"Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."- Acts 4:12
This past Tuesday evening, I took Anna to her tongue therapy session at Alabama A&M. We literally pulled into the school entrance with a minute to spare. I let Anna out just outside the building, both to help her be on time and to keep her from having to walk any longer than necessary in the freezing cold. I then went up the hill to park in our designated area (which is a few minutes walk from the building we use). By the time I got back down to where I had dropped Anna off, there she was – standing just outside the building. Thinking she was just being timid and not wanting to go in without me, I motioned for her to go ahead of me. She stood right there. I motioned again as I was walking towards her. She stood still. By this time, I was close enough for her to hear me and so I said ‘go ahead’. She stood.
At this point, I began to wonder if she had actually frozen solid!
I got within a few feet of her and asked why she didn’t go ahead. Her reply? The door was locked.
Sure enough, I pulled on the door... nothing. So then, we had to walk around to the other end of the building to get inside (which we did). It turns out that my best effort at not being late proved futile, as we were about 3 or 4 minutes after her allotted time.
That reminds me of how our best efforts at ‘getting in’ the kingdom of God are also futile if we are relying on our own strength. Nothing we can do or say will ‘open the door’ to God; only our faith in Jesus and His sacrifice for our sins will cleanse us from all our unrighteousness and make us presentable to holy God. Jesus is the only Way in. It’s not just that there isn’t another door open… there isn’t another door period. He’s it. He’s all we’ve got. He is the access point to God. So we must choose whether we want to go in God’s Way or not.
Today, I hope you are reading this and have an assurance that you, in fact, have trusted Christ, and have gone through Him and His blood to find a relationship with God; if not, I hope that you will clearly see – perhaps for the first time – that there is but one Way, and that is Jesus.
Daniel
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
#325.2 – “Mission”
"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations…" - Matthew 28:19
Last year at Christmastime, we received as one of our gifts a video game that the whole family could play together.
Last night, we finally beat it. Hey, it only took us 11 and a half months of fairly consistent play!
Now we don’t know what to do with ourselves!
No, the truth is, we can still play it for fun and enjoy it… but there was something exciting and adventurous about exploring new worlds and playing parts you had never seen. When you played it, you felt like you were on a mission. Now it will be more like watching re-runs: still fun… but not the same.
We have yet to finish our mission as Christians. The theme of this year’s emphasis for the Lottie Moon campaign is a reminder that there are still places where the gospel has not be shared. And there are people that we meet and live next to that need to hear the Good News of Jesus as well. So let us be encouraged to go out until our mission has been accomplished!
Daniel
Last year at Christmastime, we received as one of our gifts a video game that the whole family could play together.
Last night, we finally beat it. Hey, it only took us 11 and a half months of fairly consistent play!
Now we don’t know what to do with ourselves!
No, the truth is, we can still play it for fun and enjoy it… but there was something exciting and adventurous about exploring new worlds and playing parts you had never seen. When you played it, you felt like you were on a mission. Now it will be more like watching re-runs: still fun… but not the same.
We have yet to finish our mission as Christians. The theme of this year’s emphasis for the Lottie Moon campaign is a reminder that there are still places where the gospel has not be shared. And there are people that we meet and live next to that need to hear the Good News of Jesus as well. So let us be encouraged to go out until our mission has been accomplished!
Daniel
Monday, December 6, 2010
#325.1 – “Our Little Horse”
"But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with him, and made us sit with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus." - Ephesians 2:4-7
This past week, Grant has really taken off in his eating. It seems as though he is hungry all the time. He eats as much or more at mealtimes than the girls, and he often asks for a snack in between meals. Of course, he is like his daddy and is willing to eat anything sweet most any time! Sarah and I were joking about the fact that she will have to get another job soon just to keep him fed! I mean, it feels like what I imagine it would be to feed a horse (ok… stretching it a bit, I know)!
God doesn’t have to go anywhere beside Himself to meet our needs; He doesn’t have to take out a loan or take on another job to provide for His children. He is our perfect Provider. He meets our needs as they arise… every time. He gives out of His limitless bounty. His supply of grace and mercy in Christ are only limited by our acceptance of them. He gives… and He gives… and He gives…
Worship Him today for all that He has given you.
Daniel
This past week, Grant has really taken off in his eating. It seems as though he is hungry all the time. He eats as much or more at mealtimes than the girls, and he often asks for a snack in between meals. Of course, he is like his daddy and is willing to eat anything sweet most any time! Sarah and I were joking about the fact that she will have to get another job soon just to keep him fed! I mean, it feels like what I imagine it would be to feed a horse (ok… stretching it a bit, I know)!
God doesn’t have to go anywhere beside Himself to meet our needs; He doesn’t have to take out a loan or take on another job to provide for His children. He is our perfect Provider. He meets our needs as they arise… every time. He gives out of His limitless bounty. His supply of grace and mercy in Christ are only limited by our acceptance of them. He gives… and He gives… and He gives…
Worship Him today for all that He has given you.
Daniel
Friday, December 3, 2010
#324.4 – “As Close as He Could Get”
"... the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus." - 2 Timothy 3:15
During the wee hours of the morning, I awoke just enough to hear Sarah telling Grant that he could not get in the bed with us (something he has done the past couple of nights). The next conscious moment for me was as I was getting out bed some time later, which is when I found Grant lying on the floor right by my side of the bed… sound asleep, with his blanket over him. I staggered to the bathroom, where Sarah said that she too had seen him there this morning, and that it was a surprise to her; she thought he had gone back to his bed. I guess he just wanted to get as close to us as he could.
We could try and try and try to get close to God based on our own righteousness, and that would leave us a distance so great that it would seem as thought we weren’t on the same planet… much less in the same room. The only way to have a relationship with God is through an adherence to the biblical standard of confessing and surrendering our sins to Christ and by faith accepting His righteousness. In the same way that Grant needed to obey his mother, we need to obey the instruction given to us in this matter by our heavenly Father. We need to come to Him based solely upon Christ’s merit and our obedience (the greatest evidence of faith).
The good news is that He wants to approach Him and to draw near to Him. He desires that relationship with us. And if we approach Him His Way, He will never turn us away.
Daniel
During the wee hours of the morning, I awoke just enough to hear Sarah telling Grant that he could not get in the bed with us (something he has done the past couple of nights). The next conscious moment for me was as I was getting out bed some time later, which is when I found Grant lying on the floor right by my side of the bed… sound asleep, with his blanket over him. I staggered to the bathroom, where Sarah said that she too had seen him there this morning, and that it was a surprise to her; she thought he had gone back to his bed. I guess he just wanted to get as close to us as he could.
We could try and try and try to get close to God based on our own righteousness, and that would leave us a distance so great that it would seem as thought we weren’t on the same planet… much less in the same room. The only way to have a relationship with God is through an adherence to the biblical standard of confessing and surrendering our sins to Christ and by faith accepting His righteousness. In the same way that Grant needed to obey his mother, we need to obey the instruction given to us in this matter by our heavenly Father. We need to come to Him based solely upon Christ’s merit and our obedience (the greatest evidence of faith).
The good news is that He wants to approach Him and to draw near to Him. He desires that relationship with us. And if we approach Him His Way, He will never turn us away.
Daniel
Thursday, December 2, 2010
#324.3 – “I Think We Should Move”
"For in Him we live, and move, and have our being..." - Acts 17:28
Joshua hit us with a real doozy this morning: he was just getting to the breakfast bar when he stated: “Daddy, I think we should move, because we’ve been at this house for a long time!” I got so tickled at him, but he wasn’t joking… he was dead serious! I guess because we had been at our new home as long as he could remember that we had been at the one before this, he thought it was time to go!
The funny part aside, there’s a great spiritual lesson to be had here: we should never get too ‘comfortable’ with the status quo.
The children of Israel would have chosen rather to stay enslaved and forced to do hard labor the rest of their lives than to experience the kind of freedom associated with following God where they had never been. The certainty and comfort of doing what they knew and what they were used to was greater than their willingness to step out in faith.
We are no different. It is our nature to want what we are familiar with… to do what we are accustomed to doing… to go where we are used to going. The only problem with that is that God typically does not operate that way with His people (and I suppose a big reason why He doesn’t is because that kind of living does not nurture our faith relationship with Him). He calls us to the unusual… the different… the abnormal… and He sometimes only gives us just enough insight for us to take the next step. And so, we are forced into a decision: are we going to stay where we are… or are we going to move?
Oh, that we would have the faith of a five year old child who is not worried about how he would move… or what he would take with him… or what he would leave behind… whose only concern is with whom he would move.
Daniel
Joshua hit us with a real doozy this morning: he was just getting to the breakfast bar when he stated: “Daddy, I think we should move, because we’ve been at this house for a long time!” I got so tickled at him, but he wasn’t joking… he was dead serious! I guess because we had been at our new home as long as he could remember that we had been at the one before this, he thought it was time to go!
The funny part aside, there’s a great spiritual lesson to be had here: we should never get too ‘comfortable’ with the status quo.
The children of Israel would have chosen rather to stay enslaved and forced to do hard labor the rest of their lives than to experience the kind of freedom associated with following God where they had never been. The certainty and comfort of doing what they knew and what they were used to was greater than their willingness to step out in faith.
We are no different. It is our nature to want what we are familiar with… to do what we are accustomed to doing… to go where we are used to going. The only problem with that is that God typically does not operate that way with His people (and I suppose a big reason why He doesn’t is because that kind of living does not nurture our faith relationship with Him). He calls us to the unusual… the different… the abnormal… and He sometimes only gives us just enough insight for us to take the next step. And so, we are forced into a decision: are we going to stay where we are… or are we going to move?
Oh, that we would have the faith of a five year old child who is not worried about how he would move… or what he would take with him… or what he would leave behind… whose only concern is with whom he would move.
Daniel
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
#324.2 – “Life-Changing Experiences”
"For we were not following cleverly devised stories when we told you of the Coming in power of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we had been eye-witnesses of his majesty. For he received honor and glory from God the Father, when from the Glory of the Divine Majesty there were borne to his ears words such as these-- 'This is my Son, my Beloved, in whom I delight.' These were the words that we heard, borne to our ears from Heaven, when we were with him on that Sacred Mountain." - 2 Peter 1:16-18
Monday night there were two bad accidents between Huntsville and Athens. I heard several different people give similar reports about them. One talked about traffic being at a stand still on 72 for miles and miles… another explained what the scene on 565 looked like… still another told me it took him over two hours to get back home. These were similar accounts, given by various people who were traveling through there at approximately the same time frame.
I never saw the accidents first-hand, yet I could describe them fairly well based on what I heard. But if you were to start asking me questions about the accidents, at some point I would leave a few key details out… or be forced to make them up. Why? Because I was not THERE. I did not experience the sights and sounds associated with those wrecks like some did. I did not sit in my car for hours… crawling and stalling.
But even if I had been there to witness either of those wrecks, it wouldn’t be the same as having been involved IN the accidents. There is a whole other level of experience when it is a real life, first-hand experience.
It is that hands-on kind of experience we should seek to have with our Savior. Our faith should not be one that allows us to remain distant from Him; no… quite the opposite: He wants (and we should want) us to be intimate with Him… to know Him well… to experience His majesty… to understand His way of thinking… to love Him and to be loved by Him. And so we experience Jesus when we get into His Word and when we talk with Him in prayer. These are the life-changing experiences for us.
Daniel
Monday night there were two bad accidents between Huntsville and Athens. I heard several different people give similar reports about them. One talked about traffic being at a stand still on 72 for miles and miles… another explained what the scene on 565 looked like… still another told me it took him over two hours to get back home. These were similar accounts, given by various people who were traveling through there at approximately the same time frame.
I never saw the accidents first-hand, yet I could describe them fairly well based on what I heard. But if you were to start asking me questions about the accidents, at some point I would leave a few key details out… or be forced to make them up. Why? Because I was not THERE. I did not experience the sights and sounds associated with those wrecks like some did. I did not sit in my car for hours… crawling and stalling.
But even if I had been there to witness either of those wrecks, it wouldn’t be the same as having been involved IN the accidents. There is a whole other level of experience when it is a real life, first-hand experience.
It is that hands-on kind of experience we should seek to have with our Savior. Our faith should not be one that allows us to remain distant from Him; no… quite the opposite: He wants (and we should want) us to be intimate with Him… to know Him well… to experience His majesty… to understand His way of thinking… to love Him and to be loved by Him. And so we experience Jesus when we get into His Word and when we talk with Him in prayer. These are the life-changing experiences for us.
Daniel
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
#324.1 – “Goodbye, November… Hello, December!”
"And still stronger is the assurance that we have in the teaching of the Prophets; to which you will do well to pay attention (as if it were a lamp shining in a gloomy place), until the Day dawns and the Morning Star rises in your hearts." - 2 Peter 1:19
Well, it’s almost December, and you know what that means: a whole lotta shakin’ goin’ on (and no, I’m not talking about the cold weather)! I’m talking about the rat race we are soon to find ourselves in: running around from one party to the next… keeping the roads hot and the cars worn out… frantically trying to get all of our shopping in whenever we can squeeze it in to our schedules.
In the midst of all the hustle and bustle of the upcoming month, I really want to try to be more intentional about spending some quality time with God each day. By that, I mean not just trying to ‘fit Him in’ somewhere, but really purposefully meeting with my Savior, for Whom and by Whom this season (and every other) exists. With all that will come at our family during this time, it will be difficult for sure… but it will also be so crucial to us catching the real meaning of Christmas.
Daniel
Well, it’s almost December, and you know what that means: a whole lotta shakin’ goin’ on (and no, I’m not talking about the cold weather)! I’m talking about the rat race we are soon to find ourselves in: running around from one party to the next… keeping the roads hot and the cars worn out… frantically trying to get all of our shopping in whenever we can squeeze it in to our schedules.
In the midst of all the hustle and bustle of the upcoming month, I really want to try to be more intentional about spending some quality time with God each day. By that, I mean not just trying to ‘fit Him in’ somewhere, but really purposefully meeting with my Savior, for Whom and by Whom this season (and every other) exists. With all that will come at our family during this time, it will be difficult for sure… but it will also be so crucial to us catching the real meaning of Christmas.
Daniel
Thursday, November 18, 2010
#323.3 – “It’s Been Five Months…”
"For I will restore health to you and heal you of your wounds,' says the LORD…" - Jeremiah 30:17
As Sarah and I were getting ready for work the other day, I noticed that her shoulder (the one that had been eaten up by the pavement the day she took a spill off of Grant’s bicycle) had improved so much… to the point that it really is starting to look like her normal skin again. I commented on it… and she appreciated me noticing. She then went on to say how it had been five months since her accident.
Healing takes time, whether it’s a scratched shoulder, a bruised body, or a heavy heart. Scars both physical and emotional take a long time sometimes to heal… if they ever completely heal at all. Sarah’s shoulder will likely always show some mark of that accident; even when she is ninety years old, you will probably able to look at it and see that something had happened to it.
Hurts leave wounds, and wounds often leave scars… scars that may never go away entirely… but – with God’s grace – those injuries can often heal to the point of the body being useful again. Sarah’s shoulder was so sore the first few days after falling that she could hardly move it… and now, she can do anything she wants with it… with no pain or restrictions. It has healed completely. Oh, that we would go to God and seek His wonderful, matchless grace to do the same where there have been wounds to our hearts and our emotions. And that we would be obedient to do what He says to do to help bring about healing where it needs to take place.
Daniel
As Sarah and I were getting ready for work the other day, I noticed that her shoulder (the one that had been eaten up by the pavement the day she took a spill off of Grant’s bicycle) had improved so much… to the point that it really is starting to look like her normal skin again. I commented on it… and she appreciated me noticing. She then went on to say how it had been five months since her accident.
Healing takes time, whether it’s a scratched shoulder, a bruised body, or a heavy heart. Scars both physical and emotional take a long time sometimes to heal… if they ever completely heal at all. Sarah’s shoulder will likely always show some mark of that accident; even when she is ninety years old, you will probably able to look at it and see that something had happened to it.
Hurts leave wounds, and wounds often leave scars… scars that may never go away entirely… but – with God’s grace – those injuries can often heal to the point of the body being useful again. Sarah’s shoulder was so sore the first few days after falling that she could hardly move it… and now, she can do anything she wants with it… with no pain or restrictions. It has healed completely. Oh, that we would go to God and seek His wonderful, matchless grace to do the same where there have been wounds to our hearts and our emotions. And that we would be obedient to do what He says to do to help bring about healing where it needs to take place.
Daniel
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
#323.2 – “The Honor System”
"For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God." - 2 Corinthians 5:21
Since we were trying to get the kids some money for Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes, I had told the girls that even though I would not be there to see them Saturday, if they would tell me what all they did to help Grammie and/or Debra while they were at the shower, I would pay them some money for their work too. That evening, I got a full report on what all they had done, and I tallied up some funds accordingly. Of course, we were operating under the ‘honor system’; I was taking them at their word for what they had done.
The honor system is only as ‘good’ as its participants; the whole thing falls apart if someone chooses to lie. Any mutual agreement is dependent upon the integrity of the participants. That’s why God’s system of salvation is sort of a one-sided honor system: because we are sinners, our salvation cannot be based upon our goodness; rather, it is based solely upon the goodness of Christ. He is the only truly honorable One in the scenario; it is His righteousness alone that makes the whole thing possible. Our ‘part’, if you want to call it that, is to simply rely upon His goodness and trust His integrity. When we do, the system ‘works’; we exchange our sin-filled lives for His perfect righteousness.
