Well, after almost thirty-six years of being married to my best friend, having the most beautiful daughter in the world, and the two most beautiful and smartest grandaughters anywhere by an awesome daughter-by-marriage, it happened! I have fallen in love with another woman. Well, we haven't exactly met yet and she's not exactly a woman yet... What? Read on.
Last Friday while running some errands and listening to my XM Radio, I heard a song I had long forgotten, "Isn't She Lovely?" by Stevie Wonder. The lyrics, in part, read:
"Isn't she lovely?
Isn't she wonderful?
Isn't she precious?
Less than one minute old.
I never thought through love we'd be
Making one as lovely as she.
Isn't she pretty
Truly the angel's best
Boy, I am so happy
We have been heaven's blessed.
I can't believe what God has done.
Through us He's given life to one
But isn't she lovely made from love?"
Somehow God used those lyrics to introduce me to another woman, the newest love of my life, Grace and E. J.'s little Ensley Kate Wood. She's not even a minute old, in fact, she has about four months to go before any introductions can be made but she has already stolen my heart; and Stevie, you had it right when you asked, "Isn't she lovely!?" She most certainly is!
Monday, April 19, 2010
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
When We Had Much Less
This week-end our three children, 2 children-in-law, 2.5 grandaughters, and 2 granddogs will be Alabamy bound. This means a great deal to Zannie and me because to have them all together just does not happen but maybe at Christmas. We have had much less time with our family than we would like so we appreciate what we do have greatly!
I remember the time when buying a full tank of gas or eating out was a huge deal because things were just so tight financially. Now that we have more, we appreciate it a lot because there was a time we just didn't have much.
I wonder if when we get to heaven and see all its splendor we will appreciate heaven and say, "You know, this is so wonderful because on earth we just didn't have that much that really mattered and now we have EVERYTHING that matters."
I don't know but it's just a thought for today.
I remember the time when buying a full tank of gas or eating out was a huge deal because things were just so tight financially. Now that we have more, we appreciate it a lot because there was a time we just didn't have much.
I wonder if when we get to heaven and see all its splendor we will appreciate heaven and say, "You know, this is so wonderful because on earth we just didn't have that much that really mattered and now we have EVERYTHING that matters."
I don't know but it's just a thought for today.
Friday, April 2, 2010
Are You Offensive?
Good Friday! No, let's celebrate "Spring Holiday" instead; that 's the cry of some city officials of an Iowa town. Silly, just plain silly! Good Friday is offensive! Easter is offensive! Jesus Christ is offensive! The Gospel of Jesus Christ is offensive! Why are we so surprised? As long as Christians are a part of this world in such a way to make a difference, we will be offensive. Of course, I am not encouraging being offensive for the sake of being offensive but offensive for the sake of the Gospel.
As I type these words a team of workers are doing some minor repairs on my home. I wait for them to finish so I can share the Gospel with them. Will they be offended? I hope not but, in either case, I know that any offense is not directed toward me but toward Him. It's His Gospel, His Good News, but the news is only as good as the recipient wants to make it in his own appropriation. Yes, it is good regardless but personally good as applied.
For yourself, are you offensive? Not obnoxious, mind you, but offensive because you choose to share the Good News to a world which desparately needs to be "offended." It's just a thought for today.
As I type these words a team of workers are doing some minor repairs on my home. I wait for them to finish so I can share the Gospel with them. Will they be offended? I hope not but, in either case, I know that any offense is not directed toward me but toward Him. It's His Gospel, His Good News, but the news is only as good as the recipient wants to make it in his own appropriation. Yes, it is good regardless but personally good as applied.
For yourself, are you offensive? Not obnoxious, mind you, but offensive because you choose to share the Good News to a world which desparately needs to be "offended." It's just a thought for today.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Storms and Suffering
This morning as I began reading my devotions, I quickly discovered a common thread running throughout, storms and suffering. I am a bit of a slow learner sometimes but when the same thing continued to pop up in the different books written by different people during different times, it really caught my attention. In fact, while I know that the words from the devotion writers are not inspired, I was reminded of how God used different men from different backgrounds and over hundreds of years to pen inspired Scripture using one common theme, the love of God for His created people by providing salvation through Jesus, some looking forward, a few looking eye-to-eye, and us looking backward.
As I began to read, I put those different thoughts down on paper and now on this blog. I do hope and pray the words will help you where you have been, where you are right now, or in what you will be facing in days ahead.
