Simply Thankful

Thankful Thursday: Today I woke up thinking on God's favor. I have laid here for an hour and I STILL don't know how to describe ALL that He has done since just this time last year...let alone how to articulate His favor in my entire life.

So, I will just say thank you Lord. You see, He searches my heart and knows my motives and intentions...He cannot be fooled. I know that when He searches my heart He will see all that I can't say "Thank You" enough for. He will see His Holy Spirit which He has sealed in me until Christ's return; He will see the love that I have for my Parents; my wife Kimberly; He will see my love for my children, my brothers and my relationships with those of you who He has divinely joined together.

I'm also thankful and confident that the "other stuff" that may be found in my heart that shouldn't be, that He will strengthen me to overcome it and rid my heart of those intentions and motives that fall short of glorifying Him. And I'm thankful "For there is no respect of persons with God." (Romans 2:11) and that all that He has done and is doing in my life, that He will also do the same in yours!

Our only reply to all of this is to say to Him THANK YOU!

There is But One Body...

Every person is worth understanding!

On this past Saturday evening I took my wife out on a date. We were waiting to be seated in the restaurant when she noticed one of her students there. She greeted the young man and his family. However, when I reached out my hand to greet him he stepped backwards until his back was against the wall. He appeared to be uncomfortable.

You see, my wife is a 7th grade Special Needs Paraeducator. I understood the reaction because I understand the students that my wife teaches. Her students interact with her daily and they trust her and are comfortable with her, but it takes more than just an occasional encounter to gain this same trust and comfort from others.

Although I knew what was happening, my wife quickly spoke up to give me understanding of why he reacted the way he did. She stood up and spoke up and created a bridge to connect the young man and myself and in doing so she protected both her student and me (as I could've been offended by the response...had I not already known the reason). This is what prompted me to write this Post.

I thank God for my wife and all of those who care for our Special Needs brothers and sisters. The special attention given teaches us all that EVERY PERSON IS WORTH UNDERSTANDING! May we all see that all of God's creation is worthy of understanding; thereby, bridging the gaps that really doesn't need to exist. God has created us all to be a part of one Body.

Not everyone can be a hand, nor can everyone be an eye..."But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. As it is, there are many parts, but one body.   The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other." (1 Corinthians 12:18, 20-25)

Prayer: Almighty God, help us to see others as you see them and help us to understand that we were all, each one of us, fearfully and wonderfully made and not only that, but that you have created us in your image and in your likeness. Some may move about differently than others; some may think differently; some speak differently; and some may require special assistance today. Lord let us not be indifferent to the differences that make us unique because you created the uniqueness; therefore, we must understand that this same uniqueness is your greatness. Indeed equip us to give special care to those special and unique members of our one Body because if any part suffers, then the entire body suffers. In the name of Jesus, Amen.
#NextLevel

The Goodness of Life in Christ

“The Goodness of life in Christ goes much deeper than fun!”  I received this text message from a friend of mine last Friday.  When I received it, I just skimmed over it and said that was nice.  However, unknowingly, this message would be a prologue to the weekend.  Let me explain.

My niece, Alicia, is a freshman this year at Frostburg State University and has been away now for nearly 2 months.  Although her time away would seem short, the time away from family, those who truly love and adore Alicia seemed much, much longer.

Well, the weekend of the Columbus Day holiday was Frostburg’s Family and Friends Day.  The family had been planning to make the trip to see Alicia for a over a month; making Hotel reservations, signing up for events at the college, cooking all of her favorite food items from various family members and wrapping up loose ends here in the local area prior to traveling to the University.  We strategically made all of this preparation and planning well in advance so that we could and would have “fun” during our visit.

The drive could be labeled as uneventful, meaning no traffic jams, no weather difficulties and no mechanical issues with the vehicles.  However, I would change that label and say that the drive was spectacular!  I say this because the coolness of the morning air, the brightness and warmth of the sun shining above and the colors of autumn surrounding us as we drove through the mountains were indeed spectacular.  Yeah, everything during our trip to Frostburg was “fun”.