Give thanks for the fact that God’s perfect system of salvation is based solely on His perfection and righteousness, seeing as it would be flawed and fallible if it were based upon ours. Be grateful for His immense love for us, that He would even be willing to enter into this ‘pact’ with us sinners at all. If you have never accepted His gift of salvation, why not do it today? Talk with someone who is a Christian about it… and share in the joy of this most wonderful ‘trade agreement’!
Daniel
Since we were trying to get the kids some money for Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes, I had told the girls that even though I would not be there to see them Saturday, if they would tell me what all they did to help Grammie and/or Debra while they were at the shower, I would pay them some money for their work too. That evening, I got a full report on what all they had done, and I tallied up some funds accordingly. Of course, we were operating under the ‘honor system’; I was taking them at their word for what they had done.
The honor system is only as ‘good’ as its participants; the whole thing falls apart if someone chooses to lie. Any mutual agreement is dependent upon the integrity of the participants. That’s why God’s system of salvation is sort of a one-sided honor system: because we are sinners, our salvation cannot be based upon our goodness; rather, it is based solely upon the goodness of Christ. He is the only truly honorable One in the scenario; it is His righteousness alone that makes the whole thing possible. Our ‘part’, if you want to call it that, is to simply rely upon His goodness and trust His integrity. When we do, the system ‘works’; we exchange our sin-filled lives for His perfect righteousness.
Give thanks for the fact that God’s perfect system of salvation is based solely on His perfection and righteousness, seeing as it would be flawed and fallible if it were based upon ours. Be grateful for His immense love for us, that He would even be willing to enter into this ‘pact’ with us sinners at all. If you have never accepted His gift of salvation, why not do it today? Talk with someone who is a Christian about it… and share in the joy of this most wonderful ‘trade agreement’!
Daniel
Monday, November 15, 2010
#323.1 – “Incentive”
"Only fear the LORD, and serve him faithfully with all your heart; for consider what great things he has done for you." - 1 Samuel 12:24
Sarah was gone Saturday with all the staff ladies. The girls went to a baby shower for their aunt Debra with Grammie. So that left me and the boys at the house. We three men managed to get a whole lot of work done in that one day (not that we wouldn’t get a whole lot done with the women folk there). We pulled weeds… trimmed bushes… pruned trees… hauled all of that to the road… and hammered nails on the deck and fence. All in all, my two assistants really helped a lot. They did so at least partially because they had a good incentive: this was the way they were earning money for Operation Christmas Child. Every task had a price associated with it, and they were tallying it up as we went. By the end of the day, they had the majority of what they would need to fill a shoebox each.
Now… if I can just get Joshua to remember that the money he earned is for somebody else!
Having a good incentive is crucial to being motivated to do anything. When Christ went to the cross, His motivation was the relationship He would have with us. By accomplishing the task before Him - seeing His own death through to the end - He proved that He deems us worthy of such a monumental thing.
So should we have what He did on our behalf long ago as our motivation to respond to His love by giving our lives every day in His service, with a grateful heart.
Daniel
Sarah was gone Saturday with all the staff ladies. The girls went to a baby shower for their aunt Debra with Grammie. So that left me and the boys at the house. We three men managed to get a whole lot of work done in that one day (not that we wouldn’t get a whole lot done with the women folk there). We pulled weeds… trimmed bushes… pruned trees… hauled all of that to the road… and hammered nails on the deck and fence. All in all, my two assistants really helped a lot. They did so at least partially because they had a good incentive: this was the way they were earning money for Operation Christmas Child. Every task had a price associated with it, and they were tallying it up as we went. By the end of the day, they had the majority of what they would need to fill a shoebox each.
Now… if I can just get Joshua to remember that the money he earned is for somebody else!
Having a good incentive is crucial to being motivated to do anything. When Christ went to the cross, His motivation was the relationship He would have with us. By accomplishing the task before Him - seeing His own death through to the end - He proved that He deems us worthy of such a monumental thing.
So should we have what He did on our behalf long ago as our motivation to respond to His love by giving our lives every day in His service, with a grateful heart.
Daniel
Friday, November 12, 2010
#322.3 – “Garbage for Breakfast”
"… You our God have punished us less than our iniquities deserve, and have given us such deliverance as this." - Ezra 9:13
This morning, I asked the kids to help me get ready to leave the house. Everyone earned a dollar by doing a few extra jobs - emptying all the trash and taking it outside… cleaning up the kitchen… taking tools to our van for me - all of that in addition to our normal routine. I told them up front the money they would earn would go towards their Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes for other children (Sarah and I talked about it and felt like it would be good for them to earn the money they use towards these gifts, so that they have a real sense of ownership in the process). They agreed and worked like little troopers… and we got out of the house on time and off to school.
So I guess you could say that my kids had garbage for breakfast!
Doing something for someone who could never possibly pay you back is a treasure unique to Christ’s way of thinking. He - the God of the universe - came down as a man in order to die on a cross so that we (dirty rotten sinners) could actually have a way to a meaningful relationship with Him. We bring nothing to the table but our filthy rags… He brings His righteousness. We could never in a million years of trying begin to earn that love… He gives it freely to all who put their faith in Him. He got a much worse deal than garbage for breakfast… and we get the fullness in Him living in us! What a wonder! What a blessing!
May we all revel in His love for us today. May we show that purely selfless love to another person who, like us, is flawed and doesn’t deserve it.
Daniel
This morning, I asked the kids to help me get ready to leave the house. Everyone earned a dollar by doing a few extra jobs - emptying all the trash and taking it outside… cleaning up the kitchen… taking tools to our van for me - all of that in addition to our normal routine. I told them up front the money they would earn would go towards their Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes for other children (Sarah and I talked about it and felt like it would be good for them to earn the money they use towards these gifts, so that they have a real sense of ownership in the process). They agreed and worked like little troopers… and we got out of the house on time and off to school.
So I guess you could say that my kids had garbage for breakfast!
Doing something for someone who could never possibly pay you back is a treasure unique to Christ’s way of thinking. He - the God of the universe - came down as a man in order to die on a cross so that we (dirty rotten sinners) could actually have a way to a meaningful relationship with Him. We bring nothing to the table but our filthy rags… He brings His righteousness. We could never in a million years of trying begin to earn that love… He gives it freely to all who put their faith in Him. He got a much worse deal than garbage for breakfast… and we get the fullness in Him living in us! What a wonder! What a blessing!
May we all revel in His love for us today. May we show that purely selfless love to another person who, like us, is flawed and doesn’t deserve it.
Daniel
Thursday, November 11, 2010
#322.2 – “Cauliflower for Dinner”
"Remember, and forget not, how thou provoked the LORD thy God to wrath in the wilderness: from the day that thou didst depart out of the land of Egypt, until ye came unto this place, ye have been rebellious against the LORD." - Deuteronomy 9:7
The other night, I was helping Ruthie study for her geography exam of the 50 states and capitals. I would call out the state and she would give me the capital. She would get most of them without hesitation. There were a few, however, that seemed to trip her up (ha ha – get it? trip… states… oh well, I tried!). One match that she had a hard time making was Denver, Colorado.
At one point, she and I were walking through the house, reviewing that state/capital, when Sarah overheard us. She interjected a memory tool for Ruthie to use: she suggested that Ruthie think about how Denver sounds like ‘dinner’… and how Colorado sounds like ‘Cauliflower’… and to think about having cauliflower for dinner (now you’re getting a glimpse into what I live with all the time)!!!
Well, I don’t know if that helped Ruthie or not, but I sure won’t ever forget that the capital of Colorado is Dinner (I mean Denver)!
It’s amazing when you stop and consider how God has made the human brain with a capacity for memory… and yet, it is to our shame that we as people are so prone to forget God. We tend to be like cats with God – we just love on Him whenever we want or need something, and then dump Him as soon as we’re full, or happy, or whatever. We forget how good and true and right and pure He is, and we don’t remember how much we need Him constantly in our lives.
And that’s one of the reasons why it is so important that we stoke the fire of our relationship with God on a regular basis. He is living, and our relationship with Him should be a living one as well. His love deserves our ‘remembering’ Him in prayer and Bible study.
So have some cauliflower for dinner tonight… and remember God!
Daniel
The other night, I was helping Ruthie study for her geography exam of the 50 states and capitals. I would call out the state and she would give me the capital. She would get most of them without hesitation. There were a few, however, that seemed to trip her up (ha ha – get it? trip… states… oh well, I tried!). One match that she had a hard time making was Denver, Colorado.
At one point, she and I were walking through the house, reviewing that state/capital, when Sarah overheard us. She interjected a memory tool for Ruthie to use: she suggested that Ruthie think about how Denver sounds like ‘dinner’… and how Colorado sounds like ‘Cauliflower’… and to think about having cauliflower for dinner (now you’re getting a glimpse into what I live with all the time)!!!
Well, I don’t know if that helped Ruthie or not, but I sure won’t ever forget that the capital of Colorado is Dinner (I mean Denver)!
It’s amazing when you stop and consider how God has made the human brain with a capacity for memory… and yet, it is to our shame that we as people are so prone to forget God. We tend to be like cats with God – we just love on Him whenever we want or need something, and then dump Him as soon as we’re full, or happy, or whatever. We forget how good and true and right and pure He is, and we don’t remember how much we need Him constantly in our lives.
And that’s one of the reasons why it is so important that we stoke the fire of our relationship with God on a regular basis. He is living, and our relationship with Him should be a living one as well. His love deserves our ‘remembering’ Him in prayer and Bible study.
So have some cauliflower for dinner tonight… and remember God!
Daniel
Monday, November 8, 2010
#322.1 – “Privileges”
"Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving; meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains, that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak. Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time." - Colossians 4:2-5
Ever since Anna turned twelve, she has exercised her right to ride up in the front passenger seat of the van (according to the law-watcher of our house, she was not supposed to do that before twelve years old; good thing Sarah keeps up with stuff like that… I’d probably have had the kid riding up there at age six and a half!!!). Anyway, there has not been a day since last week that she has chosen to ride in her old seat in the back as long as the front seat was available.
I don’t know of a kid who turns sixteen and has a car that doesn’t really care to drive. I’ve never heard of a boy who starts having facial hair that doesn’t want to shave (I actually started long before I had any real hair on my face; now I wish I could go without shaving permanently!). Never seen a woman whose been offered a discount at the check out line that hasn’t taken it. The point is that once a privilege is offered to us, we usually jump right on it.
And yet, how many times have I had the privilege to pray to the Almighty and passed? How often do I have time to look into His character through His Word and have not taken that opportunity? And how many chances have I had to share Jesus with someone and not done it?
Forgive me for my lackadaisical attitude towards You, Lord. Press upon me the importance of each opportunity I have to further my relationship with You.
Daniel
Ever since Anna turned twelve, she has exercised her right to ride up in the front passenger seat of the van (according to the law-watcher of our house, she was not supposed to do that before twelve years old; good thing Sarah keeps up with stuff like that… I’d probably have had the kid riding up there at age six and a half!!!). Anyway, there has not been a day since last week that she has chosen to ride in her old seat in the back as long as the front seat was available.
I don’t know of a kid who turns sixteen and has a car that doesn’t really care to drive. I’ve never heard of a boy who starts having facial hair that doesn’t want to shave (I actually started long before I had any real hair on my face; now I wish I could go without shaving permanently!). Never seen a woman whose been offered a discount at the check out line that hasn’t taken it. The point is that once a privilege is offered to us, we usually jump right on it.
And yet, how many times have I had the privilege to pray to the Almighty and passed? How often do I have time to look into His character through His Word and have not taken that opportunity? And how many chances have I had to share Jesus with someone and not done it?
Forgive me for my lackadaisical attitude towards You, Lord. Press upon me the importance of each opportunity I have to further my relationship with You.
Daniel
Friday, November 5, 2010
#321.4 – “Post-Birthday Surprise”
"The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid again, and then, in his delight, went and sold everything that he had, and bought that field." – Matthew 13:44
Yesterday - as we were pulling out of our neighborhood – I stopped at the stop sign (novel idea, don’t you agree?) and looked to see if there were any cars coming down Hwy 72 (just plain good sense). There was a car coming, which caused me to wait for a moment. As I was sitting there, I looked over to my right and saw what looked like a dollar bill in the grass right beside the passenger side of the van… just a few feet away. I pointed it out to Anna, who was sitting in the passenger seat. Knowing she wasn’t going to have to get anywhere close to the highway (disclaimer for all grandparents reading this), I told her to step out for a second and check it out. She did… and discovered that it was a ten dollar bill. Since her birthday had been the day before, and she had been the one to go after it, I told her it was hers. She was excited about it. I told her that she should be excited, because finding money just lying around is an extremely rare thing!
If only everyone understood how rare is the love of God… how perfect and pure and precious! If they could get a glimpse of the wonder and the absolute amazement of the splendor of our King… to see Him for who He is… to realize what a treasure He is. If only they would be willing to give up whatever they are clinging to and go after Him! Oh, that we as the Body might help them see a true picture of His likeness, in order that all of these things might come to pass!
Daniel
Yesterday - as we were pulling out of our neighborhood – I stopped at the stop sign (novel idea, don’t you agree?) and looked to see if there were any cars coming down Hwy 72 (just plain good sense). There was a car coming, which caused me to wait for a moment. As I was sitting there, I looked over to my right and saw what looked like a dollar bill in the grass right beside the passenger side of the van… just a few feet away. I pointed it out to Anna, who was sitting in the passenger seat. Knowing she wasn’t going to have to get anywhere close to the highway (disclaimer for all grandparents reading this), I told her to step out for a second and check it out. She did… and discovered that it was a ten dollar bill. Since her birthday had been the day before, and she had been the one to go after it, I told her it was hers. She was excited about it. I told her that she should be excited, because finding money just lying around is an extremely rare thing!
If only everyone understood how rare is the love of God… how perfect and pure and precious! If they could get a glimpse of the wonder and the absolute amazement of the splendor of our King… to see Him for who He is… to realize what a treasure He is. If only they would be willing to give up whatever they are clinging to and go after Him! Oh, that we as the Body might help them see a true picture of His likeness, in order that all of these things might come to pass!
Daniel
Thursday, November 4, 2010
#321.3 – “It’s His Job”
"For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost." – Luke 19:10
Yesterday Grant and Joshua were up here at the office after school. Joshua was playing on his video game (I let him play because he told me he didn’t have any homework; I later found out that he did… but it only took five minutes to do). After several minutes of serious gaming, Joshua ran across a problem he could not solve or a play he could not make… and so he sought the only true expert in such matters in our family – his older brother. The only problem with that was that Grant was working on his homework (with some extreme encouragement from dear old dad). Naturally, Grant was more than willing to put aside such a tedious trifle as homework to take care of more important matters like showing Joshua how to beat the computer at the baseball game he was playing.
I came around the corner about that time and saw what was going on and immediately put an end to it, and furthermore told Joshua that he was not allowed to disturb his brother (for gaming advice) while he was doing his homework. This, of course, brought out the little defense lawyer in Joshua. When he got overruled, the whiny baby showed himself. Once his game got taken away, the child who will sit and listen appeared. At that point, I explained to him (for the third time) that his brother’s job was not to help him hit a home run on the video game, but rather to do his homework!
God no doubt has lots of ‘jobs’, if we can call them that; there are many things He oversees and does (many more than any of us can fathom… which is pretty amazing in itself!), but there is really one thing that remains His focus at this time: seeing lost souls come to know Him… to be reborn… and to be made into His likeness. It’s His singular passion. It’s what He does.
I wonder (and I say this with an awareness of how desperately I fail at this) just what our world would be like if those of us who know Christ had the same passion and focus?
Daniel
Yesterday Grant and Joshua were up here at the office after school. Joshua was playing on his video game (I let him play because he told me he didn’t have any homework; I later found out that he did… but it only took five minutes to do). After several minutes of serious gaming, Joshua ran across a problem he could not solve or a play he could not make… and so he sought the only true expert in such matters in our family – his older brother. The only problem with that was that Grant was working on his homework (with some extreme encouragement from dear old dad). Naturally, Grant was more than willing to put aside such a tedious trifle as homework to take care of more important matters like showing Joshua how to beat the computer at the baseball game he was playing.
I came around the corner about that time and saw what was going on and immediately put an end to it, and furthermore told Joshua that he was not allowed to disturb his brother (for gaming advice) while he was doing his homework. This, of course, brought out the little defense lawyer in Joshua. When he got overruled, the whiny baby showed himself. Once his game got taken away, the child who will sit and listen appeared. At that point, I explained to him (for the third time) that his brother’s job was not to help him hit a home run on the video game, but rather to do his homework!
God no doubt has lots of ‘jobs’, if we can call them that; there are many things He oversees and does (many more than any of us can fathom… which is pretty amazing in itself!), but there is really one thing that remains His focus at this time: seeing lost souls come to know Him… to be reborn… and to be made into His likeness. It’s His singular passion. It’s what He does.
