What a day....I am emotionally drained. The economic crisis took it's toll on 8 people I know today who were awesome collegues, amazing friends, and most of all family to me.
Heartache hung like a cloud. Hugs and farewells conveyed compassion. But abandoned cubicles and offices became the stark reminder of the reality of it all.
A quote I saw on Twitter this morning sums it up... "God is still good". It's in difficult times like these we want God to move at the pace we expect. We want to be rescued now.
Psalm 77:1 I yell out to my God, I yell with all my might, I yell at the top of my lungs. He listens.
Even through pain we have to remain optimistic
Psalm 71 4-7 ......You keep me going when times are tough— my bedrock, God, since my childhood.
God is moving. and He loves his children and will care for them.
Psalm 86 But you, O God, are both tender and kind, not easily angered, immense in love,and you never, never quit. So look me in the eye and show kindness,give your servant the strength to go on,save your dear, dear child!
Be strong, my colleges. Be confident, my friends. Know you are loved, my family.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Friday, January 09, 2009
Pet Peeves
Five of my top pet peeves
•not planning for what lies ahead
•perpetual late-ness
•disorder and chaos
•only being acknowledged when something is wanted from you
•unkept commitments
•not planning for what lies ahead
•perpetual late-ness
•disorder and chaos
•only being acknowledged when something is wanted from you
•unkept commitments
Thursday, January 08, 2009
Paying "Permanent" Forward
2 Samuel 9
v8 Shuffling and stammering, not looking him in the eye, Mephibosheth said, "Who am I that you pay attention to a stray dog like me?"
“Permanently bless my whole family” was David’s request of God at the end of 2nd Samuel, chapter 8. How does God permanently bless a family? What are the options? You could sit back and just wait for the blessings to pour in, but I don’t think that is really the way it suppose to happen.
God is love. He created us in his own image, therefore we have the ability to love. But God isn’t a dictator so we can also choose not to love.
When we choose to bless, we choose to love. Are we not also blessed when we love? I know I am.
David wanted to honor Saul and sought out a remaining, the only remaining member of his family, his grandson Mephibosheth. Mephibosheth was lame in both feet. By worldly standards this probably designated him useless. Even Mephibosheth himself asked David why he would pay attention to him. But David chose to love. David chose to pay it forward.
It’s easy to miss. When we ask God to bless our whole family He is likely equipping us to partake in that process. Are you paying your blessings forward?
v8 Shuffling and stammering, not looking him in the eye, Mephibosheth said, "Who am I that you pay attention to a stray dog like me?"
“Permanently bless my whole family” was David’s request of God at the end of 2nd Samuel, chapter 8. How does God permanently bless a family? What are the options? You could sit back and just wait for the blessings to pour in, but I don’t think that is really the way it suppose to happen.
God is love. He created us in his own image, therefore we have the ability to love. But God isn’t a dictator so we can also choose not to love.
When we choose to bless, we choose to love. Are we not also blessed when we love? I know I am.
David wanted to honor Saul and sought out a remaining, the only remaining member of his family, his grandson Mephibosheth. Mephibosheth was lame in both feet. By worldly standards this probably designated him useless. Even Mephibosheth himself asked David why he would pay attention to him. But David chose to love. David chose to pay it forward.
It’s easy to miss. When we ask God to bless our whole family He is likely equipping us to partake in that process. Are you paying your blessings forward?
Wednesday, January 07, 2009
Permanent
I decided back in November that I wanted to do a study of David and his life. I continue to be deeply entrenched in the perils and delights of Davids experiences. Yesterday I was reading chapter 7 in 2nd Samuel. Today I continued on in chapter 8 but found myself reflecting back to chapter 7.
It says in 2nd Samuel 7 28-29 "And now, Master GOD, being the God you are, speaking sure words as you do, and having just said this wonderful thing to me, please, just one more thing: Bless my family; keep your eye on them always. You've already as much as said that you would, Master GOD! Oh, may your blessing be on my family permanently!"
If you rewind back to the first few verses of chapter 7 in 2 Samuel, David took a look at all he had and felt as if he needed to honor God in some way by constructing a building in which to house the Chest of God.