Rocky Gap State Park, Flintsone MD



Our first order of business before seeing Alicia was to check-in to our Hotel.  We approached the exit for the Hotel and began to notice how beautiful it was…I mean EVERYTHING appeared to be as if on a cover of a magazine!  The golf course straddled both sides of the street leading to the hotel.  Nature trails, a crystal like man-made lake surrounded the property and the Hotel itself was simply stunning!  Upon entering, we approached the desk, gave our name and were informed that everything was in order. Yeah, as planned, the “fun” was becoming a reality!

My brother came and met us in the lobby (he and his wife, Paula, arrived the night prior) and helped us to our room and then led us to the dining room where we had breakfast.  The anticipation was great for everyone; hurry up and eat so that we can get to the college.  We were all checking our watches and reviewing the schedule of events for that day at Frostburg…anxious for the “fun” stuff that the college students and faculty had prepared for the families that would be visiting.

When we pulled into the parking lot of the apartments where my niece was residing, before we can even park the car, we could hear the “Hellos” from her and her roommates!  You see, they had been waiting to see us as much as we’ve been waiting to see them!



My niece Alicia, walking IN answered prayer



Alicia (left) was the ultimate tour guide and host!  She showed us around “her” school with great pride.  We visited all her places of study, dining and Java City, her favorite place to be!  She took us to the campus bookstore and bought everyone a little something to take back with them to represent Frostburg. Yes, the “fun” was being enjoyed!

It wasn’t until later on that evening when Ken and I were sitting out on the dock that extended out into the lake, after the “fun” of the day had come to an end, that it hit me.  As I looked at my brother, I began to not only see, but to understand and be reminded once again of “The Goodness of life in Christ” and that it indeed is much more than just “fun”.  I saw in Ken: Confidence not worry or anxiety about neither financial concerns nor health concerns for Alicia, I saw Calmness in his personality not turmoil, and I saw Assurance instead of conflicting thoughts as to the well-being of his daughter and the distance that now separates them.  He was at peace and in a place of Thanksgiving…he was LIVING and THRIVING in “The Goodness of life in Christ”!

We know that true life, not just existence, is found in Christ Jesus.  We know that He has given us life and life more abundantly, we know that He gives us joy that surpasses all understanding, we know that He gives us His peace…we know these things.  However, it is not every day that we live IN IT; we oftentimes just live it without acknowledging His Goodness.

Let’s look back with our spiritual eyes…Because He loves us, He went ahead of us to make all things perfect.  The drive was perfect, the weather was perfect, the accommodations were perfect, the activities at the school was perfect, Alicia was in perfect health and doing well academically as well as socially…everything was ABSOLUTELY PERFECT!  You see, when you look back, you begin to realize that it wasn’t ABOUT us and who we are…it was FOR us because of whose we are!  We did not only prepare and make arrangements; we prayed that the day would be “fun”.  He went beyond “fun” and blessed EVERYTHING about the trip!!!

Life in Christ is so much more than just fun, it’s deeper than fun, it is eternal and not temporal, it is beyond our imagination and our comprehension; and because we are His children, He gives us grace when we don’t acknowledge His goodness and when we overlook His provisions and protection.

I couldn’t even begin to label this weekend as “fun”.  However, I do label it as a blessing and I do say that “The Goodness of life in Christ is AWESOME…everything about the life in Christ is AWESOME…every aspect of living your life in Christ is AWESOME!!!”

If you want to have “fun”, schedule a trip to an amusement park.  You may or may not have fun on that particular day, it may or may not rain, the park may or may not be open…BUT, THE GOODNESS OF LIFE IN CHRIST GOES SO MUCH FURTHER than “fun”, it is available to all of us, every single day of our life…and beyond!

Just like the proud parents who wanted to ensure that everything about their daughter's experience in college and being away from home was perfect…Our Heavenly Father makes certain that everything that concerns His children, He will perfect it!

Many thanks to my friend Teddy Foote, for sending me this text message and ultimately, this reminder!