I wonder (and I say this with an awareness of how desperately I fail at this) just what our world would be like if those of us who know Christ had the same passion and focus?
Daniel
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
#321.2 – “Ruthie and Ashlyn Kate”
"He (Paul) laid before them and explained that the Christ must undergo suffering and rise from the dead; and "It is this man," he declared, "who is the Christ--this Jesus about whom I am telling you." Some of the people were convinced, and threw in their lot with Paul and Silas, as did also a large body of Greeks who were accustomed to join in the Jewish services, and a great number of women belonging to the leading families. But the Jews, becoming jealous, engaged some worthless fellows from the streets, and, getting a mob together, kept the city in an uproar. They attacked Jason's house, with the intention of bringing Paul and Silas before the Popular Assembly." - Acts 17:3-5
Anna bought a doll for her birthday, and named it Ashlyn Kate. We knew that Ruthie would likely see this doll and want one of her own, but we also knew that Ruthie tends to be pretty selfless about such matters… and we figured she could wait until Christmas for her own. Sure enough, Ruthie didn’t whine or complain at all about not getting a doll (she did get a few other little things while the shopping excursion was going on). She has only asked to play with the doll once since then… and the rest of the time she has been content to let Anna enjoy her birthday present.
Jealousy has no place amongst the community of believers. It will choke out any growth and ruin relationships if given room to breathe. We must keep our hearts in check with the Holy Spirit to see if we are harboring any feelings of jealousy towards another, and we must rely on His strength to overcome those feelings and realize the full extent of the grace we ourselves have been given. For when we understand how much we truly have (and how much, therefore, we have for which to be thankful), we have no reason for which to be jealous.
Daniel
Anna bought a doll for her birthday, and named it Ashlyn Kate. We knew that Ruthie would likely see this doll and want one of her own, but we also knew that Ruthie tends to be pretty selfless about such matters… and we figured she could wait until Christmas for her own. Sure enough, Ruthie didn’t whine or complain at all about not getting a doll (she did get a few other little things while the shopping excursion was going on). She has only asked to play with the doll once since then… and the rest of the time she has been content to let Anna enjoy her birthday present.
Jealousy has no place amongst the community of believers. It will choke out any growth and ruin relationships if given room to breathe. We must keep our hearts in check with the Holy Spirit to see if we are harboring any feelings of jealousy towards another, and we must rely on His strength to overcome those feelings and realize the full extent of the grace we ourselves have been given. For when we understand how much we truly have (and how much, therefore, we have for which to be thankful), we have no reason for which to be jealous.
Daniel
Monday, November 1, 2010
#321.1 – “Old Friends”
"In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And when I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also." - John 14:2-3
Anna will be twelve years old this Wednesday. She already got her big birthday treat, which was going to see her friend Erin (who now lives in GA) this weekend. We took a trip Saturday to Alpharetta (which was a good place to meet for lunch and some birthday shopping). It is astonishing to me see how close Anna feels to Erin, being that they don’t see each other now more than once every few years (Erin is the oldest daughter of our friends Ronnie and Kim, with whom we served in our first church ministry position after college… Anna and Erin grew up in the nursery together, and have been close ever since). Upon meeting, they immediately hugged each other. Then they sat by each other at lunch… talking and laughing. They spent the whole afternoon together, and Anna enjoyed every minute of it. We did too. It is nice to see old friends.
That reunion brings to mind the reunion we will have with all the saints of God upon the return of Christ. What a truly joyful time that will be… seeing friends and loved ones of old… all in one accord and with one purpose of bringing glory to our great Redeemer. Oh, how we ought to look forward to that Day… and how we should let that eternal perspective drive our minds and hearts to missions and evangelism and bringing others along with us to that great Reunion!
Daniel
Anna will be twelve years old this Wednesday. She already got her big birthday treat, which was going to see her friend Erin (who now lives in GA) this weekend. We took a trip Saturday to Alpharetta (which was a good place to meet for lunch and some birthday shopping). It is astonishing to me see how close Anna feels to Erin, being that they don’t see each other now more than once every few years (Erin is the oldest daughter of our friends Ronnie and Kim, with whom we served in our first church ministry position after college… Anna and Erin grew up in the nursery together, and have been close ever since). Upon meeting, they immediately hugged each other. Then they sat by each other at lunch… talking and laughing. They spent the whole afternoon together, and Anna enjoyed every minute of it. We did too. It is nice to see old friends.
That reunion brings to mind the reunion we will have with all the saints of God upon the return of Christ. What a truly joyful time that will be… seeing friends and loved ones of old… all in one accord and with one purpose of bringing glory to our great Redeemer. Oh, how we ought to look forward to that Day… and how we should let that eternal perspective drive our minds and hearts to missions and evangelism and bringing others along with us to that great Reunion!
Daniel
Friday, October 29, 2010
#320.5 – “The Rainbow”
"Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you." - Deuteronomy 31:6
As Anna and I were coming back from her piano lesson a few days ago, we were driving through some heavy rain. We decided to stop for a few minutes and get some gas (I needed some anyway) and let the storm blow over, if it would. By the time I filled up, most of it had gone over us. As we drove on towards home, Anna spotted this huge rainbow to our northeast… right behind the back of the gray wall of the storm. It was moving steadily away from us. This was one of the largest spanning rainbows I have ever seen… reaching for almost the breadth of the great storm. It was an awesome reminder of God’s faithful Presence. As I saw that bow of colors, I thought about His promise to always be with us… even through a terrible storm.
Join me in thanking Him for His love and faithfulness to us. Give Him praise for being the ever-Present One.
Daniel
As Anna and I were coming back from her piano lesson a few days ago, we were driving through some heavy rain. We decided to stop for a few minutes and get some gas (I needed some anyway) and let the storm blow over, if it would. By the time I filled up, most of it had gone over us. As we drove on towards home, Anna spotted this huge rainbow to our northeast… right behind the back of the gray wall of the storm. It was moving steadily away from us. This was one of the largest spanning rainbows I have ever seen… reaching for almost the breadth of the great storm. It was an awesome reminder of God’s faithful Presence. As I saw that bow of colors, I thought about His promise to always be with us… even through a terrible storm.
Join me in thanking Him for His love and faithfulness to us. Give Him praise for being the ever-Present One.
Daniel
Thursday, October 28, 2010
#320.4 – “Leave the Nets”
"As Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers -- Simon, also known as Peter, and his brother Andrew -- casting a net into the Sea; for they were fishermen. ‘Come and follow me,’ Jesus said, ‘and I will set you to fish for men.’ The two men left their nets at once and followed him." - Matthew 4:18-20
After the movie was over the other night, we all commented about how it seemed later than it was… and we deduced that the reason it felt that way to us was because we had been together for a lot longer than normal that day. Our lives had slowed down temporarily – even with a trip to Huntsville and back for me and Anna. Things were slow and comfortable… and time had crept by. We had something like seven hours together as a family… at home… with no other agenda… and the rain and the wind keeping us all nestled inside our home. It was nice (I almost wish it would storm like that more often!).
Relationship has as a key component the idea of ‘being’ rather than ‘doing’; we can do something together and never really relate to each other. Such is the case with many of the world’s professional/work relationships; people may work side by side with someone but never really know much about them.
There has even been a shift in our culture regarding how well we know our neighbors. I can remember as a child knowing every neighbor on our entire hill (of course, I was kin to almost half of them!). Now, I only know our next door neighbors somewhat and only a few others in our neighborhood by name.
I want to suggest that the number one reason why that loss of connection has occurred is because of our lives have become so much more busy. We go, go, go… and never slow down to really know anyone. And yet, we are all created with an innate need to be known and to know others… to be ‘connected’ with other people and with our Maker.
And so I come to my point for today: that we are going to have be intentional about pulling the chain on some our ‘busy-ness’ in order to give time both to our relationship with God and also with others.
Daniel
After the movie was over the other night, we all commented about how it seemed later than it was… and we deduced that the reason it felt that way to us was because we had been together for a lot longer than normal that day. Our lives had slowed down temporarily – even with a trip to Huntsville and back for me and Anna. Things were slow and comfortable… and time had crept by. We had something like seven hours together as a family… at home… with no other agenda… and the rain and the wind keeping us all nestled inside our home. It was nice (I almost wish it would storm like that more often!).
Relationship has as a key component the idea of ‘being’ rather than ‘doing’; we can do something together and never really relate to each other. Such is the case with many of the world’s professional/work relationships; people may work side by side with someone but never really know much about them.
There has even been a shift in our culture regarding how well we know our neighbors. I can remember as a child knowing every neighbor on our entire hill (of course, I was kin to almost half of them!). Now, I only know our next door neighbors somewhat and only a few others in our neighborhood by name.
I want to suggest that the number one reason why that loss of connection has occurred is because of our lives have become so much more busy. We go, go, go… and never slow down to really know anyone. And yet, we are all created with an innate need to be known and to know others… to be ‘connected’ with other people and with our Maker.
And so I come to my point for today: that we are going to have be intentional about pulling the chain on some our ‘busy-ness’ in order to give time both to our relationship with God and also with others.
Daniel
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
#320.3 – “He Wants My Time”
"To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to Me?" Says the LORD. "I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams And the fat of fed cattle. I do not delight in the blood of bulls, Or of lambs or goats. "When you come to appear before Me, Who has required this from your hand, To trample My courts? Bring no more futile sacrifices; Incense is an abomination to Me. The New Moons, the Sabbaths, and the calling of assemblies-I cannot endure iniquity and the sacred meeting. Your New Moons and your appointed feasts My soul hates; They are a trouble to Me, I am weary of bearing them. When you spread out your hands, I will hide My eyes from you; Even though you make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood. "Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil, Learn to do good; Seek justice, Rebuke the oppressor; Defend the fatherless, Plead for the widow." - Isaiah 1:11-17
With school letting out early yesterday because of inclement weather, the kids had a little extra play time at home. They played video games and read books and watched a movie and just played. Anna and I missed the last two-thirds of the movie, because we had to get her to her piano lesson and tongue therapy session. Once we got home from those, we sat to watch what we had missed. The next thing I knew, Ruthie had come in there and snuggled up next to me and was watching it again with us. When Sarah came in the room, she questioned Ruthie about it, wondering why she was watching again. Her reply was a simple one: “well… they were watching it, so I thought I would come watch it with them.”
For Ruthie, it wasn’t about the show; she just wanted some snuggle time. The experience had value beyond entertainment for her; she was content to just spend time with us.
I remember a saying I heard once that has stuck with me since: time is the one resource we cannot renew. Once it is gone… it is gone. That makes it the most valuable resource I know… and it also stirs me to spend as much of it as I can with my family and loved ones as possible, because I know it won’t be long before Ruthie will have someone else to snuggle and I will be missing those times on the couch in front of a good movie.
But more than that, it encourages me to spend time with God every day. He – like Ruthie – wants to spend time with me more than He wants my service or my money or anything else I can bring. He wants my time. He wants to reveal Himself to me. He wants to love on me. He wants to mold me into His likeness, so that I have His heart and His desires. He wants to be with me.
And He wants to be with you…
Let’s all give Him time today.
Daniel
With school letting out early yesterday because of inclement weather, the kids had a little extra play time at home. They played video games and read books and watched a movie and just played. Anna and I missed the last two-thirds of the movie, because we had to get her to her piano lesson and tongue therapy session. Once we got home from those, we sat to watch what we had missed. The next thing I knew, Ruthie had come in there and snuggled up next to me and was watching it again with us. When Sarah came in the room, she questioned Ruthie about it, wondering why she was watching again. Her reply was a simple one: “well… they were watching it, so I thought I would come watch it with them.”
For Ruthie, it wasn’t about the show; she just wanted some snuggle time. The experience had value beyond entertainment for her; she was content to just spend time with us.
I remember a saying I heard once that has stuck with me since: time is the one resource we cannot renew. Once it is gone… it is gone. That makes it the most valuable resource I know… and it also stirs me to spend as much of it as I can with my family and loved ones as possible, because I know it won’t be long before Ruthie will have someone else to snuggle and I will be missing those times on the couch in front of a good movie.
But more than that, it encourages me to spend time with God every day. He – like Ruthie – wants to spend time with me more than He wants my service or my money or anything else I can bring. He wants my time. He wants to reveal Himself to me. He wants to love on me. He wants to mold me into His likeness, so that I have His heart and His desires. He wants to be with me.
And He wants to be with you…
Let’s all give Him time today.
Daniel
Monday, October 25, 2010
#320.2 – “My Boys and the Door to Door”
"Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the second time, saying, "Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach to it the message that I tell you." So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, a three-day journey in extent. And Jonah began to enter the city on the first day's walk..." - Jonah 3:1-4
We helped go back out this past Sunday afternoon to personally invite the folks from our neighborhood here to join us on the playground for lunch and some fun time playing. This time, I took the boys with me (since they didn’t get to go last week). The Millers went with us; we all walked around and ‘reissued’ our invitation (this time verbally only) to come and join us. The boys didn’t say anything to anybody, but they went. They were there - in the neighborhood with the rest of us.
It was neat to see several of the neighborhood folks acknowledge and remember our coming a few days before. There were a few of what I would call “uh –huh” moments, where they would remember my face… or what we were talking about... or our church’s name. That kind of recognition confirmed one of the things that Phil Joel talked about here during the service Sunday: that a relationship takes time. And if we as a church body are ever going to truly impact our community and lead them to a relationship with Christ, we are going to have to commit to going to them and ‘being where they are’ and loving on them and establishing a trust between them and us that will pave the way for the Holy Spirit to move and do what only He can do.
Daniel
We helped go back out this past Sunday afternoon to personally invite the folks from our neighborhood here to join us on the playground for lunch and some fun time playing. This time, I took the boys with me (since they didn’t get to go last week). The Millers went with us; we all walked around and ‘reissued’ our invitation (this time verbally only) to come and join us. The boys didn’t say anything to anybody, but they went. They were there - in the neighborhood with the rest of us.
It was neat to see several of the neighborhood folks acknowledge and remember our coming a few days before. There were a few of what I would call “uh –huh” moments, where they would remember my face… or what we were talking about... or our church’s name. That kind of recognition confirmed one of the things that Phil Joel talked about here during the service Sunday: that a relationship takes time. And if we as a church body are ever going to truly impact our community and lead them to a relationship with Christ, we are going to have to commit to going to them and ‘being where they are’ and loving on them and establishing a trust between them and us that will pave the way for the Holy Spirit to move and do what only He can do.
Daniel
#320.1 – “My Girls and the Door to Door”
"But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he became angry. So he prayed to the LORD, and said, "Ah, LORD, was not this what I said when I was still in my country? Therefore I fled previously to Tarshish; for I know that You are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm." - Jonah 4:1-2
With our church family’s new playground being dedicated yesterday, my girls and I went out to the neighborhood this past Thursday to invite folks to come join us. I was proud of them as they both took turns walking up to doors to which they had never been and talking to people with which they never talked (although there were a few they knew from school) and inviting them to come play with us Sunday. Most of the time I let them do the talking, in order to give them some experience in that. It was an honor (and humbling) to watch them be so genuine and real in the way they spoke to everyone. They were doing this because they wanted to do this.
In our reaching out to the world around us, the first thing that must be in place is a ‘want-to’; we simply have to have that desire to see our fellow man, woman, boy, or girls come to know our Savior. It must be genuine. It must be real.
Daniel
With our church family’s new playground being dedicated yesterday, my girls and I went out to the neighborhood this past Thursday to invite folks to come join us. I was proud of them as they both took turns walking up to doors to which they had never been and talking to people with which they never talked (although there were a few they knew from school) and inviting them to come play with us Sunday. Most of the time I let them do the talking, in order to give them some experience in that. It was an honor (and humbling) to watch them be so genuine and real in the way they spoke to everyone. They were doing this because they wanted to do this.
In our reaching out to the world around us, the first thing that must be in place is a ‘want-to’; we simply have to have that desire to see our fellow man, woman, boy, or girls come to know our Savior. It must be genuine. It must be real.
Daniel
Thursday, October 21, 2010
#319.4 – “The Dog Ate It”
"Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified." - Galatians 2:16
Ruthie worked on her homework while here in my office yesterday afternoon and evening. She needed to print a bit of research that she had done for science. She attempted to get that done while I was in staff meeting (so I was unavailable to help). When I came out, she informed me that she could not get it to print. I tried several times and ways, all to no avail. It had gotten backed-logged with files to print and would not budge. I tried deleting those files and starting over, with no progress. So I decided to go the old-fashioned route and handwrite her work on a piece of paper for her (since it was after 9pm, and we were all tired, and I write faster than her). I sent that handwritten copy with her to school this morning, in hopes that her teacher will accept it.
I wonder if a printer jamming is anything like the well-known dog that eats homework? Can we get away with that and claim ignorance on behalf of the printer? Is that a valid excuse?
Admittedly, it would be frustrating if any of our children did work and didn’t get credit for it. But, then again, our goal as Christians is not about being seen for the work we do, but rather doing our best… for Christ’s glory… knowing that our God sees all.
Do I do things to be seen or recognized? Do I feel the need to be justified or proven right? Or is my passion to love and worship God and not worry about what I cannot control?