"Watch for the storms of God. The only way God plants His saints is through the whirlwind of His storms....If you select your own spot to be planted, you will prove yourself to be an unproductive, empty pod. However, if you will allow God to plant you, you will 'bear much fruit' (John 15:8)." Oswald Chambers
"God punishes the ungodly by ignoring them. This is why they have success in the world--the most frightful punishment because in God's view, this world is immersed in evil. But God sends suffering to those whom He loves, as assistance to enable them to become happy by loving Him." Soren Kierkegaard
"You assume (God) relieve(s) struggle and replace(s) it with rest. But (He) use(s) struggle to uncover a rest beneath the struggle that no anguish can destroy. The struggle with fear and pain will continue. Only in the storm will you know there is an anchor." Larry Crabb
"The Psalms are not an anesthetic. They are not a cup of hot chocolate on a cold night. They are the prayers of someone lost in a dark wood, shivering in bitter cold, unable to stand the fierce wind. They are the praise that flows from that person's heart when he abandons himself to (God) for deliverance, when he trusts that (God's) hand has grasped his and that (God) is leading him home, very slowly but very surely. Job learned that he must die to the hope that darkness and cold and wind were not part of (God's) plan." Larry Crabb
"Your tears will become the melody of a new song. Your darkness will become the wind through which new light will appear. Your doubt will become new ground, solid ground, on which to stand. Expect your theological boxes to explode, to lose all false hope in what (God's) love will provide in this life. Expect your personal dreams to shatter, to lose all false confidence in what (God's) power guarantees in this life. Meditate on each psalm, knowing that (God) is calling you to walk a long road that, for long seasons, you will not enjoy. Then decide, again and again: either cling to (God) as I AM or reshape (Him) into who you want (Him) to be. The stakes are high. Either you will find yourself in finding (God) as (He) reveals (Himself), or you will lose yourself in creating (Him) to fit your foolish expectations. Make the right choice. (He) want(s) you to sing a new song." Larry Crabb
"You are either in a storm, coming out of a storm, or headed for a storm--life is stormy. In the midst of our personal storm, we, too, need the One who used the sea as a sidewalk to save us: we too need to proclaim, 'Truly You are the Son of God.' Only Christ can bring calm in the midst of calamity. It is not natural to have peace in the midst of a storm--it is supernatural! Human nature shuns storms; divine nature stills storms. When faith cries out, 'Lord save me!' the hand of God reaches down and picks us up. Let Jesus bring you victory in the midst of your storm today." Allan Taylor
This is my thought for today.
As I began to read, I put those different thoughts down on paper and now on this blog. I do hope and pray the words will help you where you have been, where you are right now, or in what you will be facing in days ahead.
"Watch for the storms of God. The only way God plants His saints is through the whirlwind of His storms....If you select your own spot to be planted, you will prove yourself to be an unproductive, empty pod. However, if you will allow God to plant you, you will 'bear much fruit' (John 15:8)." Oswald Chambers
"God punishes the ungodly by ignoring them. This is why they have success in the world--the most frightful punishment because in God's view, this world is immersed in evil. But God sends suffering to those whom He loves, as assistance to enable them to become happy by loving Him." Soren Kierkegaard
"You assume (God) relieve(s) struggle and replace(s) it with rest. But (He) use(s) struggle to uncover a rest beneath the struggle that no anguish can destroy. The struggle with fear and pain will continue. Only in the storm will you know there is an anchor." Larry Crabb
"The Psalms are not an anesthetic. They are not a cup of hot chocolate on a cold night. They are the prayers of someone lost in a dark wood, shivering in bitter cold, unable to stand the fierce wind. They are the praise that flows from that person's heart when he abandons himself to (God) for deliverance, when he trusts that (God's) hand has grasped his and that (God) is leading him home, very slowly but very surely. Job learned that he must die to the hope that darkness and cold and wind were not part of (God's) plan." Larry Crabb
"Your tears will become the melody of a new song. Your darkness will become the wind through which new light will appear. Your doubt will become new ground, solid ground, on which to stand. Expect your theological boxes to explode, to lose all false hope in what (God's) love will provide in this life. Expect your personal dreams to shatter, to lose all false confidence in what (God's) power guarantees in this life. Meditate on each psalm, knowing that (God) is calling you to walk a long road that, for long seasons, you will not enjoy. Then decide, again and again: either cling to (God) as I AM or reshape (Him) into who you want (Him) to be. The stakes are high. Either you will find yourself in finding (God) as (He) reveals (Himself), or you will lose yourself in creating (Him) to fit your foolish expectations. Make the right choice. (He) want(s) you to sing a new song." Larry Crabb
"You are either in a storm, coming out of a storm, or headed for a storm--life is stormy. In the midst of our personal storm, we, too, need the One who used the sea as a sidewalk to save us: we too need to proclaim, 'Truly You are the Son of God.' Only Christ can bring calm in the midst of calamity. It is not natural to have peace in the midst of a storm--it is supernatural! Human nature shuns storms; divine nature stills storms. When faith cries out, 'Lord save me!' the hand of God reaches down and picks us up. Let Jesus bring you victory in the midst of your storm today." Allan Taylor
This is my thought for today.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
God's Plan for Holiness
I am reading 66 Love Letters. It is a book written by Dr. Larry Crabb in quite a unique format; it is a dailogue between the author and God about the reason for God "writing" each of the 66 books of the Bible and how Christ is central in each book. In a recent chapter, I was taken by the following quote (God speaking):
"You ask what will work to make your life better, to correct the injustice you suffer, to see to it that more things go as they should in your life. I want you to ask what holiness would look like in your situation, whatever it is; holiness that might not right the wrongs you suffer but that would let us enjoy each other."
