Speaking of Taking time to be Thankful

How is it that God allows us more time to think about the things that draw us to Him? Just this week, I was talking about how I don't take the time to notice the small things in life, like a light switch, and what happens? Power goes out. It really is a simple act that we do on a normal basis, flipping a light switch, that becomes so important when we can't. I am thankful for those things and I was happy to have a couple days to think about it.

Actually, I haven't really had to do without power. I have been blessed with parents (in-laws) who are willing and wanting to spend time with us. They opened their home and thats where we have been staying. I know that I am lucky. I have been praying for others who haven't had some one to turn to or some where to go. Also, more than anyone, I am thankful for the workers who have been out in the cold and mess working to get things running back to normal again. They are so often forgotten even when they are putting in long hours to give back to us the things that we often take for granted.

Maybe that is a good thing to come out of all this, we do get the opportunity to recognize how blessed we are. We want to think of ourselves as lacking when we look to others who have more, but in reality, we have so much. I have been watching the series Balanced by Andy Stanley and thats one of the things this past week's segment was about. We have so much extra that we take for granted.

While I am happy that I have power, I know that plenty of people around this state still don't. I pray that they get it soon and that until then God continues to guard them. I ask that you would do the same.

Be back next week with some of the things that I have struggled with.

Typing once more

I am really going to try and be a little better about posting on here. Mainly because I have some thoughts that are going on and I am wanting to get them out. Most of them deal with me just struggling with feelings and thoughts, but thats ok. Its one of the areas that I wanted to be transparent in this blog. I read something on Friday that really started my brain a chuggin'. I thought I would share that here.

Occasionally, I like to laugh. I know thats shocking and all of you are all super serious. But, I read the "Best of" from Craigslist on a normal basis. Most of the times its funny "Casual Encounters", which I usually avoid, or rants about some one's pet peeves that I all too often feel myself. But on Friday there was this post. I won't repeat it. Instead you should read it, and I will go into what it made me think about. The simplicities of life are often forgotten as we live our lives. When was the last time that you were thankful for having a light switch? I was just struck by that. It something that we all use everyday and never think of how it could be a luxury. I don't say all this to be down on us for our selfishness, but more so to be captivated by the gifts that we have. I mentioned how I loved the book Crazy Love by Francis Chan. One of the points that I took from it was about how we often forget how amazing God is. We pray but forget that we are praying TO some one not just saying words. We get in the routine of prayer, but not the need for communication. When I was growing up, I was told that prayer is just talking to God. But thats the thing, its not JUST talking to God. Its talking to the creator of the universe. THE most powerful being ever. Yesterday we sang a song that has this as the chorus:

You are Holy! Great and Mighty!
The Moon and the stars declare who you are
I'm so unworthy, but still you love me
Forever my heart will sing of how great you are!

I have had that song stuck in my head. Last night as I was falling asleep, I was singing it to God as my prayer. I think that sometimes that I need the wake up call to remember how great our God is.

So, thats where my mind has been the last couple days. Does those words from a former Homeless man touch you in any way? What about the song? Do you often forget how amazing God is? Am I all alone?

A late start to the new year

Yeah, I realize that I haven't put anything on here in a long time. Mainly that is due to my laziness and lack of imagination. Lately I have been choosing to be entertained or informed rather than informing or entertaining. Thats ok and I have been enriched from it. So, here is a short explanation of things that are currently taking up my time.

I finished Crazy Love by Francis Chan. Its an amazing book that really has challenged my thoughts and actions. Over at SCL's other site The Prodigal John, he is having a weekly discussion of it. If you want to know more about the book, go read some of the topics that are speaking to people. It might give you a better idea of whats going on. I won't go into any real details right now, but might try and devote an entry talking about things that really hit me hard.

I have also been reading How to read the Bible for all its worth by Gordon Fee and Douglas Stuart. I have enjoyed the breakdown that these two professors use. They do a good job of trying to make something sort of daunting much more accessible to everyone. I haven't finished it but have already noticed a difference in the way I look at a passage of scripture now.

Those are the main books that have taken up my time (a couple fantasy baseball stuff as well, but I won't bore you). The other main thing that I have been thinking about is Driscoll's sermon series "The Peasant Princess". It deals with Song of Solomon/Songs. There is such great truth in his teachings of this scripture. I always find myself pondering over the things that each lesson tells. I have been watching them with my wife and its great. While I would say that there isn't a whole lot about our marriage that isn't practicing these principles, I know that there is still a lot to learn. I enjoy the fact that a proactive stance now on things we haven't foreseen, may allow us to avoid too many problems later.

Also, I have been watching Andy Stanley's series "Balanced" about finances. Its funny and informative, just like pretty much all his series, but its also made me think about our possessions in a different way. I understand that nothing is really mine, and to illustrate that Stanley asks if you were to borrow some one's vehicle, what percentage would they expect you to take care of? Obviously, its the whole thing, not just 10%. Now, the challenge is not this, but the idea that Stanley said that he won't buy a new item (toy, gadget, etc) if he wouldn't allow some one to borrow it. Can I honestly say that? I don't know. But, I would like to be that way. I don't want my goal to be to gain things, but rather to be a loving giver. Which leads to the thoughts that Crazy Love brings about. So, I guess I will have to talk about that soon.

So, that's whats going on with me. I will try not to let another month plus go by without spending some time sharing what God is laying on my heart and showing me through His teachings.