Grace

My friend Andy sat across from me beaming with excitement-
"You won't believe what happened to me this weekend"
He said, as he seemed to grin from ear to ear.
He went on to describe taking a Trophy Buck while hunting with his son.

Now as a deer hunter myself-
There was just a bit of envy-
As he showed a picture of this 11 point trophy of a life time.

The envy quickly turned to resentment as I heard him say-

"Really I'm not a deer hunter at all"
"This is the first time I have been deer hunting in years"
"A friend just took me out, and put my son and I on a stand"
"Oh, did I tell you I prayed before we went?"
The prayer was-
"Lord, surprise us"

I felt the surge of resentment grow stronger.

God you know how hard I have worked to get a trophy like that-
You know, if anyone deserves that trophy- it's me-
And yet You give such a thing to someone who just walks out into the woods-
No work- No scouting- No sitting for hours in the cold-
You just gave it to him.

Why not me?
What's wrong with me?

And then I hear my Father say-

Luke 15:31

 "My son" the Father said,

"You are always with me and everything I have is yours"

Truth- The Lord gives as He sees fit.

Truth- The Father has given me good gifts-

No check that- The Father has given me perfect gifts-

Exactly what I needed to bring my heart towards Himself-

Oh, sin and the enemy bring pain from time to time-

But in His Love and Grace towards me-

Father takes even this pain and offers healing and wholeness.

Father,

Thank You for my Brother's Blessing.

Thank You for my own Blessings.

Open my eyes to always See and

Trust Your Grace in my Life.

Amen



Just One Thing

"I just need to pick up this one thing"
Dawn said as she closed the car door and headed off into the Publix.
Immediately the banter began as her husband Tony said 2-
Then daughter Sarah chimed in,
"Are you counting the Coke-
I put the Coke in my count and I say 3".
Tony chuckles back, "No, the Coke is a given-
So I guess with that I will have to say 3 as well".

It seems there is a running wager-
Everytime my Sister-in-Law goes into a store-
For just one thing-
How many "things" she will eventually emerge with.
My wife Julie is the same-

Could it be a Woman thing?

I feel like maybe I am treading on precarious ground here-
So I best move on!

Actually, I am the same-
Not so much in shopping, but in thinking-
I start off on one idea, but before long........

My friends call it chasing rabbits-

I call it the leading of the Holy Spirit!

Anyway-
I suppose we all are subject to distraction-
And is there really ever "Just One Thing"?

Luke 10:40-42 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made.

She came to Jesus and asked,

 “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself?

Tell her to help me!”

    “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered,

“You are worried and upset about many things,

but few things are needed—or indeed Only One.

 Mary has chosen what is better,

And it will not be taken away from her.” 

Ah, the one thing that really matters-

The Only Thing-

The Only Thing that will not be taken away.

Father God, Lord Jesus, Holy Spirit-

I pray that as we go through this day that all the lesser things,

The things that woo and distract-

That they all would fade into nothingness-

As we set our hearts toward uniting with Your Great Heart-

Even in these lesser things.

Matthew 6:33

Amen 

Light brings Truth and Truth brings Life

There was a thick fog all around us-
As we stumbled through the black of night.

The flashlight shining in the darkness only seemed to make things worse as it highlighted the shifting mists in the night. Then there was the swaying Spanish Moss whose every movement with the breeze conjured up age old fears of some dark and evil creature lurking........
Waiting to ravage us.......
As we made our way through the cold stagnant waters of some ancient swamp.

We finally arrived at our destination-
An island of sorts-
At least some dry ground.

I watched in ever increasing terror as my friend left me there-
Slowly moving away with his light........
Into the all consunsuming black of night.
"I'll be back in a few hours", he said-
As he left me there-
Alone.........
Shivering from a combination of cold and fear-
Feeling as lost as a boy can feel.

I was 12 years old-
It was the first and last time
I have ever been Duck Hunting.

But what about now?

What is out there?

What is waiting for us-
As we make our way through the uncertainties of this life?

What kinds of monsters make the hair stand up on the back of your neck?

Do you ever feel left alone........
Like some little boy.........
In a dark, bleak swamp?

As I sat with my back to a tree on that cold wintery morning, looking out into the blackness and shivering, it was not long before I noticed something- I could begin to make out some shapes- Those are trees aren't they?

And that slight rise in the distance........

Yes, there it was-
The horizon.

Glancinging up, there was a break in the fog-

Incredible!

There were a billion stars shining through on this clear winter's night.

My heart rose a bit as I began to get glimpses...........

of Hope.....

of Truth.........

Being revealed by the coming light.

The Truth of the beauty I was surrounded by.

Still fear lingered.........

Until after a little longer-
I began to notice the horizon brightening a bit-

Could it be.......

Was that the edge of the sun-
I was seeing begin to climb in the distance?

Yes!

And what about this place-

I think I have been here before-

I remember.....
Yes my friend had brought me here before.

I have seen this- maybe I am not lost after all!

John 1: 4-5 In Him was Life,
and that Life was the light of all Mankind.
The Light shines in the darkness
 and the darkness has not overcome it.

What about you?
Is there ever something in you-

Something that feels lost-

Maybe even a little afraid?

And yet as Jesus brings Light........

As He brings Life itself.............

As we begin to be able to see-

As we begin to realize the Truth of His Life in us..........

Hope bursts forth like the sun on the horizon.

