I Choose Joy

Today would have been my Dads 86th birthday. I was sad today, partly because my brother Tim was killed 3 weeks ago and his funeral was last Saturday. I was reminiscing today with one of my children about my Dad. I said to them I wish he my Dad was still alive to see how my children have grown up, to see my wonderful grandchildren and to meet my partner . He would have loved her.

I then reminded my child of how lucky we were to have him in our lives even though it wasn't long enough. We talked about the funny things that happened and how he always bragged about them to anyone who would listen, or not listen he didn't care.

I remember the times we were together and would not say a word, but we didn't care we were together, Watching baseball & football games. My Dad very seldom said this is what you should do, or that we were wrong. he used stories to teach us and ask how did that turn out for you.

I cried little bit after, then I thought I can't remember my Father with sorrow. He blessed me beyond measure . And he wanted me to be better than him. The wish of every parent.

I realized I had a tremendous amount of things to be thankful for and I have the Joy of the Lord on my heart.

I Choose Joy

God Always Has A Reason

I have a confession I read guidepost daily devotional.I used to thnk it was for only for old people. My friend Mike said to me one time. My parents read it, and I used to think it was only for old people. But Mike went on to say that he has come to understand that the farther away from reading it the farther he is away from God. Another friend told me this week that she doesn't read it , it's for old people. I used to agree with how my friends think . I have come to agree with Mike I need it daily.

Anyway back to why I'm writing , this morning as I read.  One of the writers wrote at the end that God spoke to her and said " You don't always understand why I ask you to do things, but know there is always a reason" I have mentionted this year that instead of New Years resolutions , I wrote a prayer list. I will admit to you that one of them was to one was to lose weight. Another was to be still more and tune my ear to hear God's voice better , and then to to have the courage to do what he tells me to do it. There have been a couple of times already that God has had me do something , that I'm not sure why and if I did it right and didn't mess it up. I pray not.

Those 18 words were a huge encouragement to me, someone else feels like I do . God encouraged them and they in turn encouraged me by writing. So I encourage you to listen for that soft sweet voice of our saviour and hear his encouragement that he has for you.

Rob

Trust Without Borders

This Sunday in church we sang a song, well truth be told we sang many. I couldn't tell you what the others were though, because one of the songs had the phrase " Trust Without Borders". After that I could think of nothing else. just like not giving all you heart to God , I hadn't given him all my trust, I have fallen short

I asked myself what was the intent of the songwriter when they wrote that line. Had they realized they had put borders on their trust in God. They had or were limiting God with their faith. Or did they mean that we as humans cannot grasp the bigness and greatness of God so we put Borders on our Trust in God

For me all those reasons were true, however the biggest reason I feel. Is because I don't really have the trust. I recently told a friend after a long conversation that I had told them things I had never never told anyone, and I mean no one because I didn't trust anyone. I swore them to a vow to keep that trust between us and tell no one. Being the great person they are immediatly gave me their word they wouldn't. Because of past experiences. It is very hard for me to trust anyone.  I realized that I had let this invade and corrupt my relationship with Christ, without realizing it.

I wish that I could tell you that the problem is fixed and I fully trust now, I can't. What I can tell you is that I have asked God for help and to grow my trust ,

So that I may have Trust Without Borders. Join me, you can as well

A Man of Honor

I was writing to a friend a couple of days ago. and wrote about a Man of Honor. This got me to thinking about Honor. My father instilled a very high sense of Honor in me. (Thanks Dad) The military acadameys have an Honor code that is the lifelblood of what they represent.

Being a Man of Honor usually means denying yourself and putting others first. And the price it extols is to high for most people.

Websters describes Honor one way as " A Keen Sense of Ethical Conduct"

Honor is a hard work and not easy at all, and Honor can be lost in an instant.  My hope is that when my family and friends speak of me, the word Honor is one of the words that is used to describe me and Honor me. And that my life is defines by Honor and I've lived a life of Honor. 

I See You

Tonight I had the opportunity to stand in the rain. You notice I said opportunity , not had to.  It was a blessing. I loved hearing the rain fall on your coat and hat as you are still and just listen. And the smell of rain one a hot day, I love it.

I stood there for about 10 minutes before I was still enough to really hear the peace and quiet and the rain hitting my jacket, hat, and the sound it makes falling. As I stood there the thought came to me. I wonder what God would like to say to me, but I'm to busy caught up in my problems and worries being to self involved to stop and listen.

So as I stood there I said " here am I Lord"   And I did the most amazing thing. I shut up and waited. After a bit I felt God say "I see you". Not the I see you as you're getting trouble and messing up. But like I see you,You the man that you are . I was remembering a time of when I  was little I would stand in the area of my Dad when he was talking to other adults, hoping he would see me. And when he did his eyes would smile and krinkle up at the edges. I knew then I was ok my dad had found me in the crowd. His eyes said to me " I See You.

There is a lot lot of my life that I wish had gone better, relationships and circumstances and such.  But I do know that God has seen me in the crowd , and the communication that happen between a father and son happened to me in the rain tonight. And my heart is full of peace

It Is available for you also

P. S. So you know what I did  after I wrote this . I went back out in the rain, to spend time with God more.

Hall of Fame Life (The A Rod complex.)

I was talking to a friend this week. (I have a few that renew my spirit when I talk to them, this is one). I shared with them when I watched Alex Rodriguez (A Rod) last game he played. He was a 3^rd baseman, after the game he went out to 3^rd base and grabbed a couple of handfuls of dirt and put them in his back pocket. We are all children at heart. That resonated with me. We anyway back to the story.

