Good morning and happy Friday. Thankfulness. Be blessed today and be thankful for it. Give God glory for all He does and has done in your life. Be thankful for the freedom we enjoy and take for granted. This weekend thank the men and women of our military for their sacrifice for our country so that we can give thanks to God. It's a long three day weekend. Take the time to enjoy it and rest and give thanks. Don't save it till November. Be thankful everyday. Let it be humble thanks. Thank you all for listening to these rambles everyday too. God puts things on us and we just have to say them to somebody. Thank you for being "it". I love you. In love always. <><

Good morning and happy Thursday. Have you ever read the Ten Commandments? Do you know all ten?  Do you think you can live a week and not break one of them? Ever wonder why God made the rules so hard to live? Yet they seem easy enough really. I can go a week or two and not kill anyone. But there are some others that I don't know if I get through a day without breaking. The bar is set real high for a reason. So that we quit trying to do it alone. We need help. We need God in our lives so that those things are doable. We need Him. That's the whole idea. We are His to do whatever He wants. But He wants us to willingly choose Him. Making us love Him, which He can do, is not love at all. It's our choice to love Him or not. When we reach a point of maturity in our lives and start to see God better, we begin to understand all that rules and needing Him to live by them stuff. We begin to see with His eyes. We see people's hearts and not their shirt. It's our choice to be there though. Choose God. In love always. <>< 

Good morning and happy Wednesday. How much stuff do you have? How many things do you have?  How many toys? Are they yours? Do you own them? Sure, on paper and in this world we do. People always say the poor talk about possessions and the rich because they don't have anything so they point to others to feel better. Might be true for some. Did you know Jesus and His disciples were homeless and poor? Had no food or jobs for three years? The example He was living for us was to rely on God and He will provide. It doesn't mean to sit around on your butt and do nothing. It also doesn't mean that the one with the most toys is doing better than everyone else. I have gotten to that place in my life where I've seen God give and take away, and then give right back. He truly is in control of all of this and when we come to see it, we will be much more willing to follow His will. Fear drives our need for things. Fear drives our failures in life because we believe those things. With God there is no fear. To be like Him is to be fearless. But we're human. We can't be totally fearless. No, but we can be a lot less fearful than we are. That comes with our relationship with the Father. Knowing I don't "own" this stuff and it's His to take when He wants leads me to another place. A place of dependence on Him. That's what we have to come to. He's got this. It's His anyway. Enjoy the blessings of life and the things He has blessed you with. Just don't let them own you or He will remove them from you so you can focus better on Him. In love always. <>< 

Good morning and happy Tuesday. My patio has needed to be cleaned off for a while now. Just not enough time in a day or week sometimes. It's been a good busy though. Lots of stuff going on and a little neglect in an area that doesn't have to be tended to today. Well, the patio is pretty clean without me lifting a finger. As a matter of fact, with the mowing of the jungle back there, I added to the mess. We had a nice rain last night. Real heavy drops here too. Patio is clean and fresh. Just needs a touch up. God shows up in the small stuff of our lives just like that all the time. He knows the whys behind something like why the patio isn't done. He knows why the things at work are going the way they are. He knows why the marriage is at the place it is. He will move on our behalf when we are doing what we can. Sometimes it's just simple perseverance. He needs to know if you can go the distance in the bigger race He has for you. If not, you will be doing laps to get into shape for it. None of this is new, it's just how and when we recognize it in our lives. We are quick to let others know that God will get them though it, but blind to the fact when it's happening to us. The people I know that have that kind of faith and trust blow me away when they're running those laps. Nice a smooth and an easy pace. Do what has to be done and Trust God to be God. It has helped me live a better and more peaceful life. And to see other struggling in the same water lets me know I'm doing it right. What to do with those struggling is another day, today it's about getting our faith in line so we can help those others. Trust God to help you. Have faith that it's going to be ok. Because when it's over, you'll see that He was right there with you all along. In love always. <><

Good morning and happy Monday. Can there be happiness in sacrifice? Even if the sacrifice is painful?  Can you let something or someone go, while wanting it or them the whole time, and still find happiness? We all know that if it's for the best and greater good that we can find it inside somewhere to be happy. So, what about Jesus on the cross? It was physically and emotionally painful to be there and still see how many would reject Him. To go through all that for us, to have so many turn away from Him. Yet there is happiness and great joy found in this most giving sacrifice of all. All those who have come to Him to be saved and have a place at His table in eternity. Are you breaking His heart by holding out til the last days? He sees you and He knows you and He died for you. He did that so we would have a way Home. Follow Him the rest of your days to gates of Heaven and throw your arms around His neck and say thank you for your sacrifice for me so I can be here. There is great happiness in sacrifice. Bring joy to others and yourself by giving of yourself.  It's worth any pain you may have to go through. In love always <>< 