Welcome to Today-

Welcome to the Truth-
That darkness will always yield to Light-

Welcome to Life in Him.

Father God, Life Giver Jesus, Wonderful Holy Spirit-

Thank You for the Dawn-

Thank You for bringing Light and Truth and Life to put away the darkness.

Thank You for Today.

Amen

Link to "Your Love Never Fails" below

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_2qG22SPwU&feature=related 

God is Good- All the Time.......Really?

It was early morning-

The sun was just coming into it's full glory through the window.
The blinds were drawn, but not closed completely.
Now in those ever so small openings-
The openings between each shade panel-
The brilliance of the new morning sun light beamed through-
Right into the eyes of my friend sitting just across from me.
Now this same sun light warmed the back of my own neck just a bit.
For me it was a pleasant start to a promising new day.
Not so for my friend as he first squinted-
Then turned his head awkwardly in an effort to escape his discomfort.
Finally-
After a bit-
My friend picked himself up out of his chair-
And moved to a new spot.

The same sun-

Pleasure for me-

Pain for my friend.

There are times and places in my life-

Where the Goodness of God really feels painful.

Maybe it's the only way though-
The only way I will move-
Move to a better place.

James 1:2 Count it pure Joy, my Brothers,

When you face Trials of many Kinds.

Holy Spirit,

Speak into my heart

The Truth of the Goodness of God

In all my Life.

Amen

Our Mother Who Art in Heaven

Whoa Charles Whoa-
Have you lost your mind?
Don't you dare go perverting the scriptures.
I mean really- Get hold of yourself man!

You didn't really title this

"Our Mother Who art in Heaven" Did you?

Maybe it was just a typo.
 No typo-
But I may be guilty of a little attention grabbing-
You Know- Via the outrageous statement.

Now let me risk even a bit more-  

The Character and Glory of God 

Is expressed as fully in Good Motherhood 

As it is in Good Fatherhood.  

Mama carried me in her own body-
Mama suffered and sacrificed for me-
Mama nourished me-
Mama made a home for me-
Mama sang to me-
Mama held me close-
Mama spoke tender words to me-
Mama taught me-
Mama cared for my hurts-
Mama ......................

 Genesis 1:27 

So God created man in His Own Image- 

In the Image of God He created Him- 

Male and Female He Created Them.  

Children, honor your Mothers today-
Husbands, Honor the Mothers of your Children today-
Not just because it's nice-
 Not just because it's the right thing to do-
Not even just because she was a good Mother-
Let's honor these women today because in honoring them-
We honor the God whose image they bear.
In honoring these Women-
We honor those things about our God-
Those things He chose to show us about Himself-
Those things that could only be expressed-
Through the Love and Tenderness of a Woman.  

Father in Heaven, Lord Jesus, Holy Spirit

 Give me eyes to see today- 

Give me eyes to see a bit more of Who You are- 

As I honor my Mother- 

For all the ways she poured Your Great Love into me. 

Amen

Keeping it Simple

1 Corinthians 15:55-57 "Where o' death is your victory?

Where o' death is your sting?

The sting of death is sin and the power of sin is the law,

but thanks be to God.

He gives us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."

Christianity is simple.

Either the tomb is empty or it's not.

Either there is Life in Christ-

Or there is not

Are you looking for Life?

The very title of this blog tells you that I am in a constant search for life-

It's funny how that has worked out-

It seems every time I find a bit of it-

Right there with it-

With the Life I long for-

There is Jesus.

Father, I pray that on this Resurrection Day-

This day that comemorates the Power of Life over death-

That all of us would find Jesus-

That all of us would find Life.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bms0ZiM_KG0

Amen

Can You Imagine?

Isaiah 55:9 "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My Thoughts higher than your thoughts" says the Lord.

Can you imagine trying to explain the love you have for another person-

Say your wife or girlfriend or.....

Better yet your children to............

Let's say a cat?

I would say a dog-

But I wonder sometimes if maybe we might be better off having the Canine species explain love to us than us presuming to explain love to them!

Ah but cats-

Aloof, independent and an "I can take you or leave you" air about them that reminds me so much of myself.

Yep, cats- now theres a challenge.

Next time you get a chance take a cat aside and spend some time trying to explain how you feel about someone you love to such a creature and let me know how that works out for you.

Hmmm..... maybe our best hope with a cat is not so much to explain how we love someone special in our lives to the feline, but instead to let our prized pet know how much we love it....er him.....her..... oh whatever.

Yes sir buddy-

That might be our best hope for getting through to a cat.

It must be a little like that for God with us-

The infinite God explaining His Love to us finite folks.

I mean really- Can it be done with words?

Do we even have words that can give expression to His Thoughts of us?

Can you imagine the words?

Maybe not.

Ah...... but if ever there was an expression to us of His thoughts about us-

I think maybe the best place to look is to Jesus.

And if there has ever been one moment-

One moment in all of time that is the pinnacle of His thoughts about us-

That moment is comemorated today-

Good Friday-

The Cross.......

Oh how He Loves us- Oh how He Loves us-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BetW_6vtNU&feature=related

Can you imagine?

1 John 3:1 How great is the Love the Father has lavished upon us-

That we should be called Children of God-

For that is what we are.

Father, thank you for loving me beyond imagination-

Jesus, thank you for bringing me the Love of the Father-

Spirit, thank you for opening the eyes of my heart even a little to comprehend such things.

Amen