Daniel
Ruthie worked on her homework while here in my office yesterday afternoon and evening. She needed to print a bit of research that she had done for science. She attempted to get that done while I was in staff meeting (so I was unavailable to help). When I came out, she informed me that she could not get it to print. I tried several times and ways, all to no avail. It had gotten backed-logged with files to print and would not budge. I tried deleting those files and starting over, with no progress. So I decided to go the old-fashioned route and handwrite her work on a piece of paper for her (since it was after 9pm, and we were all tired, and I write faster than her). I sent that handwritten copy with her to school this morning, in hopes that her teacher will accept it.
I wonder if a printer jamming is anything like the well-known dog that eats homework? Can we get away with that and claim ignorance on behalf of the printer? Is that a valid excuse?
Admittedly, it would be frustrating if any of our children did work and didn’t get credit for it. But, then again, our goal as Christians is not about being seen for the work we do, but rather doing our best… for Christ’s glory… knowing that our God sees all.
Do I do things to be seen or recognized? Do I feel the need to be justified or proven right? Or is my passion to love and worship God and not worry about what I cannot control?
Daniel
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
#319.3 – “Finishing Strong”
"So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom..." - Psalm 90:12
Grant was supposed to have his last fall baseball game last night. Just as they were getting ready to start, it began to rain. At first, the rain was light, and looked like it would blow over us soon. Next, it increased in strength and wind speed and all the onlookers took for cover under the concession stand. Soon thereafter, all the players and coaches had joined us. We stood under the awnings like a bunch of sardines – all huddled there together - trying to stay dry and relatively warm. After fifteen to twenty minutes of downpours, they decided to play again Thursday night.
The team Grant played has not lost a game throughout the season, including the few we played them. But since we got to bat first last night… and it rained us out before they could bat… we were up 3 or 4 to nothing. One of the dads suggested we just call the game and declare ourselves the winners (he’s been taking tips from Joshua)! But the reality is we are going to have to go out there and play them again tomorrow night. We are going to have to finish what we started.
Finishing strong applies to so many aspects of life, whether you’re talking about finishing out an individual life… or finishing out your day… or finishing a task. All of these can be related to the runner who wants to finish the race strong and do their best in order to know they have done all they could. For us as Christians, we know that the element of time is important in our understanding here. We are awakened to the importance of us serving Christ with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength when we recall the truth that one Day time will be no more and many of our opportunities (particularly to evangelize) will be gone. We must therefore take the days we have been given and make the most of them for Christ and for His Kingdom.
Daniel
Grant was supposed to have his last fall baseball game last night. Just as they were getting ready to start, it began to rain. At first, the rain was light, and looked like it would blow over us soon. Next, it increased in strength and wind speed and all the onlookers took for cover under the concession stand. Soon thereafter, all the players and coaches had joined us. We stood under the awnings like a bunch of sardines – all huddled there together - trying to stay dry and relatively warm. After fifteen to twenty minutes of downpours, they decided to play again Thursday night.
The team Grant played has not lost a game throughout the season, including the few we played them. But since we got to bat first last night… and it rained us out before they could bat… we were up 3 or 4 to nothing. One of the dads suggested we just call the game and declare ourselves the winners (he’s been taking tips from Joshua)! But the reality is we are going to have to go out there and play them again tomorrow night. We are going to have to finish what we started.
Finishing strong applies to so many aspects of life, whether you’re talking about finishing out an individual life… or finishing out your day… or finishing a task. All of these can be related to the runner who wants to finish the race strong and do their best in order to know they have done all they could. For us as Christians, we know that the element of time is important in our understanding here. We are awakened to the importance of us serving Christ with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength when we recall the truth that one Day time will be no more and many of our opportunities (particularly to evangelize) will be gone. We must therefore take the days we have been given and make the most of them for Christ and for His Kingdom.
Daniel
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
#319.2 – “Change, Change, Change”
"Now therefore amend your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of the LORD your God..." - Jeremiah 26:13
Sarah and I took Anna to her first tongue therapy session yesterday (she is being treated for tongue thrust as a preliminary action to getting braces). She did very well; she listened to the doctor explain what she wanted her to do and mimicked the things she saw the doctor demonstrate (Sarah did well at that too... in fact, there was a point in the therapy session in which the doctor asked Anna to look over at the door knob - so she could get a side view of what was going on in Anna’s throat when she swallows - and Sarah just turned her head right with Anna and looked at that doorknob as pretty as you please!).
There were some things that Anna ‘took to’ immediately and some that required a little more concentration on her part. She had to adapt from some habits that had been formed over a lifetime in order to do what the doctor asked. Some of it felt weird to her. Some of it felt ‘wrong’. But she did as the doctor requested, because she understood that it was going to ultimately help her.
If I am ever going to change a bad habit in order to be more Christ-like, I am going to have to have/do a few things: I am going to have to ‘buy-in’, meaning I am going to need to come to the point where I believe that Christ’s way is best and my way is not; I am also going to have to be committed to surrendering my will to His, even if it ‘hurts’ or doesn’t always make sense; I am going to need to do the things He tells me to do… not just once but with practice that develops into a lifestyle; and I am going to need to leave the results up to Him and His grace and trust that, if I simply allow Him to work in my heart and life and I do my part obeying His commands, that Godly results will come.
Lord, help me be diligent in constantly evaluating my life, in order to see what areas are there that need your grace to change them… and grant me the grace needed to make those changes, so that I may be more like You.
Daniel
Sarah and I took Anna to her first tongue therapy session yesterday (she is being treated for tongue thrust as a preliminary action to getting braces). She did very well; she listened to the doctor explain what she wanted her to do and mimicked the things she saw the doctor demonstrate (Sarah did well at that too... in fact, there was a point in the therapy session in which the doctor asked Anna to look over at the door knob - so she could get a side view of what was going on in Anna’s throat when she swallows - and Sarah just turned her head right with Anna and looked at that doorknob as pretty as you please!).
There were some things that Anna ‘took to’ immediately and some that required a little more concentration on her part. She had to adapt from some habits that had been formed over a lifetime in order to do what the doctor asked. Some of it felt weird to her. Some of it felt ‘wrong’. But she did as the doctor requested, because she understood that it was going to ultimately help her.
If I am ever going to change a bad habit in order to be more Christ-like, I am going to have to have/do a few things: I am going to have to ‘buy-in’, meaning I am going to need to come to the point where I believe that Christ’s way is best and my way is not; I am also going to have to be committed to surrendering my will to His, even if it ‘hurts’ or doesn’t always make sense; I am going to need to do the things He tells me to do… not just once but with practice that develops into a lifestyle; and I am going to need to leave the results up to Him and His grace and trust that, if I simply allow Him to work in my heart and life and I do my part obeying His commands, that Godly results will come.
Lord, help me be diligent in constantly evaluating my life, in order to see what areas are there that need your grace to change them… and grant me the grace needed to make those changes, so that I may be more like You.
Daniel
Monday, October 18, 2010
#319.1 – “Just as Long as He Wins”
"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly." - John 10:10
We had gone out to the airport to see Gail Overman fly in Friday evening, and afterwards, I was ‘about to hungry to death’ as Paw Paw Miles would say. So we went out to get a bite to eat. The restaurant had kids coloring pages for them to play with until we got our food. Joshua played his mommy in tic-tac-toe on one of the sheets. Anytime it looked like she was getting ahead of him, he would just cross her ‘o’ out and put his ‘x’ in that spot… taking over that territory in the name of Joshua as it were!
Joshua didn’t care how he won… just as long as he won.
There’s another someone who doesn’t care about the rules or how he is supposed to behave, as long as he wins. The devil isn’t interested in playing fair; he only seeks to kill and destroy at all costs. Yes, it is true that he ultimately loses the war… but he wins plenty of battles anytime he can deceive us or cause us to fall in any way. The only way to win against someone like that is not to play them. Rather than concentrate our energy on defeating satan, we need to put our focus on loving God and serving others and let nothing sway us from moving in that direction.
Daniel
We had gone out to the airport to see Gail Overman fly in Friday evening, and afterwards, I was ‘about to hungry to death’ as Paw Paw Miles would say. So we went out to get a bite to eat. The restaurant had kids coloring pages for them to play with until we got our food. Joshua played his mommy in tic-tac-toe on one of the sheets. Anytime it looked like she was getting ahead of him, he would just cross her ‘o’ out and put his ‘x’ in that spot… taking over that territory in the name of Joshua as it were!
Joshua didn’t care how he won… just as long as he won.
There’s another someone who doesn’t care about the rules or how he is supposed to behave, as long as he wins. The devil isn’t interested in playing fair; he only seeks to kill and destroy at all costs. Yes, it is true that he ultimately loses the war… but he wins plenty of battles anytime he can deceive us or cause us to fall in any way. The only way to win against someone like that is not to play them. Rather than concentrate our energy on defeating satan, we need to put our focus on loving God and serving others and let nothing sway us from moving in that direction.
Daniel
Thursday, October 14, 2010
#318.2 – “Much for Which to Be Thankful”
"Count it all joy, my brethren, when you meet various trials, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." - James 1:2-4
So Joshua had the bug all day Friday. Sarah and I both got it Sunday (me that morning and her that night). Her mom took it in the wee hours Monday morning. And we left the beach to come back home Tuesday at lunch. That gave us Saturday and Tuesday morning as a family to do some fun things together. The rest of the time we had Sarah’s parents and Rob and Debra (her brother and sister-in-law) taking turns watching our kids for us while we stayed in the bed like half-dead folk. On the one hand, it was discouraging to spend over half of the vacation flat of our backs. On the other hand, we were grateful that our kids all stayed well once at the beach (Joshua felt okay come Saturday, so he got all the playing time that any of the others did), and that we were in a place and situation where we had baby-sitters who could take them to the beach or the pool or wherever else they wanted to go and who could play with them and help them enjoy their time there. Also, we were grateful for our momentary haven of cable television, because we certainly didn’t feel like doing much of anything else for about two days. And most important, we were glad that our sister-in-law Debra (who is several months pregnant) did not catch the nasty virus.
And so we have much for which to be thankful. When people ask me how our trip was, I tell them it was good… and it was. While we passed around a stomach bug during our time there, it was an ideal situation in which to have one. And I am thankful for our family for their help and for Debra not getting it.
In most any situation I have ever been in, there are things for which thanks can be given. Sometimes, that is more difficult than others, but then again… giving thanks when it is ‘easy’ is not much, is it? It is in those most challenging situations – when our faith is thinly stretched – that giving thanks can feel almost like thorns in the brow, but it is also then when we truly grow in the knowledge of what real thanksgiving is.
Daniel
So Joshua had the bug all day Friday. Sarah and I both got it Sunday (me that morning and her that night). Her mom took it in the wee hours Monday morning. And we left the beach to come back home Tuesday at lunch. That gave us Saturday and Tuesday morning as a family to do some fun things together. The rest of the time we had Sarah’s parents and Rob and Debra (her brother and sister-in-law) taking turns watching our kids for us while we stayed in the bed like half-dead folk. On the one hand, it was discouraging to spend over half of the vacation flat of our backs. On the other hand, we were grateful that our kids all stayed well once at the beach (Joshua felt okay come Saturday, so he got all the playing time that any of the others did), and that we were in a place and situation where we had baby-sitters who could take them to the beach or the pool or wherever else they wanted to go and who could play with them and help them enjoy their time there. Also, we were grateful for our momentary haven of cable television, because we certainly didn’t feel like doing much of anything else for about two days. And most important, we were glad that our sister-in-law Debra (who is several months pregnant) did not catch the nasty virus.
And so we have much for which to be thankful. When people ask me how our trip was, I tell them it was good… and it was. While we passed around a stomach bug during our time there, it was an ideal situation in which to have one. And I am thankful for our family for their help and for Debra not getting it.
In most any situation I have ever been in, there are things for which thanks can be given. Sometimes, that is more difficult than others, but then again… giving thanks when it is ‘easy’ is not much, is it? It is in those most challenging situations – when our faith is thinly stretched – that giving thanks can feel almost like thorns in the brow, but it is also then when we truly grow in the knowledge of what real thanksgiving is.
Daniel
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
#318.1 – “Whose Judgment?”
"Hear, O My people, and I will admonish you! O Israel, if you will listen to Me!" - Psalms 81:8
We were leaving Friday after lunch to go on our beach trip, so we got the kids ready for school that morning with the encouragement that even though we knew they were tired and ready to go on right then to the beach, if they could just hold out another half a day, we’d be leaving. It was with that mindset that I sent Joshua (who was complaining that morning of a stomach ache) on to school.
He first told me he wasn’t feeling good as soon as we all got up. Before we left the house, I checked his temperature. He had no fever, so I told him to go ahead and get ready like normal. He didn’t want any breakfast. I didn’t force him to eat, fearing that would only make him feel worse. As we loaded up in the van, he once again complained about how bad he felt. This was not like Joshua… and I knew that. I believed that he felt bad. However, I thought that since he did not have a fever… and that he would only need to go to school a half a day that day… that he could make it just fine (and that he should not make anyone else sick).
Thirty minutes after I dropped him off, I got the call from school saying he had thrown up.
Since then, the bug has gone through three of our immediate family plus Sarah’s mother. I wish now that I had paid attention to Joshua’s appeal that morning. I wish I had listened to his judgment over mine.
So often, our obedience as Christians comes down to the matter of to whose judgment we listen. Am I going to do what I think is best, or am I going to listen to my Father (who always knows best)? Am I going to take His word on the situation, or am I going to make my own judgments and assume I know better than Him?
Lord, help me call this experience to memory the next time I am faced with an obedience issue that involves a choice of to whose judgment I am going to listen.
Daniel
We were leaving Friday after lunch to go on our beach trip, so we got the kids ready for school that morning with the encouragement that even though we knew they were tired and ready to go on right then to the beach, if they could just hold out another half a day, we’d be leaving. It was with that mindset that I sent Joshua (who was complaining that morning of a stomach ache) on to school.
He first told me he wasn’t feeling good as soon as we all got up. Before we left the house, I checked his temperature. He had no fever, so I told him to go ahead and get ready like normal. He didn’t want any breakfast. I didn’t force him to eat, fearing that would only make him feel worse. As we loaded up in the van, he once again complained about how bad he felt. This was not like Joshua… and I knew that. I believed that he felt bad. However, I thought that since he did not have a fever… and that he would only need to go to school a half a day that day… that he could make it just fine (and that he should not make anyone else sick).
Thirty minutes after I dropped him off, I got the call from school saying he had thrown up.
Since then, the bug has gone through three of our immediate family plus Sarah’s mother. I wish now that I had paid attention to Joshua’s appeal that morning. I wish I had listened to his judgment over mine.
So often, our obedience as Christians comes down to the matter of to whose judgment we listen. Am I going to do what I think is best, or am I going to listen to my Father (who always knows best)? Am I going to take His word on the situation, or am I going to make my own judgments and assume I know better than Him?
Lord, help me call this experience to memory the next time I am faced with an obedience issue that involves a choice of to whose judgment I am going to listen.
Daniel
Thursday, October 7, 2010
#317.3 – “A Lilt in the Step”
"So Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation." - Hebrews 9:28
The fact that we are going to be on vacation soon has gotten me excited. Even the air seems lighter today, just knowing that we will soon be on the beach. Our annual trip is always highly anticipated by all of us, but never more than this year. We still have several tasks to be done before we leave, but they all seem minute. It is a day and a half away before we leave, but I am as eager as if it were five minutes from now. This weather have given us just a foretaste of the beauty we hope to enjoy while there on the sand and in the water. The trip (which of course, we have not yet made) has entirely affected our today.
Though we as believers in Jesus have not yet experienced the perfectly intimate Presence of our Savior linked with heaven, the knowledge that one Day we will get to do so affects our walk today. It puts a lilt in the step and a joy that gives strength in the midst of our day to day trials here. Our today is affected by our great Tomorrow.
Father, may my steps today reflect the reality of one who is moving steadily towards You.
Daniel
The fact that we are going to be on vacation soon has gotten me excited. Even the air seems lighter today, just knowing that we will soon be on the beach. Our annual trip is always highly anticipated by all of us, but never more than this year. We still have several tasks to be done before we leave, but they all seem minute. It is a day and a half away before we leave, but I am as eager as if it were five minutes from now. This weather have given us just a foretaste of the beauty we hope to enjoy while there on the sand and in the water. The trip (which of course, we have not yet made) has entirely affected our today.
Though we as believers in Jesus have not yet experienced the perfectly intimate Presence of our Savior linked with heaven, the knowledge that one Day we will get to do so affects our walk today. It puts a lilt in the step and a joy that gives strength in the midst of our day to day trials here. Our today is affected by our great Tomorrow.
Father, may my steps today reflect the reality of one who is moving steadily towards You.
Daniel
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
#317.2 – “One Who Understands”
"For we have not a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin." - Hebrews 4:15
Yesterday both Ruthie and I had some kind of bug that left us with bad stomach cramps and a major headache. We both felt pretty bad, yet neither of us ran a fever. There were no other symptoms, and we both are fine today (whatever it was, I’m glad it’s gone… and I hope it never comes back!). She had felt bad the night before, but mine didn’t show until the next morning. I knew that Ruthie wasn’t faking her illness, but until I got it myself… well, I just didn’t realize how bad it was! Although I hated for her to be sick, it made me feel better knowing that I wasn’t the only one going through it.