Good morning and happy Friday. True friendship and blessings. Those two go good together. I was so blessed by so much love yesterday from so many people. It really is humbling when you think about it. But even with all the messages from people all over, the best ones came face to face. Where you see it in their eyes that they mean what they are saying to you. That's a blessing. We've lost that some but gained in other places, but I don't think Jesus wants to text me about my issues. He wants to be face to face so I can see it in His eyes how much He cares and see it on His hands how much He loves me. I love that we can reach around the world in just a few moments to comfort and show love to our friends and family, but I really love to give and get hugs. It's relationship, personal and meaningful. That's what our Father wants with us; a relationship. Deep and personal. It begins with prayer and honesty with Him. He knows it all anyway, He just wants us to say it and put it to the light so it doesn't hold us anymore. While you're praying, look deep into His eyes and feel His love for you take over your whole world. In love always. <><

Good morning and happy Thursday. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says that if we are in Christ we are a new creation and the old is gone. Have we let go of the old or are we still clinging to bits of it.?As kids we love to get presents. As adults we act like its ok but we really like getting gifts. We've been given a great gift of salvation but we don't receive it fully. We take a part of it and call it good. So there we are trying to walk in the partial new and clinging to the bits of the old. How does that picture look to you?  How then does it look to God?  Receive the full blessing of the new life offered to you. Jesus drank in the worlds sin so that we could have a way in. He did this for you and me. Are we just gonna let it pass and say that's not enough? No, none of us feel that way, but we're living that way on the inside. Hanging on to parts instead of wrapping ourselves up in the whole new life offered to us. It has to come from the inside and then it will spill out to the outside. Face the things you're a slave to from the past. Name them and own them, then sit with God in prayer and get rid of them. Receive this whole gift fully. In love always. <><

Good morning and happy Wednesday. Do you know what the word baptism means? Well, in the original form of the word it means immerse. I love what the act of baptism represents. To see us die to the world and be buried, immersed, into Christ, raised again to walk a new life. None of those things alone really stand by themselves as much. It takes all three to be complete. We are giving up ourselves and immersing ourselves into Christ. It's the only way we can walk a new life, is to be in Him and Him in us. I see people go through baptism because they feel like they need to do it, for the church or family. They need to do it for themselves and the Lord. We all need to then stayed immersed in Him. He's walked a perfect life. How much easier would it be for us to walk our new life with the one who's gone before us. He knows the ways of the world and the traps set out before us. Today, lean back into the waters of baptism, and go back to a deeper immersion than ever before. Re-baptize yourself into that relationship you had with Him the day you came up out of the water. Renew your fire and walk in your new life. In love always. <><

Good morning and happy Tuesday. We celebrate  a lot of things in our culture today, but sports achievements of our kids seem to rank in the highest place. Why do you suppose that is? Are we reliving our childhood? Or are we just wanting our kids to be the best they can be at what their doing? Not always does the best kid win but that's a part of life. It's a spring board to other success in life for some and a killing blow to others. But what is the prize is what makes the difference. When it's a life lesson learned and a character building experience, then you win. God is our biggest fan, and He wants us all to win. Again, it comes down to the real prize of the matter. As He guides us through this life and we learn to grow close to Him and follow His will, we win. But even if you get off the beaten path He's chosen for you, you can still win, you just don't celebrate for as long. God wants to see us doing our best at what He has set before us. Go full tilt and give all you have and you will see the game is just that, a game. In the end we all pick up our ball and bat and go Home. Play the game well. In love always. <>< 

Good morning and happy Monday. Can I just say God is good?  He's just and caring. I've given blood a hundred times. Saturday I gave some and miscalculated how long it had been since I had eaten. Needless to say, I passed out and then became sick. It was horrible. But family was there and God was there. Can't say without either of them I wouldn't have done so well. I'm still weak two days later but all is good. What does all this have to do with God being good and just. I had gone there to get my wife who was not feeling well from her donation. I made fun of her and kidded with her about it. Pretty much gave her a loving hard time. She got the last laugh. It just made me think about how no matter when you come to a life of Jesus the reward is the same as someone who's spent their entire life following Him. In our way of thinking its not fair. But in the realm  of a just God it is exactly that. And I'm so glad for it. It gives time to those who are in a struggling place. It gives time to wear away a hard surfaced heart. God showed me a bit of justice in a loving way. I didn't think so at the ER but it all turned out good. It's not about the amount of time with Him, it's about the quality of time you spend with Him. How are spending it with Him today? In love always. <>< 

