Different kind of quiet time with God . . .

This.morning's quiet time was nothing like what I had planned.  I got my coffee and came to my chair as usual. Settled in to pray before reading my bible and then everything changed.

Morris showed up in a big way. Morris is my female cat and she wanted my undivided attention this morning.  While God and I were talking Morris crawled up in my lap and then onto my chest and shoulder. She then proceeded to knead her way to a spot on my chest and shoulder and laid down and began to purr.

Funny how my thoughts and attention changed in the moment. All I could think of was - that was exactly what I wanted to do with God this morning. I wanted to crawl up in His lap and get as close to Him as possible and lay there. Contented. No cares. No worries. Just enjoying His presence. Just paying Him attention. 

I wonder how often I come to my time with God as just a habit and not a time to actually be with Him?   What a shame that I would ever do that. God always deserves our undivided attention. May I always be aware of.my need.for.a.close relationship with my Father in heaven.

For today - crawl into God's lap and rest a while. Mean while I have to go to work. Good day.

Reflections on last night and this morning. . .

As I sit here this morning thinking about last night, honestly I am a bit overwhelmed and I'm not sure why yet. What I am sure about is that God will reveal that in His time so that I understand. If I can just stay focused.

Last night Irene and I, along with the small group leaders at Renewal Church, had the privilege of being encouraged by a wonderful leader and man of God, Jeff Doyle.  He basically took us from creation to restoration in an hour explaining how important this story is to the people that come to our small groups every week. I've seen and heard others do this before and yet there was this overwhelming excitement in me as I listened to the guy speak. Even now, almost 12 hours later I just want to pour through the Scriptures seeking out those truths of the Scriptures that he discussed last night.

Then as I settle into God's word this morning I find myself in Hebrews 11 - the faith chapter. To read of the heros of faith and the lives that they lived should make us all stand up and take notice. Because of last night and this morning there is a renewed stirring in my spirit to focus my life not on the things that will pass away but on things eternal. This is what I've been needing to help get my disciplining spirit.back on track. Father forgive me for not staying focused.

As for now, it's time to head off to work. Keep your eyes on Jesus and open to a lost world around us. Who will your life touch today?

Monday Reflections of the Weekend . . .

As I sit here this morning struggling to wake up I'm thinking about the weekend and how good it was. All in all I didn't get anything major accomplished but it was still a good weekend.

Friday was work until lunch time and then I was able to have lunch with my mother and my wife. After I took mother to help with a short project I went and hung out at Sharpshooters for a little while. Then it was off to the eye doctor for a check up and then supper with my best girl and wandering through Academy sports before heading home.

Saturday is always weigh in day at weight watcher's. Down 0.2 pounds. Breakfast with friends. Looking around Cosco (spelling?)  and then to the Clock for one last lunch before it closes. Naptime follows and then supper with friends.

Sunday was my favorite day of the weeeknd. Breakfast with my sweetheart at her favorite breakfast spot in Greenville -  Cracker Barrel. Then to Renewal for worship with my church family. Nap in the afternoon and a gathering of church members to work through some of the business of the church. Small group fellowship at Five Guys and then home.

All in all a good relaxing weekend. It should be a start to a good week. Let's keep our eyes on Jesus and remember that Easter isn't about bunnies and baskets as much as it is a resurrected Savior.

What kind of day will you have today?

Well it's finally Friday. What kind of.day is this going to be for you?   Will this be a "finally Friday "?  A fabulous Friday?  A frantic Friday?

Today I choose for it to be a good day not to be confused with Good Friday. Today will be a day of reflection and progress. 

As I look back at this week - it has been a good week. We have enough work to be able to work some overtime and that pays outstanding bills off. I've made progress on the project that I'm working on although not as much as I wanted. But I've been focused and that has been nice.

I look at a week in which I got some rest and spent time with Irene and will get to do more of that over the weekend. I started back with this blog and my journal. I've spent time with.friends and family and will get to do that more over the weekend. 

My time with God has been a sweet time this week and I feel closer to my Lord because of it. The book of Hebrews is making me slow my mind and think and that is not a bad thing. As I sit here waiting to go to breakfast with Irene it's quiet and peaceful. That kind of peace that comes from God.

For now - have a blessed weekend and go worship a Holy God somewhere this weekend.

Don't turn a deaf ear. . .

As I sit here this morning and read in the book of Hebrews (in The Message) I come across a statement "don't turn a deaf ear.  . ."  This is referring to the Hebrew children as they wandered in the wilderness and I can't help but wonder how often I have a kindred spirit with these that God is referring to in this statement.

