Well Done

I woke up this morning out of sorts. I felt like the weight of the world was on my shoulders. I had woken up several times in the middle of the night worrying about things. What if I don’t get a job, or if I do it doesn’t meet the needs of my family finances. You can see where I’m going, have you been there before? Or maybe you’re there right now. I saw a sign one time that said “worry is interest paid on a debt that may never come due”. I tried reciting the verse that says “ look at the lilies of the field and how beautiful they are, if God put so much care and work to make them so beautiful , how much more does he care for you. I wasn’t having any of it.

My friend Mike across the street from me is a pastor of a local church. I was reading his blog this week and he wrote about a guy named Joe who died and how he will miss Joe and, he went on to write how Joe went about Joe worked without anyone asking or any recognition. How many of us can say that. I drove by the church Mike pastors and the reader board said “goodbye Joe, we’ll see you soon” meaning they will see him in heaven.

I went home and yes you guessed it started to shovel snow in my driveway again. When I grow up I’m getting a snow blower. I put the music on and the song I’ll fly away came on, I sang to the song in my head only and started to think what I want to be said about me when I go. I thought many things “like loved his wife and family, served God well, and always gave to others and such things. I then remembered what Mike wrote about Joe. While that was nice and Joe was quite a person for Mike to write so much about him. That’s not it.

I then remembered what the author Luke wrote about a man named Steven in the book of Acts Chapter 7 in the bible. Stephen is called on the carpet by the so called religious people of the day. He stands them on his their ear and tells them off so to speak. Not because he wanted to belittle them, he spoke to correct and point out the truth. Well they didn’t listen they stoned him, yea that’s right they threw rocks at him until he died. It says in verse 56 Stephen looks up and heaven opens up and he sees God and Jesus waiting for him. I wonder if Joe saw that, it wouldn’t surprise me if he did. To wrap it up it says in the last verse of chapter 7 that a man named Saul was there giving his approval of the death. Nice guy huh?

Later as Saul is riding on a road God knocks him off his mule and blinds Saul and they have a little conversation. The long and short of it that Saul repents and God changes Saul’s name to Paul and he went on to do many things for the kingdom of God and wrote many of the books in the New Testament. The point is that he wasn’t as nice person and God forgave his sins. No matter if you’ve done a lot bad of things as Saul or worse, God forgives. He forgave Saul and he’ll forgive you to ask him.

What I want said about me is for God to say when I stand before him, and I will to say “well done my good and faithful servant”. Join me in heaven and we’ll see

Let it Snow, Let it Snow

It’s been snowing in Bend for those of you reading this that don’t live in Bend. I shoveled my drive this morning. I usually take my MP3 player and listen to the music or the radio. (Thanks to my bride for a great gift). As I started to suit up, I felt the Lord say to me leave the music inside and let’s listen to each other. So I did, I went out and shoveled and listened to my breathing from the exertion. As I shoveled and stopped for a breather, and looked around I thought to myself “why am I out her doing this I’m going to be out here again later in the day shoveling, shoveling and huffing and puffing all day. This drive is going to be my own little golden gate bridge. There is a crew of people that do nothing but paint the golden gate bridge ever day. That’s their job. When they get done painting it’s time to start all over again. I’ve wondered if they start at one end and paint towards the other. Or if ever other year they start in the middle and paint towards the ends, just to break up the monotony. I started to whine to myself, and that’s when it happened. POW right between the eyes, I'm hard headed sometimes that's the only way to get my attention.

God said to me your looking a this driveway the same way you’re looking at your life. You are looking at the situation with your self centered eyes, not your big picture eyes. This snow that your shoveling is not only falling where you are, it’s also falling in the hills and forest storing up water which you will need for later. This summer when the lakes are full and there is plenty of water we’ll be glad it snowed so much this winter.

In the same vein of thought the struggle I go through looking and staying motivated and positive looking for a job will carry me through when I struggle and have challenges in my job. I will be stronger and have more experience to draw on to meet the challenges. If I learn my lesson well, I will be a better person for the struggle.

See God does know what he’s doing, he’s refining me and making me stronger. He can for you as well.

No Matter What You Can To

Things have been busy in our house. With the change in job status I’m always looking and checking with myself “what haven’t I done or what can I do better”. I’ve been e mailing and talking to people I know getting the word out so if they hear of things they think of me. Writing my resume, most of my jobs I’ve gotten have been because they called me, not the other way around. A friend of mine called me yesterday and asked how I was doing? I told him well I have great friends like you calling, and I’m still getting results form my e mails and phone calls. It’s only been 3 business days, and a couple of the things that have come up really intrigue me and I see myself doing them. I’ll stay the course and keep working and looking for an opportunity.

I believe I’ve mentioned in previous post that I meet with some men every Monday morning. We read passages in the bible, journal about what it meant to each of us. We then share those thoughts with each other. One of the guys Steve was struck by Peter and the change in him in Acts. Previous to Acts he was impetuous, quick to react (usually the wrong way). *He even cut a dudes ear off, which Jesus had to put back on. Jesus said to him “Peter I will build my church on you”. In effect and as history showed later it cam e true. In Rome I believe there’s a church named St. Peters Basilica. But when crunch time came for Peter to step up he denied know Jesus **3 times, even swearing that he didn’t know Jesus. After that event he was lower than whale poop, I’ve felt that have you?. But them he’s filled with the Holy Spirit, and all heaven breaks loose.

During my quiet time this morning I was reading my bible in Acts Chapter 5. about Peter again, and people are bringing sick people in the street waiting for Peter’s shadow to land on them as he walks by so they can be healed. WOW this was a very short time after Peter’s what could be called his lowest point in his life denying Jesus. Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit and he had the power and courage to get back up and make a huge impact on the world. I’m encouraged by reading this and I have hope.

You can have the same hope and Peter and I do.


* John 18:10, Luke 22:49-51
** Luke 22: 45- 62