Good morning and happy Friday. And a happy Friday it is. God's grace and love are awesome, but when it's in the moment and happening to you, it's unbelievable. The peace He brings in the time of concern and the comfort is beyond measure. What could have turned into a major accident was held to a minor one with just some soreness and a good cut. Those four girls and coach in that car could have been a lot worse off. But God was there and brought all of us involved plenty of peace. To be away from your child in a time when you feel like you should be there is terrible. But it also makes you trust God to do the things in her life He's doing. After all, she is only mine for a little while. She is His always and forever. So learning to trust and to be comforted by Him is amazing. It's easy to offer those words to our friends but it's hard to really do it. Getting the fact that He is in control will change your life and how you see everything. Thank you God for taking care of your children so that we can still have them with us. To everyone of you who lifted these girls in prayer, thank you. It's not enough I know, but I can't cook dinner for all of you. I love you and thank you. In love always. <><

With All Your Heart And Soul

Good morning and happy Thursday. Praise God today. Praise Him with all your heart with all your soul with all your mind. Give all you have to God and let Him give all He is to you. Receive Him into your heart and let Him guide your ways. Give yourself over to Him fully. Let today be the day that you give in fully. Don't be just part way anymore. Make today the landmark day that you look back on with great happiness and see the road behind you has changed for the good. Even the rough spots don't seem so bad. Let it be today. The Lord is pressing near. Let Him in. Let your heart be changed today. In love always. <><

Bruce Almighty

Good morning and happy Wednesday. Bruce Almighty got a bunch of preachers all fired up when it came out. They protested and called it blasphemy and then went in to see it. They came out and said it was a good movie. I'm sure they didn't  like it all but, that's a real life look at it really. I refer to that movie a lot because it tried in a very limited way to show God as a caring loving God. Today I was thinking about the people we walk by all the time. I couldn't imagine living in a big crowded city because I would never get any where for the people watching and wondering I so love to do. I wonder what's on their mind and if the trouble they're dealing with is wearing them down and if they know God can help. Is what they're going through the reason they acted so ugly today? And then I think about the movie; how he was hearing all that and then some as he passed them. All of sudden Bruce was seeing the world in a new light. He now saw and heard through Gods eyes and ears. Then he tried to fix it like a man would. As he matured and talked to God more he saw what the heart of God is like. If only we could grasp that concept. Really, if we could just get a part of it, it would lead us to all kinds of new places and things. I want a heart like that. I wanna see people, not just pass them by. In love always <><

Can Your Faith Move A Mountain?

Good morning and happy Tuesday. Faith that can move a mountain, do you have that?  It says that we we can move a mountain if we have faith to do it. Now, maybe Jesus, has He did a lot, was using a hyperbole to state the importance of faith in God. Maybe He knew that we really wouldn't try and move mountains, but needed the confidence for ourselves in the things of the day. I propose both of them. I know that we pray, and for the most part, we do our best to have faith that what we're praying about will come to pass. Usually, we finish our prayer and already begin to doubt the possibility it will happen. What if it's not God's will for it? Do you lose faith the next time you pray? What if you've prayed a hundred times? Maybe it's the hundred and first one He's waiting to hear from you. It's faith in God and the relationship prayer brings so we see better with His eyes in our lives. That's when all things flow in His direction. Prayer is so important. Faith in Him hearing them and faith in Him being who and what He is is just as important. It can't be said enough; relationship. Our determination to be a part of Him. He's already involved in us in every way. Pray to move your mountains in your life. Let God make your path straight and smooth. Have faith in Him to do so. In love always. <>< 

The Solar Sytem

Good morning and happy Monday. I saw a documentary on the solar system. It put our system to scale. The sun being a bowling bowl and the earth a small bead. They set it up on a runway to have enough room to get Neptune in. Then the guy made a profound statement. "I'm amazed that the suns gravitational pull can hold Neptune in orbit from so far away". I'm amazed that it holds it in orbit and doesn't pull us into itself. But not really. This didn't happen with an explosion and it's not random. It put into perspective how large our system is which only goes to show how big God is. He made all this. And on that scale the moon was just two inches from the Earth bead. That's as far as we have been into space. That's the depth of our hands on knowledge of our solar system. We know a lot about the rest of it but not because we lived it. How much do we know our God and how much of Him are we living. In all that vastness you are not forgotten nor forsaken. All 7 billion of us are loved more than anyone has loved anyone. Why do we waste the short time we've been given? Make a difference in a life by being Jesus to them. It's a small act on grand scale of things, but it's impact can be eternal. In love always. <><