow, to teach, to help, to get involved.  He has given me a luxurious struggle.  

I have grown in ways I never knew possible.  I've learned what selflessness means.  I've learned what commitment means.  I've learned what sacrifice means. 

I've learned how to appreciate the smallest joys of just getting through the day.  

I thank God for an otherwise more than comfortable life.  I thank God that I have the resources to afford to leave our school district.  I thank God I have the time and skills to run a support group to help others find their way.  I thank God for a nice car to use to get to various therapy sessions.  I thank God that I have good insurance to cover the various doctors’ appointments.  I thank God that I have a degree in education and can help my son get the resources he needs.  I thank God that I have a supportive husband and friends who “get it”.   I thank God for my son, no matter the challenges that come along with being his mom, every day of my life.  My Epiphany baby has taught me, more than anyone in the world, about being a Christian and becoming closer to and trusting in God.

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