Just Thinking and Thankful

Have you ever had one of those "perfect" days? Ahhhh, today was just one of those days for me. Victoria and I were both off work this whole weekend (as rare as Haley's comet). We got to sleep in, a great shower to start the morning, a nice little drive to run our son to basketball practice...tried a new flavor at Starbucks...oh, and these Smart Wool socks hug my feet like a mother nestling her new born baby against her chest....Just a wonderful day! I just got back from recording our 1 hour Sunday show for the church, so it was a great time in God's word. I arrive home and the whole house is asleep and it's only 9:30pm! Lord, are you in my head?! Haha...anyway Now I sit here listening to some really simple piano and jazz ensemble numbers and I just can not believe how content I am! I never ever thought I would be so happy and so content.

For a moment I stop and think because God has given us so much and because life is easy it is easy for me to be content. Then I also remember Ha! What has been easy? 2007 was another very hard year for us. I don't want to sound all pious, but it really is simply because of the Lord. I have all the riches of Christ and I am an heir of salvation and heaven, what else do I need? Has God not met every need in every urgent time? Even when tears are shed because things are so hard, He has always helped us out (mostly through our parents).

I also think as we approach 2008, I am very excited about some changes coming in our lives. I really have no skills. If thrown out on the street jobless today all I really have are my two hands to work with. God has been very good to us with our jobs. I also feel like the whole world is just sitting out there and I can be anything and do anything I want to do. Who knows where God will lead me, but I feel like a high school senior who is trying to figure out what he wants to do with his life. It may sound funny, but like I said before I like to "tinker" and my interests change pretty often...so I feel like a student of life now.

My learning electronics (very basic and self-taught) has blown my mind wide open to so many possibilities! Computers, my web hosting and design, now some very cool home security and automation products....I am very excited about what I am learning. It's play to me. I have also recently for some reason become very interested in mathmatics. I can't believe those words even came out of MY mouth! I was always a straight F student in math! Microbiology, physiology.....biology....heck...all of life is SO interesting. In the words of Will Ferrel as Harry Cary..."Heck, I'm just curious like a cat!"

I remember one time talking about life like water skiing. Just hang on to that rope! Life is the water that wants to pull you down and keep you down....If you can learn to balance and hang on to the rope, you can find yourself actually kind of leaning back and gliding pretty effortlessly. I remember one time as a kid, we were water skiing. I crashed as I was just taking off and I held on to the rope and wouldn't let go. It almost drowned me! Haha...I had to let go and start over. Sometimes in life it's just blasting us in the face and we have to let go, sit and bob a little bit....think about what we did wrong and then go again.

The Chinese speak of "chi". In martial arts as the opponent comes at you, you kind of sit back and go with the flow of the action. You are not all tense and making quick, jerky actions, but very smooth actions that move with the opponent. Like trying to swim against the waves or go with the waves.

Now this is all very "worldly" and "Oprah-ish" but remember.... God is in control of all things and every day is for your benefit and growth. Every "wave" that crashes against you is to strengthen and test you. He is making you stronger, drawing You to Himself, calling You to come or if you have already come to Him through Christ, then He is working all things to make you more like Christ and it's all to the glory of God. If God is in control of all things, why worry?

Life is VERY hard sometimes, sometimes we cry and fear and worry. God is always there. He will meet our needs according to His will.

I am not sure why I feel so good today (rest probably has a lot to do with it) but I just think "Oh, if only every day could be so perfect!" I then remember one day it will be perfectly perfect one day when I arrive in heaven.

I sure hope I am the last of us to get there...but then again maybe we'll be whisked away in 2008 by the King of Glory who is coming again to make all things new again.

I always wonder what the next year will hold. I always wonder if this is the year "my number will be up". Well, one day I'll be right. I was recently reading some writings of a young man we knew who died at age 19. He was living and planning for the long term and then was suddenly surprised by death. I think it is wise to make smart plans for life, but always be ready to meet your God today. I have been a sad, sorry, lazy Christian this past month...but that ends tonight. The Lord has me, heart and soul. I just hope I can walk the walk....I don't want to be a Christian blow-hard who is all talk. How patient the Lord is with sinners! I am so thankful that He sees me through the blood of Christ as pure and holy. Now I just want to practically live it out.

God bless you and here's to a GREAT '08!!!

I fear the commitment it takes, but I think I will go for the through the Bible in a year again. Maybe we can help each other....

Rest well friends and family......Lord Jesus is Great and will make all things right. Just be sure to be found on the side of faith!