Unless we experience the same things someone else does, we cannot fully appreciate what they feel or think about it. Sympathy can only turn to empathy once we have walked in their shoes. I am grateful that our Savior walked on the earth some thirty plus years and experienced life so that I can be comforted in knowing that I am not alone in the things I feel, but have One who understands and cares.
Daniel
Yesterday both Ruthie and I had some kind of bug that left us with bad stomach cramps and a major headache. We both felt pretty bad, yet neither of us ran a fever. There were no other symptoms, and we both are fine today (whatever it was, I’m glad it’s gone… and I hope it never comes back!). She had felt bad the night before, but mine didn’t show until the next morning. I knew that Ruthie wasn’t faking her illness, but until I got it myself… well, I just didn’t realize how bad it was! Although I hated for her to be sick, it made me feel better knowing that I wasn’t the only one going through it.
Unless we experience the same things someone else does, we cannot fully appreciate what they feel or think about it. Sympathy can only turn to empathy once we have walked in their shoes. I am grateful that our Savior walked on the earth some thirty plus years and experienced life so that I can be comforted in knowing that I am not alone in the things I feel, but have One who understands and cares.
Daniel
Monday, October 4, 2010
#317.1 – “Co-Existing”
"And then, two of them, on that very day, were going to a little town named Emmaus, which was about seven miles from Jerusalem. And they were talking together about all those things which had taken place. And while they were talking and questioning together, Jesus himself came near and went with them. But their eyes were not open that they might have knowledge of him." - Luke 24:13-16
Sarah had a few errands to run yesterday afternoon, so I took the kids home after church to get them all down for a nap. Well, I also fell asleep (without really even trying). Three hours later, I woke up in just enough time to get ready to come back to the church building for Praise Adventure.
That night, I was not tired at all… while Sarah was completely given out. She went right to bed after we got back home, and I got all the kids tucked in. Then I stayed awake for the longest time.
This morning, she got up feeling ready to work out and I was still asleep.
Lately, it feels like we are just co-existing - passing one another in the hallways of life… staying focused on the tasks of the day-to-day… while hardly having any time together to just talk to one another.
Oftentimes, my relationship with God can be the same way. I go from day to day, taking for granted that He’ll always be there. I rush from one task to another… all the while letting our relationship rest on the shelf, until I ‘have time for it’. So dangerous is such a place, and so easy in which to get.
Father, thank You that You use every experience of our lives to draw us nearer to You… even the ones that remind us that we have drifted apart. May I seek You afresh and anew today. Open my eyes, that I may see You and talk with You as I go along life’s path today.
Daniel
Sarah had a few errands to run yesterday afternoon, so I took the kids home after church to get them all down for a nap. Well, I also fell asleep (without really even trying). Three hours later, I woke up in just enough time to get ready to come back to the church building for Praise Adventure.
That night, I was not tired at all… while Sarah was completely given out. She went right to bed after we got back home, and I got all the kids tucked in. Then I stayed awake for the longest time.
This morning, she got up feeling ready to work out and I was still asleep.
Lately, it feels like we are just co-existing - passing one another in the hallways of life… staying focused on the tasks of the day-to-day… while hardly having any time together to just talk to one another.
Oftentimes, my relationship with God can be the same way. I go from day to day, taking for granted that He’ll always be there. I rush from one task to another… all the while letting our relationship rest on the shelf, until I ‘have time for it’. So dangerous is such a place, and so easy in which to get.
Father, thank You that You use every experience of our lives to draw us nearer to You… even the ones that remind us that we have drifted apart. May I seek You afresh and anew today. Open my eyes, that I may see You and talk with You as I go along life’s path today.
Daniel
Friday, October 1, 2010
#316.3 – “Van… Don’t Fail Me Now!!!”
"These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God." - Revelation 3:14
The past two mornings were those kinds of mornings when you are running behind no matter what you do. Sarah has been sick for three days now, which means that I have been the chauffeur, the cook, the laundry doer (and I think you all know how much I hate doing laundry), the homework checker, etc. Well it seems that no matter how early I get up to get things going around the house, I cannot get us all ready and out the door on time. We were either late or awfully close to being late to the intermediate school both days. The van (which seems to have made a miraculous recovery and is no longer demon-possessed) has sure had a workout the past couple of mornings, as I have literally jumped in and taken off, with our kids in tow. I remember thinking to myself when we were on two wheels (exaggeration) coming out of the driveway yesterday: ‘Van, don’t fail me now!’
Dependability is a quality that our God exemplifies. He is always ‘there for us’. When He says He is going to do something, He does it. No exceptions. He never fails to fulfill His promises. He never fails to be true to His character. He never fails. He is totally dependable. And His example encourages me to want to be dependable too.
Daniel
The past two mornings were those kinds of mornings when you are running behind no matter what you do. Sarah has been sick for three days now, which means that I have been the chauffeur, the cook, the laundry doer (and I think you all know how much I hate doing laundry), the homework checker, etc. Well it seems that no matter how early I get up to get things going around the house, I cannot get us all ready and out the door on time. We were either late or awfully close to being late to the intermediate school both days. The van (which seems to have made a miraculous recovery and is no longer demon-possessed) has sure had a workout the past couple of mornings, as I have literally jumped in and taken off, with our kids in tow. I remember thinking to myself when we were on two wheels (exaggeration) coming out of the driveway yesterday: ‘Van, don’t fail me now!’
Dependability is a quality that our God exemplifies. He is always ‘there for us’. When He says He is going to do something, He does it. No exceptions. He never fails to fulfill His promises. He never fails to be true to His character. He never fails. He is totally dependable. And His example encourages me to want to be dependable too.
Daniel
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
#316.2 – “I Think You Need a Nap”
"Now take an example from the fig-tree: when her branch has become soft and puts out its leaves, you are certain that the summer is near." - Matthew 24:32
This morning, I had been barking out directions and frantically fixing breakfast and lunch at the same time (trying not to confuse the two!), doing my best to get everyone ready for school. Meanwhile, I was still in my sleep clothes when I noticed that we only had about two minutes left till time for us to go. Then Joshua knocked over his cup of milk all over the counter and I had to stop and clean that up, at which point I yelled: “Joshua!” His reply to me? “Daddy, I think you need a nap”. Well, what could I say? I agreed with him and then proceeded to clean up the mess… grumbling to myself the whole time!
How do you know if you are on time or running late? Look at the clock. How do you when summer is near (and I bet some of you wish it was, don’t you)? According to Scripture, you can look to the fig-tree. And how do you know when you’re not getting enough sleep? When your kid tells you that you need a nap!
Sometimes, we need those who truly love us to tell us the truth… even if it doesn’t always feel good at the time. Joshua was right. I was being unnecessarily cranky and fussy. I was setting a bad example for my kids… and they knew it… and he called me on it. And ultimately, I was grateful that he did. I changed my attitude then and there, and we had a better morning… all because my five year old spoke the truth in love.
Daniel
This morning, I had been barking out directions and frantically fixing breakfast and lunch at the same time (trying not to confuse the two!), doing my best to get everyone ready for school. Meanwhile, I was still in my sleep clothes when I noticed that we only had about two minutes left till time for us to go. Then Joshua knocked over his cup of milk all over the counter and I had to stop and clean that up, at which point I yelled: “Joshua!” His reply to me? “Daddy, I think you need a nap”. Well, what could I say? I agreed with him and then proceeded to clean up the mess… grumbling to myself the whole time!
How do you know if you are on time or running late? Look at the clock. How do you when summer is near (and I bet some of you wish it was, don’t you)? According to Scripture, you can look to the fig-tree. And how do you know when you’re not getting enough sleep? When your kid tells you that you need a nap!
Sometimes, we need those who truly love us to tell us the truth… even if it doesn’t always feel good at the time. Joshua was right. I was being unnecessarily cranky and fussy. I was setting a bad example for my kids… and they knew it… and he called me on it. And ultimately, I was grateful that he did. I changed my attitude then and there, and we had a better morning… all because my five year old spoke the truth in love.
Daniel
Monday, September 27, 2010
#316.1 – “Flat of My Back”
"For our fight is not against flesh and blood, but against authorities and powers, against the world-rulers of this dark night, against the spirits of evil in the heavens." - Ephesians 6:12
I spent the majority of last week in the bed… resting and trying to recuperate from a sinus infection. The sickness didn’t show any major symptoms – just a little bit of coughing, a sore throat, and a headache – but it sure made me feel terrible (and I mean terrible). Come Friday, I felt like a truck had run over me. I had no energy. I would lie down because I didn’t feel like getting up to do anything… but I couldn’t nap either, because all I had been doing for the two days prior was resting! I was whipped, and bad!
When you’re accustomed to going and going… and doing and doing… and then you get knocked flat of your back, it really takes a mental adjustment to allow yourself to rest. I wanted to get up and come to work, but I kept feeling so awful, I knew I couldn’t make it. I would try to do a little bit around the house (to help Sarah out), but could not last long before having to go back to bed. I was in a war with a bug… and it was winning!
Spiritual warfare is much like physical sickness: it comes on suddenly… almost out of nowhere; it attacks with a fierce aggression; and it hangs on for dear life, trying to drain every ounce of strength we have. Also much like the physical battles of life, the spiritual fight requires rest and extra help. I went to the doctor and got an antibiotic prescribed, because my body alone was not handling the bug like it should. I also rested… a LOT! These two factors are the primary reason why I feel so much better now. In the same way, we must rely on our Great Physician – Jesus – to help us in our spiritual battles, and we need to rest in Him and rely on His strength.
Daniel
I spent the majority of last week in the bed… resting and trying to recuperate from a sinus infection. The sickness didn’t show any major symptoms – just a little bit of coughing, a sore throat, and a headache – but it sure made me feel terrible (and I mean terrible). Come Friday, I felt like a truck had run over me. I had no energy. I would lie down because I didn’t feel like getting up to do anything… but I couldn’t nap either, because all I had been doing for the two days prior was resting! I was whipped, and bad!
When you’re accustomed to going and going… and doing and doing… and then you get knocked flat of your back, it really takes a mental adjustment to allow yourself to rest. I wanted to get up and come to work, but I kept feeling so awful, I knew I couldn’t make it. I would try to do a little bit around the house (to help Sarah out), but could not last long before having to go back to bed. I was in a war with a bug… and it was winning!
Spiritual warfare is much like physical sickness: it comes on suddenly… almost out of nowhere; it attacks with a fierce aggression; and it hangs on for dear life, trying to drain every ounce of strength we have. Also much like the physical battles of life, the spiritual fight requires rest and extra help. I went to the doctor and got an antibiotic prescribed, because my body alone was not handling the bug like it should. I also rested… a LOT! These two factors are the primary reason why I feel so much better now. In the same way, we must rely on our Great Physician – Jesus – to help us in our spiritual battles, and we need to rest in Him and rely on His strength.
Daniel
Monday, September 20, 2010
#315.1 – “Life Without Momma”
"To the end that you should walk worthily of God, who calls you into his own Kingdom and glory." - 1 Thessalonians 2:12
All of you have probably heard the saying ‘When momma ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy.” Well, I have a new one twist on that for you: “When momma ain’t home, ain’t nothin’ right.” When Sarah left this past week for the beach, the house was in order… clothes were all clean… the kids’ homework was checked… the beds were all made… and the whole outfit was a real bobby-dazzler! But by the time she got back, the state of the union was quite different. Nobody’s bed was made… the laundry was not all done… homework had not been checked over the weekend… some homework had not been done over the weekend… and the house was generally in need of a good going over.
It reminded me of an old Andy Griffith episode where Aunt Bea left home for a few days and the whole place fell apart. Then, right before she was to return, Andy and Opie killed themselves trying to get things back in order… and they did. Then, they got to thinking about how it would make Aunt Bea feel if things were perfect without her… so they messed it all back up again.
Well, that’s my excuse and I’m stickin’ with it: we just didn’t want momma to feel unwanted or not needed!
You know everyone wants to feel wanted and needed and appreciated and loved. The great thing with God and His Kingdom is that we really are! Can you imagine that the King of Kings and Lord of Lords – infinite in power… able to do anything, without any help from anyone at all – would actually want our help? He really wants us and He really loves us and He really appreciates us. How much that should compel us to want to give our very best all of the time to Him and towards service in His Kingdom! What an amazing privilege we have – to be called sons and daughters of God… to serve alongside Him in His work… to actually help God! May we rejoice in the opportunities granted to us this week and may we serve wholeheartedly!
Daniel
All of you have probably heard the saying ‘When momma ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy.” Well, I have a new one twist on that for you: “When momma ain’t home, ain’t nothin’ right.” When Sarah left this past week for the beach, the house was in order… clothes were all clean… the kids’ homework was checked… the beds were all made… and the whole outfit was a real bobby-dazzler! But by the time she got back, the state of the union was quite different. Nobody’s bed was made… the laundry was not all done… homework had not been checked over the weekend… some homework had not been done over the weekend… and the house was generally in need of a good going over.
It reminded me of an old Andy Griffith episode where Aunt Bea left home for a few days and the whole place fell apart. Then, right before she was to return, Andy and Opie killed themselves trying to get things back in order… and they did. Then, they got to thinking about how it would make Aunt Bea feel if things were perfect without her… so they messed it all back up again.
Well, that’s my excuse and I’m stickin’ with it: we just didn’t want momma to feel unwanted or not needed!
You know everyone wants to feel wanted and needed and appreciated and loved. The great thing with God and His Kingdom is that we really are! Can you imagine that the King of Kings and Lord of Lords – infinite in power… able to do anything, without any help from anyone at all – would actually want our help? He really wants us and He really loves us and He really appreciates us. How much that should compel us to want to give our very best all of the time to Him and towards service in His Kingdom! What an amazing privilege we have – to be called sons and daughters of God… to serve alongside Him in His work… to actually help God! May we rejoice in the opportunities granted to us this week and may we serve wholeheartedly!
Daniel
Friday, September 17, 2010
#314.3 – “Daddy the Big-Eyed Drooler”
"To him therefore who knows to do good, and doesn't do it, to him it is sin." - James 4:17
In addition to being a helper, Ruthie is also a conscientious shopper. She helped me make sure we got everything on our list, but she also was cautious about looking at prices and sizes and options.
In spite of her good sense of judgment and restraint, we still managed to spend one and a half times the amount of money we usually spend (that’s because I was hungry when we went… bad news)! The lesson here is not a new one, but rather one I have known for a long time, but simply chose to disregard: eat before you go grocery shopping.
Have you ever known to do something and chosen not to do it? If you’re breathing and you’re old enough, you have. The Bible calls that sin. My sin at that time was gluttony; my eyes were almost bigger than our bank account. I told you that Ruthie helped make sure that we got everything on our list. That was true. However, I was responsible for making sure we got plenty of things that were NOT on the list! I was throwing so much stuff in that basket, I thought for a minute there that we were going to have to go get another one! I knew I didn’t need it, but I’d chunk it in there anyway!
Jesus redeems the sins of those who call on Him for forgiveness. He never fails to forgive when asked. He restores the one who has chosen to do wrong, but has since repented. His love is perfect – without bias or flaw.
Thank Him today for being so willing to forgive.
Daniel
p.s. and eat before you go grocery shopping!
In addition to being a helper, Ruthie is also a conscientious shopper. She helped me make sure we got everything on our list, but she also was cautious about looking at prices and sizes and options.
In spite of her good sense of judgment and restraint, we still managed to spend one and a half times the amount of money we usually spend (that’s because I was hungry when we went… bad news)! The lesson here is not a new one, but rather one I have known for a long time, but simply chose to disregard: eat before you go grocery shopping.
Have you ever known to do something and chosen not to do it? If you’re breathing and you’re old enough, you have. The Bible calls that sin. My sin at that time was gluttony; my eyes were almost bigger than our bank account. I told you that Ruthie helped make sure that we got everything on our list. That was true. However, I was responsible for making sure we got plenty of things that were NOT on the list! I was throwing so much stuff in that basket, I thought for a minute there that we were going to have to go get another one! I knew I didn’t need it, but I’d chunk it in there anyway!
Jesus redeems the sins of those who call on Him for forgiveness. He never fails to forgive when asked. He restores the one who has chosen to do wrong, but has since repented. His love is perfect – without bias or flaw.
Thank Him today for being so willing to forgive.
Daniel
p.s. and eat before you go grocery shopping!
Thursday, September 16, 2010
#314.2 – “Ruthie the Grocery Shopper”
"Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them..." - Romans 12:6
Ruthie is a helper. She loves to help most anyone do pretty much anything. She especially likes to help one of us do something when it can just be her helping.
Such was the case the other day. I wanted someone to go do grocery shopping with me. Ruthie was the lone volunteer, which was great. It gave us a chance to be together for a while, which we don’t get to do very much.
Ruthie is actually quite happy and content to help someone else complete a task they have. She enjoys being in that role. Though she may not be aware of it, she has discovered at least one of her spiritual gifts, and she loves exercising that gift of helps.
We are all like Ruthie in the sense that we who are Christians are our happiest when we discover how and when and where God can use us to help carry out His work. When we exercise our spiritual gifts in the manner and the means God intends, we find a joy incapable of being matched elsewhere.
Ruthie is a helper. It’s who she is. And because it is who she is, she loves being and doing it. May I love God by joyfully serving Him in the manner and with the gifts He has given me.
