The busyness of life

There was a time when if you asked me, "what keeps you busy these days?" I could spout off about twenty different activities and the like. Now if you asked me I would simply answer, "running the business and being a dad/husband"

I'm probably the busiest I've ever been, which you could probably tell by my lag in blog posts.

loving children

I find myself holding Jadon saying, "Daddy loves you. Daddy loves you. Daddy loves you."

Jadon has done nothing but eat, sleep, and poop. Why do I love her so much and tell her I love her so much? She's mine! What can I say?

Perhaps I need to see myself like this before the Lord and take heart. I am his and he is mine. He's my Daddy and he loves* me!

*I did nothing to earn his love. He loves ME because he love Jesus.

spring

I love the spring. I love all the seasons, but I love each season individually for specific reasons.

The spring is bursting with life and smells fill the air. There are many scents of spring, and most of them take me back to a time and place when I was doing this or that.

Just the other day I was in my home town and the scent combined with way the sun hit my face reminded of the day I got my first car running. It was a 1976 Chrysler Cordoba. For 7 years prior the owner had let it sit where he parked it because the battery died. He bought a new car and never dealt with the old one. I asked him if I could buy it from him (16 year-olds will do anything for any set of wheels) and he said he would pay me $1 dollar if I could get it running. Needless to say I was a dollar richer at the end of the day.

I was also reminded of events that happened in my life many springs ago when I was in school, and what life was like then...and I was thankful to God for where and how he has brought me here.

With spring in full bloom I look forward to backpacking trips, fishing, photography, biking, biking, biking, climbing, and just being outdoors in general. I especially excited to do outdoor things with Corban!

How about you?

worship

I had a good time worshiping with the believers at Saint Paul Fellowship, where my brother and sister-in-law worship corporately. It was good for me to get out of BBC for a Sunday and see how others worship the LORD. I love that we have one God, and one LORD Jesus Christ the Son. At every moment from almost everywhere* on the plant people are worshiping and treasuring the Faithful God. I love being exposed to other view points/vantage points within an orthodox service of worship, it keeps me from becoming closed minded and judgmental, refreshing my faith.

I think many people get stuck in a rut, and therefore aren't moving...I never want to be that, ever! May the LORD ever be gracious unto me and give me the capacities to serve him whole-heatedly while I'm on this earthly pilgrimage. Without this I'm toast!

*not all have heard of Jesus, therefore not everywhere on the planet has worshipers, therefore we should pray and go to tell them of the ultimate Treasure.

the new Milky Way "Simply Carmel" is simply out of line

On a lighter note...I had a new candy bar yesterday.

To me, there were always three candy bars that were the backbone to all other candy bars.  They are as follows, in this order:

Three Musketeers















Milky Way















Snickers

 The Three Musketeers bar was the most basic, aside from just chocolate, having a nice creamy nougat center surrounded in delicious milk chocolate.  The Milky Way bar is basically a Three Musketeers upgrade with the addition of caramel.  And finally, the Snickers Bar brings it to another level by throwing in some nutritious peanuts.  So, as you can see, there is a lineage.

So where does this new Milky Way bar fit in?  It has the simplicity of a Three Musketeers with the glorious caramel of the Milky Way.  It surely doesn't fit into the traditional candy bar lineage.  For now, I will put it on par with the Three Musketeers since there are only two elements.

What's next, a Snickers Bar called "Simply Peanuts"?

a prayer for today

Lord Jesus, please take this burden from me.  I know your ears are always open and you are attentive to my cries.  Give me the joy that's mine as a sheep in your fold.  Cause my face to turn to you and be radiant.  Let my mourning be turned to rejoicing, for that is far better.  Give me grace to not worry about tomorrow, but trust in you for today.  Renew my soul, lift my countenance, save the soul of your servant.  Help me to be a confident father who trusts in you, and inspires confidence in my family.  Send your peace over me like a title wave and enrapture my soul with your benevolence.  Only in you, Jesus, is there any consolation for sorrow, and all the reason in the world for rejoicing and satisfaction.  Keep my mind fixed on you and rule in my heart.  Take it Lord Jesus, you are entirely trustworthy and good.  Amen.

encouagement from Scott

I received this email yesterday, and it blessed me to tears.

I also know what it's like to have emotions function as the engine of your train.  There are three cars to everybody's train: the mind, emotions, and will.  When we take our eyes off of our heavenly Father and the truths of his word we often start to let our emotions become the engine of the train.  Fight to keep you mind and intellect and the truths you know from Scripture as the driving force of your life.  Keep your emotions in check as the second car.

But this analogy breaks down in that our emotions ALWAYS follow what we're thinking.  It is NEVER the other way around.  If we're depressed it's because we can't see beyond the hurdle and trial in front of us, and thus we think things are hopeless.  If we're joyful, it's because we remember that God loves us (as you talked about loving Corban) and seeks to give us exactly what we need most at every given moment.  (Or we are just stupid and choose not to see any hurdles or trials before us.)

But you're not stupid and you do see the trials in front of you.  The difficulty you seem to be having is remembering the love God has for you and his promise to provide.  (Matt 6:25-34)  And don't forget Rom 8:32!!!  "He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?"  God already did the greater thing, how will he now not do the lesser for those he loves.

So brother, these days look often at Corban and Emily.  Meditate on and FEEL the love you have for them, and then transpose that into the love that God has for his children and that Jesus has for the church.  Let these truths lead your emotions.  "Set your mind on things above, not on things that are on the earth."

sweet truth for today

"He has transfered us from the domain of darkness to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom there is redemption and forgiveness of sins."

From the book of Colossians

your strengths weakness

I have been pondering as of late how our strongest personality traits are often our weakest link, or, the things that we're good at often give us the most grief. Here's an example:

Someone who is an exceedingly good visionary will often start things, but never finish them because before they finish they're off to the next great idea.

Somebody whose a very hard worker can err on the side of being a workaholic and wear themselves out.

A person who is very giving, can over-give of themselves and wind up empty and wore out.

A fella who is tender of heart tends to get tread upon.

Granted, the scripture calls us to suffer in some regard by way of following Jesus (give in your poverty, turn the other cheek, etc.), but that's not really what I'm getting at.

It seems to me, if we don't temper our strengths with intentionality they can lead to weariness or shortcoming.

What are your strengths? And have they ever been a weak point for you?