I couldn't help but think of what we as American Christians view as "injustice" in our lives; someone cutting in front of us getting "our" parking space, or when we get home discovering an incorrect charge from the department store, or how about gas prices going up 5 cents per gallon on our way back from dinner out and we have to pay an additional $1.50-$2.00 on a fill-up.
Is God really concerned about those sort of things? I am not sure He is or is not but I do know that there are true injustices by anybody's standards in our world-genuine persecution, government graft, physical and sexual abuse of children, and on I could go. I am reminded that God wants deep, personal, and intimate relationship with us; and He made a way for us to have realtionship with Him.
Simply put, He wants us to be more like Him in order to fellowship better with Him; through His Son is the only way. Jesus, Himself, said it well, "I am THE way, THE truth, and THE life; no one comes to the Father except through me (emphasis added)" (John 14:6).
Not to minimize what many go through but God far more wants us holy rather than happy! It's just a thought for today.
"You ask what will work to make your life better, to correct the injustice you suffer, to see to it that more things go as they should in your life. I want you to ask what holiness would look like in your situation, whatever it is; holiness that might not right the wrongs you suffer but that would let us enjoy each other."
I couldn't help but think of what we as American Christians view as "injustice" in our lives; someone cutting in front of us getting "our" parking space, or when we get home discovering an incorrect charge from the department store, or how about gas prices going up 5 cents per gallon on our way back from dinner out and we have to pay an additional $1.50-$2.00 on a fill-up.
Is God really concerned about those sort of things? I am not sure He is or is not but I do know that there are true injustices by anybody's standards in our world-genuine persecution, government graft, physical and sexual abuse of children, and on I could go. I am reminded that God wants deep, personal, and intimate relationship with us; and He made a way for us to have realtionship with Him.
Simply put, He wants us to be more like Him in order to fellowship better with Him; through His Son is the only way. Jesus, Himself, said it well, "I am THE way, THE truth, and THE life; no one comes to the Father except through me (emphasis added)" (John 14:6).
Not to minimize what many go through but God far more wants us holy rather than happy! It's just a thought for today.
Monday, February 8, 2010
"Locked Out"
As I was relaxing in front of the TV, I received a phone call from one of my Sunday School teachers with some terrible news; his mother had just passed away. I immediately contacted others who needed to know and headed to the nursing home where she had been being cared for since she had broken her hip a few weeks prior.
I went to the main entrance and by a sign on the door, I was informed to go to the "West Entrance." Well, I did; I rang the bell, buzzed the intercom button, and knocked on the door. No entrance there. I went a few yards to the East entrance and discovered the same sign as the one posted on the main entrance but I ran that bell, buzzed that intercom button, and knocked on that door but again to no avail. I was there to minister and the people on the inside were just ignoring me! To my confusion and frustration, none of my efforts would get me in.
As I stepped away from the door, an aid walked out of the main entrance door and I told her why I was there-to minister to one of my friends and asked if she could help me get in. Her reply was, Sure, I can get you in but he just left." I thanked her and got back in my car.
As I drove home I began to think about his mom being in heaven. Her works, as good and numerous as I am sure they were, would not get her in. There was only one way to get into heaven; a person, the Person of Jesus Christ. I was again reminded that it's nothing but Him and Him alone that will get any one though the gates of heaven. Then I asked myself a question, "Am I offering to help everyone I can to get into heaven; am I introducing them to the one Person who can bring them in?"