God is talking about the ability of the Hebrew children to be led out of Egypt, something that they couldn't do on their own, and yet they still believe that they know best. The story that they are living out wasn't been told to them, it is something that they are living out first hand. They see God divide a sea and let them walk through on dry land. They are there when water springs from the ground in the middle of no where. They are there when all they have to do is.gather up food, including meat each day, supplied by God.  Yet, God tells them He will take care of them, He will give them a land that doesn't belong to them and they still don't listen and they still don't believe.

Looking back at my life, I have to note how often that has been a picture of me. Father please forgive me for not listening.  For not believing. For having to wander in a desert to get my attention.  Father help me to keep my ears attuned to your voice and not my own. To follow your direction on faith and not force my opinion into a situation. Father help me not to be a child that aways has.to have their way.

For now: keep.your ears open and your opinions to yourself.

Why I do This?

   Sometimes I think that you have to evaluate what you are doing and why.  I also think that it is good to write it down so that we can remember why we do it 20 minutes from now.  Don't get all high and mighty when I say that.  Your life is as chaotic as mine is.  I'm always impressed that I remember anything at the rate that things flow through this brain of mine.
   Why did I start this blog?  Well, it was for the youth group that I was working with at the time.  Now, not so much.  Now it's for me.  To force me to order my thoughts and focus on the things that need to be focused on.  A road map of a road traveled.  Of things done well and things that have been botched.  Now it is a way for me to stay focused on God and His direction.
   So what is the direction that God is leading me right now?  Well, Irene and I along with Scott and Joye Garrett are starting to lead a small group.  We had our first meeting together this past Sunday and I am really encouraged by the people in our group and the plans that we have made so far.  I am on a journey to lose weight and keep it off this time.  I am down about 60 pounds as of right now.  This journey will last a while longer and I will probably post things about that journey here.  I am trying to disciple two guys right now, although I don't think that I am doing a very good job of that right now.  I need to re-establish that focus in my life.  At work I am working more as a coordinator than a designer right now.  Part of that is in my comfort zone and part not even close.  All of that is in God's hands to equip me for that change if that is the direction that He is directing me to go.
   Anyway, to stop the rambling, the day has to get started and I have work to do.  Keep your eyes focused on God and ever follow His direction.  Good day.

Surprised by the Spirit . . .

   I'm not sure why I am ever surprised by the Spirit and the change of direction that usually follows.  Let me give you an example.  This morning during my quiet time and during the prayer time leading up to my time in the scriptures, I was praying a simple prayer that I pray almost every morning before opening God's word.
   The prayer goes like this - Father; open my eyes so that I may see your word clearly, open my mind so that I may understand what I read and open my heart so that Your word can impact my heart and soul.  That prayer changed this morning by the urging of the Spirit.  This morning the prayer changed by the Spirit to the following: Father; open my eyes so that I may see your word clearly and see the lost in the world around me the way that you do, open my mind so that I may understand what I read and be open minded enough to receive the mind of Christ and open my heart so that Your word can impact my heart and break my heart for the lost who are around me everyday.
   May I always be willing to follow the urging of the Spirit and the direction changes that He brings to my life.  May all who read this have a wonder and Spirit filled day.

Praise the Lord ? ? ?

   This morning I finished spending about a month in the book of Psalms.  I'll soon be 54 years old and I'm not sure that I have ever just read through the book of Psalms start to finish.  Don't get me wrong; I've spent time in the book of Psalms but I don't think I've ever just read through the book start to finish before.

   There are a couple of thoughts that I would like to share after this time in God's word.  I have heard people for years make two statements: that the Psalms were a gathered group of songs and people talk about praying through the book of Psalms.  As I read through this book in the bible, this time, I found a group of gathered prayers (the songs that people had referred to.)  I'm not sure I ever saw this before as I read through this book in a scattered way.  But suddenly I understood what people meant when they talked about praying through this book of the bible.

  The one thing that I did notice is in the book of Psalms; consistently God is praised.  As I think about my journey as a believer and from being around other believers; I wonder if we understand the concept of Praise the Lord.  I'm not talking about the songs that we sing during worship on Sundays.  I'm talking about praising the Lord in our personal prayer time.

   I've always tried to be transparent in my daily walk with those that I am close to.  Even now I think about my time with the Lord this morning and it all seems so rushed.  My prayer time seems to be a list of hurts, hopes, wants, and needs.  What I don't notice is praise.  I wonder how many other in my life would say the same thing?

   I don't hear people speak of the wonderful things that the Lord does in out lives each and every day.  We are a blessed people.  Even now I think of how blessed I am.  I wonder what life would be like if instead of talking about my aches and pains, when people ask my how I am, I talked about how great God is in my life and the wonderful things that He is doing. 

   Will you join me in making a change?  I wonder how this will change my life and the lives of people around us?  There is only one way to find out.  Praise the Lord.