Daniel
Ruthie is a helper. She loves to help most anyone do pretty much anything. She especially likes to help one of us do something when it can just be her helping.
Such was the case the other day. I wanted someone to go do grocery shopping with me. Ruthie was the lone volunteer, which was great. It gave us a chance to be together for a while, which we don’t get to do very much.
Ruthie is actually quite happy and content to help someone else complete a task they have. She enjoys being in that role. Though she may not be aware of it, she has discovered at least one of her spiritual gifts, and she loves exercising that gift of helps.
We are all like Ruthie in the sense that we who are Christians are our happiest when we discover how and when and where God can use us to help carry out His work. When we exercise our spiritual gifts in the manner and the means God intends, we find a joy incapable of being matched elsewhere.
Ruthie is a helper. It’s who she is. And because it is who she is, she loves being and doing it. May I love God by joyfully serving Him in the manner and with the gifts He has given me.
Daniel
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
#314.1 – “Grant and His New Bat”
"And God is able to make all grace abound to you, that you, always having all sufficiency in everything, may abound to every good work." - 2 Corinthians 9:8
Grant is playing fall baseball this year. One of the things we needed to do for him to get him started was buy him a new bat. So we loaded up the truck and moved to Hibbett’s… Sporting Goods, that is. Sarah and I helped him pick one out – I recognized one that several of his teammates had and suggested it, and she looked at the chart on the wall to make sure we were getting him the right size for his age, weight, etc. He liked it and we took it to practice with us that evening. After struggling to hit the ball with his old tee ball bat a few practices, he seemed to quickly adjust to this new bat. Whether it was just a matter of him getting used to the speed of the machine pitching, or listening to the coach’s instructions on how to swing, or the help of a new bat, or all the above, I don’t know… but he immediately started improving. We watched him hit the ball the past couple of nights at games. He is having fun and learning, which is all we could ask.
It is so satisfying to see your child ‘get’ something, whether it be how to solve a math problem, or the fingering for a new note on the flute, or the proper technique for swinging a bat… it is just nice to watch them learn.
I wonder how frustrating it must be for God to watch me not ‘get’ grace. There are times when I still try to do things in my own power and strength rather than rely upon His grace. I act within the parameters of what I know I can do, instead of letting God do what only He can. I trust myself rather than God.
Lord, help me to not look at things from my perspective, but to trust what You see and say… and to rely upon Your power and wisdom and might… and to trust You with my life.
Daniel
Grant is playing fall baseball this year. One of the things we needed to do for him to get him started was buy him a new bat. So we loaded up the truck and moved to Hibbett’s… Sporting Goods, that is. Sarah and I helped him pick one out – I recognized one that several of his teammates had and suggested it, and she looked at the chart on the wall to make sure we were getting him the right size for his age, weight, etc. He liked it and we took it to practice with us that evening. After struggling to hit the ball with his old tee ball bat a few practices, he seemed to quickly adjust to this new bat. Whether it was just a matter of him getting used to the speed of the machine pitching, or listening to the coach’s instructions on how to swing, or the help of a new bat, or all the above, I don’t know… but he immediately started improving. We watched him hit the ball the past couple of nights at games. He is having fun and learning, which is all we could ask.
It is so satisfying to see your child ‘get’ something, whether it be how to solve a math problem, or the fingering for a new note on the flute, or the proper technique for swinging a bat… it is just nice to watch them learn.
I wonder how frustrating it must be for God to watch me not ‘get’ grace. There are times when I still try to do things in my own power and strength rather than rely upon His grace. I act within the parameters of what I know I can do, instead of letting God do what only He can. I trust myself rather than God.
Lord, help me to not look at things from my perspective, but to trust what You see and say… and to rely upon Your power and wisdom and might… and to trust You with my life.
Daniel
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
#313.2 – “Laughing at Self”
"He must increase, but I must decrease." - John 3:30
This past weekend, Anna was in the kitchen with me while I was preparing supper. I cannot remember what her words were, but she said something that was funny… and she got tickled at herself… which got me tickled… and we laughed out loud for the longest time. And I thought to myself then that she is most beautiful when she is laughing… really laughing… to the point that she isn’t concerned with what others are thinking of her.
I suppose that is true of most Christians: that we are the most beautiful reflections of Christ when we get into a position where we don’t think of ourselves… where we only let Christ in all of His beauty shine through us… where we let go of self and embrace Him and all that He is… and simply reflect His love and joy in our words and actions.
Lord, help me be less, that You may shine more through my life today.
Daniel
This past weekend, Anna was in the kitchen with me while I was preparing supper. I cannot remember what her words were, but she said something that was funny… and she got tickled at herself… which got me tickled… and we laughed out loud for the longest time. And I thought to myself then that she is most beautiful when she is laughing… really laughing… to the point that she isn’t concerned with what others are thinking of her.
I suppose that is true of most Christians: that we are the most beautiful reflections of Christ when we get into a position where we don’t think of ourselves… where we only let Christ in all of His beauty shine through us… where we let go of self and embrace Him and all that He is… and simply reflect His love and joy in our words and actions.
Lord, help me be less, that You may shine more through my life today.
Daniel
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
#313.1 – “Be Proactive”
"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me." - John 10:27
One day last week, in the rush of the morning – trying to get kids not only fed that morning, but have their lunch ready too – I had spent too much time on breakfast and not enough on lunch. We only had a few minutes left until it was time for us to leave, and nobody’s lunch was ready! I realized my flaw and was sharing my mistake out loud with the kids, so that they would know that I needed them to ‘step up’ and help get us out the door on time that day.
Instead, I got a lecture from the little one. Joshua (like any Brookhill child this year) has been learning a set of character traits intended to help our children become model citizens and future leaders. The first lesson they are learning is all about being proactive – thinking things out and planning ahead… being intentional in all you do. Well, I had a very important ‘talking to’ that morning; I learned that, if I had only thought ahead and planned to make the lunches earlier, we would not be running behind. After allowing my miniature inspirational speaker to correct me in my fault, thanking him for the most eloquent way in which he told me what I should do, I told him that his behind would be running if he didn’t get in there and brush his teeth fast!
But you know, I was amazed at how well he knew what he was saying. He really had listened… and paid attention to all the details that went along with this life lesson he had been taught, which reminded me again how important it is that we think about what we do and say in front of our little ones. We sometimes may think they don’t pay attention, but they do… and they look to us to guide them in the right way. May we always seek to show them the Savior in every aspect of our lives. May we love them and nurture them in the Word of God and lead them to a relationship with Jesus. May we be… well, proactive about discipling them in Christ.
Daniel
One day last week, in the rush of the morning – trying to get kids not only fed that morning, but have their lunch ready too – I had spent too much time on breakfast and not enough on lunch. We only had a few minutes left until it was time for us to leave, and nobody’s lunch was ready! I realized my flaw and was sharing my mistake out loud with the kids, so that they would know that I needed them to ‘step up’ and help get us out the door on time that day.
Instead, I got a lecture from the little one. Joshua (like any Brookhill child this year) has been learning a set of character traits intended to help our children become model citizens and future leaders. The first lesson they are learning is all about being proactive – thinking things out and planning ahead… being intentional in all you do. Well, I had a very important ‘talking to’ that morning; I learned that, if I had only thought ahead and planned to make the lunches earlier, we would not be running behind. After allowing my miniature inspirational speaker to correct me in my fault, thanking him for the most eloquent way in which he told me what I should do, I told him that his behind would be running if he didn’t get in there and brush his teeth fast!
But you know, I was amazed at how well he knew what he was saying. He really had listened… and paid attention to all the details that went along with this life lesson he had been taught, which reminded me again how important it is that we think about what we do and say in front of our little ones. We sometimes may think they don’t pay attention, but they do… and they look to us to guide them in the right way. May we always seek to show them the Savior in every aspect of our lives. May we love them and nurture them in the Word of God and lead them to a relationship with Jesus. May we be… well, proactive about discipling them in Christ.
Daniel
Friday, September 3, 2010
#312.4 –“The Master Designer”
"… But God composed the body…" - 1 Corinthians 12:24
I already told you about Tuesday and the van. I ended up getting a new starter put in. After that was when I had my battery light come on… followed by the ‘black out’ of the entire instrument panel. Since then, it has flashed interior lights off and on as we get in; the theft prevention indicator on the dash has gone haywire - flashing quickly, then slowly, then off, when it isn’t even supposed to flash at all while the van is on; and it hesitates more to start now than it did before that morning. I’m beginning to think it is demon-possessed! Are there any good exorcists out there?
That van’s craziness reminds me of the way the devil and his demonic forces behave in the realms of spiritual warfare: they’re sneaky… lying in wait for an opportune time to strike, when it will cause the most chaos and confusion. Their goal is to shut down the movement of the Kingdom of Christ… to thwart any efforts at growth.
Thankfully, we not only have the ‘Owner’s Manual’ to tell us what to do when certain things happen that come against us, we also have the Master Designer on our side… at our disposal, so to speak. We have the One who perfectly created each part of the Body, placing them specifically where they needed to be to help Him carry on His mission. We can draw on the resource of One who knows intimately what each piece does, and how it is to function, and how that part fits into the overall scheme of things. While careful not to take Him for granted, we can safely rely on His wisdom and strength to ‘fix’ whatever comes our way, and lead us on the path He has chosen.
Daniel
I already told you about Tuesday and the van. I ended up getting a new starter put in. After that was when I had my battery light come on… followed by the ‘black out’ of the entire instrument panel. Since then, it has flashed interior lights off and on as we get in; the theft prevention indicator on the dash has gone haywire - flashing quickly, then slowly, then off, when it isn’t even supposed to flash at all while the van is on; and it hesitates more to start now than it did before that morning. I’m beginning to think it is demon-possessed! Are there any good exorcists out there?
That van’s craziness reminds me of the way the devil and his demonic forces behave in the realms of spiritual warfare: they’re sneaky… lying in wait for an opportune time to strike, when it will cause the most chaos and confusion. Their goal is to shut down the movement of the Kingdom of Christ… to thwart any efforts at growth.
Thankfully, we not only have the ‘Owner’s Manual’ to tell us what to do when certain things happen that come against us, we also have the Master Designer on our side… at our disposal, so to speak. We have the One who perfectly created each part of the Body, placing them specifically where they needed to be to help Him carry on His mission. We can draw on the resource of One who knows intimately what each piece does, and how it is to function, and how that part fits into the overall scheme of things. While careful not to take Him for granted, we can safely rely on His wisdom and strength to ‘fix’ whatever comes our way, and lead us on the path He has chosen.
Daniel
Thursday, September 2, 2010
#312.3 – “One of Those Days”
"How long shall I bear with this evil congregation who complain against Me? I have heard the complaints which the children of Israel make against Me." - Numbers 14:27
Tuesday was one of ‘those’ kinds of days for me…
EARLY that morning, Sarah and I got up and worked out together (NOT my favorite thing)…
I then had to struggle to get Joshua up out of bed (he always wants to sleep in; me too!)…
We all get loaded up in the van, with barely enough time to make it, and it won’t start…
I try cranking it four times before it finally does, and we’re off…
Naturally, there is major traffic on the road to school (what a difference a few minutes make!)…
After dropping the monkeys off, I take the van in to the shop…
I get it back that afternoon in time to take 3 of our 4 kids to the dentist (Ruthie has a dr appt)…
I find out that Anna has cavities in three teeth (and Sarah tells me Ruthie has strep)…
On the way back from the dentist, my battery light comes on…
Then the entire instrument panel goes black…
I take the van back to the shop…
By the time I get there, all of that has quit and won’t do it again…
Have you ever had one of ‘those’ days?
I had the thought several times that day of how grateful I should be for the things that go right in any given day, including that one. When I stop and count them up, I am amazed at how ‘good’ things are for me. I have a wonderful family… a comfortable home… food on my table… clothes to wear… and so many friends. It is humbling to think about how often I neglect giving thanks for all those gifts, yet am so quick to complain when anything bad happens. I am eternally indebted to God for His love for me, and I especially realize it on days like Tuesday.
God, help me be more appreciative and less complaining, not for any other reason than to be a blessing to You - my patient, loving Father.
Daniel
Tuesday was one of ‘those’ kinds of days for me…
EARLY that morning, Sarah and I got up and worked out together (NOT my favorite thing)…
I then had to struggle to get Joshua up out of bed (he always wants to sleep in; me too!)…
We all get loaded up in the van, with barely enough time to make it, and it won’t start…
I try cranking it four times before it finally does, and we’re off…
Naturally, there is major traffic on the road to school (what a difference a few minutes make!)…
After dropping the monkeys off, I take the van in to the shop…
I get it back that afternoon in time to take 3 of our 4 kids to the dentist (Ruthie has a dr appt)…
I find out that Anna has cavities in three teeth (and Sarah tells me Ruthie has strep)…
On the way back from the dentist, my battery light comes on…
Then the entire instrument panel goes black…
I take the van back to the shop…
By the time I get there, all of that has quit and won’t do it again…
Have you ever had one of ‘those’ days?
I had the thought several times that day of how grateful I should be for the things that go right in any given day, including that one. When I stop and count them up, I am amazed at how ‘good’ things are for me. I have a wonderful family… a comfortable home… food on my table… clothes to wear… and so many friends. It is humbling to think about how often I neglect giving thanks for all those gifts, yet am so quick to complain when anything bad happens. I am eternally indebted to God for His love for me, and I especially realize it on days like Tuesday.
God, help me be more appreciative and less complaining, not for any other reason than to be a blessing to You - my patient, loving Father.
Daniel
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
#312.2 – “Strep and Status Quo”
"Then they said, Do get directions from God for us, to see if the journey on which we are going will have a good outcome. And the priest said to them, Go in peace: your way is guided by the Lord." - Judges 18:5-6
Ruthie has had all kinds of sinus drainage and congestion the past few days, plus a nasty cough… so Sarah took her to the doctor yesterday. It turns out that she has strep throat. A germ living in her was causing her a terrifically sore throat and making it hard for her to rest well.
A problem similar to strep that attacks and affects the Body of Christ is the bug known as ‘status quo’. So cleverly it attacks. With patience, it waits around and lets the Body become happy and satisfied. Once everything is feeling good and contentment abounds, it sets in like arthritis – preventing movement and hindering work. The only antidote to remedy it and prevent it is constant evaluation in light of the Word of God.
As one small part of the Body, help me to be willing to surrender me and everything I am and do to the light of Your Word, Lord. May I always let it bring healing to my bones by lining up my life with It/You.
Daniel
Ruthie has had all kinds of sinus drainage and congestion the past few days, plus a nasty cough… so Sarah took her to the doctor yesterday. It turns out that she has strep throat. A germ living in her was causing her a terrifically sore throat and making it hard for her to rest well.
A problem similar to strep that attacks and affects the Body of Christ is the bug known as ‘status quo’. So cleverly it attacks. With patience, it waits around and lets the Body become happy and satisfied. Once everything is feeling good and contentment abounds, it sets in like arthritis – preventing movement and hindering work. The only antidote to remedy it and prevent it is constant evaluation in light of the Word of God.
As one small part of the Body, help me to be willing to surrender me and everything I am and do to the light of Your Word, Lord. May I always let it bring healing to my bones by lining up my life with It/You.
Daniel
Monday, August 30, 2010
#312.1 – “The Gift Is the Best Part”
"Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God…" - John 4:10
We celebrated Grant’s birthday this weekend (he was seven on Saturday). It started with breakfast with my parents on Saturday morning… followed by a ball practice… and then a shopping excursion… and then a spend-the-night friend Saturday night… followed by a lunch on Sunday with Sarah’s parents. When we were having cake and ice cream on Saturday at lunchtime, someone asked him what part he liked the best; they were referring to his preference between the cake, the icing, or the ice cream… but he quickly told us all that his favorite part was the presents.
He’s right, you know? The best part is the Gift.
We who are Christians can celebrate every day the fact that we have been given the greatest Gift of all in the person of Jesus Christ… His salvation… and the relationship we can have with God and Him. What a blessing!
So today – as we begin this new week – I encourage you to have a party in your heart over the love of the Lord for you… and then let the celebration naturally extend outwards to those whom you know who need that same party going on inside their hearts. Share the gift of Jesus with them.
Daniel
We celebrated Grant’s birthday this weekend (he was seven on Saturday). It started with breakfast with my parents on Saturday morning… followed by a ball practice… and then a shopping excursion… and then a spend-the-night friend Saturday night… followed by a lunch on Sunday with Sarah’s parents. When we were having cake and ice cream on Saturday at lunchtime, someone asked him what part he liked the best; they were referring to his preference between the cake, the icing, or the ice cream… but he quickly told us all that his favorite part was the presents.
He’s right, you know? The best part is the Gift.
We who are Christians can celebrate every day the fact that we have been given the greatest Gift of all in the person of Jesus Christ… His salvation… and the relationship we can have with God and Him. What a blessing!
So today – as we begin this new week – I encourage you to have a party in your heart over the love of the Lord for you… and then let the celebration naturally extend outwards to those whom you know who need that same party going on inside their hearts. Share the gift of Jesus with them.