After the game he was being interviewed and he started to reflect on the mistakes and regrets he had made. I watched for a couple of minutes. Then I said to myself what is he doing , this is  A Rod he’s a sure bet to be a first rounder in the Hall of Fame. He’s great he’s had huge hits , home runs, game saving plays. He’s GREAT!!!. I see the great in him , he dwells on the mistakes and bad he’s done.

God spoke to me at that moment and said Rob I see you the same way. I see the great in you and the potential ( I’m 59 and still have potential with God WOW )in you. You dwell on the negatives that you have done.  I see is the Great in you. I went on to tell my friend we have a tendency to let the mistakes and negatives define us and control out thoughts and actions.

God wants us to let our good in our life define us , to live in freedom and all the potential we have to live a Hall of Fame life.

Let’s live a Hall of Fame Life.

PS I want to thank this friend for being in my life, ( they help me live a Hall of Fame life) 

Remain Suspicious

I have been for a while in a spot where I wasn’t happy on how my life is going. Unhappiness with a lot of things in my life. I have asked God repeatedly what’s going on. When I don’t get the answer I was hoping for. I go through the emotions of anger, frustration, hopelessness, and then I enter into the momentary bouts of atheism. I mean by that I start to default to doubt. No that’s not exactly true, I am well down that road of doubt.

My friend Rich called me this morning to check on me. Throughout our conversation we talked about the provision of God and reminded each other with stories of how God provided. After I hung up I saw a quote that raised my spirits. It was “Remain suspicious that God is up to something good by Margaret Feinburg” .

 As I read this I was immediately reminded again of the many times that God had worked in my life to correct for the better, and how he had worked behind the scenes . While I thought and moaned and groaned about how bad I had it. I even said wait for it “God doesn’t care about me. Yes I am ashamed to admit this.

We all know that hindsight is most times 20/20 . And yes it is in my case as well. In times of trials and doubt. I will remember this quote and remind myself that God is at work and it will be and get better. Remember

"Remain Suspicious That God is Up To Something Good"

it's the small things

It's the small things

I have recently started riding my bicycle again. I have always enjoyed riding and it was so good I quit doing it. I know it doesn't make sense does it. It allows me to be still and quiet my mind and soul. I only focus on breathing and not hitting or running into something. I haven't been on my bike much and at the start was unsteady and tentative. As I have become more comfortable on the bike , I noticed that I kept scooting up to the very narrow part of my saddle (seat) it wasn't comfortable and caused some pain and quite a bit of chaffing. I know TMI. After talking to other riders and thinking about it . I decided to move my seat forward a bit.  I only moved it up about 3/8" only a small thing but enough to make a difference. I noticed that pedaling at the same rate, I was going 2-3 mph faster. And I felt better and more comfortable.

My Christian walk has been like that also . I am so diligent about bible reading daily and spending time in prayer. And it is working so good. And for some reason I quit doing it. Which we all know that the longer we don't start back up the easier it gets not to. Just like if I let it, we can finally JD something more important than riding my bike or reading my bible. However after I start again I can't believe I let myself get distracted and quit doing it.

I started small riding less than 10 mile at a time and I am building to be able to ride 100 miles in a day this next summer. I am doing the same thing with my quiet time setting aside small blocks of time to spend time to read my bible and time in prayer.

In both cases  my physical and spiritual health is better and I am becoming more fit. It the small things that make a difference, nothing earth shattering.

Just the small things

The yoke is on me

I have been in a situation for awhile that I have not enjoyed for the last couple of years. I was pretty down about it last week, and was talking to, no I was really wining to God and about it. I was pretty down and discouraged. That’s how I started my day. I went to work and trudged out to see my customers trying to put on the best face I could to have some degree of success.

As I was driving to my first appointment my friend George called me. We don’t talk very often due to he lives in Bend and I in Portland. Not far, but it is a distance. He doesn’t say hello, he just starts to quote some verses from the bible to me. It was Matthew 11:28-30. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+11%3A28-31&version=NIV. The verse says come to me all you that are heavy laden and I will give you rest. The church I grew up in had a painting that took up the entire wall behind the choir loft that had a picture of Jesus and that verse below. I always think of that picture when I hear that verse. But George went on quoting the verses after that. It says” take my yoke upon you and learn from me. My yoke is easy and my burden is light. George then explained that oxen had a yoke put on them in teams and the older stronger ox was put on the outside to carry most of the load to help teach the younger ox. They just walked in circles all day with the older stronger doing a lot of the work and the younger ox just trying to stay up. When you’re in a yoke you can’t fight and go your own way, it just doesn’t work. And you can’t do all the work yourself, you’re not strong enough.

I asked him what made him call me. He said I thought of you and another guy. I called the other guy but he didn’t answer so I called you. I am so thankful that he did. Those verses have been running through my head for a week now. I know on an immediate level that I need to trust God bring my worries and concerns to him. I confess that I’m struggling with that. However like the younger ox, I’m learning and getting stronger. 

Teach Me To Want To Obey Your Ways

My friend Mike S. said to me one time and I quote as best as I can remember. " I have this burning desire to want to obey God better and more". I didn't really understand what he meant at the time. In Psalms 51 in verses 10-13 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2051:10-13&version=NLV it says create in me a clean heart, do not take your holy spirit from me and teach me to want to obey your ways. That's not the robotic, obeying without thought or free will . It says teach me to want to obey your ways. My pastor said to us this morning that " The key is our dependence (on God) that is key to our independence".

It not a head knowledge thing , it is a heart thing. As I travel this journey of being a so called christian I am realizing that Gods way is usually the opposite of how I think it should be done. And the further down the road I get experience and history shows that Gods way works out better.
"Teach me to want to obey your ways" And I know he has, does and will answer my prayers.