Thank you, young lady, for being used by God to open my eyes to an eternal truth. It's something to think about.
I went to the main entrance and by a sign on the door, I was informed to go to the "West Entrance." Well, I did; I rang the bell, buzzed the intercom button, and knocked on the door. No entrance there. I went a few yards to the East entrance and discovered the same sign as the one posted on the main entrance but I ran that bell, buzzed that intercom button, and knocked on that door but again to no avail. I was there to minister and the people on the inside were just ignoring me! To my confusion and frustration, none of my efforts would get me in.
As I stepped away from the door, an aid walked out of the main entrance door and I told her why I was there-to minister to one of my friends and asked if she could help me get in. Her reply was, Sure, I can get you in but he just left." I thanked her and got back in my car.
As I drove home I began to think about his mom being in heaven. Her works, as good and numerous as I am sure they were, would not get her in. There was only one way to get into heaven; a person, the Person of Jesus Christ. I was again reminded that it's nothing but Him and Him alone that will get any one though the gates of heaven. Then I asked myself a question, "Am I offering to help everyone I can to get into heaven; am I introducing them to the one Person who can bring them in?"
Thank you, young lady, for being used by God to open my eyes to an eternal truth. It's something to think about.
Friday, January 29, 2010
New Life
What an exciting gift! As I opened the small Christmas gift, shock and utter delight were experienced simultaneously. The attractive picture frame contained a photograph of our daughter, Grace, and her husband, E. J., holding a hand painted sign which read, "We're Expecting." That brought back memories of the box holding my old Teddy Bear (Ted) opened by my dad during the Christmas of 1978 announcing the expectation of his and my mom's first grandchild. But I drift into nostalgia.
Since Christmas I have had a little bit of time to reflect and think about what is headed our way. I hold with great anticipation the joy of holding that new life for the first time. There's the first smile from recognizing the arrival of "that old balding guy who is going to give me whatever I want." I look forward to hearing, "Pappa D" (or whatever I might be called by this one) for the first time. I can't wait for that first time he/she cries when Zannie and I leave.
As much fun as all that will be, I far more look forward to the phone call saying, "Guess what, Poppa D. I asked Jesus to come into my heart today." I look forward to that call from all of my grand children but back to the newest addition. My heart is so light because I know that this baby's dad and mom love Jesus. They serve Him and they both have a great desire for their children to spend eternity with them (and us) in heaven.
They will take this precious gift, of which they are only stewards, to Sunday School and church each week. They recognize that this child does not belong to them but to God; He only loans our children to us for a while. We are just called to take the best possible care of them while we have them and the most loving thing we can do is point them to Jesus.
No doubt they are already praying for this little miracle as are Pappa D and Mamma Zannie. They are probably even praying for the spouse, born or unborn, who will someday steal a heart and become a part of our family. This is the way it should be when the love of God reigns supreme in a family.
I am grateful beyond expression that our prayers and instruction for so many years bear fruit before our eyes. And life continues; life on earth and life eternal.
Since Christmas I have had a little bit of time to reflect and think about what is headed our way. I hold with great anticipation the joy of holding that new life for the first time. There's the first smile from recognizing the arrival of "that old balding guy who is going to give me whatever I want." I look forward to hearing, "Pappa D" (or whatever I might be called by this one) for the first time. I can't wait for that first time he/she cries when Zannie and I leave.
As much fun as all that will be, I far more look forward to the phone call saying, "Guess what, Poppa D. I asked Jesus to come into my heart today." I look forward to that call from all of my grand children but back to the newest addition. My heart is so light because I know that this baby's dad and mom love Jesus. They serve Him and they both have a great desire for their children to spend eternity with them (and us) in heaven.
They will take this precious gift, of which they are only stewards, to Sunday School and church each week. They recognize that this child does not belong to them but to God; He only loans our children to us for a while. We are just called to take the best possible care of them while we have them and the most loving thing we can do is point them to Jesus.
No doubt they are already praying for this little miracle as are Pappa D and Mamma Zannie. They are probably even praying for the spouse, born or unborn, who will someday steal a heart and become a part of our family. This is the way it should be when the love of God reigns supreme in a family.
I am grateful beyond expression that our prayers and instruction for so many years bear fruit before our eyes. And life continues; life on earth and life eternal.
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