Daniel
Friday, August 27, 2010
#311.4 – “Precariously Perched”
"Besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, that those who want to pass from here to you are not able, and that none may cross over from there to us." - Luke 16:26
Last night, I decided to trim a couple of our trees… one of them in particular was growing awfully close to our house and was threatening to push up under some of our roofing shingles. Well, the only way I could reach those limbs that were too close to the house was to get up on the roof.
I have never been on the roof of our new home. I discovered that it has quite a pitch (angle) to it. Upon my first step off the ladder and onto the roof itself, I felt like I was going to fall off. I decided I would be better off bare foot, so I took my shoes off and climbed back up. I managed to keep my balance as I stepped on the roof, and then I climbed over to the other corner (opposite end of the house from where I was) to begin my trimming.
There, I found myself in a precarious position: I had to lean out in order to trim the places I needed to trim, yet I (obviously) needed to maintain my spot on the corner of the roof, too! I got myself in a pose where I could squat on the corner, carefully lean over, and snip a limb off. That worked fine… for all the limbs closest to me.
But there were still a few branches that were just out of reach that needed to snipped… because if I didn’t, they would grow to the roof by the end of the year or the first of next. So I knew I had to get them somehow. I figured that I could ‘catch’ a limb with my shears… pull that limb in towards me with one end of the shears… hold it with one hand while snipping it with the other… and then toss the limb down below me. I was so grateful for the long arms on those shears; I couldn’t have done it without them.
At some point, all of us find ourselves in a position like that of the precariously perched tree trimmer; we all we come to a realization that we need a relationship with God and yet, it remains out of reach… despite our best efforts at getting to it. We may lean as far as we can… or try to tip-toe… we might even consider jumping, but we soon come to the conclusion that we will never make it.
If that’s where you are today, there’s good news for you: you don’t have to make that jump. God’s already provided a Bridge for the great gap that exists between you and God, and that Bridge is Jesus Christ. All you need to do is realize you can’t make it to God on your own… that you need Jesus to do that for you… trust Him to provide that for you… and simply accept it by faith.
If you are ready to trust His salvation, won’t you tell someone you know who is a Christian today? Feel free to write me and let me know if you want to do that, and I will be glad to pray with you.
If you have already accepted His gift of salvation, but find yourself struggling with forgiveness of your sins since then or in the past, quit climbing back up to the corner of the roof of your life. Trust His forgiveness as adequate and release to Him the frustrated efforts at obedience in your own strength resulting in disobedience. Let Him be God, and let His salvation be sufficient.
Daniel
Last night, I decided to trim a couple of our trees… one of them in particular was growing awfully close to our house and was threatening to push up under some of our roofing shingles. Well, the only way I could reach those limbs that were too close to the house was to get up on the roof.
I have never been on the roof of our new home. I discovered that it has quite a pitch (angle) to it. Upon my first step off the ladder and onto the roof itself, I felt like I was going to fall off. I decided I would be better off bare foot, so I took my shoes off and climbed back up. I managed to keep my balance as I stepped on the roof, and then I climbed over to the other corner (opposite end of the house from where I was) to begin my trimming.
There, I found myself in a precarious position: I had to lean out in order to trim the places I needed to trim, yet I (obviously) needed to maintain my spot on the corner of the roof, too! I got myself in a pose where I could squat on the corner, carefully lean over, and snip a limb off. That worked fine… for all the limbs closest to me.
But there were still a few branches that were just out of reach that needed to snipped… because if I didn’t, they would grow to the roof by the end of the year or the first of next. So I knew I had to get them somehow. I figured that I could ‘catch’ a limb with my shears… pull that limb in towards me with one end of the shears… hold it with one hand while snipping it with the other… and then toss the limb down below me. I was so grateful for the long arms on those shears; I couldn’t have done it without them.
At some point, all of us find ourselves in a position like that of the precariously perched tree trimmer; we all we come to a realization that we need a relationship with God and yet, it remains out of reach… despite our best efforts at getting to it. We may lean as far as we can… or try to tip-toe… we might even consider jumping, but we soon come to the conclusion that we will never make it.
If that’s where you are today, there’s good news for you: you don’t have to make that jump. God’s already provided a Bridge for the great gap that exists between you and God, and that Bridge is Jesus Christ. All you need to do is realize you can’t make it to God on your own… that you need Jesus to do that for you… trust Him to provide that for you… and simply accept it by faith.
If you are ready to trust His salvation, won’t you tell someone you know who is a Christian today? Feel free to write me and let me know if you want to do that, and I will be glad to pray with you.
If you have already accepted His gift of salvation, but find yourself struggling with forgiveness of your sins since then or in the past, quit climbing back up to the corner of the roof of your life. Trust His forgiveness as adequate and release to Him the frustrated efforts at obedience in your own strength resulting in disobedience. Let Him be God, and let His salvation be sufficient.
Daniel
Thursday, August 26, 2010
#311.3 – “Didn’t Even Phase Her”
"But when it came to the ears of Sanballat and Tobiah and the Arabians and the Ammonites and the Ashdodites, that the building of the walls of Jerusalem was going forward and the broken places were being made good, they were full of wrath; And they made designs, all of them together, to come and make an attack on Jerusalem, causing trouble there. But we made our prayer to God, and had men on watch against them day and night because of them." - Nehemiah 4:7-9
Yesterday, I told you about Anna’s piano practice and how she left off the last phrase of the doxology and how Sarah and I sang the ending for her. Well, one of the funniest things about the whole experience for me was the fact that she didn’t let any of our silliness phase her one bit; she immediately picked up right where she had left off and finished the piece without missing another beat!
How often is it that we get bumfuzzled by the attacks that satan throws our direction? We know that he loves to set traps for us to try and get us mad, or trip us up in our walk with the Lord and hinder our growth. Our response needs to be just exactly like that of Anna’s: we should pick right up where we left off and keep on ‘playing our tune’. We shouldn’t let any such thing even phase us; instead, we should pray about the situation to the Lord, keep a watch out for attacks, and keep on loving and serving Christ and His people and reaching out to the world.
Daniel
Yesterday, I told you about Anna’s piano practice and how she left off the last phrase of the doxology and how Sarah and I sang the ending for her. Well, one of the funniest things about the whole experience for me was the fact that she didn’t let any of our silliness phase her one bit; she immediately picked up right where she had left off and finished the piece without missing another beat!
How often is it that we get bumfuzzled by the attacks that satan throws our direction? We know that he loves to set traps for us to try and get us mad, or trip us up in our walk with the Lord and hinder our growth. Our response needs to be just exactly like that of Anna’s: we should pick right up where we left off and keep on ‘playing our tune’. We shouldn’t let any such thing even phase us; instead, we should pray about the situation to the Lord, keep a watch out for attacks, and keep on loving and serving Christ and His people and reaching out to the world.
Daniel
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
#311.2 – “The Great Accompanist”
"Be strong and of good courage, do not fear or be in dread of them: for it is the LORD your God who goes with you; he will not fail you or forsake you." - Deuteronomy 31:6
Anna was practicing piano last night. She seems to be making good progress, but of course, she is still very early in the learning stage. Sometimes she will stop in the middle of a song for a few seconds… and Sarah and I (who are singing along with her without even thinking about it) will find ourselves unaccompanied for a bit. And sometimes, when those unexpected unaccompanied times come along, we take the spotlight offered to us and sing out even louder… with an operatic voice… and a certain amount of star-like flair! And such was the case last night with the doxology. Anna left off at the last phrase, and we finished it out for her! She patiently waited on us as we stepped into the spotlight… and then she even gave us one second more to let all the hypothetical applause to die down from our rousing performance… and, without letting any of that phase her one bit, she picked up right where she had left off and finished it out in echo-like fashion to us!
I want to encourage us all today with a most wonderful truth: God never leaves us unaccompanied. He never forsakes us… never deserts us… never leaves us ‘hanging’. He is the Great Accompanist. He is always there for us… every second of every hour of every day. The constant Presence of His Holy Spirit with us as believers in Christ is something that perhaps we take for granted – like a fabulous accompanist who always plays all the right notes at exactly the right time and never misses a thing. We may have to stop every once in a while for a ‘do over’, but God never misses a beat. All along the way, He is with us – encouraging us with His love.
Daniel
Anna was practicing piano last night. She seems to be making good progress, but of course, she is still very early in the learning stage. Sometimes she will stop in the middle of a song for a few seconds… and Sarah and I (who are singing along with her without even thinking about it) will find ourselves unaccompanied for a bit. And sometimes, when those unexpected unaccompanied times come along, we take the spotlight offered to us and sing out even louder… with an operatic voice… and a certain amount of star-like flair! And such was the case last night with the doxology. Anna left off at the last phrase, and we finished it out for her! She patiently waited on us as we stepped into the spotlight… and then she even gave us one second more to let all the hypothetical applause to die down from our rousing performance… and, without letting any of that phase her one bit, she picked up right where she had left off and finished it out in echo-like fashion to us!
I want to encourage us all today with a most wonderful truth: God never leaves us unaccompanied. He never forsakes us… never deserts us… never leaves us ‘hanging’. He is the Great Accompanist. He is always there for us… every second of every hour of every day. The constant Presence of His Holy Spirit with us as believers in Christ is something that perhaps we take for granted – like a fabulous accompanist who always plays all the right notes at exactly the right time and never misses a thing. We may have to stop every once in a while for a ‘do over’, but God never misses a beat. All along the way, He is with us – encouraging us with His love.
Daniel
Monday, August 23, 2010
#311.1 – “Couldn’t Make It”
"Thus says God the LORD, Who created the heavens and stretched them out, Who spread forth the earth and that which comes from it, Who gives breath to the people on it, And spirit to those who walk on it." - Isaiah 42:5
Ruthie had a busy week at school, with several nights out last week. Then she had a later than normal Friday night, with our band concert. We got up early Saturday morning and came up here to help paint upstairs some more. She went swimming that afternoon. After church that morning, she and all the other kids went to Grammie and Grandpa’s for an afternoon of fun. By the time she got back here to church last night, she was complaining of a headache. She just couldn’t make it any longer. We let her stay out in the lobby during the service, and Grammie carried here home afterwards.
As is the case with so many other things, our kids are all different when it comes to sleep. Anna can go the longest without sleep of any of them. Joshua can stay up later and longer when he wants to, but has a hard time getting up. Ruthie and Grant require the most sleep… and if they don’t get enough, it catches up with them pretty quickly. And that is what I think happened this weekend – Ruthie spent too many hours awake and not enough of them asleep, and she couldn’t make it any longer. Needless to say, she went to bed as early as possible last night… and she felt fine this morning.
Have you ever felt like that – where you have given all you can give and just cannot give any more? Where there is no more gas left in the tank? Don’t those times make you appreciate that much more the fact that our God is limitless in power? That His batteries never run out? There is never a time when He cannot ‘make it’. And it is in His power that we find the strength we need to take the next step… the next breath… and it is in Him we find our rest.
Daniel
Ruthie had a busy week at school, with several nights out last week. Then she had a later than normal Friday night, with our band concert. We got up early Saturday morning and came up here to help paint upstairs some more. She went swimming that afternoon. After church that morning, she and all the other kids went to Grammie and Grandpa’s for an afternoon of fun. By the time she got back here to church last night, she was complaining of a headache. She just couldn’t make it any longer. We let her stay out in the lobby during the service, and Grammie carried here home afterwards.
As is the case with so many other things, our kids are all different when it comes to sleep. Anna can go the longest without sleep of any of them. Joshua can stay up later and longer when he wants to, but has a hard time getting up. Ruthie and Grant require the most sleep… and if they don’t get enough, it catches up with them pretty quickly. And that is what I think happened this weekend – Ruthie spent too many hours awake and not enough of them asleep, and she couldn’t make it any longer. Needless to say, she went to bed as early as possible last night… and she felt fine this morning.
Have you ever felt like that – where you have given all you can give and just cannot give any more? Where there is no more gas left in the tank? Don’t those times make you appreciate that much more the fact that our God is limitless in power? That His batteries never run out? There is never a time when He cannot ‘make it’. And it is in His power that we find the strength we need to take the next step… the next breath… and it is in Him we find our rest.
Daniel
Friday, August 20, 2010
#310.3 – “Lost Treasure”
"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field." - Matthew 13:44
I vacuumed out the inside of our van this past Tuesday. As is my custom, I pulled everything out that wasn’t strapped down – floor mats, trash, tool box, etc. It was then that I noticed something under the boys’ seat – a cartridge to one of their video games. It was one that they had been missing for over a month and could not find anywhere. Even Sarah could not find it after looking in the van and in the house extensively (and if Sarah can’t find it, we generally write it off as a loss). I admit that I got excited for them, because I knew how much it would mean to them for me to have found that for them. I placed it up in the front of the van, where I would not lose it or vacuum it up… so that I could get it back to the boys.
I got to be the hero that day. Finding their ‘lost treasure’ reminded me of the verse above, and the truth that we should place greater value on eternal things than the things of the world. Take video games, for instance… that’s one of the boys’ favorite things right now, but if I as a father don’t deliberately teach them that there are greater and more valuable things than them, then I am failing in my God-given responsibilities as a dad. To quote Dietrich Bonhoeffer: “It is from God that parents receive their children, and it is to God that they should lead them.” I should be showing my boys that they need to go after the greatest treasure of all: the relationship with God that can only be found through faith in Jesus Christ.
Daniel
I vacuumed out the inside of our van this past Tuesday. As is my custom, I pulled everything out that wasn’t strapped down – floor mats, trash, tool box, etc. It was then that I noticed something under the boys’ seat – a cartridge to one of their video games. It was one that they had been missing for over a month and could not find anywhere. Even Sarah could not find it after looking in the van and in the house extensively (and if Sarah can’t find it, we generally write it off as a loss). I admit that I got excited for them, because I knew how much it would mean to them for me to have found that for them. I placed it up in the front of the van, where I would not lose it or vacuum it up… so that I could get it back to the boys.
I got to be the hero that day. Finding their ‘lost treasure’ reminded me of the verse above, and the truth that we should place greater value on eternal things than the things of the world. Take video games, for instance… that’s one of the boys’ favorite things right now, but if I as a father don’t deliberately teach them that there are greater and more valuable things than them, then I am failing in my God-given responsibilities as a dad. To quote Dietrich Bonhoeffer: “It is from God that parents receive their children, and it is to God that they should lead them.” I should be showing my boys that they need to go after the greatest treasure of all: the relationship with God that can only be found through faith in Jesus Christ.
Daniel
Thursday, August 19, 2010
#310.2 – “In Time for a Kiss”
"My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me." - John 10:27
With the kids all in school now, and me at work, I have days where the only time I get to see them is when I am coming in to give them a kiss good night. Like last night – I did see Joshua for about an hour last night, as I sat in with his Missions Friends class… but the others I only saw for a minute as they were coming to their groups. Then they played while we had choir practice. Sarah took them home and I came not far behind them. By the time I got there, they were all getting in bed. I gave them each a big hug and a kiss goodnight, knowing that was the only face to face contact I had with them all day.
We need time with our Savior every day… time spent talking with Him and learning from His Word and living out His character. All of that takes time. And if we aren’t careful, we’ll find ourselves keeping busy with other things and letting the most important ‘thing’ slip.
Lord, help me to keep my focus on You as I go throughout my day. And help me, Lord, to do the best I can in showing my children the value of a healthy, active relationship with you by taking time for them as well.
Daniel
With the kids all in school now, and me at work, I have days where the only time I get to see them is when I am coming in to give them a kiss good night. Like last night – I did see Joshua for about an hour last night, as I sat in with his Missions Friends class… but the others I only saw for a minute as they were coming to their groups. Then they played while we had choir practice. Sarah took them home and I came not far behind them. By the time I got there, they were all getting in bed. I gave them each a big hug and a kiss goodnight, knowing that was the only face to face contact I had with them all day.
We need time with our Savior every day… time spent talking with Him and learning from His Word and living out His character. All of that takes time. And if we aren’t careful, we’ll find ourselves keeping busy with other things and letting the most important ‘thing’ slip.
Lord, help me to keep my focus on You as I go throughout my day. And help me, Lord, to do the best I can in showing my children the value of a healthy, active relationship with you by taking time for them as well.
Daniel
Monday, August 16, 2010
#310.1 – “Each Other”
"Let all things be done to build each other up." - 1 Corinthians 14:26
I have noticed when taking the kids to school that the bonds between brothers and sisters are something that all our kids are really enjoying (at least, right now). With both boys going to Brookhill this year, and both girls going to the Intermediate School, I make only two stops on my way to work – the first to drop the boys off, and the second to drop off the girls. I notice that, while on the way to the elementary school, the boys have such a good time - reading a silly story and giggling and tickling each other. Then, after I drop them off, I notice that the girls just talk and talk and talk back there in the back seat, usually giggling periodically in there somewhere. And all of this just makes me appreciate how close our kids are and how God has provided a support for them in each other.
We as the family of God have each other as a support in times of fun, as well as in times of sorrow. We can talk and giggle together just like kids sometimes, but we can also be a real help and an active support when needs in the Body exist. I am thankful for all of you and I hope you are appreciative of this family to which you belong.
Let us all thank God for each other, as it was His intentional design to bring Himself glory by creating all of us to need and give to each other.