In following verses God reminded David that He didn’t need a building. How many years did the Chest move from place to place only in a tent. Ah, maybe 40 years!
Basically, I think God was saying to David, ‘have you forgotten who I am you silly boy?’ At the end of the chapter David has the realization that there is nothing that God needs. He asks for God’s blessing, he is even so bold to ask for a permanent blessing on family.
Thats where I got broadsided. What does it mean to ask for a permanent blessing on your family? What potential does that have? How incredible could that be?
But I paused. If God were to grant a permanent blessing, what exactly does that mean....that hardships will never fall again upon that family? Anything is possible with God, so the potential of that happening does exist. But sin is active in the world, and hardships, in whatever form, will continue to exist as well.
Though its a broad concept, permanently bless my entire family, I think it can be easily minimized. And when something goes awry we immediately go to a place of why did this happen to me. In those times its easy to forget all of the many other blessing we are given.
This past year has been devastating at times for some of my extended family members. I don't know why the things that happened, happened. I know that I've prayed and prayed for positive outcomes. Sometimes they happened. Sometimes they didn't. God knows why. God knows best. But even when things didn't have the results I wanted them to have I kept praying for them to happen.
Meriam Webster defines permanent as : continuing or enduring without fundamental or marked change : stable
I pray for a permanent blessing on my family. I pray they will be continuously blessed and find strength to endure in times when it appears they are not.
In 2 Samuel 8 David has victory over victory over his foes. He is reveled as an honorable man. I see Your blessings upon him.
....Master GOD! Oh, may Your blessing be on my family permanently!"
It says in 2nd Samuel 7 28-29 "And now, Master GOD, being the God you are, speaking sure words as you do, and having just said this wonderful thing to me, please, just one more thing: Bless my family; keep your eye on them always. You've already as much as said that you would, Master GOD! Oh, may your blessing be on my family permanently!"
If you rewind back to the first few verses of chapter 7 in 2 Samuel, David took a look at all he had and felt as if he needed to honor God in some way by constructing a building in which to house the Chest of God.
In following verses God reminded David that He didn’t need a building. How many years did the Chest move from place to place only in a tent. Ah, maybe 40 years!
Basically, I think God was saying to David, ‘have you forgotten who I am you silly boy?’ At the end of the chapter David has the realization that there is nothing that God needs. He asks for God’s blessing, he is even so bold to ask for a permanent blessing on family.
Thats where I got broadsided. What does it mean to ask for a permanent blessing on your family? What potential does that have? How incredible could that be?
But I paused. If God were to grant a permanent blessing, what exactly does that mean....that hardships will never fall again upon that family? Anything is possible with God, so the potential of that happening does exist. But sin is active in the world, and hardships, in whatever form, will continue to exist as well.
Though its a broad concept, permanently bless my entire family, I think it can be easily minimized. And when something goes awry we immediately go to a place of why did this happen to me. In those times its easy to forget all of the many other blessing we are given.
This past year has been devastating at times for some of my extended family members. I don't know why the things that happened, happened. I know that I've prayed and prayed for positive outcomes. Sometimes they happened. Sometimes they didn't. God knows why. God knows best. But even when things didn't have the results I wanted them to have I kept praying for them to happen.
Meriam Webster defines permanent as : continuing or enduring without fundamental or marked change : stable
I pray for a permanent blessing on my family. I pray they will be continuously blessed and find strength to endure in times when it appears they are not.
In 2 Samuel 8 David has victory over victory over his foes. He is reveled as an honorable man. I see Your blessings upon him.
....Master GOD! Oh, may Your blessing be on my family permanently!"
Sunday, January 04, 2009
Lookin' good dawg
This is our dog. He's a very old wire hair dachshund.
Normally his apparel consistes of his dog hair...
......but that could all change today.
I went to Facebook this morning and found an advertisement for this website:
http://www.noodleandfriends.com. It was tagged as Designs for Dachshunds. So I had to look.
Who knew he had the opportunity to look so good?
Normally his apparel consistes of his dog hair...
......but that could all change today.
I went to Facebook this morning and found an advertisement for this website:
http://www.noodleandfriends.com. It was tagged as Designs for Dachshunds. So I had to look.
Who knew he had the opportunity to look so good?
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