Daniel
I have noticed when taking the kids to school that the bonds between brothers and sisters are something that all our kids are really enjoying (at least, right now). With both boys going to Brookhill this year, and both girls going to the Intermediate School, I make only two stops on my way to work – the first to drop the boys off, and the second to drop off the girls. I notice that, while on the way to the elementary school, the boys have such a good time - reading a silly story and giggling and tickling each other. Then, after I drop them off, I notice that the girls just talk and talk and talk back there in the back seat, usually giggling periodically in there somewhere. And all of this just makes me appreciate how close our kids are and how God has provided a support for them in each other.
We as the family of God have each other as a support in times of fun, as well as in times of sorrow. We can talk and giggle together just like kids sometimes, but we can also be a real help and an active support when needs in the Body exist. I am thankful for all of you and I hope you are appreciative of this family to which you belong.
Let us all thank God for each other, as it was His intentional design to bring Himself glory by creating all of us to need and give to each other.
Daniel
Friday, August 13, 2010
#309.4 – “60 Minutes”
"Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win." - 1 Corinthians 9:24
It seems like lately - with Sarah working and the kids in school – that all we have time to do is ‘catch up’ with each other before we all go to bed and repeat the process. Last night, Sarah and I sat up again talking to each other at an almost lightning speed, just dumping information onto each other in a totally random order, with very little time given for feedback or discussion. We simply blitzkrieg each other with our days in 60 minutes or less and then fall asleep – exhausted from the activity of the day.
Sometimes I approach my relationship with God in the same utilitarian kind of fashion. I hurry up and do my Bible study or my prayer time… checking off my list of things to say and to do… and finding myself talking at God a lot without really talking to Him very much. I throw a few items before Him in a stream of what you would hardly call consciousness, and I go onto the next ‘thing’ of my day. Instead of taking time to be renewed and strengthened, I rush through and get it done. And then, after a while of doing that, I find myself spiritually ‘spent’ and in need of some time with my Savior.
Lord, help me to not equate activity with growth, but to realize that rest is also a necessary part of growth as well.
Daniel
It seems like lately - with Sarah working and the kids in school – that all we have time to do is ‘catch up’ with each other before we all go to bed and repeat the process. Last night, Sarah and I sat up again talking to each other at an almost lightning speed, just dumping information onto each other in a totally random order, with very little time given for feedback or discussion. We simply blitzkrieg each other with our days in 60 minutes or less and then fall asleep – exhausted from the activity of the day.
Sometimes I approach my relationship with God in the same utilitarian kind of fashion. I hurry up and do my Bible study or my prayer time… checking off my list of things to say and to do… and finding myself talking at God a lot without really talking to Him very much. I throw a few items before Him in a stream of what you would hardly call consciousness, and I go onto the next ‘thing’ of my day. Instead of taking time to be renewed and strengthened, I rush through and get it done. And then, after a while of doing that, I find myself spiritually ‘spent’ and in need of some time with my Savior.
Lord, help me to not equate activity with growth, but to realize that rest is also a necessary part of growth as well.
Daniel
Thursday, August 12, 2010
#309.3 – “Motivation”
"We exhort you, brothers, admonish the disorderly, encourage the fainthearted, support the weak, be patient toward all." - 1 Thessalonians 5:14
This morning, I was getting the kids up for school… or more accurately, I was getting the boys up. The girls are pretty self-sufficient. They get up with their alarm and do what their supposed to do without having to be asked.
The boys are a different story. I go in their room probably more like ten times before I finally get them up and out of there… and even then, I have to coax them to do their morning routine before breakfast and keep after them to make sure we leave on time.
I can be like both sets of kids at times. There are times when I do what I should and don’t have to be nudged at all; and then there are times when I need a little push (or a shove) to get my act together. The great thing about God is that He always knows what I need and gives me just that. He is the perfect motivator. I can only aspire to be like Him with my own children and those whom I have the privilege to influence.
Lord, help me to look to You for my encouragement and motivation… thank You for those who are an encouragement to me… and help me to encourage others in such a way that it is meaningful to them.
Daniel
This morning, I was getting the kids up for school… or more accurately, I was getting the boys up. The girls are pretty self-sufficient. They get up with their alarm and do what their supposed to do without having to be asked.
The boys are a different story. I go in their room probably more like ten times before I finally get them up and out of there… and even then, I have to coax them to do their morning routine before breakfast and keep after them to make sure we leave on time.
I can be like both sets of kids at times. There are times when I do what I should and don’t have to be nudged at all; and then there are times when I need a little push (or a shove) to get my act together. The great thing about God is that He always knows what I need and gives me just that. He is the perfect motivator. I can only aspire to be like Him with my own children and those whom I have the privilege to influence.
Lord, help me to look to You for my encouragement and motivation… thank You for those who are an encouragement to me… and help me to encourage others in such a way that it is meaningful to them.
Daniel
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
#309.2 – “The Best Laid Plans”
"For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways," says the LORD." - Isaiah 55:8
Last night, Sarah had to go to an orientation for her new job at First Baptist preschool, which meant that you know who was responsible for putting kids in bed. I had this great plan of how to get them all tucked in early, since they had been up late the night before and would most likely be up late tonight. But one thing led to another and then another and the next thing I knew, it was approaching their regular bed time and they still weren’t in bed. Oh well… the best laid plans.
Sometimes, my plans don’t work out like I first thought. Sometimes the Lord moves me in a different direction as I seek to follow Him. Sometimes, He totally surprises me with something even better than I had anticipated. Whatever comes about, though, I am reminded that my primary objective is not to have it all figured out, but to rely on Him and listen for His voice as He leads me, trusting Him for the outcome and seeking His glory.
Daniel
Last night, Sarah had to go to an orientation for her new job at First Baptist preschool, which meant that you know who was responsible for putting kids in bed. I had this great plan of how to get them all tucked in early, since they had been up late the night before and would most likely be up late tonight. But one thing led to another and then another and the next thing I knew, it was approaching their regular bed time and they still weren’t in bed. Oh well… the best laid plans.
Sometimes, my plans don’t work out like I first thought. Sometimes the Lord moves me in a different direction as I seek to follow Him. Sometimes, He totally surprises me with something even better than I had anticipated. Whatever comes about, though, I am reminded that my primary objective is not to have it all figured out, but to rely on Him and listen for His voice as He leads me, trusting Him for the outcome and seeking His glory.
Daniel
Monday, August 9, 2010
#309.1 – “Don’t Sit on My Bear”
"It happened as they went on their way, he entered into a certain village, and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. She had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word. But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she came up to him, and said, "Lord, don't you care that my sister left me to serve alone? Ask her therefore to help me." Jesus answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is needed. Mary has chosen the good part, which will not be taken away from her." - Luke 10:38-42
Sarah and I were kissing the kids good night last night, telling them all we were excited for them about the new school year. When Sarah got to Joshua, she sat beside him on his bed and was trying to give him a big hug and tell him how proud she was of him and how she had been praying that he would have a good time at school and that she knew he would do well, when - in the middle of her little speech – he stopped her to tell her not to sit on His stuffed animal! Being an innocent bystander, I thought the whole thing was hilarious – that she was trying to give him an appreciation for the big picture and all he cared about was the moment right then and his little bear.
Sometimes I can be like Joshua. God wants to show me the big picture and I can get so focused on the things that are right in front of me that I miss some pretty important stuff. I choose to only see the things that I want to see and not be open to what He wants to show me.
Lord, help me to be available to You, not only for service, but also for listening to Your voice in the midst of my days. Help me to tune in to You.
Daniel
Sarah and I were kissing the kids good night last night, telling them all we were excited for them about the new school year. When Sarah got to Joshua, she sat beside him on his bed and was trying to give him a big hug and tell him how proud she was of him and how she had been praying that he would have a good time at school and that she knew he would do well, when - in the middle of her little speech – he stopped her to tell her not to sit on His stuffed animal! Being an innocent bystander, I thought the whole thing was hilarious – that she was trying to give him an appreciation for the big picture and all he cared about was the moment right then and his little bear.
Sometimes I can be like Joshua. God wants to show me the big picture and I can get so focused on the things that are right in front of me that I miss some pretty important stuff. I choose to only see the things that I want to see and not be open to what He wants to show me.
Lord, help me to be available to You, not only for service, but also for listening to Your voice in the midst of my days. Help me to tune in to You.
Daniel
Friday, August 6, 2010
#308.3 – “An Oasis”
"Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." - John 14:6
When Sarah and I reached the truck after our six mile bike ride and five mile hike, I remember thinking that it was the greatest sight I had seen all morning. Yes, the trees and the flowers we saw along the trail were beautiful… and yes, the sky was a perfect party cloudy… but it felt much like what I imagine an oasis in a desert must feel like to the wanderer when we got to where we could see the red exterior of that truck, because that meant we had made it on our long trek back. After loading our two bicycles up in the truck, we stopped there in town for a couple of cold drinks. Sitting behind the wheel… with the wind blowing in on my body… and that cold lemonade (had you guessing, didn’t I?) going down my throat in swift chugs… well, it was the best feeling.
That truck represented salvation for two weary stragglers. It provided a haven of rest and a promise of home. Were it not for that truck, we would not have any hope. I can’t tell you how wonderful a feeling it was when I heard it crank. “Ahhh”… I knew we had made it then.
Jesus is an oasis of sorts. He is salvation for the weary… a haven of rest for the tired… and a promise of hope for the lost. Without Him there is not hope of ever making it home. He is the Way… He is the Truth… and He is the Life. And He and His love never fail; they always prove powerful enough to overcome any circumstance and any adversity.
Today, let me encourage you to put your trust in Christ as your Savior if you have never done so. And if you have and are struggling along life’s way, let me encourage you to lift your eyes to the One who called you and saved you and who loves you desperately, and find in Him your all in all.
Lord, thank You for being our oasis. May we seek our comfort and healing and restoration and protection and power in You.
Daniel
When Sarah and I reached the truck after our six mile bike ride and five mile hike, I remember thinking that it was the greatest sight I had seen all morning. Yes, the trees and the flowers we saw along the trail were beautiful… and yes, the sky was a perfect party cloudy… but it felt much like what I imagine an oasis in a desert must feel like to the wanderer when we got to where we could see the red exterior of that truck, because that meant we had made it on our long trek back. After loading our two bicycles up in the truck, we stopped there in town for a couple of cold drinks. Sitting behind the wheel… with the wind blowing in on my body… and that cold lemonade (had you guessing, didn’t I?) going down my throat in swift chugs… well, it was the best feeling.
That truck represented salvation for two weary stragglers. It provided a haven of rest and a promise of home. Were it not for that truck, we would not have any hope. I can’t tell you how wonderful a feeling it was when I heard it crank. “Ahhh”… I knew we had made it then.
Jesus is an oasis of sorts. He is salvation for the weary… a haven of rest for the tired… and a promise of hope for the lost. Without Him there is not hope of ever making it home. He is the Way… He is the Truth… and He is the Life. And He and His love never fail; they always prove powerful enough to overcome any circumstance and any adversity.
Today, let me encourage you to put your trust in Christ as your Savior if you have never done so. And if you have and are struggling along life’s way, let me encourage you to lift your eyes to the One who called you and saved you and who loves you desperately, and find in Him your all in all.
Lord, thank You for being our oasis. May we seek our comfort and healing and restoration and protection and power in You.
Daniel
Thursday, August 5, 2010
#308.2 – “Quality Time”
"Therefore when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, He departed again to the mountain by Himself alone." - John 6:15
Sarah and I went bike riding Monday and Tuesday mornings. On Tuesday, we started out at the north end of a five and a half mile trail and rode south. After reaching the end, we stopped and took a break - cooling off and refueling our bodies with a light snack and a drink. We then turned north and headed back to our starting point. Not a half mile into it, Sarah ran over a nail (afterwards I teased her about finding what quite possibly might be the only nail on the entire stretch of the trail) and popped her tire instantly.
So we walked back the last five miles. I offered to go ahead of her and go get the truck and come back and pick her up, but she preferred that we just walk it together (quality time, you understand: sweating… joints tired and aching… feet hot and sore… legs exhausted… quality time). What took only about a half an hour riding now would prove to take us more like about an hour and a half walking. But it really was an hour and a half of ‘quality time’. We talked and laughed and shared and just walked along with each other.
I suspect that God knew we needed a chunk of time where the pace just slowed down for us. We literally did not see anyone else out there the whole morning (no one else was probably crazy enough to get out on such a hot day); it was just the two of us… enjoying time with each other.
Spending time with God is so necessary for the Christian. This world and our lives tend to be so hectic and busy that we need to stop and take time just to be with our Savior… to talk with Him and walk with Him. Jesus modeled that kind of ‘retreating’ for us; He withdrew in order to be with God. We should do the same and just renew our strength in the presence of the Almighty.
Daniel
Sarah and I went bike riding Monday and Tuesday mornings. On Tuesday, we started out at the north end of a five and a half mile trail and rode south. After reaching the end, we stopped and took a break - cooling off and refueling our bodies with a light snack and a drink. We then turned north and headed back to our starting point. Not a half mile into it, Sarah ran over a nail (afterwards I teased her about finding what quite possibly might be the only nail on the entire stretch of the trail) and popped her tire instantly.
So we walked back the last five miles. I offered to go ahead of her and go get the truck and come back and pick her up, but she preferred that we just walk it together (quality time, you understand: sweating… joints tired and aching… feet hot and sore… legs exhausted… quality time). What took only about a half an hour riding now would prove to take us more like about an hour and a half walking. But it really was an hour and a half of ‘quality time’. We talked and laughed and shared and just walked along with each other.
I suspect that God knew we needed a chunk of time where the pace just slowed down for us. We literally did not see anyone else out there the whole morning (no one else was probably crazy enough to get out on such a hot day); it was just the two of us… enjoying time with each other.
Spending time with God is so necessary for the Christian. This world and our lives tend to be so hectic and busy that we need to stop and take time just to be with our Savior… to talk with Him and walk with Him. Jesus modeled that kind of ‘retreating’ for us; He withdrew in order to be with God. We should do the same and just renew our strength in the presence of the Almighty.
Daniel
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
#308.1 – “Never Enough”
"As the deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants after you, God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?" - Psalms 42:1-2
Sarah and I celebrated our thirteenth anniversary this Monday (well, technically, we celebrated it Monday and Tuesday, but the anniversary was Monday). One of the things I find with any such celebration is that I always wish it could last longer… I always hope that I could take more time with her… I always want to do more things or go more places or just hang out more. Our time together is never enough.
In the same way, I hope and pray that I would be so enthralled with my Savior and so in love with the study of Him and His character that I would never get enough of joining with God’s people and surrendering ourselves in worship of Him and studying His Word and praying together in His precious name and serving Him by helping others. I pray that I would be continually transformed by Him to be more Christ-like and to give myself completely to His will for my life… and that I would never ever get ‘enough’.
Daniel
Sarah and I celebrated our thirteenth anniversary this Monday (well, technically, we celebrated it Monday and Tuesday, but the anniversary was Monday). One of the things I find with any such celebration is that I always wish it could last longer… I always hope that I could take more time with her… I always want to do more things or go more places or just hang out more. Our time together is never enough.
In the same way, I hope and pray that I would be so enthralled with my Savior and so in love with the study of Him and His character that I would never get enough of joining with God’s people and surrendering ourselves in worship of Him and studying His Word and praying together in His precious name and serving Him by helping others. I pray that I would be continually transformed by Him to be more Christ-like and to give myself completely to His will for my life… and that I would never ever get ‘enough’.
Daniel
Friday, July 30, 2010
#307.4 – “Forgetful”
"For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was." - James 1:23-24
The boys needed a bath last night. Neither one wanted to take it, but they did. After Grant got in the tub, he decided he wanted to stay and play in there after his bath. And so he did. He actually stayed in there for about an hour.
It always amazes me how it is a struggle to get them in the bathtub, and then it is so difficult to get them out. They realize how neat it is to be in there and play after they get in, but they think it is too much fun out of the tub beforehand to want to get in there to start with. It’s like they quickly and easily forget how great it is.
That’s sort of the same thing that happens when we behold the Word and then do not apply it in our lives; we act like someone who forgets what he looks like… or more to the point, who he is. We as Christians get our identity from God Himself. He reveals Himself to us through our looking for Him in His Word. We then should imitate what we see of Him in His Word and live it out. When we do not, it is like we forget how great He is and how great it is to imitate Him. When we do, we recognize who He is and we remember who we are.
Daniel
The boys needed a bath last night. Neither one wanted to take it, but they did. After Grant got in the tub, he decided he wanted to stay and play in there after his bath. And so he did. He actually stayed in there for about an hour.
It always amazes me how it is a struggle to get them in the bathtub, and then it is so difficult to get them out. They realize how neat it is to be in there and play after they get in, but they think it is too much fun out of the tub beforehand to want to get in there to start with. It’s like they quickly and easily forget how great it is.
That’s sort of the same thing that happens when we behold the Word and then do not apply it in our lives; we act like someone who forgets what he looks like… or more to the point, who he is. We as Christians get our identity from God Himself. He reveals Himself to us through our looking for Him in His Word. We then should imitate what we see of Him in His Word and live it out. When we do not, it is like we forget how great He is and how great it is to imitate Him. When we do, we recognize who He is and we remember who we are.
Daniel
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